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Gateway To Product Reviews => Air Gun Reviews => : DanoInTx June 14, 2007, 02:01:33 PM
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Recieved my TalonSS today. I followed an ad on Brad's classifieds last week to a fellow who wanted to sell his for a decent price, so I went with it. The gun came double boxed and in IMACULATE condition. Previous owner stated he had only charged and shot it twice about 3 years ago...I believe him, this gun is "like new" for sure. The gun came with a DIN adapter and some other adapter that I think mates to a scuba yoke, I have a hand pump, so it was the DIN adapter only for me! I connected everything and began pumping. The air resevoir on my B50 is 196cc's, the tank on the Talon is 490cc's...alot more volume means ALOT more pumping. I read on the Airforce website that it takes about 300 strokes to pump the tank up for the initial fill, once that is done and you shoot, then you just do 40 or so "top off" pumps, pretty much the same as the B50.
The gun is a very nicely engineered. The inline valve system is pretty simple, and just dying to be modded. There are 3/8" rails all over this thing, you could mount two scopes a red dot, a lazer and your kids Hot wheels cars to this gun and still have room for a pump stowage rack...ok, I'm exagerating, but there is alot of room. All of the machining is very clean and the finish, which is some sort of aluminum blacking, is also nice and dark.
The problem I've always had with these guns, and why I never purchased one before was the ergonomics. If you look at the top edge of the tank and look at how it aligns with the barrel bore, you'll soon see that the tank related to being a VERY high combed stock. Let''s not forget that you can't get that tank under your arm, so this gun sits with "just" a tiny bit of butt plate in your shoulder notch. I ordered Accushot medium rings with my scope to go with this gun.......wont work. I can mount the scope, but it is so low I have to lay my head sideways just to look through the thing...high/ULTRA high mounts and/or a riser is needed for any sort of comfort. I think with the ultra high scope mounting procedure and a butt plate "hook" I will be able to shoulder this gun comfortably, but I will still have some issues due to the acute angle formed by a high scope and a much lower barrel bore.
After alot of pumping I took it to the garage for an initial sight in. I set it up to shoot about 2" low, that gives me a decent start for when I take it out in the yard, and farther. I turned the power all of the way down, the shroud was baffled by the previous owner, but it still is a bit louder than my shrouded B50 on full power....I would say these are quiet as compared to most stock unshrouded PCP's, but I wont say they are totally quiet. I think I can shoot in the yard on low power without many problems from the neighbors. I think this trigger is stock, but isn't bad. Not a crisp trigger, but a clearly defined 2 stage at maybe 2-3 pounds. After a good trigger tune this thing should be pretty good. The 5 shot groups I did in my little 2 car garage are all one holers, can't complain about that, especially since I am having trouble seeing through the scope.
These are just initial impressions, when I get a decent scope mount on this and give it a go out in the yard I will write a more formal review. Oh yea, the grips are turds......replace them, you'll be happy you did.
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Nice little reveiw on your NEW DARK SIDE baby Dano and it sound's like your happy with it overall except for the scope deal but I do remember a mod that you offered for high comb's, yes it was a cheek mod with a belt sander hehe. When you get some time Airbud throw some pic's up with your next review, CONGRAT'S BUD. 8) Ed
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I think you covered all the negatives . I think they take some getting use to as far as the high rings and that tank in the face cheek weld . hehe. They're sorta like a Crosman 22xx on steroids , with just about as many possibilities of modding to suit your taste. I wouldn't call them target rifles , although they are capable of shooting groups that would please most . They are a fun gun . kirby
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Congratulations Dan,
With your skills, you will have those little problems fixed in no time !
I think that I should buy one of those myself, all that pumping should relieve my stomach a bit. lol
Well good luck with that new baby Dan, and keep us informed with her progress !
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Congrats Dan! YOu've now joined the circle! hahaha :D
Instead of replacing the grips totally, I got a Hogue Handall. It's a finger Grooved Slip-On jobbie. It fits a little loose, but I trimmed the back out and just glued it on. Makes a BIG difference in the way it feels.
As for the noise... Is the frame drilled under the forearm??? If it isn't, DO IT! I drilled 3 1/8" holes into the frame/shroud under the forearm and added some scotchbrite pad to the recesses in the forearm itself. Made for a big improvment in sound. You don't have to add the scotchbrite, but if you don't you get a puff of air on your chin when you shoot.
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Congrats on the new PCP. I thought about this gun as well. Post some numbers later.
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Hey Dano ; Did ya get a chance to shoot that SS anymore this past weekend ? Just wondering if it's a growing on you yet? I know somebody that's wanting one after this past weekend. hehehe. kirby
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It's growing on me, 3 sets of scope rings later and I can finally see through the scope. I tried Accushot mediums, then some Millet angle-loc high mounts, and now finally some Leopold "see-thru" mounts that are REALLY high. I think the tri-rail deal is the way to go with this gun, but I didn't want to wait to order one. The buttstock/butthook/strip of metal thing is annoying, I'll definately add a longer hunk of aluminum there and possibly a rubber pad. The stock plastic grips, ....well, they suck, but there is plenty of stuff to do about those. The accuracy, is, well, AMAZING!!! That LW barrel combined with no recoil makes for a very accurate gun, although I'm guessing at distance I'm going to have issues because of the scope height....oh well, can't have everything:) I have had an intermittent issue with baulked fires though if I dont put the cocking knob off to the right and all of the way back after loading....to the left, or partly forward and it mis-fires, but I also have the power (hammer spring preload) all of the way at zero. I think a debur and cleanup of the hammer and other internals will fix that, might just be catching up a little somewhere. Also I lubed the breach o-rings and haven't had a misfire since....so that could have been it also.
This gun is literaly "brand spanken new". I don't think if I ordered one from Pyramid I would have gotten a better gun. I plan to keep it as close to stock as possible. If I can't bolt it on, I don't want to do it. I don't keep guns long enough, someone else might not like my mods:)
Growing on me......not yet, but it's pretty cool in a para military sort of way:)
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Sorta "Sniperish" eh Dano? hehehe :emoticon:
I get the Misfires too. Usually on a fresh fill. If it's after a few shots, check the valve. Sometimes grundy stuff gets into there and doesn't let it move completely. Just blow it out & you should be good. A good cleaning & silicone lube on the valve should get rid of the misfores all together.
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siliconed the top hat and it fixed it....go figure.