FX FX Maverick Compact .30 Cal - First shots review

Before I start this review. This is my first "expensive" PCP, all of my previous experience is with guns under the $1k mark. For all I know this gun is crap compared to guns at the same price range. Also, this review is from very little experience with the gun, it is a "first shot review" for a reason. I haven't even shot paper with it yet. With that out of the way lets get started.

Let's start with the bad. Much of this is fixable (with or without mods) or nitpicks, except for one (maybe two but just don't be left handed).
The nozzle cap that goes on the fill nozzle is not attached to the gun in any way. I can easily see myself losing this.
I only have short scope rings and this gun needs higher scope rings for it to be comfortable to shoot with. I think this is more of a bullpup issue then with the gun itself.
The top rail is short. It is long enough to mount a scope but don't expect to put anything else up there. There are side rails for lights and such though.
If you use a bipod on the bottom rail it makes it difficult (maybe impossible depending on the bipod) to adjust the first plenum.
The instructions are almost worthless. The instructions for tuning the duel plenums are confusing and might even be incorrect.
Setting up the duel plenums is a bit of a process.
The case it came in is too short for the gun if it has a scope on it. It is also not long enough to store with the moderator I have on it (DonnyFL Koi), it might fit with a shorter moderator though.
The "power wheel" adjustments are a bit high between numbers. I lost 30fps going from 7 to 6 on it. I feel that this is quite a jump from one number to the next.
This is not a gun for the left handed. The mag along with the safety will be in your face.
Zero spare parts or tools. At this price point would it have killed them to throw in an allen wrench and a few extra o-rings. It did come with a foster fill adapter (that I didn't need).
And lastly, and the worse one, is the safety location. Man, who though putting the safety in the farthest to reach spot was a good idea? It is in the most rearward spot on the gun next to your face.

That seems like a lot of bad, don't it? It's really not though, most are small things that can easily be fixed (like getting higher rings or getting a longer top rail). After setting up the first reg you almost never have to touch it again, so that removes some bads. The case being to small for a scope is a bummer. The only real negative here is the safety, but it is quite annoying. Also, if your left handed don't get this gun.

Enough being a negative Nancy, time for some good stuff.
Very well constructed. No plastic parts that I could find, everything is aluminum or metal of some sort. Except for the butt pad and cheek rest.
The cheek rest is some sort of hard foam or something. It seems durable but soft enough to be comfortable.
The butt pad is vertically adjustable. There isn't much adjustablity but it is there, which is more then I can say for most guns.
The action is amazing. It is smooth and easy to cock. My cheaper guns don't even compare to it. The first time I chambered a round I had to look to make sure I loaded the mag.
The trigger is superb. I always hear about how bad bullpup triggers are so I wasn't expecting much. But the trigger on this gun is just as good as the best triggers on my firearms, if not better. It is also adjustable, although I haven't messed with that and likely won't (it is good where it is for me).
When your mag is empty there is a small audible click. Its a small thing but it is nice. I'm guessing other guns do this as well, I think it is the sound of the mag hitting the stopping point but with the mag being close to your head you hear it better.
It came in a hard case. Sure, it might be too small for the gun with a scope on it but it is a good quality case. I heard the VP version doesn't come with one btw.
Its short. 27 1/2 inches long. With my modulator on it is slightly longer then the VP version.


I can't comment on accuracy, almost every shot I took with it has just been tuning it. I shot it a few times at paper just to ensure my zero was some what good. After those shots I learned that my first plenum wasn't doing anything, it was completely open. So, I went about setting up the plenums. I read the directions then promptly ignored the directions and watched a YT video on how to do it. It is a bit of a process.
You have to open the second plenum all the way. Remove the bottle. Degas. Set the first plenum all the way down. Attach the bottle. Set the first plenum to where you want it to shoot at. Increase it by 25-60bar. Then remove bottle. Degas. Set the second plenum all the way down. Attach bottle. And then set the second plenum where you want to shoot at.
That is a lot. But after doing that once you won't have to mess with the first plenum unless you go out of that 25-60bar range with the second plenum. I honestly am unsure how much the two plenum system helps. Perhaps it increases the lifespan of the plenums, idk.
After tuning for a little I decided to try out the slug transfer port side of the barrel. Which the instructions don't tell you is a thing. I was using FX Hybrid slugs, so it made sense to use the slug porting. I was at 802fps, changing the port added 23fps. Consitering how much of a change this makes, why don't they tell you about it in the directions? If I didn't see a video about this gun before hand, I wouldn't know that this is a thing.

