Posts Tagged ‘air gun’
Gamo’s new CFR Whisper Combo
Ok.. let me just say this right now.. Run.. Don’t walk to your computer and just get one. In fact, here’s the link: To Order your Gamo CFR Click here! Read more to know why!
Gamo CFR Whisper - First Look
When I first took the CFR out of the box I was very UNPLEASANTLY surprised. It felt like a cheap copy of the CFX that I’ve grown to love and respect. It was clunky and felt rough to operate. BUT, knowing that all spring guns take a little time, I started shooting some pellets down range. After about 50 shots or so the roughness started to smooth out and the rifle settled down.
Gamo CFR Whisper - Adjustable Cheek Piece
The rifle is really a “mashup” of several guns; The SOCOM Tactical, The CFX, and of course the Gamo Whisper. I’m not sure where the pistol grip came into play, but it is a great fit for this rifle. This rifle has the normal Gamo fiber optic sights with the rear sight being fully adjustable.
Gamo CFR Whisper - Front Sight and NDS
Gamo CFR Whisper - Fully Adjustable Rear Fiber Optic Sight
Gamo’s bundled scope was a cheap 4×32 scope that had noticeable distortion and was an insult to this gun’t potential. I tossed it and added a Leapers 4-16×40 MD, IR, AO scope. What a difference. Of couse I always have to run into at least one snag and this was it. My CFR had noticeable barrel droop. That was quickly handled by shimming the rear rest and I was back in business.
Gamo CFR Whisper - With Mounted Leapers 4-16x40 AO, MD, IR Scope
Being that the rifle was a fixed barrel design like the CFX, I expected good accuracy and I was not disappointed. Before we get there, let me mention the trigger. The trigger is still Gamo’s “new” trigger which is much smoother than Crosman’s counterpart, but still has a very long 2nd stage. Too long really. Gamo does this for liability reasons and really who can blame them. There are options out there if you really want a better trigger and then the liability is on you. Just a note, the adjustment in the rear of the trigger adjusts the length of the 2nd stage. IF the screw were LONGER, you could reduce the length 2nd stage down to something more reasonable. Again, liability and safety issues are why Gamo doesn’t do this already.
I tossed the “PBA Platinum Pellets” aside and went straight to a pellet that worked wonders in my CFX, the Gamo Red Fires. What a dream to see each pellet hit one after the other almost tearing a perfect hole in the bullseye. The shots bellow were from 10 yards and shot indoors.
Gamo CFR Whisper - Red Fire Pellets, 10 Yards, .137" CTC
Velocity with the CFR is less than the rest of Gamo’s line up. That is just fine with me. With its accuracy and an average of 848 FPS equaling 12.98 ft-lbs (with the Gamo Red Fire pellets) anything inside 20 yards would have a very short life expectancy. I achieved a tiny .137″ CTC 5 shot group at 10 yards.
Gamo needs to do a few things to make this gun a little better.
- Stop shipping that crappy PBA ammo.. Ship it with Red Fire pellets that can do the job
- Smooth out some of the rough edges before shipping.. I shouldn’t have to waste 200 or 300 pellets for the gun to stop feeling “crunchy.” A $300 dollar gun should not start out feeling like an $80 Wal-Mart special.
- Include a decent scope. BSA makes some nice variable powered scopes with AO and Mil-Dot features. Include one of those with the CFR and not a disposable 4×32.
- Lastly, how about an IGT version with just a touch more power?
Despite my above wish list.. I’m in love with the CFR. Like Goldilocks and the three bears.. Not to hard, not to soft, just right. We will have a more in depth look at the CFR coming up next month!
Until then, Thank you reading.
