Most of the airgun reviews I posted were posted within a short interval of time, so it is interesting to look back and see how often each review has been hit, as an indication of reader interest. The following is the situation as of today, 2014/02/23, the most popular review being listed first:
Umarex Beretta 92FS (2500+) - This gun is average in terms of performance, but it is a looker and it is by far the most popular based on the number of hits - almost 1000 more than the next entry.
Beeman P17 (1500+) - Given its low price, this is not a surprise. An excellent deal if it doesn't break.
Umarex Smith and Wesson 686 (1500+) - An excellent gun with a proportional cost; its excellence still pulls it to third place.
IZH Baikal 53M (1000+) - This gun is inexpensive and has a great reputation so it is not surprising to see it at the top. I did not like my copy but it promises great performance for under $100.
Webley Alecto Ultra (1000+) - My top recommendation overall comes in fifth place. Not that surprising given that this is one of the most expensive airguns I own. It and the S&W are well worth it though.
Crosman 1377C American Classic (<1000) - This gun offers excellent accuracy for its cost, yet it falls behind the Beeman P17 and the IZH 53M - perhaps its style is not that attractive, but this is a better airgun than those.
IZH Baikal 60 (<1000) - I am surprised by the number of hits on this review. It is a great rifle, but either people are more interested in pistols than in rifles or its low power (relative to other rifles) is what keeps the interest down.
Crosman 3576W (<1000) - This is another surprise, but perhaps people that buy this gun don't bother looking for reviews and just purchase it. A solid choice.
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Beeman P11
The Beeman P1 (Weihrauch HW45) is the most famous gun made by Beeman in collaboration with Weihrauch. Dr. Beeman is responsible for the styling and high level design of the gun (top lever, spring piston) and Weihrauch for putting the finishing touches and manufacturing the pistol. After the P1, several variations were developed:
Operation
Unlike most other spring piston pistols that operate by a break barrel mechanism, the Beeman P11 uses a top lever mechanism. Furthermore, this mechanism compresses the spring towards the front of the pistol, so when it is released, it will kick back, like the recoil of a firearm. This is the aspect that interested me the most, because I found the forward kick of the IZH 53M rather weird. This aspect also means that the top lever works a bit differently than on a pneumatic piston; on a pneumatic piston, the top lever opens easily and then effort is needed for closing it, because that is when the pump is compressed; on the P11, the effort has to be made when opening the lever, because that is the action that compresses the spring - closing the lever back is easy.
So the P11 works like this:
Note that the safety on the P11 is manual, unlike that on pneumatic guns like the P3, which gets automatically set when closing the lever. So you should set it before this operation. It works by blocking the trigger operation.
Package and build
Like the P3, the P11 came in a generic Beeman cardboard box, except this time the manual was included as well. This gun deserves a much better package. The Webley Alecto puts it to shame.
I had to order a separate case and I went for a small SRC tactical pistol case rather than the usual small Plano case model I ordered in the past. When it came, it looked as if it was going to be too small to hold the P11, but it actually fit in very well (with very little space to spare) in a straight position (I keep the P3 angled inside a Plano case). I like the SRC case over the Plano one because it locks better and feels sturdier.
The P11 is built entirely from metal. There is no plastic. The finish of the metal is excellent. The black anodized top is smooth and cleans up very easily. The stainless lower part has a bit of texture to it and is more resilient to fingerprints - this is the reason why I wanted a stainless model. The safety lever and the trigger are also made of black metal. Everything feels very well put together.
The wood grip is the only non-metal piece and it is a beauty. Its shape is excellent and it makes it very comfortable to hold the gun despite its heft. The upper part as well as the base of the grip are laminated and very nice to the touch, while the rest of it has this irregular non-slip finish that I have not seen before. It looks and feels like a high quality piece.
Adjustable settings
The rear sights can be adjusted for elevation and windage via two flat screws. The strength of the trigger spring can also be adjusted with a 2mm Allen wrench (not included) - there is a hole into the trigger guard through which this can be inserted to reach the trigger adjustment. These are explained in the manual.
I have not made any adjustment yet - the default settings worked perfectly for me. This is actually the first pistol for which I did not make any sight adjustments.
Performance
The Beeman P11 is very accurate. I already get results as good as with any other airgun in my collection and I think there is still room for improvement. The low power setting works great for shooting targets - it punches clean holes in the paper. I have tried the high power setting a few times and my aim got seriously off - it looks as if the sights need to be readjusted when used this way. The difference in effort needed for compressing the spring at the two power levels does not seem to be very high. In fact, the effort required is quite reasonable considering the resulting power. The P11 requires less effort to use than the P3.
The P11 is also fairly silent. I mainly hear the thunk of the spring and the impact on the target trap, but no loud pop from the compressed air.
The fact that the spring moves backward rather than forward seems to make a significant difference in control and accuracy too - I hoped for this and my expectations were met.
Conclusion
The Beeman P11 is a beautifully crafted airgun. Build quality is excellent, employing high quality materials. Operation and handling are very nice and its accuracy is top notch. This is one of the best spring piston airgun pistols available on the market. I just wish it would be sold with a custom case.
- Beeman P1/Weihrauch HW45 stainless look - this one is similar to the P1, except the lower part is silver stainless steel
- Beeman P11/Weihrauch HW45 silver star - this is like the stainless look version but with a sculpted wooden grip replacing the Colt 1911 grip - this is the model on which this review is based
- Weihrauch HW45 black star - I have not seen this model from Beeman - this one has the sculpted wooden grip, but not the stainless look, so it resembles more the P1
There should not be much difference between these models other than in the stainless/grip aspects. I liked the stainless steel aspect and I also liked the sculpted grip more than the 1911 one, so I decided to get the P11 over the P1 and P1 stainless.
The sculpted grip of the P11 is also shared with the pneumatic version - the Beeman P2/Weihrauch HW75. Story has it that when Dr. Beeman designed the P1, he did not make it clear on the scheme that he wanted a spring piston, so Weihrauch put a pneumatic one and that is how the P2 was born. I considered the P2 as well, but as I already have the Beeman P3, I went for a spring piston model.
