Category Archives: lookalikes

lookalikes category

SigAir ProForce MCX Virtus AEG airsoft gun: Part 3

Posted on by ↓ 53 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Virtus AGE right
SigAir ProForce MCX Virtus AEG right side.

Part 1
Part 2

This report covers:

  • Accuracy
  • HOWEVER
  • Romeo5 XDR red dot sight
  • Sig BBs|
  • 0.20-gram TSD Tactical White BBs
  • 0.20-gram TSD Tactical Black BBs|
  • 0.20-gram Marui Black BBs
  • 0.25-gram Stealth BBs
  • Rock and Roll
  • Discussion
  • Summary

I said in Part 2 that there was a lot to test with this SigAir ProForce MCX Virtus AEG airsoft guns, and today I discovered I was understating the case. You’ll see why as we progress.

Accuracy

This is the beginning of the accuracy test and it’s good to remind ourselves what this airsoft gun is meant for. It’s meant for skirmishing, which means shooting people, not targets. However, the best way to get it on target and properly adjusted is still the old-fashioned way of shooting at paper.

HOWEVER

The However today is all the variables. I will be shooting many different BBs, adjusting the Hop Up and adjusting the Romeo5 dot sight — each of which makes the equation more complex. I did not think about that until I was well into the test. read more

SigAir ProForce MCX Virtus AEG airsoft gun: Part 2

Posted on by ↓ 45 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Virtus AGE right
SigAir ProForce MCX Virtus AEG right side.

Part 1

This report covers:

  • My strategy
  • Sig BBs
  • Weight
  • Getting the gun ready to fire
  • Loading the magazine
  • Use the speedloader
  • The follower needs more BBs
  • Velocity 0.20-gram Sig BBs
  • Sound and feel of the shot
  • Rock and Roll
  • More about the speedloader
  • 0.25-gram BBs
  • Full auto accuracy
  • 0.30-gram BBs
  • Trigger pull
  • Summary

Today I start reporting on the velocity of the new SigAir ProForce MCX Virtus AEG airsoft gun. I say “start” because I can’t get the full report in a single day. You will recall that Sig enclosed a 110 mainspring for me to try, as well as the 120 that’s in the gun as it comes. The 110 spring is lighter, so two things should happen. The velocity should drop a little and the rounds per minute (RPM) should increase, because the electric motor is turning the gears against less force.

My strategy

I could either replace the spring and do the second velocity test next or I could go on to the accuracy test with this spring and then do the spring swap and test everything again. I think I will do the latter for a couple reasons. It’s easier, and I am into easier. And, even if I were to do anything wrong while making the spring swap, we will at least get one complete test. read more

Crosman MAR 177: Part 6

Posted on by ↓ 73 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Crosman MAR
The MAR177 from Crosman.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

History of airguns

This report covers:

  • Sight-in
  • First group
  • Qiang Yuan Olympic pellets
  • RWS Hobby
  • JSB Exact RS
  • Discussion
  • Summary

You asked me to back up to 25 yards with the Crosman MAR177 and today is the day I do it. It should prove to be an interesting report.

Sight-in

Because I was using the iron sights that came with the rifle, I skipped the sight-in at 12 feet and went straight to 25 yards. My sight-in pellet was the Air Arms Falcon that was so accurate in the test at 10 meters.

The first shot went two inches high at 25 yards. After seeing that I adjusted the rear sight down 5 clicks. I had adjusted it up the other day for photography when I was exploring its adjustability and writing Part 5. read more

Crosman MAR 177: Part 5

Posted on by ↓ 39 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Crosman MAR
The MAR177 from Crosman.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

History of airguns

This report covers:

  • The test
  • Sig Match Ballistic Alloy
  • What happened?
  • Second group with Sig Match Alloy
  • What to do?
  • Air Arms Falcon
  • The trigger
  • Do triggers affect accuracy?
  • Ten Sig Match Ballistic Alloy
  • RWS Hobby
  • Qiang Yuan Olympic
  • Discussion
  • The rear sight does adjust!
  • Summary

I finally managed to schedule for a minute past midnight, so that is back to normal. Today’s report is a follow-on from last Friday’s report. I am still testing the Crosman MAR177 target rifle’s accuracy with the sights that came with it. And I learned something big today. I hope it will help all of you with your shooting.

