Dragonfly Mark 2.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10
This report covers:
- The test
- Magazine
- Loading
- H&N Baracuda Match with 5.53mm head
- H&N Baracuda 18
- H&N Slugs
- Predator Polymag Short
- Well?
- Summary
Today we look at the accuracy of the Seneca Dragonfly Mark 2 multi-pump rifle when shooting from the magazine. I am amazed that it took me so long to try this! Of course I find a magazine on a multi-pump pneumatic about the same as an all-electric car towing a generator for its charges. But still, the rifle comes with a mag and it should be tested.
We received this comment in Part 10 from reader pacoinohio, “BB, [ I ] Checked the PA listing for this gun and noticed the reviews. There are two one star ratings out of 18 total. One complained of stiff pumping due to the linkage and one complained that the gun is not a repeater. I thought to myself, how did he think that this was a repeater? Checked clear through PA’s description. Nothing there. Checked Specifications, and sure enough, PA lists it as a repeater. Something that surely needs to be addressed in Solon.
Regarding linkage stiffness- I treated myself to one of these post cancer surgery a couple months ago. I was barely able to operate the pump due to weight restrictions during recovery. So, I liberally oiled the pivot points and set the gun up on the shelf. Thanks for today’s reminder to get it down and check it out.”
But then reader old Bert chimed in and said, “I might have already said this, I pest rats at night with my Dragonfly. That rotary magazine has become very very handy! The main thing it is handy for is the fact that I don’t have to carry spare pellets or try to reload a single pellet tray in the middle of the dark with no flashlight. It makes it so I have so much less to fumble with in the dark. I think the mag for what I do is a brilliant idea.”
What a heck of a good reason to use the mag! That remark gave me the push I needed for today’s test. Besides, this rifle is so forgiving with all pellets and so accurate that I wanted to try a couple I hadn’t looked at yet.
The test
I shot off a sandbag rest at 25 yards, with the pellets feeding through the magazine. The UTG Reflex Micro Dot sight is still mounted on the rifle and of course it is sighted in. I shot 5-shot groups with all pellets. The rifle was pumped 8 times for each shot.
Magazine
The magazine that comes with the rifle is a spring-loaded circular type that will look familiar, but really doesn’t seem to fit any other rifle I know of. If it does, it’s no doubt one of those Chinese PCPs. It holds eight .22-caliber pellets, for that is the caliber of the test Dragonfly Mark 2. I almost said “my” Dragonfly right there. I sure don’t need any more pellet rifles, but this one is going to be hard to return. I also have a pump-assist Benjamin 392 that could be its older brother.
The Dragonfly Mark 2 has an 8-shot rotary magazine.
Loading
I found the magazine easy to load and extremely difficult to insert into the breech of the rifle. It got better as the test progressed, but it never became easy. The bolt has to be all the way back to install the mag, but you have to cock it to pump the rifle anyway, so no big deal.
The Dragonfly with its magazine installed.
That’s enough for now. Let’s get started.
H&N Baracuda Match with 5.53mm head
First up was the H&N Baracuda Match with a 5.53mm head. Five went into 0.856-inches between centers at 25 yards. I’ve done both better and worse than this in the past with this pellet, so the magazine seems to be neutral so far.
The Dragonfly put five Baracuda Match with 5.53mm heads into a 0.856-inch group at 25 yards.
H&N Baracuda 18
Next to be tested was the H&N Baracuda 18 pellet. Five of them went into 0.715-inches at 25 yards. Another good group!
Five Baracuda 18s went into 0.715-inches at 25 yards.
H&N Slugs
I thought I would test the rifle with .22-caliber slugs, though I don’t think the Dragonfly Mark 2 is powerful enough to use them. But what the heck — I guessed you guys would like to see what they could do. These were the H&N 0.218-inch 23-grain slugs. Five went into a 0.931-inch group at 25 yards. It was better than I expected.
The Dragonfly Mark 2 put five .22-caliber slugs into 0.931-inches at 25 yards.
I will tell you that the slugs loaded very hard. I had to shove the bolt forward as hard as I could to get them to chamber; otherwise the bolt handle wouldn’t go down.
Predator Polymag Short
The last pellet I tested was the Predator Polymag Short. Five of them went into a 0.642-inch group at 25 yards. It was the smallest group of the day, though it moved several inches from where the other pellets were hitting. They hit high and to the left.
The Dragonfly put five Predator Polymag Short pellets into a 0.642-inch group at 25 yards.