Keeping it honest, keeping it Real – With Rick Eutsler & AirgunWeb.com
Evanix AR6 – Airgun Review
Evanix AR6 Shrouded .22 Caliber
W/ Leapers 4-16×50 AO, MD, IR Scope
Written By,
Rick Eutsler
Editor / Owner www.AirGunWeb.com
editor@airgunweb.com
Review Product & Supplies
Provided by: www.pyramydair.com
Without a doubt the Evanix AR6 is a stunning airgun and the exceptional design and craftsmanship is immediately noticeable. The Evanix AR6 comes in an ambidextrous stock that sports nice checkering on the grip and forearm and a raised cheek piece on both sides. The wood grain and finish is right up there with the best airguns I’ve reviewed to date. This version of the Evanix AR6 also comes with a shrouded barrel that helps reduce shot noise.
The rifle uses a 6 shot rotary cylinder. The pellets load skirt first from the front of the cylinder. Unlike the Magazine for the Marauder, the AR6’s cylinder allows for longer pellets like the Polymags or the Eun Jins making the AR6 a very flexible rifle.
The Evanix AR6 is both double and single action. The pull weight on the double action is so heavy that it is virtually unusable, so treating it as a single action rifle is going to be your best bet. The trigger pull is very heavy because of the powerful hammer spring which is necessary to achieve the high volume of air needed to reach for that 60 FT-LB target. The trigger is still very stiff, even in single action and is not adjustable. There is NO 2nd stage to this trigger, just a stiff short pull.
I Mounted a Leapers 4-16×50 AO, MD, IR scope to this rifle. I really like Leapers products. I’ve found them to bring some of the best value to the table as far as features vs. price goes. I mounted the scope with a set of 2 piece Accushot high rings which provided more than enough clearance for the 6 shot cylinder.
The AR6 is a standard PCP rifle that operates at a max of 3000 psi. The manual and integrated meter were a little confusing because the meter goes from green to red at 150 bar, approximately 2175 psi, but the manual says that you can go to 3000 psi, or closer to 206 bar. I’m cautious about taking things “into the red” so I called the techs at PyramydAir and got the OK to go all the way to 3000 psi. They confirmed that the manual and the gauge were a little confusing and gave me the “go ahead” to fill it all the way to 3000 psi.
The rifle fills by using a high pressure source, like a scuba tank, or hand pump. I use a scuba tank and fill kit that I got from PyramydAir some time ago. The AR6 uses a simple probe which I’ve adapted to work with my foster quick connect fitting. This makes it quick and easy to switch between adaptors to fill any of my PCP rifles from the same tank and fill kit.
Performance & Accuracy:
There is always a balance between velocity, accuracy, and energy put on the target. The Evanix AR6 offers all 3 but not with just one pellet. The rifle can shoot the very heavy 32.4 grn Eun Jin pellets at almost 900 FPS. The down side is that their accuracy started to fall apart past 25 yards.
The BEST pellet in the AR6 was the 21.14 grn Beeman Kodiaks. These delivered less energy, but remained accurate out past 100 yards. So, at 25 yards and in, the Eun Jin pellets deliver moderate accuracy but incredible power, perfect for larger pests. For every other application, the Kodiaks are the pellet to use. Here are the numbers:
Starting with the Eun Jin Pointed 32.4 GRN pellets
- High: 899
- Low: 857
- Average: 878
- Extreme Spread: 42
- Standard Deviation: 14.94
- Average Energy: - 55.47 FT-LB
- Max Energy in tests: – 58.16 FT-LB
We did not get the full 60 FT-LB stated in the specifications, but we only needed another 15 fps to get there. I don’t tweak the rifles before I test them. These are “out of the box” results. I wonder if there is a way to get that extra 15 fps?
Now on to our most accurate pellet the Beeman Kodiaks at 21.14 grns.
- High: 988
- Low: 934
- Average: 962
- Extreme Spread: 54
- Standard Deviation: 20
- Average Energy: - 43.41 FPE
- Max Energy in tests: – 45.83 FT-LB
Review Summary:
You may never hear me say this again so please take note. There are times when accuracy is relative. When you consider most airguns need pinpoint accuracy to get clean kills, the Evanix AR6 is more like hunting with a bazooka. If you hit game with close to 60 FT-LB it is going down. Yes the Beeman Kodiaks gave us the best groups, but there is something to be said about putting over 58 FT-LB on a target inside 25 yards. The accuracy difference at that range was certainly close enough, especially if you are trying to take down bigger game that has a larger kill zone.