Operation
Unlike most other spring piston pistols that operate by a break barrel mechanism, the Beeman P11 uses a top lever mechanism. Furthermore, this mechanism compresses the spring towards the front of the pistol, so when it is released, it will kick back, like the recoil of a firearm. This is the aspect that interested me the most, because I found the forward kick of the IZH 53M rather weird. This aspect also means that the top lever works a bit differently than on a pneumatic piston; on a pneumatic piston, the top lever opens easily and then effort is needed for closing it, because that is when the pump is compressed; on the P11, the effort has to be made when opening the lever, because that is the action that compresses the spring - closing the lever back is easy.
So the P11 works like this:
- you release the top lever by cocking the hammer
- you then grab the lever (it has smooth edges and a groove that allow a comfortable grip) and pull it away - you can pull it to 80 degrees for low power or to about 150 degrees for full power
- you place a pellet in the breech
- you press the lever back until you hear it lock in place - I pull the hammer away during this part, to prevent it from rubbing unnecessarily with the lever lock
Note that the safety on the P11 is manual, unlike that on pneumatic guns like the P3, which gets automatically set when closing the lever. So you should set it before this operation. It works by blocking the trigger operation.
Package and build
Like the P3, the P11 came in a generic Beeman cardboard box, except this time the manual was included as well. This gun deserves a much better package. The Webley Alecto puts it to shame.
I had to order a separate case and I went for a small SRC tactical pistol case rather than the usual small Plano case model I ordered in the past. When it came, it looked as if it was going to be too small to hold the P11, but it actually fit in very well (with very little space to spare) in a straight position (I keep the P3 angled inside a Plano case). I like the SRC case over the Plano one because it locks better and feels sturdier.
The P11 is built entirely from metal. There is no plastic. The finish of the metal is excellent. The black anodized top is smooth and cleans up very easily. The stainless lower part has a bit of texture to it and is more resilient to fingerprints - this is the reason why I wanted a stainless model. The safety lever and the trigger are also made of black metal. Everything feels very well put together.
The wood grip is the only non-metal piece and it is a beauty. Its shape is excellent and it makes it very comfortable to hold the gun despite its heft. The upper part as well as the base of the grip are laminated and very nice to the touch, while the rest of it has this irregular non-slip finish that I have not seen before. It looks and feels like a high quality piece.
Adjustable settings
The rear sights can be adjusted for elevation and windage via two flat screws. The strength of the trigger spring can also be adjusted with a 2mm Allen wrench (not included) - there is a hole into the trigger guard through which this can be inserted to reach the trigger adjustment. These are explained in the manual.
I have not made any adjustment yet - the default settings worked perfectly for me. This is actually the first pistol for which I did not make any sight adjustments.
Performance
The Beeman P11 is very accurate. I already get results as good as with any other airgun in my collection and I think there is still room for improvement. The low power setting works great for shooting targets - it punches clean holes in the paper. I have tried the high power setting a few times and my aim got seriously off - it looks as if the sights need to be readjusted when used this way. The difference in effort needed for compressing the spring at the two power levels does not seem to be very high. In fact, the effort required is quite reasonable considering the resulting power. The P11 requires less effort to use than the P3.
The P11 is also fairly silent. I mainly hear the thunk of the spring and the impact on the target trap, but no loud pop from the compressed air.
The fact that the spring moves backward rather than forward seems to make a significant difference in control and accuracy too - I hoped for this and my expectations were met.
Conclusion
The Beeman P11 is a beautifully crafted airgun. Build quality is excellent, employing high quality materials. Operation and handling are very nice and its accuracy is top notch. This is one of the best spring piston airgun pistols available on the market. I just wish it would be sold with a custom case.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Digest 2013/07/21
It does not look like I will get any new airgun for a while. I explored CO2, single pump pneumatic, multi-pump pneumatic, and spring piston technology, so now I only plan to acquire airguns whose design is special in one way or another. I do not intend to try any pre-compressed pneumatic (PCP) guns because I am not particularly attracted by their operation mode.
For target shooting, I found the pneumatic guns to be the best. These guns tend to be longer, so their sights will be more precise as well. The Webley Alecto is the gun I would pick if I only wanted to keep one airgun, but there are other less expensive options that are also very good: Beeman P17 if you can get one that does not break, Beeman P3 if you want to pay more so it does not break, and the inexpensive but very versatile Crosman 1377C.
Spring piston technology is great in rifles and I like my IZH-60 very much, despite a few manufacturing issues, but in pistols it is usually implemented via a break-barrel mechanism, resulting in very large guns. My experience with the IZH-53M left me uninterested in trying another such design. I find more promise in the design of the Beeman P1 (top-lever, with the piston moving backward rather than forward), but then its high price makes me wonder whether the money would not be better spent on a P2 (single pump pneumatic) and then I wonder what the P2 could offer me over the Alecto/P3 other than a more compact metal and wood build.
The Crosman 3576W and the S&W 686 are the best suited CO2 guns for target shooting and the Crosman happens to also be very affordable. Other guns (Colt 1911, Beretta 92FS, Walther PPQ) are fun to use, but I found it harder to obtain repeatable tight groups with them - the reason for this is probably a mix of CO2 control, sights precision, trigger performance, and gun weight.
In terms of pellets, I prefer Umarex/RWS Hobby - in accurate guns like the Alecto, they seem to perform better than the Diabolo Basic and I did not see any improvement from using Meisterkugeln. Crosman pellets are also very good and inexpensive, so they tend to be my choice for CO2 pistols.
Airguns do not need maintenance like firearms do. But occasionally, you may want to lubricate a part or apply some coating for protection when storing the airgun for a longer period of time. Before using any material, make sure to check your airgun's manual for recommendations of products to use. For example the Beeman P17 recommends the use of white lithium grease for lubricating the piston. For general purpose lubrication, I use Slip 2000 Gun Lube. For wood parts, I use mineral oil to prevent the wood from drying up and cracking. And to protect the metal from rusting over long periods of storage, I use Hoppe's 9 Gun Grease.
For target shooting accessories, I found the Gamo pellet trap and the Gamo paper targets to work great, but keep in mind that most of the guns I used shoot up to around 500fps. The Alecto and the 1377C can shoot faster, but I do not pump them for such result. If you use rifles that shoot above 700fps, you will probably find the Gamo trap to last very few shots. If you look around you may also find other types of paper targets that fit in the Gamo trap. I particularly like one model that has 5 smaller targets printed on it - one in the center and four in the corners - it provides a nice challenge for the more accurate pistols - I would provide a link for it, but it no longer seems to be available.
