Industry Brand QB78 Reviews

cole5169's review has yet to be rated - Be the first!
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Good Points: Classic, classic, classic. This is an upgraded clone of the venerable Crosman 160. Can't beat it. Zero recoil, easy operation, very accurate, SUPERLATIVE trigger.

Bad Points: Kind of loud (like most CO2 guns), not very powerful in stock form.

General comments: As stated above, the Industry Brand QB78 is a re-engineered clone of Crosman's 160 series of CO2 rifle. Like it's noble forebear, the QB-78 is a single-shot, bolt-action CO2 rifle with a roller-sear trigger and manual safety. What is new is a steel breech with 11mm scope dovetails. The action cocks by opening and closing the bolt, which is convenient and very slick. [NOTE: I kind of miss the cocking action found on my old Crosman 180 (a carbine version of the 160), in which the knob at the back of the gas tube would cock the hammer to one of two power settings (low, and high, naturally) ]

In .177 caliber, velocities are typically in the range of 650 fps. The heavier .22 caliber will achieve velocities around 500 fps (and seem to be a little quieter than .177 when firing, but that is my personal opinion). These are not competition grade guns, though they are very accurate, with the sporter stocks, they are lightweight and easy to point (meaning they are not overly long). In my opinion, the barrels are longer than necessary, and I have a couple with barrels that have been cut off which make excellent carbines, while only sacrificing 20fps or so.

The QB-78 family encompasses several variations, all using the same powerplant. The basic QB-78 is a lightweight sporter with a "perch-belly" stock. There is now a QB-78D (D for Deluxe) which has a nicer stock, with a raised cheekpiece (designed for right handed shooters only) and a rubber buttpad. The -D variation also incorporates a gold-tone anodized trigger blade and cocking bolt, and fiber-optic enhanced open sights, as well as using a slightly thicker barrel (15mm) than it's basic cousin. Both of the -78 versions operate off of TWO CO2 carts, stacked in the gas tube under the barrel.

Continuing the line, there is the QB-79, which is a bulk-tank version utilizing paintball or Crosman Air Source CO2 tanks instead of the little 12 gram carts.

There are also a 2078 and 2079 series, which use an upgraded trigger group (VERY nice!) and a target stock, as well as target aperture sights. The 2078 is a 2-cart variant, and the 2079 uses small tanks, like the QB-79.

At the time of this review, there is also a thumbhole stock version of the 2078 available, as well.

Out of the box, these guns usually appear very clean, with only a little stray lubricating oil smears to wipe off. They are all extremely accurate, capable of single hole groups at 10 meters and beyond. The triggers are adjustable for pull weight, pre-travel, and sear engagement. All parts are easy to remove and reassemble, and very simple to polish and lube.

There is a virtual galaxy of spare parts and accessories, and the possibilities for modifying these guns are endless. One of my favorite "extras" is the trigger group from the 2078/79 target series, which has a nice "two-stage feel" to it and is more adjustable than the stock assembly. It is also possible to buy the stocks separately and swap them out, transforming a rather stunted looking QB-78 (with the basic stock) into a stunning looking piece with the Deluxe stock (taken from the QB-78D).

Most of the internal parts are identical across the series, and readily available at several retailers. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to mention anyone in particular, but Stephen Archer at www.archerairguns.com carries just about every little part you could need for repairs or tweaking, and he is a pleasure to work with.

The QB-78 and QB-78D are available for about $70 and $90, respectively. They would be an unbelievable bargain if they cost twice as much.

As training rifles and introductory guns for youths, these excel. Each shot must be loaded manually (safe!), there is a manual safety (SAFE!), and they can be "dry-fired" with or without gas to teach trigger technique and sighting with no damage to the gun ( S--A--F--E !!!) The stock QB-78 is probably a little large for children or smaller teens, but again, the barrels can be easily cut short and recrowned if desired.

The report of the QB-78 may be a little loud for some suburban neighborhoods or indoor firing, but it is not as loud as a firearm. Bear in mind that this is wood and steel, and - especially when scoped - it could be mistaken for a firearm. If you intend to shoot in your backyard, it might be a good idea to introduce your neighbors to the gun and demonstrate that it can be used safely (maybe they'll buy a couple and come over to shoot?).

jonteyg's review has yet to be rated - Be the first!
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I bought this gun because it was cheap and fancied a new toy. I have since purchasing stuck on a silencer a night vision scope and built a custom stock. I polished the barrel silver and bored out the ports replaced all the seals. Looks great now and the power is loads better. Pics available if you email me at jonteyg@hotmail.com. This is probably the best QB you have ever seen.

On average, people found this review very helpful
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I bought my QB-78 about 1 year ago. And right out of the box its a wonderful plinker.
It has simple iron sights and an 11mm Scope rail.
Its Bolt action and uses 2 Co2 cartridges.
The wooden stock i found to be adequate but very ugly.
So I removed it and placed a new one from an old K.K. hunting rifle.
The inner workings of the QB-78 are simple so if it ever brakes you kan easely fix it yourself.
Also for the handy airgun lover its easily tunable. And for the money you will pay for it its a ...

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Bought this air rifle a couple of years ago, and have since fired over 5000 pellets and still love it. This is a cheap entry levelplinking air rifle, but if you adjust the trigger right its a joy to use. There is a lovley solid action when loading the rifle.

I removed the safety completly after the tab broke. Fitted a scope. Changed the O-ring in the cap as it was leaking.

In my opinion I think that this air rifle for the PRICE represents unbeatable value for money. It has a much more soli ...