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Product: Beeman P17
Review entered on 2011-08-27 22:51:11Things I liked:The gun looks large, but through the use of composite plastics, it weighs in at only 26 ounces. The trigger pull is light, at 2 lbs 7 oz. The German made version (P-3) will usually have a trigger pull of slightly over 1 lb, but I'm happy with 2.5 lbs, as this matches most of my cartridge pistols. Rear sight adjusts easily, but doesn't feel like it would hold zero under recoil. This may not matter however, since the gun has no recoil. Front sight is too wide for fine precision in aiming, and since the front sight is plastic, cast as part of the frame of the gun, you can't remove or adjust it. Accuracy capability of the gun is greater than my ability to hold the gun steady. Single stroke charging is not too difficult, but loading the barrel with wadcutter pellets is awkward and hard. Pointed pellets or domes are much easier to load, especially if you have large hands. I'm a leftie, so the safety is perfect for me. I cock the pistol and can push the safety to fire with my trigger finger as I'm bringing the muzzle on target; pretty much effortless. This is not a powerful pistol, but it is very accurate. You might be able to kill a mouse, but I think a rat would just be seriously annoyed if hit by it. On the other hand, if you only want to train for accuracy without the expensive cost of buying cartridges and using a real firearm, or if you are only interested in target shooting, this is certainly the pistol for you. For $35, you can't beat it.
Things I would have changed:Narrower front sight, about half the width of the current blade.
What others should know:Beeman/Marksman is never going to provide parts for this gun. You may be able to get parts from Weihrauch for the HW-40 (same gun) or the Beeman P-3 (also the same gun), but this Chinese version is basically a gun that is intended to be used until it malfunctions, then be thrown away and another purchased. And unlike the Germans, the Chinese are not big on quality control issues. I read up on reviews of the gun and I'm fairly certain I can repair any problems that develop if it malfunctions, but if you can't do this, you might want to consider a P-3 or an HW-40. The gun is an excellent air pistol, and is unbeatable for the money. It is an exact copy of the P-3/HW-40, but the finishing of the P-17 is not up to the standards of the Germans, and it will not last as long before developing problems. Also, I'm getting about .8" groups at 10 meters using Air Arms Falcon domes, but with a better sight system, I think I could improve on this. My experience has been that contrary to expectations, wadcutters don't produce better accuracy in this gun.
Comments
| By B from USA on 2011-10-20 |
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You don' need to buy parts from the more expensive versions. Just buy a 2 nd one of these cheap pistols or better yet a used one on the aigun classifieds on the internet and you have a whole pistol to use for parts for very little money.
Product: Williams Diopter Sight
Review entered on 2011-09-06 11:12:16Things I liked:Easily mounts to an 11mm rail. Mounts up securely and is easy to adjust. I had to adjust mine to the extreme left side to center shots. I didn't think I was going to have enough andjstment to center my shots, but I did with a narrow margin to spare. I mounted mine on a cheap Shanghai $20 air rifle, and it still performed with precision. The way it is made (metal, not plastic!) I'm sure it will outlive the air rifle it is mounted on, and if it does thats fine too, because I will just remove the Mendoza and remount it on any replacement air rifle that comes along.
Things I would have changed:I would include several screw-in apertures of different diameters. The one that comes standard is rather large, which is fine in low light, but when you want fine accuracy in well lighted areas, a smaller aperture would be nice.
What others should know:I recently learned that Williams screw-in apertures will fit the Mendoza sight, for those that want a smaller aperture.
