The big Kalamazoo Airgun Show is only 23 days away! We do still have a few tables available…so give us a call if you are interested! The following is a press release that was sent out to the Media. Hope to see you all on August 28th!

24st Annual Kalamazoo Airgun Show & Daisy Get Together

This show started 24 years ago with a few Daisy BB gun collectors in the backyard of Bob Surface’s home in Swartz Creek, Michigan. It has grown over the years and now boasts over 100 tables of bb guns, airguns of all makes and models, and toy guns. The name of the show was changed to the Kalamazoo Airgun Show & Daisy Get Together to better describe that the show welcomes all types of airguns from antique to modern. This show is a wonderful informative gathering of collectors, shooters, friends and good times. Last year air gunners from approximately 16 states attended the show. Every year the show has been sold out, and the managers expect the same this year.

One of the many types of collectable airguns that will be featured at the show is airguns that were used as trainers by the military of different countries. During WWII the Czech had a Mauser-pattern bolt action service rifle that even mounted the standard bayonet. The Swiss used an air conversion system that fit into a Swiss K-31 rifle and made by Hammerli. The Egyptians used a rifle made by the German firm Anschutz that resembled their Hakim service rifle. The Germans used a couple of trainers, both resembled the Mauser. The Mars was produced in Mehlis Germany and the Haenel which was designed by Hugo Schmeisser, of the sub-machine gun fame. Here in the USA we had a couple of Aerial Gunnery machine gun trainers, the MacGlashan Air Machine Gun Company from Long Beach California and the Hotpoint, made by Edison General Electric of Chicago Illinois. During the Vietnam War the army used an instinctive shooting training program. The guns were made by Daisy and had no sights. The first model looked just like an M16 rifle and is very rare.

The show will once again be held at the Kalamazoo County Fairgrounds Expo Center. This 8,500 square foot hall is wonderful with its great lighting, ample parking and its easy access off I-94 is an added bonus.
New host hotels this year will be the Fairfield Inn (269.353.6400) and the TownPlace Suites (269.353.1500) both are located at 5683 South 9th Street, Kalamazoo (I-94 exit #72) … please mention the Kalamazoo Airgun Show & Daisy bb and toy gun show to get the special rate. We will continue our Saturday evening reception tradition. Please join us in the TownPlace Suites reception room around 7:30 p.m. for this event…a great time to relax and renew friendships.

For airgun shooters, there will be an air gun field target shoot in the area on Saturday. Please contact Chris Martin cmartin@brakebush.com for information on that event.

The show will be held at the Kalamazoo County Fairground Expo Center, Kalamazoo Michigan on Sunday, August 28th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is $3. (Admission for early buyers at 7:30 a.m. will be $30) Admission for children under 12 is free but they must be accompanied by an adult.

If you have any questions please contact: Wes or Theresa Powers 517-423-4148.

Just as a matter of record ..... Probably around 99, I built a prototype air powered trainer for a company named "Fischer" to my memory. I was provided a decommissioned 9mm handgun of the 1911 platform. The purpose was to make an independently powered trainer, which would mimic a firing cycle, discharge a loud blast, operate semi-auto, and have a laser in the barrel to react with a training, on screen senerio.

I built it. I had to work "inside" the shell of the original gun. I built and installed a reservoir in the magazine channel. I designed a semi-auto mechanism, hammer, and new trigger assembly.

Because of the diameter of available lasers at the time, I had to fashion a larger diameter barrel, and graft/smooth/blend/blue.

When finished, it fired IIRC about 15 shots. It was loud as heck. The trigger was reported to be similar enough to the original to pass. I used some out of the box ideas to make the parts fit, and create an experience for the trainees

My prototype was presented along with video tapes discussing it's use, and tapes designed to direct engineers who would reproduce the trainers. My design was accepted. I was paid. I don't know what ever happened to the project from there.

Gary

Sounds so interesting! Do you still have a photo of the pistol that you could post? A fun job like this is not work!

That would have been in my early digital stuff. I'd have to dig it up, but I'm sure it exists. Thanks for your interest.

Any pic is just going to look like a 1911.

