Date: 10/5/2024 6:22

Crosman Diamondback SBD Reviews

Crosman Diamondback SBD Air Rifle, NP Elite

Average Customer Review

Rating 4.54.5 (49 reviews)
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The most helpful favorable review

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

Rating 5.05.0 5.0

Rating 5.05.0 5.0

Rating 5.05.0 5.0

By Mr Warren from USA on 2019-03-26 18:26:41

Things I liked:

This pellet rifle completely ROCKS! .22 Caliber and tearing up the place. I was surprised how quiet it is and I wonder about the Platinum level of noise suppression? Must be really quiet. I am surprised with the accuracy. I used the iron sights at first and they rock but took forever to dial in, so I switched to the scope and it took a while too but I am nailing dime size groups at 30 yards and tearing metal butane cans to shreds at 50 yards! I have soda cans hanging off of the barbed wire fence about 60 yards out and I see the pellets kicking up sand a good 20 yards past them, up hill a bit when I miss those. This gun has range, and it is accurate at range. It is throws heavy lead too. I stick in the 15-16 grain range, but I have 20 grain pellets too and they are accurate as can be in a heavy wind and through brush.

Things I would have changed:

I tried resetting the trigger to more of a hair trigger and the screw broke apart. So, I would suggest a higher quality screw be used in adjustment spots. I did get an eighth of a turn before it came apart and that helped the trigger pull immensely.

What others should know:

Great value! Incredible range and accuracy to boot. I was surprised how much stronger this .22 caliber Crosman Diamondback is than my pump action .177 760. Crazy differences!

The most helpful critical review

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Rating 3.03.0 3.0

Rating 3.03.0 3.0

Rating 3.03.0 3.0

By Buddy from USA on 2023-03-26 23:13:02

Things I liked:

Looks and quietness

Things I would have changed:

Trigger and a softer rear stock pad.

What others should know:

If possible shoot before you buy.

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  • Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Rating 4.04.0 4.0

    Things I liked:

    Very accurate and powerful if you use a heavier pellet. (10.5gr or better work great.) I use it primarily to drop birds that steal the food from my peacocks. Out to 50 yards, a pigeon is a 1 shot kill and at 25 yards even the tiny sparrows can be hit consistently. "Paper punching" groups in an inch at 25 yards off hand and narrows to all holes touching from a bench rest.

    Things I would have changed:

    The scope that comes with it is garbage (or at least mine was) I had one left over from my old Stoeger spring gun that wore out that works great on the Crosman and allows accurate zeros and consistent shot placements. (Scope that came with it wouldn't hold a zero!!! Factory defect on mine?) People have complained about the noise and weight. I agree that when new, it was very loud, but as they said, it quieted down after some shooting. I've probably put several thousand pellets through it since new and no one in the convenience store parking lot (several hundred feet away from my yard) seems to hear it any more. The weight is substantial and I use the sling (that I added) any time except when getting ready for a shot. From a bench, or even off hand, the extra weight makes it quite stable for aiming. I do not recommend the lighter weight pellets. Under 10 grain wouldn't fly straight. I think there might have be too much power behind them and they tumble.

    What others should know:

    I highly recommend this pellet gun in .177 for smaller "critters"or "paper punching" and if the .22 version is as accurate and dependable, it should be a really decent "bunny buster". Make sure to keep your arm in shape as that single pump of the barrel can take some effort if you can't get the right angle, or if rapid firing at the range. (if you can call a single shot break barrel rifle rapid firing) I wouldn't call this a serious competition gun, but is accurate enough for the casual shooter and at a very affordable price for its quality.

  • Rating 4.04.0 4.0

    Rating 4.04.0 4.0

    Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Verified Purchase

    Things I liked:

    It's accurate and it is quiet

    Things I would have changed:

    Some how reconfigure the leverage required to cock it. It is a booger!

    What others should know:

    Again, it's REALLY tough to cock. That being said, it seems to be more than adequately accurate. It's really quiet!

  • Rating 3.03.0 3.0

    Rating 3.03.0 3.0

    Rating 3.03.0 3.0

    Verified Purchase

    Things I liked:

    Looks and quietness

    Things I would have changed:

    Trigger and a softer rear stock pad.

    What others should know:

    If possible shoot before you buy.

