Hi,

I just bought a GL Barnes rifle for my son but I do not know anything about it.
I would like to know the caliber and how to properly to load/fire.
I would also be interested in the value for insurance purposes..
Tried to upload pictures but too large of file.
I sent an email to mail@glbarnes.com (last week) but no answer.

Thank you for any information.
Tom

Hello Tom,

Sorry for the difficulty in contact. The e-mail addy you have died when my old ISP literally and actually "Burned Up" 18-24 months ago. I lost a ton of stuff. Their Calif. backup failed to be able to restore - they just went away.

Currently, I'm using the PM system here on the forum. You are clearly a member as you have posted. Tell me about the gun - where you got it. Post a pic here on the thread if you wish. You do not have to put anything personal here. The PM system does not accept pics. I know it's not ideal, but I'm devoting as much time as I have to mail.

Thanks. Tell me what you know about the gun and I'll see what I recall.

Best,
Gary Barnes
On the PM and my Posts ... my User Name is barnespneumatic

Gary,

Thanks for the response ... I can imagine how busy you are.
You have very unique and high quality one of a kind products.

On the wooden crate it came with it says McDonald on the side and 310.

I attached a couple pictures that hopefully will help identify the rifle.
(please note in the picture with the rifle crate there seems to be something missing in the lower left side ... What is that? )

If possible the rifle caliber .. insurance value ... operating instructions.
I will also need ammunition ...

Thank you for all your help

Hello Tom,
Thanks for the pic.
First comment ... in the pic, the gun appears to be COCKED. CAREFUL. That gun cocks forward. I can't see it well, but it either has a full charge of air, or the hammer is cocked. Hold the palm of your hand against the cocking lever, and resist it's rear travel while you pull the trigger. That will uncock it, if it is so cocked.
The rifle is a RENEGADE Mdl. in 32 caliber. Made approx. Circa 2000. I will have to look up the details.
My first memory is of the Scope Rail. The Customer had wished to use Iron sights. So; I designed the gun with a unique prototype breech and short rail. As I got into the build, the customer desires changed. As you see, in the end, I had to make an adaptation for large glass on the gun.. Would not have been my call.
The part missing from the case is a K valve fill yoke. This is the device that clamps onto the top of the 3,000 psi 80 cubic foot tanks. It will have a valve showing the pressure you are filling to. I'm wondering if this gun used a fill probe. Looking at the butt reservoir, I don't see a fill nipple alike all my other guns. I see a blank spot in the case for an approx. 2 1/2" - 3" probe which would have clipped onto the fill hose, and inserted into the port. I think I see a rotating port cover, lower rear corner by the butt pad. If there is a hole approx. 5/16" diameter there, then that is the story. The probe seems to be missing.
Fill pressure and ammo size will be in my ledgers.
The gun was built so that the hammer could be set to many different pre-loads. Thus, controlling it's power output. This was done by adjusting spacers in the lower tube under the barrel.
It's a unique pc. It looks pretty fresh. The gun, to my memory, was approx. $4,500 in 2000. Aftermarket is totally subjective. Depends upon if the owner showed it, shot it, developed collector knowledge that it exists, or if he just horded it. If the latter, then nobody knows it exists, and few would have had opportunity to develop a desire to own it. If it went to shows and shoots, then people saw it, shot it, and it would have a personal following.
I haven't accepted new orders for quite a few years now. So; you have what you cannot order.
I trust you enjoy owning it.
Gary

What a great find Tom !
Hope your able to get all the parts together . Sometimes they will be laying around and nobody knows what they are and what they go with . Your son AND you will really enjoy .
Congrats !

Thanks
Kurt

Kurt,

Thanks hopefully I will be able to get the parts to enjoy.
Gary has been very helpful with all his information.
I know these are very unique and special pieces of art.

Tom

Gary,

Thanks again for taking time to give all this wonderful information.

If I understand correctly I will need the K valve fill yoke to be able to pressurize the rifle with air ( if you have a picture or drawing it would help me to find one if possible}.
Is there another way of pressurizing if I cannot find the fill yoke?
Can I take other pictures of the rifle or disassemble to help you analyze?

Thanks again
Tom

Hi Tom,

The Yoke is a common piece of commercial kit. But you need one adapted to filling a PCP rifle. That would include a gauge, full hose, and Foster format quick connector.

Here's the deal: the K valve fits what we all "used to" use. That being either an 80 or 100 cubic foot Aluminum tank. Old school, and very, very heavy. If possible, we've shifted to "Carbon Fiber" tanks. More pricy but very light. Main advantage is that these tanks carry vastly more air due to the fact that they fill to 4,500 psi instead of 3,000 psi. Vastly more fills of the gun. This DOES NOT mean that you fill to 4,500 psi from these tanks. You watch the gauge, and "feather in" the amount you require. Many people use a "regulator" when bench shooting. That's another chapter.

