by B.B. Pelletier
Today, I’ll finish the Walther Falcon Hunter .25 caliber rifle test. Yesterday, the wind dropped to only 15-20 m.p.h., and, although rain threatened, I went to the range anyway. I had an epiphany on the range, making it one of the best days ever spent shooting, though you will have to read the entire report to learn why.
Nothing seemed to work!
I can usually get just about any airgun to shoot, but the Walther Falcon Hunter defied me at every turn. I went to the range with Beeman Kodiaks, Beeman Silver Arrows, Beeman Crow Magnums, Beeman Ram Jets and Diana Magnums, and nothing wanted to group better than two inches at 30 yards! I didn’t want to report that – especially with so many good reports on the rifle – so I kept adjusting the artillery hold lighter and lighter.
One fact became obvious
The more I shot, the more the rifle demonstrated that it didn’t like any pellet but the Kodiak. The others were all over the paper. The Kodiaks were stringing vertically in tight groups side to side, but with 1.5″ to 2″ vertical stringing. Some people might call that “scope shift,” but I know what it really is…an improper vibration pattern. I hadn’t found the right hold so that the vibration repeated regularly enough for accuracy.
I went through many targets
I was replacing targets more often than ever, with nothing to show for it. The rifle kept teasing me with a tight group of two or three shots, then it flipped the next one out two inches. In my head, I was hearing the comments of many new airgunners, but I could not get the rifle to calm down.
And then it happened!
My epiphany came as I thought about all those years ago – before I started writing The Airgun Letter – when I first discovered the spring gun hold I later called the artillery hold. Dr. Beeman still owned the company he founded, and was advising shooters to hold their spring guns with a firm hold. I was unable to get my Beeman C1 to group worth a darn by holding it that way and then wondered how bad it would get if I held it very loose. I held the rifle as loosely as possible and shot a 0.13″ five-shot group at 10 yards. The artillery hold was born.
That day many years ago I made a breakthough by going against the established rules of airgunning. What if I did the same thing now, by NOT using the artillery hold? What if I held the Walther Falcon Hunter like a deer rifle – the very thing I tell everyone NOT to do? Well, you can probably guess what happened.
Ran out of pellets
Naturally that best group came with the last of the Kodiaks. I would have shot a few more confirmation groups, but there were no more pellets. I shot up a third of a tin yesterday, plus quite a few other pellet types trying to get to this point.
The right hold does not mean pulling the gun in tight to your shoulder. I tried that, too and got the multiple groups shown in the first photo. No, this rifle just wants to be held firmly, like you would a light-recoilling centerfire rifle like a .223. Don’t rest the rifle directly on the bag, but rest your hand on the bag if you want.
The last word
We learned a lot with this rifle, including how important the breech seal is. This is a package deal with a price that’s hard to beat. And now we see that the rifle also shoots very well, if held the right way. A powerful .25-caliber spring rifle and scope for less than $270 is a deal that’s hard to overlook. The Walther Falcon Hunter isn’t a plinker, but if you want to hunt with a springer, this may be the best one in .25 caliber.
Amazing that it is that accurate!
lol, do you have any idea why the Falcon would benefit from that hold?
Also, BB, I was looking at one of your reports on the Mac1 USFT rifle from a while back and never could find part 2. Is there a part 2?
Al in CT
BB, thanks for your tenacity in solving that riddle. You might want to have Pyramyd update the Falcon’s recommended ammo page, since the Kodiaks aren’t included on the list.
B.B.
I am wondering if you are recommending the .25 cal for hunting over the .22? Would the .22 be better for shots over 50 yards?
I find the Baracuda extra heavy match interchangeable with the Kodiaks, did you try them, or will you for us?
learning in Ashland;
Wayne
Al in CT,
Here is the last USFT report. The links to the earlier ones are at the beginning.
/blog/2007/8/usft-rifle-part-3/
B.B.
Michael,
Thanks for that. Kodiaks will be linked.
B.B.
Wayne,
I am sorry about not identifying that Kodiaks are the exact same pellet as Baracudas. Webley used to sell them also, but I forget what their name was.
I have to remember than new readers hit this blog all the time. Thank you.
