by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier
Beeman QB Chief precharged pneumatic air rifle.
This report covers:
- The test
- Sight-in
- Baracuda Match
- JSB Exact Heavy
- JSB Beasts
- Conclusion
- What now?
Happy birthday, United States of America!
Today I am testing the Beeman QB Chief precharged pneumatic air rifle for accuracy at 25 yards. I mounted the UTG 3-12X32 Bug Buster scope, which looks and feels ideal for this rifle. I can’t think of a better match. It comes with Weaver/Picatinny rings, but since the Chief has 11mm dovetails, and since I had the scope already installed in UTG Accu-Sync 11mm rings for the Dragonfly test, I just switched the scope to the QB Chief.
The test
Today’s test will be at 25 yards off a rest. The trigger was adjusted in Part 4, so the rifle should be ready to go.
Sight-in
I took one shot to sight in. It landed at 9 o’clock — in line with the center of the bull for elevation at 12 feet and to the left. So the first shot at 25 yards would be high and left, which it was.
Baracuda Match
It took 4 shots to get on target and I know the rifle has about 15 good shots per 2000 psi fill, so I shot the first group without filling after sight-in. The first pellet tested was the H&N Baracuda Match with 4.50mm head. It was also the sight-in pellet. I tried to keep from shooting out the center of the bull, which was the aim point, so I accepted a group to the left of center.
Ten shots landed in the group measuring 0.334-inches between centers. That’s a screamer — especially when you consider the low cost of the rifle that did it! This doesn’t happen a lot, but when it does I celebrate it.
At 25 yards the Beeman QB Chief put 10 H&N Baracuda Match pellets into a group that measures 0.334-inches between the two widest centers. If ever a group deserved the trime, this is it!
I wondered whether this trend would continue. The next pellet might tell.
JSB Exact Heavy
The next pellet to be tested was the 10.34-grain JSB Exact Heavy. At 10 meters they gave me the best group of the test, so I had high hopes for them here. Unfortunately, this was not their day. I held tight on the target and watched as 10 pellets scattered around into a 0.84-inch group. I was amazed to see them moving around so much on target, but the fact is, they did. This is not a pellet for this rifle.
Ten JSB Exact Heavy pellets made this 0.84-inch group at 25 yards.
JSB Beasts
Okay, I only had one pellet left. I had tested 10.5-grain Crosman Premier Heavy pellets at 10 yards, but they gave me the largest group that was also elongated vertically. So I didn’t have any hope for them. But JSB Exact Beasts did good enough to warrant a test at 25 yards.
And they proved out! Ten Beasts went into 0.36-inches at 25 yards. The Beasts are great because they deliver almost 23 foot-pounds in the QB Chief in .177 caliber. That’s smokin’ hot! If I owned this rifle, this is the pellet I would have it sighted for.
0
Ten JSB Beasts went into 0.36-inches at 25 yards. This is the pellet to trust.
Conclusion
Well, this day was an eye opener for me! I never expected an inexpensive air rifle to shoot this well. Adjusting the trigger did help me enjoy the experience more, though it didn’t make the rifle any more accurate.
What now?
I was prepared to end this report at this point, but I can’t. Not with the accuracy we see here. The Beeman QB Chief PCP will be going out to 50 yards next.
B.B.,
Looking at the target results and the weight of the pellets one could jump to the conclusion that this PCP air rifle likes heavyweight pellets if it were not for the poor showing of the 10.5-grain Crosman Premier Heavy. Then again the manufacturing standards of the pellets tested have been previously shown to to have a higher level of consistency within a tin.
Siraniko
Siraniko
I think there is something to the shape of the JSB beast pellets. That’s the same shape as the JSB 10.34 heavy pellets I like. They always have worked good in the guns I tryed them in.
Hopefully BB’s 50 yard test will come out good. I have faith. 🙂
B.B. and all your readers,
Happy 4th of July!
-Yogi
BB
Yep that’s what kind of results I like to see. Depending on what the 50 yard groups show. It’s looking like it would be a keeper for me so far.
B.B.,
Fine, fine shooting! I will take a dime (or even a trime) at 25 yards any day of the week. Very much looking forwards to the 50 yard.
