The Crosman 3622 PCP.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
This report covers:
- More
- Filled the rifle
- Crosman Premiers
- Benjamin Bullseyes
- However
- Not pellet picky
- Summary
First of all, Happy Cinco de Mayo!
Today’s report is about the accuracy of the Crosman 3622 PCP rifle. I said at the end of Part 6 that I would return to it and today is the day. I continued to use the Air Venturi G9 hand pump to fill the rifle.
More
There will be even more in today’s report, so listen up! If you already own a 3622 you might want to try the test I will recommend.
Filled the rifle
Step one was to fill the rifle. The 3622 and G9 hand pump go so well together I think they should be sold as a combo package. It took five pump strokes to fill the pump hose and then I heard the valve in the rifle click open to accept air. I pumped ten more times as the rifle was already half full. This is so easy!
The 3622 only fills to 2000 psi so the chance of getting a leak is very low. I used it last in January and it still had the same amount of air today as when I finished shooting back then. It may not have a pressure gauge but a rifle like this will spoil you for other PCPs!
Crosman Premiers
At the end of Part 6 I said I would try Benjamin Bullseye pellets (Benjamin calls them Single Die pellets) and Crosman Premiers. The Premiers were first. As I started shooting my shots went all over the place. It took seven shots for the rifle to settle down. I also adjusted the UTG 3-12X32 Bug Buster scope to get the pellets hitting inside the black of the bull because with Premiers it was hitting high. When I did that I was surprised.
Ten pellets went into 1.139-inches between centers at 21 yards. But nine of those pellets are in 0.822-inches. I would like to be able to tell you those were the last nine pellets I shot but they weren’t. That odd shot that landed high and left was either shot 6 or 7. But it started me wondering…
Ten pellets went into 1.139-inches at 21 yards with 9 in 0.822-inches.
Benjamin Bullseyes
I tried 10 Benjamin Bullseye pellets next, but before that I refilled the rifle because the first 7 shots before the Premier group had taken it down to almost needing a refill.
The first three shots were in the black and I thought I was onto something. Then shot four hit high It’s still in the black but not where I wanted it to go. Shots six and seven landed low with shot six outside the black altogether.
There were no called pulls today. Every shot went out with the crosshairs centered in the bullseye. The group measures 1.227-inches between centers with six in 0.354-inches.
The 3622 put two Benjamin Bullseyes into 1.227-inches at 21 yards with six in 0.354-inches.
However
And this is where things suddenly became clear—or at least I hope they did. The last five shots almost went into the same hole as shot number one. I went back and looked at the tests from Part 5 and 6 and I now see a pattern. If you look you will see it too. Most of the 10-shot groups have 4 or 5 pellets scattered around and the other shots in the same hole. See it?
Not pellet picky
I said at the end of Part 5 that the 3622 is pellet picky. I no longer believe that is the case. I now believe that the 3622 I’m testing is very accurate with most of the pellets I’ve tested, but it wants the bore to be conditioned with each one before shooting a group!
That begs for another test and perhaps more. I need to test the rifle with a single pellet and shoot it many times before trying to shoot a group. From what I see in the results of today’s test, I will choose the Benjamin Bullseye.
Summary
I think the Crosman 3622 may be one of the best PCPs on the market. It’s certainly the best one for the price. Yes, it lacks a fine trigger and the pressure gauge, but I think it has all the accuracy of those more expensive and higher-pressure PCPs that seem to want to leak. More testing will show whether this is correct or not.
The Air Venturi G9 hand pump is the ideal companion for this air rifle. I feel so fortunate I had one to test.
Tom,
From what I can recall it seems the seasoning of barrels happens in new airguns. In airguns that have been used for years the lead coating accumulated over time the barrels seem to eliminate the need to season the barrel for change in pellets.
Siraniko
PS Section Crosman Premiers 1st paragraph 5th sentence: “I also adjusted the UTG 3-12X32 Bug Buster scope to get the pellets hitting inside the black of the bull becauise (because) with Premiers it was hitting high.”
Siraniko,
Fixed. Thanks.
