Crosman Phantom .22 - scope question

[fat tony]

Got a Tasco 3X9X32mm rimfire scope for my Crosman Phantom .22 - seems like an adequate if modestly priced scope that might do the job for range trips (don't really need a hunting quality scope in NS for an air rifle ).

The main reason I got it is because its really hard to see the puff of dust from the shot impact which helps you to correct your aim. I was able to do this easily with my .22 Cooey Repeater but obviously there is not enough potential energy in the 14 grain pellets to give you a good puff of dust, and thus make windage and (mainly) elevation adjustments.

Probably will use it up to 50 yards just for fun, we mainly tried it out at 10 yards and used her to knock over empty 12 gauge casings (ever so much fun).

The factory sights are satisfactory, so I guess they will stay there for now.

With regards to how the scope was mounted, I put the front face of the rear ring hard up against the rear of the turret, and the front face of the front ring is hard up against the flare of the objective bell.

Should I be concerned about the scope getting trashed? I am thinking it will last because there is not much pre-loading on the mainspring, iirc when I swapped the detuned piston out for the fac rated piston, there was maybe about 1" or so of preload on the mainspring.

Let me know if I should get a b-square 'aa mount'

 

[TargetAcquired]

Unfortunately, yes. The double recoil in springers makes even lower-powered guns tough on scopes, and your Phantom, even 'de-tuned' is not low power; guns at less than 400fps will ruin a scope not rater for air guns.

If you don't care about the scope, fair enough, but you'll have a hard time holding zero for more than a few rounds, and eventually you'll just destroy the optics. Air gun rated scopes dont have to be very expensive, but they have that rating for a reason.

 

[fat tony]

Thanks. Looks like I am going to get one of these:

Leapers UTG 1" 4X32 Full Size AO Mil-dot Scope

D&L carries them.

I can save the other scope for something else.

 

[fat tony]

Have you chronographed a Crosman Phantom .22? I heard they give about 675-700 fps with regular Crosman pointed pellets with a Pal rated piston. Seems about right but not entirely certain.

 

[TargetAcquired]

No. I don't have a beta chrony, although I've taken a good hard look at them a few times. Not that they are all that expensive, but I've always got something better to spend the money on. My fully tuned Venom puts pointed pellets through a non-stick fry pan and heavy dents in a cast iron one - so I know it hits "hard" which is good enough for me. I like old fry pans for distance pellet targets...

Crosman rates a Phantom @ 1000fps, and they are clear about using alloy pellets, so 700ish sounds about right for a pellet with an appropriate weight to it.

 

[fat tony]

I would say 1000 fps is a fantasy as well.

 

[islandkent]

Crosman rates a Phantom @ 1000fps, and they are clear about using alloy pellets, so 700ish sounds about right for a pellet with an appropriate weight to it.

I believe they rate the .177 at 1000fps but I think a more realistic fps for a Phantom .22 is around 660 to around 740. I've had 3 years and about 1500 shots out of my self tuned Phantom with my Accushot(Leapers) scope. I also bought mine at D-L. And I just bagged another tree rat this morning from about 20 yards.

 

[fat tony]

I believe they rate the .177 at 1000fps but I think a more realistic fps for a Phantom .22 is around 660 to around 740. I've had 3 years and about 1500 shots out of my self tuned Phantom with my Accushot(Leapers) scope. I also bought mine at D-L. And I just bagged another tree rat this morning from about 20 yards.

^maybe I can come over for a hunt guided by yourself some day.

I think the Crosman Phantom .22 is incredible value for the $, tuned or not

 

[islandkent]

^maybe I can come over for a hunt guided by yourself some day.

You wouldn't believe the squirrels I have just around my place. I have killed around 60 just in my yard in the last year. Like I said 3 in the last week, they're starting to come out from hibernation. Never had a problem with them until they made a nest in my Roadrunner in the shed. Gloves are off!

 

[TargetAcquired]

I think the Crosman Phantom .22 is incredible value for the $, tuned or not

Agree, but you might also consider the Nitro Venom. Basically the same money, and I find the gas ram to be superior to a spring powerplant. Others disagree, and there is no wrong answer - just a matter of preference.

