Little semi-auto AEA backpacker harvests it's first squirrel.

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How's the trigger? Is it adjustable?
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Nothing is adjustable. Trigger required polish and spring replacement to get it to what could charitably be described as hunter/plinker level. I have no problem getting nice tight groups from it but it isn’t something that you could get below 3 lbs on the semi-auto version (read my post above about the surprise full surprise full auto mode.)
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Thank you! Yea I saw the previous post about the semi going full auto after I posted. Where did you source the spring you used that did work and was the trigger assembly pretty straight forward and easy to work on? After reading your post here I submitted an offer on eBay and it was accepted. I have one on the way, looks like a great little gun to keep in my camper!
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I used one of those spring assortment packs you can buy online through Amazon, Aliexpress or Harbor Freight. I just sized one of the springs in the kit to fit and replaced the one under the trigger. It is pretty easy to work on, just two screws to remove the grip then knock out the 4 knurled lockpins and the trigger assembly all comes out the bottom of the receiver. The two trigger mechanism parts look to be either forgings or powder metal pressings. On my first AEA they were as they would have come directly from the equipment with no post processing. The Backpacker had a secondary polishing done from the factory...which I'm guessing was their attempt to lower the efforts and smooth it but it wasn't any lower than the unpolished one on my first AEA. That might be partly because of the springs they used. I haven't compared them but I recall the first one used two different springs while the Backpacker used the same spring. I made a video instruction for how to do the modification but I haven't assembled all the pieces and uploaded it up to YouTube yet. I wasn't recording when it went full auto part so I was going to get my wife to help me film that part.
 
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Thank you! Please post that video once you have it uploaded to YouTube, I'm looking forward to seeing it. I think I already have one of those Harbor Freight spring assortments, so I'll see what's in there once the Backpacker arrives. Have you have any feed issues with he magazines? I had an Evenaix AirSpeed and had a lot of issues because of the magazines. After that I swore off semi-autos, but this one looks very intriguing!
 
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Thank you! Please post that video once you have it uploaded to YouTube, I'm looking forward to seeing it. I think I already have one of those Harbor Freight spring assortments, so I'll see what's in there once the Backpacker arrives. Have you have any feed issues with he magazines? I had an Evenaix AirSpeed and had a lot of issues because of the magazines. After that I swore off semi-autos, but this one looks very intriguing!
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I only had feed issues with the slugs. I have similar feed issues with slugs with all kinds of spring loaded mags because of the short bearing surface of lightweight slugs they have a tendency to tilt over in the loose fitting spring loaded mags. In the FX mags they actual fall completely over and jam the magazine from turning. In the Gauntlet, Marauder and AEA magazines they tilt enough to either jam on the inside of the magazine or the back of the breach. I've improved the issue with the breach on some guns by increasing the size of the chamfer and the magazine by adding a little lead chamfer in the exit hole but those magazine still require a little longer slug to be reliable.

The problem with jamming is exacerbated by the semi-auto because it slams the slug forward with the same force whether it lines up or not. That can really squash and jam the slug in the magazine. I had to use a cleaning rod to knock the slug back into the magazine with one jam because it was squashed in such a way it was partly in the barrel and blocked the removal of the magazine. That didn't do the magazine any favors and I need to do some polishing of it. Good thing it came with two.

I haven't had any jams with the H&N Barracuda Hunter Extremes or Predator Polymags.
 
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Good to hear it likes pellets! I'm not much into slugs for the same reasons you mentioned. Plus, I mainly target shoot and pest at around 40 yards, so pellets work well for me. I'll most likely be using the JSB Hades in it, if it doesn't shoot them too hot. Can it be detuned if it's shooting them over around 950 fps? I do have some Hunter Extremes, Sniper Mags and Poly Mags I can try as will. Do the regular length Ploy Mags work, or do you have to use the shorts? One other question, is the butt stock a standard Mil-Spec style AR stock? Just curious if it would be easy to replace it with something with a cheek riser?
 
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Good to hear it likes pellets! I'm not much into slugs for the same reasons you mentioned. Plus, I mainly target shoot and pest at around 40 yards, so pellets work well for me. I'll most likely be using the JSB Hades in it, if it doesn't shoot them too hot. Can it be detuned if it's shooting them over around 950 fps? I do have some Hunter Extremes, Sniper Mags and Poly Mags I can try as will. Do the regular length Ploy Mags work, or do you have to use the shorts? One other question, is the butt stock a standard Mil-Spec style AR stock? Just curious if it would be easy to replace it with something with a cheek riser?
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I haven't had much luck with the terminal performance of Hades...not proving to be much if any better than straight domes. In order of expansion/shock performance on actual game this is my experience, Predator Polymags (devastating), H&N Terminators, Daisy Hollowpoints, Crossman Premier Destroyers, H&N Barracuda Hunter Extremes. Below those everything else has been pretty marginal and not worth the accuracy loss compared to diablos. There were a couple others I looked at but their accuracy took them out of the competition.

The magazine is long enough to handle the regular Polymags.

