Working With Talon Air Rifles

No one really knows when it first happened, or where or why, but one day someone took a deep breath, huffed a bead, bean or pebble out through a hollow reed and came up with the concept of an air gun. Several centuries, or eons, later the great, great, great ancestor of anything remotely resembling what we call an air gun these days appeared in Germany circa the same century air guns with flasks of compressed air attached propelled a dart or small projectile far beyond the limited range of human lung power.

The Austrian military made use of rifles with compressed air stored in detachable butt stocks, several of which hung from each infantryman’s belt. During the Napoleonic Wars the French proclaimed the use of these "quiet" guns that issued no tell-tale smoke to be highly uncivilized. Evidently, the air guns were quite effective in demoralizing Napoleon’s troops since they could neither see nor hear the source of the projectiles raining down upon them.

Two gentlemen are credited with innovations that transformed air rifles into what they have become. Henry Quackenbush combined cocking with spring compression and Mon sieur Giffaud patented a valve making it possible to use CO2 cartridges as a propellant source. In the United States Crosman grew the capacity of little "fizz water" cartridges to 700 shots by 1940.

Caliber .177 ball BBs had been the favored ammunition in lever action, spring/piston designs until rifled barrels and pin-point accurate .177, .20 and .22 caliber pellets appeared. The BB didn’t totally disappear, however. During World War II, the Army Air Force employed fully automatic BB guns working off large compressed air tanks to teach aerial gunnery.

There is no comparison of the ballistics gap between a .50 BMG round exiting a Ma Deuce and a BB of course, but lessons in leading a Nazi 109 or Jap Zero were soon learned. The full-auto BB guns used looked like small scale copies of John Browning’s .30 caliber machine gun, water jacket included. After the war, these found into shooting galleries that had all but disappeared between 1940 and 1946. I can remember manning one of the "BB MGs" in a gallery at 52nd Street and Broadway in New York City.

Boys and Girls, you should have been there to see those clay pipes shatter, traveling duck silhouettes tumble into the water by the dozen and hear the bullseye gongs clang. What a hoot! Another likely contributing factor in keeping the venerable BB alive was Daisy’s "Spittin’ Image" series. Remember the Winchester 1894 look-alike called The Red Rider? It’s still in production. How about the BB-spouting Daisy copies of the slide action, .22 caliber Remington Model 52 rifle and the Winchester Model 21 Shotgun?

Sadly, my own Red Rider rode into the sunset forever over 50 years ago but I still have my first BB gun, a muzzle loading, spring and piston single shot smooth bore. It remains a hard hitter due to the tender care given it but it sorely lacks in accuracy when compared to the fine, rifled barrels and advanced pelletry of modern air guns. Among the most modern of these air rifle is the Talon. It is manufactured by Air Force in The Republic of Texas, still counted among these United States for the present.

In this report, you’ll find few if any mention of the accessories available for and easily fitted to it. There are simply too many to cover in detail. Suffice it to say they range from bipods to iron and optical sight systems and a multiple choice assortment of rings and mounts. Talon air rifles are also available in several configurations. Since they are all mechanically identical, I’ve chosen the simplest of them and will refer to it solely as Talon.

If you wish to eyeball other models offered, go to airforceairguns.com. Field Stripping You’ll note there are several schematics instead of the usual one appearing in this article. Each includes its own parts list. Please refer to the schematic concerning the section of the Talon being addressed as I take you through servicing and maintenance and keep copies of all schematics in your permanent files as you won’t likely find them appearing elsewhere but these pages.

In more than one instance during this dis course you’ll be dealing with more than one drawing. I suggest you get familiar with each before reading on for I’m obliged to move between and combine some of them in spelling out certain steps.

The white object above it is a ¾-inch ID, rigid walled PVC pipe twice as long as your longest finger to be used as a tool in changing/installing barrels. It is also very handy when aligning bushing and frame screw holes. 177, .20 or .22 calibers for the Talon series. In the act of field stripping a Talon, refer to the schematics identified as "Cover Sheet", "Upper Internal Frame Assembly", "Lower Frame Assembly" and "Trigger Detail". Try and remember which Talon sub-assembly each covers.

