Dragonfly Mark 2.
This report covers:
- Rear sight
- Remove the front sight
- Free-floated barrel
- UTG Micro dot sight
- The sight
- Took my time
- Summary
Today I’m going to show you how I mounted a UTG Micro red dot sight to the Seneca Dragonfly Mark 2 multi-pump rifle. There is more involved than you might imagine, so fill your coffee cup before we begin.
Rear sight
We know that the rear sight has to come off the rifle. A dot sight would mount to the rail on the receiver but then the rear sight would be in the way, plus the rear sight base seems like the ideal place to mount a dot sight.
To mount a dot sight the rear sight has to come off the rifle. One screw (the elevation screw) comes out and the sight drifts off the dovetailed base.
However, if you do use a dot sight, the front sight is also in the way. The reason is, the dot sight doesn’t magnify anything, so the front sight is visible when you look through the dot sight at the target. And, when the dot sight is sighted in, the front sight will be right where you want to put the dot. So it has to come off for you to see where the dot is.
As you can see, removing the front sight entails removing the entire muzzle cap.
The Dragonfly’s front sight is part of the muzzle cap that also includes the barrel support.
Remove the front sight
There are two things to do to remove the front sight. First the threaded silencer adaptor has to be removed from the barrel. This isn’t the cap for the threaded adaptor — it’s the whole adaptor. So unscrew the larger knurled ring.
Next there are two Allen screws that hold the muzzle cap to the rifle. The front sight is a part of that cap, so the whole cap has to come off. Remove both screws and the cap slides forward, off the barrel.
After removing the silencer adaptor remove the two Allen screws that hold the muzzle cap assembly to the Dragonfly Mark 2.
Free-floated barrel
When the muzzle cap comes off it takes the barrel hanger with it. That turns the barrel into a free-floating barrel. Whether that is good or not remains to be seen when we test the rifle for accuracy, but if it’s not a good thing then you might have to kiss mounting a scope goodbye. However, since a scope magnifies the target, it might see past the front sight, meaning it can be mounted to the rifle once more.
By removing the muzzle cap, the barrel is free-floated. We will test to see if this is a good thing.
UTG Micro dot sight
I mounted a UTG Micro Dot sight on the rear sight base. It’s a small sight that seems to be adapted well to the Dragonfly Mark 2. The Micro Dot comes with a Picatinny base, so I had to add a UTG Picatinny-to-11mm adaptor to the base.
I mounted the UTG Micro Dot on the Dragonfly Mark 2.
The UTG Micro Dot sight has a Picatinny base.
The Picatinny-to-11mm-adaptor is needed for the sight to fit the Dragonfly base.
The sight
This is a new version of the UTG dot sight and has features I haven’t shown before. The viewing window is larger for starters. That makes the target quicker to acquire. And the battery fits into a sliding drawer that pulls out to the right side.
The dot sight’s battery fits in a sliding drawer on the side of the sight base.
Took my time
Normally I would just install the sight and then run an accuracy test, but as you can see, this job took longer than the average. Because of the high interest in the Dragonfly Mark 2 and also because of the extra steps that were involved, I thought it would be good to show you the whole process.
Summary
It took me a little over an hour to get the sight on the rifle. Now that you know what to do it should go quicker for you. Of course I don’t know if I did it right, so there is tomorrow’s report.
BB-
I believe I would be inclined to use a 45 degree offset mount and leave the front end of the rifle alone.
pacoinohio,
Close enough to the barrel that it might just work!
Left or Right 45° Offset?
This IS a trick question!
shootski
Over an hour to take out three screws and put the UTG on! Is there something else involved? In any case it took me only a zip of coffee to finish today’s post. The good thing is that the Dragonfly looks much better without the front sight assembly, although I would prefer to mount the sight closer to my eye for a sharper dot.
Good day to everyone.
Bill,
That’s taking pictures of things as I go. I only have one chance to do it right and infinite opportunities to mess up. Slow and steady! 😉
BB
BB
It will be a smiliar system to Diana Stormrider without the front barrel holder. It will not have a stable zero.
First thing I did with Stormrider and the Bandit pistol was to attached the second barrel holder. Then the zero is stable and the accuracy is constant.
You can test it like it is now but this will show only worse result as the system is intend to deliver.
