For those that are interested in break barrel air rifles the Crosman Phantom .177 Caliber Break Barrel Air Rifle up to 100 FPS is one of the most powerful ones around, plus it is what gun manufacturers refer to as a new and innovative one thanks to its body style.
To help this new break barrel air rifle stand out Crosman totally redid their break barrel design. They gave the gun a sleek look, defined lines and a stock and forearm that will stand up to all types of weather. The all weather aspect makes this the perfect air rifle choice for avid outdoors man who won’t let a little rain or cold weather stop them from having fun.
Click Here for Pricing, Pictures and Reviews on Amazon.com
Reputation
The reputation of a manufacturer plays a big role in determining whether you will purchase something from them, the same theory holds true for air rifle manufacturers. People don’t want to use some fly by night company that is not going to be there just in case something goes wrong in the future with the product that they purchased.
People want to know that a company is going to stand behind their product, as that gives them peace of mind. Companies that stand behind their products normally produce a high quality product.
Crosman is a very well known company in the air rifle world and a very stable company. If you talk to avid sport shooters, majority of them have heard about Crosman and the products they produce. In fact, several of them have probably owned one a time or two down the road.
With that being said you are going to hear some negative things about Crosman, but you have to remember that even with high quality products people will complain. Overall though, Crosman has a strong and solid reputation in the air rifle industry.
Reliability
Like many other Crosman air rifles this newest style designed for the break barrel enthusiasts is a highly reliable air rifle. You never have to worry about the air rifle not firing due to a design flaw. One of the best features that helps make this air rifle so reliable is the checkered grip and forearm as it allows for a steady, non-slip grip.
No matter the weather conditions when you are out shooting your hands tend to get a little sweaty and the longer you hold the gun in the same position the worse it seems to get. The checkered grip allows your hands to remain in position even with sweat build up without having to worry about them sliding off.
Being a break barrel air rifle you are not limited to the number of shots that you can fire. CO2 and PCP style air rifles have to be refilled after so many shots. With the break barrel design you simply have to cock the air rifle after each shot. This air rifle uses a coiled spring, so you cannot leave it in the cocked position for an extended period of time without causing issues with the spring.
The spring can also be affected by weather, if it gets wet and sits outside in the bad weather the spring may rust causing firing issues later on down the road. Plus the two stage trigger pull is adjustable, so you can customize the trigger pull to suit your shooting needs.
Power
How much power you are looking for in terms of an air rifle will depend on what you wish to use the air rifle for. The newly designed break barrel Crosman air rifle clearly states on the box you can get a maximum velocity of 1000 fps, which isn’t bad considering that the highest velocity you see with any break barrel air rifle is 1400 fps.
Like many other air rifles how powerful it is will depend on what type of ammunition you are using. With the Crosman Phantom you can only use pellets, but what pellets you use will affect the velocity. Normal run of the mill pellets can carry about 100 fps, as stated on the box.
However, if you were to switch to alloy pellets you can expect a velocity of up to 1200 fps. Now with this not being the most powerful gun out there most people don’t use it for small game hunting or even pest control, it is more geared towards plinking and target shooting.
Accuracy
Like many other air rifles this one is not going to be very accurate coming out of the box, adjustments are going to need to be made. But that doesn’t mean this air rifle can’t shot accurately. The Crosman Phantom comes with a fiber optic front sight, as well as a micro-adjustable rear sight. While some shooters prefer fiber optic sights, some prefer a scope.
Now the Crosman Phantom does not come with a scope, but you can buy one to mount. Users have reported that mounting the scope can be a bit of hassle, but it is doable. You will also need to make slight adjustments to the scope to ensure that it stays in place. People that add a 9×50 scope have had success with 1-inch groupings at 50 yards out.
Value
Of course people want to know the true value of the Crosman Phantom before purchasing it, as they don’t want to waste their money. If you look at everything that the Phantom has to offer, great accuracy with a few minor adjustments, as well as sturdy construction of a high quality product, you know you are getting a great value.
The air rifle is not the cheapest model out there nor is it the most expensive one out there, but it offers you a great product for a reasonable cost.
Overall
when you look at everything that this gun has to offer and then look at the price, you can’t really complain. Both experienced shooters and beginning shooters will find the Crosman Phantom .177 Caliber Break Barrel Air Rifle up to 1000 FPS is an ideal choice. The air rifle is consistently accurate, is strong enough for plinking and target shooting, and offers a durable design.