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Education / Training RWS 850 AirMagnum: Part 3

RWS 850 AirMagnum: Part 3

by B.B. Pelletier

Yesterday, I tried the 850 with and without an optional muzzlebrake that is offered for the rifle. In England, they sell a silencer, but the American one is full of holes and does not quiet the report. After the test with the Talon SS, I wondered whether there might be an accuracy advantage to a muzzle brake.

First things first – the trigger
Several of you mentioned that I had forgotten to report on things like the trigger-pull, fit and finish and other things, so let’s do that now. The trigger breaks crisply at 36 oz. It’s a good two-stage trigger with enough first-stage travel to let you know when you’ve come to stage two.

Fit and finish
The rifle looks like quality all over. The blueing is deep but not highly polished. But it’s very even – the sign of a good job.

Innovation
The bolt probe that seats the pellet in the barrel is very thin – a sign that the engineers at Umarex know what they are doing. Amateur airgunsmiths have been thinning bolt probes for decades for better gas flow. As far as I know, this is the first appearance of the feature on a factory-built gun.

The stock
The plastic stock is very evenly matte and smooth, with no mold lines visible. The black rubber buttpad fits well in an area that air rifle manufacturers often overlook. The one criticism I will level, however, is directed at the butt. It has a hollow, cheap feel and sound. Daisy went through the same thing in the 1950s, and they learned to inject sound-deadening foam into the hollow cavities of their guns. It added a subtle feeling of substance that their customers appreciated.

Installing the muzzlebrake
The muzzlebrake is huge – 5.5″ long and over 1.25″ in diameter. Only the size of the butt balances the look of the huge appendage. Being mostly hollow, it weighs next to nothing and does not change the balance of the rifle. Of course, the front sight had to be removed to install the brake, so I took off the rear as well. Two Allen screws in the bottom of the brake secure it to the barrel.

850-brake-web
The optional muzzlebrake is large but exerts no influence on the pellet.

How does it work?
Once mounted, the brake is cosmetic, only. It does nothing to the muzzle blast, nor does the grouping change. I tested the rifle at 40 yards on a calm day, and it made no difference whether the brake was on or off, except that the point of impact changed slightly.

Gas consumption
For those who wonder about how long an AirSource tank lasts, I’m still on the first one after 250 shots. Velocity hasn’t changed, and the rifle seems very consistent shot to shot. Of course, I am shooting on days in the high 80s and low 90s.

That’s my report. Now it’s time for all of you owners to let the rest of us know what you think of the gun.

author avatar
Tom Gaylord (B.B. Pelletier)
Tom Gaylord, also known as B.B. Pelletier, provides expert insights to airgunners all over the world on behalf of Pyramyd AIR. He has earned the title The Godfather of Airguns™ for his contributions to the industry, spending many years with AirForce Airguns and starting magazines dedicated to the sport such as Airgun Illustrated.

80 thoughts on “RWS 850 AirMagnum: Part 3”

  1. So it’s quiet!?!?!
    I don’t think mine is. It is pretty new, about a year, so I think it should be fine, also it shoots fine, and even when Im not shooting it it is still very loud. Much more of a vibration than muzzle sound so I wasn’t thinking a silencer. Im pretty experienced with the workings of arisoft guns (have repeatedly fixed and machined parts for my spring pistol) and spring pellet guns are basically the same thing, but more heavy duty. I definitly think that it is the front of the spring and the thing that catches the air slamming into the begining of the barrel, and causing lots of vibration. It really is very loud, and I don’t want to have to take it somewhere other than my backyard to shoot. <:-(
    Anything would help
    Dave (CF-X guy)

  2. Hey,
    I just read your section 3 (yes I did leave a comment before reading the days post. Im sorry) and realized that my CF-X’s stock it hollow, and that might be the source of the sound. To the guy who commented yesterday that his was quiet, do you have the royal version (wood stock)? because that might absorb a lot of the vibration.
    Just a thought
    What do you think B.B.?

  3. Dave,

    I think you have a broken mainspring. Any slop inside the powerplant can cause vibration, which is where the noise comes from.