But, I picked one up for $170, then invested $35 into a new trigger (worth about 100x that in terms of performance delivered) about another $40 into the following:

- new piston seal
- new breach seal
- brass breach washers
- shimmed the alive jam
- proper deburr, polished the piston, burnished the cyl, moly'd where appropriate
- loctite the breach bolt and all stock screws

That tune, plus the trigger, turned it into a performer similar to buying a $600+ gun. The scope it comes with is acceptable, but I replaced it with a much better one, and loctite'd it in place (this gun comes with a factory weaver, which is awesome and somewhat rare for air guns).

Then I put a tin of good pellets through it, and now the shooting cycle is clean and easy, and the gun is near silent. But, it's just as accurate as any gun costing 3 or 4 times more (hits 8/10 paintballs @ 70 yards any day), fun to shoot, and hits very hard - again, no chrony, but I would wager I'm throwing 15 grain pellets at around 800fps.

Careful airgunning has made be more accurate with my powder burners. I'm starting to get into MILSURP, and I find them to be more hold sensitive than my modern rifles.

 

[fat tony]

I tried out a Detuned Nitro I tentatively purchased from CT a few yrs ago, then promptly returned it when I found that D&L had them for about 150 bucks cheaper. Just for a joke you can still see the same gun (?) on the rack at CT Dartmouth Crossing lolz.

I was pretty amazed by how quiet the Nitrogen piston gun was, the barrel sleeve was a really neat feature, but the trigger was like something from a crossbow.

 

[SoBored]

...for a Phantom .22 is around 660 to around 740.

Yup, read that 680 is about norm for a tuned 22 Phantom.

OP, do some research about the pivot washers. From all the reading I've done, a Phantom is very accurate with the irons because they are all mounted on the barrel, but a scope is mounted on the receiver and the barrel doesn't always lockup the same way. There is a mod for the pivot washers that tightens the lockup up nice and tight and is recommended if you are going to scope a Phantom or Quest.

NVM the searching, here's a nice link. Makes me want one myself, even though I have two 2400's, a 2289 and a Discovery. Guns are funny that way.
htt p://my.tbaytel.net/coopers/QuestPhantom/review.html

 

[fat tony]

Yup, read that 680 is about norm for a tuned 22 Phantom.

OP, do some research about the pivot washers. From all the reading I've done, a Phantom is very accurate with the irons because they are all mounted on the barrel, but a scope is mounted on the receiver and the barrel doesn't always lockup the same way. There is a mod for the pivot washers that tightens the lockup up nice and tight and is recommended if you are going to scope a Phantom or Quest.

NVM the searching, here's a nice link. Makes me want one myself, even though I have two 2400's, a 2289 and a Discovery. Guns are funny that way.
htt p://my.tbaytel.net/coopers/QuestPhantom/review.html

hmm Thanks looks like you could use automotive shim stock to make the washers.

 

[sk8snwmx]

I think the Crosman Phantom .22 is incredible value for the $, tuned or not

I loved the Walther 4x air rifle scope! has held zero for over 2 years and 2 owners and still going strong! (my good buddy liked the gun so much he HAD to have it!)

I had a Crossman Phantom .22 (Quest 1000 spring/seal kit and a Charliethetuna GTR trigger@ <1lb) and was chronied @ 680.
the Crossman Premier pellets shot awesome out to 60-70 yards. @ 50 yards you could shoot a penny pretty easily within a shot or 2.

I need to get another 1 when they go on sale a crappy tire for $99... great little springer that can be super accurate as soon as you learn how to shoot it and let it do the work

 

[fat tony]

Yup, read that 680 is about norm for a tuned 22 Phantom.

OP, do some research about the pivot washers. From all the reading I've done, a Phantom is very accurate with the irons because they are all mounted on the barrel, but a scope is mounted on the receiver and the barrel doesn't always lockup the same way. There is a mod for the pivot washers that tightens the lockup up nice and tight and is recommended if you are going to scope a Phantom or Quest.

NVM the searching, here's a nice link. Makes me want one myself, even though I have two 2400's, a 2289 and a Discovery. Guns are funny that way.
htt p://my.tbaytel.net/coopers/QuestPhantom/review.html

I hunted around for suitable shim stock & eventually bought a can of Holiday® Luncheon meat, had a snack & made up two pivot washers. The only thing is the tops of them had to have a tab which I bent over on each side & rounded off the sharp edges with tin snips. I love shims, you can correct a lot of things with them.