by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier
AirForce Edge.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
AirForce Edge 10-meter target rifle: Part 1
AirForce Edge 10-meter target rifle: Part 2
AirForce Edge 10-meter target rifle: Part 3
AirForce Edge 10-meter target rifle: Part 4
A history of airguns/blog/a-history-of-airguns/
This report covers:
- Up to speed
- The test
- Adjusting the sights
- RWS R10 Pistol
- Gamo Match
- Sig Match Ballistic Alloy
- H&N Finale Match Light
- RWS Meisterkugeln Rifle
- JSB Match S100
- Qiang Yuan Olympic
- More testing to come
- Summary
Today we conduct the first accuracy test for the AirForce Edge 10-meter target rifle. This is the first accuracy test of at least two, because of some things I will tell you in the report.
Up to speed
As a reminder this rifle came to me highly modified and shooting with twice the power of a standard Edge. I tested it thoroughly in that configuration, then I converted it back to the factory Edge specification. The links to all those reports are at the top of the page in case you want to catch up.
I had to adjust the top hat to give a reasonable number of good shots, and all of that was covered in Parts 3 and 4 of the report on the target rifle. I got the rifle to deliver 69 good shots while the regulator was still functioning and the total velocity spread for the 7-grain baseline pellet was 25 f.p.s. over all those shots. That is how the rifle is tuned for today’s test.
The test
Today I shot 5 shots per target with each pellet from a rest at 10 meters. I shot with the aftermarket silencer installed, and that is something I will need to remove for the next test. Then we will see whether a silencer can be used, for the Edge is not a quiet air rifle without it — maybe a 3.7 or 3.8 on the 5-point Pyramyd AIR scale.
Adjusting the sights
Before I start testing accuracy I want to show you how I adjusted the rear peep sight during sight-in. Remember — this rifle was pushing close to 12 foot-pounds in its last tune, so I didn’t expect the sights to be anywhere near where they should be. And they weren’t
The Edge peep sight is made just as fine as any German or Austrian world-class target sight, yet it sells for a small fraction of what they cost. And it has something no other world-class target sight has — a second elevation adjustment for gross changes. I needed them when sighting in the new target Edge. Not only does the sight have conventional fine click detents for precision adjustment — it also is mounted on a post that allows the shooter to move the entire sight unit into the correct range for every application. This is a 10-meter sight you can mount on almost any air rifle and get it to work!
As it was set up, the Edge rear sight was adjusted too high for the target rifle. Note the white dot in reference to the scale on the post.
Dropping the sight down one index line proved too much.
When I tried to sight in the first time with RWS R10 pistol pellets I discovered the rear sight was set too high. The internal click adjustments would not lower the pellet’s impact far enough. I dropped the rear sight one index line down and tried again. Now the sight was too low.
The first sight setting was too high and the click adjustments would not lower the pellet impact far enough. The second sight setting was too low and the reverse happened.
After the first adjustment it seemed to me that the rear sight needed to be almost as high on the post as at the start, but not quite.
This is where I moved the rear sight.
And this is where the pellet hit. Sight-in is over! I don’t remember when that additional shot was fired — the one that’s below this one and in the bull.
RWS R10 Pistol
Since I sighted in with R10 Pistol pellets, I also shot the first group with them. Five went into 0.25-inches at 10 meters. That’s not bad, but it’s large for a 10-meter rifle.
Five R10 Pistol pellets went into a 0.25-inch group at 10 meters.
Gamo Match
Next up were five Gamo Match pellets. Remember how well they did in the Haenel 311? In the Edge, however, they did not do well at all. Five went into 0.824-inches at 10 meters. There were no called pulls.
Five Gamo Match pellets made a 0.824-inch group at 10 meters. They are not right for the Edge!
Sig Match Ballistic Alloy
Sig Match Ballistic Alloy pellets were confusing. Four went into a tight .116-inch group and then the 5th one opened it to 0.311-inches. I didn’t call a pulled shot, but I would bet that it was me rather than the rifle that opened this group. It means that I will probably give them another try in the next test.
Five Sig Match pellets went into 0.311-inches.
H&N Finale Match Light
Five H&N Finale Match Light pellets made a 0.339-inch group at 10 meters. I think they are not the best for this rifle.
Five Finale Match Light pellets went into 0.339-inches at 10 meters. They aren’t the best for the Edge.
