by B.B. Pelletier
Hot on the heels of the Renegade rifle test, I’m now testing the Renegade pistol. In the photo, the pistol may appear normal size, but looks are deceiving. This is a very large air pistol. That said, it isn’t any larger than the Falcon, Daystate or Air Arms PCP pistols that have sold over the past 15 years. To work at all efficiently, a pneumatic pistol needs some size for barrel length (to achieve acceleration of the pellet) and for reservoir capacity.
Because there may be some crossover interest in other Renegade guns, I’m giving you the links to all five reports for the rifle.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
The Renegade system is new to Evanix airguns, which until now have been the latest versions of the AR6 family of Korean pneumatic rifles and its associated relatives. The Renegade is a departure because, for the first time, the double-action trigger-pull is feasible to use. That means you get up to 6 quick shots by just pulling the trigger. How fast they happen is up to you.
Precharged air pistols have not been plentiful up until now, and the few that existed were nearly always very expensive – as in $700 and more. There has been an AR6 air pistol for at least the past 8 years, but for a long time it was based on the rifle and was little more than a cut-down carbine. On the plus side, it developed 50 foot-pounds. On the minus, it was as large as a small carbine. The current AR6 pistol looks very similar to the Renegade, with the difference being it is a little more powerful but doesn’t have the double-action facility.
The Renegade pistol is sized as a real pistol, weighing a trifle over 3 lbs. without sights. The grip is sized for the average hand, though shooters having larger hands should find it handy because there is an abundance of gripping surface. Your fingers have places to go if they wrap around farther than average.
Appearance
You cannot fault this pistol for looks! The wood stock is finely crafted of light walnut with panels of fine checkering on either side of the grip. There are scalloped finger grooves on the front of the grip. The triggerguard is formed from the wood in a single piece, adding style to an attractive piece. All metal parts are polished and deeply blued in the equal of a good European finish. This is an airgun of which to be proud.
Function
As with the rifle, the trigger doesn’t work properly until the rifle is pressurized. Since that is the state in which you should always maintain it, you won’t notice anything except when the pistol is brand new or has just been received from a common carrier.
If you want to fill from a hand pump when the gun is empty, the hammer must be cocked first. Always put the safety on when you do this; and, for extra safety, remove the cylinder. Without the cylinder, the pistol cannot shoot anything but air.
The air intake port is at the front of the pistol under the free-floated barrel. It has a captive cover that simply has to be rotated open when you want to insert the fill probe.
Sights
There are no sights on the pistol, so either a scope or dot sight must be added. This is one time you will want to use a real pistol scope for the added eye relief. I don’t have one, so I plan to use the Leapers UTG Tactedge 4×40 scope, whose long-eye relief will at least let me hold the gun 5″ from my eye. The pistol has a conventional 11mm dovetail on top of the aluminum receiver, and of course recoil is not a problem.
Performance
No shooting in this report, but let’s all get ready for it. This is an air pistol, so it’s not going to get a large number of powerful shots. Because of the small reservoir and short 10″ barrel (short compared to a rifle, that is), it will either get a few powerful shots or many low-powered ones. Knowing where this one came from, I’m pretty sure it will get fewer more powerful shots. The specs say 841 f.p.s. in .22 caliber with a 14-grain pellet. We’ll compare our stats with theirs, plus I think we’ll see a difference between single-action and double-action power. I’ll document that, as well.
This pistol is meant for hunting, pure and simple. It’s not for target shooting, and no formal air pistol sport will tolerate power like this Renegade delivers, but it’s perfect for hunters. So, once again, the goal will be long-range accuracy.
This should be interesting!
Interested to see how this one turns out. I have a soft spot for hand gun hunting, although I have never tried it. In CT it is legal to hunt small game with a handgun on state land as long as the caliber is no greater than a .22 lr. I’m leery though of shooting .22lr around here for safety issues. This one seems like it could be the ticket.
Al in CT
B.B.
That is a fine looking pistol, you know I love wood on a gun.. It might be the first pistol I buy..
I've never used a dot sight, how does it compare with a pistol scope for ease of use, and quickness of getting a shot on target.
It seems like it would be hard to use a scope on a pistol, unless you brought it close to your eye with a left arm crossed and the gun laying in the crook of the arm, like FT sitting position. How do YOU hold a hunting pistol with a scope?