I might have the box from the donor Firearm. Ill have to see what I have.

Gary

What a great story Gary !
The things I learn on the rendezvous , just great . So the gun didn't actually fire a projectile it was just a simulator of sorts .
There are a whole group of model gun collectors out there too and I came across a couple I bought in a box lot at an auction . An M1 and a broom handle Mauser . Very realistic with load able ammo . They were fun to take apart and put to gether but couldn't really see ANY practical use . Maybe they were training devises like yours .

Thanks
Kurt

I had to invent a way to create a sensation when fired. Now - you might think that you could use a slide weight inside to simulate recoil.

HOWEVER ..... You can't cheat physics. It takes REAL ENERGY to move REAL WEIGHT. In the space allowed inside the gun or it's barrel, there is no space for real weight. There is only room for a very small weight (the bullet), being driven by real highly significant energy (the gunpowder). So; to create the shock of firing the gun, you need to FIRE THE GUN. hummmm.

If you were "line feeding" a simulator, and didn't mind having a clumsy slide hammer attached under the barrel, then you could use significant weight (say 3-4 pounds) being driven by a high volume shop line air (say 140 psi) and get a "jolt" from firing. But there would be no practical use in dragging 50' of Air Hose attached to an awkward 5 pound pistol/trainer. You need to train with a simulator which is as true as possible to the real weapon. You require a self contained unit of the same approx. weight and the same exterior profile.

So; I thought of tricking the mind of the shooter. And I came up with multiple ways of doing that. I ported a portion of the exhaust blast directly toward the shooter (this made the noise far more Raw sounding. I then ported the remaining blast out of the frame (between the back strap and the shooter's Palm). This momentarily startled the shooter and lessened the shooter's grip. You didn't get "used to it" either. It was pretty effective. The Company that commissioned the piece said, "Now THAT is thinking OUTSIDE THE BOX." You can't cheat Physics, but you can trick human beings.

Thanks for being interested,
Gary



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/06/2016 02:40PM by barnespneumatic.

Gary
So when you made that did you use C02 like 12 gram bulb or actually a powder charge ?
I have a similar 1911 .45 Crosman conversion kit . Md 455 blaser . It actually takes the donor gun and converts it to shooting pellets with a co2 MADE and sold by Crosman . I've never installed it but it hides all the workings inside a new slide and barrel assembly . I'm not sure of the time frame it came out but I do know a lot of the airguns were developed for training with same weights and action being felt by the shooter . The md 451 ( military 45 )uses probably 1/2 the co2 per shot to cycle the action and load the next pellet . Maybe if your lucky you can shoot 15 times before needing a new co2 charge . Crosman only made the gun for one year because of issues I think they had plus the shot count was low .
It's one of my favorite Crosman pistols . It's design and turret magazine and maybe 15 + springs made it one of the hardest airguns I ever had to put together . A lot of maching took place for those parts to come together !

Thanks for sharing

Thanks
Kurt

Hi Kurt,

My trainer was High Pressure Air. Reservoir in the clip cavity.

I'm pretty sure that I used the original trigger blade (so that felt the same) but machined it to accept the additional parts for my semi auto design.

Mine had a small fill nipple bottom of the Palm, IIRC.

I recall it took a couple clarifications before I successfully communicated that we could not install an 11mm laser in a 9mm bore. Thus the permission to modify to a 45 barrel of my build, with the required alterations to the existing parts. Once complete, they had sourced a 9mm laser and wanted me to change it back. Ahhhh ....... no.

It's tight when you work inside a space designed for other purposes.

I was approached three other times by three different companies. One for an Air Marshal Pistol, one an under water mechanism, and the last for a system to deploy a parachute to safely retrieve an entire ultralight and pilot. Remarkably, each of the three felt I'd just give them the information they needed, and be grateful to do so. Seriously. The pittance I countered with was turned down. Can you imagine what they stood to make from contracts .... and yet sought info. only for free. (I hear Sean suggesting my legal team of Washington Lawyers should have played Golf with their team of Washington lawyers .... Haha). Yeah.

Thanks Kurt! You are most welcome!
Gary