Just picture a gas filled shock absorber that replaces the spring. I found a reveiw on it and it may give you some insight..
http://www.reviewcentre.com/review159900.htmlReview by Petewp:
Good Points
Highly Accurate, very powerful, no spring "twang", terrific trigger, looks much better than any web photo. Nice iron sights. Hits with pronounced force.
Bad Points
It is heavy, but you get used to it. It is heavy to cock, but only badly so if you do it wrong.
General Comments
First thing that hit me is that the Beeman RX-2 .22 is much nicer looking than any of those garrish web photos. Finish was buttery smooth, with out any burs or the like. Unlike the internet pictures - no, this gun is not orange!!
Picking it up, it's obviously heavy, but not grossly so. It takes a little bit of a while to accept you arent carrying your 6 lb. rimfire, but you get over it - honestly you do. Bottom line is for my hunting, I walk a mile or so then get bedded in from a hunting station and put the gun down anyway.
"Its hard to cock"
Oh please - then it means that you're cocking it wrong. Put the butt of the stock on the ground - usually slightly tipped. Slap the belly of the stock till the action breaks, use two hands to fufill the cocking motion - then fire. All in all, in that manner it's like I'm cocking a gun of half its power. Technique is everything. Oh by the way - I wouldnt even vaguely consider cocking the way the instruction manual says. Well not if you plan to shoot off 75 shots or more in a sitting.
It IS powerful. Clearly it'll fire thru a 1" pine board [not plywood] and pretty well blow holes thru anything I can think to plink from oranges, cubed pine wood to a clock-radio cassette player.
At 10 meters, pennies were ruptured with a three point tear that extend over an 1/8th of an inch behind it. Glycerin soap bars showed a 3 1/4" penetration with Beeman FTS's. Squirrels, even with body shots at 30 yards are done. A second shot follow up hastens a quick end but it isnt needed.
At 22FPE it gets your pellet out there in a hurry with resulting damage to complement your cocking effort - hence your wanting ot shoot nearly 100 rounds thru it in a sitting. Its a little heavy to cock for plain old plinking and is really meant to have some hunting stopping power which it does indeed. Recoil is nill from any firearm standpoint, tho the airgun industry sais this gun infact has a strong kick. I found the recoil fairly strong for a springer [ok, gas ram] but non exisitent for a firearm. Because of quick lock up time no problem with hold sensitivity. It was never distracting or bothersome. Frankly, I liked it.
Very well made. Has a very well machined quality not visible in photos. Very beefy as though they spared nothing in its design and costruction. This will be the first thing that hits you when you have it mailed to your door step. The next thing is the weight, but you get used to it - same with the cocking. Next is the awsome hitting power. After that is the sterling accuracy.
If you have this gun in the mail on the way to your house, you have great satisfaction in store.
Pete P
Good Luck
Gene
