I tested the Woodsman SS Hybrid this morning. The new valve unit was a perfect match to the rest of the machinery. The anticipated specs. for the gun were to be 400 foot pounds. It came in at 557 foot pounds.

I know ... I messed up again.

I simply cannot go back, and make the guns on the ledger, exactly as I prototyped them when introduced. To do so, would be to discount each new experience I've had with PCP rifles. There was nothing wrong with the designs when introduced. However; a hundred little tweaks and changes add up to vastly more effeciency.

The net result is that each person who is receiving the Barnes PCP they've waited for, is receiving vastly more than they ordered. This is part of what they are getting, for their very long wait. I'm very aware that many of these guns are trememdously overdue. I'm also aware that I didn't request or cause the complications that have compiled. But, I'm honoring the obligations ... and building each pc. to a far higher degree than required.

Is it causing even greater delay to build things better then even expected. Perhaps. I've been told this time and again in mails and communications. Some features, I just do "this" instead of "that" ... so it nets out close to the same time. Mostly, the alterations take a good bit longer, and are designed to make the pc. have a longer trouble free life ... and perform more effeciently. This, and the fact that some "force" seems to become involved when building things from scratch. When you have a fresh idea, and you are really up for the new project ... soooo many things go well that really don't even have a right to do so. But ... just introduce the thing you built, catalog it ... and try to reproduce it while you are also processing life. You'll find that there are no "gimmies" any longer. Something that worked before, won't now. And, of course ... NOW it's a requirement. Now someone is waiting. You have to back up and make a fresh approach. You might find that the course you chose before ... which worked ... is simply not one that can be depended upon to always work. So; you engineer a more dependable and predictable method. It never takes less time.

I've made a number of features that made perfect sense to me. They worked just fine for me. I published excellent results with them. Then, put them in the public ... and I found that people didn't really understand how to use them. How to adjust them. Didn't use them. It's the guy that designed your TV remote and then yourself. The hundred buttons where you only use five. Perfectly logical to the designer. Not so for the end user. And so; I've designed some features out ... simplified others. Made some functions automatic. Never takes less time.

I appreciate the patience of those waiting. Nobody wishes everything was all caught up more than me. Another factor that is built in, has been of great benefit to the secondary market. You don't have to worry that there's a bunch of lemons out there. You might find something that's been neglected or abused. I've seen those. But the guns I'm delivering are correct, to the very best of my knowledge and abilities. This one is gonna be another real Honey.

Gary

It seem,s to be a constant upgrade in performance and efficiency in your work. I am honored to be a part of your life and it,s work. Maybe someday i will be able to meet the man. When my piece arrive,s, it will go straight to the 100 yard line at the wyoming antelope club shooting range. Hope you are managing your pain well.

Hello Don,
Thank you, I sincerely appreciate your comments. It will my
pleasure to meet you as well.
Gary

Glad to hear it's working well. Never a bad thing to find out that your motor puts out more horsepower than spec.

As has been mentioned before on this forum, it's not like you can just walk up to your local Ford dealership and order a brand-new 1967 Mustang. If you want to buy a Mustang from the factory, you get the one they built today.If you really, really want a '67 you can still buy one, but you've gotta go find one yourself on the used market. And regarding the new spec versus old spec issue, well, is it really an issue? You can get a 302 in Mustangs from lots of different years,but the new ones put out about twice the real-world HP as the old ones for the same displacement. Not to mention that they're far more efficient, require virtually zero maintainance, and they'll even start on cold mornings to boot!

Even your older designs are more 'retro-mod' than true retro. That's when a shop takes an old-style body and updates it with modern brakes, modern suspension parts, and a new-build crate-motor. It looks like the old school, but it run like a modern car with all the attendent advantages.

As for myself, I'm perfectly happy with the fuel-injected version versus fiddling with the old carburetors.

Hi Sean. Glad you are pleased. I'm working on the stock tonight.


Gary

Edit:

Just to be clear. When I stated above that the anticipated specs. were to be 400 fpe ... I intended to indicate that 400 fpe was the required Woodsman power to meet design's introduction specs. I knew I was building in more ... just didn't know how much the orig. Woodsman tube geometry might allow. Now I know.

The reason I keep using the term "Hybrid" referring to this project is that I've chosen to use the Orion platform for the tower and top end of this gun. This converted it to a design which could accept other calibers, use the slide breech that I've come to like alot, and allow for an insert that is readily fitted in the field.

Gary

So you mean...it won't run on batteries?

Hi Sean
It might shoot batteries. Won't run on them.
I forgot to mention though ... It was making 540 foot pounds on just 2,500 psi. Thought that might help you since you have to send out for your air.

Wow Gary! Those are amazing numbers, congratulations on another successful project.

You could call this one the “WoodsOrion SS”

Julio

Not bad is a bit of an understatement as far as the performance goes. Getting .357 magnum energy levels out of only 2500psi is freakin awesome!

You can use an air tank WAY down and still have 2500psi, even makes using a SCUBA tank feasible. I'm going the carbon fiber tank route as soon as I can though, and the local fire station has a huge compressor that can fill their air paks to 4500 pounds.

As regards the battery reference, I was trying to make a joke about hybrids but I guess nobody here drives a Prius. Ah well, not every joke survives initial exposure to it's target audience.

I got your joke Sean.

I nearly made a joke previously about the term "Hybrid" testing really well with focus groups. But ...

Hey - you'll see the Stock post ... and you'll see how to wipe a smile off a face ...

If that's a Hybrid, you may be guilty of producing a FIRE arm! (See volt recall).

Another aside, the 357 magnum reference has me relating to some recent firearm purchases. Seems all the handgun rounds are running in the Barnes' airgun power level. Many of these are well known as "hunting" handguns yet the DNR still has problems allowing airguns for game animals. That would have made for a very different Texas hunt for Gary.

Kent

Nothing like the 'ol double standard, is there?

Like certain unnamed states that will set by law a minimum power level for centerfire cartridges for hunting deer, and then turn around and contract individuals for night-time "pest" deer removal. Who inevitably use a silenced .22LR to do the work.

If things made sense, you would be able to use a Barnes-power-level airgun to hunt any game that you can legally hunt with a pistol. There's not a state out there that specifies .44mag as a minimum power level for pistol hunting, yet it's about the only common pistol cartridge that exceeds the power level of Garys rifles. If you can hunt with a .357 or a black powder pistol, it's ridiculous to say that a 4-500+ft/lb airgun can't do the job. Even some pipsqueak rifle cartridges like the .25-20 are legal, but not a 400-600 grain slug that will travel completely through a buffalo? I just don't see the logic.

There's no logic because there's no understanding or recognition and experience with or about what airguns can do. The DNR guys here seem to be open minded and receptive to learning a new trick. Of course, they live in a world with a high incentive for CYA so they will have to actually witness some shooting... I really want to meet them and show off the guns soon. If the people's republic of Maryland accepts airguns, that ought to incentivize some other states!

When we can seem somewhat assured of some decent weather, I'll get in touch with them again. A major conference and demonstration in an open field and a two person trailer at 20 degrees doesn't sound perfect. We want them to be in a receptive mood to investigate new information.

Good point, a miserable experience doesn't usually lead to great things!

Sounds like time for a barbeque! Got any buffalo left?