GTA

All Springer/NP/PCP Air Gun Discussion General => Air Gun Gate => Topic started by: smythsg on September 26, 2013, 10:00:01 PM

Title: Umarex Octane First Impressions
Post by: smythsg on September 26, 2013, 10:00:01 PM
I have been looking for a more powerful airgun to augment the Trail Np which I have thoroughly enjoyed. I tried the cannons made by Hatsan, (the 135) and while quite impressed with build quality and performance, the weight would make all day field use a chore at best. My preferences included a reasonable weight, gas ram power plant, and the requirement that the gun be able to propel a 14.3 grain lead pellet at a minimum of 900 fps with reasonable accuracy. It appears that my new Octane just fits the bill. While I only have a couple dozen pellets down the barrel, my chrony is consistantly showing 910 -915 fps for around 26 ft pounds muzzle energy. Build quality is good and weight is reasonable, at least 2 to 3 pounds lighter than the Hatsan. Cocking the rifle required less effort than I thought for the power the rifle produces. Noise levels were on par with my Trail NP which is very good. Shot cycle is very crisp, maybe even better than my Trail.

The gun isn't perfect, the length is excessive (About 48 inches), and I am not fond of the quite large supressor on the muzzle end, but it does do its job to reduce noise, and the critters are probably not as style conscious as I am. Sling swivels would have been nice, but I am adding them myself.

Overall, I am quite impressed with the Octane for the $219.00 I spent for it. The scope is usable, but I replaced mine with a Centerpoint mil dot scope which I have had good success with over the years. Styling is not my favorite, but the features and performance outweigh the styling negatives. Time will tell if the Octane will hold up as well as my Trail, but I think Umarex has a winner so far.
Title: Re: Umarex Octane First Impressions
Post by: TR on October 02, 2013, 01:24:08 AM
How would you rate the accuracy and the trigger on the Octane?

I have been looking to increase my stable of air rifles, and the Octane looks very promising.  I'm just waiting for more folks to post reviews and opinions of them.  They have it priced very competitively, and the specs look great.

Thanks for the help.
Title: Re: Umarex Octane First Impressions
Post by: Crimson Sky on October 02, 2013, 12:23:39 PM
The Octane is a good magnum powered rifle value for the dollar. The trigger needs refinement, and it takes lots of practice to shoot well, just like many powerful springers.

Cheers,
Paul

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKDTDq4Dh3A&feature=share&list=PLDDAB9EF9CCA740A0# (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKDTDq4Dh3A&feature=share&list=PLDDAB9EF9CCA740A0#)
Title: Re: Umarex Octane First Impressions
Post by: Tyrantblade on October 03, 2013, 12:21:00 AM
It seems like a nice offering all in all, I'm waiting on somebody to get around to reviewing the Benjamin JSS legacy/Genesis NP (the latter being a $30 cheaper Wal-Mart offering), eventually I'm going to replace its trigger with a GRT3, and get a better scope. Back to the octane, seems it may not sell as well as a lower or higher powered air rifle, and seems the trigger should be better, and the scope seems better than most, but probably something that should end up being replaced eventually, just my thoughts; only reason I landed on the rifle I did was it was an opportunity buy at $150.
Title: Re: Umarex Octane First Impressions
Post by: smythsg on October 06, 2013, 07:06:51 PM
A follow up to my original post, the trigger is a bit too heavy, but seems predictable and breaks smooth. Accuracy has been quite good so far. I removed the rear open sight and used a small hacksaw to cut off the front sight, all for cosmetic reasons. I could not use the open sights because of my vision (60 yr old eyes need a scope to focus on target these days) and I like the looks of the rifle better. I have had the Octane in the field a couple of times now and while not as heavy as the Hatsans, it is still a chore to carry, compared to my modified Trail NP. The Trail, however, cannot compare to the power that the Octane continues to display. (26 ft lbs + ) I still have less than a hundred rounds through the Octane, but continue to be pleased with the purchase. It is too early to be shooting groups, but in the field the Octane is more than adequate, proving to be as accurate or maybe more accurate than I am. A couple of former nutters can attest to that.
Title: Re: Umarex Octane First Impressions
Post by: Mpac on October 07, 2013, 10:24:30 AM
Nice rifle that's right in line with my XL1100 velocity wise may have to look into that gun.
Title: Re: Umarex Octane First Impressions
Post by: ewgannaway on October 20, 2013, 02:26:39 PM
I bought the Umarex Octane based on the recommendation of a reviewer on YouTube.  When it first arrived, I was very disappointed  because of an intermittent firing problem.  It finally got to the point where it wouldn't fire at all no matter how hard I pulled on the trigger.  I requested a return authorization from the vendor but I couldn't bring myself to send a cocked air rifle through UPS so I took a close look at the trigger mechanism and discovered the trigger adjustment set screw was missing.  Digging through my screw bin, I found a suitable substitute which corrected the problem.  Now that it is working as expected, I rather like it.  The trigger is still a bit stiffer than I would like but at least it is predictable.   I haven't tried the included scope yet as I really like the open sights. 

When I thought I would be returning the Octane, I ordered a Hatsan 125TH.  In comparison with the Octane, the Hatsan has a much, much better trigger but it is a lot louder and kicks a bit harder too.  Unfortunately I don't have enough rounds through either one yet to make a recommendation of one over the other. 
Title: Re: Umarex Octane First Impressions
Post by: smythsg on October 20, 2013, 07:36:44 PM
I had a Hatsan 135 which really impressed me, but it was so heavy it needed wheels in the field. It was also much louder than the Octane, but the build quality and styling (minus the weight) was impressive. If I could have figured out a way to shave 2-3 lbs off the Hatsan I would have certainly kept it, but the weight forced me to return it for the Octane.