Well?
First of all, the Dragonfly Mark 2 magazine has no effect on the accuracy of the rifle. And except for the slugs that loaded hard, all pellets loaded easily. So, for events like the nighttime ratting mentioned by old Bert, the magazine does have a purpose.
But BB will not shoot his Dragonfly (there — I said it, didn’t I?) with the magazine. The next test will be with the rifle scoped and BB plans to load it one pellet at a time.
Next — the rifle likes 8 pumps. The groups seem to have tightened up at that point. So I will continue to use 8 pumps in future tests. However, as reader Berserkeley Mike said yesterday, “Now that would be an interesting study: how does group size vary with the number of pumps, for different pellets? Can one “tune” a multi-pump for a specific pellet by picking the optimal pump number? Want to collaborate? We could put our data on a google spreadsheet. My arms hurt just thinking about it, but it would be cool.”
When the mag was installed I couldn’t hold the rifle at the receiver while pumping. Fortunately the Dragonfly Mark 2 pumps so easily that a wrist hold works. I’ll have to do that when the rifle is scoped, so this was practice.
Summary
Yes, the Dragonfly Mark 2 is a repeater. And yes, the magazine works fine without affecting accuracy. It’s not something BB wants to do, but if someone does, know that it works as it should.
B.B.
Sounds like a good plinking rifle. Just get the big 32oz cans to shoot at.
-Y
why would you say that with the fine accuracy the rifle has?
Fine accuracy? What have you been smok’n?
Not one Moa, not two Moa, barely 3 with the best pellet.
Can’t morally pest with it. Shoot cans and big ones at that.
-Y
go to an eye doctor and get glasses. the rifle shot .645 group at 25 yds. where do you get 4 inches from?
Regarding tuning a multi-pump, thanks BB for the plug! Roamin Greco suggested the idea.
Folks, if you want to play too, please do! Here is the spreadsheet link where we can record data. I hear there might be an issue with web links, so paste this after the docs dot google dot com:
/spreadsheets/d/1A7DbYotHteZNxjIdSZfcG00edrjkUYcus0OD43qLPPM/edit?usp=sharing
You can add fields as needed.
Here is my daft, no draft, protocol:
1. Patch clean barrel and oil felt wiper as needed for ~50 shots or so.
2.. Shoot 5 pellet groups from some minimum practical number of pumps to the maximum, rested, with as much optics as is needed at whatever distance. The idea is reduce the effects of the gun, sighting and me, just let it be the pellets and pump number.
3. Measure and record the group, as per BB’s instructions (“Measuring the sizes of groups”, March 29, 2022). I’ll probably take a picture of my target sheets too, for records. I have one of those cheap import chronographs that Ian reviewed (“No more excuses” July 12 2022), so maybe I’ll get velocity data too, but I won’t actually connect the chrony to the muzzle, I’ll just shoot through it, otherwise it may mess with point of impact and accuracy.
4. Go to step 1 with the next pellet type, gun or to replicate the results (but maybe after my arms rest).
Cheers,
Mike
Mike I tried to access your spreadsheet, but I had to ask permission to enter, which I think I did. Knock, knock. It’s me, Roamin’ Greco, the one and only,
Oops, wrong setting… OK, the link should work for anyone now.
Mike
BB,
Thanks for the picture with the mag inserted. I actually had a difficult time imagining how the red dot sight was actually mounted.
Siraniko
BB-
Mea Culpa! Yes, the Dragonfly certainly is a repeater. When I checked the box, there was the magazine along with the (unread) instruction manual. In my brain I saw no reason for an msp to have a magazine, so i assumed….. Well, you know the rest. Thanks to you and old Bert for opening my eyes.
The magazine is a holdover from the Chinese Diana Stormrider. I guess I am glad that someone found a use for it on this multi-pump. I would likely use a sproinger instead of a pumper, but I can see how in the dark not fumbling for pellets would be quite useful.
I can also see where being able to vary the number of pumps would be useful when pesting in a barn or such. One would not want to damage stuff with overpowered airguns. I have used my Izzy quite effectively for such in the house.
Hmm. An actual use for a multi-pump.
Please anybody, I think I need help ! The term ‘repeater’ is becoming a little blurry to me…
The Dragonfly Mark 2 is a repeating airgun as long as the magazine is used. Ok, I think, I get that.
