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Credentials for
Tom Gaylord
Airgun Writer, Speaker & Consultant
Copyright ©2005 Tom Gaylord

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Publications

  • The Airgun Letter
    • Self-published, monthly, 8-16 pages, 1994-2002 (99 issues)
    • Sold by subscription only
    • Subscribers in the US, Europe, Asia and South America
    • Articles only, no advertising
    • Featured test reports, airgunsmithing, new products, collector's articles, airsoft guns, airgun show reports, SHOT Show reports; also debunked myths, explored legends and generally poked into hidden nooks and crannies of the hobby

  • Airgun Revue
    • Self-published, annually, 100 pages each, 1996-2001 (6 issues)
    • Articles and reference section, no advertising
    • Sold wholesale as well as direct through mail order (US and international)
    • Elaborate, indepth articles about vintage, collectible, rare and one-of-a-kind airguns, plus a few articles about modern airguns
    • Guest authors included:
      • Larry Hannusch
      • Robert Beeman, Ph.D.
      • D.T. Fletcher
      • Dennis Quackenbush
      • Gary Barnes

  • The Beeman R1 Supermagnum Air Rifle
    • Self-published, 1995, 174 pages, softcover, large format
    • Operation, performance and modification of the Beeman R1
    • Robert Beeman, Ph.D., founder of Beeman Precision Airguns, wrote a chapter about the design, development and production of the air rifle
    • Highlights include:
      • How to break in, disassemble & tune the rifle
      • Mainspring failure test, which still stands as the only test of its kind to determine longevity of airgun mainsprings
      • Transfer port sizes and how they affect velocity in a standardized rifle (til then, manufacturers guessed which size they would use!)
      • Components of accuracy, including the now-famous "artillery hold," which has become the foundation for properly holding any spring gun to obtain maximum accuracy
      • How to scope the gun
      • Dream guns and customizations
      • Included exploded views, detailed drawings and photos
    • Only book ever written about a single airgun model

  • Airgun Illustrated
    • Published quarterly and then bi-monthly by CFW Enterprises, 2002-2003, approx. 128 pages
    • Sold by subscription and on the newsstand
    • Helped found (2001) and design this first-ever airgun newsstand magazine
    • Concurrently held positions of editor, writer and photographer
    • Advised marketing department:
      • Compiled list of 100+ potential advertisers
      • Assembled comprehensive list of the industry's "movers and shakers"
      • Developed typical subscriber profile
      • Provided demographics
    • Recruited airgunning celebrities for the cover, including actor and bodybuilding legend Lou Ferrigno

  • The Blue Book of Airguns
    • Published annually, distributed by Blue Book Publications, Inc.
    • Softcover, large format, volumes 1-5
    • "The Gaylord Report":
      • Forecast of the significant airguns and technology that will have an impact in the coming year
      • Describe the design and operation of airgun powerplants

  • Shotgun News
    • Published three times a month by Primedia
    • Contributor since 2001
      • Airgun editor & contribute monthly airgun column
      • Airgun topics include:
        • Chinese airguns
        • Russian airguns
        • Umarex airguns
        • Pneumatic airguns
        • Big bores
        • Airguns that look like firearms
        • Shooting in the basement
        • Airgun survey article
        • Airgun scopes
        • Wedding-ring accuracy
      • Airsoft article (state-of-the-art)
      • Firearms topics include:
        • Swedish Mauser
        • American Enfield

  • Other publications
    • Shooting Industry magazine
      • Improving long gun sales
      • Airguns and airsoft
    • Range magazine (Talon and Talon SS airguns)
    • Visier magazine (Big bores)
    • Self-Reliance Journal (Big bores)
    • Airgun owner's manuals
  • Web-based articles

Videos

  • Specialized Distribution
    • Starred in 10-minute video designed to introduce dealers to airsoft, which includes:
      • Airsoft basics
      • Discussion of the three principal powerplants
      • Safety
    • Edited/co-wrote script

  • AirForce Airguns
    • Starred in 60-minute video, which includes:
      • Talon and Talon SS rifle features
      • All aspects of assembly
      • Filling guns from a scuba tank or hand pump
      • Mounting a scope, sighting-in
      • Attaching accessories
      • Barrel replacement
      • Routine maintenance
    • Wrote script

Consulting

  • National Rifle Association (NRA)
    • One-day briefing for the NRA Foundation, the NRA Education and Training department, the National Firearms Museum and the editors of all NRA publications about the current state of airgunning
    • Continue to advise the NRA Education and Training department about their airgun program and how to increase public recognition

  • Daisy Manufacturing Company
    • Conferred with Daisy General Counsel to successfully derail the politically motivated lawsuit by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) against the production of BB guns.
    • Delivered a presentation to the CPSC attorney to explain and demonstrate the construction and function of a BB gun.
    • Effectively demonstrated that the CPSC case was riddled with faulty logic and incorrect assumptions.
    • CPSC attorney resigned his position shortly thereafter.
    • CPSC signed a consent agreement with Daisy, which agreed to a small safety concession.

  • B-Square
    • Assisted in design and development of a mainspring compressor for spring-piston air rifles
      • Designed the following compressor elements:
        • A bridge for securing the action when the mainspring is under compression
        • A rotating headstock to keep the base block secure when the spring is under tension
        • A wide range of headstock/tailstock adjustability to accommodate a wide variety of spring guns
      • Wrote operating instructions for the compressor
    • Co-developed a comprehensive chart of airgun scope rail dovetail sizes
      • Resulted in the development of new airgun scope mounts
      • Created first-ever chart of airgun dovetail sizes published in What You Need To Know About Airguns
    • Wrote simplified instructions for B-Square's popular AA adjustable scope mounts

  • Hollywood Celebrity Shoot
    • Organized the first-ever airgun component (2002) of this charitable event, which benefited St. Jude's Children's Hospital
    • Attended by 100+ celebrities and 300 shooters
    • Recruited major manufacturers to display products and provide equipment for airgun shooting events

  • Mid-Atlantic Airgun Show
    • Organized five annual one-day airgun shows (1998-2002)
    • Show benefited shooting program of Damascus Izaak Walton League
    • Became third-largest moneymaking event for the club
    • Attracted hundreds of airgunners from the US, Canada and Europe
    • Founder and match director for first modern big bore airgun shoot
      • Coordinated match for 20 competitors
      • Co-designed scoring system
      • Designed and disseminated publicity for event

Practical Experience

  • Technical Director, AirForce Airguns
    • Involved in design, production, distribution and promotion of the Talon, Talon SS and Condor air rifles
    • Work with state-of-the-art manufacturing processes of precision adult air rifles
    • Test and evaluation

Copyright ©2006 Tom Gaylord