  • Rating 4.04.0 4.0

    Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Rating 4.04.0 4.0

    Verified Purchase

    Things I liked:

    First i loved the synthetic material that it's made of, it's not too heavy and it's easy to cock. What really surprised me was that it was easy to dial in with the manual sights right out of the box. At 15 yards I'm getting about 1 inch groups with no problem using Crosman 22 cal. hollow points.

    Things I would have changed:

    Because I don't consider this a hunting rifle I would loose the sling mount.

    What others should know:

    This rifle is back yard friendly and it hits as hard as my Hatsan 95.

  • Rating 4.04.0 4.0

    Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Rating 4.04.0 4.0

    Verified Purchase

    Things I liked:

    first of all i love the price, i also like the all weather material that the rifle is composed of. The rifle is easy to dial in out of the box and its powerful enough to take down any back yard pest. It's not to heavy and it's not hard to cock and load. I'm pleased with the speed and power of a rifle at this price. So far i'm only firing it with the mechanical sights.

    Things I would have changed:

    The mechanical sights are not very good. I have painted mine with orange and green sight paint and that makes the sights easy to see. If Crosman would improve the front and rear sights on this rifle i would give it 5 stars.

    What others should know:

    This rifle is very back yard friendly.

  • Rating 4.04.0 4.0

    Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Rating 4.04.0 4.0

    Verified Purchase

    Things I liked:

    first of all i love the price, i also like the all weather material that the rifle is composed of. The rifle is easy to dial in out of the box and its powerful enough to take down any back yard pest. It's not to heavy and it's not hard to cock and load. I'm pleased with the speed and power of a rifle at this price. So far i'm only firing it with the mechanical sights.

    Things I would have changed:

    The mechanical sights are not very good. I have painted mine with orange and green sight paint and that makes the sights easy to see. If Crosman would improve the front and rear sights on this rifle i would give it 5 stars.

    What others should know:

    This rifle is very back yard friendly.

  • Rating 4.04.0 4.0

    Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Rating 4.04.0 4.0

    Verified Purchase

    Things I liked:

    I ordered the 22cal. Crosman Diamondback rifle with no scope from PA on Jan. 14, 2023, I received it on Jan. 18, 2023. The rifle arrived in good shape, no damage. PA has been great to deal with. So far I have been shooting it off hand with the open sights on the rifle. I am shooting 22cal H&N Rabbit Magnum II 25.62gr. pellets. It it has plenty of power and has been slinging these heavy pellets with ease at a target that I have put out at 35 yards. I would say this rifle is reasonably accurate, especially for its price point. Power wise, it falls somewhere between my 22cal Hatsan 125 and my 22cal Crosman Summit Ranger NP2. The trigger is a little stiff but it breaks cleanly and at the same point. The trigger should ease up some once this rifle breaks in. I am still tweeting in the open sights, it shoots just a little to the right. The weight of the rifle is around 8 1/2 pounds. It is about the same as my Hatsan Striker and Edge and a little more than my Umarex Surge Max Elit

    Things I would have changed:

    I had to tip the open sight on the barrel with some of my wife's fingernail polish to give the black on black sights some contrast. The false magazine is only useful as a place to balance the rifle while shooting, I may remove it at a later date.

    What others should know:

    It is too soon to tell how well this rifle will shoot. Once it is broken in I'll have abetter idea as to accuracy. A few years ago, I bought a Crosman Summit Ranger NP2 rifle from PA and it is now very accurate out to 35 yards. I have a felling that this Diamondback will wind up being pretty good as well. 22cal Crosman Diamond Back - 6 shots at 35 yards- Off Hand - Open Sights- 22cal H&N Rabbit Magnum II 25.62gr.Pellets. https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=205637.0;attach=424457;image

  • Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Verified Purchase

    Things I liked:

    Nice heavy well built rifle. Everything was great. Extremely accurate right out of the box. I have about 30 rounds through it now and the accuracy has increased. The rifle is not loud at all, easy to cock and packs a punch. I bought the .22 caliber without a scope since I already had one. Small open sight and trigger pull adjustment and am popping a quarter at 20 yards. Installed a Barska 4x32 IR scope (great for air guns or .22). I'll zero that another day. Love it! For a bit over $100 it can't be beat.

    Things I would have changed:

    Not a thing.

    What others should know:

    This is right up there with way more expensive guns.

  • Rating 4.04.0 4.0

    Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Verified Purchase

    Things I liked:

    Accutacy,looks,value for the noney,solid rifle

    Things I would have changed:

    Trigger is very sensative,border line dangerous

    What others should know:

    Make sure you get a good scope for this rifle.