So, I imagine that would be, due to the airgun having more than one projectile available, even though the propellant has to be re-created (pumping for the next shot).
Here’s where things get real fuzzy between my ears. And no, my hair ain’t not curly neither ! 🙂
There are two what if’s that are teasing me:
1) What if the airgun carries multiple projectiles, directly available to be fed into the barrel, ie not in a clip / magazine that requires an indirect extraction and loading via bolt action ?
For example, I’ve seen pellet holding foam pads, attached to an airgun, even right beside the loading port.
2) What if an airgun is kind of a reversal of the Dragonfly Mark 2, in that it has the capacity for a single projectile, yet enough propellant for multiple projectiles ?
For example, a precharged pneumatic, used with a single shot tray, like the ‘Artemis PR900W’, ‘Diana Stormrider’ or whatever other labels it has been given (I mention that one because, to me, it seems very similar to the Dragonfly Mark 2). 🙂
Are any of my above what if’s, ‘repeaters’, are there words for repeater-subdivisions or maybe they’re called something else completely ? I know it’s just a matter of one word or another, but that’s still important, isn’t it ?
Thanks if you can help clear my mental fog… 🙂
Foggy French boy,
You just suggested tomorrow’s blog. Your question is one that befuddles (confuses) a lot of people!
BB
Hehe, Tom Gaylord (B.B. Pelletier). you’re the first to accuse me of being French, thanks. 🙂
I admit that, as I was writing, I thought of another what if:
What if you read my comment and decide to go overboard, by honouring the questions with a whole day’s article? Hmm…
Thanks again, and I do look forward to your clarification. 🙂
hihihi,
I believe I mentioned my experience with French cars to you back in time. Give me a Citroën 2CV and a Citroën DS, all I’ll ever need car-wise. Also, the best production sailboats are made in France. Wanna charter a monohull or a catamaran to the Bahamas from the US, then almost every sailboat you’ll have is made in France these days. I had the privilege to join a team of sailors on a Beneteau Oceanis 500 a while ago – the best month of my life.
Learn something new every day. I did not realize the Citroën was French.
Fish, yes that rings a bell, faintly – sorry, my ‘Oldtimers’ is getting more and more use as a cover for forgetfulness.
As I don’t know how to search this blog for things that were said in the comments, I will probably reply with items already mentioned.
So, repetition or not, here I come:
I too, used to own a Citroën 2CV, in the colours that I liked to call, ‘Cherry and Cream’.
Sadly, a combination of sea air (rust) and my lack of any mechanical aptitude, put paid to the wonderful driving experience that no other car has matched – Happy Years! 🙂
Did I mention my other 2CV, that ran on 3 wheels?
Well, it was my Lomax 223, which actually is a kit car (‘2’ for the 2Cv donor, ‘2’ for two-seater and ‘3’ for three wheels). Soo much fun… I still miss this one too. 🙂
I have tried to upload a picture of the cockpit, ie the view, when in the driver’s seat.
Currently, there is a (neglected, ie unused) Citroën C5 on the drive. This is one of the last (!) Citroëns with the legendary hydropneumatic suspension (Rolls Royce is said to have paid Citroën for permission to use it in their cars).
I knew that the British, throughout history, have competed with French ship building / design.
Your month (!) aboard the Beneteau sounds like an adventure worth sharing… seriously. 🙂
Ridge Runner, I would invite you, and anyone else interested, to read about the original design brief for the Citroën 2CV (forget wikipedia! but try https://bellefrance.com/blog/a-brief-history-of-the-2cv/).
From memory, it involves a farmer, his plowed field and a basket full of eggs – unbelievable, amazing and amusing. 🙂
By the way, those two dots above the ‘ë’ in Citroën, demand that it be spoken, ie not a silent ‘e’ (“sit-tro-ENN”). 🙂
Hihihi, come back! You have gone too far down the rabbit hole! Come back toward the light!
I’ll hazard an attempt at clarifying. The dragonfly is a repeater when used with a magazine and is not when used without. Repeater refers to the projectile, not the propellant.. With airguns, charging the gun with propellant is assumed..
Roamin Greco, by “..gone too far down the rabbit hole..”, are you suggesting, being too much under the influence?! Hmm…
Seriously, I was thinking likewise, ie it’s all about the available projectile number.
As in, a repeater has to have multiple projectiles, carried by the airgun, ready to be spring-fed or gravity-fed into the breech.
