GTA
Airguns by Make and Model => Air Venturi Airguns => Topic started by: sandog1 on February 04, 2023, 11:01:00 AM
-
I like this rifle.
One thing I've learned though, if a screw can come loose on anything, it will certainly come loose on the DF Mk2.
I was keeping up on the Phillips screws on the fore arm, then found that the steel block that the trigger guard screw and stock screw attaches to had got sloppy loose.
Then the sear adjustment screw on top of the trigger started wandering and my gun had firing/cocking issues until I readjusted the screw.
Blue Loctite has been applied to all those.
Pumping has gotten smoother/easier but man that pump stroke is long. If my arms were any shorter it would be awkward.
I place the rifle upside down between the legs while shooting at the bench. Pumping isn't that loud if you remember to not let the handle close all the way between pumps. I only let it close all the way when done.
No matter how I place these two rifles together, the DF MK2 always looks huge compared to the Stormrider. In this pic the Dragonfly looks 6-8 inches longer, in reality the DF MK2 is only 1 3/4 longer than the Stormrider with the moderators I'm using.
(https://i.imgur.com/iWhpP0lh.jpg)
I tried the long factory moderator off of my Stormrider on the Dragonfly, it made the sound of a shot with 12 pumps sound more like 2.
As the DF is already pretty long, I decided to shorten it. I removed one long and one shorter chamber and reduced the length of the moderator by almost 2 inches.
Since I had bought a Huggett Belita for the Stormrider, the modified Snow Peak moderator will stay on the DF Mk2.
I would have to agree with what Avator and others say about the CARM Mags. They stay in better, are easier to load and top off, and even easier to insert into the breech.
My factory mags are harder to get into the rifle, especially when that clear cover has moved slightly.
I also like how, if you want to leave an empty CARM mag in the gun, just turn the rotor slightly and the bolt will close.
My factory single shot tray is also pretty much junk compared to the CARM swing out SS tray. The Carm doesn't scoot out when you load it, and it is MUCH easier to get a pellet in there.
When I use the factory SS tray, I have to hold it in place with the other hand while I drop a pellet in, or it moves. Then, because of lube on the pellet or oil from your fingers, most times the pellet will briefly cling to my finger as I pull it away, and flip the pellet around.
With the CARM, push the pellet into the hole and close. Way more positive.
(https://i.imgur.com/vuhab7yh.jpg)
Last month I saw a video where a guy had bought a carbon fiber sleeve off Amazon and put it on his Stormrider barrel.
In theory, the sleeve when tensioned will help accuracy. I liked how the real skinny 12mm barrel was now 16mm with the sleeve added, for a mere 2 ounces of weight. The barrel blends into the breech and moderator nicely, and the barrel is protected from nicks.
Downside would be moisture being retained between the barrel and sleeve. I'm not worried about this, because 1), I live in Arizona, 2) it's not like the sleeve is epoxied on and permanent. Just remove the moderator (or the front sight unit on the DF MkII) and slide the sleeve off to wipe down the barrel.
Location of the sleeve will be interrupted by the barrel band. The guy that did the CF sleeve video on Youtube didn't bother to put a short piece between the barrel band and breech. I thought that the Stormrider band was a bit too close to the breech leaving the rest of the barrel hanging out in space.
I moved the band out near the end of the air tube but the band will need the overhanging "wing" ground off, so the CF tube can rest against both sides of the band.
The CF sleeves come in a two pack, and the last few weeks I had been planning to put the other sleeve on the DF 2.
Easy enough to remove the plastic front sight assembly with the two small screws that hold it and slide the CF tube on.
For now I decided not to disassemble the air tube to get the band off and grind the wing, for now the Dragonfly just has the CF tube forward of the band.
(https://i.imgur.com/n3TMz45h.jpg)
The item is Carbon Fiber Tube 16mm (2mm thickness) 16mmx12mmx420mm 3K Twill Wrapped Roll Matte Surface, 2 pcs. by CN CarbonFiber.
The 420mm length is enough (barely) for the DF MK2. That length on the Stormrider was about 1/4" short so I used a spacer.
Buying the 500mm length would give you plenty of extra. This inside diameter of 12mm will work with most of the Snow Peak guns like the Chaser and Bandit.
While I agree that the benefit is mostly cosmetic, it sure hasn't hurt the accuracy any. Both rifles will still boringly place any of the medium and heavy JSB pellets almost in the same hole. I mounted an older Konus compact 4x with Sportsmatch medium rings, it is a good combo for the Dragonfly.