    You probably need to get the gun tuned, which I think you want to do yourself.

    Please use a mainspring compressor because pellet rifle mainsprings can kill if the get away from you.

    B.B.

  4. CF-X guy (Dave),
    I’m the guy who said my CF-X is quiet in yesterday’s post. Mine is not wood, it’s the synthetic version. I bought mine from pyramid air. In my opinion, I think it’s quiet. I’ve only owned the CF-X for about 5 months, but I do shoot it quite a lot whenever I get a chance. Compared to CO-2 pistols they are quiet, and also compared to most PCP rifles they are quiet. I’ve never had a neighbor complain about me shooting my CF-X in my backyard, and I’ve shot over 800 rounds by now. They don’t notice the sound. They only notice the sound of the pellet hitting the metal backstop, but I fixed that by putting some old cloth on the backstop to dampen the sound. Even when I shoot my CF-X inside the house, I am 100% sure that no one outside notices the sound of my CF-X. I own the walther CP99 and nighthawk and also crosman 357 CO-2. Out of all my pellet guns, the CF-X is the quietest of them all. I’ve heard the sound of pcp rifles because a family member of mine owns a lot of them… and CF-X is definitely very quiet compared to PCPs. The sound that my CF-X makes is more like a big “THUG”, or almost like someone trying to clap really loud with a thin pair of gloves, but I have no other vibrations afterwards. Hopefully my description helps you get an idea of what I mean. I did think it was quite loud in the beginning because I’ve never shot any pellet guns before, and the CF-X was my very first air rifle. But after a couple hundred rounds, I got used to it, and I do think that it’s a pretty quiet gun now though.

    W.P99 F

  5. BB
    Thanks for your info on the Avanti 747. I got mine last Friday – the tin of Hobbys is already half gone. Very quiet and very accurate. The trigger release is light and very “clean”-no pause no creep. Recoil…there is none! Strange but nice. Hope it helps me stop flinching.
    Really fun to shoot. Thanks again
    MCA

  6. Dave?

    We need to get your name straight. The real CF-X guy is Hernan, so I need something different for youu.

    Now, a broken spring can be just a few coils from one end of the spring. The gun will continue to work fine. Also, a canted spring will give the same vibration you are experiencing.

    Dry-firing can contribute to both problems. Don’t think Gamo has it all figured out, because they don’t. Do not dry-fire a springer.

    B.B.

  7. Sorry B.B.
    It’s Dave.
    So a broken spring huh?
    Well that wouls be noisy. Don’t worry I have only dry fired the gun twice, and the sound alone is enough to make you not do it again.

    Is there any way to know if the spring is broken without taking it apart, or should I just bring it to a professional?

    Thanks
    Dave

  8. Dave,

    Yes!

    If you can chronograph your gun and compare it to the results I got, and some of the readers posted their results, as well, then you’ll know whether it’s okay.

    A lack of vibration leads me to believe it’s not a canted spring.

    The only other think I can think of is you are shooting pellets that are too small or too hard to expand. You’re not shooting Crosman wadcutters, are you?

    B.B.

  9. Dave,
    When I bought my Gamo CF-X, it came with a lifetime warranty on the gun, and a 2 year warranty on the mainspring. Why not just return it to Gamo and ask for a replacement? You will lose your warranty if you take apart the gun.
    I think you’ve mentioned that you’ve owned your rifle for 1 year? The warranty should cover it.

    W.P99 F

  10. Anonymous
    Yes it did come with a warranty, but I would rather not return it unless I had no other options.

    B.B.
    How would I go about chronographing my gun if I don’t have any equiptment?

    also, could you give me some sort of a reference to guage the noise that a “quiet” rifle makes. It may be that because this is my first pellet gun that I just think that it is loud whereas in comparison to others it is quiet. I shoot with a friend of mine who has the Game delta. The sound it makes is slightly wuieter than my gun, but in stead of a BRRRRFT buzzing type sound his makes a solid THWUNK sound, (if this doesn’t make sense I’m sorry) IT makes only one solid sound whereas mine makes a longer sound.
    Dave

  11. Also B.B.,
    At first i shot Daisy pointed and wadcutters with awful results(only shot about 200 pellets) after eading some review I found that RWS superdomes work well. I tried them and can easily and consistently hit a 1/4″ circle at 30 yds. I have never shot the crossman wadcutter.