B.B.
B.B.
Thanks, I thought they looked a lot alike….Pyramyd has the baracudas on sale, I guess they are closing them out. I am going to buy a lot…
Wayne
Wayne,
Pyramyd made a HUGE buy a couple of years ago and they priced these tins to sell. I mentioned it in a blog last year.
B.B.
BB, could you be coaxed into a Part 5 in this series? I just stumbled across a listing, under Pyramyd’s “Shooting Needs and Accessories” section, for an “Air Venturi Ram Air Gas Spring Conversion, Fits Walther Falcon Rifles.” Estimated in stock 6-29. Would be great to get your thoughts on this retrofit, looking at effects on velocity, recoil, and accuracy.
Thanks again for all your posts; always fascinating stuff.
B.B.
I am with michael…
I have one of the steel spring and three gas versions of the cfx in .177…
the gas versions shoot about 50fps faster, and actually cock a lot easier, contrary to what I heard elsewhere. The firing is much smoother also…
So B.B. if you get one of the gas ones early, and I am sure you will, please let us know if we should wait for the gas springs in the falcon.
Wayne
Ashland Air Rifle Range & Rentals
BB,
I know I always say firearms for hunting, but I’m now wondering if something like this could take out a coon at a decent distance and be quieter about it than firearms. We’re not supposed to shoot them here, and I don’t as a matter of practice, but sometimes you get one that attacks pets — usually at 2AM. I’m willing to take the consequences for protecting them, although there seems to be little concern about this type of infraction among the LE people I’ve talked to. Would the Falcon Hunter dispatch one humanely up to, say, 30 yds.? I almost think my QB36-2 would do the job, but I don’t want to make an animal suffer unnecessarily. Mainly I’m curious, although if we have a problem like last year (trapped 8 coons in 2 nights), I might get serious, talk to wildlife people, etc.
Michael,
I will report on the gas spring conversion of this rifle. I expect it to be less sensitive to hold, but nothing is for certain.
B.B.
BG_Farmer,
The Walther Falcon Hunter will definitely take a raccoon at 30 yards in either .22 or .25 caliber.
B.B.
Don’t mean to come across as cynical but I think it would be worth your while to get hold of some more Kodiak pellets to ensure the good group you got was not a fluke. A follow up on this is definitely in order!
I know the Bam B-40 is designed for right hand shooters but is it something a lefty could shoot comfortably or not?
Vulcanator,
Yes, I’ll do that when I report on the gas spring conversion.
B.B.
The B40 is not for lefties. It is very much a right-handed rifle.
Aftermarket stockmakers do make stocks for the TX in left-hand versions. They would fit.
B.B.
So I have been enjoying shooting my new Walther Falcon Hunter in .25 cal…the range is amazing. But I bought a bunch of Webley Mosquitos since the Kodiak .25s were not in stock at Pyramyd. I had mentioned the Webley Mosquitos in the last part of the Falcon review and asked if you could test them dang Mosquitos. They do ok for me, but I have no other .25 pellets to compare them to. Was just kinda curious about how they would do for you and the way you hold your Falcon. I’m still tryin to get the hang of it, she’s pretty tricky…but the power that pops outta that barrel is amazing.
–Dave Ennis
Dave,
Yes, you did ask me to test Mosquitos. Now I remember.
I’ll try to get them in the gas spring review.
B.B.
I forgot to ask about the scope rail on the Falcon. I wondered if the notches on the rail were spaced like the Kodiak/Patriot rail. A fellow forum user said that he had used a Beeman 5038H which was made for the Kodiak/Patriot. This solution seems like a good one…but I was wondering if the new Leapers Mounts made for the Dianas would be a much cheaper way to go? It looks like the scopestop shoulder of the Leapers mount could hang over the beginning of the rail?
–Dave Ennis
B.B.
I don’t expect to get a hunting rifle, but this made for a fascinating case of problem-solving. As Einstein said, “Genius is the ability to turn a problem into a postulate” which I take to mean that you shouldn’t stay tied to assumptions that aren’t working.
bg_farmer, how can you see to hit anything at 2am?
