Western Airguns Western Mordax Venom, first impressions, and eventual ongoing review.

[steve123]

Man I had my heart set on an L2 for squirrels in 22 but this little carbine in 22 might trump it.

I wanted a L2 when they came out but 8 rounds in semi wasn't what I was looking for and 10 rounds in the ProX just barely. 15 rounds, now that's more like it.

The overall form of the Venom is appeasing to me with little room for improvement.

Going through a lot of air and pellets but that's to be expected. I had to fill both my tanks all the way up to 4500 psi already twice to keep getting the 290-ish bar fills. Next time I shoot the gun from a bench I think I'll just tether it.

Can't remember the last time I went though a whole tin in 3 days or had this much fun in doing so.

 

[drsquall]

I wanted a L2 when they came out but 8 rounds in semi wasn't what I was looking for and 10 rounds in the ProX just barely. 15 rounds, now that's more like it.

The overall form of the Venom is appeasing to me with little room for improvement.

Going through a lot of air and pellets but that's to be expected. I had to fill both my tanks all the way up to 4500 psi already twice to keep getting the 290-ish bar fills. Next time I shoot the gun from a bench I think I'll just tether it.

Can't remember the last time I went though a whole tin in 3 days or had this much fun in doing so.

Yeah 8 rounds isn't enough for sure. I am not needing huge power just want to shoot the hades accurately and have decent shot count.

 

[steve123]

Seems there's been a lot of walking traffic out in the FS lately and since my property borders the FS on three sides that's where they "for some reason" like to go even though if they'd go another 200Y out they'd be out of the line of sight.

My spinners have steel and rocks behind them so those pellets won't be leaving my property so I'm not concerned here. However...

My tractor sits unused except for once or twice a month so I put it to use today in the place which is my most convenient direction to shoot to, and to shoot from, that being directly in front of my garage. The bucket has a lip at the top which directs lead fragments down but to be safe, even though I need to find a better solution, I put this piece of cement board up to further protect the window. Really it'd be a accident to miss the whole bucket at 17Y and since I'm at a 80% hit ratio in offhand on 1" steels and 90% on 1.25" steels I wasn't too worried about it.

I found other things which are good to know when I'm plinking at these size steels this close in.
#1 One being I can go all the way down to 80bar and I can still hit the steel and the gun is still functioning fine. This extends the shooting session without having to fill so often.
#2 Since I'm putting up 10 or so steels it takes less time to fill the mags back up to 15 and I'm getting faster at putting pellets in having shot the Venom so much lately.

I shot for a couple hours until my arms got tired of shooting offhand, lol.

What else??
Kinda want to get more mags.

Mixed feelings having this scope on vs the green dot on because my hit ratios are higher using the green dot for the type of plinking I was doing today. Of course the March is a way more versatile sight.

I found on the 1" steel I liked 2.5x and the 1.25" steel 8x-10x, that weird huh?? I think it's because of how shaky I appear on the smaller steel so on 2.5x the apparent shakes aren't magnified so much. It's interesting just how much of a difference that 1/4" looks at 17Y. 1" aren't easy to hit and if I didn't concentrate I'd be missing quite a bit more, while the 1.25" are pretty easy, so not only can I shoot them faster but I don't have to pull off near perfect shots every time to hit them.

 

[steve123]

Half a dozen of us seniors had our Wednesday plinkfest this afternoon.

Suffice it to say the Venom put smiles and laughter into our group of old guys!!!

We shot steel fast and slow and also full auto.

Went through the 2nd tin as well. No problems and I'm more impressed than ever.

We did a one time 100y paper match which I won with the Venom. Mostly just got the wind right.

I also shot these two 5 shot groups at 50y. I couldn't tell where in the black bulls I was hitting using 8x but they are 3/4" or so.

Love this little gun!!!!

 

[esd02]

Half a dozen of us seniors had our Wednesday plinkfest this afternoon.

Suffice it to say the Venom put smiles and laughter into our group of old guys!!!

We shot steel fast and slow and also full auto.

Went through the 2nd tin as well. No problems and I'm more impressed than ever.

We did a one time 100y paper match which I won with the Venom. Mostly just got the wind right.

I also shot these two 5 shot groups at 50y. I couldn't tell where in the black bulls I was hitting using 8x but they are 3/4" or so.

Love this little gun!!!!

View attachment 589521

i’m obsessed with my mordax as well

 

[steve123]

We got chickens this spring and these ground squirrels have been eating the scratch and the laying feed so I've been sneaking around the back side of the barn near the junk pile hunting them. They always go down or run off before I can get a shot but I got lucky today and ventilated/venomated two. I shot the large one which was mostly obscured by stuff so I had a small window at the chest. Then the next ran up to the top of the stuff when it heard the noise and I head shot it.

I doubt I would have gotten a shot off on #2 with a bolt gun. That right there is a good example for not having time to cock a gun and for having a semiauto. Both done DRT around 20Y.

 

[steve123]

I found out a few things today.