When you are getting ready to work on this rifle always remove the valve and tank by pushing the bolt forward and unscrewing the tank from the lower frame assembly. This renders the Talon totally harmless. It cannot discharge a pellet once separated from its air source. As important, remove the cup set screw (#222 on the Lower Frame Assembly drawing). Invert the lower assembly. Back out the flat head screw (203 on the same drawing), grasp the forearm (108) and pull it off the assembly.

The cup set screw is important because, though only nylon, it helps keep the power scale assembly aligned in frame assembly ("A" on the Cover Sheet drawing) within the lower frame and doubles as the indicator for the power scale. When field stripping, it should be the first part taken from the lower assembly. Not doing so could strip its 40 TPI threads. In reassembly or barrel changing, it is the last part to be reinstalled in the gun. Another screw retains the end piece (073) to the upper internal assembly.

When it and the frame screws (222 and 221) have been removed the upper assembly can pulled from the lower, except for the bolt. The cocking knob cover group (104, 105, 107) is separated from the bolt body (009) after undoing the flat head screw (107). I cannot guarantee the presence of part 107 as Air Force doesn’t clear its engineering changes with me. You may be faced with a cylinder having two notches at its open, upper end.

A quarter fits those notches and is the tool to use for detaching the knob assembly from and reattaching it to the bolt. When the knob is reinstalled don’t over-tighten it as this will im mobilize the knob cover and washer. The bolt remains in the frame for now. In a couple of minutes I’ll give you the OK to remove it.

Once the barrel is out of the way the bolt can be pushed out the front end of the frame after you flip the safety off and pull the trigger to clear the striker release (014 on the Trigger Detail schematic). You now have all the access required for basic cleaning and lubrication. NOTE: The barrel should always be cleaned from breech to muzzle and petroleumbased lubricants avoided. The latter can attack or weaken air rifle seals.

Changing Barrels When removing the screws from the lower assembly I recommend you leave the rearmost screw (#222) until last. When it has been withdrawn the barrel assembly (300 on the Upper Internal Frame Assembly schematic) will be released. The event will be startling but cause no damage other than to your nerves. Grasp the muzzle and tug out the barrel. Now the bolt can be removed. The complete barrel assembly, bolt and bolt knob are now outside the lower frame and sitting on your bench.

If you’re changing barrels, you have to take off everything attached to the old one and install it on the new. With a Talon, this process begins by backing out set screws but while you’re at it, notice there are three screw holes in each bushing. The outer ones connect the barrel assembly with the frame. The middle one houses a smaller set screw that seats in a shallow dimple on the barrel. This screw has to be backed out of the dimple in order to get the bushing off the barrel.

The outer screws come in contact with the barrel and leave a small mark to identify a spot that will be visible when the bushings are slid off. It might make things easier for you later if you marked those contact areas with ared or yellow wax pencil as soon as you see them. Now put the new barrel assembly together and install it in the lower frame. It has been said of certain gun parts, last out, first in. So it is with the bolt, cocking knob hole leading the way.

The striker (078) follows the bolt with its front and rear bushings (165) attached. The spring is next and promptly joined by the preassembled male and female power adjusters (79 & 80). You don’t need the 4 x 40 nylon screw yet, but keep it handy and make absolutely certain you do not omit rings or seals of any kind in your reconstruction. The bushing farthest from the muzzle is slid in to the general area of its hole in the left side of the lower frame. Do not introduce its frame screw yet.

Remember the center set screw in the bushing and the barrel dimple beneath it? Either the bush

Top: The amount of air being released from the Talon reservoir can be adjusted. ing or the barrel can be rotated and moved laterally back and forth to center the middle hole over the dimple before starting in the dimple screw and using an Allen wrench to snug it down. This will not prevent future rotation or lateral movement within the lower frame but will secure the barrel to the bushing. Repeat this operation with the front bushing.

