MRodAir Air Max Varmint in .177

[WesBob]

Great work! Sounds like a winner setup! Nice these parts are so interchangeable!

[avator]

The new configuration of the Varmint will be the highlight.
This will feature the left handed cocking bolt, CP-2 long barrel with screw on LDC. This is the same LDC that comes with the Dominator and some of you know how impressive that LDC is. I see some "tinker" options here. I may look at regulator if I can come up with something that will include the gauge. The tube is very low in capacity. I don't want to lose any more air space with a reg. I'll play with hammer spring first to see if I can get a good balance of power with at least a couple mags per fill. This gun will be my goto small game hunter and pester.

[avator]

Yep.... the Varmint, Plinkster and CP-2 are virtually parts swappers. The CP-1 is the odd man out for the most part.

[WesBob]

Looking at the trigger piece welded on the CP2 tube, on the parts diagram, it looks different. I was wondering if the CP2 trigger parts would still fit on the cp1 tube or would they end up in the wrong place? Just thinking of maybe ordering a CP2 trigger parts to put on the plinkster or cp1 tube. Just ordered a few CP2 stock sets from Mrodair

[avator]

Yeah, I don't know if those trigger parts will interchange. I am not unhappy with either trigger to tell the truth.

[shultz]

The new configuration of the Varmint will be the highlight.
This will feature the left handed cocking bolt, CP-2 long barrel with screw on LDC. This is the same LDC that comes with the Dominator and some of you know how impressive that LDC is. I see some "tinker" options here. I may look at regulator if I can come up with something that will include the gauge. The tube is very low in capacity. I don't want to lose any more air space with a reg. I'll play with hammer spring first to see if I can get a good balance of power with at least a couple mags per fill. This gun will be my goto small game hunter and pester.

curious to see your thoughts on this once you try some power thru it....

My thoughts, not at all impressed with the Dominator LDC. It works OK if you keep 14.3,.22cal pellets around 800fps, AND get creative with the innards. Even heavies are on the loud side around 800fps. Of course,this is all very subjective and depends a lot on the backyard you're shooting in...

[WesBob]

Yeah, I don't know if those trigger parts will interchange. I am not unhappy with either trigger to tell the truth.

no problem, glad to hear the cp1 trigger seems to work all right with the new grips.

[avator]

The new configuration of the Varmint will be the highlight.
This will feature the left handed cocking bolt, CP-2 long barrel with screw on LDC. This is the same LDC that comes with the Dominator and some of you know how impressive that LDC is. I see some "tinker" options here. I may look at regulator if I can come up with something that will include the gauge. The tube is very low in capacity. I don't want to lose any more air space with a reg. I'll play with hammer spring first to see if I can get a good balance of power with at least a couple mags per fill. This gun will be my goto small game hunter and pester.

curious to see your thoughts on this once you try some power thru it....

My thoughts, not at all impressed with the Dominator LDC. It works OK if you keep 14.3,.22cal pellets around 800fps, AND get creative with the innards. Even heavies are on the loud side around 800fps. Of course,this is all very subjective and depends a lot on the backyard you're shooting in...

My only experience so far is with it on and off of the short barreled CP-2 where it makes a significant difference. I may find a completely different story on the long barrel HPA setup in .22 14.3gr.... we will see.

[Wayne52]

The new configuration of the Varmint will be the highlight.
This will feature the left handed cocking bolt, CP-2 long barrel with screw on LDC. This is the same LDC that comes with the Dominator and some of you know how impressive that LDC is. I see some "tinker" options here. I may look at regulator if I can come up with something that will include the gauge. The tube is very low in capacity. I don't want to lose any more air space with a reg. I'll play with hammer spring first to see if I can get a good balance of power with at least a couple mags per fill. This gun will be my goto small game hunter and pester.

curious to see your thoughts on this once you try some power thru it....

My thoughts, not at all impressed with the Dominator LDC. It works OK if you keep 14.3,.22cal pellets around 800fps, AND get creative with the innards. Even heavies are on the loud side around 800fps. Of course,this is all very subjective and depends a lot on the backyard you're shooting in...

