Magfire Ultra .177 arrives tomorrow

[splitbeing]

For fifty bucks and change, I couldn't resist.  I have had bad luck with repeaters. A proxima refurb stopped working a few mags in, sent it back, got it back, same problem happened, gave up on the customer service.  A synergis elite seemed great at first, then I discovered the rail was so off I couldn't get the included scope or one of my other scopes work so I returned it.  I've read of some with the magfire ultra having a similar scope problem.  Not holding high hopes, but I am repeater curious.  For fifty bucks and change, why not.  Here we go!

[Blowpipe Sam]

I’m “gun shy”.  I have purchased too many dud springers. Every time I buy another one I think “The triumph of optimism over experience.”

[mikeyb]

SPOILER ALERT: Don't read until AFTER you get your $53 Mag Fire Ultra!

Crosman Vital Shot 177 vs MagFire Ultra 177

VitalShot is very basic b19 style coil spring break barrel. No scope included. Clearance price ~$63. VERY dry and TWANGY shot cycle right out of the box. Simple cleaning and relube made it feel like an NP nitrogen gas spring rifle. Shoots CPHP 7.9 grain around 950fps. Accuracy is 20 pellets under a penny at 30' using open sights. Very little sight adjustment needed to be dead on target. Stock fits me well. Feels like a small rifle (thought it was a youth springer when I first opened the box) and weight is on the lighter side for a mostly steel and polymer air rifle. Trigger is surprisingly good as-is. About 3-4 lb pull with only a little creep. I think a simple spring change and a slightly longer adjustment screw will make the trigger feel very nice.

Overall I am pleasantly surprised by this SIMPLE springer and its performance!

MagFire Ultra is a large stock HEAVY break barrel powered by the NitroPiston Elite system. Clearance price around $53 with AO scope. Supposedly Crosman's best power plant(?) with precision machined buttoned piston design. I believe this includes their patented anti-bounce piston "brake" polymer donut? The single 12 shot magazine is clunky to load. Magazine cycling action works fine but the "transfer port" is a long and skinny tube. IMO this is a significant bottleneck for airflow to pellet. More than one seal to leak also. Works now but seems like it could be a maintenance headache down the road. Many little fiddly parts to bend or break. Not certain how reliable this will be over time.

If the magazine breaks or magazine cycling parts get damaged I think this rifle becomes useless.

Testing open sights at 30' using CPHP was interesting. Rear sight needed to be bottomed out "low" and windage adjusted almost full right. Groups were a little over 1" with average velocity around 910fps. Seems weak for such a large heavy rifle with Crosman's best powerplant?

Cocking is very smooth and easy. Shot cycle is a gas spring single thump but the THUMP is strong. Feels more like my Hatsan Mod125 Vortex thump. Trigger is not terrible but it is heavy 5+ lbs and very creepy. Really needs a lighter spring and some serious sear/lever polishing.

The sound reducing baffle assembly unscrews from the muzzle. I've used similar in some empty PCP shrouds and the baffles DO WORK WELL in those PCP rifles. Not certain if this does much in a medium energy springer. I did temporarily remove the baffle assembly to inspect muzzle crown. Hard to see deep in the shroud but it doesn't look like there is a crown :-/

Overall I am disappointed by this rifle but very happy I did not pay more than ~$53 for it. Assuming the scope is worth about $30 the rifle is ~$23. That's the value I'd assign to this air rifle right now :-(

Springers are supposed to be SIMPLE air rifles with few moving parts and minimal number of seals to wear out. This Frankenstein's Monster multishot springer "improvement(?)" is IMHO going in the WRONG DIRECTION.

At a retail of over $200 I'd much rather have a PCP + Handpump + 10 tins of pellets than this "thing".

IMO the Vital Shot is the clear winner here.

I honestly hope the folks who got the ~$53 MF Ultra deal will have a better experience with them than I did.

[splitbeing]

Last bargain gun I couldn't resist was the hatsan 95 in .25 for $70.  Needs a tune.  What with the baby and me not knowing the internals of hatsans, haven't gotten around to tuning it.

If this magfire ultra doesn't work out, maybe I'll get to the 95 or convince one of you two to do it for me [chuckling].

[Rick67]

Last bargain gun I couldn't resist was the hatsan 95 in .25 for $70.  Needs a tune.  What with the baby and me not knowing the internals of hatsans, haven't gotten around to tuning it.

If this magfire ultra doesn't work out, maybe I'll get to the 95 or convince one of you two to do it for me [chuckling].

