RAW TM1000 field target pistol.
This report covers:
- Two versions
- Air PISTOL?
- RAW rifle manual
- Regulator
- Grip
- Chassis
- Threaded muzzle
- Trigger
- Not cheap
- Summary
Today we start looking at a RAW TM1000 field target pistol. It’s not listed that way on the Pyramid AIR website, but that’s what it is. This is a precharged pneumatic (PCP) air pistol made for the sport of field target.
This is also the air pistol that Rick Rehm shot at the 2025 Pyramyd AIR Cup field target match. I was surprised that he was shooting an air pistol in the match and even more surprised that he waited until the match began to refine his sight-in. I’m not kidding—Rick actually used the first few field targets to refine his sight picture!
Rick Rehm aims at a field target in the match at the 2025 Pyramyd AIR Cup.
Two versions
The .177-caliber pistol I’m testing comes in two different versions. One is just under 12 foot pounds and the other is just under 20 foot pounds—those being the two power limits for WFTA and US field target matches. There is no difference in the appearance of these two pistols, so you can’t tell which one you have by looking at it. How then can you tell the difference?
Time’s up. That’s correct—you use a chronograph! At this moment in time I have no idea which version of the air pistol I am testing! Rick Rehm’s pistol at the Cup was the 12 foot-pound version.
The pistol also comes in two different calibers—.177 and .20. Why the .20 exists I don’t know but somebody must have wanted one.
Finally the pistol comes with either a 3000 psi aluminum air tank or a 3625 psi carbon fiber tank. There is a price difference between those two models.
Air PISTOL?
Looking at the TM1000 it’s difficult to call it a pistol. The barrel is 15 inches / 38.1 cm long. The entire pistol is 22 inches / 55.88 cm long. It weighs 5.5 pounds / 2.5 kg. So calling it a pistol is a stretch but in fact that’s what it is. Reader Shootski, don’t you dare ask me to shoot it offhand!
Know why RAW makes this as a pistol? Because if they put a stock on it people would wonder what it would be like as a pistol. They did thread it for an AR stock in back because, since it is a pistol, no doubt most folks will want to add a stock. If you don’t see the irony in that then bless your heart!
Pretty much any auxiliary AR stock turns the TM1000 pistol into a carbine. Look at the photo of Rick Rhem above again. The AR stock buffer tube threads into the back of the pistol’s receiver, once the cap that holds the sling swivel is removed. And that sling swivel can be eliminated entirely if you like. Just push its button in and tiny spring-loaded ball bearings move out of the way.
The rear of the pistol has a threaded hole that accepts the buffer tube from an AR-15 stock. Almost any AR stock will fit. To eliminate the sling swivel altogether push in the button on the rear and the swivel comes right off.
If you have an AR stock try it before you buy anything. If you do buy consider the UTG 6-position AR stock that is priced near the lowest end of adjustable AR stocks.
My only AR stock is the old kind that doesn’t adjust. So I will order the UTG PRO 6-Position Mil-Spec Stock Assembly from Pyramyd Air. The difficulty of testing an air pistol without a stock is getting a scope with a long-enough eye relief, so the stock will pretty much be standard. Of course AirForce could have made it as a carbine except that 1. It couldn’t compete as a pistol and 2. If it was a carbine everybody would want it to be a pistol.
RAW rifle manual
The pistol comes to you with a manual for a RAW rifle. The TM1000 action shares many similar genes with the HM 1000X Mini rifle action, except this one isn’t made for a magazine. Since the pistol is made for field target and most field target shooters like to load their pellets singly there is no provision for a magazine. The space where the pistol is loaded is plenty large for loading by hand.
Regulator
The regulator is user-adjustable, but the directions aren’t found in the owner’s manual. They are online on the https://rapidairworx.com website in the films that are in the knowledge center. Being a dinosaur I was surprised at this presentation but if you watch the video you will understand why it’s done this way. It does make things a LOT clearer!
Grip
The grip is a grippy synthetic that I have to call rubber because I don’t know what else it can be. It is deeply stippled and scalloped for the fingers of either hand. Yes it is ambidextrous. The palm shelf adjusts up and down and if there is a hand too large to fit this grip, I don’t want to meet the person who owns it!