BB
I wonder if BB rifles need ‘seasoning’ or a warm-up. When I shot the CO2 SVD rifle, sorry, long gun, about 1/3 of every group went into the same hole, copper coated. I figured it was just my bad aiming for the rest.
over the weekend i tried sighting in the crosman mtr77sp again but wasn’t having great results. i had only been using one type of pellet so that may have contributed to it, but i’ll look into that at a later time. it was also too snappy for my liking, so i’m going to put a new weaker spring in it and will probably change to a different pellet after a few test shots with the one i had been using. in the meantime i took my hw30 out and sighed it in with the williams fp-ag-tk that i put on when i first got it, and finally shot it for the first time. sighting it in only took five shots. after that i tried it out with my steel mouse knock overs and it had no problem knocking them over.
springman3000,
How much preload does your crosman mtr77sp have right now? Are putting in a new spring or cutting down the present one?
Siraniko
it currently has an optimus spring, the preload is only about 1/8” since i didn’t use the spacer from the optimus. i had hoped that would settle it down more than it did. it will be getting a different spring. i should i invest in a digital caliper because right now i’m trying to measure the wire diameter with a metric ruler. i do have a spring on order. i believe it will give the results i’m after but if not there are a couple more options i could source if needed but i started with the weakest available.
BB: I must protest! You got me hooked on Benjamin Bullseyes like a 3 lb bass on the line. I’ve gone through 6 tins of 400 pellets with 12 tins on backorder at Pyramyd since October of last year. I’ve had to return to my old standbys from JSB & AA. I know, poor little me. Actually, JSB products tend to shoot at least as well as the Benjamins, but after becomming hooked on them, now they’ve become unavailable with no availability date known. I well realize the major changes taking place with Daisy, Gamo, Crosman, Benjamin, et al, but to roll out a new product (Benjamin Single Die Pellets) and then to abandon it within less than a year . . . come on now. What kind of business 101 class is this? I’m very close to changing my order to 12 tins of JSBs, never to return. Am I the only one? Orv.
Well, Benegineer John SAID they’re going to be shipping soon….
Orv,
Or—they are selling so fast they can’t keep up with the demand!
BB
Orv,
Or you are just a loser! 😉 No, seriously. You apparently are one of those poor souls who was caught in the inevitable hiccup of TCFKAC changing over to Gamo. We do hope this gets straightened out. Maybe they will even compensate you some. Yeah, right.
Orv’s experience scares me. I was seriously thinking of buying a 3622 to change over to a 3677 or buying one a 3677 if it is ever made. I was also wanting a Gamo Viper Express. These hiccups make me most hesitant.
Interesting report, thanks BB! Yes, it is frustrating that we seem to have a shortage of the Benjamin single die (bullseye) pellets. Especially since it now makes more sense than ever to purchase items made in the good ole USA.
I wonder if there might be some barrel harmonics affecting the accuracy of the 3622. I had the best accuracy with mine when I had the clamp-on rail on the barrel and the scout scope mounted to the rail. Without those items, we just have the two barrel clamps lightly clamping the barrel in place. I may have to try the scout scope set up again to see what happens.
BB
I would be very pleased if further testing validates your seasoning theory for the 3362. I have not yet been able to validate long term seasoning. Short term seasoning (a few conditioning shots when changing pellet types) is a given but that is not what I’m calling long term.
Looking forward to seeing you do it.
Deck
B.B. I am a proponent of the barrel seasoning theory, BUT…at best it is a theory based on anecdotal evidence.
I think you need to eliminate other possibilities first. For example, you wrote, “The last five shots almost went into the same hole as shot number one.” With 5 holes already on the target, how do you know which hole each of the last 5 shots went into? I would think a sheet of many bulls with one or two shots per bull for however many good shots you determined were in the gun before refilling would be in order. Elmer’s theory of barrel harmonics or stability should be explored and eliminated as a cause before we go down the seasoning rabbit hole.
Of course, if a short range fun plinker is desired, this gun certainly fits the bill. But for a hunter or pester, one must have confidence in where the pellets will go on the first, cold bore shot, as well as the subsequent shots.
Looking forward to the next installment.
Hope things are working themselves out on the Trusteeship.
Roamin,
I watched as the paper moved slightly when those shots were fired. That’s how I know they went into that hole.
BB
FM thinketh this little rifle has potential but for now, FM must tame his “acquire more airgun goodies” acquirer.
