JTS Aircuda Max vs Air Venturi Avenger, Regulated personal opinion

[ThomasT]

Hello everyone,

I would like to hear from the membership as to their “personal” experience with the following two rifles. If you own one of these rifles now or have owned one in the past and can give me a “true personal review” of the goods and bads, I truly would appreciate it.

1) JTS Airacuda Max .22cal

2) Air Venturi Avenger, Regulated .22cal

Thank you,
ThomasT

 

[nervoustrig]

I own both an Avenger and a DAR in .22 cal. The DAR is made by the same OEM as JTS and shares similar features. With that said, I'll include some impressions on the two of them...

The Avenger's longer barrel and higher fill pressure are undeniable advantages if your goal is power. And of course an externally adjustable reg makes it easy to tinker with different states of tune.

Whereas the DAR is more refined in a few important areas. Like the regulator for example. The Avenger's reg has a reputation for both creep and poor input regulation (velocity changes at high fill pressure). The first one can be fixed with a little effort. The second one, not so much. Whereas the reg in my DAR is rock solid. The DAR's barrel is more substantial and the shroud is baffled which makes it much more effective. Then there are things like the nice aluminum magazines and wood stock that just overshadow the plastics of the Avenger.

So they're quite different from my perspective. A preference for one over the other will depend on what characteristics one favors.

 

[DeanB]

Not a Max but owned my Airacuda standard .25 for a few days, very accurate not pellet picky so far, trigger can be adjusted to where its real nice.. only complaint is horrible dark stain they used, have seen other cudas with lighter factory finish not sure why they used almost black stain this time.
The magazines are metal and a quality item, very easy to use and feed flawlessly. Cocking lever is also very smooth for this price point.
Gun is fairly quiet for as much power as its putting out. As of right now about 20 shots per fill at full power(47ftlb) no fiddling yet with hammer spring.
Future reliability to be determined.

Ive got a synthetic Avenger .25 which is also very accurate but its at Firehawks at the moment get a reseal as it started leaking 1st night I had it, was bought used so it is what it is.
My regulator was doing all kinds of weird stuff to, Firewalker is installing a new one.
This gun doesnt seem as quiet to me as the Airacuda but bought after market 3D printed baffle to go in shroud thats supposed to make it a lot quieter, will see when it gets back from Firewalker.
Future reliability to be determined also.

 

[Motorhead]

No DAR & little Avenger experience .. tho own 2 JTS's a .22 STD and a .22 Max, Had a .25 max for a spell.

Avenger due to the amount of Plastic used threw out the gun, not impressed in the least ... Good starting point getting into PCP but not good enough IMO to be long lasting in keeping it around or life span.

JTS MAX .... Mechanically a very solid and well engineered gun, tho the stacked air tube/ plenum / gauge manifold/ trigger housing makes for a flex prone lower assembly strongly reliant of a stable stock under it. Early guns had issues in this regard, current guns appear to be worked out.
For the price point and what you get .. a VERY solid value.
* Tho do take note that MANY JTS Airacuda's have had leaks over a short span of time due to sub standard o-rings and are just fine once resealed with domestic sourced o-rings. It is not a fit or finish issue as the machining is really top notch threw out.

JMO .. nuttin else

 

[Hateful McNasty]

Last i looked the dar gen 3 was like 299$. Wood / traditional appearance gun . Thats well in the buy and try range. Maybe at pa use coupons and knock that price down a tad .

Edit..

I read do many with poi shift on them avengers that kinda made ot a turn off to me .. then serms some complain about scope mounting on its rail ?

Kinfa makes the jts/ dar more traditional look and build a bit more appealing to me overall

 

[ThomasT]

I own both an Avenger and a DAR in .22 cal. The DAR is made by the same OEM as JTS and shares similar features. With that said, I'll include some impressions on the two of them...

The Avenger's longer barrel and higher fill pressure are undeniable advantages if your goal is power. And of course an externally adjustable reg makes it easy to tinker with different states of tune.

