MRodAir Varmint/Master Blaster X Breed

[avator]

I like to tinker, mix and match and just see what shakes out..... this is one of those that shook out.
A couple years ago I jumped on the MrodAir SPA Varmint PCP in .177 along with many of us here on the GTA.
http://mrodair.com/mrodair_airmax_varmint_pcp
A while later the Master Blaster system kit arrived on the scene and Mike sent Betty Lou one in .22 to play with.
http://mrodair.com/airmax_target_master_ii_carbine_system_cp-2_master_blaster
We played with those two guns until other guns took our interests in other directions and they took a back shelf residence.
Some time later I got into one of those 'tinker' moods looking for a simple C02 pistol/carbine combo to make into a kit. I also felt the Varmint deserved to be a .22.
The .177 breech and a short barrel from a Cp1 went on the Master Blaster and the .22 breech, long barrel and the screw on 'pickle' went to the Varmint.
Those eventually found a place in the 'lost interest' area of our home.
.... until this morning. I dug out the .22 Varmint/Master Blaster X Breed.
The scope had long been robbed for something else so I scraped up another one.... this is a strange kinda scope because it's unbranded but, obviously is the same as one of those bundled Hatsan Optima scopes but only this one has an adjustable AO ring. Kinda fitting for the misfit 'Master Varmint Blaster'.
Anyhooch... I connected the Vevor compressor to the unique  fill probe and filled the gun to 3k and heard the air seeping from the fill port..... typical of the SPA line.... those nasty brown hard orings that tend to swell with C02.
I let it leak down and shot off the last bit of remaining air and took the fill cap off. Inside the fill port/end plug is a screw with one of those poopy orings. I removed it to find it nicked and flattened on one side. I replaced that with a buna and put it back together. I filled her back up and ... success, no leak.
I just need to mention something here.... I fired that gun without the screw on 'pickle' from the Master Blaster kit and it was 'LOUD'. I screw that pickle back on and what a world of difference. I was surprised how well that 'can' worked. Not like the muzzle break that came on the Varmint and Plinkster with their little plastic baffle insert. This one actually has cone baffles in it.
Meanwhile.... this gun still has the typical hard loading mag breech that many of us broke the bolt knob by forcing pellets to load (my opinion of much of the broken knob issues). I'll address that down the road.. I don't mind using the single shot tray on this gun for now.... the problem is... I seemed to have misplaced the .22 single shot tray.... so that's where I am now... searching for that dang shot tray.... 

[Back_Roads]

 My Diana Chaser .22 same platform,  Been riding with me in my truck, with all this hot CO2 weather, but is accompanied with my 1400, one would think I would avoid pumping and use the CO2, but no not me, LOL well I better empty that CO2 in the chaser today, way hotter than it has been.
 Definitely the other Lego gun for sure, fun stuff.

 Now I remember what I was going to add, the mag and single shot tray have magnets, so I just keep them stuck to the CO2 tube, easy to find and swap out when multi shots are needed.

[avator]

My Diana Chaser .22 same platform,  Been riding with me in my truck, with all this hot CO2 weather, but is accompanied with my 1400, one would think I would avoid pumping and use the CO2, but no not me, LOL well I better empty that CO2 in the chaser today, way hotter than it has been.
 Definitely the other Lego gun for sure, fun stuff.

 Now I remember what I was going to add, the mag and single shot tray have magnets, so I just keep them stuck to the CO2 tube, easy to find and swap out when multi shots are needed.

yes on the magnets and that's probably where I'll find it..... stuck to something it shouldn't be..... lmbo.

[avator]

Found another one...... also .177.
Really? I have 4 of these guns.. 3 in .177 and one in .22. What are the odds I would find all 3 .177?
I know I put it someplace I would lose it...
Oh well, I put the 3 I did find in the .177 compartment box of my 4 compartment shooting case. At least I know where those are.
.... one more place to look.... brb

Nope..... no luck.

[Wayne52]

Bill I agree with the pickle on the Master Blaster it's the quietest danged gun I own

[avator]

Pretty surprising, ain't it Wayne?