Bargains are hard to resist but I have remained steadfast so far no matter how cheap they are 👍

My budget for bargains just goes to good parts, making them look better, and pellets but that’s just me 

[splitbeing]

Smart strategy, Rick!

[splitbeing]

Reminds me of a hatsan

[splitbeing]

6 shots. High 849. Low 839.  First 3 shots exactly 838.8.  Imagined I might get a freak ES of zero. [chuckling].  Nope!  Still good though.

The recoil is heavy but nice.  Straight back and forward.  Also pretty quiet.  The trigger is usable. Clear second stage. Predictable and smooth enough.

[splitbeing]

I made it through a night of shooting.  The magfire ultra has a scope usably atop it and is still working. That makes it better than my former hatsan proxima refurb (twice) and my former umarex synergis elite.

The trigger is heavy. The barrel cannot easily be cleaned with weedeater line and a straw, so it's still factory "clean". 

After trying a variety of holds, 12 shots are likely to go in the black of an NRA fifty foot target at about that distance.

The 12 shot mag is delicate and nice to use nicely.  The clicks are positive and the loading becomes intuitive.

It is difficult to see the shot count window past the rear sight.  The windage knob on the rear sight is backwards compared to my general experience with rear sight windage adjustment knobs.

[Struckat]

My first springer back in mid 2,000s made me disinterested in airguns.

In 2020 I dug out of the closet and shot it some. I was cured. I gave it to my #2 son.
No, I don’t hate him. I also gave him my c362.

We all have our own budget. I am fortunate to have the ones I have.

[splitbeing]

I followed your advice, Mikeyb, and did not read your review until this morning.  My experience with the rifle last night was similar to your report I just read today.  I also was thinking of the hatsan 125 vortex last night when shooting as a comparison gun.  However, writing it now there are onvious differences.  The trigger. The magazine. How it likes to be held. On the flip side, the look, weight, and thump are similar. 

I also got large groups last night.  Thry begam to shrink a bit as I approach 100 shots.  This rifle needs broken in.  It is shooting around 14 fpe out of the box. 

I will try unscrewing the baffle shroud as you describe.  Maybe then it will be easier to clean with weedeater line.  The straw method was giving me trouble last night.

The trigger is the obvious place to start improving the rifle.  Maybe there is a spring to change in there.

I do like the magazine and find the experience of magazine shooting a springer interesting.  The mags are delicate but I like them.  To each their own.  I wonder if they are cheap now or will become a bargain sometime.

Regarding the rear sight, mine needed the elevation lowered alot and the windage turned right alot just like yours.

For $53, I am getting my money's worth playing with this magfire ultra.  I doubt it is a contender for my daily spread, but cannot make that judgment until I have spent more time with and put mire effort into the rifle.  I suspect it needs a tin of pellets to break in. 

The power is nowhere near the advertised.  I am disappointed by misleading advertising generally and this is a good example regarding velocities.

[splitbeing]

My first springer back in mid 2,000s made me disinterested in airguns.

In 2020 I dug out of the closet and shot it some. I was cured. I gave it to my #2 son.
No, I don’t hate him. I also gave him my c362.

We all have our own budget. I am fortunate to have the ones I have.

Glad you are cured, Kurt.  What was the spring gun, if you don't mine my asking? 

[splitbeing]

Took off the stock to take a look at the trigger. The piece in the pick below fell out when the stock was removed.  Anybody know where it does? 

Tried a few spots, no dice.

[mikeyb]

It likely rests in the stock centering some part of action or trigger.

I'll check my rifle later tonight and attach a photo of proper placement.

Edit... got to it faster than I thought...

[splitbeing]

Thanks, Mikey. I figured it out though.  Yes, it is behind the trigger.

Shot it some more and noticed the downswing when cocking is very quiet, but the upswing makes a metal on metal scrape/grind kind of noise that now drives me crazy. I think I'm done with it.  Is yours noisy like that on the upswing?  I don't remember that from last night.  Either I didn't notice it or I mucked something up maybe removing the stock.  Drivin me nuts.  Boy do I appreciate my two other springers I shot right after to feel better.  Contrast is amazing.

[mikeyb]

Thanks, Mikey. I figured it out though.  Yes, it is behind the trigger.