For target shooting, I found the pneumatic guns to be the best. These guns tend to be longer, so their sights will be more precise as well. The Webley Alecto is the gun I would pick if I only wanted to keep one airgun, but there are other less expensive options that are also very good: Beeman P17 if you can get one that does not break, Beeman P3 if you want to pay more so it does not break, and the inexpensive but very versatile Crosman 1377C.
Spring piston technology is great in rifles and I like my IZH-60 very much, despite a few manufacturing issues, but in pistols it is usually implemented via a break-barrel mechanism, resulting in very large guns. My experience with the IZH-53M left me uninterested in trying another such design. I find more promise in the design of the Beeman P1 (top-lever, with the piston moving backward rather than forward), but then its high price makes me wonder whether the money would not be better spent on a P2 (single pump pneumatic) and then I wonder what the P2 could offer me over the Alecto/P3 other than a more compact metal and wood build.
The Crosman 3576W and the S&W 686 are the best suited CO2 guns for target shooting and the Crosman happens to also be very affordable. Other guns (Colt 1911, Beretta 92FS, Walther PPQ) are fun to use, but I found it harder to obtain repeatable tight groups with them - the reason for this is probably a mix of CO2 control, sights precision, trigger performance, and gun weight.
In terms of pellets, I prefer Umarex/RWS Hobby - in accurate guns like the Alecto, they seem to perform better than the Diabolo Basic and I did not see any improvement from using Meisterkugeln. Crosman pellets are also very good and inexpensive, so they tend to be my choice for CO2 pistols.
Airguns do not need maintenance like firearms do. But occasionally, you may want to lubricate a part or apply some coating for protection when storing the airgun for a longer period of time. Before using any material, make sure to check your airgun's manual for recommendations of products to use. For example the Beeman P17 recommends the use of white lithium grease for lubricating the piston. For general purpose lubrication, I use Slip 2000 Gun Lube. For wood parts, I use mineral oil to prevent the wood from drying up and cracking. And to protect the metal from rusting over long periods of storage, I use Hoppe's 9 Gun Grease.
For target shooting accessories, I found the Gamo pellet trap and the Gamo paper targets to work great, but keep in mind that most of the guns I used shoot up to around 500fps. The Alecto and the 1377C can shoot faster, but I do not pump them for such result. If you use rifles that shoot above 700fps, you will probably find the Gamo trap to last very few shots. If you look around you may also find other types of paper targets that fit in the Gamo trap. I particularly like one model that has 5 smaller targets printed on it - one in the center and four in the corners - it provides a nice challenge for the more accurate pistols - I would provide a link for it, but it no longer seems to be available.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Umarex Colt 1911 A1
The Umarex Colt 1911 A1 is a replica of one of the most iconic handguns ever produced. This was the standard sidearm for US military from 1911 until 1985, when it was replaced by the Beretta 92. Like the Berretta 92, the Colt 1911 firearm operates on short recoil. It is also known as M1911.
This Umarex airgun replica was actually produced before any of the other Umarex guns that I reviewed so far. Like the Beretta, it is made in Germany.
Operation
The Colt 1911 works very much like the Beretta 92FS, except for the safety aspects where Umarex has replicated both safety types of the firearm.
Loading a CO2 cartridge requires pressing the button on the left grip to push the right one out. You then need to pull out what looks like the magazine bottom and to unscrew the screw attached to it. Oil the tip of the CO2 cylinder, insert it and tighten the screw against its bottom - no effort is needed in this tightening, just ensure that the cylinder is not loose. Then replace the grip and slap the "magazine bottom" lever to pierce the cartridge.
Next step is to load pellets in one of the standard 8-pellet clips used by Umarex. To load the clip, open the slide by pulling down on the left side lever located above the trigger. Drop the clip in there, ratchet teeth towards the rear of the gun, and push back the slide.
Up to this point, everything worked like on the Beretta. Now comes the different part. To shoot, you need to deactivate two safeties. The first one - the thumb safety - is a one sided lever on the left side of the gun. When this is on, it disengages the trigger from operating the hammer (like on the Walther PPQ). Push it down to deactivate it. The second safety is the grip safety - you just need to hold the grip to engage this - without it being engaged, the hammer cannot strike the firing pin (well, the gas-release valve on this replica). The gun is now ready to fire.
If the grip safety sounds strange, do not worry: it operates very nicely when you just hold the gun as firmly as you would hold any other gun.
Like the Beretta, this Colt can fire in double action mode (just pull the trigger) or in single action mode (cock the hammer before pulling the trigger).
Package and build
As all other Umarex metal replicas, the M1911 comes in a plastic case with all its materials and accessories. This case is much nicer than those used with all other Umarex guns I tried so far. It lacks the precut foam and the etched firearm company logo (it just has a sticker), but it feels much more rigid and solid than the other cases. It is basically of similar sturdiness to Plano cases, whereas the usual Umarex cases were a notch below. This was a pleasant surprise.
The Colt comes with two clips, a key, a manual, safety instructions, and a promotional poster. The key can be used for adjusting the rear sight, just like on the Beretta.
I had mentioned a bunch of minor issues with the build of the Beretta. Fortunately, none of these were present for the Colt. In particular, the CO2 compartment was uniformly finished and the metal piece of the removable right grip had no traces of rust. The Colt is entirely made of metal except for the grips, which are made of what feels like rubber on my model (you can also choose wood, if you prefer). Even the sights appear to be made of metal. On the Beretta, I was annoyed by the looseness of the front sight, but this is not an issue with the Colt. Getting back to the grips, Umarex mentions that they are plastic, but to me they feel very much like rubber, so either they switched to using rubber or they used a very special plastic that feels like rubber. Regardless, the feel of these grips exceeded my expectations (I expected some plain plastic).
Bottom line is that the build of this Umarex pistol has no faults - it is a very very nice replica.
