Air Venturi Avenge-X classic wood.
Link to Part 12 of the Avenge-X wood stock report series where all other parts are linked
Part 13
Part 14
Part 15
Part 16
This report covers:
- Leaking
- The test
- AEA 18.3-grain Center Punch domed pellet
- Trigger
- Adjusted the scope
- AEA 21.9-grain Center Punch domed pellet
- ZAN Projectiles 33-grain slugs
- Next
- Summary
Today we will shoot the Air Venturi Avenge-X .22-caliber precharged pneumatic (PCP) rifle for accuracy at 25 yards.
Leaking
The rifle has a very slow leak. It dropped from 3500 psi on October 15 to 3,000 psi this morning (October 29). I will reseal it but it’s still usable so it’s not at the top of my to-do list.
The test
You may recall that I’ve decided to quit chasing velocity numbers and concentrate on accuracy instead. Today I selected two diabolo pellets and one slug to test. They’ve been waiting for this day ever since I returned from the 2024 Pyramyd AIR Cup.
I shot 10-shot groups with each projectile. The rifle was scoped with the Integrix 2-12X34 and was rested directly on a sandbag. I used the single-shot tray today but a kind reader has provided a CARM rotary magazine for me to test, and yes, Rob, you will see that magazine again!
It took 5 shots to zero the scope and ten the test began.
AEA 18.3-grain Center Punch domed pellet
The first test was with ten AEA 18.3-grain Center Punch domed pellets. They went into a 0.283-inch group at 25 yards. Shot number 8 enlarged the group or it would have been under 0.15-inches between centers.
The Avenge-X put ten AEA 18.3-grain domes into a 0.283-inch group at 25 yards.
Pyramyd AIR doesn’t sell the AEA pellet yet, but I think they will soon. AEA makes the JTS line of pellets, as well.
Trigger
The rifle’s trigger that used to have a little creep now has none. It’s a fine and very predictable trigger now.
Adjusted the scope
After this first group I tweaked the scope’s adjustment with five clicks of right and three of up elevation. The Integrix scope has such crisp clicks and the image you see is so sharp and crisp that I thought I would share a video tour of their factory in Taiwan. Reader Siraniko posted this a couple days ago. It’s 21 minutes long, just so you know.
AEA 21.9-grain Center Punch domed pellet
Test two was the 21.9-grain Center Punch AEA dome. Ten of them went into 0.185-inches at 25 yards, earning the group a trime as the comparison coin. This is the best group of today’s test and it’s also one of the best .22-caliber 25-yards groups this rifle has shot.
Ten of the 21.9-grain AEA Center Punch pellets made a 0.185-inch group at 25 yards. I think the lighter AWA pellet could have done the same or better,except for shot number eight.
ZAN Projectiles 33-grain slugs
The final group was shot with 10 ZAN Projectiles 33-grain slugs. These are 0.218-inches in diameter and are hollowpoints. The Avenge-X put ten into 0.35-inches at 25 yards.
Ten 33-grain ZAN slugs made a 0.35-inch group at 25 yards.
Ian McKee has said many times that slugs need some distance to come into their own, so these might do better than the diabolos after 50 yards or so. It might be fun to test them that way.
Next
I have a CARM rotary magazine to test. I’m pondering what would make a good test for that mag right now.
Summary
The Avenge-X is back in business and I’m so glad it is. The Avenge-X is the most capable and accurate airgun I own. I’m not putting down any other airguns to say that, but I want you to know that’s how I feel.
Tom,
Avenge-X still has ways to go before it catches up with the number of articles you did with the FWB124. Leaper’s dedication to craft the best scopes possible at their price point is astonishing!
Siraniko
Can’t wait for their American made scopes to come out!
OP,
Will they be affordable?
BB.
I thought the Western Sidewinder select fire PCP was everything I had ever wanted in an air gun, and it is, but you sold me on this one, the tactical version anyway.
Your Summary statement has totally justified my getting it and set my mind at ease. The best of the best performers for an all-round ‘relatively’ affordable PCP.
I may even find time to shoot them both one day.
Since my ex who lives with me has been diagnosed with heart failure, two more specialists have been added to her list today for a total of 5.
Appointments, hospital visits, follow-ups, and drug pick-ups never end. And I just took my old shipmate with Alsheimer’s to another doctor today for VA requirements.
They moved him to another location in his memory care home to protect him from all the old ladies who think he is or want him as their husband.
BobM,
You sound like a saint!
They say as you age, twice an infant once an adult. I guess teenager twice too??
-Yogi
“Twice an infant, once an adult.” Always a kid at heart!