Actually, I learned two big things today. I had a stupident that I hope will help the rest of you.

The test

I said at the end of Part 4 that I wanted to test the MAR again, and perhaps with different pellets. That test happens today. read more

SigAir ProForce MCX Virtus AEG airsoft gun: Part 1

Posted on by ↓ 55 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Virtus AGE right
SigAir ProForce MCX Virtus AEG right side.

This report covers:

  • Spring piston
  • Battery basics
  • Avalon gearbox
  • Replacement M110 spring
  • This gun
  • Sights
  • Magazine
  • Velocity
  • Hop Up?
  • At what price?
  • Discussion
  • Summary

I did a search in the blog archives and could not find another report I had written about automatic electric airsoft guns (AEG). I have done some large articles about AEG in the past for Shotgun News and for my own newsletter. I even wrote two articles for Pyramyd Air about the basics of batteries for airsoft guns — one in 2008 and the other in 2009. Those articles are still good today — 10 and 11 years later.

Spring piston

An AEG is a spring-piston gun whose piston is retracted (cocked) and loosed by a mechanical gearbox that’s powered by a small high-torque electric motor. To power the motor a battery is contained somewhere inside the gun. There is a great animation of how an AEG works on Wiki. read more

Crosman MAR 177: Part 3

Posted on by ↓ 39 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Crosman MAR
The MAR177 from Crosman.

Part 1
Part 2

History of airguns

This report covers:

  • Baseline with Hobbys
  • Today’s test
  • What is the average?
  • Second page of numbers
  • What does “estimate 601” on page 2 mean?
  • But — what is the average velocity?
  • Photos
  • Pressure gauge and fill pressure
  • Big lesson
  • Balanced valve
  • How do I know the ending air pressure?
  • Air Arms Falcons
  • RWS R10 Match Pistol
  • H&N Finale Match Light
  • Loading problems
  • Loudness
  • Summary

Today I test the velocity of the MAR177 I’m reviewing, and I have a baseline from the 2012 test I did, with which to compare it. Some of you asked me what velocity to expect. Well, it is all in the 6-part review I did on the first MAR177. Look at Part 3 of that series for the velocity test. 

Baseline with Hobbys

In that 2012 test I got an average of 609 f.p.s. from RWS Hobbys and the velocity varied by 32 f.p.s. The low was 593 f.p.s. and the high was 625 f.p.s. I got a shot count of 124 shots on one fill.

Today’s test

Today I shot 160 Hobbys on a fill. The fill pressure ranged from a high of 3200 psi to a low of about 2200 psi — according to my accurate carbon fiber tank gauge. Those starting and ending pressures are well above the pressure range of the first gun (which was 2900 psi to 1600 psi). read more

Crosman MAR 177: Part 2

Posted on by ↓ 51 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Crosman MAR
The MAR177 from Crosman.

Part 1

History of airguns

This report covers:

  • Why muzzleloading pneumatics and gas guns are extremely dangerous
  • AR with a reservoir
  • Premium quality
  • Receiver difference
  • National Match trigger
  • AR firearm
  • Summary

Why muzzleloading pneumatics and gas guns are extremely dangerous

I am answering this discussion topic today because nobody had figured it out when I wrote up today’s report last Friday. Maybe someone did later, but I will answer it here so everyone understands. And just to let you know — I didn’t figure this out, either. Dennis Quackenbush was kind enough to explain it to me.

A pneumatic or gas gun may leak air or CO2 at any time. If it did, and if its forward escape path was blocked by a bullet in the barrel and the rear path was blocked by o-rings, pressure would build up until something let go. The most likely thing would be the bullet. In other words, a muzzleloading airgun can potentially fire at any time — if it is loaded and if there is a leak. Since a leak can occur at any time unannounced, a muzzle loading airgun is very dangerous. read more