What about that same airgun that also carries multiple projectiles, but these are ready to be finger-fed into the breech? You see, that’s where things started becoming grey for me… can you hear my foghorns now? 🙂
hihihi,
I’m of similar mind as Roamin in that “repeater” refers to the fact that there is mechanism for loading of the projectile (automatic, bolt, lever, pump, sidelever – whatever) from a “storage device” and has nothing to do with the power source or what needs to be done prepare it for shooting.
Ideally, both the projectile and the power are prepared for shooting in the same operation.
…So if I don’t have to handle the next projectile (directly) to load the following shot, I call it a “repeater”.
A special case: IMHO, in spite of providing multiple shots “per loading”, Drillings and double-barreled shotguns are not “repeaters” because there is no loading mechanism and each barrel is single shot that needs to be loaded by hand.
Just my 2 cents.
Hank
Following Hank’s logic, a single or double barreled break action shotgun does not become a repeater by virtue of having an elastic shell carrier over the buttstock. So I would say having a pellet holder attached to an airgun for handshaking pellets doesn’t make the airgun a repeater any more than having pellets in your pocket.
Hank,
You’re writing tomorrow’s report for me! 🙂
BB
Hank,
What if the double barrel shotgun has single trigger? With a double trigger design, I see what you say – there are two shotguns in one. But in a single trigger design, even though there are two barrels, a single trigger works on them one by one. Yes, you have to place the shotshells into the barrel using hand, but you have to somehow put your hands into action to feed any magazine. Gatling guns had multiple barrels, but they are fed automatically, is that the difference needed to categorize? In my opinion, a double barrel shotgun with single trigger is a repeater. I think ‘repeater’ is a term; we might even start discussing the matter from a vocabulary perspective.
>> there is mechanism for loading of the projectile from a “storage device” <<
Fish,
If you want, you could call the barrels "storage devices" because technically, they do hold the shells.
My brother-in-law had a single-shot break-barrel Cooey shotgun and he used to hold 3 extra shells between his fingers for fast reloading. Seen him take 3 ducks out of a flock numerous times.
…Guess you could say that he was a "repeater".
Hank
Hi3-
Somewhere around the place I have a 12 gauge, pump action repeater shotgun that just happens to have onboard storage for four additional shells. It mounts on the side of the receiver and is referred to as a side saddle. Neither the side saddle nor extra shells changes the fact that the base gun is a repeater. That is locked in as a basic design feature of the gun’s operation. So, where the ammo is stored-on the gun or still in the factory container- doesn’t determine ‘repeaterism’. Okay?
B.B. and readership,
The claim to the invention of repeaters has numerous names. An Italian Lorenzoni from Florence and unnamed Danish inventor (couldn’t find a name) both claim Flintlock repeaters in the mid sixteen hundreds. Of course there is also Bartholomea Girardoni the inventor of the first MILITARY repeating Big Bore airgun.
shootski
PS: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalthoff_repeater
Calling a multi-pump pneumatic a repeater is an exercise in definition not function. I do like using a magazine with multi-pumps when pesting, I do not like using them when target shooting or plinking. When pesting I am usually in an awkward position compared to plinking and target shooting, Not having to fumble for a pellet or get it pointed in the right direction is handy and allows me to concentrate on my task especially if there are multiple targets.
BD
I could not agree more. If one choose to hunt with a MP airgun, it seems counterproductive to force oneself to use both hands pumping,, and then both hands selecting and loading a pellet ( and possibly another to pick up the spilled pellets) for each shot.
Using the magazine as it is intended makes more sense than not as long as there is no loss of accuracy from it’s use. In fact, I have found there to be a very slight loss of accuracy using a mag in my Mrod , but I use it anyway for the convenience when doing anything other than bench shooting.
Ed
Ed,
I also have a few guns that loose significant accuracy with the magazine; those with designs similar to the Marauder in particular. I don’t use the magazine with those.
Based on the work of Gunfun1 I think those magazines can be tuned up to perform much better, I haven’t tried to tune the magazines though other than to get them working when they quit.
Having a good fit and lockup is important for any magazine. When the friction fit magazines like in the Marauder wear and have a loose fit I have trouble with them. The magazines with the magnet holding them in place like the Diana and Dragonfly guns give me quite a bit of trouble, a minor bump and they move out of place.
Don
“But BB will not shoot his Dragonfly (there — I said it, didn’t I?) with the magazine.”
