Umarex 850 M2 Part 4

Latest evolution of a classic Hammerli air rifle

By Dennis Adler

In CO2 air rifles there are not many you can confidently shoot at 25 yards, at which distance you are either shooting for precision (with open sights or with a scope) or small game hunting. Today, the test is precision with open sights on a 25 yard timed and rapid fire pistol target, which suits my purposes here, to place as many shots in the bullseye as possible, a bullseye with a diameter of 1.625 inches; this is a little more than half an inch greater than the kill zone on most small game with a .22 caliber air rifle of this power. If you can shoot consistently with the .22 Umarex 850 M2 on this target, you can expect to do well with it in the field.

After my initial tests with the 2×12 gr. adapter, which delivered a solid 100 shots with the paired 12 gr. cartridges, I made the swap to a standard Umarex 88 gr. CO2 cylinder.

The 88 gr. CO2 cylinder sticks out far enough from the receiver that you can easily get a hand hold and turn it all the way down. Then simply replace the forend cover.

What am I testing?

For this evaluation I am only going to shoot H&N Sport Baracuda Match 21.14 gr. domed pellets and Baracuda 18.52 gr. Hunter Extreme. In my earlier velocity tests with these two, powered by the 2×12 gr. CO2 adapter, the H&N Baracuda Match clocked an average of 457 fps generating 10 ft. lbs. (13 joules), with a high of 468 fps, 10 ft. lbs. (14 joules). The heavy hitting 18.52 gr. Hunter Extreme hollow points averaged 485 fps and 10 ft. lbs. of energy (13 joules). Both have sufficient velocity and FPE from the 850 M2 to take anything up to rabbit-sized game. The M2 is capable, but requires precision shooting for success, either on target or in the 1-inch kill zone for small game (given the velocity and energy produced by the 850 M2). To be honest, I’m not that big on shooting birds and rabbits, so for me the value of the Umarex model is for target shooting at the extreme distance (for a CO2 air rifle) of 25 yards. I expect to get decent groups with the fiber optic sights, but the precision is going to come in the last part of this series when I mount an Axeon 4-16×44 scope sent for this test by Umarex. …and then the best laid plans…

I had a plan and was just about set up to start shooting tests at 25 yards, even though the temperature was now in the mid-80s and very humid. Before I even finished sighting in, the wind kicked up (and cooled things down a bit) but then it got too windy for reliable accuracy even with .22 pellets, and the target started rocking in the wind to boot. Not happy. Mother Nature 1, *Airgun Experience*, 0.

A surprise end to today’s test

The weather turned hot, high 80s. The day before was a perfect 72 degrees but…today it got hot and humid, windy, and then windier. Not the outdoor environment to test the 850 M2 at 25 yards. So, Mother Nature shot me down. As a result, I will have to postpone the conclusion of the 850 M2 tests until early June, because there are other guns in the schedule that need to be tested indoors, plus there is a very exciting debut next month that is going to impress even the most jaded of Airgun Experience readers! Until I get back to the 850 M2, know that if you liked the old Hammerli 850 Air Magnum, you can’t help but like the new Umarex model. More to come…