I'll be messing with it more but for now... Numbers!
10 shot string
FX Hybrid Slugs
44.5gr
120bar
HS 7 (no clue what the fine adjuster screw is set at, didn't touch it)
826fps
67fpe
Extreme spread: 7
SD: 2.6

So, do I like the gun? Yeah. Was it worth the price? To early to tell. If the accuracy is as good as the trigger and action, then likely yes. But until I put some shots on paper I can't say for sure.
 
I’m guessing you mean dual regulators not dual plenum adjustments correct? I just think of my first stage reg (on an M3) as a step down reg. These do really work imo and give you better consistency from a fresh fill all the way to going off the reg compared to one single reg. So setting the first stage depends on how heavy of a projectile you wana shoot. If you are using a 250 bar bottle I would put it to around 200, then I am guessing you’ll have to set your second stage reg anywhere from 120-150 depending on heaviness of projectile. If your shooting Hybrids you’ll prob end up around 135-140 bar. Hope this helps, obviously there is gunna be some variance between guns but hope that helps!
 
Oh boy are you in for a treat. Todays hint, tighten up the two little set screws on the clocking block, as snug as you can get them without messing them up, be careful. Get ready for fun with your regs., easy fixes, all well documented here. Personally I'm not sure I'd have gone with a .30 and a 500mm barrel, luckily you can swap it out for a .25 if need be. Personally, you have it about as close to good as you're going to get, another hint, don't mess with it any more. It's not a long range gun in that configuration. Get a Pelican Case, one of the inexpensive ones, it'll fit right in with a that moderator. The top one is a .25 VP, the bottom is a repurposed .25 now a .22, same Mod, longer bottle. I can hit a cork at 100 yards with it.....on a good day.
IMG_2191 (1).jpeg
 
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I love my Maverick! The safety position is my only complaint, I had my gun tuned and set up at Utah Air because I didn't want to mess with it. The accuracy on my Maverick is awesome. I did add the carbon sleeve to my liner not sure if it helped but it made me feel better. I was shooting FX 25.4 grn pellets at 870 on power wheel 6 pellet port second reg at 95 bar, I turned it over to the slug port and now shooting them at 920fps, the 33.95 grn at 850fps and the hybrid Zan 26 grn at 910. I refuse to mess with it because of the accuracy and it kills everything I shoot at. I chose .25 cal, it seemed to be the perfect caliber for my situation.
 
I’m guessing you mean dual regulators not dual plenum adjustments correct?
Yeah, I was a bit tired when I wrote this up.
Oh boy are you in for a treat. Todays hint, tighten up the two little set screws on the clocking block, as snug as you can get them without messing them up, be careful. Get ready for fun with your regs., easy fixes, all well documented here. Personally I'm not sure I'd have gone with a .30 and a 500mm barrel, luckily you can swap it out for a .25 if need be. Personally, you have it about as close to good as you're going to get, another hint, don't mess with it any more. It's not a long range gun in that configuration. Get a Pelican Case, one of the inexpensive ones, it'll fit right in with a that moderator. The top one is a .25 VP, the bottom is a repurposed .25 now a .22, same Mod, longer bottle. I can hit a cork at 100 yards with it.....on a good day.
View attachment 549935
I knew going in that it wasn't going to be a long range shooter. I live in a high forested area, the likeliness of having to shooting 100+ yards is unlikely. If it can shoot at 50-70yards decently well, I'll be happy.
I chose the 500mm because, as stated, I live in a high forested area. .30 cal is just because I wanted the extra power. I may switch to .25 but as you said I can just change up if I want.
I am quite happy with the power output I have out of it right now. I would like to get it up to 850fps. I think I can, I barely touched it so far and got quite close. But if I can't, oh well.

Just wondering, what size bottle did you put on that .22? I get around 25 shots on the factory bottle before going off the reg. I don't feel that is bad, but I would always like to have more.

I thought about getting this. Looks like good system. My only worry is that I will accidentally move the dial when moving around in the thick.
 
Yeah, I was a bit tired when I wrote this up.