B.B..,
I am with you on that; I do understand Benji-Don’s use of a magazine for pesting, but my single-shot tray moved a couple of times while I was pumping the rifle; and since I feared it might get knocked out and lost in the grass one day, I have glued that tray in place; hence, not magazine use for me.
Also, I have not used this rifle for hunting (even though it has the power and accuracy for that); I nominally bought it for pesting; The real reason I bought it was summed up by you quite nicely in your previous report:
“As I said at the end of Part 10, the Dragonfly Mark 2 with its scissors pump linkage is probably the best new airgun in the 21st century.”
Yep, being “the best new airgun in the 21st century” (as quoted by “The Godfather of Airguns” 😉 ) made this rifle a must-have item; and I am well-pleased with my purchase; I look forward to your scoped-accuracy testing. 🙂
Thanking you for all you do,
dave
Hello all,
Off topic. Can anyone tell me if Dennis Quackenbush only sells his guns by the old system of mailing in bids?
Ton,
I’m not sure Dennis is still making guns.
BB
I can’t help but to put in my 2 cents worth. This rifle has no where near the quality of an old Sheridan or Benjamin. This rifle is made in a Country that hates us. I will go a long ways out of my way to buy,” Made in USA.” It is a shame Crosman can’t build a multipump that rivals the great ones of yesterday. I miss Walnut , Brass and steel.
Greg426-
Amen, Brother! You are preaching to the choir. The choices for ‘Made in USA’ are pretty slim sometimes. The vintage market can satisfy my wants for a Blue Streak or whatever, but what about the kids coming up. They only get to see the plastic fantastics or plumbers nightmares . Where do they get to see a gun that looks like a gun that was made by someone that knows and understands the materials- Walnut, Brass and Steel?
The US hates white people China does not wants to imitate white western achievements. US is destroying western civilization here and in Europe.
Bill and readership, here’s my last (recommended, higher-than-average alcohol content) Belgian beer tasting result.
I think I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves…
again, no further comment needed…
apparently I have to write something in order to have this photo posted…
no, the dog didn’t get those bones… 🙂
Poor doggie; I hope he at least got a piece of the chicken! 🙂
thedavemyster, I agree with that sentiment when looking at the picture, ie “Poor doggie…”.
I suppose it seems even worse, when I reveal that all those drumsticks were bought for her (‘Mystique’ is a bitch) yet she did not get any. 🙁
Mystique is actually on a barf diet, which stands for something like ‘biologically appropriate raw feed’ and therefore never gets any cooked food. 🙂
“…and therefore never gets any cooked food. ”
hihihi, I understand completely; we have an American Bulldog, Reno, who gets no cooked food either; he only weighed 40 pounds when we adopted him one year ago (he came from a sad abusive background); now he is the happiest most loving dog, and he has filled out to be a good 70 pounds…some of that due to his always begging for treats…we may have to put him on a diet. 😉
thedavemyster, my Taylor’s Bulldane has some bulldog in her too (Old English Bulldog). What colour is Reno? White?
I weighed Mystique just now and she brought 41 kg to the scales (about 90 pounds), so that gives me some idea of Reno’s size.
I’m uploading a picture of Mystique, side by side with one of my shorter airgun long arms for scale (Umarex Legends Cowboy Lever Action Airgun that measures 38″ or 96,5cm long). 🙂
Nice choices for the après shooting party.
This is in reference to hihihi’s brew recommendations. Once again Word Press does what it chooses to do.
FawltyManuel, no worries. On my ipad, your replies appear in chronological order and appropriately indented. 🙂
As for the “..brew recommendations..”, that credit truly belongs to fellow reader Bill. My apologies to have mislead.
About two and a half weeks ago (Tuesday 19th July, 2022), following the blog “Pop quiz”, the comments touched on strong beers. I asked Bill which ones he liked.
I have since, tasted them and thought to share my findings here.
An “..après shooting party.”, now that’s an idea ! 🙂
Sorry BB I just found time to get back to this. (Nice write up) One thing about pumping that
i have not Heard anybody talk about is how to pump. If one puts the butt on something like your thigh, or a bench then your weak arm does not have to do much more then steady the gun. Makes it much easier, I have a short bug buster scope on mine and no rear sight. I end up bracing on the rear site mount when pumping it. If the butt is resting on something it is much easier and faster to pump.
Bert,
I think you are doing it right, given the 16 to 18 pounds of pumping effort and the fact that it goes straight down the rifle I do not see a problem.
Just my thought.
Mike