Product: Leapers 5th Gen 3-12x40 AO Rifle Scope, Ill. Mil-Dot Reticle, 1/4 MOA, 1" Tube, Max Strength See-Thru Weaver/Picatinny Rings
Review entered on 2012-01-28 00:40:54Things I liked:The target turrets make adjustment very easy. The lockdown rings are easy to use and one does not have to have extra tools (like set screw wrenches) to use them. The adjustable objective is outstanding. I set the scope on 12X and leave it there, using the AO to focus at varying distances to the target. Clarity is as good or better than any scope I have ever owned. I mounted it on my HW-97K, and I can now shoot groups at 15 yds that are only .200 inches in diameter. Shooting the phosphorus off the head of a standard kitchen match at 15 yds is now a simple proposition. The reticle also has more mildots for ranging and range estimation than most scopes have, another nice touch. It is very easy to change out the illuminated reticle battery, but I have little need for an ir. It is only needed under very dim light conditions and I rarely shoot in such conditions, but it is nice to have in case it is needed.
Things I would have changed:The only problem I found was the flip-up lens caps were inappropriate for this style of scope. The eye lens is turned to set your power from 3X to 12X, and the objective is turned to adjust parallax. In both situations, the hinges on the caps run into the scope tube when you turn far enough, making it necessary to pull them off to focus and adjust properly. I went to a local gunshop and bought a standard set of lens caps that slide over the existing lenses and are held in place by small elastic cords. UTG would be better off using this type of lens cap, perhaps with a clear lens in one end and a yellow lens in the other so you could see through the lens caps without taking them off if necessary.
What others should know:The scope comes with a very nice set of quick detach rings for a Weaver or Picatinney rail, but most air rifles utilize the standard 11mm dovetail cut, and in this case you will need to order a different set of rings. I bought a set of UTG rings for an 11mm dovetail from PA, but the rings that came with the scope are actually nicer.
Product: Air Venturi Front Globe Sight, Accepts Inserts
Review entered on 2012-02-09 22:40:06Things I liked:The price is outstanding. It also appears to be quite tough. It is made out of plastic, but when you see the word "plastic", don't think of the brittle plastic that toys are made out of; think instead of the polymer that Glock frames are made out of. This sight is made out of similar material. There is no way Air Venturi could have made a front sight out of steel and sold it for anywhere near the price that this sight sells for. It also accepts inserts made for the Anschutz globe sight or the Lyman #20 globe sight, in both cases inserts that are relatively cheap and readily available.
Things I would have changed:Provide more than the single aperture insert included with the sight.
What others should know:As noted above, I bought a card of steel Lee Shaver inserts for the sight. The card held 10 inserts, including three aperture inserts (all of which were smaller apertures than the one that came with the sight) three posts (fat, medium and thin), a crosshair, two thin railroad tracks crossing at ninety degrees to create a square sight box, and a couple of inserts resembling russian tactical reticles. The cost of the card plus the cost of the front sight was considerably less than the cost of the cheapest steel front globe sight PA offers. If you have a high quality Weirauch or Anschutz rifle, get a steel sight. If you have a less expensive rifle and you don't want to go into hock to buy a good front globe sight, consider this one. It won't disappoint you. I mounted mine on a barrel extension I machined for my IZH-60 and used the crosshair insert for the finest sight possible, and I have been very pleased.
Product: Crosman Nitro Venom Dusk Air Rifle
Review entered on 2011-07-11 01:54:18
Overall rating:4 4.0
Value for money:5 5.0
Accuracy:5 5.0
See all my reviews
Things I would have changed:Put a set of sling swivels on the rifle. This would make it much easier to carry in the field. Also, the trigger acts like a single stage with a very LONG creep; it is adjustable however, and I will try to adjust the creep out of it later. The manual says the trigger will be fine for most shooters as it comes out of the box, but the factory trigger adjustment is a long way from ideal for me. The trigger pull is a little heavier than I prefer, but it is usable. Creep is the biggest problem.
What others should know:The rifle is very stiff at first, hard to cock and hard to return the barrel to shooting position, but it loosens up after 40 or 50 shots. It was also noisier than I expected, but this also seems to be diminishing with use. I bought this rifle in part because I thought Crosman made their own nitro piston rifles, but the action on this one is clearly marked MADE IN CHINA. A big disappointment there. However, the rifle is well made, and if the nitro piston holds up, it will probably last forever. It is dead-on accurate too.