Hadn't cleaned the barrel yet so I did. The first patch was too loose but came out fairly black, the 2nd patch half as black, then on the 3rd patch which I made tighter than the first two it came out leaded up quite a bit with lot's of flakes. A few more tight patches and it was clean with no flakes to speak of. That did seem to help precision a little more because no problem hitting the 1/2 spinner at 25Y.

The other thing was a magazine loading trick I'd seen before on a EBR video. I just grabbed a pinch a pellets out of the tin and sprinkled them onto the magazine face, this while holding the mag over the tin so if some rolled off they'd fall back into the tin, and so what happens is many of the pellets will find a whole in the mag with head down so I just pushed them in. Doing it this way results in a 2/3's faster way to load a magazine!

Initially today my intent was to just show my daughter my new Venom and have her take a few shots but that turned into another 150 pellet plinking session which is how it goes with this 'fun" gun and I even cut it short since she's packing stuff up for her move.

 

[steve123]

If I can find a March DFP 1.5-15x42 at the right price I'll probably buy it to put on this Venom. Partially why is I feel like half the time I want higher magnification than 10x. Plus I found out I like DFP, and the daylight bright red dot in the reticle, much more than I thought I would after using them a lot lately.

The other thing is the 1-10 needs to go back on my AR, but it was cool to use this scope much more than I had in the past, and it does fit this airgun application well after it was all said and done. Man if this scope had better IQ at 10x it'd be pretty much perfect and because of that I found myself on 8x a lot, however I don't want to be on 8x.

I didn't expect this Venom to be as precise as it is and if it wasn't I'd just put the Green Dot reflex sight on it and call it good.

 

[lbc_PSI]

These definitely aren’t March quality glass but for what I’m using them on they’re more than adequate and bargains $$

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[saabsaviorlee]

These definitely aren’t March quality glass but for what I’m using them on they’re more than adequate and bargains $$

DISCOVERYOPT HT-NV 3X24IR-SFP-MOA Diameter:30MM ultrashort Optics Scope

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DISCOVERYOPT HD 2-12X24SFIR FFP-MIL Diameter:30MM Short Optics Scope

HD 2-12X24SFIR Compact First focal plane scopes 2-12x magnification range provides versatile zoom for hunting at various distances. A large 24mm objective lens ensures a bright and wide field of view. FFP (First Focal Plane) glass reticle design maintains identical aiming points at all...

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View attachment 590575

I have a gen 1 Discovery 4.5-18x42 that has served me well for years. I stumbled onto them at Edgun West and pulled the trigger. It looks a bit overkill on the Mordax but I love the extra zoom.

I've been tempted to try Arken optics but haven't had a good excuse since this Discovery is still holding up.

 

[Mr.H]

I have a gen 1 Discovery 4.5-18x42 that has served me well for years. I stumbled onto them at Edgun West and pulled the trigger. It looks a bit overkill on the Mordax but I love the extra zoom.

I've been tempted to try Arken optics but haven't had a good excuse since this Discovery is still holding up.

View attachment 590620

Zoom is a good thing. What moderator are you using? Happy?

 

[saabsaviorlee]

Zoom is a good thing. What moderator are you using? Happy?

It's a DonnyFL Yokozuna. I love the quick detach system but this .25 Mordax is LOUD and even with the Yokozuna it pushes the term backyard friendly for a metro neighborhood anyway.

 

[steve123]

These definitely aren’t March quality glass but for what I’m using them on they’re more than adequate and bargains $$

DISCOVERYOPT HT-NV 3X24IR-SFP-MOA Diameter:30MM ultrashort Optics Scope

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HT-NV 3X24IR Optics Scopes HT-NV 3X24IR Optics Scopes

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DISCOVERYOPT HD 2-12X24SFIR FFP-MIL Diameter:30MM Short Optics Scope

HD 2-12X24SFIR Compact First focal plane scopes 2-12x magnification range provides versatile zoom for hunting at various distances. A large 24mm objective lens ensures a bright and wide field of view. FFP (First Focal Plane) glass reticle design maintains identical aiming points at all...

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View attachment 590575

My reply disappeared from earlier today??

Anyway thanks for pointing those scopes out. Unfortunately I don't think I'd be happy with them as much as I'd like to be because that would save me a lot of money.

I've been learning the last 4 years there's some things about scopes I can tolerate and a bunch of things I can't, or I should say, would rather not have to get annoyed by.
Over that time period let's just say I have three scopes I bought hoping I could tolerate their downsides.
One is a backup scope I couldn't sell for half what I paid for it even though I got a deal on it. The first one just like it broke and this 2nd one was sent new to me under warranty. It just doesn't have good IQ, not very good build quality, but a nice reticle so at least that.
Another is a $2000 retail scope I got for $1160 and except for being lightweight it has more than few things I'm not pleased with.
A 3rd one has good IQ but I took the ZS off because it kept binding the turret and also not great build quality.
None of these have good turrets.

I'd almost put a Athlon Helos G2 2-12 on the Venom but I really want daylight bright illume and it's a little heavier than I want for this Venom. Actually wish the March 1.5-15 was lighter than it is but it's the closet scope there is for how I would use a scope on this gun and having those awesome features I like.