B.B. and Readership,
So this is a FIVE MOA PLUS PCP at twenty-one yards with this pellet…as well as others at 21 yards or 10 meters in the earlier groups…a Plinker PCP.
I’m a dyed in the Wool barrel SEASONING Skeptic!
I do believe in seasoning my cast iron cooking pots, dutch ovens, griddles, and pans to avoid corrosion.
My belief is that the bore on many barrels have a surface that is rough enough that it appears to need “seasoning” because the barrel metal surface and Pb (Lead) gets oxidized/deposited, and needs to be SCRUBBED out of the bore. Those first few projectiles are all effected (damaged) by the changing conditions in the bore until other variables become more significant once gain.
Also, each pellet maker uses a different alloying formula and that causes the plating of different depths and patterns on the Lands and grooves. This is all theoretical because i can not think of a way to test this one variable to the exclusion of the rest of the variables.
The one thing that makes me think this belief of mine is closer to the actual situation is based on a combination of experience (yes RG anecdotal) but more so: i have never heard of anyone expressing the need for “seasoning” a smoothbore barrel airgun especially the Brass ones.
What do you all think?
shootski
I think that a good polishing with a brass brush loaded with JB Bore Paste can work wonders. I think it may accelerate the breaking in process. May reduce the need fir seasoning the bore.
Roamin Greco,
I think that might work well if a borescope inspection gave indications of a bore with chatter, chipping, or general roughness.
I would, however, start with a Nylon bore brush and the JB Bore Paste.
If the builder/maker did a proper hone or was accomplished at rifling a bore it isn’t necessary. I have never done or needed any cleaning of the bores on my DAQs. Even though i have shot some of them at well over 1,000 FPS.
shootski
PS: Lothar-Walther barrels don’t seem to need this bore paste treatment and for a short period of time Crosman/Benjamin Steel barrels seemed to be much better as well.
Maybe this should be seen more in terms of a “break-in” process, as with say motor vehicles or similar machinery. In other words, you run the machine until the break-in is accomplished and then, if you did it right, things should work well for a long time. So with a rifled barrel, after you shoot a certain number of projectiles through it, whatever their type, the barrel should at some point be “broken-in” and achieve optimum accuracy. Let’s face it, when it comes to airgun pellets, given their particular ballistic quirks, YMMV when it comes to your target groups.
Would think some of the bore pastes or conditioners out there would help the process but, once again, this is just a non-expert’s opinion. FM now cedes the mike to his fellow airgunners who know what they are talking about.
FawltyManuel,
On a rainy evening or a too hot afternoon you could read this: https://quackenbushairguns.com/Airgun_barrels.htm
or reread it if you already have. Once you understand more than half of it you will know more about barrels than 99% of gun owners; both airgun and firearm.
shootski
My thoughts regarding barrel seasoning can’t come from years of experience, but does come from observation. If I load my rifle barrels with the metal mix that is hard, such as Crosman and Benjamin use, it’ll take quite a seasoning before I can shoot soft, fully lead projectiles again. I shot Bullseyes through my TX200 for a while, and with fair accuracy at that. But then when I went back to my usual favorite, JSB 15.89 pellets, it cost me a fair amount of barrel cleaning to remove shards of the Benjamins I’d been favoring. The Lothar Walther barrels are worth saving for the pellets they like. Allow me to pose one more observation: it truly seems that both my TX200 & my HW97K, each shooting .22 cal pellets prefer lighter pellets, such as 15 or 16 gr. over heavy pellets like the18.3 gr JSB. pellets. This seems backwards to my frail logic. What is your experience? Orv.
Orv,
Hardened lead pellets are alloyed with antimony and it causes barrel leading. That is what you are describing and also dealing with.
BB
Hoppalong Doc,
Definitely what Tom says!
’cause i’m no expert on Spring Piston airguns and have never shot a TX200 or a HW97K.
As far as your observations that those two airguns prefer less Mass in their favorite pellets i think B.B.’s
testing show a similar proclivity: https://www.pyramydair.com/blog/?s=TX200+accuracy+
There are some interesting things that happen during this testing for our discussion: https://www.pyramydair.com/blog/?s=HW97K+accuracy+
shootski