Now, when you need to reach out past 25 yards, then the Kodiaks are going to be your best friend. Just as a side note, if you are just shooting for fun and max power is NOT the issue. Consider filling the rifle to just 150 bar and shooting the Kodiaks. You’ll get a good 12 shots per fill and you’ll get more fills from your scuba tank because you are not trying to get 3000 psi into your gun. You always have the option of taking it to 3000 psi when you need it.
Here is an average group from 25 yards using the Beeman Kodiaks:
Evanix AR6 .22 from 25 yards using Beeman Kodiak Pellets
Now to the scorecard, Pros and Cons:
The Cons:
The Evanix AR6 is not as accurate as I would have liked and is definitely louder than I would have liked. Even with the barrel shroud, it is well over 110 db. The difference between the Benjamin Marauder .22 and the Evanix AR6 .22 is very noticeable. This may not be a big deal to some, but if you are getting this to shoot in your backyard and you have picky neighbors, consider something else.
The Pros:
The Evanix AR6 has tremendous power, easy loading of pellets, easy cycling of the cylinder, it is lighter than I expected, and quieter than the non-shrouded .22 cal AirForce Condor in and RWS Dominator, two rifles that are in the same power class.
Final Word:
Written By, Rick Eutsler
Editor / Owner www.AirGunWeb.com
editor@airgunweb.com
Copyright 2011, Dog River Design, LLC – All Rights Reserved.
Beeman R7 – Airgun Review
Beeman R7 Elite in .177
W/ Mounted Bushnell 4-12×40 AO Scope
Written By,
Rick Eutsler
Editor / Owner www.AirGunWeb.com
editor@airgunweb.com
Review Product & Supplies
Provided by: www.pyramydair.com
The Beeman R7 is a truly gorgeous airgun. It is virtually a miniature Beeman R9 in just about every way. The craftsmanship of the woodwork and metalwork is just what you’d expect from an expensive, high quality, German airgun.
The stock is simple and works equally well for both right and left handed shooters. There is nice checkering on the grip and forearm which is not only decretive but functional, adding texture to the stock.
The stature of the Beeman R7 is short and compact making it very light and easy to handle. The barrel is relatively short and has a weighted muzzle break for balance and to help with cocking the rifle. There are no open sights.
The Beeman R7 is all metal and wood with no plastic parts to be found. There is a distinct difference when you handle the Beeman R7 compared to other “youth” airguns. The fit and finish, the feel, and the “presence” of this rifle are only equaled by other high end airguns such as the Beeman R9 and the Air Arms TX200. With proper care and maintenance, this gun should last several lifetimes.
The Beeman R7 Elite ships from PyramydAir.com for about $450 and includes a mounted Bushnell, “dusk & dawn” 4-12×40 AO scope. This is a very nice scope and has one of the brightest site pictures that we’ve seen. The scope has a simple duplex reticule.
Perhaps the most surprising feature of the Beeman R7 is the Rekord Trigger. This is the same trigger that is found in the Beeman R9 and other high end Beeman models. The Rekord trigger is one of the top three airgun triggers that we’ve had the pleasure to test, the other two being the triggers on the Air Arms TX200 and the Benjamin Marauder. The Beeman R7 has an automatic safety at the rear of the gun that is reset between shots.
While the Beeman R9 is a true blue hunting airgun, the Beeman R7 is designed for 10 meter target practice. It weighs in at around 8 pounds, with the scope, is extremely easy to cock, and is not overly hold sensitive. It is setup perfectly for smaller shooters and is ideal for shooting paper targets, spinners and learning how to properly handle an airgun.
Our velocity tests showed that Beeman R7 topped out at around 667 FPS with the 7.0 grn RWS hobbies, our standard pellet for testing a rifle’s maximum velocity.