Wayne, if you’re looking for air rifles to stock a range, consider the IZH 61. I was reading some guy who couldn’t figure out how to classify it. He said that it wasn’t a serious 10 meter rifle but that it would make a great gallery rifle. Presto. It is plenty accurate enough for anyone wanting to shoot in a gallery. It also looks extremely cool, especially with a Bug Buster scope and the stock fully extended. Maybe I’ll figure out how to take a picture of mine to show. Anyway, the grizzled old veterans of the shooting range I go to, couldn’t stop swarming around my gun which is the sort of behavior you would want among your clients I would guess.
Matt61
Dave,
Those cross-slots are useless, as far as I know. The dovetail is 11mm and no 11mm mount uses these cross slots. Also, the slots are spaced asymetrically, so they appear to conform to no spec in the known world.
You would think that Hatsan would use those slots for a radical new scope mount, but apparent;ly all they are is eye-candy and a lessening of the gripping area of the dovetail.
B.B.
B.B.
I finally got tired of using the open sights on the Falcon and thats when I was confronted with how do you mount a scope on this rail? I mean, it comes with a 3-9×40 scope and rings, but when mounted the eye relief is way too short. One of the scoperings has to butt up against the metal plate/screw scopestop. So I took two Accushot high rings, each with its own scopestop pin, and mounted them up on that rail. The scopestop pins just fit into the notches and I could even bottom them out/tighten those pins once I had the rings secured and tightened to the rail. Now this makes for a pretty darn good setup, but I had to remove the metal plate and screw scopestop becuase it was in the way. Had to go with a longer scope, a CenterPoint 4-16x40AO, and now the eye relief is much better but still not quite where I want it. Can hit stuff good though!!! Eventually I would like to find a different mount solution, one that gets the relief where it should be. Thats why I was wondering about those new Leapers mounts for the Dianas…I thought maybe they might work, and they are cheap enough at 17.50, but they are not in stock until July. So I wondered if you thought that might be a viable solution also.
–Dave Ennis
What do I need if I have an Airforce handpump with the airforce adapter if I want to pump a Discovery and does Pyramyd AIR sell it?
Matt61
Thanks for the input, yes that is the behavior I would like. I have been checking out the IZH 61, but have not acted yet…most of the time I look at them they are on back order..june 20th next batch looks like..with your note I will try some for sure. I like the idea of a small, quite, low power, accurate, 10 meter, indoor rifle.
But, do you think they will hold up..are they easy to repair?
I’ve got some leapers 3x9x40 ao, have not tried the 6 power bug buster yet, (my old eyes need at least a 9 power, 12 or 16 is better)…do you think they will fit and work well on it..
sounds like from the reviews that I should get a case of extra magazines..can they get lost easy?
Which pellets does it like best, hobbys I hope.
BTW..my tests show that in all my guns the “match” version of the hobbys cost way more, but shoot slower by 20% and I find them less accurate…any one else notice this. I notice that the cup edges are much thicker than the hobbys, I wonder why?
learning in Ashland,
Wayne,
Ashland Air Rifle Range & Rentals
BB,
Oh great! You get me into the artillery hold and now you want me to think some more. You want me to go out and shoot a bunch of pellets at cans and bottles and . . .
It’s just a pain to have to have to do all this stuff that I really like to do anyway.
PLEASE, keep on being a pain! Keeps me thinking and shooting!
Al Pellet
Everybody!
My new WE Airsoft 1911A1 gas pistol just arrived! It is soooo beautiful! It came cocked and locked (the only way you can place the thumb safety to ON position easily) in a great plastic case, with a spare magazine and some polished .2g BBs.
I’ve wanted a real 1911 for so long but never got around to buying one. I have 3 springers (2 UHC 1911s and the Tanfoglio Witness), but none of them have the heft and authenticity of this one. I’m off to shoot it before it gets dark!
Just wanted to crow a bit.
Regards,
-Joe B. on Maui
B.B. –
Glad to hear you had to put a firm hold on a Springer. I have one that just would not group, and out of shear frustration I held it tightly, and like magic – a nice group. I almost felt ashamed, this was not supposed to work. But the rest of the story is after it went away for a tune; it became like the rest of my Springer’s and prefers a light hold. So my non-technical conclusion was that something was a miss originally, which the tune corrected. And the firm hold simple offset its problem enough to get a decent group. Sound remotely possible?
