Exploring the limits of $100 Air Gun Performance (sort of)

[ironlion269]

Some weeks back I purchased a Hatsan Striker Edge Alpha, a junior/youth style break barrel, for my eldest grandson to use. My hope is that the reduced cocking effort and increased accuracy potential over the BB gun he's been plinking with will win him over to springers while also stepping up his understanding of and respect for powerful guns. Funny thing is I've found that little gun to be a hoot! Just shooting the open sights has me hooked - I've been stretching my aging eyes to go out to 25 yards on pop cans and four inch Birch/Casey targets backed by a 2 lb ball of duct seal (the BEST bullet trap material I've found). The gun is dead on using 7.0 gr wadcutters and Excite Plinking and Hammer semi-domed pellets.

That little gun began what is shaping up to be a quest for me: to fully explore the potentials of low to medium power break barrel air rifles that tend to run between $75 and $125 dollars new. Exhibit A is the Striker Alpha, on to Exhibit B: a Crosman Fire NP in .177. Bought this gun a week ago (just before the Hatsan 87 trigger/safety failure discussed elsewhere on this forum) because the gun weight, price, and claimed velocity all convinced me it'd be in interesting change of pace to shoot. I have owned several Trail NP Pistols over the years (have one still) so am familiar with the... uh, "eccentricities" of the Crosman/Benjamin triggers but figured at the low asking price (sub $100) I'd at least have a short range can killer and spinner snipe. I am having a blast with this gun! Nice civil 'pop!' when you shoot outdoors, have dialed in the packaged CenterPoint scope using 8.2 gr Hatsan Vortex pellets and 8.3 gr RWS Superdome pellets at 25 yards, just loads of fun without the MAGNUM/TWANGER fatigue. Oh, believe me when I say I mourn the passing of my Hatsan 87 Vortex QE in .22, a terrific gun... except for the whole "waiting to misfire right in your bung hole the moment you turn your back on me" thing. But this Crosman has reignited my joy factor when shooting.

And now, as of tonight, I am the curious owner of a Benjamin Titan GP in .22, a gun that has the dubious distinction of catching my eye not only for the relatively modest price and moderate power but also because, as a .22, it could shoot the pounds of .22 pellets I've laid in over the months. JSB, GAMO, CPHP and Benjamin HP... just a small buffet of Pb needing a diner to step up and begin consuming. The gun sleeps in its new case downstairs and awaits a day of dialing in with the Nikkon 4x32 scope I put on it instead of the CenterPoint scope that was bungled... ,er,... bundled with the rifle. A few introductory shots this evening whetted my appetite; I hope to bring the Titan in line with my Fire so far as consistent 25 yard accuracy goes. Once there, then it's out to 50 yards and eternal glory. Or maybe just a cold drink of milk a'la the winner's traditional celebration at the conclusion of the Indy 500. This is Central Indiana, after all, and the echos of Honda engines blowing up coming out of Turn 4 can still be heard in the land.

 

[buckyusn]

I use my NP fire for rat killing duty inside the barn with a red dot sight. The rats don't care for it much, but I get a kick out of it. I put a Charlie Da Tuna trigger in it, and it really made an improvement over the stock trigger (best $15 air rifle investment so far).

Now I want to try a Flying Dragon tuned springer, but that violates the sub $100 exploration subject of this thread. I'm curious to read how your Titan GP performs!

Best of luck!

Bucky

 

[T3PRanch]

Used my NP for rat Killing also. My best shot was off hand at 40 yards in the evening twilight (impossible without a scope)!
Now I have a Benji 392 Pump Gun I got from a great forum member here. I was reliving the late 60's last night with it. Of course the one in the 60's had a tootsie roll pump handle!

Thurmond

 

[Scrufhunter]

The Crosman NPs I feel are the best you can get at that price. Other spring guns have a twang to them that effects the accuracy so the gas RAM eliminates that, or atleast has less of an effect.So you don't have to tune out the twang, but the rest of the gun can use some spiffying up. Smooth out the action by getting rid of the burs and find some better washers for the barrel pivot and maybe do the trigger bearing "fix" or get a different trigger assembly. At any rate I like the nitrogen gas rams over coiled springs I have one in my gamo also you don't really need a spring compressor to get it apart and together the RAM isn't really under any pressure like a coiled spring. Makes tear down easier. Oh yeah I have noticed that the NPs I have shot in 177 like a heavier pellet. Well 8.4gr rws super points have been my choice for such guns instead of the recommended 7.9 gr Crosman pellets. I even tried some 10gr gamo whispers. They grouped very well at 20-30 yrds but they acted more like a 22 in there trajectory and I couldn't get them in a usable group beyond 30. You can re-crown the muzzle and be very surprised at the increased accuracy. You can make them a great shooter with some time and a bit of elbow grease

 

[ironlion269]

