by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier
SigAir ProForce MCX Virtus AEG right side.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Sig Romeo5 XDR red dot sight
Part 4
Part 5
This report covers:
- The test
- Sig 0.20-gram BBs
- Discharge sound
- TSD Tactical black
- TSD Tactical white
- Summary
Today is the final test of the Sig ProForce MCX Virtus airsoft gun. So far we have tested the velocity and accuracy of 0.20-gram and heavier BBs with the 120 mainspring the gun came with. Then we swapped in the 110 mainspring that was also included and tested the gun all over again.
Today we test the accuracy of the gun with the 110 spring and 0.20-gram BBs. Let’s get right to it.
The test
I shot outdoors at 10 meters. The gun was rested on a sandbag. The Romeo5 XDR dot sight is still zeroed from Part 4.
Sig 0.20-gram BBs
I started the test with the 0.20-gram BBs Sig sent with the gun. They don’t have a BB of their own, and I don’t know whose BBs these are. Ten went into 2.151-inches at 10 meters. The group is centered on the bullseye very well, but it is a little high. So I adjusted the dot sight down several clicks before shooting the next BB.
Ten Sig 0.20-gram BBs went into 2.151-inches at 10 meters. The group is high, so the sight setting was lowered.
Discharge sound
Now that I have a sound meter I tested the discharged noise of the gun. I put my phone 4 feet to the left of the muzzle and pointed the microphone at the muzzle. I write that as a note to myself for standardizing future sound testing. A shot registered 89.1 on the meter. The only comparison I can offer is the .22 CB cap I recorded last week. The phone was farther away for that test and not pointed at the muzzle, and the discharge registered 88.2 decibels. No doubt it would have been a lot louder if tested under the same conditions as the Virtus.
The Virtus registered 89.1 decibels Number on the lower right) on the sound meter.
TSD Tactical black
Next I fired 10 TSD Tactical black 0.20-gram BBs. They grouped in 2.565-inches at 10 meters. They are lower on the target and centered very well but still a little high. After this group was completed I adjusted the Romeo5 down 3 more clicks.
Ten TSD black 0.20-gram BBs went into 2.151-inches at 10 meters. The group is well-centered but still a little high, so the sight was adjusted lower again.
Ten black TSD Tactical BBs were more centered on the target but were not as tight as the Sig BBs.
TSD Tactical white
Next up were TSD white tactical BBs. By this time in the test the sun was behind me and I could see each BB flying toward the target. They seemed to fly in an arc that peaked 3 to 5 inches above the bullseye. But when I collected the target I saw that the BBs had struck in the black or just above. One shot was off the target paper on the high side and the group measures 2.004-inches between centers at 10 meters. It’s the smallest group of the test.
One BB hit 1/2-inch above the target paper, making this a 2.004-inch group of 10 at ten meters.
Summary
Well that is the complete test of the Sig ProForce MCX Virtus airsoft gun. Based on what we have seen the heavier BBs (0.28-gram and 0.30-gram) are the most accurate, but the 0.20-BBs are not bad, either. Maybe if I had adjusted the Hop-Up for each BB we would have seen something even better. The gun handles the 120 spring readily, though I like the 110 spring for the lower strain it puts on the gearbox. The trigger is great and there were no problems with feeding, once I learned how the magazine operated.
This is a serious gamer’s close quarter battle gun. It’s rugged, reliable, accurate and works exactly as it should. The battery has lasted for all testing on just a single charge.
The Romeo5 XDR dot sight was a real treat to use! It adjusts precisely and I like that 50,000-hour battery life for the ONE AAA battery this sight uses! I will be sad to see this one go home.
Hi folks…
I found another interesting thing regarding the topic of “diabolo” pellets.
German Wikipedia says the name derives from ancient Greek “διαβάλλω diabállô” (to throw something somewhere).
I only knew that it derived from the diabolo juggling toy, so I was wondering if this was a case of unclear etymology.
But guess what: It says the same thing for the actual toy, so maybe a better description might be that the name of the toy derives from ancient Greek and the name of the pellet derives from the toy because of the shape.