Maybe you could adapt some holder first? There are many options to chose from. The system seems to be so similar to Stormrider (in general PR900W) that the Stormrider barrel holder may just fit there 🙂 And it does the job very well.
UPDATE:
Important – BB, when I look at the holder where the rear sight is installed I see that it is 99% THE SAME holder as in the Stormrider. It would just solve any floating barrel discussion to add this one at the front. And it does look better with it.
like this:
https://hardairmagazine.com/ham-columns/adding-a-second-barrel-band-to-a-stormrider-is-easy/
tomek,
Bear in mind that most of these airguns that I test are not mine. That said, we shall see.
BB
BB,
Worst case scenario if the accuracy is lost by the removal of the front band you could possibly bodge one up by placing a properly sized spacer made of wood and wrapping it between the barrel and the end of the pump tube with electrical tape.
Siraniko
Siraniko,
What a great idea! And you used BB’s favorite techniques! 😉
BB
BB
No duct tape or WD40????
Ed
Ed,
HA! 🙂
BB
Edlee,
The WD40 can come later for removing the tape residue. Duct tape can be used if electrical tape is not available.
Siraniko
Ed
Stop it. 😉
Siraniko – heeey! That’s the Polish way to solve issues! 🙂 Electric “panzer” tape, WD40 and … butter. This can solve 93% issues at all. 🙂
Tomek,
With the pump lever you would have to cut the bottom of the band off. It would still be usable, but involves more work than just slipping it on. I would give it a try without the barrel band first. I am a member of the free floater club from way back. My HM1000X is a free floater. I cannot complain about its accuracy.
Then you have the issue of as the pressure reduces in the reservoir, the reservoir will change position, moving the barrel with it. That is not an issue with the Dragonfly, but I can see where a forward band would help to strengthen the pumping pivot point (my, does that not sound awkward).
I think with the action and the band/rear sight mount securing the barrel you will not have an issue of the zero shifting, but I can see where not having a forward band of some sort could cause the pump to be weaker.
Personally, I would just cut that glowy thingy off and be done with it. As BB will likely be sending it back, he will not likely do that.
You are right RidgeRunner. Lets give it a try first.
BB
I forgot about it 🙂 It is just my strong tendency to “improve things first”…
“my strong tendency to “improve things first”
…Seems we suffer form the same tendencies tomek 🙂
I also am compelled to clean, deburr, polish parts and upgrade hardware while I disassemble things to satisfy my curiosity as to how they work.
Hank
That said, don’t forget to approach problems with Occam’s Razor in hand – can save one from a lot of headaches and failure to see the forest for the trees, as happens frequently to FM.
Ridgerunner, your sentence is not awkward, just alliterative.
Hank – 🙂 I’m affraid that these tendencies are incurable, and it’s going to be even worse the older I am 🙂
“Personally, I would just cut that glowy thingy off and be done with it.”
RidgeRunner,
I plan to scope mine as soon as it gets here; and if the front sight interferes with that in any way, then it will suffer the fate you just laid out for it. 🙂
Happy shooting to you,
dave @ TDHFWA
LOL! Though it did not interfere with my scope, the front sight on my Gamo CFX met the same fate.
The Dragonfly Mk2 sight is headed for the same fate…as long as the trigger doesn’t prove to be a deal-breaker. #_#
Well, they finally got the rear sight right.
Yes, but it makes me wonder why they didn’t get the front sight right. Personally, I would have made the front sight removable, or else offer another replacement muzzle cap assembly without a front sight on it…just nice and clean and ready for scoping.
But then again, what do I know? LOL 🙂
Dave
The same for me.
But how would they of done that. If they don’t know what they don’t know.
But they sure should of.
Yes, they should have known; LOL! 🙂
I do remember a break barrel that had an easily removable front sight. You could remove the front sight by unscrewing a front piece and slide the front sight right off. Of course, options like that increase manufacturing costs, so that is out.
“…options like that increase manufacturing costs, so that is out.”
Yeah, you’re right; I don’t see them doing that. 🙂
A cut, a snip and a little filing is all that front glowy thingy needs. 😉
Having just picked up a PR900W/Stormrider it seems to me that the rear sight/barrel band is further back on the Dragonfly. Assuming it has the same 12mm barrel diameter, my prediction is that it’s going to be a bit wobbly without that front support.
