cricket II Tactical

I truly hope that Kalibrgun fixes the cocking on the new gun. The Cricket2 forward cocking is ROUGH, and doesn't do anything until the last inch of travel. Kind of like a Taipan rear cocker, but not as smooth. I'd say its about as rough as an Eddy R5M, but the Cricket2 actually indexes properly in the .25 caliber guns. I recently bought a used (but less than 6 months old) one and rebuilt the entire gun, trying to improve the cocking. Its slightly better than stock but not a significant improvement. Also when shooting the .25 at around 60 FPE the efficiency is not good at all. I installed a heavier valve spring, power plenum, reduced reg pressure 10 bar (135 to 125), and used a lighter hammer spring. Tuned gun to 885 FPS with .25 heavy, and can squeeze out between 30 and 35 shots per 250 bar fill. Stock was LUCKY to get two 12 shot mags at same power. 
 
I truly hope that Kalibrgun fixes the cocking on the new gun. The Cricket2 forward cocking is ROUGH, and doesn't do anything until the last inch of travel. Kind of like a Taipan rear cocker, but not as smooth. I'd say its about as rough as an Eddy R5M, but the Cricket2 actually indexes properly in the .25 caliber guns. I recently bought a used (but less than 6 months old) one and rebuilt the entire gun, trying to improve the cocking. Its slightly better than stock but not a significant improvement. Also when shooting the .25 at around 60 FPE the efficiency is not good at all. I installed a heavier valve spring, power plenum, reduced reg pressure 10 bar (135 to 125), and used a lighter hammer spring. Tuned gun to 885 FPS with .25 heavy, and can squeeze out between 30 and 35 shots per 250 bar fill. Stock was LUCKY to get two 12 shot mags at same power.

Hi, Mike. 
Something looks not right with your Cricket. The same model in .25 cal. was recently tested by Hard Air Magazine and performed well in all aspects. Here is the link to the article https://hardairmagazine.com/reviews/kalibrgun-cricket-2-test-review-25-caliber/

Please can you PM us the serial number of your Cricket and some information from the previous owner about these issues if he had any. 
But anyways every KalibrGun airgun owner can contact the official dealer and factory for assistance before trying to fix something by himself.

As for the new Cricket 2 Tactical model there are lot's of improvements that we have mentioned in the announcement https://www.airgunnation.com/topic/meet-the-new-kalibrgun-cricket-ii-tactical/ as well as even more smooth and light cocking experience that works from the very beginning of cocking lever travel. 


 
I think what he means is that he's getting it in 30 cal. It will be available in multiple calibers.

Thanks for the clarification 

I truly hope that Kalibrgun fixes the cocking on the new gun. The Cricket2 forward cocking is ROUGH, and doesn't do anything until the last inch of travel. Kind of like a Taipan rear cocker, but not as smooth. I'd say its about as rough as an Eddy R5M, but the Cricket2 actually indexes properly in the .25 caliber guns. I recently bought a used (but less than 6 months old) one and rebuilt the entire gun, trying to improve the cocking. Its slightly better than stock but not a significant improvement. Also when shooting the .25 at around 60 FPE the efficiency is not good at all. I installed a heavier valve spring, power plenum, reduced reg pressure 10 bar (135 to 125), and used a lighter hammer spring. Tuned gun to 885 FPS with .25 heavy, and can squeeze out between 30 and 35 shots per 250 bar fill. Stock was LUCKY to get two 12 shot mags at same power.

Hi, Mike. 
Something looks not right with your Cricket. The same model in .25 cal. was recently tested by Hard Air Magazine and performed well in all aspects. Here is the link to the article https://hardairmagazine.com/reviews/kalibrgun-cricket-2-test-review-25-caliber/

Please can you PM us the serial number of your Cricket and some information from the previous owner about these issues if he had any. 
But anyways every KalibrGun airgun owner can contact the official dealer and factory for assistance before trying to fix something by himself.