Shot it some more and noticed the downswing when cocking is very quiet, but the upswing makes a metal on metal scrape/grind kind of noise that now drives me crazy. I think I'm done with it.  Is yours noisy like that on the upswing?  I don't remember that from last night.  Either I didn't notice it or I mucked something up maybe removing the stock.  Drivin me nuts.  Boy do I appreciate my two other springers I shot right after to feel better.  Contrast is amazing.

The NitroPiston Elite MagFire Ultra is buttery (mmmm BUTTER) smooth on the cocking stroke. Mine has a slight metal scraping-like sound on the return stroke. On MY rifle it is coming from the auto-pellet-loading parts. It had that same sound both before and after I removed the action from the stock to check the metal part placement.

That sound is not loud or annoying to me, but it is present. I'm not hating the rifle... it does have a firm but pleasant shot cycle. It just seems WEAK... lower Muzzle Energy than expected from the size and weight of the rifle. Punched some more paper with it last night after reassembly. Still can't get get any better than 1" groups at 30'. IMO that is NOT GOOD for any springer at 30'. Every other springer I own will group 10-20 pellets "under" a US penny (0.75" dia) at 30' using open sights.

Just finishing up repairing a POS(as received) Hatsan Zada refurb. I'll post about that mess soon. Then I think I'll have to do a deep-dive into the MagFire's power plant.

The large group size may be due to a bad muzzle crown. I seem to be a MAGNET for crappy-crowns lately. If the poor grouping is related to the magazine, the auto-pellet-loading parts, and the LONG-SKINNY-TUBE transfer port there may be NO FIX.

Since I LIKE working on air rifles I have no regrets spending the $53 to finally see first-hand what the Crosman Patent lead to.

Remembering this thread...
https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=183362.msg156091348#msg156091348

If I can make the rifle shoot "proper" springer groups I'll post my adjustments and put a link in this thread :-)

late edit:

https://nightgalaxy.com/blog/crosman-magfire-ultra-air-rifle-review/

the Crosman Mag-Fire Ultra integrates advanced Nitro Piston Elite technology for superior accuracy, speed, and power.

I suspect the NPE powerplant would do MUCH BETTER in a traditional ONE SHOT break-barrel. The design of the multi-shot system seems to CHOKE airflow to the pellet degrading a potentially NICE powerplant. Just my hypothesis for now until I go inside :-)

[splitbeing]

Thanks for checking, Mikey.  Yes, keep us posted! 

[Struckat]

My first springer back in mid 2,000s made me disinterested in airguns.

In 2020 I dug out of the closet and shot it some. I was cured. I gave it to my #2 son.
No, I don’t hate him. I also gave him my c362.

We all have our own budget. I am fortunate to have the ones I have.

Glad you are cured, Kurt.  What was the spring gun, if you don't mine my asking?

Gamo Varmint .177

When my son brought it back so I could put a better scope on it I also gave it a paint brush tar job. That did tame some of the buzz.

It was an uneducated purchase, though it still works after 20 years.

[splitbeing]

Standing the test if time!

[ALWIII]

  My $.02 on Crosman NPE rifles that are down on power out of the box. There is a very (very) good chance the piston seal has one or more pieces missing from the edge. They don't deburr the slots on the underside of the tube during assembly, and installing the seal slices the seal lip off in spots. The cure is disassemble, deburr, and a new seal. After that I cleaned up my transfer port and put a more powerful nitro piston in mine, from some place in Ukraine.

  The above got my .22 Valiant (NPE) to shoot a 10 shot average of 1043 fps with H&N FTT Green pellets (9.57 gn) and 902 fps with 11.9 gn RWS Hobby wadcutters. The only NP rifle I've gotten to hit (Exceed, actually) the factory ratings is a Benjamin NP XL in .25. It's had the port worked, a stronger NP installed, a Jim Maccari piston seal,  teflon buttons installed, metal to metal contact points all burnished with tungsten disulfide powder, and the tungsten disulfide mixed with Mobil 1 5w/30 for assembly lube. It will send 16.54 gn Predator GTO pellets out at 1000+ fps.

  All my NP rifles, (5 of them) were a lot of fun to mod, all had bad piston seals out of the box, and they're all harder on piston and breech seals than is optimal. Big fun, but I've had about all the fun I can stand. My next rifle will be PCP. 

  For the same fun on a much smaller budget, I put a nitro piston for the Crosman Valiant in a Vantage when I replaced the seal. It's a few millimeters longer, but works with zero problems in mine. It delivers 80-90% of the Valiant's OEM performance for about $130 total investment, and it has a nice wood stock, because I don't like plasticky rifles.