Crosman Phantom NP Air Rifle

Accurate and durable. I really appreciate having open sights on any rifle as well as the ability to mount an optic.

This rifle is rather heavy. If you plan on carrying it around much, I would recommend rigging up a sling of some sort. Also, the provided scope is borderline useless. It works, but you can do much better for a small outlay.

Did I mention this thing is heavy?

I really like the weight and balance of this rifle. Im also very pleased with the appearance of it, certainly a tough choice between a nice looking wood grain stock on a different rifle, or this Crosman Phantom- Im glad I chose the Phantom. I like that everything seems solid and sturdy and of good quality, nothing is wobbly or loose and the barrel is not out of line with the rifle. Crosman seems to be consistently making some good quality, reasonably accurate, and powerful rifles. I am actually really surprised by the power this rifle generates. I also really appreciate the fact that there are iron sights on the Phantom as well as an included Center Point scope, and that scoped or un-scoped, the rifle generates consistent accuracy. The scope itself seems to be of acceptable quality and durability, and as of 500+ rounds is continuing to hold a zero. Overall I am very satisfied with the Crosman Phantom .22 caliber nitro piston rifle, and of course with my experiences with PyramydAir.

Im honestly very pleased so far with the Crosman Phantom .22 NP, and Im certainly no expert shooter, so I cannot say I can personally find any defects or faults with my particular rifle that should drive any sort of change in product design. In general, it is always a sporting exercise to break in any spring/gas piston airgun. My particular Phantom, in .22 caliber with the Nitro Piston, took somewhere around 250+ shots before the groupings settled in and the kick-back subsided enough that I was able to mount, adjust and zero the scope. The cocking effort seems to be upwards of 35 or more lbs out of the box, and although it has smoothed out, it has not seemed to decrease. Not exactly points of desired product change, so much as the only 'rough' spots encountered from the initial out of box experience until well after 500 rounds.

The review I have written is based entirely on my own experiences with the Crosman Phantom, .22 caliber nitro piston. I own too many airguns of too many different types, and this is the first positive experience Ive had with a "spring" gun. Clearly, there is a substantial difference between trying to shoot a spring-piston powered air rifle and shooting a gas-piston powered air rifle, with the gas-piston being the absolute winner in my own opinion. I sighted in my particular rifle (.22 caliber Phantom NP) using Crosman Premier Domed Hollow-Point 14.3gr pellets at ~32 yards, with out of the box groupings of 5" or more down to around 1.5" after break in. I attached the included Center Point scope after about 200 rounds when the rifle seemed to begin to settle, and after about 250 total rounds I was getting 1.5" or less groups at 32~35 yards. Im very certain the large groupings are due to my shooting, and that if I brought the target in to ~20 yards I could achieve .5" or less groupings.

Power and accuracy*

Bundled scope, Cocking effort, Trigger

Has tons of extra oil in it from the factory like all Chinese exports. I would recommend immediate de-greasing it with shotgun cleaner. Not Hoppes #9 or anything oil based but a quality shotgun cleaner/degreaser Remington makes a good one. 90% Rubbing alcohol might work. Other wise get ready for 5" groups at 20 yards for the first 500 pellets. After degreasing mine it dieseled for 50 or so shots and now she holds 1/2" groups @ 20yrds with RWS superpoints. The trigger is TERRIBLE, but it is predictable so you'll have to practice. Its also the most hold sensitive NP I've ever shot. I'd recommend buying a AO scope to get the most out of this rifle.Two other observations about my rifle, it does not like crosman pellets (extremely odd for a Crosman rifle) and its hold sensitive (again odd for a NP)