As for the new Cricket 2 Tactical model there are lot's of improvements that we have mentioned in the announcement https://www.airgunnation.com/topic/meet-the-new-kalibrgun-cricket-ii-tactical/ as well as even more smooth and light cocking experience that works from the very beginning of cocking lever travel. 


Love it when the manufacturing company is open and. transparent with the consumer 
 
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As for the new Cricket 2 Tactical model there are lot's of improvements that we have mentioned in the announcement https://www.airgunnation.com/topic/meet-the-new-kalibrgun-cricket-ii-tactical/ as well as even more smooth and light cocking experience that works from the very beginning of cocking lever travel.

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Perhaps I wasn’t clear enough. The cocking is very easy and smooth the major part of cocking until the last inch where it finally engages the hammer spring. Then at that time until the hammer is locked back it is harder and rough. This is a function to f the design since it is the same action as the gun when it had rear cocking. There is nothing “wrong” with the gun, it is functioning as designed. I’m sure if I had it set up to shoot .25 Kings at 45 FPE the cocking at the last inch of travel would be much lighter than the gun set up for 60 FPE.

This is about the 8th Cricket that I have owned and I have worked on all of them. In fact, my .22 Cricket mini Carbine is still my favorite gun, and I won Sportsman Speed Silhouette with that gun at EBR 2019.

The current Cricket2 was originally purchased from GA Airguns and apparently modified with a “power tune” since when it was disassembled this was obviously modified with the valve spring lighter, spring retainer milled out for more flow, valve stem tapered, etc. None of these mods have anything to do with the cocking. When I have time I’ll do a short video to show readers how the cocking mechanism works only in the last inch of travel to compress the hammer spring. The forward cocking was an add on to an existing design.
Mike

From the HardAir magazine test. This seems to be a nice way of saying what I said about the cocking above.

HAM article: Cocking the action is undertaken using the sidelever system. This was effective and felt slick for the majority of the stroke. However the final pull back on the handle was surprisingly stout on the gun tested by HAM.
 
I’m not sure about that, or what the “effective” non regulated volume is on the Cricket2. At 60 FPE with .25 Heavy it should get about 3 twelve shot magazines from a 250 bar fill. With an “effective volume” of approx 300cc ? I’d say that is similar efficiency to an Impact with power plenum. My Cricket was set up non stock with heavy hammer spring and light valve spring, so that’s the reason efficiency was poor. With stock settings I’m sure it’s as efficient as most other high performance guns. 
FYI the Tactical has a 500cc bottle. 
 
I have one in .30 caliber and the cocking is the same. It is not as smooth on chambering as my other side levers. I get 20 accurate shots at a average of 925 F.P.S. for 10 shots and a ext. spread of 8 F.P.S. I have been a little tight with my ammo. At an average of 909 F.P.S. I have an ext. spread of 5 F.P.S. These were shot from a 280 bar fill. This gun is crazy accurate with the 29.9 twist un chocked poly barrel shooting 44.8 g pellets. Later, Rocky Stone
 
C/cut, 500cc bottle + 127cc in the tube (according to Kalibargun USA web site)

Can you confirm, was the lack of "efficiency" in your gun (before you sorted it) Due to someone changing the springs, or due to the stock springs.

always glad of your expertise, thanks.

Due to someone trying to “power tune” the gun, the stock gun efficiency is fine. I didn’t see that about the extra volume in the tube. 
 
HI , I'm a great fan of Kalibrgun from the beginning , and I really want to ad the Cricket II Tactical 60 to my collection . Too bad that the reg pressure is not , if I'm not mistaking , externally adjustable.The accuracy must be the same Kalibrgun is famous for , I guess.

One point which upsets me a bit is the barrel : from the factory site it is said to be non-choked , 12 grooves , rifling . On another site , they say it was a polygonal barrel , and a third that it was choked. I suppose the factory has the right answer , but.....

Good to see Kalibrgun coming with a "new" design , even if it seems to be inspired by others models , if you see whay I mean😉.

Mike