The above-mentioned WE Tech M1911A1 Govt…
It shoots beautifully. But clearly I’m not getting enough propane into the magazines (either that or it’s the rainy, 61 degree F temp I was shooting at, here at 3100′). From comments I read I should get 1 and a half magazines from each fill…as it is I’m barely getting a mag full (15 rnds). It would push around a plastic juice bottle on the ground, but no penetration.
Tomorrow I’ll fire it for groups on a paper target.
Joe B.
Matt,
RE: 2AM accuracy. Coons really aren’t that hard to see — even a porch light or flashlight bounces off those crazy red eyes from a good distance. Last summer I woke to a battle royale between one of the barn cats and a crazy raccoon, who turned on me when I tried to scare him away. I grabbed a stick and almost brained him, but he got off with just a glancing blow. He came back regularly (until I moved him to a better place), but I could tell it was the same one by his color and the fact that he would waddle off quickly whenever he heard the back door open (the others would just stare).
hello,
just a short question. anyone has idea what is hatsan mod 105? like, any experience with this underlever? or at least, if anyone knew what rifle is this copy of? I was looking at gamo cfx, but atm all suplies at local store are spent, and there is a copy of the hatsan in 5.5 (.22) available. I would prefere the .177 but if they dont get the resupply fast, 5.5 its not that bad :>
G-le
Dave,
The Diana base has a plate in front that hangs over the front of the Diana base that’s on the rifle. I don’t know if it will drop into the slots correctly or not.
B.B.
AirForce handpump,
You need a female quick-disconnect on the end of your hose. Yes, Pyramyd AIR has the parts to make up what you need, but you have to speak with their tech support team to explain what you want to do. Switching back and forth between guns may be a problem, since one adaptor may have to be removed for the other to fit.
B.B.
Wayne,
Yes the IZH 61 will hold up and yes, they are reasonably easy to repair.
B.B.
Joe B.,
I’ve got to test that WE. Everyone raves about it.
Do you own a Marui Hi-Capa 5.1, and if so, how does it compare?
B.B.
Firm Hold,
Anything is possible. I’m still learning this stuff myself, and I’m not embarrassed to admit it.
B.B.
G-le ,
The Hatsan 105 doesn’t appear to be a copy of the CF-X. It has a feeding port like the Diana 46, but it’s not like that rifle, either. Maybe it’s a unique design?
B.B.
B.B.
I wasn’t implying that its a copy of the cfx, just that I was looking to get cfx, but they are out of stock in our local shops, last few sold under my nose. But, judging from pictures, and company policies, I think most of hatsan products are copies or modified rifles from other manufactures. For example, at least on pics, hatsan 150/155 is rly looking like Webley Termin8or. You wrote about the Patriot and so on and so on. But, kind of hard to identify guns based on net pics, and I am new into airguns. Basicly, I was looking for a accurate underlever gun, easily available around here (macedonia). There is lots of spanish guns around(gamo, norica, cometa), few Slavia’s, and totaly new for me, turkish Hatsan. The cfx and cf-30 were only underlevers that I was looking into, until shopowner offered hatsan 105, when cfx sold out ;>
I am not that fond of the cf-30, being older design, so I was curious about the turkish thing, but cant find real data on the net.
So, I was hoping you or some of your readers knew or shot the gun. Then again, I might try my luck anyhow ;>
G-le
G-le,
I would be interested to hear your impressions of this rifle. Please tell us what you think.
B.B.
Well, seems like your info got me in the right track. Following that hatsan mod 105 looks like Diana 46, I got some comments that 46 itself resembles old Webley Eclipse.And I knew beforehand that Hatsan bought old Webley designs and machines, so that should be it. In few days/weeks, I’ll try to follow up with performance update.
cheers, and tnx
G-le
“Do you own a Marui Hi-Capa 5.1, and if so, how does it compare?”
No, the WE is my first gas gun.
