Avenger for $180 -

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Saltlake58

Member
Apr 9, 2015
2,907
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Utah, United States
I was looking for a cheap project gun, something I can tune and dedicate to slugs. I wanted to this as absolutely cheaply as possible. The Avengers went on sale for $300, then the Refurb's dropped to $199, with a 10% off coupon to boot, so $180 plus sales tax. It arrived yesterday.

The gun was kinda rough looking, but a few minutes with an alcohol wipe and it seemed to clean up fairly well. Had 3000 PSI in the tank and regulator is set to about 2000 PSI. So far, so good, that is until I started looking for the magazines. None, nada, nope, no mags included. I've contacted PA and hopefully they'll send at least one mag. They included the single shot tray so not all is lost.

As soon as we work out the magazine situation, I plan on removing the barrel (90-day warranty gone at that point) and lapping till it shines on the inside! Once it shines and I get it reassembled, tuning is next. Want to get the slugs to 900 fps or better. Bought 4 different kinds to see what works best, ranging from 21 to 26 grain. Also have the JSB 25 grain pellets in .22 for testing. This could be fun!
 
I'm following you. Would like to see how it shoots. I love cheap accurate guns. I've either heard that it's the most accurate gun they ever shot or the worst. More people seem to have good experience than bad. My friends gun has little to no crown at all but shoots great anyway. It's interesting to me. When I saw the gun I thought to myself there's no way this is going to shoot. But boy did it ever. Very weird. 
 
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The gen 1 guns had no crown. That surprised everyone. But, a crown is just a device ensure the projectile leaves the barrel evenly, all at the same time. If it's crooked, part of the bullet is still attached to the barrel while the other part isn't and it makes the gun inaccurate. I think they just figured out how to cut the barrel accurately enough a crown wasn't really needed. All sorts of weird stuff like that. That's one reason I chose the Avenger.

I may be slow doing updates as life is pretty hectic right now, but whatever. It's a project and I'm in no hurry.
 
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Best wishes with it! I don't know if you are monitoring your previous thread but your tip prompted me to buy one and I'm impressed so far. Like you guys are saying, the muzzle looks blunt cut and sanded (no bevel) but it is proving to be accurate. Even the cheap 15.3gr Daisy hollow points are grouping well enough for pest control. 

But the JSB Monsters...oh boy. The first 50 yard group measured 0.180" CTC (0.34 MoA).




 
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I've had my hands on an Avenger and Avenger bullpup in the past few weeks both in .22. Avenger was bought as a loaner/backup gun. My cousin wanted to try it so he took it for about a week and a half. After 3 days with it he ordered a bullpup version and compressor. My uncle then bought my Avenger. Regs on both started out around 2400psi and I adjusted them around the 1600-1700psi range. Adjusted hammer spring to get them right around 900fps with 16gr JSBs. Both sighted in at 30yds. They just stack pellets! For the price there great guns. Being a fan of the Marauder platform which is where I got my start, I don't think I'd go back to them. The Avengers have way too much to offer. Great side lever, nice trigger, externally adjustable reg and hammer spring and very accurate. Best of luck on your project. I think you'll be quite happy with it! Now if they only made it in .30 I'll buy another one.
 
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Just did the first tests, yes it shoots, but it's LOUD. Definitely need hearing protection. I printed a moderated for it (I love 3d printers, this one is great fun!). Someone else designed a moderator specifically for the Avenger, making it long so you can air up the gun without hitting the moderator. It worked beautifully. I'll reprint one section of it as it was a bit crooked, but other than that, really quieted down the gun.

Probably get to degassing and removing the barrel in a day or so. I've got everything I need to lap the barrel so that's next.

Dairyboy - So far, very impressed for the price. It works, and that's all I expect out of an inexpensive gun. This particular gun looks like someone rode it hard and put it away wet, finish rubbed off the cocking lever, stock with wear signs and same with barrel shroud. Getting past the surface damage on the gun, internals look good so far.

Once I get it apart and lap the barrel, I'll post an update.
 