Here are the results of our velocity tests with the RWS Hobbies:
- High – 667 FPS
- Low – 647 FPS
- Average – 654 FPS
- Extreme Spread – 20 FPS
- Standard Deviation – 5 FPS
- Average Energy – 6.65 FT-LB
The advertised velocity for this rifle is 700 FPS making these results quite good being only a few FPS off the mark.
Our most accurate pellets were the Crosman Premier Lights in the cardboard box. They are a 7.9 grn pellet, slightly heavier than the RWS Hobbies, and they gave us the following results:
- High – 609
- Low – 596
- Average – 602
- Extreme Spread – 13
- Standard Deviation – 3
- Average Energy – 6.36 FT-LB
The Beeman R7 is designed for optimal accuracy at 10 yards, but we also performed tests at 25 yards, just to make it stretch its legs a bit.
This first group is from 10 yards. As you can see, the accuracy is what you’d expect from a fine German airgun baring the Beeman name.
10 Yards using the Crosman Premier Lights
This second group is from 25 yards. While not as good as the Beeman R9, it is still VERY respectable.
25 Yards using the Crosman Premier Lights
The Beeman R7 is a wonderfully fun airgun and is a complete joy to shoot. It may not be a hunting airgun, but it is extremely accurate and you can shoot it all day long without getting worn out.
If there is one down side to the Beeman R7 it is only in the price tag. At around $450, it is an expensive airgun, but worth it when quality is more important than price. Everything about the Beeman R7 is quality and precision. The Beeman R7 has the famous Rekord Trigger which can’t be overlooked. When it comes to accuracy a lot of things play a role. For me, having a trigger with a crisp, light 2nd stage is really important. That is one of the things that make the Beeman R7 as good as it is.
Written By, Rick Eutsler
Editor / Owner www.AirGunWeb.com
editor@airgunweb.com
Copyright 2011, Dog River Design, LLC – All Rights Reserved.
Remington Vantage 1200
Airgun Review Written By,
Rick Eutsler
Editor / Owner www.AirGunWeb.com
editor@airgunweb.com
Review Product & Supplies
Provided by: www.pyramydair.com
Today we are going to look at the new Remington Vantage. At first glance the Vantage looks like any other simple break barrel rifle. In fact it looks very much like the Crsoman Quest but with a much nicer looking stock. Fortunately, the similarities between the Crsoman Quest and the Remington Vantage end there.
The stock of this rifle is a beautifully rich hardwood that is far removed from the “yellow” wood stocks seen on many Chinese imports. It is very simple and fully ambidextrous with a slight raise to the cheek piece that works for righties and southpaws alike. The rifle is not very heavy, but also not too light, it is just right. The majority of the gun is all metal and wood. The few exceptions are the trigger guard and the front and rear sights. The bluing is even and looks very good for a rifle in this price category. The barrel of the Vantage is very ridged and unlike many break barrel rifles, actually worked really well with our Dragon Claw Bi-pod.
The Remington Vantage comes with an industry standard set of open sights. The front and rear sights are basically plastic with fiber optic inserts. The front sight sports a bright green rod, while the rear sight uses two red rods for contrast. If open sights are your thing, then you will love how these sights look. The rear sight is fully adjustable with easy micro-click adjustments.
Mechanically, the Remington stands out over other rifles in this price range, specifically with how they choose to hold the barrel in place. I’ve seen several different ways to “lock” the barrel back in place after cocking and loading. The three basics that I’ve seen are the (1) ball detent, (2) opposing wedges with one spring loaded to apply pressure (please forgive me for not knowing the technical term), and (3) one spring loaded wedge and a metal bar that the barrel rest on. The lesser expensive rifles use the last method. Some good examples are the new Gamo SOCOM Tactical as well as the Crosman Titan GP. The problem with this method is that they create a wear point at a critical part of the rifle. Eventually, something is going to wear out and there goes your accuracy. If the break barrel mechanism does not apply active pressure to hold the barrel in place, you will have movement and your shots will wander.
