Recently, I was delighted to be given an old haliburton ZERO aluminum briefcase from my brother as i might be able to put it to use as a pistol case.. ;-) What a great brother! My new IZH-46M was just waiting for a home, too.
About $5 of foam from the local foam shop and this is what i've put together so far: holds pistol, glasses, earplugs, targets, some tools, pellets, spare parts..
Still considering what else i might want to cut into the foam. What do you like to keep in your AP case? Love to see some pictures of your solutions.
I'm thinking a scope may be next/final item to locate in the foam...
Heck the only thing I would change about that is that tin of pellets to something good(grin). Have youdone any grip modification? My pistol case is a Dewalt sawsall case. I like how much room your case has. aishot it a NRA event in feruary and shota 546 with my Izzy. I shot a sectional this month and was back down to 539. One definate flyer and one trigger finger spasm equaled two sixes.
I always put my pellets in an off brand tin, it keeps people thinking...
Hmmm that guy is shooting those scores with Daisy's?...then they go out and buy some...hahahahahaha....
scout18 wrote:Heck the only thing I would change about that is that tin of pellets to something good(grin). Have youdone any grip modification? My pistol case is a Dewalt sawsall case. I like how much room your case has. aishot it a NRA event in feruary and shota 546 with my Izzy. I shot a sectional this month and was back down to 539. One definate flyer and one trigger finger spasm equaled two sixes.
The only extra's I have in my box are spare (compressed air) cylinders, the pressure gauge, toolkit, ear plugs, gun cloth and 'beer mat' to rest the gun on. You could add things like your stopwatch. I would steer clear of making the thing too heavy so I would keep the scope out, plus they are not allowed in 10M ISSF competitions (if that matters to you).
I'm going to get a bigger case in future so I can carry both my single and 5 shot AP's together (when I need to).
Some very nice cases!
Thanks for posting the pix.
May I ask what method have you found works best for cutting the foam?
You both have done a great job!
Thanks!
JLK
JohnK wrote:May I ask what method have you found works best for cutting the foam?
I just used a throw-away craft knife with a long thin "snap-off" blade.
The base foam in my box is actually in three layers. I cut out the top layer and then just copied the cutouts to the 2nd and 3rd layers where necessary. I then stuck the 3 layers together.
i would use david's method if i had one of those blades around - they work great. for this case however i used a larger sized xacto blade (standard pointed shape) and plunge it and saw around on my line like a jigsaw. this cuts between half and 3/4 through my 1.5 inch foam, depending upon pressure. if i'm going all the way through, i then follow these cuts with a sharp pocket knife all the way through.
when cutting complicated outlines like the pistol, i like to put the foam on an old piece of carpet and then cut and through with knife while holding foam flat.
when cutting shallow/not all the way through for things like pellet tins, it helps to cut a crosshatch pattern through the waste foam so can better cut at the base of the waste, or sometimes easier to cut all the way through, then slice the plug in half, say, and press the part you want back in.
this kind of foam has a lot of spring to it and can be tricky to cut. use sharp blades.
i've had great success in cutting recesses into styro and epp foams with a dremel and router/carving bits. not tried it in this stuff however, i think too stretchy and fear would grab and not work well.
Neil Foster wrote:OK,
I will bite, what is the knitting needle for David?
I knew it was just a matter of time before someone asked, but there is a genuine reason for having one.
With the Morini 162, and probably other guns, it is possible to inadvertantly load two pellets or load one backwards. By far the easiest way to get over the problem is to just slide the knitting needle down the barrel from the muzzle end with the loading gate open. Obviously, in a match, this must be done under the supervision of a Range Office as rule 8.4.3.1.1.1
Other than initially testing that it worked I have not had to use it in anger, yet. Wear is not an issue as the need to use the needle is extremely rare.
I use a knitting needle with my air pistol as described above and also for my free pistol.
When I extract a spent round from my Hammerli 150 it is possible to not fully extract the case if you are not positive when you pull the lever. If the round does not extract completely the extractor slips out from behind the case rim and will push the case fully into the chamber with the pressure of the return spring of the lever. If that happens the extractor is behind the case pressing it into the chamber and will not extract it. I've only done this once when the pistol was new and I wasn't completely familiar with the operation and I've never done it in a match but since it has happened in practice a knitting needle is perfect for clearing the chamber without damaging the barrel of the pistol and gives me more confidence knowing I can handle the problem if it occures.
I found a knitting needle made out of a very smooth plastic with a knob on one end and it is the perfect length for clearing long barrels.
If you put the foam in the freezer for half an hour it stiffens it and makes it easier to get a clean edge.
[when cutting complicated outlines like the pistol, i like to put the foam on an old piece of carpet and then cut and through with knife while holding foam flat.
when cutting shallow/not all the way through for things like pellet tins, it helps to cut a crosshatch pattern through the waste foam so can better cut at the base of the waste, or sometimes easier to cut all the way through, then slice the plug in half, say, and press the part you want back in.
I tried to double load a pellet in my Steyr LP-10 and found it was not possible to do so, nor could I load one backwards. However, I think a plastic knitting needle is a great idea to clear an obstruction like a pellet, or a stuck .22 case as was also suggested. It will be part of my kit. Thanks for the idea David.
Neil
Last edited by Neil Foster on Mon Mar 28, 2005 11:35 am, edited 1 time in total.