If this is for hunting only, and this was your only hunting gun, which would you use the dot or a real pistol scope and which pistol scope or red dot, if price was not an problem..
Wayne,
AARR&R
Wayne,
The reason I’m using a rifle scope on this pistol is to do it full justice. A dot sight is better, but the accuracy will not be as great because the dot covers too much of the target.
I would not use a rifle scope for hunting. but your hold seems as good as many. Another hold has your left hand holding the rear of the scope up to your eyer, but that’s for short-focus scopes.
B.B.
B.B.
Nice-looking pistol. This sounds ideal for Elmer Keith imitations.
Here are the first shots fired from my M1! 20 shots at 50 yards. The grid squares are one inch on a side.
http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp235/blargho_2008/
m1.jpg
Touching off that first shot after months of waiting and years of reading about this gun was almost indescribable. I understand what everyone was talking about. This is a fantastic gun. As for the grouping, considering that this is only the second time that I have shot at 50 yards, the first time with a rifle of this power, that the sun was in my eyes and caused my goggles to steam, and that without a spotting scope, I couldn’t see where the rounds were landing, I think that this says a lot for the Greek surplus ammo from the CMP. It is ’73 vintage and flawless. At 30 cents a round, buy it while you can.
Here are groups from my 1911 fired at 7 yards.
http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp235/blargho_2008/
45.jpg
As you can see, there’s a bit of vertical stringing. I was able to put the thumb over the safety, and after my snap cap practice it felt quite natural. Without it, I would have been all over the place. Is there another cure for muzzle flip besides repeated practice? Thanks.
Matt61
Matt,
Glad you like your Garand. It’s a fine rifle that hasn’t yet outlived its usefulness. And the way it eats recoil is astounding.
As far as reducing you group size with the 45, I’m afraid practice is the only method. A day will come when you feel the gun has almost zero recoil – well that’s not true – you just won’t mind the recoil it has. I’m there now and I love this gun!
B.B.
B.B.
Yes, the Garand is amazing. I decided to go with this particular rifle because I wanted the direct product of the genius, John Garand, rather than accumulated improvements over time, and I believe I was right. It’s amazing how wrong the popular wisdom on the internet is about this rifle in particular that business about the impossibility of loading single rounds. I do that every night and it’s easy, and the notion that the sound of the clip ejecting caused many soldier fatalities seems nonsensical. If those are the only criticisms, that speaks to the quality of this rifle.
One question I have, though, is how to work the rear sight. On this point, the otherwise good CMP manual is completely incomprehensible. The windage knob on the rifle is clear enough; it has “right” labeled on it. But the elevation knob has no markings at all. It’s operation seems to rotate the rear sight forward and back rather than up and down, and I can’t deduce how that would affect elevation. I suppose I could figure it out through trial and error, but directions would save me a lot of ammo.
I’m curious if there’s a reason why it was so difficult to produce a semiautomatic rifle. Apparently Garand worked for almost 2 decades on his design in the face of much criticism that it couldn’t be done, and I’ve read that even after WWII, the Russians had great difficulty with a semiautomatic design before Kalashnikov showed up. Given that there were designs for machine guns and semiauto pistols before WWI, you would think that the engineering problem was bracketed in terms of caliber and rate of fire and that it was just a matter of adaptation.
Yes, the Bill Wilson tape said that the 1911 is easily controllable with the right technique, and I can see that. I found that directly compensating for recoil caused me to heel the gun and drop the shots low, so it will be a gradual learning process. But that will be all the more fun. It was your articles on the Taurus that turned the 1911 from a vague future project into reality. Thanks.
BG_Farmer, you’re the man with your advice about high-powered recoil. I’ve found that the soft absorption of recoil by the body which you recommended works well for me and makes a good link with the spring guns that I mostly practice on. Thanks.
Matt61
Matt,
You’re making this too complex! Just twist the adjustment knob and observe which way the aperture goes. The rear sight always moves as you want the bullet to.
The story of the development of the Garand is a long and complex one. It’s a wonder it ended up as good as it was. It could just as easily have turned out like the M16.
For a really neat story, check out War Baby, vol. 1, the development of the M1 carbine.
B.B.
B.B.
The elevation knob makes the aperture go forward and back instead of up and down; I’ve never seen anything like this. But I suppose I can figure it out at the range easily enough.
Yes, I’m revising upward my opinion of the M1 carbine and will have a look at War Baby.
