by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier
Stoeger S4000E breakbarrel rifle.
This report covers:
- RWS Hobby
- Gamo Raptor
- RWS Superdome
- Beeman Kodiak
- Firing behavior
- Trigger pull
- Cocking effort
- Overall impressions
- Summary
Today we look at the power of the Stoeger S4000E. If you remember from Part 1 the .22 caliber rifle I am testing is supposed to get 1,000 f.p.s. with alloy pellets and 800 f.p.s. with light lead pellets. Let’s see.
RWS Hobby
First up are RWS Hobby pellets. This 11.9-grain wadcutter pellet is one of the lightest lead pellets around in .22 caliber. They chambered very snugly and averaged 801 f.p.s., so Stoeger’s velocity claim is upheld.
The variation went from a low of 781 to a high of 838 f.p.s That’s a spread of 57 f.p.s. which is high, but the rifle is brand new. After it settles in the spread will be tighter.
At the average velocity the Hobby generates 16.96 foot-pounds of energy. That’s a nice place to be for accuracy and consistency.
Gamo Raptor
For the synthetic pellet I shot some Gamo Raptors that are no longer being sold. They weigh 9.9 grains. I used them because I don’t have a lot of alloy .22 caliber pellets.
Most fit the breech very tight, but a few fell in with no resistance. The average was 943 f.p.s. with a spread that went from 892 to 960 f.p.s. That’s a whopping 68 f.p.s. and both the slowest and fastest pellet were loose in the breech. At the average velocity the Raptor generated 19.55 foot-pounds. We expect the most energy from the lightest pellet in a spring-piston airgun, and this seems to follow the norm.
RWS Superdome
At 14.5 grains, the RWS Superdome is a pellet I would expect to shoot in this rifle. It’s medium weight and should be among the more accurate pellets — I hope.
The Superdome chambered about perfectly in the S4000E — snug but by no means tight. It averaged 732 f.p.s. with a spread that went from 722 to a high of 738 f.p.s. That’s 16 f.p.s. and, given the large spreads of the first two pellets, an indication that this pellet might be right for the powerplant. At the average velocity Superdomes produced 17.02 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle.
Beeman Kodiak
The final pellet I tested was a 21.14-grain Beeman Kodiak that is no longer made. This pellet averaged 602 f.p.s. at the muzzle and had a velocity range that went from 598 to 606 f.p.s. That’s just 8 f.p.s. While it isn’t that fast, it certainly is consistent! At the average velocity, this heavy dome also produced 17.02 foot-pounds of energy. I find that even more proof that this pellet is well-suited to the S4000E powerplant.
Firing behavior
The rifle is very calm when it fires — and I do mean very calm! The quickness of the cycle tells you that it’s a a gas spring gun, but it is incredibly smooth! There is no buzzing and no face slap that I can detect. The recoil is also quite minimal. It feels like it is performing within its design parameters, which is a very good thing.
Trigger pull
The two-stage trigger breaks at an average 4 lbs. 6 oz. Stage one stops at 1 lb. 5 oz. Stage two does have some travel but not a lot of creep. However, there is a point in the stage two pull where the trigger blade moves back a lot with no increase in effort.
The trigger adjustment affects the length of the stage two pull. Stage two isn’t supposed to have a length in my book; it’s supposed to break like a glass rod. Well, this trigger doesn’t do that. I tried the adjustment but didn’t accomplish much. The trigger seems very useable to me as it came and I guess I will learn more about it in the accuracy tests that start in the next report.
The safety comes on automatically and is very easy to take off. But there is an anti-beartrap mechanism in the system that prevents the rifle from being uncocked except by firing. So if you cock the rifle you must put a pellet in and fire it to uncock the gas spring.
Cocking effort
I removed the fiberoptic front sight tube so it wouldn’t break when I performed the cocking effort test, which consists of putting the muzzle on a spring bathroom scale and pressing down until the rifle is cocked. The effort required was 34 lbs. with some stacking or increase after the halfway point of the barrel arc.
Because the barrel comes back as far as it does, there is a point almost at the end of the barrel arc when the cocking effort becomes harder, just because of geometry. Fortunately you can learn to grab the barrel in such a way that this never comes up. I used two hands to complete the cocking stroke most of the time, though it was very possible to do it with one if I wanted to.
The barrel detent does require a little slap to break open, but it’s really nothing much. I tried breaking it with two hands and couldn’t, but the slap is the lightest I have ever felt.
Overall impressions
I must say, so far this Stoeger S4000E is looking quite nice. The stock handles very well, like it was made for a shooter by a shooter and the firing cycle is smooth and light.
The trigger feels smooth at this point, though shooting for accuracy is where it will really shine. Yes, it’s on the heavier side, but smooth trumps heavy every time!
Summary
I’ll start testing accuracy next. Given the way RWS Superdomes and Beeman Kodiaks performed in this test, they will be tested on targets for sure. I will test with open sights at 10 meters first, and then in the final test I’ll mount the scope and back up to 25 yards.
BB,
You do realize that you are turning the Enable Mode way up on this one? I have to say that the trigger is a bit of an issue with me though. I am really quite spoiled with the triggers in my meager collection. I will freely admit that some of them far exceed the pull weight, but all of them break clean. Is the length of travel with the second stage consistent? I am afraid that pull is something I would have to tinker with.
I do like that you can easily remove the glowy thingies. I would probably lose those in the trash can.
