New QB78 Owner

Just got my new QB78 in .22 cal. this afternoon, what a neat looking little rifle. I have it setting next to my B30, had the B30 out today doing a little work on it. Before I shoot it I'm going to take it apart and do some cleaning and maybe do a few mods according to Charlie Da Tuna instructions.

Just a few questions, I know they make different diameter barrels for this gun but is the receiver the same on all of them ? I bought just the standard rifle and already thinking about making it bulk fill or to be able to power it from a paint ball tank, if that is possable. Could someone tell me exactly what parts I need and the procedure to do these mods ?

I'm going to refinish the stock, add a scope or maybe a red dot and might put a muzzle brake on it, will post some pictures when completed. I fell like a kid at Christmas, well I'm no kid but it is almost Christmas.

Bill

[DanoInTx]

I believe it's the same diameter at the loading post end of the barrel, I have both versions here, but no calipers handy to tell you for sure.  The barrel is actually turned down at that end to slip into the receiever, which is independant of the rest of the barrels diameter.

Bulk fill stuff can be found here:
http://www.bryanandac.com/new_page_5.htm

I personally haven't orderdd any of their stuff, but the prices seem reasonable enough.

The scope I'd go after was the one Peterdragon recomended a few weeks ago:
http://www.opticsgiant.com/ta3goanri2.html

$28 with decent rings shipping included, it's a pretty decent AO scope for the money, I bought one and am very happy with it.

Art at Arts-shack makes some really nice brakes, I have one of his brakes and also some nice Cr22XX stuff from him...his turn around time from when you order until you recieve the part in the mail is LIGHTNING fast...all three things I've ordered I've gotten in less than a week.
http://www.arts-shack.com/page4.html

The next thing you'll probably want to add is a steel barrel band, the plastic one that comes with the QB78 is flimsey:
RJMachine has one if he still has them in stock:
http://www.rjmachineshop.com
$33 shipped in CONUS.  I have one of these, but unfortunately they will only fit a standard QB78 with the 14mm barrel...you said yours was a normal QB78 though, so it will be fine.
AR2078, TF, QB79, etc...barrel diameter as I have in my notes = 15mm or .591"
QB78 is 14mm .551
I believe the new QB78 Deluxe models also have the larger barrel, but I'm not sure...this is just what I have read.

If you're going to refiunish the stock I'd be somewhat careful, this wood is not of the best quality in the world and can crack if you get it too thin, or if you apply to many chemicals to it like chemical strippers or bleach to remove dark spots.  Haven't had this happen to me...yet..., but I've read of it happening to other people.  If you look on Mike Melick's website:
http://www.airgunartisans.com/flyingdragon/
under the "tips" section, there is a great how-to on stock care, you might try this before you completely refinish the stock.  Mike has done a bunch of QB stocks, he knows it best.

Charlie's (Bob Werner's) website has a great tuning guide to get you started.  And as I said before, look into some of the tips on Mike Melick's website, he has a few more things.  I used Charlie's tuning guide on mine and it is a much nicer shooter since I did.
http://charliedatuna.com/CO2Information.htm

All of this should keep you pretty darned busy for quite awhile.  Have fun and be safe,

Dan

Thank you for all the information. I took the gun completely apart today just to see how difficult it was going to be. I didn't do any mods to it just a real good cleaning according to Charlie's website. I ordered the scope you suggested just the other day, that is a good deal. When I got the gun back togeather I put two powerlets in it and took it in the backyard to see how it would do with the sights on it. At twenty five yards I could keep five shots within a dime, that is pretty good accuracy out of a new gun with those crappy sights that come on them. I'm real happy with the gun and how it shoots, I might go back later and do some of the mods to it.

Thanks Bill

[ribbonstone]

Just opened a nw QB 78 this AM, so can compare it to the  "match" version.

Reciever is almost exactly the same (both about .745" in diamter and the same length)...only differnce is that the scope grooves on the match gun are cut all the way back off the rear edege....the 78's grooves dead end about 1/4" from the back.  The suppled match sight for the match gun needs to slide on, so they didn't cut the dead end at the rear.

Barrels are smaller diameter on the 78...but I notice that Archer is selling a delux model with the larger diameter barrel and a metal barrel band (are using the match gun's barrel, without the muzzle weight/sight base).

Match gun also has an odd cut in the bottom tube that accepts a T-handle wrench that allows the residual gas to be bleed off...kind of handy in some ways....other than that, the recievers/valves/etc. seem to be identical.

Speaking of which....the basic 78 is on sale for $65....and after opening this new one, have to say the quaility has gone up even on the basic model over the last couple of years.

The scope mount grooves on my 78 go all the way to the end of the receiver, even the breech plug has grooves cut on it so you could slid on the mounts from the rear. I don't know why the difference but I bought mine from Best Airguns, they are $75.95 shipped. Can you really tell much difference in the barrel diameter of .0394 inch ? Some say that the triggers on the target version is better than the ones that come on the standard 78, can you tell if they are the same ?

Bill

[ribbonstone]

The two triggers are identical, could easily swap one for the other. Doubt any pre-selction or tuning was done to the match-trigger, but it did come out of the box better adjusted than the standard-trigger. Probably just the luck of the draw.

The basic trigger tune isn't a hard job...but I'll shoot this one as I've adjusted it for a bit before getting into it.  I like to have a bit of a wear pattern to guide me; saves time as you really only need to smooth the sections that rub.

[DanoInTx]

The trigger on my match version (AR2078) is different than the one on my QB78.  The match version has a pseudo 2 stage spring loaded blade whereas the stock QB78 has a single piece of steel for a blade.  A few other differences I noticed was that the trigger housing appears to be slightly wider on the match version(and painted with some thick paint, which could be why it appears thicker), I had a bit of trouble getting it to slide into my custom stock so a little work was needed to cure that.  Match version obviously has the bigger barrel, but it also has notches cut in the barrel to accept the hooded front sight whereas the QB78 barrel is thinner and tapped for the sights (this can sometimes cause some small tight spots inside the barrel, but I've never noticed any in mine).  The hole in the hammer area is a degassing key hole, might be useful if you needed to quickly bleed off air to do some work on the rifle.  On my AR2078 there is a second scope rail sitting on top of the receiver dovetails...not sure what this is for, but could be to help with getting the peep sights on/off...I've never taken it off, even when scoped.  The QB78 just has the dovetail....it's cased up and locked away, but I don't think they go full length on the reciever(this is from memory, not sure).  Can't think about much that is different besides what I've said already and the stocks....oh yea, speaking of the stocks, the mounting pillar, or stud, whatever it's called is about 1/2" longer on the match version to fit the thicker stock area....would guess that the Deluxe and others without the match stock would have the normal length stud..have no idea about the thumbhole version, maybe someone else will know.

Dan