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All Springer/NP/PCP Air Gun Discussion General => Air Guns And Related Accessories Review Gates => Air Gun Review Gate => Topic started by: squallywally on October 29, 2011, 01:46:18 PM
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I unboxed a M417 this morning and my first thought was " Wow this is Plastic"
I put the sights on loaded the 5 pellet mag and started pumping.
I didn't feel comfortable using the stock as leverage for pumping so I thought the pumping was awkward.
Plus the forearm is plastic and the sound pumping it is LOUD! It just seem amplified.
After very few shots I had it zeroed.
It shoots very well. I have about 20 feet to shoot in my basement and I was making a small hole with many shots, so the accuracy is there.
The sound and power of the shot does not make me think 760. I am sorry I do not have a chrony.
It sounds much more powerful than the 760. ( I got out my near new 760 for comparison and there was none)
This is a better shooter than the 760 and I think its the barrel that accomplishes that.
It continued to shoot accurately. The more I shot it the more I liked it even though pumping it seemed awkward to me.
So the first thing I did to make it better was to add a carry handle to it. I put on a low profile fully adjustable sight model that I had laying around that came off
an airsoft rifle I once had. That solved the pumping issue I had. It is now much easier to pump but its still quite loud.
(http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa397/squallywally/SANY0429.jpg)
I put a red dot on it and though it looked kinda cool, the awkwardness of pumping the gun returned because I didn't want to use the dot scope as my holding point.
(http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa397/squallywally/SANY0430.jpg)
Other points to make, The stock is removable. You hold the spring button under the base of the stock and push up on the tube. I didn't see that in the manual.
What is shown in the manual as the magazine release button does nothing. It is a molded in button and meant to look like a magazine release button.
the storage magazine has foam in it to hold the sight tool and an extra pellet mag or (clip) and keep them from rattling around.
I have shot a 250 pellet tin through it and I like it alot.
I think it is a gun that is accurate and fun to shoot and it has surpassed what I was expecting.
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This is good to hear she sure looks cool, you can glue a piece of velt between the pump are and the tube this will cut down the pumping noise. mine should be here today. I will post my findings here this should make a good thread for the M417.Thank's for shearing your info.
Mike
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Thanks for the review. The rear sight/handle
looks good on it. Looks like it has elevation adjustment
on it as well.
Saw another post that said the stock is removable.
Should make a fun back pack/ canoe/ camping/ fishing shooter.
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This is good to hear.nice review
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Mine was delivered this morning. I agree with what has been said so far. Plesently surprised with the trigger didn't seem to bad. I only got off 5 shots. I will hook up the chrony tomorrow and get some speeds. It is not very noisy which lets you think it is not that fast, actually sounds like somebody spitting. Did I just say that?
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Well mine arrived today only thing i have to wait until Nov 10th to open it my wife got it for my birthday so i will be drooling over the M417s that you guys are showing here.So far i like what i am hearing.
Mike
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Got up this am and was drinking coffee and looking at the M417 on my gun wall.
I like AR rifles and this one is really cool to look at.
I started shooting it some more and this one is shooting great.
Really tight groups, keep in mind, I am shooting just over 5 meters, around 20 Feet, in a basement hallway.
I am using cheap Daisy Precision Max wad cutters.
I can make 1 hole a little bigger with each shot rested on the arm of my couch with the open sights.
So my "morning after" conclusion is: this gun is no toy.
I am anxious to hear how others are faring with this. I hope the consistency in quality is there.
After I got over the initial "This is plastic" reaction, I decided it is a cool gun and I will be shooting it alot...not just looking at it.
It is a fine shooter for punching paper in my tiny little range. I hope I can get it outside soon.
My recommendation is get one, open your mind and enjoy it.
Here a a few more pics.
(http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa397/squallywally/SANY0445.jpg)
(http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa397/squallywally/SANY0441.jpg)
(http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa397/squallywally/SANY0450.jpg)
(http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa397/squallywally/SANY0432.jpg)
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Good review and I've been waiting for these shooters to come out. I really like the look's and will add a custom camo to mine when it shows. ;) Ed
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Did it feel like a toy?
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Its definitely more hefty than a toy or even an airsoft rifle. My first reaction to the plastic was slightly negative
but after two days a shooting, I really like it. Its not my best gun I own, Its not the nicest gun I own.
Its just plain cool and fun and shoots so well that I want to keep shooting it.
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So much for toy. I've heard some people say it looks like a toy.
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squallywally: Thanks for taking the time to get your comments and pics up on this gun. Good to see the magazine is in place in the right position versus the PA website photos!
Any comments on the sling attach points? Are they metal? Do they look durable? How were the stock sights and...did you have to make any front sight elevation changes for the carry handle sights?
