Industry Brand QB18

[plateshooter]

I was looking for a lower powered quieter air rifle than my current rifles.  Not finding any Gamos on sale, I thought I would take a chance ONE more time on a TF/Industry Brand rifle.  I read Tom Gaylords review on the Compasseco web site and after a stellar review, he said that he hasn't been this excited about a medium power air rifle in a long time.  Soooo, after buying a TF97 and finding out what a dud that was, I was dumb enough to try it again with a QB18.  I purchased it from Dauvens Fishing Hole.  Ordered the rifle on Saturday, and received it the following Friday.   Good so far.  Took it out of the box, scraped off some of the grease.  Went to clean the barrel, and it had rust in the bore.  Cleaned that out with Kroil and Bore shine, lubed it and took it out back for a test run.  First two or three shots went off ok, then the trigger wouldnt hold and the gun would fire or release whenever it felt like it.  The gun was 46 bucks and it would cost me another 15 bucks to return it, so I did the GTA thing and took it apart.  Cleaned everything up and put it back together without the auto safety to see if that was the problem.  Still no workie.  I think the angles on the piston rod catch and / or the trigger sear are just off.  

I think I am going to take my two TF/Industry brand rifles and hang them from a tree out back and slowly watch them turn to rust and go back to the earth where they will do something positive for the universe.

For my review, I say thumbs down on the QB18/TF49.  If anyone else out there in GTA land has purchased one, I hope you have had better results than me.

 

[shadow]

Bummer David, so there's no hope and a polish,lube and tune won't fix her. Sound's like the sear need's some TLC and some trigger polishing. Or maby she's just a dud for it sound's like you gave her the TLC and she wont respond. :0 Ed

[plateshooter]

Yep Ed, this one has a different trigger than the Gamo/Crosman guns.  There is a rod with a notch that goes into the sear on the trigger.  There is no adjustment or way that I can see to improve what the Industry Brand mfg has done outside of cutting a new angle on the piston rod catch and that can make it even more dangerous.
Live and learn, no more super cheapies for me.  Crosman, Gamo or better from now on.

 I have to go out and shoot my Quest 22 now.  It will put 5 shots into a 3/4" sticky dot at 25yds.  That always makes me feel good.  

Below is a parts drawing.  If you have any suggestions, I would be happy to hear them.

Thanks

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/plateshooter/Airgun/PartsDwgQB18-TF49.jpg

[JMG]

Hmm I know you said you were done and I cant remember if you said you hadone of the cumminsB3's but umm its a lower powered and not noisy shooter and as you have prolly read it responds well to the things you had done to the QB18. Sorry about my memory Plateshooter for I have slept since then hehe.

John

[plateshooter]

Hey John, I do have a B3 and it works quite well.  I was just looking for a break barrel as the B3 is a bit tricky to load with a rather long scope on it.  You know how us airgun guys are, never happy with what we have eh? Well maybe for a week or two.

[JMG]

LOL absolutely!! I cant keep concentrated on one piece of hardware I have to have 4-5 projects going or I am not happy. If I am not running around like a chicken with his head cut off I seem to be easily lulled into a dull state of depression lol. That as compared to going every which way but loose... which is better I dunno but I seem to have more fun when I am about ready to come unglued...........

John

[shadow]

David, when we get the pic's squared away maby you can throw some up of the QB18, wanna get a look at the problem child. Thank's, Ed

[vinceb]

...at least over the short term.

Either the sear/catch angles are wrong, or something wasn't hardened and it wore very quickly. While it worked, how was the trigger pull? If it felt good, then the angles were bad! When that trigger works right, it feels terrible.

A little work with a cutoff wheel/sanding disk oughta take care of it. If the surfaces were inadequately hardened, the problem will return rather quickly.

[plateshooter]

Thanks for the reply Vince.  I took it apart again and put a square on the back of the piston, and found that the rod/guide, whatever it is called was angled up.  So in pure QB style, I put the piston rod/guide in a vise and using the compression chamber as a cheater bar over the piston, bent the sucker until it was square with the back of the piston.  I trashed all the plastic auto safety stuff, put it back together, and now it's working.  As you stated, the trigger is not  what it was at first, but it snaps into the cocked position and holds well at this time.  I really like being able to decock the gun instead of having to shoot it to get it unloaded.  It is shooting 1/2" groups at 15yds with Gamo wadcutters.  If I can get it to do 3/4" at 25yds, I will be satisfied for the price I paid.

I sure hope I never get a weak moment and buy anything else from that manufacturer.

[plateshooter]

I have it back together now (those things are no fun to reassemble) but I would be happy to post some pics of it in its current state.

[vinceb]

But I'm glad you were able to fix it. Didn't think that the piston catch would be misaligned like that, but I guess I should considered the possibility. With Shanghai rifles, it seems that anything that CAN go wrong WILL go wrong, sooner or later...

[plateshooter]

Or links to them.  

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/plateshooter/Airgun/QB18RightSide.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/plateshooter/Airgun/QB18LeftSide.jpg

It's working pretty well now, hope it holds.

plateshooter - 5/12/2007  4:07 PM  I sure hope I never get a weak moment and buy anything else from that manufacturer.

Then again, mine works well; Charlie tuned it & triggered; very smooth; accurate; power is good. Quality control must take a back seat in the factory, in order to get the pricing structure to beat the rest of the marketers... usually figure that for the low price, enough people will take a chance. I'd guess they'll eventually come up to par matching other international fabricators, in order to keep from going under (like Hyundai had to do)..