Do not over tighten what I called the "dimple screws." Trying to see how strong you are might narrow the bore. It would be an expensive error and you’ll have to buy anew barrel. Insert your longest finger into the frame to contact the front bushing and press inward to compress the spring. I’ll assume you won’t be able to push it hard enough to bring the frame screw holes in either bushing into line with their frame holes so you’ll need a tool to help.

Get a ¾-inch inside diameter, rigid-walled PVC pipe twice as long as your finger and insert it into the frame instead. Place the butt of the frame on a padded bench surface, press down and adjust the position of the barrel until bushing and frame holes align. You can temporarily start Air power must be adjusted after a barrel length, caliber or pellet change to re-establish velocity and zero of the rifle. in one left frame/bushing screw but don’t tighten it into contact with the barrel.

There’s enough meat to the frame to retain the screw and still allow barrel movement. You can assure you haven’t gone too deep as to create an obstacle by inserting a finger in the power setting window and checking the inner surface of the frame. You may need the PVC tool again to move the barrel back until you hear it click into a final seating. Your choice now is to either back out the

Talon Air Rifle Upper Internal Frame (Speci ications subject to change without notice) 079 POWER ADJUSTER FEMALE 080 POWER ADJUSTER MALE 104 COCKING KNOB COVER 105 COCKING KNOB 107 COCKING KNOB WASHER 126 O-RING, 7/16 X 1/16 141 020 TEFLON O-RING 142 NEOPRENE RING FOR POWER ADJ 149 POWER ADJUSTER LABEL 150 #4-40Xl/8" SOCKET HEAD-NYLON 165 STRIKER BUSHING 207 #1O-32X7/8" FLAT HEAD 223 #1O-32X3/16" CUP SET SCREW 300 STRIKER SPRING BRL BARREL (520, .20; 521, .22; 522, .177) 009 BOLT 064 16MM BARRELL BUSHING 073 FORWARD END CAP 078 STRIKER Talon Air Rifle Cover Sheet (Speci ications subject to change without notice) A UPPER INTERNAL FRAME ASSEMBLY B LOWER FRAME ASSEMBLY C TRIGGER DETAIL D VALVE AND TANK ASSEMBLY

004 THREADED SLEEVE AFT 088 FRAME 108 FOREARM 110 PISTOL GRIP 134 WASHER, LOCK 135 WASHER, FLAT 203 #10-32X7/8" FLAT HEAD 204 #10-24XI-1/4" SOCKET HEAD 208 #10-32X1I4" CUP SET SCREW 212 PISTOL GRIP SIDE PLATE SCREW 4X3/4 PHP SMS SS 221 #10-32X3/8" CUP SET SCREW 222 #10-32X5/16" CUP SET SCREW Talon Air Rifle Lower Frame Assembly (Speci ications subject to change without notice) Talon Air Rifle Trigger Detail (Speci ications subject to change without notice) 005 CROSS NUT 014 STRIKER RLEASE 015 SEAR 016 TRIGGER 017 TRIGGER SHOE 025 SAFETY SLIDE 026 TRIGGER GUARD 027 FLOOR PLATE 031 SAFETY BAR 088 FRAME 112 NUT, 4-40, SP 118 SAFETY BAR CAP 130 SPLl NED PIN 202 #10-32X3/16" DOG POINT SET SCREW 210 #10-32X7/8" BUTTONHEAD SCREW 213 WASHER 302 SAFETY BAR SPRING 303 SPRING

bushing screw or leave it partially installed. The latter will probably require a considerable amount jock eying of the barrel a wee bit this way or that way without being able to see what’s going on. This may sound like one of Letterman’s stupid dog tricks but if you only turn the screw in to barely make contact with the bushing you can feel it when the screw finds the bushing hole. Your option to that is removing the screw.

Either way, make any minor rotational or lateral adjustments required for alignment and turn in the bushing screw to bottom out on the barrel. Once a single bushing screw has been installed all other frame/bushing holes will be aligned and their screws can be snugged in without further fuss…or doggie treats. Reinstalling the end cap winds up the barrel switch except for sighting in.