"The pump handle felt awkward"... by that, do you mean it torqued or twisted under leverage?
Thanks
Brian in Idaho
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The slots for the sling seem fine. Thy are not metal on the stock. On the front the slots are part of the abs barrel shroud and they are quite sturdy. I don't have a sling on it as of yet but I think I might look into a picatinny mount swivel for the front rail on the under side of the front sight.
the stock sights are plastic but very good. The rear sight is adjustable for windage with a fine straight slot screwdriver and there is plenty of adjustment left to right.
The two apertures are nice. The front sight is adjusted with a tool that is stored in the "magazine". I was able to zero them in a few shots and was almost afraid to remove the rear sight for it was shooting perfect. The addition of the carry handle was such an improvement for me to pump the gun. Plus with the carry handle, there is elevation adjustment on the rear as well as the front sight now, and the carry handle also features a dual aperture and it also has a "no tool" adjustment knob for windage. I think I had to raise the elevation a tad with the handle but I did so on the handle itself and not the front sight.
As far as the awkwardness of the pumping is concerned. I think the weakest part of the gun is where the stock attaches to the gun or receiver part of the gun. I am right handed and I was holding onto the trigger grip with my right hand and pumping with my left. As I was pumping, the stock would rest against the inside of my righty elbow and I could feel the stock flex, especially with the stock fully extended, which made me think I could break the stock off. I have arthritis and I may use more of my opposing arm for leverage against the side of any pumper for that matter. When I added the handle, I could get a good hold of the gun and have plenty of leverage.. This may not be an issue for everybody??? It also could be that it is just a new gun with a totally different feel than anything I have owned before. Otherwise the actual pump handle is quite large and easy to grip. As with the pumping, the more I shoot it the more accoustomed I have become and it doesnt feel all that different now.
As you can see in the pics, I had put a Crosman Red/Green Dot sight on it. I think it looks cool on it and all, but I was actually shooting better with the open sights, and I like that handle for pumping.
I really think people will be pleasantly surprised in this gun. Even some of the nay-sayers would probably smile after they shoot it a little.
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Thanks for all the info you have provided on this
fun looking rifle.
Having the stock removable is nice, but I could see
how "wear" concerns could arise. Especially from
improper pumping technique.
The AR type sights, rear aperture/front post is
a very good/accurate sighting system. I can see
why you would prefer to leave it as is.
In NRA Highpower, we regularly used those sights
out to 600 yards.
It is nice to have the flat top option. But at the distances
this rifle would be used at, the provided sights would be
plenty sufficient. The handle with A-2 sight you installed
looks great.
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Thanks for the detailed info "wally", I'm guessing that Crosman learned a fair amount about ABS/plastic quality and the AR profile with all the Air Soft stuff they sell, and it sounds like this translated over to this new gun. Do you think there is enough room in the pump handle and/or the bottom of the barrel shroud to put in a layer or two of the "doeskin", adhesive felt stuff to knock down the "clack-clack" of the pump handle?
Despite other posts about price, $80 ain't much for this kind of fun!?
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I think the felt might knock it down some but the form just has a resonance about it.
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Makes sense, thin wall ABS is like a guitar box, lot's of resonance, clack-boom-clack!
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So much for toy. I've heard some people say it looks like a toy.
That was me, and I am still not fully convinced otherwise.
However this intial report is much better than I expected, and I am glad to say that.
Thank you squally for taking the time to post pics and such a detailed review. I hope it stands the test of time. I agree with the felt to help quiet it down. this is what I did with my kid's Daisy bb gun.
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Nice review. I'm looking forward to getting mine. It will make a nice companion for my AIR-17. Where did you find the carry handle and does it have the rear site built in to the handle?
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Nice review. I'm looking forward to getting mine. It will make a nice companion for my AIR-17. Where did you find the carry handle and does it have the rear site built in to the handle?
Amazon.com do a search for AR15 carry handle and you will have all kinds to choose from. It does have the rear sight with dual aperture adjustable for elevation and windage. I bought the $24.95 one, don't let the low rating fool you. Mine is nice and I would bet is the same one as the other ones.
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I was stuck here trying to figure out what you did differently to it. Then I noticed it looks like a real m4!!
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Thanks. Looks like a good addition.
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Great review.
One thing to remember when choosing a scope, if you get one with rings in the box, make sure the rings are Weaver or Picatinny rings. If the scope comes with Dovetail rings, it will not fit.
Here's a small tidbit about this Air Rifle, due to some copyright issues with H&K Crosman changed the name of this rifle to the M4177. For those of us who bought this early enough it will most likely become a collectors item. To tell which you have just look at the magazine holder and see if it says M417 or M4177. May not be a great bit if info but thought I would share.
I plan to buy a second one just so I can keep my original in a box.
Cy