Shanghai QB88 Review

Overall Rating

Good value $50. 99% metal/wood construction. Fairly accurate. Good starter gun. Well balanced.

Do not pay more than $50 for this gun (some places are selling the same exact gun for $90). It's a rip off. If the gun comes with pellets, throw them away...it's junk. Fit and finish average. Shoots only around 600fps. Plastic trigger guard. Useless sights...take them off and throw them away (mount a scope instead). Finish on the stock is...sub-par. Cocking arm pivot point have a little too much vertical play.

This Shanghai QB88 was my first springer airgun. I bought a Crosman 66 powermaster last December (85% plastic parts). The powermaster cost me $38 at Wal-Mart, about 2.5lbs, shoots 650fps, very accurate to about 30 feet. I got tired of pumping the darn Crosman 8-10 times per shot. So I went shopping for an adult airgun. The TF-88 or tech force 88 or QB 88 seems like a good start (0.177). They are advertising it as an 850fps gun. DO NOT BELIEVE the Velocity advertised...later I read that someone chrono'd the gun and it shoots around 600fps (0.177). So stupid me...I bought online and paid $90 for this $50 gun (I later found out that another site was selling the same gun for $50). When you get the gun, check to see if the 3 screws holding the gun to the stock are tightened!!! Then get out some cleaning oil and clean the inside and outside of the gun. I used WD-40 (I later found out that this might not be a good solvent as it might attack the rubber seal...use at your own risk). I've got about 500+ rounds through the gun right now. Here's what I've found out.
1. The screws holding the gun tend to work loose. So if your accuracy falls off, check those screws.
2. It's very hold sensitive. I found that if I hold the gun lightly at the stock and let the recoil do its thing...it shoots more accurately.
3. I'm planning to have my dad machine a metal trigger guard. Then I might refinish the stock and locktite the screws to the stock. Someone told me that locktite attacks plastic. That's why I am having the trigger guard replaced before putting locktite on the screws.
4. After much frustrations with the back sight, I unscrewed the back sight and tapped out the front sight and threw them away. The tip of the barrel is now bare and the crown is unprotected. I am going to have my dad machine a tip to protect the crown. I went back to Wal-Mart and bought a cheapo $20 BSA 4X scope for the gun. Still trying to shoot consistently and accurately with this set up....will update when I get better.

All in all...if shipping was free and I didn't have to pay a restocking fee of 15%, this gun would have went back to the dealer. But this gun is like a Ford Pinto...there are a lot of things it cannot do...but it will teach you and get you started in this hobby. I guess I'll have to modify my little QB88 and learn to love it. My next gun is going to be an RWS 54!

Members' Comments onjim p.'s Review

• Jim P. on 14th May 2003

  Update 5/14/03
  This gun is very hold sensitive. Even using a rest, if you don't hold it right, the recoil will throw your shot off. At a distance of 45 feet, I can only hit a 1/4" 50% of the time if I concentrate. Grouping is around 3/8" at 45 feet for me. I hacksawed off the front hood sight and left the round plastic on the front of the barrel to protect the crown. The gun is wearing a Daisy Powerline from Walmart for $28. It seems to like the cheap crosman wadcutter from walmart. I found myself shooting my RWS 54 more ...since it's more accurate. If you bought the Tf-88 ...good luck. If not, keep looking.
  
  Jim P