UPS just delivered my new Pellet Rifle!

10860 Views 56 Replies 21 Participants Last post by GreenWolf70, Feb 21, 2013

RobThatsMe

Discussion Starter · Feb 14, 2013 (Edited)

Well, I been needing something around here to take care of some varments!
This will be great.

I bought a Crossman Nitro Venom Dusk.
It's a break barrel rifle with a Nitro piston, and comes with a 3-9x32mm scope.
Perfect for the @#% woodpeckers that have caused $1,500. worth of damage to my house.
There also seems to be a growing population of tree rats around me.

No ammo shortage here, $6.40 got me 500 rounds! Well, until they put a ban on lead anyway.
Can't wait to shot it and break it in. Still looking it over. I need to mount the scope, and give it a good cleaning.
I ordered a .177 boresnake for air rifles, but it has not come in yet.

Next, I need to put some suet up in the yard to pull those pesky birds in.

Reactions: 5

21 - 40 of 57 Posts

tservice

· #21 · Feb 15, 2013

ozzy said:
Nitro pistons are barrel break, only 1 time.

Would you explain please.

GreenWolf70

· #22 · Feb 15, 2013

With the price of ammo running up and ranges packed to brim, I've been thinking about either a Hatsan 125 or one of the RWS 350 Mag clones. .22 Caliber won't go supersonic (no boom) yet will still deliver about 25 FPE on a target.

Reactions: 1

ozzy

· #23 · Feb 15, 2013

tservice said:
Would you explain please.

Crosman Nitro Venom Air Rifle - Crosman BB Guns and Pellet Guns

Reactions: 2

RobThatsMe

Discussion Starter · #24 · Feb 15, 2013

Hi ozzy,

I looked at that. That one has the wooden stocks, and not a real clear mention of the scope.
Here is the site that I found the model I purchased from.

Cabela's: Crosman Nitro Venom Dusk .177-Caliber Rifle

Reactions: 1

LonestarJake

· #25 · Feb 15, 2013

tservice said:
Stupid question, but is it pump or co2 powered?

It is a manual break open barrel where the spring is compressed by moving the barrel downwards 90 degrees from the sight plane, thus when released, charges the air into the chamber. Not CO2. These are referred to as spring air. This type of air rifle does not hold a compressed charge of air like a pump up. The recoil is forwards as the spring is released.

tservice

· #26 · Feb 15, 2013

LonestarJake said:
It is a manual break open barrel where the spring is compressed by moving the barrel downwards 90 degrees from the sight plane, thus when released, charges the air into the chamber. Not CO2. These are referred to as spring air. This type of air rifle does not hold a compressed charge of air like a pump up. The recoil is forwards as the spring is released.

Thanks, that explains it.

dbeardslee

· #27 · Feb 15, 2013

Looking at parts diagrams I think the difference between spring-air rifles and nitro piston rifles is this - spring-air cocks a spring when you break the barrel, and when you pull the trigger it releases the spring which compresses the air at the same time it sends the pellet out the barrel. With a nitro piston it looks to me like it compresses the air when you break the barrel, and releases it when you pull the trigger. There's no big spring in a nitro piston rifle. Nitro piston is supposed to last longer because they don't rely on a spring that gets weaker over time. I might have to give one a try for my next air rifle.

Reactions: 2

MOONDAWG

· #28 · Feb 15, 2013

Congratulations, that's a smart way to have fun, maintain marksmenship & save money too!:icon_ lala:

Reactions: 1

CB236

· #29 · Feb 15, 2013

Mr. UPS brought this Taurus 24/7 Airsoft pistol las weekend. Plenty of ammo too!

Firearm Gun Trigger Gun accessory Gun barrel

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LonestarJake

· #30 · Feb 15, 2013

dbeardslee said:
Looking at parts diagrams I think the difference between spring-air rifles and nitro piston rifles is this - spring-air cocks a spring when you break the barrel, and when you pull the trigger it releases the spring which compresses the air at the same time it sends the pellet out the barrel. With a nitro piston it looks to me like it compresses the air when you break the barrel, and releases it when you pull the trigger. There's no big spring in a nitro piston rifle. Nitro piston is supposed to last longer because they don't rely on a spring that gets weaker over time. I might have to give one a try for my next air rifle.

