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Gateway To Product Reviews => Air Gun Reviews => : longislandhunter January 06, 2007, 11:47:08 AM
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I guess it's been about a month and 1/2 since I bought my Beeman R-9 Goldfinger .22 combo from Bass Pro Shops but due to work, the holidays, and all kinds of family obligations I just never got a chance to take it out in the backyard range sight it in and give it a good work out. Since receiving the gun I had cleaned it and taken it out of the gun safe probably a hundred times to hold it and look it over, but just never got around to putting it through it's paces. Well, on January 2nd I finally got the chance and I was very satisfied with the results.
The stock on the gun is beautifully stained and very comfortable, feels very natural when shouldered. The bluing is also beautiful and the overall aesthetics of the gun are very appealing to say the least, at least to me. The scope, a Beeman 3x9x40 AO, came pre-mounted with Beeman 2 piece rings. The scope is bright and clear and the magnification and AO dials work well. The only thing I didn't like initially was that the scope rings are medium height rings and I really prefer high mount rings, but after a little practice I got used to the medium rings. I would still prefer high mounts, but considering how accurately the rig is shooting I'm just going to leave it.
The cocking effort is nice and smooth and the firing cycle is very nice with very little vibration. As for the trigger, I just can't say enough about it,,, it's wonderfully light and crisp. The safety works well and the safety location seems to be in an easy to access and functional location.
Now for the accuracy results. Beeman states that the scope is sighted in at the factory prior to shipment and that very little, if any, adjustment will be needed. I had serious doubts about that claim but with the first shot I realized the guys at Beeman weren't kidding about their claim. The first pellets I fired were RWS Superdomes and every single shot was dead center bulls eye out to 25 yards with the gun/scope right out of the box. I didn't make any adjustments at all. Now that I knew the scope was on target I set about testing every .22 cal pellet I had on hand leaving the scope with the factory settings. To my amazement every pellet type, every single one, shot bulls eye dime sized groups with the exception of the Superdomes and the JSB Predator pellets,,,,, those two pellets were actually BETTER than dime sized groups,,,,, stacking pellet on top of pellet practically right on top of each other. Now I don't know if every "pre-sighted" Beeman scope shoots like this but mine did and I was impressed. It was really nice to take a new rifle/scope combo right out of the box and find it to be perfectly sighted in !!
I set up my chrony prior to starting my pellet tests,,,, the average FPS for each pellet type is listed below.......................................................................................................
Crosman pointed: 687.4
RWS Super HollowPoint: 723.8
JSB Predator: 660.5
RWS Superdome: 717
Crosman Premier Hollow Point: 704.2
Crosman Premier Domed: 695.3
Beeman Crow Magnum: 625.3
Bass Pro Shop advertised the .22 cal Goldfinger at 800 FPS however that is the same FPS rating that the traditional .20 caliber Goldfinger R-9 is listed at, so I figured the actual FPS of the .22 cal would be less than 800. This fact was of course revealed by my chrony results but the gun is still brand new so I expect it to pick up a little power as it breaks in,,,, and I was also glad to see that 3 of the pellet types are already in the 700 FPS range with 2 others not far behind. I was more encouraged later that day about the guns ability to take small game when I dropped a fat bushytail cleanly at 20 yards with a single shot from a JSB Predator pellet (I already posted that hunting report). When I took the gun out hunting that day I found the size and weight of the gun to be perfect for spending a few hours in the woods. It was truly a pleasure to carry and hunt with.
So,,, long story short,,,, I am thrilled with my new Goldfinger .22 ,,,, so much so that I've already started saving up so I can go back on the Bass Pro website and order the .177 Goldfinger.
Jeff
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Now go out and get us some hunting pics. :) Sounds like you got a gem there too. :) hunting, Ed