[Wayne52]

I recently put a little baffle pack in my Liberty thinking it would quiet it down a bit, not a bit of change, flat out waste of money from that ebay purchase.

[avator]

Aside from misplacing the dang SST, what's not to like about the other "lego" gun.
It's actually set into a pretty nice hunk of wood with great checkering. There was plenty of meat for me to install a set of sling studs. That makes carrying this short, light weight gun around the bush quite comfortable. I also added a free floating Xisico XS-60C barrel band. It snugs up on the tube with a grub screw and give the barrel a mil or 2 of free float like the Mrod barrel band. That helps prevent bent barrels when accidents happen.
I like the 'lefty' bolt position on this one. I can hold the gun by the wrist with my trigger hand, cock the gun with my left hand and use my trigger hand thumb to push the bolt shut. This method takes all the stress off of using the 'weak link'... the bolt knob.
As mentioned, the Master Blaster screw on pickle makes this one of the quietest guns I own. It screws off easy and the rear cap screws off for cleaning the dust out.
I have some Excite wad cutter pellets that actually load up pretty smooth.... smoother than most anyhow. I'll address that once I shoot the gun down and before I refill it.
A low set of rings keeps the center of the scope close to the center of the bore... this goes a long way towards eliminating canted POI due to gun rotation. It still gives plenty of room for inserting a mag or single pellet loading. I'll get it sighted in, test some pellets and gather some numbers and post them here.
Meanwhile.. here are some pics of my Master Varmint Blaster.

[avator]

LOL..... I'm a much better tinkerer than I am a photographer.

[Nvreloader]

Bill & Wayne

I got the Varmint version in 22 cal, and it will hold a candle to anything else, I have around here,
except the 2 Sentry's, 22/25 which haven't been shot yet,  as they are leaking etc............ .

I do know the Hosp/Starlings @ 40/50 yds are in a world of hurt, that little thing just drives tacks,
using the plain Jane CMHP ammo......... .
The better half just INFORMED me that the G squirrels are getting her mater plants, in the garden, and that WILL stop..........

I just love how light and accurate it is, it has become my "Walkabout gun" for my daily walks into the Outback,
Chance gets to dancing around when it comes out, as he'll have a chew toy, if I stroke the "GO" switch,
If either of the Sentry's turn out half as good, I be tickled Pink.

As for the bark, I'll have to take your words on that, as I am 80% deaf in both ears............

YMMV,
Don

[avator]

I'll get some shots in with and without that pickle to see if it affects accuracy.

[avator]

Let me tell ya boys and girls.... it's flippin HOT out there !!!  Way to hot to be fiddling around with testing, adjusting, retesting, trying different pellets. That hard loading mag and this heat made old Avatar toss in the towel. My iced coffee even reheated.... lol
I made a bonehead move and loaded some pellets backwards in a mag and had to dig that mess out.... that may have contributed to me getting heated.
For those who don't know.. loading the Varmint mags is a unique process. You have to spin the clear plastic against the spring, flip it over and load the first pellet backwards. Then flip it back over and load the rest of the pellets nose first. Frustrating to say the least.
Before I melted I got to shoot 7 of the Excite WC and 7 CPHP. Those shot 1/2 to 1 inch at 10 meters.... not gonna cut it for me. I'm not sure if the hard loading may be distorting the skirts..... maybe so.
I posted a WTB for a single shot tray in the Classies. I couldn't find one in my online searches.

[Ribbonstone]

Been good lite walk-about riflesfor me. Assume the newer Diana versions would be as well(and the Gen II upgrades would be a help).

Just seemed reasonable at the time that the easiest affordable solution to a fast or slow one (or a summer plinking/winter hunting combo) was to just buy two. Good choice in names, Plinkster and Varmint...pretty much how they are used.

Got a few little battle scars,but all in all they held up a lot better than several more expesnive rifles. As shown,scoped and ready,still under 6 pounds.

DSCN2813 by Robert Dean, on Flickr


In 2020 money.... $300 for a pair of them (one co2/one PCP). Pretty well takes care of the low power/high power thing. 