I would go for this, I never liked the spring air, felt wrong when it fired.

dbeardslee

· #31 · Feb 15, 2013

LonestarJake said:
I would go for this, I never liked the spring air, felt wrong when it fired.

I've had spring air rifles for years, and the only thing that's really objectionable about them is the recoil. I had a RWS model 54 side cocker that got around the recoil by allowing the entire action to move back and forth. It worked almost like an artillery piece, and while it eliminated the recoil and improved accuracy, it also cost around $500. Seems to me like the nitro piston guns shouldn't recoil like a spring air, and for a lot less money than the RWS setup. I'll be real interested to hear what Rob has to say about his new rifle's recoil.

Another problem with the spring air rifles is that you can tear them up by dry firing them. I'm also interested in whether or not the nitro pistons have the same issue.

I'm looking forward to Rob's range report when it's available.

RobThatsMe

Discussion Starter · #32 · Feb 15, 2013

dbeardslee said:
I've had spring air rifles for years, and the only thing that's really objectionable about them is the recoil. I had a RWS model 54 side cocker that got around the recoil by allowing the entire action to move back and forth. It worked almost like an artillery piece, and while it eliminated the recoil and improved accuracy, it also cost around $500. Seems to me like the nitro piston guns shouldn't recoil like a spring air, and for a lot less money than the RWS setup. I'll be real interested to hear what Rob has to say about his new rifle's recoil.

Another problem with the spring air rifles is that you can tear them up by dry firing them. I'm also interested in whether or not the nitro pistons have the same issue.

I'm looking forward to Rob's range report when it's available.

Hi debeardslee,

I'll be sure to let you know how it shoots.
First things first though, I am still waiting for my cleaning kit to arrive for the .177 bore.
After I clean it, I will then need to break it in with 100 rounds, then I'll fine tune the scope and put it to the test.

I did want to mention that the manual for this air rifle strongly suggests using the "Artillery Hold" when shooting it for best accuracy.
It states that spring-load and nitro piston breakbarrel airguns move in all directions when fired due to the power generated when the action of the piston ring is being shoved forward by either the mainspring, or the nitrogen-filled gas ram.

Here are a few clips that explain this in detail.

LonestarJake

· #33 · Feb 15, 2013

It also explains to a Texan what cans of Pepsi are actually used for, Targets.... I never really understood how anyone could drink the stuff.

Reactions: 4

joecil

· #34 · Feb 15, 2013

Funny as just the other day I had a Gamo .177 arrive used (never used just owned) to replace the one I had for a year now someone left behind that was badly rusted. It has the 4 x 20mm scope which I will change soon to the 32 mm as that is what is on my old one and still perfect. Mine is the Hunter 440 model.

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chicharrones

· #35 · Feb 15, 2013 (Edited)

ship4brains said:
I'm very curious how the piston rifles work vs the standard spring.

They sure haven't been out long enough for a decade of evaluation, but I've got a year on a Nitro Piston gas spring Benjamin Titan GP .22 shown in this link. http://www.taurusarmed.net/forums/other-handguns/87075-bb-pistol-vs-22lr-plinking-2.html#post1158164

Versus a standard spring piston gun of the same rated velocity and caliber the differences are that the Nitro Piston is easier to cock and there is no spring noise in the action of the gun near your ear. So it sounds quieter for the shooter, but it is not quieter at the muzzle or downrange when it "thwacks" a plinking target.

chicharrones

· #36 · Feb 15, 2013

dbeardslee said:
Looking at parts diagrams I think the difference between spring-air rifles and nitro piston rifles is this - spring-air cocks a spring when you break the barrel, and when you pull the trigger it releases the spring which compresses the air at the same time it sends the pellet out the barrel. With a nitro piston it looks to me like it compresses the air when you break the barrel, and releases it when you pull the trigger. There's no big spring in a nitro piston rifle. Nitro piston is supposed to last longer because they don't rely on a spring that gets weaker over time. I might have to give one a try for my next air rifle.