The pistol grip is deeply stippled and has an adjustable palm shelf.
Chassis
In recent years RAW has focused on the chassis system. An aluminum chassis is attached to the action and acts as an external frame and also as part of a stock—specifically the forearm. It’s loaded with M-LOK slots on both sides and on the bottom so the range of attachment points for accessories is broad.
The TM1000 action sits inside an aluminum chassis that also serves as the forearm. As you can see there are plenty of M-LOK slots.
Threaded muzzle
The muzzle of the barrel is threaded to accept an airgun silencer. A knurled cap protects the threads.
Trigger
The two-stage trigger can be adjusted but I won’t be doing that. In fact, I don’t know why anyone would ever feel a need to adjust it unless they wanted a heavier second-stage pull. It’s a RAW trigger and like all the RAW triggers I have seen it is perfection!
Not cheap
This pistol is not cheap. I think that is all that needs to be said about that.
Summary
This is a very different type of PCP air pistol. It’s made for just one purpose, though anyone wanting accuracy in an air pistol can use it for anything they want.
This is a RAW which means perfection at every turn. This will be a very exciting test series!
Tom,
Since it’s a pistol could Rick Rehm have hand carried it aboard instead of entrusting to unknown baggage handlers (pardon my ignorance of air transport rules and regulations) if he flew in? That could explain his confidence in the pistol retaining it’s zero from his trip.
Siraniko
No!
-Y
Siraniko,
No. I believe it has to be stowed in a locked case inside a locked suitcase that’s checked by the TSA.
BB
Siraniko,
According to ICAO, TSA, most airlines the pressure vessel must be completely depressurized as well.
shootski
B.B.,
Not EVEN using the overhand Taco hold? https://www.ihmsa.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2811
Or laying down for Creedmoor Position hold?
shootski
PS: you could put a vertical grip in those M-LOK slots!
Shootski,
He can even put them horizontally if he wanted to!
Siraniko
Siraniko,
Why not three of them ;^)
shootski
B.B.
At all the FT matches that I have attended, the pistol class always gets much respect!
Shooting a pistol well is HARD, even one as accurate as this one is.
-Yogi
PS Can you mount a bi-pod on the pistol?
Yogi,
With all of those M-Lok slots, you can indeed mount a bipod on it.
RidgeRunner of the Peeples Demakratik Republik of Virginia 🙁
Yogi,
If the rules preclude mounting the bipod i would consider weights on the ends of stalks mounted at a angle from one (at the dynamic balance point) of the ventral slots; like some Target Slingshots (Hand Catapults) are equiped with:
https://hawksling.com
shootski
The .357 HM1000X I had would have been awesome as a little carbine. Yes, they are expensive. If you crave the closest thing to perfection, it will cost you.
I agree that this promises to be an exciting series! The grip on this RAW pistol reminds me of a grip that I added to my Umarex Notos. I think it could in fact be the same grip. I have my palm shelf adjusted up as far as it can adjust. And it still isn’t quite snug on my medium sized hand.
It is possible to mount a scope on my Baikal MP-46M pistol (using a clamp-on mount). I think it would be interesting to compare the accuracies and triggers of the 46M to this RAW pistol. Resting on a sandbag at 10-meters and then extending the distance further out. Just a thought…
Elmer,
I have a 46M. It is putting out way less than 12 FPE. At ten meters it might be hard to tell which is more accurate. When you stretch it out to fifty-five yards, I am pretty sure the RAW will take it every time. At close range my Izzy is hard to beat, but if you stretch it out some…
RidgeRunner of the Peeples Demakratik Republik of Virginia ;(
RR, that’s about the way I had envisioned the results. I just clocked my 46M. The average of 10-shots was 395 fps. Using 8.2 grain pellets the average power was only 2.85 ft-lbs. That’s a long way from the specified 12 ft-lbs of the RAW pistol.
Elmer Fudd,
You could use the proper size rattail file or power rasp to extend the slot upward.
That would allow you to raise the palm shelf to give you a more supportive fit.