    You said in your post that “the lack of vibration” but it does vibrate
    Dave

  12. It looks like the RWS 850 AirMagnum and Mendoza RM-2000 are the best .22, multi-shot deals at Pyramyd (RM-2000 being multi-shot capable with solid base pellets?).

    Is there a conversion to PCP for the AirMagnum or should I buy the RM-2000? I like the AirMagnum except it is CO2 – it snows here.

    -searching for .22 multi-shot less than $250

  13. .22 multi-shot,

    At the power level of the Mendoza, solid pellets should not be used. It takes about four time the power for them.

    If the weather gets cold, a CO2 gun is not the way to go. And I doubt there will ever be an air conversion for the 850 magnum.

    Between your two choices, the Mendoza seems the way to go.

    B.B.

  14. Thanks B.B., I was leaning that way because of the price, power and that the Mendoza is not CO2.

    It looks like Mendoza has some new pellet (not solid, just solid skirt) looking at the Mendoza pellets. The description says, “High quality, solid skirts, diabolo-shaped pellets with hollow points are the only correct pellet for the reliable, no-jam magazine feeding in the Mendoza Model 2000.”

    I’m not that familiar with airguns yet, but that is a different one.

    .22 multi-shot

  15. Well, after much debate with myself, I ordered the .22 RWS 850 AirMagnum from Pyramyd instead of the Mendoza RM-2000. I finally came to this decision because
    1) My wife will also be shooting this rifle and it may be hard for her to cock the RM-2000, plus it is 2 pounds heavier than the AirMagnum.
    2) I figured when it is cold, we just won’t bring the AirMagnum out.

    I guess I will have to wait and save up for the Mendoza!

    Thanks for your comments,
    .22 multi-shot

  16. I am thinking of buying the 850 Air Magnum. I have a couple of questions.
    Would I be able to mount a Harris bipod to the stock? I would prefer this over adapting it to the barrel. How strong is the plastic cover to the tank cover?
    Thanks -Steve

  17. Steve,

    Perhaps it COULD be done, but I don’t think you’d like it. For starters, the forward part of the stock has to slide off to access the AirSource cartridge. You can’t mout to that because, being movable, it flexes.

    That puts the bipod back at a sport where it will seem more like a tripod than a bipod. Most people use those terms interchangably, but a tripod balances the gun and the shooter sits to fire.

    B.B.

  18. B.B.,

    I just received my 850 AirMagnum and I am a little disappointed. I have not shot it yet, but here are my observations from a physical inspection.

    Sights
    The rear sight is slightly tilted at an angle toward the left. The front sight seems to be fine.

    Breech/Magazine
    The breech is plastic! You can see the mold lines. The magazine is also plastic (except for the metal center). It comes with two magazines.

    Bolt
    The bolt operates smoothly, but does require firm action to push it forward. If you don’t, it can be hard to slide forward (like you mentioned). The forward action rotates the magazine.

    Safety
    Looking at the pictures, I was concerned about how I would like the safety. I like it! It is easy to push off when you are in position to fire.

    Stock
    There are mold lines visible. The butt is not as bad as I figured.

    My main thing I didn’t like is the rear sight. I’m not sure if a slight tilt is acceptable or if I should complain about it?? Some people might not even notice it, however this is the most I’ve spent on an airgun and all my less expensive guns don’t have this problem!

    Any advice?

    Thanks,
    .22 multi-shot

  19. .22 multi-shot,

    I went and got my 850 to see the problem and discovered that I had removed the sights. Since I tested it with the scope, I guess the sights were in the way.

    I therefore can’t see the problem area, but if you feel your gun is somehow not right I think you should say something to the dealer. That sort of this can nag at you until you put it to rest.

    However, after looking at the rear sight in part one of this report, I see that it’s mounted to the barrel by a screw. Any chance that is was just not mounted correctly?

