Daisy Red Ryder Under-Barrel Rail Update

I’ve been trying to perfect this under barrel rail mount for the Red Ryder. I’m technically on version 6, but the first 5 were essentially the same with small changes. The latest is 2 pieces rather than one. There has been a lot of interest. I’m surprised to find out that folks want to mount flashlights and lasers as well. The more my son uses the first version(view that post here) the looser it gets. It can slide up and down the tube beneath the barrel. It works for him and he really likes it, but he’s pretty easy to please. In this post I’ll briefly cover some of the obstacles and what my brother and I came up with for a solution.

The Obstacles

There are a few problems with a one-piece polymer rail. You can slide the adapter rail down the lower tube or have it snap onto the lower tube.The first obstacle to getting the rail adapter to slide over the lower tube is the tab that is used to weld the smaller tube to the larger. The hole in the adapter needs to allow for the tab to slide through and reduces the amount of surface area for gripping the tube.

Once I got the adapter to slide over the tab the next issue was that the lower tube is not perfectly parallel to the upper. Notice the air gap between the upper and lower tube. If the adapter is made to firmly clutch the lower tube at the front while simultaneously pushing up against the upper tube it will get looser and looser as you slide it toward the forearm grip.

Other Options

Another option is to make the one-piece adapter snap onto the lower tube rather than slide one. Either way, if it can snap on or slide on it can probably snap off or slide off. I don’t like the idea of adding set screws, or gluing, or taping because all of those can damage the airgun and aren’t exactly dummy-proof. I messaged with Cobalt327 from thehighroad.org forum and he confirmed that it’s best not to do anything that would alter the original gun, such as screwing into the forearm grip.

The Solution

Fortunately, I mentioned the problem I’m having with the rail to my brother. He came up with the simple idea of making it a two-piece clamp. The final version is a two-piece adapter that uses screws with embedded nuts to clamp the picatinny rail to the lower tube. I’ve tested it and it is VERY secure. I’ve been pretty busy, but I’ll be posting these for sale in the coming weeks. Thanks for reading and stay tuned!

Posted on July 20, 2019January 8, 2020 by Terry — 3 Comments

3D Printing Airgun Targets

A Great Way to Get Kids Excited About Shooting

I came home from work today and saw my son out back shooting away with his Red Ryder.

Usually the only time he shoots is when I invite him and his sister out to do some backyard plinking with dad. I went outside to let him know I was home and to talk with him. I wanted to hear what got him excited about shooting. He had so much to say… but it mostly came down to his new targets.

We’ve been experimenting with 3D printed targets. Little men, tombstones, robots, solid, hollow, thick, thin, small, big, shattering, bb catching, etc. But we finally found the one that was the best.

The little black plastic figures are modeled and 3D printed… by him. The wooden blocks with the block man on it was also made by him.

He set them up and tried to have them arranged in such a way that there were some who were enemies and others who were friendlies. Think Time Crisis arcade shooting. He’s got a good imagination, but it’s not too far from that and just as much fun.

He invited me to try shooting one of the 3D men behind a wall without knocking the wall down. I drew up and shot him without touching the wall and handed the Daisy back to him(I got lucky). His jaw dropped as if I just revealed my superpower.

I told him to keep it up and went inside. He didn’t come in until the mosquitoes got the best of him.

He had a blast. Every time he knocked one down or spun one around he was excited to go pick it up and see where it hit and what kind of damage it did.

We found that it is best to make them hollow with only about 20% infill. This way the men don’t shatter after one shot. They get damaged by every shot(the fun part), but not so much that you can’t keep shooting them again and again. All in all a successful little experiment. I’m sure this will end up being a regular thing. It has certainly served to get my kids even more excited about shooting their BB guns.

I may start adding them as a sort of bonus item thrown in with The Little Buck Rail scope mount. I’ll wait until we’ve thoroughly “tested” them though;) Have an idea for getting the kids shooting? What has worked for you?

Posted on July 16, 2019January 8, 2020 by Terry — Leave a comment

Mounting a Bipod on the Red Ryder

Mounting a Bipod on the Daisy Red Ryder

Why Add a Bipod?