Let me comment a bit on a few more differences from the Beretta:
- the grip lever for piercing the CO2 extends much more in front of the grip than on the Beretta
- the right grip does not pop out as easily when pressing what on the firearm is the magazine release button. This is because the grip has two long pins for aligning it on the handle and, their material being flexible, they have more friction against the metal holes in which they are lodged; just pull the grip and do not be afraid to bend these pins a bit.
- the slide of the M1911 closes very nicely with a more muted sound than on the Beretta
- the handle of the M1911 is thinner than the Beretta's and it feels just right to me; the Beretta handle always felt "fat"
The Colt 1911 was offered in black and nickel with wood or plastic grips, but I have not seen the nickel version in merchant listings so far, so that may have been discontinued.
Adjustable settings
Like with the Beretta 92FS, the only adjustable setting is the rear sight, which can be adjusted for windage using the provided key. To do so, loosen the sight, then move it manually and re-tighten it - this is a bit finicky, but I only had to do it once.
Performance
In double action mode, the trigger operation feels rough. It will probably get better in time, but so far I can only say that it works, but I prefer the double action of any other airgun I reviewed so far. Single action is very interesting - the effort that is needed here is very small, which helps accuracy, but you do need to pull the finger all the way towards the handle for it to fire, which I am still trying to get used to. That being said, the little effort required in this mode meant that I could get much better accuracy from the Colt than I did from the Beretta after a similar breakdown period.
The sights work well and switching between this and the Beretta I realized that both of these need to be aimed exactly like the manual says - under the bullseye, otherwise you will shoot high.
The M1911 is an accurate airgun. It can probably fire as well as the Smith and Wesson 686 with practice, but the lack of full sights customization will make it more challenging.
CO2 use is very good. Like with the Beretta, you can get 60-80 shots easily (depending on ambient temperature) and you can push it well beyond if you do not care about clean target holes.
Conclusion
The Colt 1911 is a very nice pellet airgun replica. It has an excellent build, it handles nicely, it is accurate, and it has a unique enough mechanism (safeties + trigger) that it can complement the possession of another Umarex pistol replica. If you only want to get one Umarex pistol, this is a good choice. If you are intrigued by the S&W 686 as well, make the choice based on whether you prefer a pistol or a revolver.
This Umarex airgun replica was actually produced before any of the other Umarex guns that I reviewed so far. Like the Beretta, it is made in Germany.
Operation
The Colt 1911 works very much like the Beretta 92FS, except for the safety aspects where Umarex has replicated both safety types of the firearm.
Loading a CO2 cartridge requires pressing the button on the left grip to push the right one out. You then need to pull out what looks like the magazine bottom and to unscrew the screw attached to it. Oil the tip of the CO2 cylinder, insert it and tighten the screw against its bottom - no effort is needed in this tightening, just ensure that the cylinder is not loose. Then replace the grip and slap the "magazine bottom" lever to pierce the cartridge.
Next step is to load pellets in one of the standard 8-pellet clips used by Umarex. To load the clip, open the slide by pulling down on the left side lever located above the trigger. Drop the clip in there, ratchet teeth towards the rear of the gun, and push back the slide.
Up to this point, everything worked like on the Beretta. Now comes the different part. To shoot, you need to deactivate two safeties. The first one - the thumb safety - is a one sided lever on the left side of the gun. When this is on, it disengages the trigger from operating the hammer (like on the Walther PPQ). Push it down to deactivate it. The second safety is the grip safety - you just need to hold the grip to engage this - without it being engaged, the hammer cannot strike the firing pin (well, the gas-release valve on this replica). The gun is now ready to fire.
If the grip safety sounds strange, do not worry: it operates very nicely when you just hold the gun as firmly as you would hold any other gun.
Like the Beretta, this Colt can fire in double action mode (just pull the trigger) or in single action mode (cock the hammer before pulling the trigger).
Package and build
As all other Umarex metal replicas, the M1911 comes in a plastic case with all its materials and accessories. This case is much nicer than those used with all other Umarex guns I tried so far. It lacks the precut foam and the etched firearm company logo (it just has a sticker), but it feels much more rigid and solid than the other cases. It is basically of similar sturdiness to Plano cases, whereas the usual Umarex cases were a notch below. This was a pleasant surprise.
The Colt comes with two clips, a key, a manual, safety instructions, and a promotional poster. The key can be used for adjusting the rear sight, just like on the Beretta.
I had mentioned a bunch of minor issues with the build of the Beretta. Fortunately, none of these were present for the Colt. In particular, the CO2 compartment was uniformly finished and the metal piece of the removable right grip had no traces of rust. The Colt is entirely made of metal except for the grips, which are made of what feels like rubber on my model (you can also choose wood, if you prefer). Even the sights appear to be made of metal. On the Beretta, I was annoyed by the looseness of the front sight, but this is not an issue with the Colt. Getting back to the grips, Umarex mentions that they are plastic, but to me they feel very much like rubber, so either they switched to using rubber or they used a very special plastic that feels like rubber. Regardless, the feel of these grips exceeded my expectations (I expected some plain plastic).
Bottom line is that the build of this Umarex pistol has no faults - it is a very very nice replica.
Let me comment a bit on a few more differences from the Beretta:
- the grip lever for piercing the CO2 extends much more in front of the grip than on the Beretta
- the right grip does not pop out as easily when pressing what on the firearm is the magazine release button. This is because the grip has two long pins for aligning it on the handle and, their material being flexible, they have more friction against the metal holes in which they are lodged; just pull the grip and do not be afraid to bend these pins a bit.
- the slide of the M1911 closes very nicely with a more muted sound than on the Beretta
- the handle of the M1911 is thinner than the Beretta's and it feels just right to me; the Beretta handle always felt "fat"
The Colt 1911 was offered in black and nickel with wood or plastic grips, but I have not seen the nickel version in merchant listings so far, so that may have been discontinued.
Adjustable settings
Like with the Beretta 92FS, the only adjustable setting is the rear sight, which can be adjusted for windage using the provided key. To do so, loosen the sight, then move it manually and re-tighten it - this is a bit finicky, but I only had to do it once.
Performance
In double action mode, the trigger operation feels rough. It will probably get better in time, but so far I can only say that it works, but I prefer the double action of any other airgun I reviewed so far. Single action is very interesting - the effort that is needed here is very small, which helps accuracy, but you do need to pull the finger all the way towards the handle for it to fire, which I am still trying to get used to. That being said, the little effort required in this mode meant that I could get much better accuracy from the Colt than I did from the Beretta after a similar breakdown period.
