Range Report on the 'Big 5 Sports' IBM

Some earlier information on the IBM is in this thread:

https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=35946&page=2

I've had the IBM cleaned up and ready to go for about 6 weeks. Shooting it had to wait a while due to a pretty serious snow and ice storm that hit my area in mid to late January. Had a nice day today, so made the 20 minute trip "up to the hills" to give it a try. Had a FTF on the first round, but evidently was a bad primer because there was a good enough dent in it. After that it went much better and I found that it shoots a little lower than my CMP S'G', and windage only took about (3) clicks to the right to get centered on the target. After some practice, I decided to get out my "25 yard M1 Carbine Targets" and found out I had just one with me. I wanted to post a "good result" so started getting a little nervous. About the time I was placing the target, another guy drove up and wondered how long until I was going to be finished. I told him I just wanted to shoot 7 rounds at this target and then try a dozen or so at 50 yds. He was wanting to sight-in a Remington 270, and decided to wait until I was done. Anyway, I messed up and was way low on my first shot, but the rest went about where I wanted them. My hold was "top of post at the bottom of the black." I was sitting in my old lawn chair and resting my elbow on my knee, so maybe could have done better, not sure. On the 50 yard target, I got all 12 shots into about 3-1/4" while the other guy looked through his scope and told me where they were hitting. I had (3) consecutive hits on a 1-1/2" orange target spot for a bull, so I was really pleased! This IBM might be the best shooting carbine in my small collection. The trigger pull is between 4-1/2 and 5 pounds and it's sure easy to shoot compared to the old S'G' with the dogleg hammer and the 22 coil spring. - Bob

Attachment 31294

Bob,
You and that lawn chair did some pretty good shooting. Have you tried shooting prone?

Nice shooting Bob.
After cleaning up the IBM looks like you have a great shooter!.....Frank

Sweet!

I wish I could get a 4 1/2lb trigger on mine. They are about 6-7. Move back to 100 and see what it does with an SR1. Looks like you will hold the 9 ring easily.

Thanks guys! I don't think I ever tried prone unless it was when I was a kid - The ground in Northern Oregon hardly ever dries out. These "guys" in the attached picture are pretty good at busting balloons sitting, or prone. This picture was taken about 4 years ago, so they are both about ready to try the carbines - maybe when they get to come up for spring vacation in March. Can anybody id the BB gun on the right? It was made in 1954. - Bob

P.S. - The lighter trigger does seem to really help. It's just the way it came from Big 5. It does have an M2 sear, and it's my only carbine that has one. I know they are made a little different. I'm going to make up a spare trigger housing with the later parts to try on the other guns - want to see if it makes a difference on how they shoot. It will be easy to swap in and out without having to tinker with the existing parts.

Daisy pump!! It was my first gun. Got it for X-Mas, and no I didn't shoot my eye out with it. I did learn how to shoot birds out of the apple tree with it. Brings back memories, I wish I still had it.....Frank

I had one too. But I ricocheted one off a walnut into the neighbors sliding glass door. My butt hurt for a week.

Bob, that looks like a memory with the grandsons. I like it.....Frank

It took a lot longer to load too. But I always wanted one of those because the pump was cool. They were also way more powerful. The modern BB guns are real poor performers compared to our days.

I love to see those kids out plinking away. We need more of that.

Dave, you got it, more kids shooting is a good thing.
The pump held 50 in the tube you threaded in the barrel. Loading the tube one be one took some time. The pump broke down in two. I remember going to the hardware store and buying BB's over the counter, I think I was 8 or 9 at the time. Those were the days.
I've been to some estate sales and found out that their are BB gun collectors and that some of those old Daisy's bring some serious money.....Frank

You have a nicely-targeted carbine and a great shooter. You couldn't ask for a better 25 yd target. This would tell me a lot about a carbine, like it has been maintained in service condition, the adjustable sight was installed properly, the front sight has been adjusted properly and the carbine is in excellent overall mechanical condition.

I knew some of you guys would remember that Model 25 pump. Actually that's my second one, the first had something wrong with it and after sending it back for repair a couple of times (still wouldn't work right) - I got a new one out of the deal. Some of the neighbor kids had earlier ones with the wood stocks, but mine were both plastic. I lost it somewhere over the years, but I used to have a small leather pouch (Daisy?) to keep the BB's in. When you opened the flap, you could curl it a little bit, and that would allow you to pour the 50 BB's right into that small opening without spilling a one - if you were good! When I was little, I used to have an older brother help cock it for me - either that or crouch down on my knees with the butt of the gun on the ground, and then pull with both hands. Later I got pretty good at rapid fire, by just holding the trigger back (with it shouldered) and pumping the action as fast as I could. It's a bit hard to read, but I can still make out the words of the "Daisy Pledge" on the butt of the stock. - Bob

My first was one of these Daisys back when I was 6 or 7 . Hunted all sorts of critters out on the farm with it . Spent tubes of BBs trying to shoot dragonflies on the wing , don't recall if I ever contacted with one. I did take many black widows , scorpions , cetipeds , locusts , lizards , mice , rats , rattlesnakes and sidewinders with it . I was trained to take care of my stuff even back then. It currenty resides , lightly oiled , in the back of one of my gun safes .
Chris

I had an original Daisy "Red Ryder" handed down from my oldest brother. It had the brown plastic stock with Red Ryder molded in it.

Shooting with the grandkids is awesome. Here is my grandson last year when we went shooting last year in July in Southern OR. It is a Daisy lever gun.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...7/willBB-1.jpg


Bob, I wonder if the M2 sear helps with trigger pull and group size. My CMP Inland has an M2 sear and it has a great trigger pull. It shoots like yours.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...7/photo1-1.jpg

Actually, it was a picture of one of your Inland's targets that got me trying for better accuracy. I bought an M2 hammer because of the polished sear contact area, and was planning on putting it in my old S'G' along with a 26-1/2 coil spring. When I asked on the forum about using a spacer with the hammer, JimF4M1's was kind enough to send me a really nice 'WA' hammer so I woudn't have to fool around finding a washer. I've got some parts on order from Bill Ricca that should allow me to put together a complete spare trigger housing - then I'll do some experimenting with the trigger pull, and see what different combinations of the later parts will give me. After reading about the design changes of the sears in Kuhnhausen's manual, I think the M2 sear does have some advantages. I think the M2 sear in the IBM has probably been with the gun for a good 50-60 years and the parts have worn themselves in to give a really smooth feel. After I find a combination of parts that works good, I plan to try that TH in a couple other guns to see how they shoot. I have an Inland with more ME, that already shoots pretty darn good - maybe it will even help it.

Thanks for the BB gun information and the picture of the Grandson with his. Both my older brothers had Daisy lever guns, and always made fun of the way my pump sounded - kinda of went "Booop" when I shot it, so they called it the "Booop Gun." The oldest brother has a Red Ryder with the wood stock that he got in about 1948. He brought it with him when he visited 3 or 4 years ago. It might have had a saddle ring with a leather thong - can't remember for sure. It still shot pretty darn good! I remember getting shot in the butt once with it, when I was a kid - not sure if it was accidental or not? - Bob