Matt61
Matt,
The stalk is a curved inclined plane. It also goes up and down. Look at it from the side as you adjust it.
B.B.
Wayne,
Did you win the HW35L? If so, let me know how it shoots once you have it. My other concern was the rear sight was dialed all the way up in the photo. I have seen this done to compensate for a barrel with an upward bend.
Or maybe the last owner was shooting at 70 yards? Hard to tell, Gunbroker always makes me a little paranoid.
B.B.,
Looks like Santa has come this year. Many thanks.
Volvo
Volvo,
No, someone wanted it more.. I just use the auto bid thing with my max, and let it go.. my email tells me if I get over bid, or I won..
The only one I really care hugely if I won or not was the HW-55T B.B. is blogging now… I was biting nails so to speak.. but it didn’t even get to my max. so whoopee!! But don’t tell B.B…a little bird said he is interested in it for his already crowded closet..
But then again, we both helped make a little room in that closet, didn’t we….hmmmm.. long range planning at hand here maybe..
I heard someone say something like “You never own a gun, you just keep it for a while, until someone else keeps it for a while”… or something like that, I didn’t look it up..
Wayne,
Ashland Air Rifle Range
BB
I wrote a few weeks ago about my TX200 not shooting accurately and you suggested some pellets, I’ve been using them and they are working great! My 5-shot groups are down to 1/4 inch or one hole at 25 yards with the JSB 10.4g. My main reason for posting was to see if there were any trigger replacements or some way to bring the pull weight down.
Dan
Yeah Dan!
It’s a great gun, isn’t it? I think the trigger is adjustable, but B.B. or the manual will have to tell you how.. But doesn’t it feel good to finally get the groups, after all the worry it was the gun.. I know that feeling, from it happening many times to me..
Wayne,
Ashland Air Rifle Range
Ya i love, It is adjustable and I’ve played with it but its still much heavier then the TX.
Oh i forgot to add that i was talking about my Falcon Hunter trigger… duh.
Matt,
You’re welcome re: recoil; glad I could help.
Wayne,
Part of the way I maximize my investment in guns is to own them forever and ever.
Matt61
Matt61,
Very good then, where do I sign up to live forever and ever… I heard about it but I haven’t seen it yet..
Wayne
Matt61,
Regarding your question on the M1 sights, there’s an old War Department film at the Internet Archive that should answer your question:
http://www.archive.org/details/Rifle_Marksmanship_with_M1_Rifle_Part_1
Circa 1942. Classic.
Bob in CA
Dan,
The TX 200 has the finest trigger of almost any sporting spring rifle. Only the Whiscombe is better. The TX trigger is a more adjustable copy of the famous Rekord.
Adjust the trigger per the instructions that came with the rifle and you’ll like it.
B.B.
BB
I meant to say the trigger on my Falcon Hunter.
Dan
Dan,
Oh, well, that’s a different trigger, isn’t it? What about a GRT III?
B.B.
Hi B.B.,
I was surprised you were testing the Renegade with a rifle scope. Doesn’t PA outfit it with a BSA pistol scope? It seems awkward imagining you sighting it all cramped up.. We talked before about a Leaper’s pistol scope that never really hit the market. I emailed a rep and got word that the Leaper’s model SCP-2732ML1 (Pyramyd carries this) is an extended eye relief model of the 5th Generation series and it’s variable. I was thinking for my scout set-up, but it sounds like a good mate to the Renegade.. It’s great to see a pistol with some serious punch. How about coaxing Crosman into making their 2240 into a PCP? I’d love to see the innovation that went into the Discovery going into the most customizable pistol on the market.
Western PA,
I just have the pistol, so I’m making do. The scope I’ve selected is no drawback.
Turn the 2240 into a PCP? Interesting concept. Who knows what could happen?
B.B.
BB
GRT III won’t fit.
Dan
Dan,
Then I’m afraid you’ll have to find someone to tune the trigger. I don’t know of anyone who does it.
B.B.
Dan,
I just got a BSA XL back from Rich in Mich that had a very bad trigger. My first shot with it almost went in the chrony. (It’s way lighter than I would of thought possible.) While it’s not as crisp as a tuned Rekord, I can shoot the rifle 100% better.
It seems he works on almost make. He is also quick to correspond to e-mails.
Depending on what I’m having done, I send only the barrel and receiver. This will cut shipping almost in half.
Volvo
Volvo
I’ll look into it thanks.
Dan