Just got my Air Venturi Avenger PCP .177 - Impressed

Newbie here with regard to AGNation, but wanted to post some impressions from by recent purchase. Man, this thing is accurate! I will give all the credit to the airgun manufacturers collectively, as these thing rocks compared to long ago. I emphasize longgggg, ago. I haven't shot a rifle since I was in high school, shooting .22 shorts, in my 20 yd basement. I was an ok shot, but it wasn't scoped and just used the iron sights that it came with. So that's been nearly 50 years ago. I've taken shooting up again just to remove a bunch of pigeons in my wife's horse barn she rides at do to safely concerns, so thus the recent purchase. 

I set this up thanks to the recommendations and opinions here, with a Discovery VT-R 4-16x 42SFIR and a regulator pressure at 1500 and hand pumped to 3000 psi. It's fitted witht a DonnyFL insert and a Tatsu moderator. Just finished scoping it in at 15yds in my second floor upstairs running the length of the house that has visible site lines from side to side (yeah, bad habits never change). After setting the scope up I could routinely hit 1/2" groupings of 3 shots with H&N 8.8gr Crow Magnum. The reason I set up upstairs is my development doesn't allow shooting of anything within the community. So be it. Going out later today to see if I can start cleaning up the barn. 

Best to all here, and will keep in touch on the forums 
 
By the way, while I bought the Avenger and don't regret the purchase, I did also purchase a Marauder .22 first, but it was damanged in shipment (broken stock at the grip). The Marauder was what I wanted at first, but this regulated Avenger is cheaper and really delivers what I need which is number of accurate shots without refilling. Should be plenty enought to take out pigeons which wont be more that 20 yds away, max. 
 
AVA is very nice, I owned the .177 as well. love it!

AVA2.1617313949.jpeg

 

He posted in response to a question I had and said he never touched the reg pressure from factory setting of 2700,psi. He also knew that may be an issue "hot rodding" that rifle.and was aware of poppet issues. 

EDIT: My question...his response



May I ask what you have your regulator set at ? 

Thanks
Rich


Mine came outta the box set around 2700 psi, it did drop off to about 2600 after a bit but held.




 
I have a 25 caliber Avenger. I like the way it shot initially but I didn't like it leaking 150-200 psi/day. So I sent it in for a warranty repair and just got it back about a week ago. It doesn't leak now. I initially set the regulator to 1600 psi and got about 800 fps on 25.4 grain pellets and over 700 for 34 grain. I turned the regulator up to 2300 yesterday and it now shoots the lighter pellets at just over 900 fps - about 47 fpe. I've been trying hammer spring increases as I went up in regulator setting. At 1600 psi it actually decreased velocity. At 2000 psi it did not increase it but didn't decrease it either. At 2300 psi it increased velocity slightly when I turned the hammer spring in 1 turn so I went to 1.5 turns. I was shooting groups at the same time and the group dropped to about 1/4 inch at 33 yards. I've repeated these results half a dozen times with FX 25.4 grain pellets and 33.95 grain JSBs. I'm pretty pleased with this and will stay at this tune, at least for now. I plan to shoot a couple more types of slugs next (first slug, H&N Grizzlies, shoots very poorly).

JSB 25.39 grain pellets also shoot well but not quite as well as FX of the same weight.

I'd still like to improve the trigger but I like the power and accuracy. The trigger is at minimum weight, travel, and sear engagement but is still not very light and creeps before letoff. I need to take it apart and see if polishing helps. 

But if nothing changes I will still be pretty happy with a 50 fpe gun that shoots 1/4 inch groups regularly at 33 yards for $300. 


 
I have a 25 caliber Avenger. I like the way it shot initially but I didn't like it leaking 150-200 psi/day. So I sent it in for a warranty repair and just got it back about a week ago. It doesn't leak now. I initially set the regulator to 1600 psi and got about 800 fps on 25.4 grain pellets and over 700 for 34 grain. I turned the regulator up to 2300 yesterday and it now shoots the lighter pellets at just over 900 fps - about 47 fpe. I've been trying hammer spring increases as I went up in regulator setting. At 1600 psi it actually decreased velocity. At 2000 psi it did not increase it but didn't decrease it either. At 2300 psi it increased velocity slightly when I turned the hammer spring in 1 turn so I went to 1.5 turns. I was shooting groups at the same time and the group dropped to about 1/4 inch at 33 yards. I've repeated these results half a dozen times with FX 25.4 grain pellets and 33.95 grain JSBs. I'm pretty pleased with this and will stay at this tune, at least for now. I plan to shoot a couple more types of slugs next (first slug, H&N Grizzlies, shoots very poorly).

JSB 25.39 grain pellets also shoot well but not quite as well as FX of the same weight.

I'd still like to improve the trigger but I like the power and accuracy. The trigger is at minimum weight, travel, and sear engagement but is still not very light and creeps before letoff. I need to take it apart and see if polishing helps. 

But if nothing changes I will still be pretty happy with a 50 fpe gun that shoots 1/4 inch groups regularly at 33 yards for $300. 


I am in the market for a 25 avenger for a new project gun. Does yours hold POI from day to day? 
 
Yes but I think that is more the scope than the gun. I have a Primary Arms 4-14 FFP, side parallax adjustment, scope on my Avenger. I was sighting the gun in again today for the new tune and it shot to exactly the same point of impact today as it did yesterday. But it also took it about 20 shots to settle down after I moved it two clicks down. I don't think it's done that before. Initially the POI was lower what I expected for two clicks but after 20 shots it settled down to where it should be. So I would question this scope for somebody who wants to turn the knobs for wind and distance. But I plan to just hold over and off and I think it will work well for that. I sighted in first thing (about 8am) this morning and then checked it right after lunch because I was struggling with the vertical POI. That's when it shifted - in the middle of a group. But the next group was where it should be and I think it will not continue to shift. It did not move around at the previous settings. The shift I experienced today was about 1/4 inch. On some guns that might be hard to detect but my Avenger is shooting pretty well. My POI moved a little laterally - also about 1/4 inch - but the wind has picked up and is blowing the same way the POI moved. I am shooting at 33 yards.

I used to have a Bug Buster 3-9 on my Prod and I had a problem with it shifting POI from day to day. It would move an inch or more at 25 yards. It caused me to miss squirrels. I changed to a Hawke Vantage 2-7 and it no longer shifts POI unexpectedly.

I have a Donny FL suppresser adapter on my Avenger but no suppresser (so far). I never thought I had pellets clipping the cap but I don't like the idea of the barrel not being supported by the shroud it's full length. I think it may have made it noisier, however.