    B.B.

  20. Thanks B.B.,

    I examined the sights again and think it may be an optical illusion caused by the windage adjustment of the front sight. One or both of the sights might be slightly off (1/64″ or less), but I’m sure that is expected with just a screw mounting plastic sights. The sights look like the pictures so I assume they are mounted correctly.

    Thanks for the quick response!
    .22 multi-shot

  21. B.B.

    I will post shooting results when work slows down enough for me to really try out the 850. I couldn’t wait for a full trial though and put 8 shots through it just to get a preliminary feel. I must admit, it had a quality feel!

    .22 multi-shot

  22. I’ve had a chance to shoot my new 850 AirMagnum a few times so I can fill in more details now.

    I like the trigger! The first stage is so smooth and light that I didn’t even notice it at first.

    I don’t care for the sights. To adjustable for windage you have to slide the front sight left or right. It is difficult to do this accurately since it is friction fit.
    The rear sight straightened out so the tilt I observed may have been caused by pressure on it in the box.
    I will be buying a scope.

    I shot Beeman Trophys, Daisy wadcutters and Crosman wadcutters at 70 ft., squatting. The Trophys and Daisys ended up with 1.5″ five shot groups and the Crosmans were 2″. Later I shot Beeman Silver Arrows sitting and bench rested at 60 ft. The Silver Arrows did great with a five shot group of 1″. The Trophys, Daisys and Crosmans all tended to have a pellet that would stray while the Silver Arrows stayed together. The Crosman wadcutters were the worst.

    Summary
    The mold lines are visible but are not prominent. As for the synthetic parts, I don’t mind as long as it is durable. I was just surprised initially that the breech was synthetic.
    The bottom line is, I really like this rifle now!

    Thanks,
    .22 multi-shot

  23. B.B.

    I just got my scope today and am hoping to put it on and try it this weekend. However, I went and bought a Mendoza RM-2000 with a scope in the mean time. I received it yesterday evening and put a few rounds through it. Here is my first impression of it.

    Stock
    The wood stock was nicer than I thought it would be (I saw an RM-2003 in Big 5 and didn’t care for the stock). It is right handed. It has nice grain and color.

    Feel
    The balance is good. I’ll have to check, but I think it is better than the AirMagnum 850.

    Safety
    The safety is easy to take off when shooting (and is ambidextrous), but I couldn’t find a way to put it on safe when the rifle is not cocked. Cocking the gun puts the safety on automatically.

    Setting up for a scope
    The scope stop is just a plastic block at the back of the spring tube (correct terminology?). There is no scope stop hole. Should a scope stop also be put in front of the scope mounting ring in this case?

    Trigger
    The trigger is different. It is kind of like two Crosman 1377 triggers side by side. When it is cocked, one trigger is further forward. You pull the first trigger until your finger reaches the second trigger. This is the first stage. Pulling the two triggers together is the second stage. I’m going to have to get used to this! The second stage is very short.

    Cocking effort/Noise/Recoil
    I think the RM-2000 may be a bit louder than my friend’s Gamo NRA 1000. It is hard to tell since I’ve only heard it while I’m shooting it. I also think it takes a couple more pounds of cocking effort than the NRA 1000, but it isn’t difficult. The recoil is similar to the NRA 1000.

    Magazine
    The multi-shot magazine works best with the Mendoza solid skirt pellets. Occasionally a Mendoza pellet’s skirt won’t be large enough and two pellets come through. Beeman Trophy pellets work pretty good, but they have the same problem as Mendozas (some skirts too small). One Beeman Trophy stuck into the pellet in front of it and another one didn’t feed because its skirt was too large. I think a pellet sizer would really help these problems. Whatever pellets you might try, keep an eye on them so you don’t dry fire, feed two pellets or chop off/jam part of a pellet (the feed mechanism is kind of like a guillotine when the breech is closed).

    Sights
    I like the sights. This is the first time I’ve used peep sights and I like them. However, when I removed the rear sight for mounting the scope, I discovered that the sight’s metal is cheap. Part of the metal point that fits in the dove tail groove had chipped off (not when I removed it, sometime before – maybe when it was installed). I liked that the front sight is mounted with two screws, not just one.