All groups are very nice! Not a picky one this airgun 🙂
Wow, excellent shooting! Several of my guns seem to do well with the JTS Dead Center pellets. Good to know that AEA makes them. I watched the impressive Integrix scopes video the other day when Siraniko posted the link. Now I know why they cost what they do. It does make good sense to pair an excellent scope with the very capable Avenge-X rifle.
I didn’t want to believe it. In fact had requested a couple of times for a head to head against the original Avenger under the same shooting circumstances one the same day and location. But Looks like I was wrong, as this certainly appears to be a better gun, not just a 2.0 for sales sake. I will still stick with old faithful but if it ever bites the dust, the X will be at the top of the list for a replacement.
Bob
Bob,
I know. My Avenger (BB’s Goldie) is currently down with leaks but I wanted to give it the old college try with the newer pellets it hasn’t sampled yet. But I think the Avenge-X has it beat!
BB
BB & Honest Bob
Maybe so but I still think Goldie has a chance to compete evenly with the X.
Deck
Deck,
When I get her holding air again she will.
BB
B.B.
Nice shooting a nice shooting accurate airgun!
-Yogi
PS don’t you wish they all were?
Yogi,
I don’t know. Do I wish they were all accurate? I read where many people say certain guns are so accurate they aren’t fun to shoot anymore. I want to have fun.
BB
They need to either shoot at smaller targets of move further back, or BOTH!
Or shoot off hand…
-Yogi
Yogi,
I am one of those people who have sold airguns because they were extremely accurate, but not fun to shoot anymore.
Mrs. RR bought BB’s Webley Mark 2 Service air rifle for me for Christmas a while back. It is an extremely inaccurate air rifle, but it sure is fun to shoot. I do enjoy good accuracy, but the airgun also needs to be fun.
Sorry RR,
I do believe that both, enjoyable shooting characteristics and accuracy should be present.
Life it too short to compromise!
-Y
PS that is why people tune their guns. duh!
Yogi,
I can easily kill feral soda cans with the Webley. Should I once again decide to hunt, I have other choices. Do not underestimate the fun factor.
RR,
Reread my guest blog on the HW 50 target rifle. I sometimes close my eyes when shooting just so I can appreciate the shot cycle even more.
When I sighted it in at the range, a buddy was my spotter, all he said was “same hole, same hole”…..
If it is only accurate and not fun, or fun and not accurate. Your glass is only half full, you only are looking at one side of the coin, pick your metaphor!
-Y
Can your Webley kill ferel shotgun shells at 20 paces, off hand?
Oh, I do have some incredibly accurate “old gals” around here. As for the Webley, it is not one of them. What I enjoy about it is the sorta kinda “Steampunk” function of it. You have to go through several unique steps to launch a pellet downrange. It is fun.
It is also an early attempt by Webley to enter the air rifle market. It is basically a Webley air pistol converted to an air rifle.
Another issue is it is a .22. Back then, the UK .22 was a little larger than it is now. it is what we now say is overbored. Almost all .22 pellets are a little loose in it. That does not help its accuracy.
Will it hit a shotgun shell at twenty paces? I do not know, I have not tried.
RR,
You may need to try to lay in a supply of the “Wasp” 5.6mm pellets to feed her.
RG,
They are not made any more, but I do have a tin that is almost full. I will likely see if I can find more.
Yogi,
” ” DITTOS
I will add that they need to shoot more on WINDY and Blustery days as well.
shootski
BB,
Between you and Ian, the two of you just might convince this frugal-minded, penny-pinching, Scottish-descent, Appalachian-American to come off a few of his precious dollars and buy either a Avenge-X or a Zelos. I would not suggest that you hold your breaths though.
You would not be thinking of getting rid of that S510, would you? 😉
RR,
So far the S510 is staying with me. I have to reseal her though.
BB
BB,
Well, if you should change your mind, you know where she can come to live. 😉
Yeah, Roamin Greco’s Institute for Airgun Appreciation. ;o)
RG,
You and BB may joke about how frugal I may be, but I know you are extremely frugal when it comes to airguns where I have spent thousands for such. You will likely find out that BB’s price for that S510 is way beyond your budget for it to come live at RGIFAA.
“You and BB may joke about how frugal I may be….”
Thank you. I will. ;o)
I am frugal, too. So I understand. I have paid “full price” for airguns, but I also have seen where I missed an auction where the hammer price was way less than I had paid for a similar piece. So I try to be patient and wait for good deals to wander by. Of course, if readers want to send you or me a free airgun, that’s great, too.
At the end of the day, I know that the reality is that you are a generous gentleman of the finest caliber. Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone your secret.