I wonder if Rocker1 has put one together for the Dominator yet

[2K1TJ]

Well, I been playing with my SPA guns for enough time to decide on some reconfiguring.
Here is what I have to work with...
1) .177 Plinkster w/shorty muzzle break from CP-1 installed.
   This gun sounded so weak with the stock LDC and felt a bit front heavy. The shorty muzzle break from the stock CP-1 gave it a bit more "POP". Betty Lou just loves the gun now. That was my goal.
2) .177 CP-1 with the CP-2 grip and shoulder stock set.
     I also used the LDC from the Plinkster on this gun. Very nice shorty carbine and pistol.
3) Originally this gun is a .177 Varmint. Not for long...
    I am going to use the .22 breech, long barrel and LDC from the CP-2 on this gun.
4) Originally the .22 CP-2.
    This gun will get the .177 breech, long barrel and LDC from the Varmint. It will also wear the shoulder stock it came with. This will work well shooting along side of the Plinkster for competitions with my shooting buddy.
These are some of the "lego" options that these gun offer.

Extremely versatile setup you have there!

Is the CP-2 barrel the same length as the Varmint and Plinkster, or shorter?

[avator]

I'll be getting into it this evening. I really haven't compared yet. Things at work kinda held up progress.

[avator]

I did have a look at the barrels last evening as I was degassing both guns and getting them reading to perform transplants tonight. The longer .22 barrel from the CP-2 appears to be close enough to make the swap work just fine. With the CP-2 LDC and barrel the Varmint will be about 1" longer in overall length. This is because the CP-2 LDC is longer than the Varmint muzzle break. I have a feeling I'm really going to like this setup.

[WesBob]

Yep! Sounds great! I seen on a review that the CP2 has a rail on the bottom of the barrel band for mounting a bipod. I'm assuming it is 20mm rail, or is it a regular dovetail?

[Rat Sniper (AKA: PaulT58)]

I have question about pellets jamming in the magazine when cycling another pellet into the chamber.  I have lately run into a situation where Crosman Premier anythings won't feed from the magazine to the chamber without jamming.  When I remove the magazine to fix the problem I notice the pellet is cocked to one side and the probe has bent the pellet skirt and jammed the pellet in such a way I have to use a paperclip to straighten the pellet in the magazine to clear the jamb. 

I have figured out a work around.  If I cycle the bolt with the barrel pointed down, the pellets will feed like they're supposed to, but if the barrel is level (shooting from a rest) or pointing up, the pellet will jamb and not load properly.

Has anyone else experienced this?  Has anyone had this problem with the .177?  Is this unique to the .22? Is it unique to just me?  Thanks...

[WesBob]

I've had this problem as well with my latest mag. Interesting pointing it down helps. Mine seems to be working better lately but I'll have to watch and see if it is because I've been pointing it down. I figured the problem was the mag is not quite sliding far enough in and planned to file that notch on the bottom of the mag a bit to let it slide in a bit further.

[avator]

I found another cause of the issue. If the spring is too tight in the mag it will tend to misalign the pellet. I don't have an issue pointing the barrel down to cycle the next pellet. My Crosman 622 repeater was the same way. Keep in mind, there is an o-ring in the lead in of the barrel for the bolt to seal against. Keep a bit of lube on it. (at least the CP-2 barrel has the o-ring. I'll check the others that I have this evening.) I thought about putting a small bevel on the lead in until I notice the o-ring. These guns being so new to us, I'm sure our collective creativeness will soon discovery work arounds for these minor issues. I am really looking forward to the fresh "lego" platform.

[avator]

Yep! Sounds great! I seen on a review that the CP2 has a rail on the bottom of the barrel band for mounting a bipod. I'm assuming it is 20mm rail, or is it a regular dovetail?

Sorry Wes, I almost forgot. The barrel band for the long barrel on the CP-2 is Picatinny/Weaver on the bottom. I haven't decided whether I'll use it on the varmint or the CP-1 LR yet.

[WesBob]

Thanks! How do you release some of the tension on the mag? Sorry I should just check it out myself, just being lazy lol.

[Rat Sniper (AKA: PaulT58)]

Thanks! How do you release some of the tension on the mag? Sorry I should just check it out myself, just being lazy lol.

Wes, there is a tiny set screw you can access from the back of themag, it puts tension on the screw you see on the front. Or it’s the other way around, I don’t recall exactly. But any way, one will adjust the tension and the other locks the one holding tension in place so that t doesn’t move. 

[WesBob]

OK right I knew about that screw in the back, I just misunderstood what it was doing lol! Yep I've used that to fix my first mag from not cycling. Thanks!