    When I first shot the RM-2000, the pellets were all over the place (8 inches apart)! I gave up last evening and tried again today. I didn’t sight it in, I just shot. After a bit, the Mendoza solid skirt pellets did OK (12 shot group of 2 3/16″). I tried several other pellets and found that Beeman Trophies work the best so far (8 shot group 1 3/16″). This was with the peep sight at 65 ft. I just bought some JSB Exacts (jumbo) so I will have to try them too.

    If you don’t need the extra power or temperature invariability of the Mendoza, get the 850 AirMagnum. The 850 is a nicer gun overall. [Or buy both 🙂 ]

    Thanks,
    .22 multi-shot

  24. B.B.

    I forgot, one concern I have with the Mendoza is that I can see quite a bit of the main spring through the stock’s cocking notch close to the trigger. Is it a problem that it is exposed? The spring is about 1/2″ in diameter. About a 4″ slot in the tube holding the spring exposes the spring. I’m fairly sure it is the main spring because cocking it looks like it compresses that spring.

    Misc
    The cocking notch in the stock is about 11″ long. The cocking angle is about 110 degrees.

    Thanks,
    .22 multi-shot

  25. I went to mount a scope (the Bug Buster 2) on the Mendoza and found a problem. It will mount with medium profile rings, but the magazine can’t be used. To use the magazine, you will need high profile rings.

    More Misc.
    The Mendoza has a cocked indicator dot. The mounting grooves are 3.5″ long.

    .22 multi-shot

  26. .22 multi-shot,

    Thank you for such a complete report! Mendoza air rifles were imported by RWS when they were in New Jersey, but I’m not sure whether Umarex USA who bought out the RWS operation still imports them. As a result, I see a support problem down the road.

    There is no problem with that much mainspring being exposed, but I’m guessing the rifle buzzes a lot. Your best accuracy is about triple what an inexpensive adult air rifle should do at 65 feet.

    The feeding problems has plagued companies like Gamo, who have been trying to sell it for 30 years. Linear feeding just doesn’t work in a spring gun. Sizing might help a little, but there are alswo pellet length issues.

    Thanks for the detailed report,

    B.B.

  27. Thanks B.B.

    I’ve tried to list all my observations so someone else interested in the Mendoza can make an informed decision.

    This is my first spring gun so I am learning. I am also a fairly new airgunner – I owned a couple but I didn’t really shoot much until about three months ago and am enjoying it. I am sure the accuracy problem is me and not the gun.

    I have a few questions.
    1) Do you have an article on break barrel maintenance?
    2) What are the most frequent part failures with break barrels?
    3) How often do main springs break/deform/wear out?
    4) Should I use a scope stop in front of the rear mounting ring besides the plastic block that the rear mounting ring butts against at the back (RM-2000, Bug Buster 2 scope)?

    Thanks,
    .22 multi-shot

  28. .22 multi-shot,

    You’ll find everything you are looking for by using the search function on the most recent page of the blog. Here are a few answers, however.

    Mainsprings wear out most frequently. American, British, German and Spanish springs may be good for 10K shots. Chinese are usually dead after 500 shots.

    I posted the results of Tom Gaylord’s Mainspring Failure Test recently. Read that – it’s enlightening. I think it may be in the spring gun tuning series I did.

    The scope stop goes behind a ring or mount. Which one doesn’t matter, but the rear one is most common. Putting it in front does nothing at all.

    B.B.

  29. Thank you. I found the Mainspring Failure Test results.

    I didn’t explain myself clearly about the scope stop. There is a plastic block at the back end of the RM-2000’s mounting groves. This will provide the scope stop for the rear mounting ring. I was just wondering if it would be good to completely immobilize the back ring by putting a scope stop in front of it too (I understand that spring guns have a back and forward recoil). From your answer I assume it isn’t necessary.