RG,
You had best not. I have worked long and hard to establish my reputation. 😉
I know that most, if not all, of you folks have read here that I will be attending the North Carolina Airgun Show this coming Saturday.
https://www.tmacsairgunservice.com/
What some may not realize is that I have a short list of “old gals” that will possibly receive an invitation to come live at RidgeRunner’s Home For Wayward Airguns. Most on that short list were born before World War One. Some have a birthday between the wars, but consideration will be given to those of the older generation. There may even be a couple born after World War Two, but as I have noted, first consideration will go to the “old gals”.
Please do come to the show. My grandson and I would like very much to meet you. As I will likely have a few of the present residents of RRHFWA with me, I might even let you take one out to the range. 😉
Hey RR, you didn’t rent a table, did you?
Fred formerly of the Demokratik Peeples Republik of NJ now happily in GA
Fred,
No, I did not.
B.B.,
I don’t need to tell you that was some good shooting; what i will tell you is that i would like to see you shoot some lighter bullets (slugs) in the X and see if they will group even better at 25 out to 50. The heavier bullets (slugs) will likely carry more energy out to 100 but the wind will play into the debate on when heavier/better BC is best.
shootski
shootski,
I reckon there are several more tests I need to do with this rifle, and I’m leaning toward mounting a Meopta with greater magnification.
BB
B.B.,
Yea, some hard decisions…but someone needs to take those on ;^)
The MEOPTA scope choice is the easy one: i really like my Meopta 5-30×56 MeoPro Optika 6 ED RD FFP Riflescope (MRAD RD Reticle) on my DAQ .308 especially in poor light or night time.
shootski
B.B., as to your leak; fill it with air and remove the barrel, check with soapy water at the base of where the barrel goes into the receiver. that’s where mine was leaking – strange it would hold about 3000 psi. anyway I replaced 2 o-rings and it’s been holding air since. My avenger has never leaked.
Tom, B.B., and Readership,
You may be correct that B.B.’s X would indicate a leak at that same point but that doesn’t mean you (the user) have found the source of the leak necessarily.
PCP’s have proven to cause owners nightmares when trying to find the source of a leak down. I learned early on to be very systematic in working my way to the actual point source of a leak. When you add regulator(s) plenums, external adjustment points, gauges, to the already complex system of fill fittings, reservoirs with end fitting assemblies, valves, all holding some number of jointing points sealed with moving parts and O-Rings it is no wonder PCPs leak. When exposed from the beginnings by improper assembly, think the Monday substitute crew, to owner/operator improper preventative maintenance, storage, and damaging fill techniques. Along with the unavoidable simple aging (ageing: for our UK readers.) of seals.
The fact that B.B.’s reservoir pressure started at 3,500 PSI and took two weeks time to show 3,000 PSI is not to say it didn’t leak down in some shorter interval and then stabilize.
The Avenge X is working fill rated to 4351 PSI /300 BAR and the Regulator is rated to a maximum of 3,000 PSI for output preset.
It wasn’t overfilled. If this rifle leaks into the TP/barrel that means the first check of the shot cycle air charge is of the valve for a leak. If the valve doesn’t have a leak then next would be the regulator especially the downstream pressure gauge for leaking. Gauges can leak from the bourdon tube which would be an internal gauge leak or from the port in the regulator body. The regulator could be leaking functionally only if the valve is also leaking otherwise the downstream gauge will likely show an over pressure well above the regulator preset stepdown pressure. The adjustment point can also leak depending on the regulator design or at the ambient vent point.
Long before doing all that, check the fill end of the air system. The fill port is one of the most statistically likely leak points. Next is the gauge (that Bourdon tube again) and gauge port in the reservoir. Any O-Ring sealed point in the reservoir is high on the likely list since those get the full heating effect of pressurization. Once to the regulator air movement downstream causes cooling which is much less damaging to seals…unless you have a Big Bore that dumps enough air per shot cycle to exceed the lower operating temperature limitations of the seals. Don’t ask how i know that!
It is one reason i prefer the simple PCP airguns.
Aside: Maybe i should consider the AirForce airguns B.B. in addition to my DAQs.
;^)
shootski
fill port was checked first and replaced o-ring on it, changed o-ring on fill valve too but I don’t think it was leaking there. I changed o-ring on reservoir also.
update: I put a bottle on and all the air leaked out. So I took it all apart again and found that there was three o-rings to replace, they slide into a brass fitting that had a lot of metal shavings in it-maybe QC- anyway I cleaned it all out and it’s back to holding air fine.
B.B.,
Good!
Monday substitute assembly crew ;^)
shootski