BB, can you direct me to a chart that tells what percentage of efficiency a gas gun attains relative to ambient temperature? The WE seemed a bit underpowered at yesterday’s 61 degrees. Even after counting to 30 secs on propane fills (I read that the WE does not spew gas when filled to the brim, which would normally tell me it’s full). I wonder if I’m filling it wrong or if it’s just too cold for the propane to expand properly. I don’t know if it’s all gas guns or just the WE that does not function properly when cold or even just cool.
Thanks,
Joe B.
Joe,
The only pressure chart I know of is for CO2, not Propane.
Are you filling the magazine fully? It doesn’t sound like it. As far as I know, they all puff gas out when filled to the brim. But I don’t know WE.
It takes about two ro three seconds toi fill a magazine.
Watch the video at the end of this article:
/article/HFC_M190_dual_gas_pistol_March_2007/41
B.B.
Now you have me lusting after the M190.
Hey BB, did you notice you can see the gas from the muzzle (but not the muzzle itself) on the close up of the target, at the end of the video? I was wondering how they got such good accuracy at 10′ firing so quickly….
So, I’m thinking maybe i have to insert the needle from the propane tank several times to get a full magazine. Someone mentioned three 3-second fills for the green gas mag on the M190. Or perhaps the adapter didn’t go onto the propane tank correctly (no propane spilled out when screwing it on, which I thought a bit odd at the time), so I’ll check that out when the temperature warms up a bit here, later today.
Thanks for your help,
Joe B.
Joe B.,
I am the “they” and don’t you go giving my secrets away!
B.B.
BB,
Is it possible to achieve a higher hold on an M1911-style pistol with the duck tail than with the regular grip safety?
“I am the “they” and don’t you go giving my secrets away!”
Oops…my bad! :->
Joe B
1911,
I think so. The hold is to rest your thumb above the safety lever on the side, which prevents muzzle flip to a great extent. It also forces the web of your palm to ride up higher, which is where the beavertail grip safety comes in handy, by restraining your hand from going too high.
B.B.
Just got my EUNJIN .25 caliber dome pellets at 42g and was able to chrony them at 575.5 ft per second shot through my Walthers Falcon. Thats just under 31 fpe. These pellets fit snug and shoot well. I must say I’m not impressed with the .22 caliber dome and pointed pellets shot through my Patriot. They seem to shoot hard to the left while the JBS predators shoot right on the money.
Thanks for that report. I’ll have to look into that/.
B.B.
bb,
im getting the walther falcon hunter in 22., but still deciding on the gas ram, could you tell me how much harder it would be to cock, and how the firing characteristics would be?
thanks-bryan
Brian,
I haven’t tested the gas spring in the Falcon Hunter yet. It will be harder to cock because a gas spring has the same effort at the beginning of the cocking cycle, where a metal spring starts easy and gets hards when the cocking linkage provides the best leverage. With a gas spring you have the same resistance all the way through the cocking stroke.
The firing cycle will be faster and ffree from vibration. It will end abruptly instead of lingering vibration.
What magnum air rifles do you have experience with?
B.B.
hey b.b.
I have another question about the loudness of the falcon hunter in 22 or the .25 you tested. how loud is the gun, or how loud would you rate it? and also, would you think that this gun would be on par (or better) with other break barrels or even the benjamin discovery in .22. ok thanks!
The Falcon Hunter is on par with other powerful spring rifle, but quieter than the Benjamin discovery.
B.B.
o.k. now i get it, so break barrels (some of them) are quieter than most pcp’s (well, the talon ss 4 example, is extremely quiet) thanks for the quick reply b.b.!
Hi B.B.,
I am looking at buying this gun in .25 cal and would like to know your opinion regarding it compared to a Diana mod 350 magnum that I have in .22 cal. I am very pleased with that rifle and have no major complaints about it. What can I expect with the falcon hunter compared to my Diana?
Thanks,
Brendan
Brendan,
You posted to a blog written in 2008. Not many of us are checking the old blogs for new posts. I cann't speak to the Walther, never having shot one, but I do like my Diana 350 Magnum.
B.B. is hospitalized right now. If you want an answer to your question please post it on the current blog at/blog// and I'm sure some Falcon Hunter folks will help you out.
Mr B.