I’ve put my red dot sight on the action and it works well.
Nice photos BB! Buy one more barrel band, its no wider than the plastic end cap on it now.
Thats how I would mount the R1’s front sight that sits in a bag in a drawer now, but I need to buy a nice aperture sight, and the rifle too now. On the list. My Bandits barrel crown looks the same to me as the Dragonflys. In .177, I get 40 yard groups with the JSB 8.44’s that I will keep to myself. It is afterall, BB’s Blog. Much better than my old Crosman Prod that gets 70 good shots now. Low shot count is the ony complaint I have with the regulated Bandit. That, and I can’t afford a custom Quackenbush pistol built around a Crosman pistol frame and what looks like scaled up steel breech
from the 22xx series of Crosman guns. Its beautifuly blued but only gets 10 shots in .357/9mm and not regulated. Maybe you have smething like that to show kids here on the list?
Best,
Rob
Rob
If it’s 10 consistent shots out of a 22xx series gun unregulated in that caliber I would be happy..
Even if the gun only has a 4 or 5 (consistent) shot count with that caliber I would be happy.
But I need to buy the parts myself and put it together. I don’t want to spend extra money for someone else to build the gun for me. No matter who they are. Just me.
Crosman’s version of a big bore pistol is probably already lying around the shop floor, just not in a deer calibre. Crosman knows a simple gun might be very popular, they do’nt want to get sued, I cant say I blame them. They could offer custom shop parts for special order for a fair price, less than a D. Q. gun, but that is too much to hope for I think.
Too bad ’cause a built pistol would sell well a Wally world at a Crosman price. It would have to have a minimum fence thickness chart on the box, so moms and dads know what to expect from 115 grns @600 fps or so!
Rob
1stblue,
You need to know I have a bloody tongue from biting down so hard Rob. Since I am lucky enough to own a number of Quackenbush air rifles and handguns. The pistols have a Crosman gripframe but most, other than the conversion kits, everything else from the air reservoir/valve/hammer and up is DAQ Custom Build. The price of a Marauder Pistol is not much less than any DAQ Outlaw Pistol. Considering the build quality and choice of materials used in the Outlaws I know that with a modicum of care the DAQs will be around AND SHOOTING when I’m long gone…too expensive? I think not.
The 9mm (.357) Outlaw pistol is only good for 3 hunting power (above 590FPS with 140gn bullets) shots even with the longer (14″) barrel and a long reservoir. DAQs are powerful but that means they expend BIG air.
shootski
Hmmmm….
140 grains at 590 FPS yields 118 ft lbs of energy. That’s about half of a standard 95 gr 380 ACP. Okay for dispatching a road (not quite) killed deer to end its suffering. But hunting…..
Rob
Nope it wouldn’t sell nice at Wally World.
But if parts was available in the Crosman custom shop. Somebody would build it. No doubt in my mind.
The guns that should of been is the best I can say. And why not yet.
Gunfun1,
A fact!
Have you heard from Chris lately?
He hasn’t posted in some time unless I missed a post.
Hey Chris if you read this wishing you…All the BEST!
shootski
Shootski,
I hope Chris is ok and it would be good to hear from him again.
Mike
Shootski
I tried to email him a little while back and haven’t heard anything. Hope he is ok too.
pacoinohio,
No disagreement from me on 9mm (.357) air pistol not being suitable for typical Whitetail Deer hunting; even with hollow points. I have taken Whitetails on urban herd management hunts with a DAQ .308 rifle shooting 133gn at about 920FPS for about 250FP (340 joules) with the hollow points expanding to double the diameter. I had tried with 130gr RN but that resulted in too many thru and thru for urban culls. The Biologist in charge of the cull was blown (pun intended) away by the DAQ .308 Outlaw and the DonnyFL EmperorV3 and 6″ extension performance.
shootski
BB,
Would a riser for the red dot work to avoid the removing the front site at 10m and some power level (#pumps)? – Don
/product/utg-super-slim-picatinny-riser-mount-0-50-high?a=7464
Don,
I understand the purpose of the riser you propose. But what do you mean about the power level?
BB
BB,
I was thinking that with low number of pumps that the poi would drop to the point that even with a riser the front site might be in the way. – Don