World-renowned and all-around good guy, Volvo, kindly gave me an air rifle recently. A CO2 rifle he'd tried but apparently never really bonded with. It had developed a leak and he figured I was the guy to fix it give it a new home.
It's a QB78 Deluxe (Industry) branded rifle. Volvo purchased it several years ago from (now retired) "Rich from Mich". Rich tuned and sold airguns as well as made custom machined accessories.
This particular rifle is difficult for me to find a specific model name. The rifle has been sold in a dizzying array of possible stock, sight and CO2 source configurations under at least three brand names--QB, Tech Force and now Beeman-- and in both .177 and .22 caliber. With five or six different stock options, sporting or diopter target sights and a couple different triggers, there have been a multitude of model numbers. The base gun is an almost identical copy of the Crosman 160/167 that was made from 1962 until 1971. The base gun utilizes two 12g CO2 cartridges. Options to pressurize include dual 12g CO2 cartridges, bulk-fill CO2, CO2 paintball tanks and now high-pressure air.
Volvo's rifle is an interesting combination of features: a match style target stock, .22 caliber, paintball tank compatible and a custom Rich from Mich shroud/suppressor. As I attempt to navigate the various model names, I THINK that makes this gun similar to the current Beeman AR2079A-- but with the suppressor instead of the target sights. However, the gas tube is laser marked QB78, so it was probably a custom assembly to meet Volvo's spec.
Regardless of the model, he had this set up as a quiet pesting rifle that would get hundreds of shots from a paintball tank.
The base model gun is used as a modular platform to build whatever you want. I've got a couple several set up at different ends of the spectrum that have all been covered here in the blog. One as a 10-meter style, bulk fill, match gun in .22 caliber. The second, as a bulk-fill .25 cal scoped precision-rifle style build.
Ok, yes, there's a third--also have an old Crosman 160. Anyway, there's a reason some shooters flock to this rifle platform and often build half a dozen different iterations.
Some additional pics and some likely modifications:
The stock nut takes a special wrench that I can never find. A hex head fastener would be so much easier for me.
Probably want to change the bolt to something not gold.
Swap the phillips to hex heads and make some screw cups.
Volvo's version of the rifle has a drop block with a CGA320 female thread. The drop block offsets and allows a paintball tank to clear the barrel. The CGA320 is a standardized gas connection designation that includes the thread size (1/2-14 British Pipe Straight), the counterbore dimension for the tank's o-ring seal and the pin to depress and open the tank valve. I really like this feature. Hundreds of shots with a paintball tank. Hundreds.
Wondered if the moderator was permanently bonded to the barrel?
Closer examination. The black finish of the moderator looks like a vinyl wrap decal.
The two small holes conceal set screws underneath that secure the moderator to the barrel.
Volvo's set up is pretty close to my vision for the rifle. Handy with lots-o-shots.
I'm at the fun part of the project. Going through boxes of squirreled away airgun widgets and gizmos trying to see which combination stands apart. We'll see what shakes out.
More in a few days.