Good Day to you and to all,…. Chris
BB,
Great results! Now I am going to have to dig back through and see how the Maximus, Discovery and Stormrider did. It is nice to see that the manufacturers are finally producing relatively inexpensive PCPs that perform.
RidgeRunner,
Maximus @ 25 yards on BB’s review: Five Baracuda Match pellets with 4.53mm heads went into 0.323-inches at 25 yards.
Discovery: one group of .177 JSB Exacts at 25 yards was quite astounding, measuring 0.234″.
Stormrider: JSB Exact Jumbo Heavys landed in 0.595-inches at 25 yards! (NOTE- the Stormrider was 22 cal, not 177)
Beeman QB Chief: 10 H&N Baracuda Match pellets into a group that measures 0.334-inches
Ridge,
also keep in mind the Maximus was 5 shot groups. I don’t remember why it was just 5 shot groups instead of ten.
Doc
Doc,
Thanks for that info. I myself would likely choose the Maximus over the Chief, but I think I am going to wait on the Fortitude. With any of the three I could swap out the barrels with a LW if I am not happy, but the Fortitude has all of the bells and whistles I will end up wanting in a light, compact, inexpensive package. We’ll see.
Man! It sounds like we really missed out on an awesome event!
https://hardairmagazine.com/news/2018-midwest-airgun-show-report/
OK Carl. How did it go?
R.R.
The show was great, I learned a lot will probably be back next year. I sold 18 targets which was right in the middle of best case and worse case scenarios. I haven’t gotten an attendance report but my guess is about 300 or more showed up. I was pretty nervous initially as I’m definitely not the salesman type but I got over it pretty quick. I’m seriously interested in going to other shows.
Carl
And you didn’t even read about it to learn. You were there and did it. How about that.
That’s info you can pass along. But it still doesn’t compare to being there and doing.
Carl,
I am glad you had a great time and even sold a few, maybe enough to pay for the koozies. If I had thought of it I would have told you to pick up that Webley for me. 😉
Happy 4th!!
Excellent shooting B.B.!
For it’s price point, I’m very impressed with the performance of the QB-Chief. Curious how it will do at 50 yards but in reality, sub 4-tenths inch groups @ 25 yards is more than enough accuracy for pesting, plinking, and hunting where most shots are taken at less than that distance.
People looking at getting in to PCPs have some nice reasonably priced rifles to choose from. Glad (and a bit jealous) for that.
Cheers!
Hank
By the way. If any of you are trying to figure out what to get me for Christmas this year, in the fifth picture down there are a group of air pistols on a table. In the center of the picture are two Webley’s in boxes. The upper one would make an excellent Christmas gift for me. That is the model I had in my childhood and so foolishly let slip away.
https://hardairmagazine.com/news/2018-midwest-airgun-show-report/
The QB variants from CO2 78 to Gauntlet keep showing Shanghai realy knows how to make an airgun barrel. It will be real interesting to see if the .25 cal Gauntlet’s tooling will live up to this.
Huklbery
I have a QB79 running on a regulated 13 cubic inch bottle and my .177 Gauntlet. The 79 is pretty good. But my Gauntlet is just totally amazing. I mean it really shoots good.
What I wish would hurry up and come available is the .25 caliber Gauntlet. If it’s as accurate as my .177 Gauntlet I will for sure keep it. Now I won’t get rid of my .25 Condor SS by know means to replace it with a .25 Gauntlet. But I will add it to my collection of accurate guns.
And I’ll say this. I’m a Marauder fan. I had all 3 calibers in gen 1 and 2. But the Gauntlet I have has definitely won me over.
Hmm Gunfun1 has turned into a collector. Accurate gun collecting. 🙂
B.B.,
As my dad would have exclaimed, “Man Alive!”
This Chief deserves its name for certain. I can’t wait to see how it does at 50 yards, and I can never even shoot at 50 yards.
Michael
Thought I would post this just in case anyone is interested.
Just got a email from Crosman. Here’s what it is about. This makes it awful tempting for me to make a order.
20% off 1300KT, 2300KT, and 2400KT Custom Shop guns + FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $75
This isn’t a link. I just copied it from the email.
Everyone have a safe 4th of July.
