...Put my proverbial tail between my legs and admit that I said some not overly nice things about the American Air Arms, EVOL Mini .22. some time back.
I got one today.
The bad - NOT cheap.
Ok, now that that's said, that's all there seems to be in that column. So...the good -
1. The first thing that I noticed was the balance and how well it shoulders. Yeah, it's somewhat short, but I've had other guns similarly short that don't sit as well at the shoulder.
2. I noticed that the guys at American Air Arms have done a top notch job in the machining of the details. Had a coupla things apart for a quick look. A VERY big thumbs up to those guys for taking the time to design and to high tolerance work in their machining. I almost fell over when I removed the muffler shroud. NO...other gun that I have (more than a few..) has class 3A threads (none better). By the time that you get two or three full threads engaged, there is NO play or looseness in the mating parts.
3. This class 3A thread continues. And I'd imagine that it continues through the gun.
4. Similar to the threads, the cocking lever is also a nice snug fit, but very smooth movement within the receiver. As is the fit of the magazine. I bought a second, both slide in with the same fit. And yeah, the magazine - While I'm not a fan of the reverse installation of the first pellet, the smoothness of the parts that make up the magazine is again, top notch design and machining.
5. The pellet probe is also well stabilized with the receiver. There's a LOT of guns, that the designers/machining operations, didn't do as well.
6. While I didn't and don't really plan to take the gun any further apart, as I understand it, these guns have fewer o-rings than most high dollar (and probably cheaper too) guns, and they have fewer parts.
As a Test Engineer (before retiring), part of my required duties was to design test fixtures. Each and every part that goes into a Satellite gets "Proof Load tested" in one form or another. Yes, I've even tested nuts and bolts !
One thing that I learned very early in my carrier... It's really easy to design expensive, complicated parts to do a particular job. It's much more difficult to design things...cheap and simple...to do the SAME task, as the expensive, complicated thing.
The American Air Arms guys have done the, well, not so cheap..(!), but very simple, very nicely done design work. A thumbs up the these guys (and girls ?).
Grip changed to suit, fore end hand support added, and looking at a different stock. Don't care for THAT decision ! Loose and sloppy. There's a nice wood one that's made for the AR configuration that I may try. My ACOG sight came off of my Impact, M3 and onto the EVOL Mini. The muffler is a little loud. I may attempt to play with that a little.
I've only put one magazine through it as I don't have any air right now. So pellet culling, and me getting used to the gun, the trigger and all will have to wait a coupla days.
A friend reminded me..."you can't take it (money !) with you". So, I bought one of these EVOL Mini's, so far, glad I did.
Mike
I got one today.
The bad - NOT cheap.
Ok, now that that's said, that's all there seems to be in that column. So...the good -
1. The first thing that I noticed was the balance and how well it shoulders. Yeah, it's somewhat short, but I've had other guns similarly short that don't sit as well at the shoulder.
2. I noticed that the guys at American Air Arms have done a top notch job in the machining of the details. Had a coupla things apart for a quick look. A VERY big thumbs up to those guys for taking the time to design and to high tolerance work in their machining. I almost fell over when I removed the muffler shroud. NO...other gun that I have (more than a few..) has class 3A threads (none better). By the time that you get two or three full threads engaged, there is NO play or looseness in the mating parts.
3. This class 3A thread continues. And I'd imagine that it continues through the gun.
4. Similar to the threads, the cocking lever is also a nice snug fit, but very smooth movement within the receiver. As is the fit of the magazine. I bought a second, both slide in with the same fit. And yeah, the magazine - While I'm not a fan of the reverse installation of the first pellet, the smoothness of the parts that make up the magazine is again, top notch design and machining.
5. The pellet probe is also well stabilized with the receiver. There's a LOT of guns, that the designers/machining operations, didn't do as well.
6. While I didn't and don't really plan to take the gun any further apart, as I understand it, these guns have fewer o-rings than most high dollar (and probably cheaper too) guns, and they have fewer parts.
As a Test Engineer (before retiring), part of my required duties was to design test fixtures. Each and every part that goes into a Satellite gets "Proof Load tested" in one form or another. Yes, I've even tested nuts and bolts !
One thing that I learned very early in my carrier... It's really easy to design expensive, complicated parts to do a particular job. It's much more difficult to design things...cheap and simple...to do the SAME task, as the expensive, complicated thing.
The American Air Arms guys have done the, well, not so cheap..(!), but very simple, very nicely done design work. A thumbs up the these guys (and girls ?).
Grip changed to suit, fore end hand support added, and looking at a different stock. Don't care for THAT decision ! Loose and sloppy. There's a nice wood one that's made for the AR configuration that I may try. My ACOG sight came off of my Impact, M3 and onto the EVOL Mini. The muffler is a little loud. I may attempt to play with that a little.
I've only put one magazine through it as I don't have any air right now. So pellet culling, and me getting used to the gun, the trigger and all will have to wait a coupla days.
A friend reminded me..."you can't take it (money !) with you". So, I bought one of these EVOL Mini's, so far, glad I did.
Mike