 

[steve123]

If I can find a March DFP 1.5-15x42 at the right price I'll probably buy it to put on this Venom. Partially why is I feel like half the time I want higher magnification than 10x. Plus I found out I like DFP, and the daylight bright red dot in the reticle, much more than I thought I would after using them a lot lately.

The other thing is the 1-10 needs to go back on my AR, but it was cool to use this scope much more than I had in the past, and it does fit this airgun application well after it was all said and done. Man if this scope had better IQ at 10x it'd be pretty much perfect and because of that I found myself on 8x a lot, however I don't want to be on 8x.

I didn't expect this Venom to be as precise as it is and if it wasn't I'd just put the Green Dot reflex sight on it and call it good.

I ordered a March DFP 1.5-15x42 in MIL a few minutes ago. Hope I like it as least as much as my 1-10x28, well liking more than would be even better. I'll put it on the Venom and post some photos while also doing a review on it as well.

I haven't bought a scope this expensive in 3-4 years so I must really really like this Venom.

 

[saabsaviorlee]

I ordered a March DFP 1.5-15x42 in MIL a few minutes ago. Hope I like it as least as much as my 1-10x28, well liking more than would be even better. I'll put it on the Venom and post some photos while also doing a review on it as well.

I haven't bought a scope this expensive in 3-4 years so I must really really like this Venom.

That scope looks awesome. Looking forward to seeing pics of it on the rig!

 

[lbc_PSI]

LOL. I’ll say you must like the Venom! The thing about the March optics is “buy once cry once”. They are awesome glass. I’ve just never been able to “cry” that much.

 

[steve123]

LOL. I’ll say you must like the Venom! The thing about the March optics is “buy once cry once”. They are awesome glass. I’ve just never been able to “cry” that much.

You'd be surprised because March's super short scopes have weird IQ.
Had a 3-24 and IQ was okay until about 20x.
Had a 1st Gen HM 5-42 and IQ got downright poor at 42x but superb 15x and below. I bought it to use at high magnification often so I sold it. 2nd Gen is supposed to be much improved???
Have my 1-10 and fine at 8x and below but not good at 10x.

My Genesis 4-40 which has external adjust, has very good IQ at 40x, even better by 30x, but pristine by 25x and below.
My wife's old 5-40 was good almost everywhere in IQ but getting slightly dim at 40x. This scope has a normal length so I think it helps avoid some optical compromises.

It's their normal sized target scopes with HM glass that are the ones with super nice IQ, especially the SFP or fixed models .

In Build quality yes they are fantastic in, fit, finish, and feel, and in that regard as good or better than anything out there. If this wasn't the case there's no way I'd pay the high cost for them.

 

[steve123]

These are those plate racks I was referring to. They are designed for airguns but a bit thinner gauge steel for the 22 fpe and 28 fpe semi's I have. Oh well I'll need to do some banging on them with the hammer eventually.

The circles are 4".

These are intended for man against man comps. At the buzzer clean your side of the rack of six before engaging your side of the stop plates.

The two stop plates in the middle cross each other when fallen down so we can see who won the bout in case of an apparent tie. Whoever got theirs under the other plate won.
So 7 shots minimum for each person. Precision but fast usually wins because often one can't make up for a miss fast enough if the other competitor doesn't miss.

We shot on one rack yesterday with the Venom and it's pretty much as fun as one can have with an airgun!!!!!

They need to be sand blasted and repainted because they are rusted up but painting will have to do. These were made 30 years.

At one point around 7 years ago we used Co2 Tangfolio semiautomatic pistols to compete against each other on these racks. Problem was the plates wouldn't always fall because 2.5 fpe isn't much, lol.
If you look real close on the stop plates you can see the dings thousands of BB's made.

 

[steve123]

Something kind of funny happened this morning before I set these plate racks up for the photos and that was an old shooting acquaintance stopped by when I called to him on his walk out in the Forest Service behind my property. I hadn't talked to him in years and found out he's 83 years old now. Anyway he came over and I asked him if he was in a hurry to get home, nope he wasn't. Then I asked him if he wanted to try out some of my airguns and he said sure. So I had him shoot three of my pcp airguns on my steel at 12 yards.

1st was the Venom, 2nd was a Steyr LGB1 biathlon, and 3rd was my Steyr ProX. He was most impressed with the Venom and mentioned he wouldn't mind buying one someday then he left for home.

An hour ago he called me to ask details about the Venom so I directed him to Airguns of Arizona. I offered to fill his Venom for him as much as he wanted because he was going to find a used tank in the near future, which he appreciated. Well he called back a half hour ago saying he ordered one in 22cal! Wow he must have really liked it too I'd say!!!

Looks like I have a local shooting friend not a 1/4 mile away.

 

[Blake225]

I swapped the oDB moderator out for an impulse air and it cut report down by at least 50%.

I got my .25 venom last week and at a 140 bar it’s way too loud for my neighborhood. If I buy the impulse moderator can I just add extra baffles until it’s quiet enough. I don’t care if it’s long I just want it quieter the the zero db that’s on it. Will to many extra baffles cause issues.