The Remington Vantage uses two opposing metal wedges with the one in the barrel spring loaded to “hold” the barrel tight against the receiver. Your better made, more expensive rifles, the Beeman R9 for example, use this method. While others like the RWS 34 and RWS 350, use the ball detent method. (Also a good method as there is pressure actively holding the barrel closed.) This is something to remember the next time you’re out shopping for your next break barrel rifle.
No rifle is complete today without some sort of optics, at least that what most airgun companies seem to believe. In the case of the Vantage, Remington included a simple 4×32 CenterPoint scope by Crosman. Unfortunately, the scope fell apart during the break in period. I’d rather they NOT put ANY scope on the gun and lower the price. Seeing as both the scope and the rings had issues, I replaced them with a one piece Crosman scope mount and a working 4×32 CenterPoint scope. I wanted to stay as true as I could to the “out of the box” Remington Vantage 1200. This scope worked pretty well and I was able to shoot some respectable groups at 20 yards.
The scope was not our only sour note. The trigger, oh the trigger… This is Remington’s “improved” trigger. Well, the trigger still needs more improvement. Because of the trigger, you’ll need a lot of practice to reliably shoot tight groups with this gun. The barrel and the power plant can do it, but the trigger pull is so long and rough, that holding a good sight picture through the 2nd stage takes a lot of work. It should not be this hard. The good thing is that you can replace this trigger fairly easily with a GRT III drop in trigger. If you want a better trigger, spend a few bucks and order one. You won’t be disappointed.
Performance wise, the Remington Vantage 1200 did reasonably well. Remington says it should shoot 1000 FPS with lead pellets and 1200 with lead free pellets. Well, our tests put it a little under those numbers, but we were fairly close. The RWS Hobby pellets at 7.0 GRN, averaged 937 FPS generating 13.65 FTLBS. The standard weight Crosman Premier Lights, at 7.9 GRN, came in at 873 FPS generating 13.37 FTLBS. The most accurate pellet in the Remington Vantage was the JSB Diabolo Exact Heavies which weigh 10.2 GRN, travelled an average of 741 FPS, and generated a modest 12.44 FTLBS.
The best groups averaged just under .5” CTC at 20 yards. With only a 4x scope, I was very happy with these results.
All in all, the Remington Vantage, regardless of the scope & trigger issues, may be one of the best values on the market today. At only about $137 from PyramydAir.com, you get an accurate, attractive, classic break barrel rifle. I really enjoyed shooting this with the Dragon Claw Bi-pod attached, which will run you about $22 more, as it really helped while shooting from the bench. The rifle’s mechanics are sound and the parts that bugged me are easily upgradeable. As a starter rifle or a back yard small pest eliminator, definitely consider the Remington Vantage 1200.
Written By, Rick Eutsler
Editor / Owner www.AirGunWeb.com
editor@airgunweb.com
Copyright 2010, Dog River Design, LLC – All Rights Reserved.
AirVenturi Avenger 1100
Airgun Review – Written By,
Rick Eutsler
Editor / Owner www.AirGunWeb.com
editor@airgunweb.com
Review Product & Supplies
Provided by: www.pyramydair.com
When did shooting in the back yard become so serious? Manufactures are promising 1200, 1300, and even 1600 FPS. Interestingly enough, I don’t see any accuracy claims to go along with those velocities. Also, what is with the trend to make everything “composite?” If only there was a quality airgun that was fun and easy to shoot, was accurate, and didn’t take three weeks of training at the gym to be able to cock it. It would be even better if it was made of wood and steel like things used to be.
Enter the AirVenturi Avenger 1100 air rifle imported by AirVentui, made by Mendoza. If you are looking for an inexpensive, fun, easy to shoot, accurate, quality breakbarrel, then you are in luck. The Avenger 1100 is all that and more. I’ve been a fan of Mendoza guns since my first RM200. It was not fast, but it hit accurately and was very inexpensive. It was easy to cock, easy to shoot, and hit the bulleye without little or no effort. The Avenger 1100 is a step up from the RM200 and delivers about 100 more FPS at the muzzle.