In other news, I ordered a Weihrauch HW75 which I will probably get today. I don’t really “need” it, but I’ve had my eye on it for a while and I figured this time of crisis is a good opportunity to support a local company that is still run by the owners and not by a spreadsheet as BB likes to say.
Kind regards,
Stephan
Stephan,
Congratulations on the HW75. This is one I would really like to see move into RRHFWA. No, we do not “need” to buy any of these airguns, but they sure are fun!
Thank you for the further research into “diabolo”. It is always great to have large volumes of useless information to expound on a subject so as to bore your listeners, most often my wife, to tears. She frequently complains I have told her that before.
No, seriously. I really do appreciate it. Little tidbits of trivia about my favorite hobby is wonderful.
Michael,
I have some H&N Rabbit Magnum II’s. I bought them many years ago and I still have not found an air rifle that will shoot them.
RidgeRunner,
I bought some a long time ago out of curiosity to see how they would do with my Gamo SOCOM Extreme, which was the synthetic stocked Hunter Extreme, one of the most powerful springers ever.
I recall they were not very accurate at 10 meters, so I stopped there. I vaguely recall it penetrating a pine board impressively. This was before I owned a chronograph, unfortunately.
Michael
Michael,
But wait,… slugs get MORE accurate the further out you shoot! LOL! 🙂 1″ groups at 10 yards will not magically start drilling 1/2″ groups at 50 yards.
From the best I can gather,… they WILL spin stabilize further out. The BC is better,… so more fpe at target. They buck any wind much better due to better BC and profile. Beyond that,….?
Chris
Hank,
There are dedicated “slug” air guns available now. The FX Impact and other FX air rifles have barrel inserts specially designed for these buggas.
As for the cost, well… I picked up my one top end air rifle a while back and do not see me going there again in the near future, most especially for a “slug” shooter. Part of me would enjoy shooting one inch groups at 200 yards, but I do not think these are up to that yet and it would also mean I would have to leave the homestead to have a range that long. Nah. I’ll just take the old gals out on the back porch and kill feral soda cans, thank you very much.
RR,
I imagine you could shoot slugs out of your .357 TMX. Haven’t you shot cast lead bullets out of it?
Brent
All,
Have electronic spring piston mechanisms ever been used in lead pellet shooting airguns?
WD
Since we have been talking slugs,.. I ran across this on another site:
https://patriot-slugs.com/the-proof-is-in-the-poof-designing-the-perfect-smallbore-airgun-slug/
This is Matt Dubber and his work with FX and independent products,.. Javelin slugs. The article goes into some technical stuff and I think is a very good quick read discussing many of the things we have been talking about.
Chris
Chris
I read the article. The thing I get out of it is like we have been told. It’s hard to shoot a slug or bullet from a air gun.
It’s going to have to be a package that is put together for a specific bullet and air gun. Otherwise it will never perform like a pellet shooting air gun.
It sounds like they have a combination that will possibly work. But that gun will only shoot that one slug/bullet right. And the next thing for it to sale it will have to be very accurate. Then cost comes into play. It all sounds good but it will end up being a very specific package to make it work.
And as its titled. The proof is in the poof. Like I always say. Reality is when you shoot the gun and the projectile hits the paper. That will tell the story.
Yup. Benjamin MarauderGM barrel and JSB .25 Kangs.
But a few others pellets work too.
R
1stblue
I had several gen1 and gen 2 Marauders.
They all did very well with the factory barrel and JSB.33.95’s. No Green Nountian barrel needed.
I have 2 targets that I shot back to back 10 shot groups with mildot matching the target. Both groups are under a inch at 100 yards.
Ask Chris USA. He’ll know what I’m talking about.