I knew going in that it wasn't going to be a long range shooter. I live in a high forested area, the likeliness of having to shooting 100+ yards is unlikely. If it can shoot at 50-70yards decently well, I'll be happy.
I chose the 500mm because, as stated, I live in a high forested area. .30 cal is just because I wanted the extra power. I may switch to .25 but as you said I can just change up if I want.
I am quite happy with the power output I have out of it right now. I would like to get it up to 850fps. I think I can, I barely touched it so far and got quite close. But if I can't, oh well.

Just wondering, what size bottle did you put on that .22? I get around 25 shots on the factory bottle before going off the reg. I don't feel that is bad, but I would always like to have more.


I thought about getting this. Looks like good system. My only worry is that I will accidentally move the dial when moving around in the thick.
Absolutely doesn’t happen! I’ve had for over a year and never had an issue!
 
Just like to add that if you do change calibers you will need a lighter hammer weight as well. They can be sourced cheap on eBay. Great gun and platform for sure. Like someone else mentioned, regularly check to make sure the two small screws that secure the silver cocking rod in place are snug. If the rod slips at all the probe will come out of alignment and you will get very erratic speeds. Those screws are a weakness of the platform. Just be careful when wrenching on them as they can be easy to strip.
 
Just like to add that if you do change calibers you will need a lighter hammer weight as well. They can be sourced cheap on eBay. Great gun and platform for sure. Like someone else mentioned, regularly check to make sure the two small screws that secure the silver cocking rod in place are snug. If the rod slips at all the probe will come out of alignment and you will get very erratic speeds. Those screws are a weakness of the platform. Just be careful when wrenching on them as they can be easy to strip.
Yes and no, I kept the .25 hammer in the .22, no real issues, my SD isn't 0 but it's not horrible. My shot count is excellent.
 
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"Just wondering, what size bottle did you put on that .22? I get around 25 shots on the factory bottle before going off the reg. I don't feel that is bad, but I would always like to have more."

It's off of a .25 Sniper if memory serves, and good luck on that. No wait, I put the sniper bottle on the VP (.25) and bought a new bottle for the .22. It's a 480cc 260mm long.
 
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Yes and no, I kept the .25 hammer in the .22, no real issues, my SD isn't 0 but it's not horrible. My shot count is excellent.
Good to know…the .30 hammer weight didn’t work for me when I dropped to .25. Speeds were super inconsistent. Crazy just dropping that little bit evened it right out. Been considering a 22 compact barrel. Glad to know the 25 weight will be good.
 
Good to know…the .30 hammer weight didn’t work for me when I dropped to .25. Speeds were super inconsistent. Crazy just dropping that little bit evened it right out. Been considering a 22 compact barrel. Glad to know the 25 weight will be good.
Here's the story, I bought a .25 sniper, pre-destroyed, officially a POS, name something wrong and it was there, first owner was an idiot. I converted it to a .22 compact, my experimental gun. I'm 85% sure I never changed out the hammer, old and memory are two things that don't go together with me. That said, lots of screwing around, finding a chunk broken in the 'block', they'd fired it with the cocking handle back, hammer badly galled, but I just polished it, the block got replaced. Mucked around with polishing the barrel, the carbon fiber sleeve, tweaked the regs, it's now at or slightly under a 2.0 SD. THE best AEA, pellets . JSB's are next then down the list. None are 'horrible' i.e. more than .3" at 25 yards, good enough for practice shots to get some trigger time in. Oh it will shoot RMR slugs well.
 
I'm having some trouble loading the mag now and my last mag I put in made the cocking really stiff. Has anyone else had this problem?

Edit: Might not be all that clear on what I was saying. The trouble is loading the mag into the gun not loading pellets into the mag. It takes quite a bit of force to push the mag until it snaps into place, much more so then before.

Edit MKII: Found the problem. The screw on top of the mag was not tight. This caused the plastic cover to be loose and was protruding out some causing it to get stuck.
 
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I'm having some trouble loading the mag now and my last mag I put in made the cocking really stiff. Has anyone else had this problem?

Edit: Might not be all that clear on what I was saying. The trouble is loading the mag into the gun not loading pellets into the mag. It takes quite a bit of force to push the mag until it snaps into place, much more so then before.

Edit MKII: Found the problem. The screw on top of the mag was not tight. This caused the plastic cover to be loose and was protruding out some causing it to get stuck.
I can recommend these.....orioniguanahunter.com/
 
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