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Ammo Crosman Icon: Part Four

Crosman Icon: Part Four

Crosman Icon
Crosman’s Icon is a new precharged pneumatic (PCP) air rifle.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

This report covers:

  • The test
  • Crosman Premier 7.9-grain dome
  • Crosman Premier 10.5-grain dome
  • H&N Baracuda Match with 4.50mm head
  • RWS Superdome
  • Air Arms 8.4 grain dome
  • The deal
  • Summary

I have shown you all the warts on the new Crosman Icon. Today we look at the other side. Today is the first accuracy test of the Crosman Icon. Hint, hint.

The test

This isn’t a real accuracy test. It’s more of a way to find out what pellets the Icon likes, so when I do a real accuracy test I don’t waste time.  I shot at 10 meters from a sandbag rest with the rifle resting directly on the bag. I shot 5-shot groups so I could sample more pellets. And I shot using the open sights that come on the Icon. Don’t get discouraged — old BB can still hold a sight picture, it seems.

Crosman Premier 7.9-grain dome

First up was the obsolete 7.9-grain Crosman Premier dome that I used in the last velocity test. The sights were way off — so the first shot hit high and left. I adjusted them way down and to the right and shot number two went halfway to the aim point. One more adjustment had there pellet in the 10-ring. Good enough.

I then fired four more shots without looking at the target through the scope. When I was finished I thought, “Wow! That’s not bad for open sights.”  The group measures 0.282-inches between centers. We’re off to a good start.

Icon Premier Lite group
The Crosman Icon put five Premier Lite pellets into a 0.282-inch group at 10 meters.

Crosman Premier 10.5-grain dome

Next up was the 10.5-grain Premier dome that Crosman still makes. When I looked at the group after shooting it I was stunned. The hole looked just a little larger than a pellet. That’s what we want — right?

At 10 meters five Premier heavies made a group that measures 0.108-inches between centers. Wowy wow wow wow!

Icon Premier heavy group
The Icon put five Premier heavies into a 0.108-inch group at 10 meters.

This test is shaping up nicely. I was going to complain about the sights, but how can I do that now? They work just fine. I will note that when I line the front sight up in the rear notch I could see the red fiberoptic in the front blade. It was dim but present.

H&N Baracuda Match with 4.50mm head

The third pellet I tested was the H&N Baracuda Match with a 4.50mm head. The Icon put five of them in 0.288-inches at 10 meters. This just keeps getting better!

Icon Baracuda 452 group
Five Baracuda Match with 4.50mm heads made a 0.288-inch group at 10 meters.

Hunting Guide

RWS Superdome

The next pellet I tried was the RWS Superdome. The Icon put five of them into 0.314-inches at 10 meters. It was the largest group of the test, and still not that bad.

Icon Superdome group
The Icon put five Superdomes into 0.314-inches at 10 meters. This is the largest group of today’s test.

Air Arms 8.4 grain dome

The final pellet I tested was the 8.4-grain Air Arms dome. At 10 meters the Icon put five of them into 0.26-inches. A great finish for a great test.

Icon Air Arms 84 group
The Icon put five Air Arms 8.4-grain domes into this 0.26-inch group at 10 meters.

The deal

When I do a test like this I’m looking for the one or possibly two pellets that the rifle likes. The Icon turned that around. It seems to like just about everything.

Summary

Today’s test was a surprise for me. I thought BB Pelletier couldn’t shoot this well anymore. I guess it just takes the right airgun. For all its warts the Icon certainly seems to be one.

author avatar
Tom Gaylord (B.B. Pelletier)
Tom Gaylord, also known as B.B. Pelletier, provides expert insights to airgunners all over the world on behalf of Pyramyd AIR. He has earned the title The Godfather of Airguns™ for his contributions to the industry, spending many years with AirForce Airguns and starting magazines dedicated to the sport such as Airgun Illustrated.

32 thoughts on “Crosman Icon: Part Four”

  1. BB,

    With the international mixing and matching of parts culminating at Crosman did they partner up with a Chinese or a Turkish company in producing this? Did they also instruct them to ream the barrels prior to production or are the barrels still being made in house by Crosman?

