Sports air rifles like PCP from Anschutz

Review of Anschutz air rifles

Full company name JG ANSCHÜTZ GmbH & Co. KG is a German manufacturer located in the city of Zella-Mellis, and the plant was founded back in 1856 on the basis of a repair shop. The first weapons produced were pistols chambered for Flaubert, pocket and muzzle-loading models, as well as hunting rifles. Later in the 30s, the company began producing air guns for training soldiers.

Before the start, as well as directly during the Second World War, the company received a serious impetus for development, but after the defeat of Germany, the plant was closed. The manufacturer was revived in 1950 and began producing high-quality, high-precision air rifles and pistols for hunters and athletes. The company placed the main emphasis on thoughtfulness in detail, precise fit of parts, as well as on the high quality of the materials themselves.

1985 can also be considered significant for the company, as a rifle for biathlon was released. It had a wooden stock and an adjustable butt. Its main advantage was the bolt, which made it possible to almost instantly reload the weapon with just one finger, without completely removing your hand from the pistol grip.

Let's take a closer look at the features of the rifles produced by the company.

What you need to pay attention to

The quality of a rifle is influenced by various factors. But be sure to pay attention to the quality of the barrel. When looking at various specimens in the store, you should look at the hole where you will insert the bullet. This place is called the breech. There must be a chamfer around the hole, and there must be grooves on it. If done correctly, then the bullet will not crumple when you drive it into the breech.

The chamfer must also be present at the end of the barrel. If it is not there, or it is of poor quality, then the bullet will not hit the target accurately.

These things can be determined independently. But even if you buy a rifle, it is recommended to show it to a specialist later. He will take it apart and give practical advice on upgrading.

The lineup

8002 S2

This is an air sporting rifle that operates with pre-injection air or PCP. Such a weapon is good because it is capable of providing high pressure and maximum speed of ammunition with excellent accuracy of fire, as well as high reliability of the mechanism itself.

The body is made of anodized aluminum, and the cheekpiece, forend and pistol grip are specially textured to prevent slipping during shooting.

Photo of the Anschutz 8002 S2 sports air rifle

9003

Also a pre-pumped sporting rifle. It mainly differs from the previous version in slightly lighter weight and a modified frame. The stock and cheekpiece can be adjusted over a wider range, allowing the weapon to be perfectly tailored to any athlete.

Photo of Anschutz 9003 air rifle

2002

This is also a pre-injected rifle, but the process itself is quite interesting, since on the right side there is a lever, due to the movement of which the pressure increases. In order to make the task easier for the shooter, a lever system and a gas spring were installed, thanks to which it was possible to reduce the load to 7.5 kg. Also interesting is the shutter itself, the lever of which has a very short stroke and allows you to install fairly large optics without significant modifications.

Photo of Anschutz 2002 air rifle

Specifications

Technical characteristics of Anschutz air rifles:

Description: GAMO CFX Royal is an excellent rifle for all shooting enthusiasts and professionals. It is not for nothing that the weapon is called royal, because it is made at a high level. Perhaps these are the names of that model of air gun, which has a lot of advantages and is almost impossible to find disadvantages. The speed of a shot from this pneumatic reaches three hundred - three hundred and ten meters in 1 second. This is a very good indicator, although it can, of course, be better. The length of the GAMO CFX Royal shotgun is one thousand one hundred sixty millimeters, and its weight is equal to three thousand grams. This makes the rifle powerful and lightweight. Spanish-style pneumatics are of high quality, and all its mechanisms and devices are carefully thought out by engineers, which ensures a high level of comfort when using weapons. The GAMO CFX Royal rifle is cocked using a lever located under the fixed barrel. This weapon is limited from the problems of muzzle curvature, which rifles that are cocked by breaking the barrel cannot boast of. You don't have to be an experienced gunsmith to understand that the barrel of a weapon is its soul. If the barrel is not made perfectly and there are any defects in it, then there is no hope that the weapon will be accurate. For safe shooting, a safety lock is provided that blocks the trigger. In this case, the trigger is more likely to break than the weapon to fire a shot. Although, of course, you need to deliberately apply considerable force for this. The stiffness of the trigger, by the way, can be adjusted depending on the shooter’s preferences. To conclude the story about the GAMO CFX Royal air rifle, it is worth saying a few words about its unsurpassed design. Everyone knows that the feeling of shooting largely depends on the appearance of the weapon used. This model of pneumatics is finished using natural hardwood, the natural grain of which gives the weapon a very rich look. Gamo rifles and, in particular, the CFX series are popular airguns in Russia and abroad. From previous GAMO models, the new Gamo CFX Royal rifle differs in its original bolt design, as well as a fixed barrel, which has an extremely positive effect on shooting accuracy. The non-standard design solution embodied in the Gamo CFX Royal made it possible to create a universal, high-quality rifle for amateur and professional shooting. This rifle is available in two configurations and calibers: CFX and CFX ROYAL. The Royal model has a beech stock and is suitable only for right-handers. The standard Gamo CFX model has a plastic stock. We invite you to get acquainted with the design features and characteristics of this unique rifle in more detail. Type of automation: Spring-piston pneumatics with an under-barrel cocking lever and a bolt mechanism of the original design. This scheme allows you to quickly and safely load a rifle, and, from the point of view of professional shooters, is very practical. The weight of the rifle is 2.9 CFX- 3.6(ROYAL). A relatively lightweight, top-class air rifle that allows you to easily use it on foot hunting. Rifle length 1160mm Barrel length with muzzle 450mm Ergonomics and balance of the rifle are optimized to achieve the highest comfort when shooting and provide the ability to accurately aim “offhand”. It should also be noted that installing an optical sight does not in any way affect the balance of the Gamo CFX rifle. Ammunition type: lead bullets for pneumatic weapons with a caliber of 4.5mm (5.5mm), among which the Diabolo Jumbo Exact Heavy bullets have proven themselves especially well, showing the best results. The initial bullet speed is 300 m.s., and when using the lightest bullets it can reach 350 m.s. These are not numbers declared by the manufacturer, but real indicators recorded by the chronograph during testing. The technical accuracy of fire is 10mm at a distance of 20 meters. It is quite achievable when shooting from a rest and using an optical sight. The power of the rifle allowed by law is 7.5 J, and the power of the rifle after replacing the spring with a Magnum class spring reaches 20-23 J. The cocking force is 16 kg, this allows even teenagers and physically weakly trained individuals to cock the rifle quickly and effortlessly. The stock is made in two versions. The first option is a composite stock made of durable plastic. The second option is a high-quality beech stock that has been stained, due to which it has an even, beautiful color. In both versions, the butt has a rubber butt pad for maximum comfortable shooting. The barrel is steel, rifled, has 12 trapezoidal rifling. There is no muzzle constriction, or the so-called Choke. Barrel cutting technology allows you to create barrels with ideal combat accuracy and high service life. Open-type sighting devices Include a muzzle made of composite, on which the open front sight