  • Rating 4.04.0 4.0

    Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Rating 3.03.0 3.0

    Things I liked:

    the power to price ratio still holds even after almost 2 years of shooting this airgun. it knocks em dead everytime. I shoot a lot of smaller varmints, namely squirrels (they get big around here), chipmunks, and some invasive birds. never has one ever shrugged off a shot from this. if you hit one, it goes down. every. time.

    Things I would have changed:

    first of all this airgun is quite heavy. after about a dozen shots without a bench or rest and you're going to be tired. the sights are usable but kinda lame. better sights probably would have made me forget about the weight honestly. the ones it comes with are just black plastic that doesn't contrast very well against anything that isn't paper white.

    What others should know:

    all in all this gun is more than worth a buy. quirks and flaws aside, this gun WILL reliably remove pests. you'd have to have some REALLY good arms to shoot this with any kind of glass on it. I personally just got used to the iron sights and never looked back. this gun doesn't care what pellets you shoot, although it likes heaver pellets. buy a sling if for some reason you want to torture yourself by carrying it any distance

  • Rating 4.04.0 4.0

    Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Verified Purchase

    Things I liked:

    the look is nice. solid piece of equip..good power...pretty quiet for a .22 break barrel

    Things I would have changed:

    a bit heavy possibly make a little lighter..took long time to zero..possibly due to the recoil..has a substantial kick..

    What others should know:

    got far better accurancy when i really snugged it into my shoulder to prevent little bounce

  • Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Rating 4.04.0 4.0

    Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Things I liked:

    The Diamondback .22 is a solid platform. I don't have a chrony, but this thing flies pretty flat, and punches holes through more than you might expect with Crosman hollow points, so be very mindful of what is behind your target. It's great for plinking, but it's even better for killing stuff. It's got a little heft to it, which is good, because it does actually have a little recoil to it, probably from the physical movement of the nitro piston. In fact it has more than any 22LR I've used, but the weight mitigates it. It is comfortable, well balanced, and extremely accurate. With improvements to the trigger and the scope, I can easily headshot rodents at 30 yards or more. I recommend adding a picatinny rail and a UTG SWAT scope. It's pretty quiet, and a good hunting tool. To the untrained eye, it's a little scary looking, but it looks like it means business because it does. I'm still not sure why it has a pistol grip, as single shot, but it is not awkward.

    Things I would have changed:

    The scope and the trigger on this thing are utter garbage. Sloppy, long inconsistent trigger, and the scope is pretty much useless. The rest of the rifle is amazing. Reliable, accurate, comfortable to shoot, though the weight makes shooting it unsupported difficult if you cannot spot your target and aim quickly.

    What others should know:

    As Stated above, I recommend spending the money and getting a decent scope with mounts, a well as decent trigger. It's well worth spending up to twice the cost of the rifle on decent quality optics. I put a UTG SWAT scope and a Charlie Datuna trigger in to mine, adjusted it to a little over 2 lbs for the pull, placed a stop behind the trigger, and now this thing shoots like a dream. One little quirk: this thing actually shoots better when you jerk the trigger. Don't squeeze, jerk it, you'll see what I mean. Seems a little counterintuitive, but it makes a difference.

  • Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Things I liked:

    Excellent value, very well put together (for the money) and this rifle is very solid, extremely accurate, quiet and hits pretty hard. I don't know how Crosman can put everything together in this rifle, for this little money. Plus it has a great warranty too, on top of everything else. I'd buy it all over again, without question, and that likely says what I think about it in only a few words!

    Things I would have changed:

    I love a nice wood stock, but at this price, that'd be impossible to accomplish.

    What others should know:

    If you're a reasonable person, I couldn't imagine you'd find fault with this air rifle!

  • Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Verified Purchase

    Things I liked:

    Everything. Balance of power and accuracy. Quality of construction. Ease of use. Quiet. Trigger is good too after adjustment to liking and break in period. Incredible gun for the money! I do long range shooting. After about 500 pellets in, I'm getting sub 3" groups from 100 yards with JSB 15.89 pellets, with my best being a 1.5" 10 shot group at 100 yards (can't believe this from a breakbarrel!). Getting 1.5" groups at 50 yards, sub 4" groups from 125 yards and sub 6" groups from 150 yards. A great and simple long range choice without having to go PCP.

