There are many gun enthusiasts who love M4/AR-style rifles these days. For that reason, I decided to give Crosman's M4-177 dual-ammo air gun a full review to see how it would perform on the range.
Unboxing
When I removed the air gun from the box, my first impression was that the rifle was a compact version of an AR. The rifle is sized so that small-framed and taller shooters alike can enjoy it. I liked the adjustable rear stock, flip-up apertures that are just like the real Ars, and I also liked the Picatinny rail for adding optics or even a light or laser on the front. The gun felt a bit lightweight as it is nearly all plastic. The storage box (magazine) was cool in that it held the front sight adjustment tool and the 5-shot pellet magazine.
Specifications
Caliber: .177
Power: Variable via pump
Pellet velocity: Up to 700 feet per second (fps)
BB velocity: up to 645 fps
Barrel: Rifled steel
Rear stock: Adjustable
Front sight: Post adjustable
Rear Sight: Dual aperture, windage-adjustable peep sight
Magazine: strip magazine for pellets/reservoir for BBs
Mounting rail: Picatinny
Safety: Crossbolt
Operation and Sighting-In
Reading the directions is always a must no matter how much we think we know about shooting a firearm. This air gun was no different. Despite over four decades of experience shooting various firearms, I learned something by reading the instructions. I also noted that these instructions are a bit challenging for older eyes, so get your readers and relax ... It is all there. Just take your time!
Once I got through the directions and backtracked and checked a few things while comparing diagrams to the air gun, I headed to the range. (My version of the M4-177 was not the kit, so I did not have the carry handle version.) It did have the front and rear sights, though, and I had them easily mounted in minutes.
Once on the range, I loaded the pellets and began shooting. I tried various Crosman pellets and most were hitting in the same impact area. It took a bit to get sighted-in and the reason was the sights. The front sight post was not set properly, and its location was causing me to send pellets high. I adjusted the post with the included tool and got the elevation correct but then noticed the post was turned most of the way up and a bit loose which made it lean to the left. I had to use my thumb to push it back upright which fixed the issue. However, I really prefer locked-in sights.
Another issue I had was the rear sight. The pellets were shooting good groups but to the left, so I looked at the rear sight and saw the “R” and arrow indicating which way to turn it. I did so and noticed my groups were further left. I moved it some more in the direction indicated and noticed I ran into the left side of the rear sight and out of adjustment. (A “normal” arrangement would have had the sight moving to the right, or in the direction I wanted the impact to move.) The arrow on the rear sight was incorrect on my rifle.
Once I got all that sorted out the groups were quite good at 25 yards with the open sights. I was tempted to put a scope on the gun to see what would happen, but since the groups were already very good there was no point. I used 10 pumps for sighting and shooting the gun.
However, I did shoot a group with five pumps at 15 yards to see what would happen, and the groups were still good. At 25 yards with careful aim and taking a few seconds to rest after pumping the gun, I was able to print pellets in one hole about the size of a quarter. This is not at all bad for a backyard fun gun that retails for $80!
BB accuracy was good enough for popping cans in the yard, but not good enough to consistently and effectively hit small varmints. BBs are less expensive than pellets, and if you are going to do a lot of shooting, this may be a better option. The fact that the gun accepts dual ammo is nice for that reason. However, to shoot pellets, ALL the BBs need to be removed, which can be a bit of a chore to shake and dump them out of the reservoir.
Pumping the gun is not difficult, but it can be a bit tricky with the pellet magazine in it, so some shooters may decide to remove it to give a bigger area to grasp the rifle when pumping it up. Loading the magazine with pellets is not hard. Just be sure to push the pellets flush with the magazine. The trigger pull is fairly smooth with this gun averaging just under 8 ft-lbs. of effort.
Summary
For just $80, this is a decent buy, especially for a dual-ammo air gun. The sights may need a bit of attention, but a scope or laser could fix that. The gun is fun to shoot and the fact that you can pump it up for variable power makes it a multipurpose gun. If you’re a fan of AR-15s and want to carry that over to your air gun shooting, this is a great choice. Crosman.com.
Most Popular