itself is attached; it is a piece of bright-colored fiber-optic fiber and is therefore clearly visible even in the twilight, which greatly facilitates aiming. The rear sight is secured with two screws to the breech of the receiver, directly in front of the bullet receiver. It has micrometric adjustment horizontally and vertically and is also equipped with the mentioned fiber-optic threads. The optical sight is mounted on a dovetail in the rear of the receiver. After comparative testing, it was determined that the Bushnell 3-9x40 AOGD riflescope was best suited for use on this rifle. To install an optical sight, we recommend installing a monoblock type bracket (mount). This will reduce the unwanted effects of weapon recoil on the optics. The breech is a steel breech, fixedly pinned together with the barrel in the receiver. The bolt (receiver) in the lower part has a longitudinal cutout along which the cocking rod moves. It has a window in the front through which bullets are fed manually. This is a very convenient and finger-safe way to charge an air rifle. Fingers must not be accidentally pinched or struck by the breech or compressor cylinder. The trigger mechanism (trigger mechanism) is almost standard for all Gamo rifles. It has a longitudinal rod connected to the cocking lever, which blocks the trigger while cocking the rifle. The safety is non-automatic, located in front of the trigger. Blocks the trigger in two positions Safe and Fire. Thus, the shooter himself puts the safety on the rifle and removes it before firing, which generally improves the culture of handling weapons. It does not have a recoil compensator, but it is not required, since the recoil is very light and cannot significantly affect the shooting accuracy. The bolt is an original design element of the GAMO CFX rifle. It is a cylindrical part that, being in the receiver in front of the breech end of the barrel, can freely rotate around the longitudinal axis. Turning it counterclockwise provides access to the bullet port for charging the weapon. The reverse rotation of the bolt combines the air channel with the breech end of the barrel and the rifle compressor. For ease of handling, it has a composite rotary handle for turning. The valve is equipped with an elastic bypass sealing ring that has a long service life. In the longitudinal groove at the rear of the bolt there is a rubber ring that seals the compression chamber. The piston is heat-strengthened steel and has a lateral lower hook. The original cuff is capable of properly creating good compression for 4000 shots. The spring is standard for the older line of GAMO rifles. The back of the USM is plastic. The spring guide is also made of wear-resistant composite material. The cocking lever and rod are made of steel. The cocking lever is fixed by the muzzle in the uppermost position under the barrel. In this case, the automatic locking trigger is turned off and the rifle remains on the non-automatic manual safety. All metal surfaces of the Gamo CFX, with the exception of the bolt, are oxidized and have a deep black color. The coating prevents corrosion and other harmful effects. The internal elements of the structure are well processed and have a mirror surface. Shooting from the Gamo CFX rifle can please the most experienced shooter. The interesting method of loading a rifle, patented by Gamo, is completely safe, so even a schoolchild can safely entrust the rifle (of course, under the supervision of elders). Exceptional reliability and accuracy make this rifle in demand around the world. If you decide to buy GAMO CFX or CFX Royal, you will never regret it and will not want to part with it. To disassemble the Gamo CFX rifle you must: First familiarize yourself with the “explosion” diagram of the rifle in order to eliminate unnecessary parts during assembly. 1) Separate the rubber pads on both sides of the forend by prying them off with a flat-head screwdriver. 2) Unscrew the opened screws, as well as the fastening screw near the trigger. We carefully ensure that the washers are not lost. 3) Unscrew the trigger mounting screw (16190 in diagram). 4) Separate the longitudinal bar that connects the trigger with the cocking lever. 5) Having firmly rested the rifle on the floor with the butt plate, we knock out the rear pin using a rod of a suitable diameter. Carefully, holding the rifle tightly, remove the rod. 6) Separate the plastic back and take out the spring guide. 7) Next, the trigger is removed; to do this, pull it back and up. 8) Lastly, remove the piston. There is no need to pull out the bolt of a new rifle, since there are no parts that need maintenance. In addition, problems with the O-ring may occur when you try to put the valve in place. Reassemble in the reverse order after removing the preservative grease and the standard procedure for bringing the rifle to fire.