Point is, the Carbon Fiber tanks, being a higher psi tank, use a more secure system to hook tank valve to fill line. Where the K VALVE - is an assembly that clamps over the tank valve, the CARBON FIBER tanks use a DIN valve. The DIN valve presents a female threaded orifice into which the line assembly is threaded. All of this is an educational subject on it's own. I made a movie clip years ago but would never find it ...

Go to our forum page called AR CLASSIFIEDS. Look for the thread called "jdsairman.com" tanks and regulators. Familiarize yourself a bit with the equipment. I'll be back.

Gary

Gary,

I will look into that about the K valve and get back to you ...

Thanks
Tom

TommyG,
I remember when Gary used to handcraft even the shipping boxes. You have quite a prize there! There is a learning curve to the whole high power air rifle hobby and you have a GREAT piece with which to start. Take you time and learn the intricacies of the hobby so that when you are ready to (steal it from you son) shoot it you will be able to understand just how special that piece is. It was/is YEARS ahead of it's time.
Enjoy it much,
Jeff

Jeff,

I am starting to realize what a unique piece of art/firearm this rifle is.
I am going to do some research.
I would appreciate any information or tips that will help me understand how to use the rifle correctly.

Thank you

Tom
The HPA ( high pressure air ) guns are new to me also . I've been shooting and collecting all types of airguns for 30 yrs or so . I thought i knew it all but ... It's a new experience that my son and I are learning together . I still haven't shot my new Barnes but plan to this weekend if all goes well . I have been googling a lot of you tube sights on what I need and the proper way to charge with air . There are a lot of years of experience that frequent this and other websights and most guys love to talk and show off their airguns . I'm glad you started at the top of the airgun world with a Barnes as I did also ! Did you know EVERYTHING is made in house by one man ? It might take a few more bucks to get a tank and fill hose and ammo but once you got it your good to go .
I took my Barnes to an Airgun show last weekend and spent more time out at my truck showing it off than I did walking thu the show . Once I mentioned I had a Barnes , I was the Barnes airgun guy . I was there to purchase the necessary extras that you will also need . It was alota fun.
If you bought the gun from a private sale you might be able to get the other items from the seller but a lot of times they get separated and common folks don't know what they go with . The last airgun auction I was at had the guns all separate from all the extras so If you don't know or can't find what you need , it's sold in a box lot.

Thanks
Kurt



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/22/2015 12:15PM by kurt wag.

Hi Guys,
I'm going to post a tutorial here. It will take some time. I'll do it in segments. Check back. It will be on required equipment and filling. Loading. Firing. Whatever else comes up.
Gary

Gary
Kurt,

I am thankful for both of your help and info.
Gary, I will be looking forward to seeing the tutorials.

Have a nice weekend

TommyG,
Let's us know what questions you have, but FIRST of all (and I am SURE that you already know this, but as an old firearms instructor want to emphasize it) realize that High Pressure Airguns (HPA) on this scale are not in the least to be considered toys, or anything of that nature, and are not generally safe for 'backyard' use. I only shoot mine on large tracs of land with good backstops, locales where I would when hunting with powder firearms, or at my local gun club. There are many people in the US (and other countries) who hunt game with 'ADULT' airguns, and as of January 2015 the state of Arizona made it legal to hunt ALL big game species in the state with airguns (yes, even bear). You didn't say how old your son is, but guide him in the use of this gun just as you would with any firearm.

When I first moved to Georgia in 2003 I read the state game laws which allowed taking small game with .177 and .22 caliber air rifles. Small game included wild pigs. I called the local office and asked them if I could also use a .30 caliber airgun to hunt small game with and the reply was "huh, there is no such thing!" Today it is not unusual to find folks hunting with .177, .22, .25, .30, .50 caliber and even 12 'guage,' or about .72 caliber airguns.

What you will want to do is read the tutorial on filling the gun, prepare for that with the purchase/acquitision of the kind and type of air source you want to use for air (hand pumps, large tanks, small tanks, 3500 pound aluminum tanks, 4500 pound carbon tanks, air compressors for the home, buying air from dive shops, etc.). After that the choices even get into the rarified atmosphere of other gases - but that is what I consider, in my experience, the upper realm of exotic applications and not really required or necessary for most folks but pretty exciting for those who do it.