RR,
I will say more about the trigger as I test the rifle for accuracy. So far the trigger does seem consistent.
B.B.
Do it!
What is one more????????
-Y
Hi BB,
I have had very good experience with the stoeger air rifles. I used to have a stoeger X20 which this one reminds me of. I did a minor lube tune on it and it shot like a high end German air rifle. It was excellent and I am a little sad I sold it. Also quite quiet when fired. Is it snow peak which makes these? Does anyone know?
Carel
Carel,
I don’t know who makes the rifle, but it’s everything you say. I hope it’s accurate, which we test next.
B.B.
BB
My x20s was accurate. And as I mentioned before had a nice trigger.
I actually gave the gun to a neighbor at the old house I lived at. He was happy. He use to hunt the railroad tracks that ran out in front of the house as a kid with a old Benjamin pumper (late 1960’s model). The Stoegee was his first exsperiance with a spring gun and he had no complaint’s.
Hi Carel,
I am ignorant of who makes their airguns, but I am sure you are aware they are owned by the Beretta Group and designed in Italy. I would not be surprised to find they were made by Wang Po Industries.
I do have a question for you. Over the years you have sold many antique and vintage European air rifles, almost all of which have extremely fine triggers. What went wrong?
Hi RR,
I don’t know about wang poo industries. And I don’t know if anything went wrong really.
Snow peak in my humble opinion make very nice airguns especially considering the price. My PP700 is from them for instance; once adjusted it can stand next to any high end PCP. I am a springer guy and would not even have considered a pcp if it was not that cheap.
But let me tell you about coffee. It can be an illustrative story to what I feel about airguns.
I like gourmet coffee; I have a whole process, I care about the right fluff in the milk and I know exactly how to make it just perfect. I have studied the chemistry of coffee and have more kinds of coffee making paraphernalia than I should like to admit (being a straight guy).
But when I go to a regular diner and get the regular old stuff I don’t complain about it. Why would I? They don’t care about the same things I do. I simply enjoy coffee, also that coffee. Otherwise I would have had tea.
I can still enjoy an air rifle from china, even if it does not have a ‘match trigger’. I can make it work, because I like shooting airguns, any kind I can get my grubby little hands on really.
Sure vintage match rifles are in a league of their own as far as workmanship goes, I totally agree. But I am pretty glad there are other flavors to try also! If only to make me appreciate the flavor I enjoy most myself.
To me, there even is a perverse pleasure in adjusting and making small modifications to Chinese airguns to have them shoot quite close to their fancy counterparts for a fraction of the price.
All the best,
Carel
Carel,
Well said!
B.B.
Hi BB,
Thanks. I hope RR doesn’t feel highroaded though.
Carel
Hi Carel,
LOL! Wang Po Industries is my personal way of saying “Made In China”.
My personal history with airguns of Chinese origin has been rather abysmal. It is my understanding that their quality controls are improving, but from what I have seen/heard from other reviewers they still have a little way to go.
I have bought airguns that had serious quality control issues before. A few years ago I bought one of the “new” Webley Tomahawks. For the price I could not go wrong. If I was dissatisfied with what I could accomplish with my tinkering, I could just throw it over the hill and not feel bad about it. This air rifle is a lot more expensive.
The good thing about the plethora of airguns coming out of Wang Po Industries is their quality is improving so they can compete and others are keeping their prices down so they can compete. A win/win for us.
I do not buy food in the restaurant that I can prepare at home.
” Over the years you have sold many antique and vintage European air rifles, almost all of which have extremely fine triggers. What went wrong? ”
Modern society and the threat of law suits.
I did not know an Italian group owned Stoeger, and now it makes sense to me why the S400 hundred stock inserts
are so colorful and festive looking on a rifle.
I have found my little pcp Bandit to have at least as good accuracy as my R10 at 25yds, so I know the barrel is good on that one, I wouldn’t sell it now, and I put the wood grips back on, way more comfortable for extended shooting sessions than the Sig pistol frame that I tried on it. Those JSB almost fly themselves right where you want ’em. I hope this one can cook too.
Rob
well stoeger auto shotguns are a cheaper beretta
B.B.,
This is promising to be a best buy at this time if one can overlook the trigger and if this one had acceptable accuracy in the next report. Too bad I can’t find anything in the PyramydAir Catalog that could replace the discontinued Beeman Kodiaks. You could possibly try the JSB Match Diabolo Exact Jumbo Monster which is a current example of a heavy pellet for this powerplant for the accuracy test.
Siraniko
PS. Section RWS Superdome First sentence: Ay (At) 14.5 grains, the RWS Superdome is a pellet I would expect to shoot in this rifle. I was imagining the Fonz doing the report when I read that line.
Siraniko,
Aaaaaay!
Fixed. Thanks,
B.B.
BB
Italian Stoeger rubbing off on ya. 😉
B.B,
One more typo:
In:
“Cocking effort”
Third paragraph, first sentence:
The barrel detent (does) require(s) a little slap to break open, but it’s really nothing much.
Tom you need to choose to delete “does” or the “s” in requires.
All depends on how much work you want to do…Lol!
shootski
shootski,
Fixed it. Thanks,
B.B.
Siraniko,
I have the Beeman Kodiacs as it is the best shooting in one of my guns. When my meager supply runs out I will be using the H&N Barracuda. I heard somewhere that they are the same pellet.
Gerald
Gerald,
Yes, they are identical.
B.B.
Gerald
I used both in the past and both work pretty much the same when they hit the target.