Posts Tagged ‘crosman’
Gamo CO2 Extreme – Video Review
Special thanks to Gamo for sending us this rifle and also for PyramydAir for sponsoring this video. Here are some links to products used in this video:
Airgunweb and Crosman Part Company
Hello everyone. I wanted to take a moment and make a statement that I’ve had a heart to heart with Crosman about continuing to work directly with their company. I’ve been going round and round with them about being able to review their products for the past 5 years. What I’ve been asking is that they send me products to review that I keep as compensation for my time. Here is an excerpt of my lastest email with their PR department:
As a corporation, we do not pay for product reviews. The professional outdoor writers, editors and and gear reviewers we associate with do not expect to receive product at no charge. They either return the product to us when they have finished reviewing it, or they pay us for the product at our writer’s discounted price. In most cases, they also allow us to review their editorial before publishing or printing. That way, we are able to confirm that factual information and specs are indeed correct. This protects consumers from the potential of receiving contradictory or confusing information.
Crosman is willing to extend our discounted pricing to you in exchange for editorial consideration before your reviews air. We will simply confirm that the factual information is correct. This arrangement will apply to every product Crosman provides you at the discounted price (35% off Crosman internet prices).
If this is acceptable to you, please respond. If not, we suggest you continue to obtain your product from another source such as Pyramyd Air.
So.. here is my response:
Thank you for getting back to me. I think at this point I’ll keep working the way I’ve been.. There is literally no incentive on my end to review Crosman products under your conditions and then also give you editorial review of the final materials. My guess is that the folks you usually work with are paid by a third party for their writing/reviews. I don’t think anyone does it “free of charge.” I’m in the unique position of having some great sponsors, both monetary and product providers, that see the value of my honest reviews and their benefit to the average consumer. I do understand that I don’t fit your model. I’m ok with that, but I do wish your model was a bit more flexible.
If things ever change on your end and you’d like me to look at your products, please let me know. I’m still open to it, just not under your conditions.
I recently received the following comment from a viewer. This really says it all with regards to my intentions with my reviews:
“btw, Rick, thanks for everything you do on here. i’ve been semi-subscribed (checked the channel for episodes) for the past 2 years now and i’m still amazed that even though you now have all these sponsors and company ties, yet you aren’t afraid to speak the absolute truth about a product or company. it’s so awesome to see that you care about us, the customers, and not looking good in the companies’ eyes. that’s just priceless. cheers to you as well, and keep up the great work!”
Airguns are now my full time job. I love the work. I love talking to people about airguns and working with great companies like PyramydAir.com, Leapers.com, and Gamousa.com. They “get it.” I may not always see eye to eye with every vendor that I work with, but I need them to see the value of having someone that has the courage to “tell it like it is” about their products. In the end, if they listened, they could take the praise when given and use the criticism to improve their products for the benefit of the consumers.
I’ll certainly still be looking at Crosman / Remington / Benjamin products as I can work them in. Maybe some day in the future they’ll change their policy and we can do more with them.
For now, this is Rick Eutsler with AirgunWeb.com, “Keeping it honest, Keeping it real”
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.
Benjamin Trail NP XL w/ Centerpoint 3-9×40 AO Scope
CROSMAN – Press Release – 2010/03/04
News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Laura Evans
Crosman Corporation
7629 Routes 5 & 20
East Bloomfield, NY 14443
1-800-7AIRGUN
levans@crosman.com
CROSMAN CORPORATION ANNOUNCES
NEW EUROPEAN DISTRIBUTION CENTER
IN SHANNON, IRELAND
ROCHESTER, New York, (March 2, 2010) – Crosman Corporation, long known for innovation and quality in the shooting sports, today announced the opening of a new warehouse and distribution facility in Shannon, Ireland. The state-of-the-art facility will serve as the company’s European distribution center (EDC) and warehouse. The company says that its design will streamline the order flow process and ensure product delivery within 7 days to anywhere in Europe, fulfilling Crosman’s global supply chain requirements. The new EDC will be operational in April, 2010.
According to Marc Miller, Crosman’s international sales manager, Crosman’s new EDC will provide trans-continental logistics to the European marketplace with a more expansive and cost-effective product selection. It will also reduce transport costs, improve delivery times and provide efficiency in inventory management. “Having the ability to fulfill orders swiftly and customize products that satisfy EU countries’ regulation requirements provides our customers with solutions to their merchandising needs. It also underscores our commitment to enhancing service to our European customers”, he said. “Rather than simply providing our standard air rifle, the new EDC will inventory product with multiple joules, allowing us to offer a larger assortment of goods to markets with different requirements. We are able to maintain our management strategies and ensure that product is available and flows efficiently into each market.”
Many of the products available to Europeans via the new EDC will be presented at the open-to-the-trade-only 2010 IWA & Outdoor Classics Show being held March 12-15 in Nuremberg, Germany. At the show, a new booth will debut featuring new products such as the Nitro Piston powered Benjamin and Remington break barrel air rifles, and the Benjamin Marauder PCP air rifles. Also being introduced are the new line of PCP pistols and the new Marlin Cowboy lever action BB gun. The new Crosman Corporation exhibit is in Hall 3, Stand 403.
Crosman Europe’s, Martin Stelling comments, “The future looks promising for Crosman in Europe. With the consolidation of distribution channels and the large number of new products being launched this year, Crosman is poised for unprecedented growth and enhanced service for its European customers. I am particularly excited,” he said, “about the creation of the Game Face Airsoft division. The new automatic electric airsoft carbines, as well as the first-ever Verdict Marking BBs, have generated a great deal of excitement in the airsoft world already. In the airgun category, Crosman’s Nitro Piston technology for break barrel air rifles is causing quite a stir.”
For further information on the new Crosman European Distribution Center, the IWA & Outdoor Classics Show or on any Crosman, Benjamin, CenterPoint Hunting and Outdoors Precision Optics or Game Face Airsoft products, visit the company’s Web sites at www.crosman.com, www.centerpointhunting.com, www.gamefaceairsoft.com, or write to Laura Evans, marketing coordinator, Crosman Corporation, 7629 Routes 5 & 20, East Bloomfield, NY 14443, email her at levans@crosman.com, or call her at (800) 7–AIRGUN (724-7486).
# # #
Rochester, N.Y.-based Crosman Corporation is an international designer, manufacturer and marketer of Crosman® and Benjamin® airguns, Crosman Archery products, CenterPoint® Hunting and Outdoors Precision Optics and Archery products, and Game Face™ Airsoft products. Crosman is also the exclusive licensee for Remington® airguns and airsoft products. The company is privately held.
Crosman Corporation
7629 Routes 5 & 20
East Bloomfield, NY 14443
1-800-7AIRGUN
www.crosman.com