A lot of people have asked me why the Crosman M4-177 stands out from its competitors. My answer is simple. It's because it's a cheap pellet gun that feels like an actual AR.
FYI, prices and ratings are accurate as of time of writing.
Tactical Crosman .177 Bolt-Action Variable Pump Air Rifle
Top-rated: 6,169 ratings | 632 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Ideal for plinking, target shooting and skill development.
Helpful review: "Grew up a service brat with Dad being a Range Safety Officer, and had a Sheridan Blue Streak in the late 60s through mid-70s. That thing could shoot the tip off a match at 25 feet (and I just wish my eyes were good enough to still do it)! No idea where that Blue Streak is anymore, and new Blue Streak models run a bit more than we wanted to pay for an air rifle.
After a bit of online research, we purchased this Crosman M417, and three months in, can say that we are happy with the purchase. This model is made of plastic but does have a rifled steel barrel, which was one of the reasons we choose it. We installed the sights and within a couple minutes of opening the box, we were on our way to the mini-range we have set up in the hills of the lower portion of our property.
It's very realistic, especially from afar, so please remember that when you're handling it within view of others (else you may get an eventful visit from your local Sheriff).
Our son is 5'3" and weighs about 100 pounds, and he was able to handle the pump action without too much difficulty. The first couple times he was surprised by the tension once getting to the 4th or 5th pump, but he quickly learned to use both arms when pumping (in a manner somewhat like using tree pruning shears). Throughout the first day he seemed to settle on 7 pumps as his favorite, as it gave him great speed and accuracy without the excess toil that 8, 9 and 10 require!
Since he has experience with real iron A2 style sights, which is what the sights on this Crosman pellet gun are modeled after, our son really had no sighting learning curve to deal with. His target for the first hour of the day was a Birchwood Casey Gallery metal resetting target (Birchwood Casey Gallery .22 Rimfire Resetting Target), and his first three shots from about 30 feet hit the top target dead in line with its bullseye, just one inch low. A few sight adjustments later, and the shots were ringing true from various distances and shooting positions (prone, standing, kneeling and sitting).
The pellets he uses are the pointed Crosman Field Hunting .177 cal 7.4gr pellets). The sights are not bad for what this is, a mostly-plastic military replica air rifle. At this level of gear, there are so many variables in pellet ballistics and air pressure that judgement can't be made in comparison to your ACOG. It is what it is, and that ain't bad for the price range.
Gotta tell you one other thing though... When my son decided to take a break and handed this rifle to me to fire, I instinctively looked down to inspect the open bolt and pushed the mag eject button to check the rounds... Doh! Fake button. Pellet gun replica.
Old habits die hard, and this is a decent replica. Yes, he laughed at me too! Anytime you're considering purchasing a working plastic-based replica, remember that it needs to be handled with a tad more care that your average S&W, Colt or Bushmaster. If looking for a fun pellet gun that will work as advertised and will not break the bank while doing so, we recommend this one." — Key West Dad
Get it from Amazon now: $89.25 & FREE Returns
Credit: Amazon.com