After that you will want to decide what you are going to feed the gun in terms of ammunition. In the larger caliber HPA guns you don't generally shoot pellets (skirted projectiles like our old pellet rifles), and you will usually shoot bullets or lead balls. Although there are pellet calibers these days that go up to .35 caliber and higher. If you stick with bullets or lead balls, you can cast your own in commercially available, over the counter, or special order, molds, or order the bullets and the molds even, made to your own specifications, from different internet/commercial sources.

I'm going to let you chew on that awhile, and I will keep an eye on this thread. Let us know what you are interested in and I am sure there are other people who would also help. BTW, what area of the country are you located in (you don't need to broadcast an address here, but just in general). Gary has sent rifles all over the country and you might be located near another owner.

Lastly, there are a lot of Internet forums, and such, on these topics, but for sure remember to carefully consider everything you read on them and realize that there are a LOT of experts who have never actually had any real live experience on some of those sites. If you do get to casting your own bullets you might want to look into the 'castboolit.gunloads.com site,' which is really for powder burning bullets, but there are a lot of knowledgable casting folks on the site. Remember though, we don't generally use the same metal alloys in the bullets for our slower moving airguns.
Once again, enjoy,
Jeff

Spot on Jeff!

Thanks Sal! I appreciate that. I have seen a bunch of these kinds of assist attempts become flame wars and opinion battles (though not on this site!). Trying to help yet avoid all of that.

Jeff
Look at that post you got to load up . Lotz of good info too . Brings to mind a few years ago my son and I were burning a brush pile out back . The pit is about 30-0" dia and 5-0" tall . We always take our air guns to shoot any food that lives under pile of brush . After a couple of hours of burning my wife came out to check on us and asked if she could play with one of our toys. ( she shoots a 4/10 occasionally) My son says without missing a beat ... These are not toys they are guns that KILL . I think he was 4-5 yrs old at the time and boy was I proud ! These HPA guns are extremely high tech and those pressures are very high . It's amazing that one can harness that power to launch globs of lead ! Hehe
I did have issues trying to teach my left eye dominate right handed shooter son archery and gun shooting . I tried to take him to a local air gun class and he had to be 11 yrs old to join !! Imagine that he was 9 and had been SHOOTIN for 4-5 yes already . He just didn't believe what I was tryin to teach him about shooting so I thought hearing it from someone else would be good . Oh well
Thanks for the post .

Thanks
Kurt

Hey Kurt,
My pleasure. I'm still happy that I 'finally' didn't hit the magic erase button - wherever that may be.

I'm retired law enforcement so I thought it wise to teach my kids to shoot young too. They had airguns at 5 and 6 years old and were shooting .38 revolvers at 8 and 9. Their first demonstration was of color water filled soda bottles shot with high speed .22 long rifles, and those exploding bottles got their attention, and respect, real fast. They were drilled in the basic rules and WHENEVER they wanted to see a gun it was immediately 'unlocked' and they recited the rules and then could view/review the piece. That way there was never any curiosity that wasn't satisfied and they have enjoyed their guns since then (although neither one of them is what I would call a real enthusiast).

I think what you are doing is good. Teach them the right way and they will enjoy it for life (if they so choose). And yeah, that cross dominate trait is tough. I have it myself, and unfortunately injured the left eye years ago so that now my dominant eye is also my scarred eye. Still, that is not as bad as teaching my left handed daughter to shoot. I was always trying to think backward. She didn't appreciate my efforts until she graduated Coast Guard boot camp and then had to qualify with the 9mm Beretta, the M4 carbine and a 12 guage shotgun. It was therefore many years later that she thanked me - teehee. Your son will probably do the same some day . Thanks for the nice comments.
Jeff

Gary Sal Jeff Kurt ,

Thank you all for the information.
My son is 21 and I have a nephew who is 14 and they both live outside the country going to school.
They are hunting wild hogs with shot guns (with buck shot?).
I live between Phoenix and The San Francisco Bay Area.
I am in the process of moving so I have not had time to do more research on the rifle.

Thanks to all

Hi Tom,

I will post more soon. Sorry for the delay. Full plate.

We will get you sorted out.

Gary

Good luck with your move TommyG!
Jeff

Gary,

I just found out I will not be unable to export this rifle to the country where my son and nephew are going to school.
It is unfortunate for me but I have decided on selling this rifle.
I would love to keep it but I am not a collector and feel that some of your valued customer/admirers would appreciate this one of a kind piece of art work more than I would having it put in storage.
I am not really sure how I should go about listing it for sale and would appreciate your advise and knowledge.
You may know of someone who deserves/is waiting for the opportunity to own one of your rifles.

Somewhat disappointed but looking forward to a new enthusiastic owner.

