by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier
Umarex Forge.
This report covers:
- Crosman Premier 7.9-grain
- Baracuda Match with 4.50mm heads
- Evaluation so far
- Air Arms Falcons
- Gamo Raptor
- Cocking effort
- Trigger pull
- Barrel pivot
- Trigger
- Still good
Lots of interest in the Forge from Umarex. Many of you like the styling, as do I. Today we discover just how powerful it is. It says 1250 f.p.s. on the box, but the Pyramyd AIR website says 1050 f.p.s. We are going to discover which is right and how the Forge performs today.
Crosman Premier 7.9-grain
I started with the Crosman Premier 7.9-grain pellet. The first shot out of the barrel went 1236 f.p.s., but it was obviously an explosive detonation. Shot number 2 went out at 880 f.p.s. Already the rifle had settled down to normal.
I think some gun companies see these artificially high velocities like the first shot and rate their guns there, without realizing that’s just an anomaly of the break-in. I think they believe such velocity will help sell the gun, and to the uninitiated, it no doubt will. But it is a complete turnoff to the growing crowd of educated airgunners.
This pellet averaged 879 f.p.s. for 10 shots, disregarding that first shot. The range went from a low of 872 to a high of 883 f.p.s., so a spread of only 11 f.p.s. For a gas spring gun that’s just out of the box that is a very credible spread! At the average velocity this pellet developed 13.56 foot-pounds. That’s a little less that I expected, but still promising.
This pellet fit the breech very tight. That may be a factor in the test.
Baracuda Match with 4.50mm heads
Next I tried 10 H&N Baracuda Match 4.50mm heads. They averaged 735 f.p.s., with a spread that went from 721 to 750 f.p.s. That’s a somewhat large 29 f.p.s. At the average velocity this heavy domed pellet generated 12.78 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle.
These pellets fit the breech snug but not tight. In other words, they fit the way we like pellets to fit.
Evaluation so far
Well, the velocity on the box seems too high. I think Pyramyd AIR has tested an actual rifle and published the velocity they saw. I think it’s obvious that the top velocity was achieved with lead-free pellets, so I will try some. But first, a final go with a pellet I might actually shoot.
Air Arms Falcons
The last lead pellet I tested was the Falcon pellet from Air Arms. This one is sometimes surprisingly accurate in .177 caliber! In the Forge these averaged 922 f.p.s. The spread ranged from a low of 910 to a high of 935, so a difference of 25 f.p.s. At the average velocity they produced 13.84 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle. Falcons fit the breech a little loose.
Gamo Raptor
Now it was time to see what this Forge could do with a lightweight lead-free pellet. I chose Gamo Raptors that weigh 5.4 grains. In the forge they averaged 1098 f.p.s. The spread went from 1061 to 1131 f.p.s., which is a difference of 70 f.p.s. These pellets fit the breech all over the place — from very tight to so loose I was afraid they were going to fall though the bore! The tighter ones went the fastest. At the average velocity they generated 14.46 foot pounds of muzzle energy.
Because they fit so sloppily, I would not shoot the Raptors in the Forge. But perhaps I’ll try a different lead-free pellet when I test the accuracy, just for grins.
Cocking effort
The Forge I am testing cocks with 26 lbs. of effort. It’s efficient for a gas spring rifle, because that is a light effort.
Trigger pull
The two-stage trigger breaks at between 7 lbs. 15 oz and 8 lbs. 14 oz. It’s a little too heavy for good work. It is very crisp, though, and shooters who are used to military triggers may be able to do fine with this one. I like military triggers, and I will report on how it feels in the accuracy test.
Barrel pivot
I removed the action from the stock and slid the Nucleus Integrated Rail Platform back (with a soft hammer — it’s on tight!) to see the barrel pivot. It is a bolt with a washer! You can tighten the pivot if needed, which I had to do because this one was a bit loose. That is a sales feature that ought to be announced on the box and in the ads! It affects the accuracy potential of the rifle.
The Forge has a pivot bolt!
I also noted that the 2 screws in the forearm have Loctite on them from the factory. So, the manufacturer cares about this rifle. This is something an owner would normally have to do even on a much more expensive springer.