Definitely one of my most favorite holidays.
What can I say. I like things that goo boom. 🙂
Well there’s a good one.
Goo boom. 🙂
And that was me. Not my phone.
Maybe I should of added more o’s.
Goooo boom!
Happy Independence Day!
Great test BB!
Certainly is a rifle that would not disappoint a new airgun shooter. Good looks in the traditional vein and at 2,000 PSI fill presure 3,000 PSI SCUBA tank and hand pump friendly! All that and potentially highly accurate with the right pellet(s)…
At an affordable price point for a PCP too; hopefully the build quality will remain high when they start flying off the shelves!
Looking forward to when you reach out to 50!
Shootski
Shootski
You just gave me a scary thought.
We all want to see what happens with a air gun at 50 yards. Why? Is that something a air gun can’t do?
I hope a air gun can. That’s why I look at air guns. They usually are more accurate at 50 yards than some firearms. They are usually cheaper to shoot then firearms too. And quieter.
For me a air gun to fall into my collection of accurate air guns now days does need to meet the criteria I mentioned about air guns. And in reality I like a a100 yard air gun.
And I’m not trying to belittle the Chief. Because I think it’s one I could own and keep. But 50 yards should be doable as a accurate air gun.
And I noticed something else. BB shot the group’s with the Chief on todays blog and we think the groups are good at 25 yards. So we all must have some standard in our minds of what a accurate air gun is at a certain distance.
But we sure do like when the groups are small. And why wouldn’t we. But what does everyone think should be a good group at different distances with a air gun. I bet those answers will very.
I thing an accurate airgun should be capable of 1″ groups at 25 yards, and a very accurate airgun capable of 1″ groups at 50 yards. Beyond 50 yards, 1″ groups would just be frosting on the cake. Since getting a PCP this spring, my expectations for small groups have shrunken from what I initially believed.
Geo
I like how you put that. “From what you initially believed.”
The more you actually do the more you see. No matter what anyone has written or talked about.
Your own experience will always trump what other people say or tell you to try.
Don’t get me wrong it’s fun to read and hear what people do and what has worked in the past or not worked. But doing is what gives you exsperiance. And seeing those exsperiances gives you confidence of what works for (you). Not what others have done.
Amen…you asked the question about small groups so I thought I would give you my thoughts.
I still can’t believe Hajimoto was able to hit those aspirins at 50 yards. That is certainly a challenge.
Geo
And I’ll bet he shoots alot. The more you shoot the more you learn.
Gunfun1,
BIG Fireworks are over for tonight just partying is starting but saw your post; think that 50 has to do with how far most folks get to shoot most of the time.
Why these common distances; 25, 50 or even 100? From a benched gun most airgunners can get 25 or so, a lucky few get groups at 50 and far fewer can find a 100 range. That lets them know their weapon can probably do some size group off hand at some shorter distance. It also lets them do comparisons…with other shooters reported results. You know how that has negative effects on their CONFIDENCE! You also know my position is that PBs (Personal Best) is all I’m interested in because how gooder some other person shoots doesn’t help me get my next PB! SMH! How many shooters shoot themselves in the foot with useless comparisons that only break their shooting CONFIDENCE.
I am lucky an can shoot indoors out to 100M and outdoors to 1,000M on regulation ranges. With my Son and his wife we have places that allow well beyond 2,000M. I’m working my big Bores and hope to lob some out beyond 600M next. It is a race between the .308 and the .458; my .575 will probably never got beyond 200M unless I spring for Helium at $1-2.00 per cubic foot…probably won’t happen unless I win the lottery!
Group sizes should be basd on each of our PB and always be getting smaller! That’s my wish for all of the readers of this blog…and BB too!
Happy Independence Day.
shootski
Shootski
A person’s PB is a good way to base I guess I will say progress.
But then also when a person shoots let’s say a field target match they know they have to achieve a certain accuracy from theirself and the gun. So what I’m getting at. Is also what your shooting at has to play a part in deciding how well a gun should group at a given distance.
All in all. The more you do something and see results and repeat them. The more confident you become with what your doing. As it’s said. Practice makes perfect.
Oh well as long as we are happy and having fun. That’s what counts the most.