Tommy G

Hello Tom,

I hope your move goes well. Best of luck.

Regarding your gun. I do not have a program for secondary sales. I tell people what I know and try to be helpful. However; I have not seen that gun, or held it, in fifteen years. When people ask me about a rifle, they usually want me to "certify" the rifle - sight unseen. The rifles are machines. They need to be maintained. I have no way of knowing what the owner, or owners, have done to them. I have had people but used rifles which were represented as totally mint condition. They have gotten them to fine they can't fill them. The suggestion is that it's probably my fault. When they've sent them to me, I've found parts actually modified, parts replaced, barrels ruined, evidence that they have been taken apart ... with VICE GRIPS!!! It's rather unbelievable. On a couple of occasions, I've restored the rifles for the new owners. This is unfair to my customers waiting.

Your rifle may be absolutely perfect. They are better having been in service and used, rather then having been in storage. The seals are lubricated during the firing cycle. They just dry and stick when they sit for ten years. This rifle was an attempt to meet the design requirements of the original owners. They changed their mind mid build. Therefore; it has an ultra short breech and unique loading system, with an auxiliary custom large scope rail. It was all handmade to high standards. I hope all is well now.

Very Best,
Gary

Gary,

I do understand what you are saying about the condition and mechanical well being.
I took the rifle to a local airgun only sales and service shop yesterday.
They came highly recommended and actually knew of the rifle and previous owner.
They were able to fill it from the butt of the rifle ( not fully pressurized .. we did not know the specific pressure recommended by you when originally built).
I do not know enough about guns or rifles and where to sell them .. so I was thinking I can list it on one of your forums and where else you may recommend.
I would be willing to take more pictures and possibly get the airgun shop to do an inspection and certify it's condition if needed.

Again very thankful for your help ( I can only imagine how busy you are )

Tommy G

Tommy G
It sounds like your selling your sons gun already . It is really a treat to shoot one ( Barnes )and unless it's alittle to much extra do now it would be a investment . They wouldn't sell it where you had it serviced? The last gun of Garys that was at an auction was really messed up by the owner from what I understand . Like the man said they are ment to be used . It's like putting a car in storage for years and expecting it to work but ... we all know what happens.
I f you are selling it , how much are you asking ? You know there is a spot on Rendevous for classified adds where air tanks and such are sold . Even a Barnes or two have appeared.

Thanks
Kurt

Kurt,

Sorry to say, I am not in a position to keep this rifle nor can I ship it so I am forced to sell it and buy something else for my son and nephew ( obviously not as impressive ).
As I said the airgun shop knew the previous owner before he passed away and had seen the rifle on a few occasions. They gave me the impression that the rifle was still in very good condition and quite operational. I also asked them what the value of the rifle should be and they said anywhere from $2500-$6000 depending on demand. I am not looking to make a lottery ticket out of this but at the same time I want to sell it for enough money to buy a decent piece for my son/nephew. I would be happy in the $4000 range (a starting point) which seems to be a fair middle price.
I will probably list this on the Rendevous forum not sure where else I should try to sell .... I would rather a true Gl Barnes enthusiast end up buying it, that person will enjoy and cherish it the most. A true Barnes enthusiast will maintain and take care of the rifle the way it was meant to be.

Tommy G

Tom,

If it's in 85%+ Condition, $4,000 is a very fair price. I have I reason to expect that anything is wrong with it. They are quite tough, and are made to be serviced without being degraded. However; I have not seen the rifle in 15 years. I have not examined it. I cannot certify it, unseen.

Good Luck,
Gary



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/01/2015 05:25PM by barnespneumatic.

Gary,


I will probably list it on your Rendezvous forum.
Is there anything specific I should mention other than caliber?
I will also cut and paste your description if you do not mind.
Your rifles/accessories are definite one of a kind works of art.


Thanks again.

Tom,

I've spent quite a bit of time on this. As I've explained; I have not seen the rifle in 14/15 years. I have no idea of its condition. I do not want to be placed in the position of recommending or certifying this rifle. It's the perfect example of one that I delivered and then it went into a Black Hole. It's up to the owners to make these pcs. known, maintain them, demonstrate them. I can't just drop back in (15 yrs later) for several hours of online bring to date and by discussing them, present the impression that I'm recommending or certifying them. I've seen too many ruined needlessly by people who decide I know nothing about them after I deliver them, but they have some guy down the street who is an expert.

Good luck. Stay Safe. I built the rifle to the highest of standards, according to the insistence of certain customer desires. After that - it disappeared until you posted a pic. I believe it's circa is approx. 2000

Gary