IMO, all too often overlooked are simple to use, well-designed and implemented open sights. Heck, it just about blows my little mind that so many airguns don't include any at all! When's the last time anyone purchased a firearm without decent built-in, adjustable sights?
My wife surprised me last birthday with not only the excellent Crosman 2023 anniversary edition of their venerable 362 carbine, but one of the new, fairly expensive (for us) Norica Omnia ZRS (Zero Recoil System) air rifles as well (she knows I have a thing about any air rifle that has the unmitigated temerity to produce a 'kick'). ;-) The Omnia ZRS uses a gas piston for power rather than a spring, but it genuinely produces no jump or kick whatsoever for the shooter! I gotta admit, that thing's about a BEAST when it comes to sending pellets downrange! It would make an excellent air rifle for hunting, if I was still able to get out and do that. However, on the downside (not many would consider it such <grin>), since break-barrel air rifles always shoot at full power, it's pretty much a little too powerful (advertised at 1300fps) for my indoor target shooting, at least, on the pellet traps I've been using with my pumpers and CO2 airguns for the past few years! I was stunned when my sighting-in shots (thank goodness it only took a few) not only went all the way through my trap, but the inadequate (obviously) backstop and drywall too! Live and learn...
Great! I just saw a review on that rifle. Impressive! It fires JSB 8.4's at 900fps with good accuracy.My wife surprised me last birthday with not only the excellent Crosman 2023 anniversary edition of their venerable 362 carbine, but one of the new, fairly expensive (for us) Norica Omnia ZRS (Zero Recoil System) air rifles as well (she knows I have a thing about any air rifle that has the unmitigated temerity to produce a 'kick'). ;-) The Omnia ZRS uses a gas piston for power rather than a spring, but it genuinely produces no jump or kick whatsoever for the shooter! I gotta admit, that thing's about a BEAST when it comes to sending pellets downrange! It would make an excellent air rifle for hunting, if I was still able to get out and do that. However, on the downside (not many would consider it such <grin>), since break-barrel air rifles always shoot at full power, it's pretty much a little too powerful (advertised at 1300fps) for my indoor target shooting, at least, on the pellet traps I've been using with my pumpers and CO2 airguns for the past few years! I was stunned when my sighting-in shots (thank goodness it only took a few) not only went all the way through my trap, but the inadequate (obviously) backstop and drywall too! Live and learn...
Yep, that's one gorgeous air rifle, compared to the tactical, utilitarian looks of the original model. They really are pretty nice air rifles, although naturally, I'm not so sure how they'll hold up over time yet, but that price tag is a bit more than I need to spend for the indoor target shooting making up the overwhelming majority of the shooting I'm doin' these daze. Sigh... ;-) I'm hoping the market success of recent, wood-stocked, low-cost (comparatively, anyhow) and reasonably good-lookin' air rifles like the Seneca Dragonfly MKII (I have both the .177 and .22 caliber versions) might encourage manufacturers to start putting a little more emphasis into appearance. Most of the lower-cost, nearly ubiquitous, "synthetic" stocked air rifles made in the past couple of years could certainly use such a makeover, in my opinion. I'll have to just keep hoping; I suppose it COULD happen.
It's funny you say that, after receiving my rifle in the post, I immediately regretted not getting a rifle with iron sights. Looking back I mostly went with the Cometa fenix 400 USC over other more functional Cometa 400 models simply because I liked the silhouette, and it was a hair shorter. I'm an idiot sometimes. But the seller was great and the rifle is still a solid rifle despite the lack of iron sights.
I'd have to say it's the basic break barrel design. It allows for a rifle that is simple, lightweight and very easy to load. Sidecockers and underlevers are marginally more accurate, but that comes at a price in weight, complexity and ease of loading.
If you send him a message and are willing to pay for shipping he may be willing to swap barrels with you for the one you want
Actually on second thought he'd probably just sell you a second barrel at cost. They're pretty cheap
I may reach out to John haha. That would be awesome. But I still won't have any rear sights right? I don't have any experience with switching an air rifle barrel.
Rear sights bolt right to the barrel assembly. Personally I'm a big fan of a rear aperture sight. Williams makes an airgun version that isn't too expensive and you'll notice your iron group sizes shrink VERY noticeably
They also make pretty much my all-time favorite rear sight -- a cooperative venture with Crosman, if I'm not mistaken. Unfortunately, it's fairly costly right now at around $70 to $90, but it's known as both the Crosman-Williams and/or Williams Notched Sight. They're available at Pyramyd Air, Amazon, and probably just about any 'site with Crosman add-on/modification gear. The Notched system looks and works a lot like their excellent peeper version (I have the peeper on a couple of my air rifles), but I prefer the Notch over the sometimes hard-to-see peeper by a very wide margin and consider it about the best third-party, DIY, adjustable rear sight available. It pairs almost perfectly with the cheap plastic Crosman front blade sight that's stock, glued-on equipment on their 1377/1322, 362 and other Crosman airgun models, as does their somewhat egg-shaped, black, silver or brass muzzle brake/front sight with the small, round upright 'post,' often seen on the Crosman 2240 CO2 and other Crosman airguns. I bought and mounted a Crosman/Williams Notched rear sight on my 1300KT carbine the wife gifted me from the online Crosman Custom shop (the rifle was a steal at just a hair over $200.00 delivered!) and that was all she wrote for me! Luckily, it's extremely easy to install on Crosman airguns equipped with their metal breech, such as those made for the 13xx series of air pistols, the 362 carbine and other Crosman models. Hey, even I managed to do it a few times, and I'm more mechanically DEclined than inclined, I'm afraid. ;-) Both Peeper and Notched models are exceptionally nice sights, super-easy to dial-in for fine accuracy and both are a breeze to install with simple hand tools (just a small screwdriver, basically, if I remember correctly). Really, it's just a matter of whether the shooter prefers a peep sight, or a notch/blade system. When I hit the lotto (or some other, equally likely, here-ya-go-have-a-big-pile-of-money windfall), I'll install a Williams Notched Rear Sight on any and all of the airguns in my collection capable of utilizing it. It's absolutely a well-made, quite good quality piece of add-on gear.