Would go for the synt. stocked Stormrider....not that I love plastic,but the air tube with the gauge on the end would be nicer...solving one quirk.

Undecided about the 3 co2 popping Trailscout...don't have one to see how well that worked out as for sealing,but it shouldn't be a problem.
----------
Diana Gen. II fixed several things....trigger is easier to adjust,the issue LDC is better,and MAYBE the bolt handles a little tougher.

Every PCP/CO2will eventually have an o-ring die....DIY repair is a lot easier on a simple rifle than a complicated one.

[avator]

I also have a Plinkster in .177. It's stock other than access hole I drilled into the air tube to get stuck carts out. The Master Blaster CP2 had the hole already in it.... that's where I got the idea... 

[Ribbonstone]

Trailscout wouldn't allow that; wouldn't be solved that easily....have to see how they arranged that system (not that I want to change....am fine with it running from 1 12gr. at a time).


Just a historical reference:

Did notice on the old CP1 a makring on the box....and something that was evidently only "wasted" on the UK market.   It did come in .25 (single shot only).

Not the best review...not the only one....but considering the energly limit or the UK,seems to have been a bit of a wasted effort.
(Don't waste 18min.of your life here....just posting a link to the .25):



The factory could make a .25 on the same action (which would include the rifles as they use the same action).

[avator]

I don't know how anyone could like that grip. I had the CP1 and hated that grip. I couldn't wait until Mike got the Master Blaster stock sets in. I was one of, if not, the first to grab one.

[Bentong]

Let me tell ya boys and girls.... it's flippin HOT out there !!!  Way to hot to be fiddling around with testing, adjusting, retesting, trying different pellets. That hard loading mag and this heat made old Avatar toss in the towel. My iced coffee even reheated.... lol
I made a bonehead move and loaded some pellets backwards in a mag and had to dig that mess out.... that may have contributed to me getting heated.
For those who don't know.. loading the Varmint mags is a unique process. You have to spin the clear plastic against the spring, flip it over and load the first pellet backwards. Then flip it back over and load the rest of the pellets nose first. Frustrating to say the least.
Before I melted I got to shoot 7 of the Excite WC and 7 CPHP. Those shot 1/2 to 1 inch at 10 meters.... not gonna cut it for me. I'm not sure if the hard loading may be distorting the skirts..... maybe so.
I posted a WTB for a single shot tray in the Classies. I couldn't find one in my online searches.

JUst in case > https://www.pyramydair.com/product/diana-stormrider-chaser-single-shot-tray-22-caliber?a=8631

[Ribbonstone]

Can look for a month.....order one....find the lost one the next day.

Agree about the CP1 stocking....even cut down into a shorty, the angle is wrong. Just found it was interesting that the factory did make a .25 on that action.

Been on my "to do" list to just give up....cut it off.....fill with a wedge to decrease the angle.. smooth it out..then end up painting it.

[avator]

Let me tell ya boys and girls.... it's flippin HOT out there !!!  Way to hot to be fiddling around with testing, adjusting, retesting, trying different pellets. That hard loading mag and this heat made old Avatar toss in the towel. My iced coffee even reheated.... lol
I made a bonehead move and loaded some pellets backwards in a mag and had to dig that mess out.... that may have contributed to me getting heated.
For those who don't know.. loading the Varmint mags is a unique process. You have to spin the clear plastic against the spring, flip it over and load the first pellet backwards. Then flip it back over and load the rest of the pellets nose first. Frustrating to say the least.
Before I melted I got to shoot 7 of the Excite WC and 7 CPHP. Those shot 1/2 to 1 inch at 10 meters.... not gonna cut it for me. I'm not sure if the hard loading may be distorting the skirts..... maybe so.
I posted a WTB for a single shot tray in the Classies. I couldn't find one in my online searches.

JUst in case > https://www.pyramydair.com/product/diana-stormrider-chaser-single-shot-tray-22-caliber?a=8631

Thanks Leo... I did grab one.... and like Ribby said.. I'll probably find mine now. Then I'll have 2 of them to lose....

[Bentong]

Yup like springs and small screws during disassembly can't be found when looking for it then few days later it shows up.