Chris,
I just watched a YouTube video posted by Matt Dubber. He and two other guys, Gerhard & Roelf, who also post YouTube airgun hunting videos, have started a new business there in South Africa called “Patriot Outdoors”. Wow! What a facility they have constructed. It’s like nothing we have here in the US that I know of. Matt comes across as a very ethical and honest man. I do enjoy his YouTube hunting videos too. It appears they are going to do it all: selling airguns, repairing airguns, and manufacturing slugs. He mentions in the video that they are going to be full service, and sell entry level airguns such as the Avenger, as well as the high end FX airguns. Just check out the short video where he shows some photos of the facility. They are definitely not starting out small, it’s very impressive.
Geo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLDfbyDO8aE
Geo,
Utah Airguns is trying for something similar. Remember the politics of the RSA is what is at the heart of these things.
We still have Liberty and Justice for most!
shootski
https://utahairguns.com/
Geo,
I watched the whole 15 minute video. Very nice. I wish him and his new venture all the best. VERY nice new shop/range and quite ethical business practice. Top notch in every way.
Worth a watch ya’ all!
Thanks Geo,…………. Chris
Chris USA,
Great for Matt Dubber! I hope they have great success!
The RSA is certainly one of a growing number of special cases that make his and his partners business model work.
Strange as this may sound coming from me i hope and pray our situation doesn’t become like theirs starting after November’s election.
I guess if it does we need to hope the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) doesn’t change its name to the Consumer Product Safety Commissars because they regulate Toy Guns which includes airguns.
shootski
Untill stupidity is regulated, there will always be a need for the 2nd.
Pass it on to other generations, air powered or otherwise.
R
BB
I don’t remember if you mentioned. But I’m guessing your phone sound meter is a app.
I would like to know what app it is. I would like to test my guns with it. I’ll try to test like you say your going to from now on too.
Maybe others with smart phones can join in and test their guns. That would be kind of cool to know what others gun test at and with what pellet.
Maybe the people that want quiet guns could not only find the most accurate pellet for their gun but also the quietest pellet.
I like it. Maybe we all should have a sound app to go with our chronys and trigger gauges and so on.
I THINK I found the app. It’s called Decibel X.
On the Apple App Store.
If it’s the same one I found(it looks kinda like his screen shot.
It’s a subscription app. $4.99 a month.
A different graph output, but it may be just his settings.
Bravo
Thanks.
And I was going to ask BB if it was a free app or not. I’m kind of a cheap skate when it comes to buying apps.
I was hoping to get the one he has to see if differences do change with same type gun and ammo.
That’s one thing I haven’t done a lot of is actual sound testing air guns but always wanted to. So I think I’ll probably see if I can find a free app.
But I do thank you for going through the trouble to try to find the one BB used.
I’m off tomorrow so I will see how the day goes and I’ll try to find a app and try some testing.
I think we hear a lot different report at the muzzle by us than what is actually heard at different distances and angles from the gun.
For people worried about what others might hear, it would be good to test and know a little betrer.
I am the same, I like free, and even free to try apps.
And once I BUY the app, it unlocks the full features, or removes the adds.
I would rather pay you $5 for the app, than a monthly fee.
I also dislike the “in app purchases.”
They want to make you pay to keep playing, or just to advance in the game.
It’s like adobe suite (photoshop, in design, and all of their others. )
You used to buy a dvd or cd with the full version for a few hundred dollars and you owned it with updated.
Now unless you buy a used one, you have to lease it monthly, and if you don’t pay the monthly fee, you no longer have access to your own intellectual property.
Unless you exported it as a pdf.
It’s great for the stock owners, but it sucks for the artist that want to use the software.
Bravo
Totally agree with you.
I picked up the complete adobe suite (Adobe CS6) (The last release on disk) on dvd a few years ago, I will run it until the computer operating systems no longer support it.
Older versions of adobe can be found fairly reasonable online.
Then there are the free photo editing software we have discussed in th past.
MOST. If the desktop publishing programs have similar features, so once you know one software programming (ie Quark Express) The change to In Design or some other program is relatively easy.
The same applies to the photo editing programs.
Found this in a pawnshop last Saturday. It’s just a spring game but it’s powerful and accurate and will hit 3 inch spinners at 11, 13 and 15 yards.
Brent
Don’t know what others think but I like that gun you have.