The sights work well and switching between this and the Beretta I realized that both of these need to be aimed exactly like the manual says - under the bullseye, otherwise you will shoot high.
The M1911 is an accurate airgun. It can probably fire as well as the Smith and Wesson 686 with practice, but the lack of full sights customization will make it more challenging.
CO2 use is very good. Like with the Beretta, you can get 60-80 shots easily (depending on ambient temperature) and you can push it well beyond if you do not care about clean target holes.
Conclusion
The Colt 1911 is a very nice pellet airgun replica. It has an excellent build, it handles nicely, it is accurate, and it has a unique enough mechanism (safeties + trigger) that it can complement the possession of another Umarex pistol replica. If you only want to get one Umarex pistol, this is a good choice. If you are intrigued by the S&W 686 as well, make the choice based on whether you prefer a pistol or a revolver.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Webley Alecto Ultra
Webley is one of the few companies that had a long history of producing both firearms and airguns. They discontinued the production of firearms in 1979, to focus only on airguns, which currently seem to be produced mainly in Turkey. The Alecto is a recent multi-pump pneumatic model, introduced in 2009, that comes in either .177 or .22 caliber and also provides a choice between the standard model and the Ultra model, which has a 3 inch longer barrel. The Ultra version confers slightly more velocity to pellets, but other than that, there are no significant build/operation differences between the two variants.
Operation
The operation of the Alecto is typical of top lever pneumatic guns like the Beeman P3. There are two metallic locks at the rear of the gun that release the top when they are pulled up. You then extend the top to about 120 degrees (not almost 180, as with the Beeman). You can pump the Alecto up to 3 times and you need to load a pellet into the breech before the last pump. If you only want to pump once, you should load the pellet and close the top, otherwise, just close the top and repeat the process while making sure that you remember to load a pellet before the last pump. Loading a pellet is much easier than on the Beeman because there is more space around the breech. Pumping is amazing - this is the smoothest pumping action that I have seen so far. One pump is really easy, two pumps still feel easy, and only at the third pump I felt that I approached the effort required for pumping the P3 once. Considering that the Webley puts out more power than the Beeman, this is remarkable.
There are two aspects that make the Alecto much nicer to pump:
I have seen several users complaining about the effort needed to do the third pump. I found it to be acceptable, especially when considering that you don't need to pump the Alecto thrice and that the effort when choosing to do so is comparable to pumping the Beeman P3 once, when you don't even have a choice. That being said, I usually pump this gun only once as it provides enough power for target shooting. This is actually the main reason why I picked the Ultra version - to have good enough power on a single pump.
The pumping of the gun automatically engages the safety - a blade that covers the front of the trigger and also blocks its operation. Once the guns is pumped and loaded, this blade can be pushed out of the way and the gun becomes ready to fire. The trigger is very light at default settings, so be careful with it.
Package and build
The Webley Alecto comes in the nicest package I have seen so far (which perhaps is not surprising, given that this is also the most expensive airgun that I reviewed so far). For one thing, the Alecto comes in a nice solid case that is a far cry from the flimsy Umarex cases. This case is above the quality of Plano cases - it feels very sturdy and rigid, and locks tight. There is just a small opening under the handle, in an area where you can add a padlock, but otherwise, the case closes very tight. The inside has a cutout for seating the gun, a bore brush, an oil bottle, and a pellet tin case - the brush, oil bottle, and a Torx key are included. There is also a manual and a test page showing the results of factory testing, which include a photocopy of a target showing 4 shots and other test data - this is quite nice and adds to the professional feeling of the package.
The Alecto is a big gun - its size was actually one of the things that made me delay the decision of purchasing it, but I shouldn't have worried: while the gun is large, it also handles beautifully. The core mechanisms are all metal, with the exterior being built from high quality plastic. If the gun would have been all metal, it would have been a chore to hold it, but the plastic allows it to be very light for its size, without sacrificing robustness. The grip is molded, so you need to make sure that you pick the right version for you - this is the first gun I review that does not have an ambidextrous grip. Build quality is top notch here - I can find no fault.
Adjustable settings
This is an area where the Alecto excels and can make much more expensive guns feel like amateur offerings. All essential features are configurable:
The front sight can be pushed in and rotated to expose a second shorter blade, to be used for 25m target shooting (assuming that the default longer one was calibrated for 10m target shooting). This is a very nice feature and I know of no other airgun currently being produced that offers it.
The rear sight can be adjusted for elevation and windage via two standard flat screws.
All aspects of the trigger functionality can be adjusted using the included Torx key. You can cant the trigger left or right, so a finger can pull it more comfortably. You can move the trigger forward or backward; you can change the length of its pull; you can adjust the strength of the trigger spring. You cannot ask for more customization than what is being offered here. I tweaked all these settings and in particular I strengthened the trigger spring, so that it would oppose a bit more resistance - I prefer this because it gives me a chance to tighten and stabilize my grip before firing.
Finally, the grip can be adjusted as well - there is a frame on one side of the grip (right side for the right handed grip, left side otherwise) that can be adjusted so it fits your hand - you can tilt this frame and you can raise it or lower it, so it provides a comfortable rest for the base of your hand.
All these configuration settings make another great reason to like the Alecto - they really allow you to tweak an already comfortable airgun into one that fits your hand like a glove.
Performance
The Alecto is a winner in this area too. Pumping it is very easy, so you do not feel exhausted by the process; holding it and operating it is comfortable because of its light build, contoured grip, and all the customizations you can make; the iron sights are very crisp; the trigger operation is smooth - the result is that the Alecto can be fired very accurately. This is one of the top airguns that I used so far and will be the yardstick by which I judge others. I could shoot this all day and everytime I use it I am impressed by the quality of its engineering.
I almost forgot - with one pump, the Alecto Ultra is also very silent - I suspect that the longer barrel also helps with this, as it allows the compressed air to dissipate its energy more before it gets out.
Conclusion
The Webley Alecto is an exceptional airgun, worth every penny. Its top-notch engineering, excellent build, and superb performance make it an easy recommendation if you are looking for a target shooting pistol.