Qiang Yuan Training
The Qiang Yuan Training pellet made the best 5-shot group of the test. This is a real 10-meter target rifle group! Five shots are grouped in 0.161-inches between centers.
Five Qiang Yuan Training pellets made the best group of the test. It measures 0.161-inches between centers and earns the trime! Just a little better and it would get the gold dollar.
RWS Meisterkugeln Rifle
The next pellet I tested was the 8.2-grain RWS Meisterkugeln Rifle pellet. Five went into 0.223-inches at 10 meters. This will be a pellet I test again in the Edge.
Five RWS Meisterkugeln Rifle pellets went into 0.223-inches at 10 meters. This is a pellet worth testing further.
JSB Match S100
Next I fired 5 JSB Match S100 target pellets. These come in varying head sizes, and the ones I shot are labeled 4.52mm. The group measures 0.326-inches between centers, which rules out this pellet for the Edge.
Five JSB Match S100 pellets made a 0.326-inch group at 10 meters. Not a pellet for the Edge.
Qiang Yuan Olympic
The last pellet I tested was the Qiang Yuan Olympic pellet. Five of them went into 0.218-inches between centers which makes them second best overall and puts them into the group of pellets I will shoot in the next test. I find it interesting that of all eight pellets tested, the two Qiang Yuan pellets ranked first and second in this rifle.
Five Qiang Yuan Olympic pellets went into 0.218-inches at 10 meters. This is another good pellet for the Edge, as it produced the second smallest group of this test.
More testing to come
Not only do I intend testing the Edge without the silencer, there is also another procedure that has recently shown some promise. Ton Jones found that when he deep-seated the pellets (1/8-inch into the barrel) their accuracy improved. I plan to try that when I shoot with the silencer removed, because that test will have a smaller selection of pellets to be tested.
Summary
I think we will see an increase in accuracy when the silencer is out of the gun. When I tested Edges in 2009 I saw groups as small as one-tenth inch at 10 meters. I hope to see that again.
And then when this test is finished I will start testing Crosman’s Challenger PCP. That should be a straightforward three-part test because the Challenger doesn’t have the same flexible design as the Edge. There are not so many things to test. But it is an accurate airgun and that test will be just as methodical.
B.B.
Nice shooting! Love to see the comparison between the Edge and the Challenger. When finished with that, how about a comparison to an Olympic class 10 meter gun?
-Y
Yogi,
I have something like that in the works.
B.B.
BB can you shoot that rifle at 25 yds? I have junk rifles that shoot like the Edge at ten yds but not so good at 30 yds
mildot52,
Maybe, but that wasn’t in my plan. I just wanted to compare the Edge with the Crosman Challenger PCP.
B.B.
BB
You already have a comparison, your LGV Olympia. On August 16, 2019 you scored .098” with R10 Pistol, .113” with Qiang Yuan Olympic, .131” with Finale Match Light and .185” with Superdome. All were rested, 5 shot groups.
Go figure.
Deck
Deck,
Thank you. That is sort of where I am going.
B.B.
Yogi,
Once upon a time in a land far, far away…
He did this a long time ago.
BB,
My rememberer tells me that this velocity spread is way too high and the shot count is way too low. I am pretty sure I was getting somewhere closer to a 5 FPS spread and over 100 shots before it came off the regulator. Either the regulator still needs to break in, the adjustment is not quite right or AirForce has most definitely changed something internally.
/blog/2009/12/airforce-edge-part-3/
Why is there a Summary at the beginning of this blog?
RR,
That was an editing error.
Fixed it. Thanks,
B.B.
BB,
Sorry, I ran out of editing time.
/blog/2010/01/airforce-edge-part-5/
How do velocities compare between the three barrels?
Meisterkugeln 7-grain pellets
12-inch average — 563, spread 8 f.p.s.
18-inch average — 616, spread 9 f.p.s.
24-inch average — 636 f.p.s., spread 9 f.p.s.
H&N Finale Match Pistol
12-inch average — 524, spread 12 f.p.s. (taken from a 100-shot string)
18-inch average — 605, spread 12 f.p.s.
24-inch average — 604 f.p.s., spread 13 f.p.s.
RWS R10 Rifle (Heavy)
12-inch average — 487, spread 14 f.p.s. (taken from a 100-shot string)
18-inch average — 536, spread 11 f.p.s.