The thing is, both are springs. One is a metal coil spring and the Nitro Piston is a gas spring. Which is exactly how you describe that when you cock the barrel, you are compressing the gas (Nitrogen, I believe) inside the gas spring. That gas is at high pressure when cocked, when uncocked the gas spring still has the same amount of gas just not compressed as much. A gas spring is exactly what holds up the hatch or hood on a car. It's just that the Nitro Piston has a much higher spring rating than a gas spring that holds up a car trunk or hatch.

I really like my gas spring air rifle. I just don't know how long the spring will last. I've seen the coil spring in an air rifle break after a couple years of heavy use. I figure a gas spring will leak out once the seal has failed.

chicharrones

· #37 · Feb 15, 2013 (Edited)

RobThatsMe said:
I did want to mention that the manual for this air rifle strongly suggests using the "Artillery Hold" when shooting it for best accuracy.
It states that spring-load and nitro piston breakbarrel airguns move in all directions when fired due to the power generated when the action of the piston ring is being shoved forward by either the mainspring, or the nitrogen-filled gas ram.

Here are a few clips that explain this in detail.

Artillery Hold for Air Rifles - YouTube

Spring Air Accuracy - YouTube

I suck at artillery hold for these type of guns. From seeing things on the internet, most people must be able to master it.

For me, and I had to learn this the hard way, I have to hold the rifle firmly into my shoulder while keeping the fore end consistently supported. I only use firm back pressure with my trigger hand, yet I do only lightly grip the fore end. If I do that the same way every time, I can sight in a break barrel air rifle successfully and hit 1" targets at 25 yards regurlarly with aperture sights or with a scope.

I am not good enough with a break barrel to out shoot a good rimfire rifle though. Although, I'm sure many air rifle shooters can.

Reactions: 1

dbeardslee

· #38 · Feb 15, 2013

chicharrones said:
I suck at artillery hold for these type of guns. From seeing things on the internet, most people must be able to master it.

For me, and I had to learn this the hard way, I have to hold the rifle firmly into my shoulder while keeping the fore end consistently supported. I only use firm back pressure with my trigger hand, yet I do only lightly grip the fore end. If I do that the same way every time, I can sight in a break barrel air rifle successfully and hit 1" targets at 25 yards regurlarly with aperture sights or with a scope.

I am not good enough with a break barrel to out shoot a good rimfire rifle though. Although, I'm sure many air rifle shooters can.

I use the same kind of hold as I do when shooing a firearm. If I'm standing I pull it back into the pocket of my shoulder with my firing hand. My non firing hand is harder to describe - if you covered your mouth with your left hand with your thumb on the left and your fingers on the right, and then moved your hand forward about a foot, that's the way I hold my non-firing hand. I set the front of the rifle in the 'V' formed between by non-firing thumb and index finger, and the elbow of my non-firing arm goes right against my body, and buttresses the rifle. It's a hold I learned many moons ago from a Sniper School graduate. He basically said you want to keep as much of your non firing hand off the rifle as possible.

If I'm shooting from a bench I hold exactly the same way as rifle shooting - front rested and the rear held into the pocket of my shoulder and supported under the butt of the stock by my non-firing hand.

As far as accuracy - my favorite indoor game to play with that rifle when I first got it was 'snap the head off the little plastic soldier', and it would do it pretty consistently from across the basement. I'd guess the range at about 20 feet in that little cracker-box of a house.

And while I'm thinking about it - those little plastic soldiers make great airgun targets!

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chicharrones

· #39 · Feb 15, 2013

dbeardslee said:

I like the way you think. :icon_cool:

My favorite airgun targets are Happy Meal toys, old cell phones, old electronics, etc. I have a recently dead Palm Tungsten PDA that is about to get the air rifle treatment in a few days. :laugh:

Reactions: 2

ozzy

· #40 · Feb 16, 2013

RobThatsMe said:
Hi ozzy,

I looked at that. That one has the wooden stocks, and not a real clear mention of the scope.
Here is the site that I found the model I purchased from.

Cabela's: Crosman Nitro Venom Dusk .177-Caliber Rifle

They make a few models with different options like the black, wood and different camo options. Old model barrel breaks are spring loaded which have a loud 'BOING' sound. The Nitro piston is gas operated which gives the same velocity but at much less noise. As far as scopes I wouldn't worry, I have a cheap air rifle scope on my .22 LR and it will hold 1" at 100 yards.

Reactions: 1

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