Operation
The operation of the Alecto is typical of top lever pneumatic guns like the Beeman P3. There are two metallic locks at the rear of the gun that release the top when they are pulled up. You then extend the top to about 120 degrees (not almost 180, as with the Beeman). You can pump the Alecto up to 3 times and you need to load a pellet into the breech before the last pump. If you only want to pump once, you should load the pellet and close the top, otherwise, just close the top and repeat the process while making sure that you remember to load a pellet before the last pump. Loading a pellet is much easier than on the Beeman because there is more space around the breech. Pumping is amazing - this is the smoothest pumping action that I have seen so far. One pump is really easy, two pumps still feel easy, and only at the third pump I felt that I approached the effort required for pumping the P3 once. Considering that the Webley puts out more power than the Beeman, this is remarkable.
There are two aspects that make the Alecto much nicer to pump:
- it is a large gun, so you can get more torque on the top lever operation
- the force required to close the lever peaks at around 45 degrees, very much unlike the behavior of the P3 pump, which peaks at around 10 degrees
I have seen several users complaining about the effort needed to do the third pump. I found it to be acceptable, especially when considering that you don't need to pump the Alecto thrice and that the effort when choosing to do so is comparable to pumping the Beeman P3 once, when you don't even have a choice. That being said, I usually pump this gun only once as it provides enough power for target shooting. This is actually the main reason why I picked the Ultra version - to have good enough power on a single pump.
The pumping of the gun automatically engages the safety - a blade that covers the front of the trigger and also blocks its operation. Once the guns is pumped and loaded, this blade can be pushed out of the way and the gun becomes ready to fire. The trigger is very light at default settings, so be careful with it.
Package and build
The Webley Alecto comes in the nicest package I have seen so far (which perhaps is not surprising, given that this is also the most expensive airgun that I reviewed so far). For one thing, the Alecto comes in a nice solid case that is a far cry from the flimsy Umarex cases. This case is above the quality of Plano cases - it feels very sturdy and rigid, and locks tight. There is just a small opening under the handle, in an area where you can add a padlock, but otherwise, the case closes very tight. The inside has a cutout for seating the gun, a bore brush, an oil bottle, and a pellet tin case - the brush, oil bottle, and a Torx key are included. There is also a manual and a test page showing the results of factory testing, which include a photocopy of a target showing 4 shots and other test data - this is quite nice and adds to the professional feeling of the package.
The Alecto is a big gun - its size was actually one of the things that made me delay the decision of purchasing it, but I shouldn't have worried: while the gun is large, it also handles beautifully. The core mechanisms are all metal, with the exterior being built from high quality plastic. If the gun would have been all metal, it would have been a chore to hold it, but the plastic allows it to be very light for its size, without sacrificing robustness. The grip is molded, so you need to make sure that you pick the right version for you - this is the first gun I review that does not have an ambidextrous grip. Build quality is top notch here - I can find no fault.
Adjustable settings
This is an area where the Alecto excels and can make much more expensive guns feel like amateur offerings. All essential features are configurable:
The front sight can be pushed in and rotated to expose a second shorter blade, to be used for 25m target shooting (assuming that the default longer one was calibrated for 10m target shooting). This is a very nice feature and I know of no other airgun currently being produced that offers it.
The rear sight can be adjusted for elevation and windage via two standard flat screws.
All aspects of the trigger functionality can be adjusted using the included Torx key. You can cant the trigger left or right, so a finger can pull it more comfortably. You can move the trigger forward or backward; you can change the length of its pull; you can adjust the strength of the trigger spring. You cannot ask for more customization than what is being offered here. I tweaked all these settings and in particular I strengthened the trigger spring, so that it would oppose a bit more resistance - I prefer this because it gives me a chance to tighten and stabilize my grip before firing.
Finally, the grip can be adjusted as well - there is a frame on one side of the grip (right side for the right handed grip, left side otherwise) that can be adjusted so it fits your hand - you can tilt this frame and you can raise it or lower it, so it provides a comfortable rest for the base of your hand.
All these configuration settings make another great reason to like the Alecto - they really allow you to tweak an already comfortable airgun into one that fits your hand like a glove.
Performance
The Alecto is a winner in this area too. Pumping it is very easy, so you do not feel exhausted by the process; holding it and operating it is comfortable because of its light build, contoured grip, and all the customizations you can make; the iron sights are very crisp; the trigger operation is smooth - the result is that the Alecto can be fired very accurately. This is one of the top airguns that I used so far and will be the yardstick by which I judge others. I could shoot this all day and everytime I use it I am impressed by the quality of its engineering.
I almost forgot - with one pump, the Alecto Ultra is also very silent - I suspect that the longer barrel also helps with this, as it allows the compressed air to dissipate its energy more before it gets out.
Conclusion
The Webley Alecto is an exceptional airgun, worth every penny. Its top-notch engineering, excellent build, and superb performance make it an easy recommendation if you are looking for a target shooting pistol.
Beeman P3
After reviewing the Beeman P17, which is an inexpensive clone of the Beeman P3, I finally decided that I should get the original airgun made in Germany by Weihrauch. The P17 performed superbly, but its pump failed after less than 100 shots - it served a role, however, as an inexpensive way of getting acquainted with the P3, which I might not have tried otherwise.
I recommend reading the P17 review first, as I will mainly go over the differences between the P3 and P17 in this one.
Operation
The P3 operates identically with the P17 - it is a single pump pneumatic gun. Notably, the force required for pumping them is the same - the P3 does not have a more efficient pump - just, hopefully, a better built one.
One thing that I omitted mentioning in the P17 review is a warning for when opening the top lever: you need to hold it firmly until you hear air hissing into the pump, otherwise it will snap back, so avoid releasing it early.
Package and build
The P3 came in a large generic Beeman cardboard box. The airgun was seated in a cutout that was made for a gun with a longer barrel. Beeman appears to have forgot to pack in the manual, so the only thing I got was the gun. Pretty spartan for the price.
The P3, like the P17, is built from a combination of plastic and metal, except the plastic and especially the metal appear to be of better quality. The plastic is a darker black and might have a smoother finish if memory doesn't play tricks on me (as I returned the P17 due to its failure, I can no longer compare them side by side). The pump and the top release lock of the P3 look as if they are made of steel, whereas I remember those in the P17 as being made of some kind of lower quality alloy. The trigger of the P3 also feels nicer. In terms of overall handling, the differences are not significant, but I hope that the higher quality materials of the P3 will ensure a much longer life.