The only way to tune it down would be to replace the hammer spring with something lighter which might be hard to find (it is quite a long spring) or cut a small bit off the end to reduce the compression. If one had the skills one could machine up a new butt stock attachment or maybe even drill out the existing one and tap it for an adjustable spring tensioner using an allen lock nut. Hmmm....I'll have to look into that. Might be a neat way to add adjustable power.

Yes. I believe those are standard AR15 thread and lock nut on the back though I haven't tried replacing it. The one included with the Backpacker feels cheaper...even toylike, compared to the one that came with the HP Varmint. Which is a good segue for my one other quality comment. The attachement between the buttstock and the receiver is a little looser than I'd like. I tried shimming it with a piece of aluminum can...in between the tube and the receiver but that didn't make a lot of difference. I think the right sized washer slide in between the delrin spacer at the front might be the solution...but it would be an odd size an maybe something best machined from delrin.
 
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Thanks for all this info, it's very helpful! I take it from previous posts that it should come with 2 magazines? When you say the attachment between the buttstock and the receiver is a little looser than you like, is this a piece the Buffer Tube screws into? The part that folds away? How is it attached to the breech?

Does the plastic buttstock collapse like on an AR-15, or does it just fold over? If it is Collapsable, do you think a better quality AR-15 Buttstock would fit it?

Sorry for the 100 & 1 questions, but you have been extremely helpful!
 
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Thanks for all this info, it's very helpful! I take it from previous posts that it should come with 2 magazines? When you say the attachment between the buttstock and the receiver is a little looser than you like, is this a piece the Buffer Tube screws into? The part that folds away? How is it attached to the breech?

Does the plastic buttstock collapse like on an AR-15, or does it just fold over? If it is Collapsable, do you think a better quality AR-15 Buttstock would fit it?

Sorry for the 100 & 1 questions, but you have been extremely helpful!
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Yes, the folding mechanism that goes into the receiver is loose between the tube and the receiver. It is retained by two knurled pins. The issue is the length is depth in the receiver is not a lot and there needs to be clearance to slide it in...that clearance combined with the short length allows it to move more than I like. I don't have an AR15 but I'm guessing the attachment into an AR15 receiver is different.

It collapses and extends. It took me a little while to figure out how it worked on the Backpacker. I hadn't seen a mechanism like the one on the backpacker before and neither gun came with any type of manual. On the Varmint it works like most I've seen. Push the button down to slide the stock in and out. Pull it up to remove. On the Backpacker, you push the button down to release the entire lower assembly which pivots down to release the lock pin.

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Interesting... Looks like the Buffer Tube it slides on is pretty standard. What's up with all the pins? I wonder if some long screws with acorn nuts could be used so they could be tightened a bit more and have it feel more secure?
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I doubt you could get any compression on the tube. I think the best bet is to shim the spacer tube.

By the way, that buttstock does not match the one in the photo I bought or the new photo they show. I don't like it. Too ostentatious...and feels a bit cheap and toylike to me. I contacted the seller on that and am hoping he can get me the correct one.

One final note. The grip is not standard AR15, unfortunately, so you can't just swap it out. It is a two piece affair...a nylon internal part that attaches to the receiver with a 5mm allen bolt and a rubberized cover. It actually feels pretty good so I wouldn't have swapped it out anyway.
 
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Got rid of that abysmal Tasco scope and put on a 4-14x Athlon FFP. Got some quick groups in to sight it in. .38" @ 33 yds resting on ottoman with 18.1 gr. JSB's shooting out back door...a very specific shot. 😉

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13 yd. groups were to get a confirmation of holdover.

Chrony results from yesterday.

Hades 975 fps.

H&N Barracuda Hunter Ex's 910 fps.

JSB Exact Jumbo Heavy 18.1 gr. 930 fps.

16 gr. Predator Polymags 975 fps.

NSA 20.2 gr. slugs 870 fps.

JSB Jumbo Monster 25.4 gr. 770 fps.
 
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Those are some great groups! I watched the video on the trigger tune, seems pretty straight forward. USPS Tracking says it should arrive this Saturday!
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Good luck. USPS has been incredibly slow probably because of the pandemic. It took 9 days for mine to get from NH to MI...a trip that should take 3. The extra mags he sent Priority 2 day look to be taking as long. 😢
 
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Never heard of this rifle but it is very interesting. I watched the owners video about correct loading of the magazine and got a good vibe about the character of this guy and product. The question I have are his rifles regulated. Thanks Bill
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No. They aren't regulated but they have a very nice flat shot curve. I get between 40-50 shots on my larger AEA Varmint and 25-40 shots on the little Backpacker. It depends on what range of velocities you want to keep it within...15 fps or 30 fps. Honestly 30 fps is fine for most shooting and hunting out to 60 yards. Longer range you'll want to use a smaller pressure range. 

Here is a mini-review of the Varmint including a velocity string. There is a link in there to an earlier review.

https://www.airgunnation.com/topic/aea-varmint-pleasant-surprise-my-most-accurate-gun-with/

I have a velocity string for the Backpacker as well...I will upload it when I have time.
 
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