The Forge forearm screws come with Loctite from the factory!
I looked at the trigger and saw that it was a complex lawyerly design. Safety over everything. Well, I may have more to say about it in the accuracy test that comes next.
Still good
I am still impressed by the Forge. The velocity and power are both lower than expected, but they are not bad. They are where I would ask for them to be, if anyone asked.
I think at the heart of this rifle there is a champion waiting to show itself. I sure hope so! If the Forge is accurate, it will be over one-hundred dollars less than a Diana 34P. The Diana has the edge in power and a better trigger, but the Forge cocks easier, and, if this one is accurate, it will be a world-beater in its own right.
BB,
Is this Part 2?
If yes, your usual link to part 1 is missing.
Jim
B.B.,
I have to agree with JimQwerty123 here is the link to Part 1: /blog/2017/07/umarex-forge-combo-part-1/
You must be getting tired.
Siraniko
Jim,
Yeah — that’s a big oops!
I saw it right away.
B.B.
BB:
I would probably never noticed but I have been eagerly awaiting the 2nd installment on this rifle.
Thanks for all the great information.
Jim
Let the cacophony begin! 😉
That’s OK. We love you anyway.
This rifle certainly seems to have a lot going for it. I myself do not have any interest in it, but should one need a foster home for a bit I am sure RidgeRunner’s Home For Wayward Airguns could find some room for it for a time.
B.B.,
have you ever had a pellet drop through, resulting in a dry fire? Almost had this happen with hard-alloy Crosman Premiers in my Benjamin Trail NP2. The pellets were tight and I was using a pellet seater, but the alloy was apparently hard enough that once inserted into the lands and grooves there was very little friction. I now visually confirm the pellet is still in the breech every time I close a spring- / gas-piston barrel.
HS,
Had one in this test. Didn’t drop through — just fell out unnoticed.
B.B.
I have never tried a gas-spring rifle so I am more than casually interested in the Forge.
The 850-900 fps with a 29-30 pound cocking force sounds to be right where I would like it to be for a .177.
Being used to match grade triggers I would have to see if the trigger weight could be reduced to a more reasonable level (3 pounds max) before I would consider purchasing a Forge.
Thinking that the 10 grain JSBs might do well in the Forge, hope you try them for the accuracy testing B.B.
Hank
Hank,
I agree that the Forge trigger is too heavy — BUT. I have a Wilson Combat 1911 that has a 3 lb. trigger that reader Kevin thought was about a pound because it is so crisp and precise. There is more than weight to consider.
Let me shoot the Forge for accuracy anbd I will know a lot more about this trigger.
B.B.
Thanks Tom.
I have had some (poor) experience with heavy-trigger military rifles and shy away from them. Will wait patiently until you have time to test the Forge trigger some more.
Hank
Hank,
I constructed the shooting bench on the back porch. Still need to paint it though. To keep with my dual purpose table Kate and I had an adult beverage on it last night. Kate shot the first 10 shot group from the table with her Crosman/Sheridan 2260. It was not her best shooting by far but a little over one inch cc at 25 yards is not bad. The table is a little high for her I need get the threads loose on the seat set screw so I can adjust it up and down.
I usually overbuild things but this time I think it is just right, solid as a rock.
First time with a picture so I will see if I did it right.
Don
Don
Nice.
🙂
Don
And you know what. Looking at your bench and how you have it bolted down. That just might be a contributing factor to why people do have acurracy problems.
They don’t have their rest firmly secure.
I know I had to put some thin venier wood shims under the legs of the old end table I use in the breezeway to shoot off of. My table does not rock in any way.
The artillery hold is one thing with spring guns. But if the addition of bench wobble is there it may just cause problems.
GF1,
I shot 10 shots with Kate’s 2260 and there was no wobble at all. I don’t know if my groups will improve but I can no longer blame it on the table.
I could tell it is much more stable than the table I used before. One less variable to deal with can’t but help.
Thanks
Don
Don
Yep exactly.
Looks great Don!