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Agreed, the Avenger really can shoot, and mine in 25cal is equaling other accuracy successes with similar mods to my Cayden 22 and Akela 177 and others. Right about the sound level, and I have done much testing with various internal stacks and also trying several different suppressors. Best result was sub moa @50 and 75yds. Present challenge is with using the DonnyFL extender shroud adapter that is threaded for a suppressor and also has an internal vented tube that rides over the bbl. The internal tube has clearance riding around the bbl exterior and ‘bangs” into it and leaves marks on the metal. After adding electrical tape to eliminate this clearance I got the best results for both quietness and accuracy but before long the tape shot loose and I can no longer hit the paper. My next step will be to just cut off the tube/stripper and going back to an internal stripper and baffle stack with the suppressor that worked the best on the end. As quiet as my 177 and 22 rifles but with nearly twice the fp.

If there are still any offerings of under $200 left out there for repacked Avengers I would like two more for future builds, so please let us know where?

Thanks,

Tom
 
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The Avenger was from Pyramyd Air. Refurb, the new guns were on sale for $300, refurbs for $199. I've been watching, checking the PA site daily, since just after Christmas for the deal, and this deal far surpassed my expectations. I expected to pay the pre-Christmas refurb price of $270.

PA shipped two new magazines today! Great service for a used (refurbed) gun.  I found 3d printing files a set of baffles designed to fit inside the barrel shroud. I'll print those tomorrow and if I can combine with the moderator I printed yesterday, it ought to be incredibly quiet, but we'll see once I do some work on the gun. I know the first moderator reduced sound by at least half, so should be good to go.

I also printed an adapter to connect the shroud to a 1/2 UNF moderator. Works like a charm.

I bought several different types of slugs ranging from 21 grains to 26 grains, JSB's, H&N's and Patriots. Was talking to a friend that shoots PB's and he was complaining about the price of .556 at 65 cents a round. I kinda crushed him, I paid about 8.5 cents per round for the slugs. Even though they are expensive by airgun standards, it is darned cheap by everyone else's standards. I might get him to check out airguns. . . . . . . just maybe. . . . .

Perhaps tomorrow I'll dismantle the gun. Bit under the weather today, so just didn't feel like chancing screwing up the gun because I'm tired.

Keep watching and in a couple months, I'm sure they'll have refurbs again.

good luck!




 
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Best wishes with it! I don't know if you are monitoring your previous thread but your tip prompted me to buy one and I'm impressed so far. Like you guys are saying, the muzzle looks blunt cut and sanded (no bevel) but it is proving to be accurate. Even the cheap 15.3gr Daisy hollow points are grouping well enough for pest control. 

But the JSB Monsters...oh boy. The first 50 yard group measured 0.180" CTC (0.34 MoA).



Click to expand...

WOW!
 
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Got the barrel off tonight. Cleaned it. YEACH! Patches just came out black. Finally used Cyclops trick and took a bore snake, ripped the brush out and made it airgun safe. Couple passes really made a difference in the barrel. Couple patches with Ballistol and a Patchworm and it looks much better! If I get time, lapping tomorrow, then reassemble and start tuning this weekend.

The barrel band and shroud screws were all loose. Probably use some locktite when I put it back together. I wonder if the previous owner couldn't hit a barn because the screws were all loose.

I've got a couple tins of the 25 grain pellets, might try those early on if you are getting those kind of results. . . . 
 
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Well, resurrecting the thread for a couple posts.

Finally got out tonight and started trying the slugs. Ranged from .216 23 grain and up to 30 grain slugs.  It's a no go. Even at maxed out regulator and max hammer spring, best I could get was about 850 fps with the FX Hybrids. The heavier slugs were down in the low 700's. Just not enough ooomph! Not all is lost though, I'll crank up my Impact for the slugs with no problem.

Crossman hollow points (14.3 grain) were zinging along at over 1000 fps, so I degassed and turned the reg to about 1700 psi. Still a little strong, zinging 16 grain JSB's at 850 with minimum hammer spring. That might sound OK, but I want to have a chance to balance the settings, not just stumble onto something that might look good. So, I degassed again and set the reg back to about 1400 or so and ran out of time. I'll tune for either the 18 grain JSB's or 25 grain JSB's. Haven't decided yet.

Will be testing a couple more moderators as well. The one I've got on it works well but will see if the others do a better job. Ya just never know!

Probably be a few more days before I get out there. Will post again if anything strange happens. My bet is that it'll be a good 50 or 75 yard gun, 100 might be pushing it. Accuracy testing later this spring at the range.
 
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