The most notable difference is that the P3 features fiber optic front and rear sights. Intriguingly, some of the online images of the P3 do not show the rear fiber optic sights - maybe these are an addition in more recent production units. They are a nice touch.
An important feature of the P3/P17 is that they are very compact pneumatic airguns that are styled to look as firearms. Thus, they are very different from guns like the Crosman 1377C or the Daisy Avanti models.
Adjustable settings
Like on the P17, the rear sights can be adjusted precisely for elevation and windage, through the use of two flat screws.
Performance
The fiber optic sights are a nice bonus over the already excellent sights of the P17. And the P3 trigger feels smoother than the P17 counterpart. Thus, it should come as no surprise that the P3 is as great a performer as the P17. Its comfortable shape, size, and weight, combined with the light, smooth trigger, make it very easy to shoot accurately. This is one of the nicest air pistols I own and its only drawback is the effort required of pumping it, which prevents me from using it for extended periods of time.
In terms of noise, the P3 is about as noisy as a CO2 gun. The P17 might have been a bit less loud, but I cannot remember exactly.
Conclusion
The Beeman P3 is an excellent target pistol that is very fun to shoot until you get tired of pumping it. Its price is its main drawback and I understand why the owners of Beeman concocted the P17 as a less expensive version. However, the P17 seems to have a very limited lifespan, so it only works as an advertisement for what the P3 can offer. If you are looking for an accurate pneumatic airgun that is also compact and styled as a firearm, then the P3 is the least expensive offer currently on the market.
I recommend reading the P17 review first, as I will mainly go over the differences between the P3 and P17 in this one.
Operation
The P3 operates identically with the P17 - it is a single pump pneumatic gun. Notably, the force required for pumping them is the same - the P3 does not have a more efficient pump - just, hopefully, a better built one.
One thing that I omitted mentioning in the P17 review is a warning for when opening the top lever: you need to hold it firmly until you hear air hissing into the pump, otherwise it will snap back, so avoid releasing it early.
Package and build
The P3 came in a large generic Beeman cardboard box. The airgun was seated in a cutout that was made for a gun with a longer barrel. Beeman appears to have forgot to pack in the manual, so the only thing I got was the gun. Pretty spartan for the price.
The P3, like the P17, is built from a combination of plastic and metal, except the plastic and especially the metal appear to be of better quality. The plastic is a darker black and might have a smoother finish if memory doesn't play tricks on me (as I returned the P17 due to its failure, I can no longer compare them side by side). The pump and the top release lock of the P3 look as if they are made of steel, whereas I remember those in the P17 as being made of some kind of lower quality alloy. The trigger of the P3 also feels nicer. In terms of overall handling, the differences are not significant, but I hope that the higher quality materials of the P3 will ensure a much longer life.
The most notable difference is that the P3 features fiber optic front and rear sights. Intriguingly, some of the online images of the P3 do not show the rear fiber optic sights - maybe these are an addition in more recent production units. They are a nice touch.
An important feature of the P3/P17 is that they are very compact pneumatic airguns that are styled to look as firearms. Thus, they are very different from guns like the Crosman 1377C or the Daisy Avanti models.
Adjustable settings
Like on the P17, the rear sights can be adjusted precisely for elevation and windage, through the use of two flat screws.
Performance
The fiber optic sights are a nice bonus over the already excellent sights of the P17. And the P3 trigger feels smoother than the P17 counterpart. Thus, it should come as no surprise that the P3 is as great a performer as the P17. Its comfortable shape, size, and weight, combined with the light, smooth trigger, make it very easy to shoot accurately. This is one of the nicest air pistols I own and its only drawback is the effort required of pumping it, which prevents me from using it for extended periods of time.
In terms of noise, the P3 is about as noisy as a CO2 gun. The P17 might have been a bit less loud, but I cannot remember exactly.
Conclusion
The Beeman P3 is an excellent target pistol that is very fun to shoot until you get tired of pumping it. Its price is its main drawback and I understand why the owners of Beeman concocted the P17 as a less expensive version. However, the P17 seems to have a very limited lifespan, so it only works as an advertisement for what the P3 can offer. If you are looking for an accurate pneumatic airgun that is also compact and styled as a firearm, then the P3 is the least expensive offer currently on the market.
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Beeman P17
Beeman Precision Airguns had a close partnership with German airgun manufacturer Weihrauch. BPA have initially imported Weihrauch airguns to the US and then they partnered with Weihrauch to develop a number of airguns that got marketed under both the Beeman and Weihrauch brands. Thus, the spring piston Beeman P1 corresponds to the Weihrauch HW45, the pneumatic Beeman P2 to the Weihrauch HW75, and the pneumatic Beeman P3 to the Weihrauch HW40. At this point, you might wonder what all of this has got to do with the Beeman P17 - well, this is the interesting part: after BPA got acquired by S/R Industries, this model seems to have appeared as a less expensive clone of the Beeman P3 that is manufactured in China. The P3 is a plastic pneumatic top lever airgun that is manufactured in Germany by Weihrauch. The P17 is the same design, but is much less expensive because of its place of manufacture. At a 5th of the price of the Weihrauch 40, the P17 sounds too good to be true - is it really so? Read on for the details.
Operation
Being a single shot, pneumatic pistol, the P17 is very simple to operate. Cocking the gun releases the top part, which includes the barrel, and exposes the pump mechanism. The top part needs to be pulled forward - there is no pumping during this move, so this is an easy motion. Once the lever is extended, you need to load a pellet in the breech of the barrel - this is the finicky part, because there is just enough space for adult fingers to do the operation. Make sure that the skirt of the pellet is flush with the breech, otherwise it will damage the seal around the pump opening. Now comes the physically demanding part - you need to push back the top part and close it - this move gets gradually harder as you get closer to the end and it will take a noticeable effort to close it. It feels ok a few time, but do it twenty times or more and it will start wearing you off.
Closing the lever also engages the pistol's safety, which is a lever above the trigger, on the left side. This needs to be pushed away from the grip before firing. If you are right handed, you can conveniently do this with the thumb.