    Things I would have changed:

    Nothing really. Keep working on the trigger more I suppose. Keep trying to get it up there with Diana or Weihrauch quality even if the price point has to go up a bit. Maybe put on some fiber optic sights if one wants to shoot open sighted.

    What others should know:

    Remember there is a balance between this guns fpe, the pellet quality and weight you choose, and the distance you want to shoot at.

  • Rating 4.04.0 4.0

    Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Verified Purchase

    Things I liked:

    The funky barrel shround and silencer works,for the power its not very loud. Barrel breaks easy and pump action is smooth. Good solid heavy rifle. The little faux magazine well rests nicely in palm of hand.

    Things I would have changed:

    Trigger pull is as fuzzy as eating cotton candy on a hayride down a gravel road. Put a decent single stage trigger on it. Sights( didn't buy the scope, why would I?) are not made of metal. Ive seen better plastic sights on waterguns 30 years ago. Put some decent sights on it. Anything would be an improvement .

    What others should know:

    I like this rifle and You will too. Even with the janky sights Im still having alot of fun with it.

  • Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Verified Purchase

    Things I liked:

    Accurate, powerful, easy to load. Well made.

    Things I would have changed:

    Cheesy plastic sight.

    What others should know:

    Definitely recommend.

  • Rating 4.04.0 4.0

    Rating 4.04.0 4.0

    Rating 4.04.0 4.0

    Things I liked:

    Wow! Powerful and accurate. I replaced this air rifle after my Hatsan mod95 failed after 6 years. Im hoping the gas piston on this Crosman will last longer. Time will tell. I put my old scope on it and have been shooting about 5-10 pellets a day getting it sighted in. Now after about 60 pellets I am getting in a good groove. I little tweak on elevation or L/R and its looking good. Im really liking it now. I hope for better and tighter groups after another 100 pellets. Thanks PAir. Good reviews and good service.

    Things I would have changed:

    Trigger is good but could be better.

    What others should know:

    Im very happy with my choice on this. I know the company has been around for a long while and am very pleased with my first Crosman. I really enjoy it.

  • Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Verified Purchase

    Things I liked:

    Nice weight, very solid, tight. Trigger is very smooth not gritty, iron (plastic) sights were dead on, power is incredible as it tears up squirrels and flips them in the air (all 1 shot kills). Took it out of box and shot into a 2.5"x2.5" square on piece of 1" lumber. It was almost center in square, went thru the board and dented a steel file cabinet behind it all. This was from 45'. Proceeded to backyard where there were 2 squirrels, shot the one dead instantly while the 2nd kept eating and then shot him also. From time of unpacking rifle to 2 dead squirrels about 30 minutes total. The trigger is smooth but I guess about 5-6 lbs. based on my experience with conventional firearms. Not as much as double action handgun but also not as light as S&W single action revolver or Kimber 1911. I will break down trigger assy. and see if it can be improved but is very functional as is.

    Things I would have changed:

    Possibly better trigger, shorter let off.

    What others should know:

    I mounted an old Tasco scope 3x9 40mm I had in storage. The plastic sights were dead on but the scope extends the rifle's range for sure. Pyramid Air is by far the dealer to use for air gun equipment. Very efficient, courteous and good price point !!

  • Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Things I liked:

    Nitro Piston Elite power plant has fixed sights fairly quiet hits hard tactical look option to purchase without scope

    Things I would have changed:

    prefer picatinny rail over dovetail for scope mounting better trigger adjustment

    What others should know:

    Not a ton of info out there about this specific model, other than styling it's pretty much identical to the Crosman Valiant, Vaporizer & Benjamin Ironhide. After seeing positive YouTube videos and reviews for all models using the Nitro Piston power plants (NP, NP2 & NP Elite) I pulled the trigger on the .22 version. Purchased primarily for critter control at my rural home, I've been surprised at how powerful & accurate this air rifle is. There's already fewer raccoons wreaking havoc around my place. So far I've put about 200 rounds of Crosman Premier hollow points (14.3gr) through it and the accuracy just keeps getting better, consistently getting 1" groups at 50 yards using a cheap scope. Got similar results at 1/2 that distance (old eyes) using the fixed sights. Have a better scope on order & I'm looking forward to seeing what it can do at 100 yards. I'm all about cost effectiveness and in my opinion this is an excellent air rifle for the money!

  • Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Rating 5.05.0 5.0

    Rating 4.04.0 4.0

    Things I liked:

    I love with the way it is

  • 123 Next

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