24-inch average — 545 f.p.s., spread 12 f.p.s.
H&N Finale Match Rifle (Heavy)
12-inch average — Did not test
18-inch average — 584, spread 19 f.p.s.
24-inch average — 597 f.p.s., spread 17 f.p.s.
Somethin’ ain’t right. 🙁
I do apologize for being so pit bullish about this, but that is probably my all time favoritest air rifle.
RR,
Can you be more specific about what isn’t right?
B.B.
BB,
That I am not sure. Very likely with a little more tuning you can bring it in closer. These shot count and velocity spread numbers are horrible.
Previously you were shooting over 100 shots per fill with a spread of only 12 FPS. That one of mine would do well over 100 shots and I recall that my spread was closer to 5 FPS.
Now you are saying with the new regulator/valve/reservoir you are only getting 69 shots with a 25 FPS spread. Either somebody does not have a clue when it comes to tuning these things or something has changed.
RR,
Remember that I’m averaging 75 f.p.s. higher with each pellet.
B.B.
BB, how is the recovery from your bike wreck coming along.
David Enoch
David,
I am recovering. I use a cane in the mornings until I stabilize, but the rest of the day I walk without one. I still take Aleve twice a day for the pain, but it is subsiding.
B.B.
Nice shooting B.B.!
Accurate rifles are interesting – could smear a bit of jam on a stump and shoot flies with this one! (Yeah, I am easily entertained LOL!)
Sometimes when I look at pellet testing targets I often wonder what it is that makes a rifle prefer one pellet over another. Could it be a slight difference in weight and/or size coupled with the specific tune on the rifle and it’s harmonics? The length and how it engages the rifling and maybe even the alloy of the pellet has a bearing. The condition of the barrel (new; seasoned and fouled) is an other variable. Could a small adjustment to the regulator or the hammer spring change the whole test as a slightly different velocity would mean the harmonics change? Makes me want to take all the “good” and the “bad” pellets and scrutinize the groups to see if there is any pattern that could be related to the results.
But then, all this thinking is too much of a strain so I forget about it and just go out and plink some tins. 🙂
Cheers!
Hank
Hank,
Yes to all you said. And I still want to see the accuracy with the silencer out!
B.B.
BB ,
Nice groups , I try to tell people for the money a Edge or Challenger is hard to beat . Almost as good as any precision gun for 1/5 the cost ! I don’t understand how the Challenger has overshadowed the Edge in Sporter Class , possibly price . 10M guns are fun to plink and mini snipe with no need to get intense and chase the 10 ring !
Gene Salvino
Gene,
I don’t think it’s the cost because the Challenger is $80 more than the Edge. I think it is the conventional styling.
B.B.
Gene,
I have to agree with BB on that. I adore the Edge as it is. The Challenger may be nice, but so much of it is conventional styling while the Edge is pure form follows function. The Edge can also be adjusted 10 ways from Sunday.
We will not even talk about the modifications.
BB,
Nice groups! This seems to be a sweet rifle and ideal for experimentation.
On a side note, I am baffled about the loudness – I would expect a rifle at these modest power levels to be rather quiet. Any theory on why that is? Is it possible that the valve stays open for too long sending too much air after the pellet leaves the barrel? Just trying to understand.
I am glad to hear that you are recovering well from the bike incident. Being ‘vertically challenged’ I went through similar experiences a couple of times with heavy motorcycles. Fortunately I was younger and the engine guards saved the pain, and my leg. Hope you are back on the saddle soon!
Henry
Henry,
Maybe the hollow frame of the Edge focuses the report, making it seem louder?
B.B.
Henry,
The hollow tube does indeed act like a megaphone. You encounter the same with other 10 meter air rifles. It makes sort of a “BLOOP!” sound. In fact, extensions for precision 10 meter air rifles are called bloop tubes.
If you are thinking of a 10 meter air rifle you can spend $3000-4000 dollars on an air rifle that will shoot better than you possibly can or you can spend a little over $600 for an air rifle that will likely shoot better than you possibly can and be much more funner to play with.
Thanks BB and RR for the clarification on the “bloop’ tube. This brings another question: can’t the tube be filled with something like fiberglass insulation or similar to damp the resonance? The goal would be to make it very backyard friendly.