    Thanks,
    .22 multi-shot

  30. If anyone needs to purchase .22 Mendoza solid skirt ammo, the only place I’ve found it is Cabela’s (www.cabelas.com). Just search for Mendoza.

    The solid skirt ammo seems to feed very well through the magazine. The only problem I’ve had with it is an occasional smaller pellet skirt will allow two to feed instead of one.

  31. B.B.

    I’ve shot about 200 shots through the RM-2000 now. It is getting better all the time (accuracy and feel). I’ve mounted a scope on it and groups are getting smaller (no pellet sorting – I don’t have a scale).

    I am impressed with the Mendoza magazine and pellet design combination. Out of 200 shots about 170 have been Mendoza solid skirt pellets and only 3 of those have mis-fed. Two had small skirts that fed 2 pellets, and one was too big and didn’t feed. The mis-feeds are easy to notice and fix.

    Some shots still seem produce quite a bit of smoke. I’m guessing the factory oiled it too much. I don’t remember my friend’s Gamo NRA 1000 smoking. SHOULD A SPRING PISON PRODUCE SMOKE?

    I’ve found information indicating that some of Mendoza’s older air rifles had problems. However most of the reviews I’ve read about the newer rifles are positive. I hope that some of Mendoza’s negative image can be fixed if they have indeed improved their quality.

    .22 multi-shot

  32. B.B.

    Is the muzzlebrake the same for the .177 and .22 or is there a different one for each caliber? I ask because there is only one on Pyramyd’s site and the description doesn’t mention caliber.

    Thanks,
    .22 multi-shot

  33. B.B.,

    Thanks for the detailed report on the 850 AirMagnum. I’ve been looking for a multi-shot rifle, and prefer bolt action, so the 850 has been in my sights. The higher-end PCP bolt action rifles seem excessive as I’m just getting started with airguns.

    Mostly I will be doing target shooting for fun, not competition, and occasionally some pest control – rodents, up to opossum size, at maximum range of 20 yards or so. Is the 0.22 850 AirMagnum powerful enough for this? If not, can you suggest alternatives?

    I’ve looked at multishot breakbarrel springers (Mendoza RM-2000, Gamo Multishot and Shadowmatic) which may have more power, but not in 0.22. Besides, if I have to get off a second shot quickly, I think I’d be faster cocking a bolt action than a breakbarrel.

    Thanks!

    From-Firearms-to-Air

  34. About innovation of thin bolt probes,
    Yes thinning bolt probes a good idea for easy gas flow.
    I have a different solution, a retracting bolt probe (during down movement of bolt handle) will be a perfect solution for free gas flow. With this setup, bolt probes can be shaped freely for more uniform pellet seating.
    This is a free of charge idea.

  35. Izzy,

    I didn’t know there was a 12 or 16 joule model. Who uses 12 joules? The German’s can’t go over 7 and the Brits use 16 joules (12 foot-pounds), so I’m confused.

    The rifle I tested had just under 10 foot-pounds, which must be the 16 joule model.

    B.B.

  36. Hi, i’m Izzy, but used the wrong name :

    Yea the Germans can only use below 7.5 joules, but there are 3 versions as i’ve read on forums:

    7.5j 12j and 16j

    The only difference there is between the versions is the valve, which can be modded with a bigger one.

    As far as i know the english sometimes have the 12j version, because it saves the costs on Co2 cylinders:

    RWS 850 Airmagnum .177:

    7.5j |F| version: 400 full power shots.
    12j version: 350 full power shots.
    16j version: 250 full power shots.

    Correct me if i’m wrong, but this is what i’ve understood from the forums.

    For who is interrested in getting your 850 modded, here’s where you can buy the 16j modvalve:

    http://www.sportwaffen-schneider.de/product_info.php/cPath/40_41_788_789/products_id/5957

  37. Izzy,

    Well, I learned something today! So there are three power levels in circulation, eh? I see to be over 12 joules, so I guess I have the 16, but I wonder what the 12-joule version is for? Maybe Canada and The Netherlands, where velocity is restricted to 500 f.p.s.?

    B.B.