(https://i.imgur.com/vb622HTh.jpg)
-
Nice write up Lee.
Thanks for the tip on rotating the mag to close the bolt after the last shot. I don't normally leave the mag in because i use them on other SPA guns that I have. I haven't used my CARM SS tray much and it still fits really tight... I need to break it in more. But, I rarely shoot single shots anyways.
-
My Google search fails me today. Where can I find a Carm single shot tray and/or a Carm magazine?
-
My Chrome laptop will only randomly let me copy a link.
The address is carm-magazines.com
Never mind, the laptop decided to co-operate this time.
https://www.carm-magazines.com/carm-magazine-for-smk-cp2-and-variants-in-high-capacity-variant.aspx (https://www.carm-magazines.com/carm-magazine-for-smk-cp2-and-variants-in-high-capacity-variant.aspx)
I see that Darko, the owner, offers a hi-cap mag for the SPA guns. It holds 12 pellets in .22 and 14 in .177.
But since it is a round shape instead of the common teardrop, you'll probably need high rings.
-
Yeah, My CARM mags fit just perfectly under my scope... I would rather keep the center of my scope closest to the center of the bore than higher and a few more shots in the mag. I have 2 CARM mags so carrying a loaded spare is plenty. And these mags are so easy to load. No fumbling like OEM SPA mags.
-
I am another shooter that really didn't see the advantage of a mag in a pumper but now that I've experienced it, not fiddling with single loading between shots is great.
Especially with sausage fingers and itsy bitsy .177 pellets.
-
Thanks for the link about the magazines. I will order some soon.
-
Lee
Very nice write up on the comparisons between those 2 rifles.
The DF II is on my very short list in 22 cal to convert to 20 cal to go along with my 4 Dan's.
Question,
Does the Moderator/front sight part have a band that fits around the front of the pump tube to hold the bbl in place?
It is hard to tell from all the photo's I have been looking at, that's a long skinny bbl just hanging out there, if there is no support etc.
Tia,
Don
-
Yes, Don. That clump of plastic around the front sight is also a front barrel band. I've toyed with the idea of removing it and replacing with a metal band.
The band would have to be out at the very end of the tube and possibly notched at the bottom back so as to not interfere with the pump link when fully opened. The factory arrangement is homely and the sights are the only plastic on an otherwise steel and Birch rifle.
I'll try to get a spare band first, that way I can put the rifle back to factory form in case i needed to send it in.
That reminds me to get out the calipers and measure the air tubes on the DF MK2 and Stormrider to see if they are the same.
Lots of places list a Stormrider barrel band for sale, although most say "out of stock" at times.
Wes at airgunarcheryfun.ca seems to be able to get a lot of SPA/Artemis stuff, he has a big selection.
I've been sticking with 8 pumps, but the power sure seems wimpy compared to the same pellets out of my Stormrider. I might try the various pellets I have with 10 or 12 pumps to see if the gun likes more velocity , but I doubt I'd go lower than 8 unless it is the 13 yard back yard shooting here at home.
Yes, I know I need to get another chronograph (and probably a decent decibel meter too).
w9trb, you'll love the CARM mags. When you order, you'll get tracking that only helps within Croatia. As soon as the envelope leaves there for NYC, you'll not have any idea when it will arrive until it show up one day.
Even though I requested green rotor colors, he had them shipped the next day. The parcel will probably sit in NYC for a couple weeks.
Most guys get their order in 3 weeks or so.
I think next time I order I'll get a different color. That way I could keep JSB 15.89's in the green mags I have, and a different weight or brand in another color.
I noticed that once again, the DF MK2 looks huge compared to the Stormrider in the last pic of mine above.
Maybe an optical illusion because the DF MK2 is on top ?
So I just laid them side by side (spaced by 2 Benjamin/Sheridan .20 cal containers so they are the same height).
They are exactly the same except for the 1 3/4 extra length and long pump handle.
(https://i.imgur.com/F2O3SDgh.jpg)
-
Lee
Thank you for the information,
that just made my decision on me getting the DF II, it is now a go!!!
I go with the 22 cal first as that is most pellet sizes I shoot normally,
I'll give the DF II a good work, at least a couple of tins of pellets,
speaking of which, how do the Crosmans shoot, in your DF?