Shooting a Daisy Red Ryder is a blast. For my youngest kids it can be difficult to hold up and takes two fingers to pull the trigger. A bipod is a huge help to get them comfortable and having fun shooting.

The Problem

For the Daisy Buck you can just buy a clamp-on barrel adapter and mount a folding bipod on the adapter. But the Red Ryder has a faux magazine(a little tube under the barrel) that prevents you from mounting a bipod. The only solution is to use a temporary prop or support or cut the faux magazine off and mount the same clamp-on style. Neither of those “solutions” is ideal.

The Solution

So I drew up a model in AutoCAD of an adapter that will slide over the faux magazine. Something like this.

This will allow you to keep the original gun intact while adding an under-barrel picatinny rail. From there you can mount a folding bipod like this on your Daisy Red Ryder.

finished bipod adapter for the daisy red ryder — Finished Bipod Adapter

What do you think? Are you interested in this product? If you are let me know in the comments! Also, I just got a shipment of bipods and red dots that will be listed at an unbeatable price next week! Stay tuned or subscribe to get updates on new products!

Posted on July 12, 2019January 8, 2020 by Terry — Leave a comment

Daisy Red Ryder and Buck 105 Compared

The Daisy Red Ryder VS The Buck 105 For Young Shooters

The Daisy Red Ryder is the most popular BB Gun ever made. It is a timeless design and is still just as much fun for an adult as it is for kids. The Daisy Buck 105 is the Red Ryder’s little brother, but definitely has it’s advantages. In this article I’d like to briefly point out two major strengths and weaknesses in comparison to the other. I think it comes down to size, looks, and price. Originally I published this article to say, “size and power.” It has since changed and you’ll find out why below.

Side-By-Side Comparison

The Size Makes a Difference

As you can see there is definitely a significant size difference. That’s one of the most important differences and a huge deciding factor in which one to purchase for younger children or adults. According to Daisy, both guns are recommended for kids 10 and older. If you’re in the market for a kid who is younger than that I’d say the Buck will easily be the best way to go. My 10 year old loves his Daisy Red Ryder, but still prefers his little sisters Buck because it’s so much easier for him to handle

We Need More Powa!

It’s not listed in the chart, but Daisy lists the two guns with significant power differences. They claim the Red Ryder shoots at 350 FPS while little brother Buck is just pushing 275 FPS. The only problem is that they have exactly the same powerplant and have been tested to average the same muzzle velocity at around 275 FPS. But don’t lose hope… There is a way to get more power from both. A lot more power! Find out more HERE.

Other Considerations

Looks is certainly something to think about after considering usability. What good is a good looking gun the kid cant comfortably shoot? As far as that goes those differences are obvious. The Red Ryder basically has some features that the Buck lacks. There is a longer butt, longer barrel, forearm grip, small faux magazine under the barrel, and a “saddle ring with a leather thong.” Apart from those things there aren’t much differences.

There is, however an adjustable(elevation) open rear sight on the Red Ryder. The Buck only has a fixed rear sight. You can add a scope base to the Daisy Buck or Red Ryder and mount an optic that allows for a more precise and adjustable sight picture.

Price

On 8/20/2019 the price for the Red Ryder Model 1938 is $25 on Amazon and the Daisy Buck 105 is $18. Both are incredibly cheap and you get a lot for your money, but $7 is a pretty significant price difference at that price range. Especially considering that you are not necessarily paying for better performance.

Summary

The Red Ryder may be the winner for bigger kids and adults due to it’s larger size and forearm grip, but the Buck is the only choice for the younger ones and those on a tight budget.

Modifications and Accessories

Modifications and accessories can really change the game. For instance, you can cut down the stock and make the trigger more sensitive to make the Red Ryder more comfortable for younger kids. Also, you can add a scope or other optics to the Red Ryder using aftermarket scope mounts. Many Buck and Red Ryder parts are also interchangeable and can be switched to suit your needs.

With The Little Buck Rail, you can also mount a scope on the Daisy Buck. I’ve also added folding bipods that are compatible with the Buck and I’ve developed an adapter to mount a Bipod or other under-barrel accessory on the Red Ryder as well. Thanks for reading!

Posted on July 5, 2019October 29, 2020 by Terry — Leave a comment