  38. I am from the netherlands myself, and there’s no power restriction over here, therefore you can buy it legally here (thank god since i want to buy one as soon my wallet allows me to 😛 )

    I guess they’re sold in both versions around the world – don’t know why tho – but there are alot of people having a 12j version, whether it’s restricted to a max or not.

    But i do think the only country that has the 7.5j version MUST be germany only.

    P.S. Do you have msn? would like to go more in-depth with this 🙂

    P.S. 2: My name is DKill_, but i used a wrong name in my first post 😉

  39. Oh by the way, that country that has the FPS restriction is germany.

    The maximum you’re allowed to have is 550 FPS, and that’s also why they only sell air weapons below 7.6J

  40. B.B.,

    I got stuck by saying I'll take it on the Yellow & didn't want to renege, so I bought a RWS 850 Magnum.

    It's the .22 cal version, is almost NIB & comes with the scope. I got it for $250 shipped, so I did OK on the price, & while I'm still definitely getting the Benjamin Marauder, I'm wondering if the 850 is worth modding?

    I found this site…

    http://www.the850store.com/

    Looks like they get it shooting pretty hard, but I'm wondering what kind of accuracy it will have after the HPA conversion & tune?
    They claim "capable of producing dime sized 8 shot groups out to 30yds" but I'm not sure if that's before or after the tune, & $370.00 is a good portion that could go towards the Marauder.

    Any speculation on your part?

    Thanks,

    BBA

  41. BBA,

    Here’s what is behind all of my evaluations. First and foremost, I look for accuracy. I can forgive nearly every other non-safety issue with a gun if it is accurate.

    If a person has to stand on his head to make a gun shoot accurately, I will rate that gun as potentially good, but I will tell everyone what I had to do to get it to shoot well. That’s where a lot of readers seem to get lost, because they see what I can make the gun do, but they fail to comprehend all that it took to make it do that well. They think they can get the same results just by shooting the gun any old way.

    And then there are guns like the 850 Magnum, which I consider to be marginally accurate. Yes, it will shoot groups at 30 yards, but no, they aren’t exceptional groups.

    With guns like that I take price into account. If the gun is cheap enough, I let it slide. A hundred-dollar rifle is one thing. But a $250 gun like the 850 is in a different category. In my opinion, it’s too expensive not to be more accurate than it is.

    There is the experimentation aspect, and the 850 seems to lend itself to that. However, there are a raft of Crosman CO2 guns for a quarter the price that are just as accurate, if not moreso. The Benjamin Discovery has the same barrel as the 2260 from which it was developed, yet it can shoot sub-inch groups at 50 yards.

    THAT is my method for selecting the air rifles I favor.

    I went to the 850 store and looked around. They certainly have all the mods for that airgun. But in the end, you will pay more for the rifle than for a Marauder, and I know the accuracy is not equivalent. In my mind, it isn’t worth the investment. However, if I had an 850 that was extremely accurate, I might feel differently.

    B.B.

  42. BBA,

    I’ve seen quite a few people on the 850 forum that say are getting good accuracy, escpecially after the PCP conversion.

    I still have my .22 RWS 850. I plan to finish converting it to PCP with my own custom valve. The stock valve doesn’t have enough volume. One of the tunes for the 850 is to open up the valve so that air flow isn’t as restricted.

    .22 multi-shot

  43. B.B.,

    VERY well put!

    That explains a lot about your perspective when reviewing a gun, & I like it!

    Very logical, realistic, & makes very good sense.

    To me, unless a gun has a collectors value or is just a fun or novel gun… if it isn't accurate, then whats the point?

    Once it's been established that it's indeed accurate, & with OUT having to stand on your head… THEN it's time to consider the other aspects of it & what the gun over all has to offer, in addition to it's price in comparison to other guns. (I like your method!)

    BTW… I can appreciate where you're coming from about how some people will just see what they want to, while NOT REALLY reading &/or fully comprehending what YOU had to go through, to get some of the guns to perform the way you got them to.
    It's obvious by some of the questions they ask, that they didn't read your review carefully, & missed some important things you said. That has to be frustrating.