Shootski,
Well said. I do not compete, but for anyone that does,.. knowing what you have to beat (group size/points) is a solid reason to compare,.. of course.
For me, I do compare to what others are getting with the same gun. If someone says that can do 1″ at 100 yards with a .25 Marauder,.. then that at least gives me something to try for. If I can not do it, then the other person is just better shooter, more practiced or has a better gun, or was plain lucky. As you say, I try to beat my personal best and always strive to repeat it and better it.
Despite minimal practice, I find that I do (very) well when fully alert and very relaxed. No hurry, no rush, no pressure.
On luck, I call that Luck of the Landing,… when all of the variables that can work against you,.. just so happen to converge and work for you. Those are good days! 🙂
200m+ sounds interesting. Please keep us posted when you get around to that. You might be an exclusive with your gun selection and long distance. Guest blog worthy I say.
Chris
Chris
The reason I brought up accuracy.
Is what is acceptable from one gun and a given type of shooting and target will be different for another type of shooting and target.
So the right gun for a specific be shooting is needed. And it needs to be (accurate enough) for that type of shooting.
Next is getting to the point that you have to perform with acceptable enough accuracy. Or how well you can repeat results.
Of course the better we can shoot and the smallest group we can get from a given gun the better. But it doesn’t always have to be that precise on accuracy.
So that’s why I brought up the point about what is a acceptable accuracy at different distances.
Chris,
I’m pretty certain that some Big Bore shooters have shot longer barreled DAQ .458 rifles out to 700.
Of course I posted the link to the guy shooting the Air Force Texan .457 out to 1,250 using the Cold Shot with either 72 Mlliradiansor 300 MOA of elevation with adjustable base. I’m trying to save up to buy at last one of those and maybe two if I’m really good at pinching my $$$. Just cranking the elevation, hold over and shimming (even adjustable rings) will not give enough adjustment to reach out beyond about 500.
It isn’t rocket science but it is ballistics which isn’t anything to sneeze at!
shootski
Shootski
Read my reply to Chris.
Gunfun1
We all shoot for different reasons but if it isn’t fun, why do it?
Unless we need to put meat on the table.
Or we like game meat over the Pink Slime some stores sell, Lol!
Enjoy your days off.
shootski
Shootski
True. And thanks. Seems I’m busyer here being off then going to work. About got things done this morning then it’s shoot’n time for me. 🙂
And I agree with Chris. I would like to see you do a guest blog on long range shooting your guns.
WOW, what a sweet surprise. One of the lowest priced PCP (Not counting the lowered powered wildfire) is really doing well! I would hope if the 177 cal Chief is doing so well, so would one in a 22 cal?! Also if this Chief likes such heavy pellets, I wonder if the same would hold true in 22 cal, or not so much because 22 cal are heavier anyway.
Can’t wait for the 50 yr test.
Doc
Benjamin (Crosman) um this gun did well and is $60 less than a Maximus that doesn’t have a wood stock. Hint Hint.
Doc
Doc
The QB guns seem to be the exception from the normal China product. Including the Gauntlet.
To me it seems they have something going for them that the other China (I’ll say it direct this time) guns don’t.
Maybe they found the right connection to get the guns made right. Maybe someone with the right knowledge got hired to make these guns work.
And come to think about it. The latest guns from the QB line have been pretty good. I know there has been a following of those gun’s that people say they are nice. But I think even more so here lately.
Not too surprised at the QB Chief’s performance. From the tests I’ve read, and videos I’ve seen, it’s a very accurate air rifle. If I was too get a PCP air rifle, it would have to be one that is able to use a hand pump, and would probably be a Chief, or a Maximus.
Birdmove
And think about the Gauntlet.
You can pump it to only 1500 psi or even less and get a good 20 shots per fill because of the regulated HPA bottle it uses.
My Gauntlet will still hold poi (point of aim) at 50 yards with 100 Pai left in the gun.
And as it goes. Talk is cheap. You have to try one to see what I mean.
With 1000 psi left in the gun.
Yes, and don’t forget the Urban. It’s a high quality PCP for under $300 make in the UK.
Geo
There has been a boom in reasonably priced nice guns lately hasn’t there. And that’s a good thing for us air gunners.