Thanks,
Don
-
Don, the Crosman HP shoot real well, almost as well as some of the JSB ones. The DFMK2 didn't like the more expensive Crosman Premier Ultra Mag (just a non HP version of the CPHP) but the Stormrider likes them better then the HP, so I'll use them in the Diana.
These targets were just after I got the rifle, It's probably improved since then. It was throwing a flyer out of every group at first, now it seems to have settled down.
I bought a few tins of the 15.89 Jumbos and both rifles shoot them better than the 18.0gr. JSB Heavy.
These old targets were 15 yards 10 shots each.
(https://i.imgur.com/ClJgbubh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/tRr7YNmh.jpg)
-
I have the original DF and the DF2, big fan either way, and yes I think one is shorter than the other, the long wood pump handle does add to it optically IMO.
I heard rumor there is a simple trick to get more power, with less spring and some porting, I want to investigate first with the DF as that one is hard to pump, so more power with less pumps sounds intriguing, or like a beer commercial ???
-
My factory single shot tray is also pretty much junk compared to the CARM swing out SS tray. The Carm doesn't scoot out when you load it, and it is MUCH easier to get a pellet in there.
When I use the factory SS tray, I have to hold it in place with the other hand while I drop a pellet in, or it moves. Then, because of lube on the pellet or oil from your fingers, most times the pellet will briefly cling to my finger as I pull it away, and flip the pellet around.
With the CARM, push the pellet into the hole and close. Way more positive.
Are you saying that one of the swing out trays on CARM's site will fit the dragonfly?
f so can you help me out and say which? ...or even post the link to it?
I'd really like to try one out on it. I sounds like a great idea. Mine groups a few different pellets at the same point of impact and matching a pellet to the shot would be great in the field.
Gonna PM on this as well in case you don't come back here. Sorry if I double tap ya but this could work so well for me I gotta try and catch up.
Thnaks.
-
https://www.carm-magazines.com/single-shot-loader-for-artemis-smk-spa-p15-diana-skyhawk.aspx (https://www.carm-magazines.com/single-shot-loader-for-artemis-smk-spa-p15-diana-skyhawk.aspx)
https://youtu.be/JiL100EGChc (https://youtu.be/JiL100EGChc)
-
I don't think that the p15/Skyhawk SSL or mags shown on the video above fit rifles like the Dragonfly MkII and Stormrider.
These do:
https://youtu.be/Cr47EwtPmdQ (https://youtu.be/Cr47EwtPmdQ)
When looking at the website, click on SMK/Artemis and any of the products that say CP2/Pr900/SPA/SMK/Diana/Chaser/Bandit will work for the Dragonfly II.
You have your choice of single shot tray, standard cap mag and hi-cap mag, and a few colors to choose from, or if you don't care about color he'll just send whatever color he has made up.
https://www.carm-magazines.com/single-shot-loader-for-cp2-pr900-artemis-spa-smk-diana-chaser-bandit.aspx (https://www.carm-magazines.com/single-shot-loader-for-cp2-pr900-artemis-spa-smk-diana-chaser-bandit.aspx)
-
Interesting....
https://www.carm-magazines.com/special-variant-of-the-carm-magazine-for-cp2-and-variants-for-use-with-177-steel-bb.aspx (https://www.carm-magazines.com/special-variant-of-the-carm-magazine-for-cp2-and-variants-for-use-with-177-steel-bb.aspx)
-
Wonder if .177 lead balls would work also ???
(https://www.carm-magazines.com/BinaryLibrary/5577515f-ef2b-4f5a-a1bd-7ea10c351dde/Resized_07b9fa81-d1ad-4103-bbdc-9581d43a0410/500_500.jpg)
-
I would think they would. The bbs are held in the mag by 2 orings and no magnets so I would think any .177 round ball would work.
-
Wonder if .177 lead balls would work also ???
(https://www.carm-magazines.com/BinaryLibrary/5577515f-ef2b-4f5a-a1bd-7ea10c351dde/Resized_07b9fa81-d1ad-4103-bbdc-9581d43a0410/500_500.jpg)
Good point
Why ruin a good, rifled barrel by shooting steel?
-
Are the CARM magazines made from PLA or ABS?
Ray
-
I have the original DF and the DF2, big fan either way, and yes I think one is shorter than the other, the long wood pump handle does add to it optically IMO.
I heard rumor there is a simple trick to get more power, with less spring and some porting, I want to investigate first with the DF as that one is hard to pump, so more power with less pumps sounds intriguing, or like a beer commercial ???
lol ty