    You definitely put the 850 into perspective for me (thank you) & now that I have a range finder, I'll see just how far MINE is accurate at, & take it from there.

    If by chance I got lucky & got one that DOES perform above the one you tested, then & only then would I consider spending any money to mod it, but like you say about the Marauder… I doubt the 850 would warrant putting that kind of money into it, & I'd be better off spending it on the Marauder.
    Thanks for putting tat into perspective as well as you did.

    Come to think of it, I wonder how the 850 would compare to a Crosman 400 at 30 – 50 yards?
    Since I have both, I think I'll put that to the test! It should be interesting.

    .22 multi-shot,

    If you can do it cheap enough, let me know how it works out for you.
    Personally I like the point B.B. made about the cost to mod the 850 vs buying a Marauder.

    P.S.

    Did anyone say what kind of groupings & at what distance they're getting with their 850's after the HPA conversion?

    Thanks,

    BBA

  44. .22 multi-shot

    I have to say, it looks like a decent shooter at 30 yards & closer.

    I think the thing to do, is to leave it stock, & put my $$$ in the Marauder.

    Thanks for the links, they really helped,

    BBA

  45. Hello,
    The User’s Manual of the 850 airmag clearly says that Quick Cleaning Pellets are prohibited. Can you please explain why? What’s the safest way to clean this fixed barrel when/if shooting accuracy has decreased significantly?
    This is my first air rifle and I have a lot to learn…
    Thanks to this blog, I have already figured out that the most recommended lube for both moving parts and seals in CO2 guns is the Crosman PellGun Oil 🙂
    Thanks for all the advices provided on this bog !
    Stephan
    Belgium/EUROPE

    • Stephan,

      Welcome to the blog.

      The only reason I can think of for prohibiting cleaning pellets is they might get stuck in the mechanism.

      I would clean from the muzzle with a solid rod. But don’t clean unless necessary. This gun may never need to be cleaned because it doesn’t shoot that fast.

      B.B.

  46. BB,

    If I inadvertently pull the bolt of the 850 airmagnum too far (for instance, when inspecting the bore), then it obviously compresses the hammer spring and locks it. And I have a couple of questions that relate to this:

    a) Does that harm the hammer spring if this rifle remains cocked for a long time (i.e. several days or weeks)?

    b) Does that harm the CO2 valve if I uncock this rifle by dry-firing it (without a CO2 cartridge installed on the gun)?
    Based on what I read in your post /blog/2006/10/diagram-of-a-pneumatic-valve/ I don’t see why it would. But I prefer to ask real experts to confirm.

    Regarding the cleaning of the rifle: when I bought the rifle, the gunsmith told me to use Rem Oil Wipes for all the external parts.
    I used it for the barrel AND also for the stock. Then I had a serious doubt, as I don’t think this product should be used on synthetic stocks.
    Any thought on this?

    Going forward, I’ll probably use Ballistol to clean ALL the external parts, as it seems to be ok for polymer too.

    I try not to ask questions that others already asked before. But I’m new here, and I haven’t found the time to browse through all the articles yet 🙂

    Thanks !

    Stephan

    • Stephan,

      You are asking a question on an article that was written over 12 years ago. Come join us on the current blog which is here:

      /blog/

      Ask anything you like on any blog you choose.

      Does a coiled steel spring degrade from being fully compressed for a long time? Not too much. Unless it’s been for years I wouldn’t worry about it.

      I doubt Rem Oil, which is nothing more than a good grade of household (3-in-One) oil can harm a modern synthetic stock. But synthetics don’t need to be wiped with anything. Just keep them clean and that’s all they need.

      You are very safe with Ballistol. It is used by many armies around the world for both lubrication and rust prevention.

      B.B.

  47. Oh ok. I wasn’t sure. Didn’t want to ask a question that was off-topic on one of the recent blogs.

    To the question “Does that harm the CO2 valve if I uncock this rifle by dry-firing it (without a CO2 cartridge installed on the gun)?”, would you confirm that this rifle can be dry-fired without causing damages to the mechanisms?

    From now on, I’ll ask questions on the current blog.

    Thanks !

    Stephan

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