43 of 46 people found the following review helpful
Phantom 1, Groundhogs 0,
June 5, 2010 Superdave "Superdave" (Prescott, AZ USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Crosman Phantom 1000 FPS .177 Break Barrel Air Rifle (Includes 4 X 32mm Scope) (Sports)
My folks have lots of critters running about, munching their garden.
They live in a semi rural area, enough that a 22 isn't an option.
So, I figured I needed a pea shooter (IE pellet gun) to ensure the safety of the vegetables.
After checking out pellet rifles across the whole spectrum, I settled on the Phantom for a few reasons.
A few things to know before I get into the pros and cons of this airgun.
First, I'm a firearms instructor. I've been shooting for decades, am well versed in ballistics, shooting form, and basic gunsmithing on most modern firearms.
As it's been 25 years since I owned a pellet gun, I had a bit to learn about the technology advances that have come about in the years since I last owned a Crosman (in my teens).
Out of the box, this rifle shoots quite well. Not a tack driver by any means, but for what it is, and the price paid, it's very good in my opinion.
The scope is pretty cheesy, but again, the value is in the rifle...Read more
24 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Outstanding entry level air rifle.,
February 7, 2011 Steven T. Blades "steve" (pittsburgh, pa) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Crosman Phantom 1000 FPS .177 Break Barrel Air Rifle (Includes 4 X 32mm Scope) (Sports)
This is my first air rifle, but i have been a gun owner for years. I am a 22 fanatic especially. I was shooting with a friend a while back and he busted out a break barrel air rifle. We took a few shots and it reminded me of all the fun I used to have as a kid with a friend and his little daisy 10 pump bb gun. I decided to get one but didn't want to spend an bunch of money it. I spent a few months researching these low-end air rifles. The Phantom seemed to stand out a little bit above the rest so i went with it. I found it at Wal-mart for $80 without the scope. The scope that comes with this in the combo pack was not reviewed very well by many sources. I also don't like using scopes and would not use it anyway so why pay for it. Also, there have been complaints by some that this was advertised as a 1200fps rifle and when they got it found out it is actually 1000fps. I have only ever seen it advertised as 1000fps with the option of 1200fps with high velocity pellets. On the actual...Read more
91 of 110 people found the following review helpful
Decent Starter, can do better,
March 6, 2009 Jarema Malinowski "Atari Kid" (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Crosman Phantom 1000 FPS .177 Break Barrel Air Rifle (Includes 4 X 32mm Scope) (Sports)
I'll be honest, this was my first airgun. I went to a retail store and picked the first break barrel gun I saw for a decent price. I didn't want to think too much or do research. For that kind of buyer, this gun is perfect. It has appeal and does the job.
Since then I've done a lot of reading and hanging around forums. I can tell you I won't buy another one like this. Since buying it, I've spent probably another $100 tuning it into a condition that allows me to hit where I'm aiming at.
This gun has a few problems. Fist the trigger is terrible. It feels more like a hand/finger exerciser than a trigger. Its a chore to pull. They went for safety and cheapness over accuracy and quality. You need to spend $30 to replace it with an aftermarket piece.
Next is the barrel latching widget. Again, not the greatest and cheap. The barrel pivot bushing are actually plastic. Not good. If you close the barrel too hard, the mechanism won't latch and will bounce back...Read more
(27 customer reviews)