Whereas the DAR is more refined in a few important areas. Like the regulator for example. The Avenger's reg has a reputation for both creep and poor input regulation (velocity changes at high fill pressure). The first one can be fixed with a little effort. The second one, not so much. Whereas the reg in my DAR is rock solid. The DAR's barrel is more substantial and the shroud is baffled which makes it much more effective. Then there are things like the nice aluminum magazines and wood stock that just overshadow the plastics of the Avenger.

So they're quite different from my perspective. A preference for one over the other will depend on what characteristics one favors.

Hello @nervoustrig ,

Thank you for this information

ThomasT

 

[ThomasT]

Not a Max but owned my Airacuda standard .25 for a few days, very accurate not pellet picky so far, trigger can be adjusted to where its real nice.. only complaint is horrible dark stain they used, have seen other cudas with lighter factory finish not sure why they used almost black stain this time.
The magazines are metal and a quality item, very easy to use and feed flawlessly. Cocking lever is also very smooth for this price point.
Gun is fairly quiet for as much power as its putting out. As of right now about 20 shots per fill at full power(47ftlb) no fiddling yet with hammer spring.
Future reliability to be determined.

Ive got a synthetic Avenger .25 which is also very accurate but its at Firehawks at the moment get a reseal as it started leaking 1st night I had it, was bought used so it is what it is.
My regulator was doing all kinds of weird stuff to, Firewalker is installing a new one.
This gun doesnt seem as quiet to me as the Airacuda but bought after market 3D printed baffle to go in shroud thats supposed to make it a lot quieter, will see when it gets back from Firewalker.
Future reliability to be determined also.

Hello @DeanB

Thank you for a good comparison.

ThomasT

 

[ThomasT]

No DAR & little Avenger experience .. tho own 2 JTS's a .22 STD and a .22 Max, Had a .25 max for a spell.

Avenger due to the amount of Plastic used threw out the gun, not impressed in the least ... Good starting point getting into PCP but not good enough IMO to be long lasting in keeping it around or life span.

JTS MAX .... Mechanically a very solid and well engineered gun, tho the stacked air tube/ plenum / gauge manifold/ trigger housing makes for a flex prone lower assembly strongly reliant of a stable stock under it. Early guns had issues in this regard, current guns appear to be worked out.
For the price point and what you get .. a VERY solid value.
* Tho do take note that MANY JTS Airacuda's have had leaks over a short span of time due to sub standard o-rings and are just fine once resealed with domestic sourced o-rings. It is not a fit or finish issue as the machining is really top notch threw out.

JMO .. nuttin else

Hello @Motorhead

The one big knock that I have read about the Aircuda is the leaking issues, good to find out that the problem is with the "O-rings". Thanks

ThomasT

 

[Firewalker]

I have them both sitting on my workbench right now, the Avenger is getting a complete o'ring re-ring and the Max is getting the barrel lapped and crown work.

Side by side, the the MAX is noticeably better built, no flashing, no pot-metal, simple and succinct. The Avenger seems to be made overly complicated the deeper I get into it. It's not a fun gun to work on so far.

 

[Hateful McNasty]

Hello @Motorhead

The one big knock that I have read about the Aircuda is the leaking issues, good to find out that the problem is with the "O-rings". Thanks

ThomasT

But guys post that on any brand/ gun in this catagory . Thing is like firewalker says ehat one when it occurs is simple to fix or even easy get the correct rings.

Tom just go quality springer like a hw.
Cock ,load , shoot , repeat ...
Pretty much the only problem or overhead / cost is another tin of pellets.

 

[DeanB]

But guys post that on any brand/ gun in this catagory . Thing is like firewalker says ehat one when it occurs is simple to fix or even easy get the correct rings.

Tom just go quality springer like a hw.
Cock ,load , shoot , repeat ...
Pretty much the only problem or overhead / cost is another tin of pellets.

Have to agree with Hateful, my TX200 .22 out to 40 yds will give a lot of PCPs a run for their money..if you aren't shooting tiny groups with it its mostly shooter caused error, very consistant accuracy. If I could have only 1 gun it would be a tuned springer of my choice.