Scrufhunter, your comments about the .177 NPs is interesting, as I have come to the same conclusion. I have close neighbors so I don't even try the alloy pellets for fear of delivering the dreaded supersonic "CRACK" that can create problems among friends. The lead pellets from 7.0 to 7.9 gr are OK to shoot at 10-15 meters but don't really hold groups past that for me. Of all things, I found that Hatsan Vortex 8.2 gr hollow points in .177 are the favored pellet for my Fire NP, followed by the RWS Superdomes at 8.3 gr. I have tried several varieties of Gamo and Crosman pellets and haven't found any that really did all that well, which is disappointing. OTOH, the RWS Excite Hammers do an OK job even though they are a bit lighter. I find myself constantly thinking about Ted Bier's comments regarding Ballistic Coefficients as I test out pellets - but I haven't taken the time to really look at the math. I'm just doing this by seat of the pants.

 

[Scrufhunter]

Well those Crosman pellets in my experience so far and I think I've shot just about everything they have to offer. The quality is lacking. They are plenty good for knocking down cans. I havnt weighted then individually. Also if you look at RWS pellets they have a very deep conical cavity in the rear of the skirt. Also seems the rws pellets are polished and I don't see a casting seam like I do with the Crosmans. I would imagine that deep cavity when pressurized from firing would cause that skirt to make greater contact with the riffling thus improved velocity and accuracy assumably I get similar results with other RWS pellets but the super point group the best for me I believe the shape maybe more aerodynamic than the HPs n Super Domes who knows. I did for kicks shoot some gamo lethals threw it. It blazed threw a microwave at 15-20yds but the accuracy and weird. The first few shots acted like Crosman pellets then I guess the barrel got warm or the plastic Fowled the barrel because it was a buncha flyiers. I'd test them more if they didnt cost so much

 

[ironlion269]

Been exploring some more for the last few weeks, using my Crosman Fire NP in .177 and my Benjamin TitanGP in .22. The grey blobs on the stock of each are sport medicine tape holding in place cheek risers crafted from the spongy rubber tubing used to insulate water heater pipes. It works great: it is soft and yielding on the surface so doesn't irritate the skin during long shooting sessions yet the rubber is dense enough to support a firm cheek weld without deforming too much. Yes, I agree, it looks ugly on what are some nice stocks, but I've always been a function-over-form guy so these suit my style.

 This is a Double Scoped Rifle case from Plano and works very well for these two guns.

Last night we had heavy storms roll through Indiana and my place saw plenty of rain. Nonetheless I was shooting from my garage back door out into my back yard where I'd thrown out an empty Diet Dew can at ~15 yards. Had the Fire in hand and spent the next hour walking that can out across the yard until low light made me give up. By that time the can was 30 yards out. Here's what was left when I retrieved it tonight:

 This is why I took up air gunning as a sport - straight out plinking. I love to shred cans, pop sidewalk chalk into clouds of pastel powder, and target anything else that can be salvaged from the trash or junk pile and safely used as a "reactive" target. To whit:

 I shot this scrap of decking tonight at 35 yards as it was propped up in front of the target. The two smaller bits ended up being blown through the bull of the target and into the trap - I pulled the bits out along with the center bull section that was blown in as well. The hit in the bull center came earlier in the evening, but I still loved hearing the sharp "SNAP" as the wood was hit and then seeing this result.

I shoot from a simple folding camp chair with a padded arm on the left for my forward elbow to rest upon (I'm a righty shooter).

 I call this a pseudo-semi-rested shooting position since the pad just curls around the arm and so offers limited stabilizing influence to my arm. Note that there's a tray on the right side with a spot for a glass or can - I use this to hold my pellet tin. The foam pad adds support for my back. All in all this adds an element of challenge to my shooting that I prefer, making me work hard to steady my sights and practice good breathing, hold, and trigger control techniques. I find all the joy and fulfillment I need in my simple, moderate gas springers (a great oxymoron) and comfy camp chair with yet more water pipe insulating tubing helping support my antics.

 

[mtngerry59]

I shot the heck out of a little Crossman pump pistol when I was a kid, nothing safe for 20 yards,less than %40. i think you can get a lot of airgun today for$100.

 

[c_m_shooter]

Since you like improvised targets. Get some of those old Necco candys. I cut a slot in a length of scrap 4x4 fence post just deep enough to stand them up. They are small enough to be very entertaining at 30 - 40 yards. I wouldn't recommend eating them though.

 

[NickPanther]

I bought a Crosman F4 NPSS that is the .177 695 FPS one from Walmart for $65. It is the perfect little popper for that 10-25 yard range. I put a .22 barrel on it and shortened it to 11.5 ". It was an extra barrel I had from my titan GP I put a red dot sight on it and it will hit anything I point it at. Probably putting out around 500 FPS in that configuration using Croman 14.3 HP's. The short stroke is so easy to cock,and there is hardly any recoil to it. Even if I had to buy the barrel, I would with the red dot sight, still have about $100 into it. I find myself shooting this little carbine quite often over my other springers, it is just a fun little popper.