My bench is free-standing and VERY heavy. 🙂
I designed it to stand on three legs so it is solid and stable. The integrated seat is built around the back leg but not attached to it so it doesn’t transmit movement to the bench and can find its own level.
I have 55 yards from the bench to the back-stop which is plenty for me right now. I can manage 100 yards if I set up my portable bench.
Thanks for sharing your picture!
Hank
Hank,
That is definitely a heavy bench, I see you also set it up for lefties. I was going to put a seat like yours on mine but decided to go for something with an adjustable height. For now I have an old cast iron tractor seat on a tripod that is adjustable and weighs about 30 or 40 pounds so it is stable also.
Nice shade too, and beautiful area. Thanks for the pictures.
Don
Don,
My son and daughter shoot left-handed so that side of the bench gets a fair amount of use.
I was admiring your tractor seat – as a teenager I spent a couple of summers working on a farm and the seat on that tractor was cast iron. I always found it to be very comfortable to sit in. Never seen one without a tractor attached to it 🙂
Hank
Good Morning B.B. Nice report,I’ve had a dry-fire w/airhawk accidentally a few times.I also try to always see the pellet in the breach as I close it,keeping action level helps.You never know when you’ll get a slightly undersize pellet.my piston seal must be some kind of tough,I certainly don’t want to push it!Also,thank goodness for blue thread-locker!
Ok so I get my UTG drooper mount and put it on my Crosman Titan GP. And I’m still shooting low (I’m calling it my super drooper), so low I’m still in the upper .25% of my scopes elevation range, and my groups are sporadic at best. So what do I do ? I’ll tell you, I turned my scope up side down. That way as I raise the elevation by turning the knob I’m tightening the internal spring. Guess what, sub inch groups with Crosman 14.3 premiers going 650 fps at twenty five yards and in the bull.
Turned the scope upside down… hmmmm that’s interesting thinking – the cross-hairs don’t care and it fixes the problem. Like it 🙂
Coduece, Have you tried using some thin shims? I optically center my scopes and shim (if required) to have the POI about an inch low at 25 feet before sighting in.
Hank
Coduece
Now that’s thinking out of the box. I think most of us who buy, and own spring piston rifles were/are faced with the “drooper” syndrome early in their shooting careers. Your idea defiantly has merit, and is a simple solution to a universal problem. Keeping the elevation turret spring from coiling ever tighter as your raise your elevation, has been an airgunners pet peeve for as long as scopes have been used on airguns.
Trying to mentally picture the image of a scope mounted upside down on an airgun can’t help but raise a chuckle too.
Ciao
Titus
Coduece
Well there you go. They should put the erector spring on top. Not on the bottom of the turret housing.
Now that’s something the scope makers should listen to and do.
I’m obviously not a scope maker. So don’t know how hard that makes it. But would be a break through I believe.
Coduece,
Very nice!!!! 😉 If you get one of those added big wheels, you could turn it so that it reads ok. I use a piece of tooth paste tube, .011″. It has a bit of squish and good grip. I believe that BB uses a piece of water bottle that measures .002″, if not mistaken.
Seriously a lot of people laugh, but it works with high mounts and exposed turrets, except you can’t read the ao scale. So till I get a different mount or a scope with more range I’m going with it. ( I mean more like 15 yards sub inch ) still best this gun has ever shot with me pulling the trigger.
Coduece,
Definitely thinking out of the box.
Siraniko
Ive been trying to figure out how to shim an 11 mm or 3/8 dovetail mount. Just put it between the receiver and base or what?
Coduece,
You can shim under the entire rear scope mount, but it works best as a shim in the saddle of the rear scope ring. The tube of the scope sits on top of it.
B.B.
That’s what I thought but I was afraid of tweaking the scope tube. That’s easy enough a metal shim or is tape ok?
Coduece,
You can use anything to create a shim that sits on the lower half of your rear scope ring as long as it doesn’t compress (flatten out over time and nullify your shimming) or scratch your scope tube. You’d need many layers of tap that could flatten over time and most metal shims could scratch your scope tube.
Cutting strips from plastic bottles works well. Folding tin foil accordion style until you have twice the thickness you need and then tapping it down lightly with hammer to compress it before trimming to fit works well too.