Package and build
Like all inexpensive airguns, the Beeman P17 comes in a plastic package that you can throw away. I actually got the version that came with a red dot sight, which I found to be useless for target shooting. I imagine it helps with situations where you want to aim fast, but it didn't look like it would help with precision shooting because of parallax issues.
The pistol is very nicely built. It is mostly made of plastic, but it has a very nice feel to it - it reminds me of the Walther PPQ both in terms of feel and in terms of stylistic touches - the grip and trigger guard in particular seem to take a clue from the Walther pistols. Note that the internals of the P17 are all metal - that includes the trigger, the hammer, and the safety lever.
For a top-lever pistol, the P17 is very compact and it is also very light.
One nice touch that the P17 includes is a builtin compensator. I have no idea how effective it is, but it looks nice.
Adjustable settings
The rear sight is adjustable for both windage and elevation and the adjustment mechanism works great, allowing precision changes.
Performance
The P17 impressed me with its accuracy and handling. It was one of the most accurate pistols I used so far. I say "was" because after less than 100 shots the pump failed and I was left with a piece of junk - fortunately, this happened during the period within which I could still return it, which I promptly did. I would have got a replacement but I have seen multiple reviews describing pump failures for this model, so I decided not to risk again. I actually read those reviews before ordering the P17, but I wanted to see for myself, so I did.
It might help to describe the pump failure in more detail. It happened as I was reloading the pistol, in the middle of a shooting session. I had fired it a few times and then the pump just failed as I was closing the lever for another shot. By failed, I mean that I heard a sudden hiss of air and the lever closed instantly with no effort. Further attempts to pump it led to similar results - I would get resistance when closing the lever up to about 40 degrees and then suddenly the air would gush out and the lever would snap closed with no resistance. I suspect that the head of the pump just started giving way under pressure - it would work up to a point, but then it would just fail and let the air out.
Leaving aside this unfortunate pump failure for the P17, my experience with this pistol design was very positive. Because of its shape and weight, it was a pleasure to use. The only downside was the force required for pumping it. Accuracy was excellent, the trigger was light and crisp, and power was sufficient to cut clean round holes in targets - all of these made the Beeman P17 a very nice pistol for target shooting.
Conclusion
I cannot recommend the Beeman P17 model - unfortunately, it looks like the attempt to provide an inexpensive version of the P3 has compromised the robustness of the pump and through that it compromised the entire product (yes, it was too good to be true). However, while it worked, the P17 worked very well and this makes me think that the Beeman P3 would make a very fine airgun.
So this is an unusual review, because I started by reviewing one product, only to recommend another, more expensive, one. Take it as more of an indirect review of the design of the Beeman P3.
Operation
Being a single shot, pneumatic pistol, the P17 is very simple to operate. Cocking the gun releases the top part, which includes the barrel, and exposes the pump mechanism. The top part needs to be pulled forward - there is no pumping during this move, so this is an easy motion. Once the lever is extended, you need to load a pellet in the breech of the barrel - this is the finicky part, because there is just enough space for adult fingers to do the operation. Make sure that the skirt of the pellet is flush with the breech, otherwise it will damage the seal around the pump opening. Now comes the physically demanding part - you need to push back the top part and close it - this move gets gradually harder as you get closer to the end and it will take a noticeable effort to close it. It feels ok a few time, but do it twenty times or more and it will start wearing you off.
Closing the lever also engages the pistol's safety, which is a lever above the trigger, on the left side. This needs to be pushed away from the grip before firing. If you are right handed, you can conveniently do this with the thumb.
Package and build
Like all inexpensive airguns, the Beeman P17 comes in a plastic package that you can throw away. I actually got the version that came with a red dot sight, which I found to be useless for target shooting. I imagine it helps with situations where you want to aim fast, but it didn't look like it would help with precision shooting because of parallax issues.
The pistol is very nicely built. It is mostly made of plastic, but it has a very nice feel to it - it reminds me of the Walther PPQ both in terms of feel and in terms of stylistic touches - the grip and trigger guard in particular seem to take a clue from the Walther pistols. Note that the internals of the P17 are all metal - that includes the trigger, the hammer, and the safety lever.
For a top-lever pistol, the P17 is very compact and it is also very light.
One nice touch that the P17 includes is a builtin compensator. I have no idea how effective it is, but it looks nice.
Adjustable settings
The rear sight is adjustable for both windage and elevation and the adjustment mechanism works great, allowing precision changes.
Performance
The P17 impressed me with its accuracy and handling. It was one of the most accurate pistols I used so far. I say "was" because after less than 100 shots the pump failed and I was left with a piece of junk - fortunately, this happened during the period within which I could still return it, which I promptly did. I would have got a replacement but I have seen multiple reviews describing pump failures for this model, so I decided not to risk again. I actually read those reviews before ordering the P17, but I wanted to see for myself, so I did.
It might help to describe the pump failure in more detail. It happened as I was reloading the pistol, in the middle of a shooting session. I had fired it a few times and then the pump just failed as I was closing the lever for another shot. By failed, I mean that I heard a sudden hiss of air and the lever closed instantly with no effort. Further attempts to pump it led to similar results - I would get resistance when closing the lever up to about 40 degrees and then suddenly the air would gush out and the lever would snap closed with no resistance. I suspect that the head of the pump just started giving way under pressure - it would work up to a point, but then it would just fail and let the air out.
Leaving aside this unfortunate pump failure for the P17, my experience with this pistol design was very positive. Because of its shape and weight, it was a pleasure to use. The only downside was the force required for pumping it. Accuracy was excellent, the trigger was light and crisp, and power was sufficient to cut clean round holes in targets - all of these made the Beeman P17 a very nice pistol for target shooting.
Conclusion
I cannot recommend the Beeman P17 model - unfortunately, it looks like the attempt to provide an inexpensive version of the P3 has compromised the robustness of the pump and through that it compromised the entire product (yes, it was too good to be true). However, while it worked, the P17 worked very well and this makes me think that the Beeman P3 would make a very fine airgun.
So this is an unusual review, because I started by reviewing one product, only to recommend another, more expensive, one. Take it as more of an indirect review of the design of the Beeman P3.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)