 

[ironlion269]

mtngerry59 - you are right, of course. With the advancement of air gun technology and manufacturing techniques there is no shortage of spring rifles (and pistols) that can be had for $100, and the accuracy and performance of these modern "low-end" springers would've made us drop our jaws in amazement 40 years ago.

c_m_shooter - guess I'll have to start trawling the convenience stores around here since those are the only places I've seen Neccos in the last... uh, decade? Man it's been a long time and, yes, shooting them is about the only good use to which I can think of putting them.

NickPanther - the F4 shares the same power plant as my Fire NP and Benji NP/GP so I must agree with you. Those are both sweet shooters.

When my Hatsan Mod 87 turned to the dark side and had to be returned I decided to go in a different direction when I replaced it. Having discovered the joy of shooting nitro piston guns from the Crosman/Benjamin lines, I decided I needed to add a member of the NP2 class of rifles without completely abandoning my principled stand on keeping it budget-friendly (re: cheap). In the end I discovered that the Benjamin Summit NP2 (I chose a .22) hit on pretty much all of my wanna-haves: NP2, integral Picatinny rail, CBT (or at least not the usual Crosman trigger assembly!), and not much over the $150 mark. It arrived last Thursday and I've been working with it off-and-on since. Far from being disappointed, I am delighted with the performance of this rifle!

In fact, I've been having so much fun and satisfaction shooting the Summit that I am contemplating getting a starter set-up for recording some watchable video for posting on YouTube. That's a HUGE step for me and one that will take some planning, saving, and practice. But after this evening, when I had sighted in the Summit with the Mantis 3-9x32 scope (again, budget-friendly rules) at 25 yards and then started hitting an empty Crosman 14.3 gr CPHP tin at 51 meters using JSB 18 gr pellets... well, I want to document these adventures to encourage other air gunners of like mind who find shooting a modern springer to be a deeply satisfying pursuit. I very much appreciate the depth of knowledge and out-an-out fun that the PCP shooters here at AGN share with the world. I want to see more of the same type of effort and openness coming in the springer world too so I figure I should have a dog in this hunt as well.

Same philosophy applies to the videography as with the springers themselves: budget-friendly (all together now: "CHEAP") but decent quality equipment that captures the essence of the enterprise without the bells and whistles. Not gonna chrony each gun (yet), no dual-mic sound meters or perfectly calibrated ballistic gel blocks, no laminated holdover cards for reference. Just old-fashioned backyard plinking supplemented with high-viz targets as needed and subject to the whims of Kentucky windage, all augmented by as much wit and wisdom as I can glean from AGN and the many dedicated air gunners who dwell here. It'll be a while before I can pull this all together, as we are relocating to a new town in the coming month. Now I have to find a friendly, accessible, and convenient locale for my shooting adventures. Here's hopin'.

 

[Windmill01]

iornlion269 I too share your joy of shooting nitro piston airrifles. I have two Benjamin Trails in 177 and 22. Some people don't like them but to each their own all I know is that I get a lot of enjoyment out of mine.There is no more fun then shooting at cans and objects at various distances with a relatively cheap airrifle that is easy to shoot. I posted these two videos on AGN some months ago. At the time the 177 was to me deadly accurate but I'm having a few issues with it at the moment ( see Ten dimes challenge). 
Im looking foward to your videos.

 

[ironlion269]

Windmill01, I remember those videos! At the time you posted them here I was researching Crosman and Benjamin guns as a change-up to the Hatsans I'd purchased prior. I cannot replicate your 80 meter shot except for my infrequent forays to some unused recreation areas in my region. I can, and have been, shooting from 25 yards to 50 yards in my own back yard and can even stretch it out to a full 50 meters fenceline-to-fenceline. I've not your accuracy yet, but am gaining confidence and strength as I practice over the weeks. This past weekend I finally settled on a set-up for my three springers vis-a-vis scope assignments. My Benji Summit NP2 .22 has the Mantis 3-9x32 since it is definitely the long gun in my set. My Crosman Fire NP .177 has a Barska 2-7x32 for duty between 30 yards and 50 yards, and my other Benji, the Titan NP .22 , is set up for 25 yards and has a Nikko-Sterling 4x32. All three scopes have Adjustable Objectives and Mil dot reticles to make them as flexible as possible since my target set up often mirrors your own as it wanders across the yard. As you said, I just love popping soda cans, empty fruit or soup tins, unneeded pellet tins, sticks of sidewalk chalk, and small tubs of duct seal with a Splatterburst or Dirty Bird hi-viz target on the lid. As Rick Eustler is known to say, "It's a great time to be an air gunner!"

 

[Windmill01]

Touché my friend touché