Alternately you could try a shooting glove (with trigger finger bare) to see if it is worth the above modification work to allow bare handed shooting.
It all comes down to the individual barrel. The price comparison of the guns may give a clue to the barrel/system precision potentials.
shootski
Thanks Shootski.
Elmer Fudd,
Your welcome!
I’m really trying to stay on Santa’s Nice List ;^)
shootski
Tom,
I think the material of the grip is neoprene.
Siraniko
This is off subject, but I am in the process of restoring my walnut stocked Discovery to original setup, or close to it anyway. If you have any of these parts laying around not doing anything, I sure would like them to show up at RidgeRunner’s Home For Wayward Airguns.
I need a safety button. One from a Maximus or a Fortitude would fit just fine. I also need the Discovery rear sight and the screw that holds it on.
I can probably order these from Crosman, but I would hate to do such if they are already out there without a home. I promise to give them a great place to live.
RidgeRunner of the Peeples Demakratik Republik of Virginia 🙁
RidgeRunner,
I know it isn’t the original metal sight…
You could use a rear peep sight on the dovetail. You might even be able to find a front sight to work as well if yours has that glowy thingy ;^)
I use a scope on mine but the original rear iron sight stands clear of the bell. My front sight housing is in a parts box since i have a Benjamin Discovery specific threaded DonnyFL adapter up front.
shootski
PS: just looked at my rifle and the front sight (glowy) is mounted on the adapter and will still work with the original metal rear sight.
B.B.,
The P Air copy says M-LOK slots on the sides? Your photograph in Chassis clearly shows the THREE (3) ventral M-LOK slots.
Is that a product change or an oversight?
shootski
shootski,
Probably an oversight.
BB
Metallic silhouette maybe? I’d want it in .20.
Hello BB,
Basic unrelated question.
How do airgun magazines (the traditional, rotary style ones) feed into an air gun? I do not own a magazine fed one, so I cannot check. I understand that the gun fires the pellet directly out of the magazine, with the mag acting like a sort-of “chamber” that the pellets are shot out of. But when I look at images of magazines, I do not see any sealing mechanisms on it to keep gas leakage at bay, and when people insert the mags, they don’t do it in a way that suggests the magazines are airtight to the gun… So what am I missing?
Thanks for your attention.
Desto,
Just like in a single shot bolt action when you open the bolt part of the sealing mechanism is at the bolt body. There is no sealing mechanism located in the open trough. In a rotary magazine the open trough becomes a closed cylinder containing a pellet that when you open the bolt to cock rotates the magazine and aligns the pellet with the bolt so that it is pushed into the chamber and sealed when you close the bolt. I’ll leave it to Tom and the others to explain if further explanation is needed.
Siraniko
Ah, so a semi automatic air gun would also necessitate a reciprocating bolt, much like in a semi auto “normal” gun. (in orthodox designs, anyway). Thanks for clearing that up, I see. That makes things more complicated, then… that means the action needs to both reciprocate the bolt and recock the hammer… Like a normal semi auto gun. Thanks for clearing that up, I wish to learn more.
Desto,
No need for me to say more. Siraniko said it very well.
BB
And a side note,
The reason we have round pellet magazines is because pellets do not stack well in a traditional vertical stick mag. They come in different sizes and shapes, and thin skirts may get slightly crushed under too much spring pressure.
Daisy overcame this problem with their Powerline 45 pistol. They made a stick magazine that stacked pellets one ‘on top’ of the other and it only accepted one type of pellet, a flat nosed wad cutter.
To make sure only that type of pellet was used the opening in the mag was shaped in exactly the same shape as the pellet. It also prevented the insertion of pellets backwards as well.
So … how do you feed pellets into the breach when they are stacked this way? They put the magazine on the top of the non-functioning 45ACP slide ‘Horizontally’, into a slot. Then designed a breach block that popped up with each trigger pull and allowed a spring-loaded pellet to slide into the short breach block that then dropped back down into alignment with the barrel.
It must be a tight fit because the pistol averaged around 400FPS on CO2.
Not a true semi-auto blow back design, and not a revolver, guess you could call it a what? A multi-shot, somewhat semi-auto CO2 breach block pistol.