Device and equipment

In the design of rifles of the PSR type, several main elements can be distinguished:

• A reservoir for pumping gas with a valve for filling it, which is located under the barrel;
• The bypass valve is an intermediate link and accumulates a portion of gas from the cylinder in order to later release it for firing;
• USM with fuse. Its task is to open the bypass valve;
• The bolt carrier, which opens the barrel for reloading;
• The barrel, which is located in the false barrel;

Separately, we can highlight the diopter sighting device, which has a fairly flexible adjustment system and allows you to fire with high accuracy.

The package of such rifles includes a test pack of targets, a set of tools and documentation. That's probably all.

Choice of optics

Anschutz air rifles are sports rifles and were designed for shooting at a distance of 10 meters. For such a range, the native diopter sights are more than sufficient, but they are only suitable for people with perfect vision. For those who cannot see anything without glasses, as well as for those who want to shoot at targets at distances greater than 10 meters, you can choose 4x optics or with adjustable magnification. For example, sights from Nikon would be a pretty good choice.

“Fractures” or PPP

This type of air rifle is the most common choice. High reliability coupled with high power potential for “unlocked” models is supported by a very reasonable price. There are even multi-charge models, for example, the domestic IZH-61, which make it possible not to reload the weapon after each shot.

IZH-61

By the way, cocking such rifles does not necessarily involve the famous breaking of the barrel. Some of them have an under-barrel lever that allows cocking without touching the barrel. This can be very convenient when shooting from a prone position, when fiddling with the “break” is simply inconvenient.

But there are also disadvantages. Firstly, no matter what the store tells you, it is strictly not recommended to install hunting optical sights on such rifles. And since powerful models are quite capable of accurately hitting targets at a distance of up to 100 meters, handling such a unit without optics can become a problem for many.

The fact is that recoil in SPP rifles goes in two directions at once. First, back, like with conventional firearms, and then forward, due to the inertia of the piston spring. Under such conditions, the lenses of a firearm's sight will calibrate extremely quickly and the sight will become unusable.

Secondly, double recoil complicates shooting accuracy, reducing the accuracy of the battle, even in the hands of a skilled shooter. Add to this the need to “fine-tune” cheap models (and this is not only our IL, but also Gamo and Norica) and the decent cost of truly high-quality models from Weihrauch and Diana, to get food for thought.

Air rifle Diana-54

Possible tuning

Based on the fact that these rifles are expensive and were made specifically for certain purposes, there is simply no point in trying to modernize them. Their accuracy is already at a very high level, and the creation was carried out by experienced gunsmiths. It is unlikely that you will be able to outdo them.

There is also no point in increasing speed, since you can immediately buy a more powerful rifle, replace the barrel with another with more precise processing and enjoy the result. As a result, this option will turn out to be cheaper and more logical than trying to increase the performance of Anschutz rifles.

How to choose an air gun

If you have the opportunity to shoot with different air rifles, be sure to do so. After all, then, perhaps, you will immediately choose the option that suits you. If this is not possible, then use our advice, and you will definitely choose the weapon option that suits you as a beginner.

First, answer yourself honestly:

• Do I want to shoot such a weapon, and do I like it?
• How will I use the weapon? Hit targets or just have fun hitting different objects. Bottles, for example.
• Will I use the purchased weapon often or not?
• How much money would I mind paying to buy a rifle?
• Am I ready to fix factory defects and upgrade with my own hands?

If shooting with air rifles gives you pleasure, and you want to hit bottles from 20-30 meters twice a week, then you can buy any inexpensive rifle. But here there are difficulties with choice. After all, good weapons are rarely found in the low price range. But it still comes across. Finding one will require experience. And since you are a beginner, you need to take with you a person who is well versed in air guns and go shopping with him. You can also get advice on the website.

Models that you can consider and choose something for yourself among them:

• MP-512, which has already been mentioned as a successor to the IZH-38.

or

• IZH 60;
• BAM XS-B11;
• Shanghai QB 51;
• Shanghai B 1-1.

If you want to increase the firing range to 50 meters, then choose a weapon among the following models:

• Hatsan mod.70;
• Kral Air 001,002;
• Shanghai QB 36-2;
• Shanghai QB 78 (CO2);
• Torun Arm.

If you want not only to shoot, but also to hit with sufficient accuracy, then the models will be slightly different. All of them are distinguished by high shooting accuracy, and are not too expensive.

• BAM XS-B30;
• BAM XS-B21;
• Cometa Fenix ​​400;
• Gamo Shadow 1000;
• BAM XS-B20;
• Hatsan mod.55s;
• Hatsan mod.125.

All of the options listed above are not very powerful rifles. If you want to choose a powerful pneumatic for yourself, then you should consider other models. Please note that high-power pneumatics can include any type of weapon.

We advise you to consider the following models:

• (PCP)Weirhauch 100;
• (РРР)Logun Solo standard;
• (PCP)Ceska Zbrojovka CZ-200 T(S);
• (PCP)BAM XS-B50;
• (CO2)Umarex AirMagnum 850;
• (PPP)BAM XS-B40;
• (PPP)Gamo CFX.

Well, at the end of this short review, some useful tips for beginners who will choose an air rifle for themselves.