The Avenger 1100 is a very traditional breakbarel with a couple unique features. First of all, the rifle is all wood and steel. There is minimal use of plastics on this rifle. You can find plastics in the front and rear sights, safety, and trigger guard. That’s it. The metal is a dark, dark, blue and the stock is a pleasant blonde. The stock is setup for right handed shooters with a raised cheek piece on the left side. Lefties should still be able to enjoy this rifle however.
The rifle ships with front and rear fiber optic sights which are very clear and easy to use. The rear sight should have been micro-click adjustable, but for this price point, I guess they just kept the standard “push ramp” for elevation. You’ll need an Allen wrench to adjust for windage. My rifle did not have enough adjustment to get it on precisely target, so I opted to mount a scope. Given my eyesight, I was going to add a scope anyway.
Perhaps the nicest feature of the Avenger 1100 is the unique Mendoza, double blade, trigger. Instead of having a 2 stage trigger with one blade, they have a 2 stage trigger with 2 blades. The first blade must be pulled back to meet with the 2nd blade in order for the gun to fire. There is NO creep in the 2nd stage of the trigger, just a clean, crisp break. I absolutely love it.
The safety system on the avenger is located at the rear of the receiver. It is a simple push – pull safety and it resets between shots. It is ambidextrous and can be returned to the “safe” position if you decide not to take the shot. I’m not a fan of automatic safeties, but as they go, this one is pretty easy to get used to.
When it came to optics, I chose my favorite brand Leapers. Leapers scopes have proven to be reliable and affordable and they are my “go to” scope brand when I need to add optics to a rifle. I chose the Leapers 3-9×40 AO, MD, IR scope along with a set of Accushot 2 piece rings for this application. They are a perfect match for this rifle. If your don’t care to spend the extra for the Illuminated Reticule (IR) you can save a few bucks and get the Leapers 3-9×32 AO, MD scope which is also a very good option.
Shooting the Avenger 1100 is a dream. You can shoot it all day and not get tired. It takes very little effort to cock the rifle. While it is a springer and requires some technique, because it is not a “magnum” springer, it is beginner friendly. I let many people try this rifle and they all loved it for its ease of use and accuracy out to 20 yards. Here is a sample shot group from 20 yards. Not too shabby!
.22 caliber Mendoza rifles have a particular quirk. They only like one or two types of pellets. The most readily available pellet is the RWS Superdome. The other is the 16.0 GRN. .22 cal LOGUN Penetrator, but good luck finding them. Awesome pellets though. Fortunately the Superdomes work just as well and are much easier to find. Believe me I’ve tried every other .22 call pellet and the Superdomes are the ones to use. They weigh in at 14.5 GRN. and produce an average velocity of 589 FPS in the Avenger. That comes out to about 11.17 FTLBS at the muzzle. Velocities on the Avenger are not meant to impress, but remember this is not built or marketed as a “magnum” spring rifle. You can expect RWS Hobby pellets top out in the mid to high 600 FPS.
Here are the stats for the RWS Superdome Pellets, .22 cal, 14.5 GRN.
High: 594, Low: 586, Average: 589, Difference: 8 FPS (Very consistent velocities!)
I found only one or two down sides to the Avenger 1100. First, the open sights did not have enough adjustment to get on target at 10 meters. They may have been fine at 20, but I can’t see well that far away without a scope, so they are of no use to me. Secondly, the rifle takes a very long time to break in. I shot well over 500 rounds before the dieseling settled down and the velocity stabilized. Then I shot another 200 to 300 rounds before the rifle smoothed out. Given the low price point, I expected some of that, but I was just about to give up when it started shooting great groups. The lesson here is, don’t give up too soon.
Written By, Rick Eutsler
Editor / Owner www.AirGunWeb.com
editor@airgunweb.com
Copyright 2010, Dog River Design, LLC – All Rights Reserved.