Personally, I’d bend the barrel on the Titan GP and forget about shimming your scope.
Bend the barrel ??? Ok there’s a blog topic for sure.
Found it 07/2012
Been crazy busy this week. Just now reading the blog.
First glad to see they have a pivot bolt that can be tightened when needed. And also good to see the blue Loctite on the screws. As always with me. Waiting for the accuracy report.
And last got the cleaning pellets and #8 birdshot today. Won’t be able to do anything today and probably not tomorrow. But going to try for sure Saturday with the 760. And I have to say that this week I did get a few horse fly’s and wasps in the breezeway with the 760 and table salt. All I can say is DOA.
GF1,
I have never had a use for the 760, although my son has one from when he was a kid that he loves it (highly modified over the years).
With the cost of the 760 I may be thinking of upgrading from the Bugasalt I got for my birthday. It can be exciting going after hornets and wasps that can fight back. I can’t believe they but an automatic safety on a pump shotgun (Bugasalt). I need to disable it, almost broke the trigger a couple of times on the second shot at a hornet.
With the 760 I would be able to stay at a safer distance, but a second shot would take too long. Sounds like you are working up a load that would not need a second shot.
I am thinking about some blasting sand, for the Bugasalt it comes in many different sizes and materials. One bag would last a long time.
Those cleaning pellets are not cheap, can you reuse them? You must need a ramrod to seat the wad on top of the shot. I like the straw idea with the preloaded cartridge. need a way to crimp the end or hold the shot while carrying them around.
Will be waiting for your progress on the magnum bug killer.
Don
Don
I’m shooting about a 1/8th teaspoon of table salt at 1 pump or 2 pumps at 3-6 feet and about 1/4 teaspoon at 3 pumps indoors at around 8-9 feet.
Outside I ended up needing about a 1/2 teaspoon of table salt at around 8 pumps. Oh and wadding up about a 1″ square of paper towel loaded like you would a pellet. Then pour the salt down the barrel. Every wasp and horse fly I shot at I hit and it was done. And that was inside and outside with the loads and pumps I just mentioned.
What I’m going to do with the #8 birdshot and cleaning pellets is try to dispatch some feild mice in the yard around 5-10 yards.
I got to the Air Venturi cleaning pellets which are like $5.95 for a hundred. I believe I can cut them in half. So probably 200 shots I can get with the cleaning pellets is what I’m thinking. Going to load the cleaning pellet like a normal pellet. Then load the bird shot down the muzzle end of the barrel. And I think I will also take some of that paper towel wadded up into a ball and push it down the muzzle to keep the birdshot from rolling out the muzzle. Then got to mess with how much birdshot to use.
So really not worried about the cost of the cleaning pellets. I won’t be shooting it often. Only when I see a feild mouse in the yard. And also I might just use paper towel wadded up into ball and loaded like a pellet instead of the cleaning pellet. That might reduce the weight of the load also if weight to power ends up being a issue. But I believe at 10 pumps with the smooth bore there shouldn’t be alot of drag in the barrel.
Who knows. Just have to see how it goes. And not even thinking about comparing it to a firearm shot gun. I just want it to be effective at the 5-10 yards. The feild mice like to hide in the conners of the house and by the flowers. So I can actually get pretty close to them. The biggest thing is I got to scare them out of the flowers and running so I don’t blast the flowers. You don’t know how much trouble I’ll be in if I blast my wife’s flowers. That would end that ball game for sure. 🙂
Yea, I am not looking forward to trimming the wife’s trees and bushes so I can see back out to my 46 yard range. Now with the new table it will be less than 46 yards. If I move a fence I can get to 50 yards, That is where I would like to be. My thermometer hit 111 deg today with 30% humidity; that shut down my shooting and trimming.
Don
Went through that hot stuff the last week and a half. We are finally back in the mid 90’s.
But yep I know. Bummer to clear the shooting range but worth it in the end.
GF 1,
You could easily make a punch out of a piece of metal tubing and cut disks from plastic lids or Styrofoam to use as an over the shot wad.