    Siraniko

  2. BB
    You mention obsolete 7.9 premier domes. But these are still available. I use these and have good luck in different guns. I originally bought them for plinking because of the price and found they work pretty good. So I always give them a try in a new gun when I get one.
    /product/crosman-premier-177-cal-7-9-grains-hollowpoint-500ct?p=318

    And just for the fun of it and we’ll maybe to learn something as well. How about use all the pellets at 25 yards you just used on today’s report and let’s see how much changes with the gun and pellets at 25 yards. 10 meters or 10 yards is just to close to really know what is going on. Yes you can see at that close distance. But 25 yards and out will tell the real story.

    • GF1,

      Yeah, I know about those. But they are hoillowpoints, not domes. I am thinking of conducting a test between those and the old domes in a couple accurate airguns.

      BB

      • BB
        For some reason the hollowpoint premiers in .177 and .22 caliber work better for me than the premier domes in the same wieght and caliber.

        I think the hollow point helps stabilize the pellet better. Not sure if it’s true but it seems that way to me.

        But try some hollow point premiers next time around to if you have any. It would be interesting to see what results you get between the two.

        • Gunfun1,
          I’ve got an old cardboard box, the old Crosman 1250 pack, of the .177 domed 7.9 grain Premiers. I used them for shooting Field Target…15 years ago! There’s still about 1000 of them in the box; they look fine; they’ve been in a the back of my drawer for all that time. If they’d be of any use to you, you can have them; just shoot me an email at thedavemyster@gmail.com and let me know your snail mail address, and I’ll send them out to you…right after Easter that is; have a good one! 🙂
          Take care & good shootin’,
          dave

          • Dave
            Thank you much for the offer of the pellets. Appreciate it but I’m good on my pellet supply. And I have shot those premier box pellets in the past. Yes they were the stuff. That was I bet close to 10 or so years ago when I was big into them. I think I even may have a box of them left.

            Maybe there is someone else on the blog that may want to try them. Go for it. Don’t let me stand in the way. But thanks again for the offer. 🙂

          • GF1, you are most welcome; perhaps someone else will chime in and want them…otherwise, it’s back to the back of the drawer for another 15 years. 🙂

          • Dave
            15 more years. For some that’s a long time. For others not.

            You made me think of something. I wonder what airguns will be like in 15 years. Or 25 or 50 years from now. I wonder if there will be a different power plant. I wonder if pellets will still be around. Maybe slugs or bullets will be the thing. That is if we can even own any kind of gun. Legally

  3. B.B.,
    That’s some good shooting there; actually, for open sights, that’s some great shooting; it’s hard for me to shoot groups that small with a scope! 🙂
    Wishing a blessed and happy Easter to all,
    dave

    • thedavemyster, a blessed, happy and health-filled Easter to you and to everyone else who gathers here.

      If you absolutely want to part with the .177 Premiers, FM would happily adopt them. Don’t mind forking over “adoption fees” and for incidentals – not looking for freebies here. Have a feeling these will do well in the Maximus. Unless of course you’ve already committed them elsewhere, or changed your mind. If interested, drop a message here – kubelkobold (at) gmail (dot) com. Or not. 😉

  4. B.B. and Readership,

    As Good Friday comes to a close and the Watch begins I am reminded each year of
    Romans 1:18-32
    It seems that each year it grows in meaning when I look at the actions of so many of my fellow inhabitants of this World.

    I stand the watch,

    shootski

    • Shootski,

      Yes indeed, and it seems that the greatest evil is in positions of high power. Something will snap at some point the way things are going.

      But it has been a good, Good Friday.

      Mike

      • There are days FM is ready for the Master of us all to just pull the switch on this sad, sorry circus going on down here. Meantime, we must keep the faith, endure, carry on and not be afraid.

        • FaultyManual,

          Sunday morning is a time for jubilations! Until then and whenever: Psalm 23 has been one that I have recited in my head often times when in the shadow.
          Take heart all that believe; Sunday is a
          GLORIOUS DAY!

          shootski

          • “[Easter] Sunday is a GLORIUS DAY!”
            Shootski, yes, it certainly is; as I posted in FB today:
            “He is risen!”…this is the Centerpoint of history, the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Even in the Hebrew scriptures, prophets raised people from the dead, but NO ONE before ever laid down their own life AND raised themselves from the dead; as Jesus said, “No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again”(John 10:18)…to save us from our sins and give us eternal life…yay!!!

  5. B.B.. this Easter, wishing a wonderful Resurrection Day to you and to all your Readership.
    I love that this blog is such a friendly place, a place of learning…very cool. 🙂
    Blessings to all,
    dave

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