If it hits a 3″ spinner at 15 yards it will be a nice plinking gun at cans.
Will it shoot full auto? Or is it semi-auto or is it single shot?
Here’s a target from about 7 yards. It has a rear aperature and a thin front post sight.
Brent
Pretty accurate for air soft. Considering some BB guns won’t shoot that good. Well even some pellet guns.
What ammo?
He said it’s a spring game, I think autocorrect caught him on spring gun.
Yes The French Famas, is an interesting gun, only one or 2 companies made airsoft models of it.
As far as I know, no one has made a steel bb version for sale (at least for sale on this side of the ocean)
Bravo
Yep figured it was auto correct. So wasn’t really sure what he had.
Maybe its a repeater. Load up some airsoft balls and it’s a cock and shoot gun.
Yes, it’s a spring gun. You pull back the trigger under the carrying handle to cock it and it has a detachable mag behind the trigger since it is a bull pup. A quite comfortable and accurate gun to shoot. A lot of fun!
Brent
I like it. Have you tried any biodegradable balls in it yet? I used some heavier ones in a modded spring gun I had. I’ll call it a rifle or I guess I should call it a long gun since it was smooth bore. But had pretty good results with it out at 30 yards actually. I had a fairly good scope on it though too. So maybe that helped. It was a sniper gun modeled after I think the Remington 700.
There’s your answer.
I have been mulling over doing a guest blog on how different airsoft magazines work.
Low capacity, high capacity, gas, co2, and the electrically driven magazines.
On hand I have the low cap,
high cap, and the gas and co2 mags.
I don’t have any electric ones but they are like high cap mags, but use an electric motor to wind the feed mechanism.
Bravo
Definitely do a guest blog. The more info the better.
45Bravo,
Brent’s AirSoft looks like a French Navy G2 (mostly) and not a Army F1! The French Foreign Legion had some of the G2’s and i got to shoot one of their’s in Djbouti. Great bullpup rifle with better punch than the F1.
shootski
Yes I see it now, I was just looking at the lines and general manufacturer of the gun.
Not the specific model.
I missed it having the enlarged hand guard instead of just a standard trigger guard.
I have never shot a real Famas, but it is on my “to do” list.
I have worked on a couple of airsoft electric ones.
With airsoft, the electric power plant is pretty much the same no matter what type of gun it is.
It’s a piston that is cocked by an electric motor, that compresses a spring, and driving a plastic ball down the barrel.
Airsoft is all a lot what look or ergonomics you like, M4/m16, AK variant, HK, M14, M60, MG34/42.
It’s insides are all basically the same.
Although some are laid out differently to accommodate fitting in the host gun.
Gunfun,
I got these from Sportsman’s Warehouse. Pretty accurate as you can see. I also have .25 and .28g but haven’t tried them yet.
Brent
When you try let me know. I think the heavier ones may do good. But then again you never know till you try.
Brent,
Is the rear sight fixed or does it flip to a smaller or larger aperture? On the cocking finger/palm edge lever does it stay back when cocked and then fly forward on the trigger pull?
shootski
Shootski,
The rear sight has a 4 click vertical adjustment. The front sight adjusts side to side for windage. Is that the way the real Famas sights were set up? The airsoft gun has a good heft to it— I actually thought it was an AEG gun and took the back buttplate looking for the battery. The trigger piece goes back to cock and then forward again to the starting position once it is cocked. It’s definitely better than a Red Ryder
Brent,
On the G2 version that i shot it had a post front and a Tritium rear sight. As i recall the rear sight had an aperture and a flip up to make it a smaller aperture for longer range. The really weird part on the iron sights was they were mounted on the action and the barrel/shroud instead of on the carry handle; probably with the idea of improved accuracy since the carry handle was removable. Most of the troops were using AimPoint red dot sights, scopes or prism sights.
shootski
Brent,
Here is a good look at the firearm version, about 12 minute video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDDrB_1Sjuo
Mike
Here you go
Brent
The.32 gram biodegradable balls are the ones I used. I had very good luck with them.