Bugbuster
Bugbuster
Yep that would work for making up some cartridges like Coduece did out of plastic drinking straws. But would be hard to push down the barrel if you was muzzle loading your birdshot.
But read the weekend blog today. I made a comment about my results today towards the bottom.
Don
And I forget to mention Rambler used some kosher salt when we was talking about this the other day. He had good results outside with some wasps. I think it’s courser and heavier than table salt. So it may be the best to use for the 760 anyway. Not sure if the bug a salt would make enough power.
And Coduece mentioned he tryed a drinking straw as like a little shot shell and worked fairly good out of the gun he used. I forget what gun now he said he used but it wasn’t a 760.
Hopefully they can give a better update on what they did than I can remember. Either way kind of fun actually.
GF1,
Based on Ramblers advice I have been using Kosher salt in my Bugasalt.
There are at least three sandblasting media that may be good for bugs:
1. Walnut shells 20 grit they should work good.
2. Plastic (urea) about 40 grit these would be good if they work.
3. Ground up corn cobs ?? will give it a try if I find some.
The problem with the above materials is I don’t want to buy 25-50 pounds just to try it out. I think I will visit a local sandblasting shop and see if I can talk them out of a few ounces to test out.
I was trying to get away from the corrosive salt and use something else.
Don
Don
True on the salt. But not really worried about the 760 I have. And Crosman barrels are actually pretty cheap if it would mess up the barrel.
What do you think would happen to a 760 smooth bore barrel with bc the corrosion anyway. Mayb shooting a few lead pellets or even some steel bb’s might just get it out of the barrel.
And I’m guessing that your not worried about the accuracy on your 760 if you went back to bb’s or pellets anyway.
And thinking about it some more. Does the bug a salt have a plastic or metal barrel? Wonder if salt would eat at the plastic barrel?
GF1,
Yep agree. Was thinking about metal around windows and other areas when shooting bugs.
Don
Ok yep agree with that too. My breezeway is all wood inside. And hav not s en any damage to the wood yet.
And was wondering if the salt would sand blast the glass where the salt hit. But no damage to the window yet either.
Don,
I used a small, short wood screw to hold my Bug-A-Salt safety in the off position. Works great and can be removed if desired.
Hank
Hank,
Glad to know that worked, I was thinking of doing the same thing.
Don
Benji-Don,
DO NOT USE ANY ABRASIVE MATERIAL IN YOUR BUGASALT! The salt metering valve is all plastic and will bind immediately with the first shot! I thought the same thing with my gen I and tried glass beads, big no-no! I currently have the new gen II model and only use coarse sea salt (bugshot) with no problems. I was able to disassemble the gen I and repair it but it is not recommended to disassemble the more powerful gen II model. The safety on the gen II model works exactly opposite of the gen I and is easier to use.
Bugbuster
Bugbuster,
THANKS, you saved me some trouble, and time. I did talk to someone a couple weeks ago that was using sand with no trouble. I don’t know the particulars, he may have ruined his Bugasalt by now.
Don
Benji-Don,
Just glad that you was able to read my reply before trying the sand, it will save you a whole lot of grief. Sliding plastic parts under weak spring pressure do not work for very long when abrasive grit is introduced.
Bugbuster
Coduece
Congratulations for two reasons. First and foremost you went outside the box of mental correctness and turned the scope upside down and has all the manufacturers scrambling to print their stuff on the opposite side that up to now was hidden from view. Next you now have an airgun with decent accuracy! Lots of readers and manufacturers are winners thanks to you.
PS: May have to use an upside down tool to adjust the verticle.
Way to go!
Decksniper
Decksniper
All that’s needed would be put the spring on the top with the scope mounted as normal .
Gunfun1
Good morning.
Where would the tension nobs be located if spring (springs in some scopes) location was reversed?
Decksniper
Decksniper
Same place on the knobs. The spring would change location. It would be 45° to the top right of the turret housing instead of bottom left.
Beautiful rifle. Pitty it wastes all that power on 177.
I have a question if you were stranded on a deserted tropical island with nothing but the clothes on your back, a Marauder air rifle, ( caliber of your choice) and an unopened tin of Crosman Premier pellets how would you open the tin of pellets?