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UMAREX Compensator - Is it Safe to Use

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K

KnowNothing

Member
Jul 8, 2019
110
0
California, United States
I thought the title item might be neat on my Hammerli 850 Air Magnum CO2 Rifle, but I am wondering just how safe it is.



I purchased this item because It looked neat, and it said that it extended the rifle barrel. Or I think that is what it said.



But upon receiving and looking at it, it basically does not do anything at all. It is made from hard plastic, and attaches

to the barrel with one of the two set screws.



So, what basically happens when a pellet is fired (haven't) done it yet) the pellet exits the muzzle, and then travels up empty space 

for about four inches. There is no extension of the metal barrel. At the end of this "Compensator) is a 7mm hole that the pellet must

clear. I'm not even sure a pellet can clear this area safely.



On top of the disappointment is the fact that their so called instructions has one sentence, that says to basically read the user's

manual completely. And it has one other thing said "Lock the safety"



Based on the UMAREX web pages photos of this item, there is one piece missing from the forward interior. But this is hot shown on

the box photo or the so called instructions sheet photo.



I hope someone has purchased this for their own Hammerli 850 rifle, and that they can tell me if it is functional as far as the ability to

shoot the rifle, and have the pellets safely traverse this plastic add on thing.



I just wish they had designed it so that when you take the front air rifle muzzle cover off, that this compensator screwed on like the 

muzzle cover
 
No, I was just wondering if this thing is safe to use, as it doesn't have a barrel extension that guides the pellet through this so called compensator (Silencer?)

But, based on more research, it seems that compensators (silencers) do not have barrel extensions. They have baffles on the interior to dampen the sound.

Apparently this has no function other than making a rifle look pretty.

I will try to fire a round through this sometime this week. I would guess that the worst that could happen is that the pellet would rattle around inside this thing, though it looking, and sounding like plastic, probably will punch through it.

Based on a couple of videos I have seen, it may be possible to insert a couple of sound baffles inside this, since the front cover comes off. I believe three baffles could be installed
 
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Compensators perform a specific and different task than silencers/moderators. Compensators are designed to aid with rifle control when shooting. It has no effect on the audio report of the rifle. As long as you make sure the compensator is aligned properly there shouldnt be any negative effects. I used something similar on a qb78 co2 rifle and it helped a little with accuracy. I think because it allowed some of the co2 to vent away which gave the pellet a more stable flight. From what you describe if the end can come off it does sound like you could add baffles which could lower the sound. 
 
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JadedC Thanks for explaining what this thing does. Hopefully it will aid a little in pellet stability for me. I had five flyers out of about 100 shots yesterday. Not sure why the pellets decided to fly right or left. Maybe they were deformed a tiny bit. The flyers are one reason why I am wondering just how safe this thing is. The pellets probably don't start tumbling until they lose some speed.

The compensator unit basically friction fits on the end of the rifle barrel, though it isn't a true friction fit. There is play that allows it to wobble. It is held in place by one set screw that seems to align things. Anyway, when I fire this I will be holding the rifle away from me in case the pellet does manage to hit the end.

I'll let everyone here know how things go, if I survive.
 
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No prob know. I did a quick google search for umarex compensator and the first thing that comes up is one on pyramyd air. If its the same one, on the page it says it should fit a hammerli 850. It says friction fit so i think this is the same one you are referring too. A link to the item in question would make it easier to provide feedback. If it is the one from PA, make sure the screw is secured firmly. When I added a similar piece to my qb78 it was hard to tell if it was aligned properly. The only way I was able to tell if it was ok before firing was by flashing a bright light down the muzzle and visually seeing if the holes were aligned. Needless to say this is obviously dangerous, so if you do attempt to do this make sure there is no co2 in the gun and no pellets loaded, its always best to be safe. 
 
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the muzzle brake is just an add on for looks item and pricey at that

I got one on a use 850 I bought and it was taped up with black electrical tape and it was very quiet and took it off and was surprised how well that tape cover worked

and now I have one covered in stainless tubing and one in aluminum 

it does little if nothing uncovered and wouldn't even use it but covered up you will be wondering if you are out of co2 quiet

so is it safe YES

and Umarex sells the Hammerli 850
 
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JimNM, I would never purchase something that was not designed for a particular item. In this case the Hammerli 850 AirMagnum Rifle was listed as compatible. But the design is what I am questioning. As I am a relative beginner when it comes to air rifles, I was questioning if the pellet actually can travel from the rifle muzzle, through what is unguided flight within the 4 inches of this compensator, and out the hole they provide in the front of the compensator.

I have aligned the unit the best I can. I just tested it with a laser. I aimed the laser down the opening of the compensator, and the laser ;looks like it is aligned with the firing pin. The green laser has equal brightness around that firing pin. It does not seem to be irregular if it were misaligned to one side.

I just went outside and tested it by firing at a old tree trunk. From what I observed, the pellet didn't have any problem exiting the compensator muzzle hole. I shot five, and the same result, so I guess this is safe as long as you keep the unit properly affixed to your rifle barrel with the grub screw. I still with UMAREX had made it so that it would screw on to the end of the Hammerli. But I guess they wanted to make something that could fit three different weapons.
 
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I finally got a chance to fire the rifle with the so called compensator attached. If I remember, someone said it could add stability to the pellets flight.

Well, even though the pellet cleared the compensator muzzle opening without a hitch, the actual results were that the pellet became unstable almost immediately upon exiting the muzzle opening. The shot pattern had no consistency. The pellet was high and low, and left and right, and any combination of those.

I took the device off, and returned to factory settings. After readjusting the aim with the scope to previous settings, everything was back to normal for my shooting. Pattern was about two inches across at 25 yards. I'm still trying to learn how to relax, and still keep the rifle stable. I still tend to strangle the trigger finger hand around the grip area, and that seems to consistently send pellets high and right. It's difficult trying to learn the proper gripping power to allow a relaxed shot, especially with my arthritis problems.

Anyway, I WOULD NOT recommend this compensator to anyone. It may be that I got a lemon. Will never know, as I am taking the range officers advice and putting an artificial flower in the muzzle, and using the compensator as a short waterless vase.
 
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