Filling The Air Tank The Talon air reservoir is rated to withstand 3000 psi and has a builtin safety that literally ruptures to relieve pressure above that limit. There are two ways to fill the tank. The quickest is to hook the reservoir up to a scuba tank with a K-valve. The Air Force square refill clamp makes this simple by attaching to the K-valve and mating with the Oring in the scuba tank valve.

Install the Talon air reservoir seal in the provided refill adapter, connect the reservoir to the Talon tank, then screw the combined unit into the clamp’s pressure gauge/bleed screw housing. Close the bleed screw. Hand tight is plenty tight enough. Slowly open the scuba tank main air valve and keep an eye on the pressure gauge. Do not exceed 3000 psi. When the Talon reservoir is full, close the scuba main valve and open the clamp housing bleed screw. This will exhaust any air trapped inside the housing.

Then, and only then, unscrew the Talon tank. When the scuba tank is used up any dive shop can recharge it. Nothing other than compressed air should ever be used as a power source for a Talon. Not oxygen, not CO2, just air. What if there’s no dive shop anywhere near your operation? Use the other way to refill a Talon.

It’s an Air Force hand pump that injects air on the upstroke and downstroke, has its own pressure gauge, bleed valve and attaches to the Talon refill adapter/ tank combination just like the refill clamp housing. It will take about 15 ups and down strokes, with a slight pause at the top, to pressurize a Talon air reservoir reading zero on the pump gauge. A dozen to fourteen ups, paus es and downs later will result in 100 psi. The pump pressure gauge needle will start to jump at this point.

Keep pumping as before but, again, do not exceed 3000 psi and open the pump bleed valve before unscrewing the Talon tank. By the way, this tank is the largest of its kind on the market. Trigger Mechanism As the schematics indicate, it is several levels below the complexity of the "Sealed and Don’t Touch" systems being hung on most smokeless powder rifles these days. The trigger on the Talon I receiver released a charge of air from the reservoir at two pounds of pull.

Since the trigger on a Talon activates the safety, I chose to leave what I considered better-than-good-enough alone. For those otherwise inclined and capable of getting an accurate read off the Trigger Detail schematic, the primary contact points between the striker release, sear and trigger ought to be obvious. These might be touched up lightly with a fine Cratex polishing wheel turned at moderate speed to smooth up any existing roughness.

When done properly this polishing doesn’t actually lighten weight of pull in most cases. It just makes the pull feel lighter to a shooter’s trigger finger. To get at the parts mentioned five pins (130) must be removed. All the pins wear serrations at one end. Examine each end of them very closely. They must be driven out toward the serrated end and started back in via the opposite end.

Air Power Adjustments Power, the amount of air being released from the Talon reservoir, can be adjusted with the wheel located on the left side of the lower frame assembly. Air volume doesn’t increase or decrease precisely according to the numbers on the scale. It settles into a range after one shot has been taken at a selected setting. Subsequently, the Talon normally delivers consistent velocity shot after shot. To establish precise velocity of selected pellets at a selected setting a chronograph should be used.

Lacking one, the following settings are acceptable guides: Numbers 3 and 4 on the power scale are considered good for target shooting, number 6 is great for plinking, number 9 or 10 are about as high as a Model SS Talon will go and above 10 wastes air. With either the Talon or SS Talon, when fitted with the optional 24-inch barrel, it is OK to adjust power as far up as the scale can go. At this setting, about 35 shots per air tank full can be expected.

On a medium setting, 65 to 75 shots are possible and on the lowest setting over 200 shots. Power is one component of accuracy and can vary among pellet brands in .177, .20, or 22 calibers. For example, a Talon with a 24-inch barrel operating at 10 on the scale might be punching the ten ring out of a target with brand A .22 caliber pellets and missing the black completely with brand B. There are many factors to be determined concerning the best combination of power and pellet when it comes to air rifle accuracy.

Due to its well thought out design and the execution of it, a Talon eliminates much of the drudgery associated with reaching these decisions and replaces it with a unique form of scientific fun. A DVD by Air Force is available and recommended and can be requested directly at airforceair guns.com or Any cost involved would be tax deductible for a gunsmith. As long as you have their attention you might as well ask for a catalog and owner’s manual, too. AG