BTW, I dared to mention the air usage because of a comment that RR made which made me think that the modified Edge had a more efficient air utilization. Perhaps I misunderstood.
Henry
Henry,
It was more efficient at twice the rated power. Not at the original power.
As for the insulation, wait to see if the silencer affects accuracy.
B.B.
BB ,
Makes sense , so many people have a problem with anything that looks like a AR . I can’t understand it . I own and like to shoot anything under the sun, from shotguns to revolvers and my AR 15 . I never thought of it that way . The Edge has a better rear sight by far though.
Gene Salvino
Gene,
Yes, it certainly does!
Can you tell me if Crosman is now putting their new higher-priced target sights on the Challenger? Is that the reason the price jumped up so high?
B.B.
So what or who to contact for this edge peep sight? Looks like one I’d like to try.
Pyramyd AIR, AirForce, Airgun Depot. Any place that sells the Edge likely sells the rear sight.
This sight is AWESOME! It will also accept the standard eye pieces the far more expensive rear aperture sights do. You can change the plastic aperture out for larger, smaller, adjustable, filtered, magnified…
Hey Folks!
There is one issue about the Edge that they used to deal with, but now do not. The front iris is not “standard”. The standards are 18mm and 22mm diameter discs. If I am not mistaken, the front iris is ~19mm in diameter.
AirForce used to supply three irises with different size holes in the center, but now only supply one. It very likely is “standardized” on the CMP/NRA bullseye, but I myself wish to change them depending on my shooting. “Aim small, miss small.”
I have, what may be, a bit of a dumb question. It’s about CO2 powered airgins using the 12 gram powerlets, cartridges, cans, whatever. I’ll use cans here for brevity.
I’ve assumed a CI2 rifle, once the cans are pierced, holds the gas within the cans. Thrn, when the trigger is pulled, the hammer or striker hits and actuated a valve, which sends a portion of the gas from the powerlets to push the pellet (or BB) down the barrel.
But, then, I find the Diana Trsilscout rifle comes along. This rifles uses, not one, not two, but there CO2 cans. From what I gather, the system it uses is different. This gun uses the first can going in with the tip facing inwards. The second can goes in with it’s tip facing outwards. Then, a metal sleeve with two piercing pins goes in. Then the third can goes in top facing inwards. Then the cap screws in place, and a lever is turned putting pressure to pierce all three cans. Then, the gas in each can disperses into the steel tube which will hold the gas until it gets used up.
With the Diana, according to owners, you can’t insert say, two full and one empty cans in order to have a shorter shooting session. It seems it won’t work.
Are there other CO2 guns that operate like this Diana? The Diana Chased couldn’t, because it has a hole, or window in the pressure tube and you can see the cans through that. No way that’s holding gas in the steel tube.
Birdmove,
I “thought” that the cartridges (once pierced),.. opened all the gas into the cart. chamber. Some in the cart.,… some in the chamber, equal pressure. I can not see why using 1 empty and 2 full would matter,.. or 2/1. In short,… I do not know.
🙁 Chris
Chris, look at the Diana Chaser Tom mentions below. In those, if the CO2 cans let the gas out into the steel chamber that holds them, the gas would immediately go into the atmosphere. So, that model keeps the gas in the 12 gram cans. I think that is more common than the way the Trailscout operates. If Tom can review the Trailscout, he could try funny by it on 2-full and 1- empty cans, and, if that works, then 1-full and 2-empty. Of course the shot count would go down, but, for a quick low shot shooting session, that could be a good thing.
On the Trailscout, they are saying it you want to store the gun empty (no CO2), then you have to shoot it until empty. If you remove the cap, the gas will swell the O’ring and ruin it, like on the United Fusion. Even if you shoot it till empty, one should then wait before removing the cap until the I’don’t shrinks back to normal size.
I ordered a new Beeman QB78S a month ago, but the USPS seems to have lost or misplaced it. But, I’m looking at this Trailscout too……..
Birdmove,
I did take a look at it,.. all parts. There must be 2 different schools of thought on the use of the cartridges. I have not played with them enough to be an expert,… or even an amateur. 🙁
Hopefully your Beeman will show up soon. Living across the pond (IN the pond?),.. I guess things are taking a bit longer to get there. 😉
Chris
Birdmove,
The Diana Chaser is a very strange air pistol. Here ios my report on it.
/blog/2019/02/diana-chaser-air-pistol-part-4/