VALUE FOR MONEY
The Air Venturi Alpha is actually a “platform product”. It’s going to be available in multiple different configurations. There will be different barrel lengths, long and short HPA tubes, plus “bottle” versions. There’s a configuration for everyone…
But there’s just one thing to be aware of. This is a “shoot it as it is” gun. There’s no easy, external capabilities for adjusting power levels or tuning. If you’re not interested in all that tuning stuff – and many are not – this is ideal for you.
Well, actually there’s two things to be aware of! The Alpha is only available in .22 caliber. But as that’s the most popular caliber – by far – for PCP air rifles, that may not be an issue.
Today we are looking at the first configuration of the Alpha to become available. It’s the compact version with short barrel and correspondingly short, 118 cc capacity, HPA pressure tube.
Speaking personally, this is the Alpha version I would choose for its compact, minimal weight and great price. But if you need more shots per fill or more power, just choose one of the other configurations!
The Street Price is just $269.99. With all the benefits you’ll read about in this review, there’s no way that the Alpha cannot be outstanding value!
BUY FROM PYRAMYD
Air Venturi Alpha Air Rifle 0.22
SPEED AND ACCURACY
The maximum Muzzle Velocity achieved by the .22 caliber Air Venturi Alpha tested by HAM was 966.92 FPS with the lightest, 10.3 Grain, H&N Field Target Trophy Green pellets. The fastest lead pellets were – of course – the 11.9 Grain RWS Hobbys at 901.17 FPS.
More important, of course, is the Muzzle Energy. This hovered around 24 Ft/Lbs with mid-weight pellets and peaked at 29 Ft/Lbs with the heaviest JSB Jumbo Monsters. These are decent numbers and ideal for plinking, pesting and informal target shooting for most shooters.
But should the power level be too low for you, the longer-barrel models are specified to bring a gain of around 10 Ft/Lbs…
| Pellet | Average Muzzle Velocity | Average Muzzle Energy | Accuracy |
|---|---|---|---|
| H&N Field Target Trophy Green 10.03 Grain | 966.92 FPS | 19.87 Ft/Lbs | Poor. |
| Predator GTO 11.75 Grain | 915.54 FPS | 21.88 Ft/Lbs | Very Good. |
| RWS Hobby 11.9 Grain | 901.17 FPS | 21.46 Ft/Lbs | Poor. |
| Crosman Premier HP 14.3 Grain | 860.08 FPS | 23.49 Ft/Lbs | Excellent. |
| JSB Jumbo Express 14.35 Grain | 866.31 FPS | 23.92 Ft/Lbs | Excellent. |
| H&N Field Target Trophy 14.66 Grain | 855.36 FPS | 23.82 Ft/Lbs | Very Good. |
| NSA Hollowpoint Slugs 20.3 Grain .218" | 762.59 FPS | 26.09 Ft/Lbs | Very good. |
| H&N Baracuda Match 21.14 Grain | 768.77 FPS | 27.75 Ft/Lbs | Excellent. |
| JSB Jumbo Monster 25.39 Grain | 718.01 FPS | 29.07 Ft/Lbs | Excellent. Best Tested. |
At this point we would normally include a 25-Yard, 10-shot test target. But you can see the problem in this photograph of our range :-(
We’ll add this test target when there’s less snow, less wind and warmer temperatures…
TRIGGER AND COCKING EFFORT
The Air Venturi Alpha tested by HAM had a surprisingly good trigger!
There’s a very light first stage, followed by a clear and definite “stop” as you pull back. Pulling past that stop gives a crisp release with very little creep. For an air rifle of this price, it’s a very impressive trigger.
The average pull weight recorded in HAM testing was 3 Lbs 6.1 Oz. This would be a fair weight for a general-purpose, or hunting trigger.
In the right side of the receiver we can see a hole. Through it the sear engagement is visible. This was undoubtedly used in the factory for setting trigger sear adjustment and length of travel.
It would also serve the same purpose for anyone looking to make adjustments themselves using the forward trigger screw. The larger, rear, trigger adjustment screw adjusts the second stage release weight.
The side lever cocking works pretty well, too. It’s fairly heavy to pull open, easier to close. Operation is smooth but unsatisfying. Functional would be the best description.
One issue is that – when in the closed position – the cocking lever lies very tight against the side of the receiver and extremely close to a fitted magazine. This makes it a little difficult for fat fingers to easily pull the lever out in use. However, a little practice goes a long way in making it easier…
The manual safety operates positively and conveniently from the left side only. Would it be better if it were ambidextrous? Sure. Would that cost more money? Ditto.
On balance I did not find the safety position a big issue.
COMPARISON TO MAKRS CLAIMS
Air Venturi specifies a maximum Muzzle Energy for the Alpha compact, tube model of 26 Ft/Lbs with 25.39 Grain pellets. The HAM test gun delivered 29.07 Ft/Lbs. That’s around 11% above the specification.
Maximum Muzzle Velocity spec is 900 FPS with 11.75 Grain pellets. The HAM test gun delivered 915 FPS, slightly above.
Air Venturi gives a shot count of 20 from a fill of High Pressure Air. As we can see below, the HAM test gun delivered 15 absolutely-consistent shots, with the final 5 dropping down towards 762 FPS.
The HAM definition of “consistent” shots is 40 FPS Extreme Spread between maximum and minimum Muzzle Velocity. So, the Alpha just matches the claims with an Extreme Spread of 33 FPS down to shot 20.
CONSISTENCY
The Air Venturi Alpha displayed stellar consistency!
As the shootdown graph below shows, the Alpha tested by HAM displayed outstanding consistency of Muzzle Velocity until reaching the regulator set point at shot 15.
This is confirmed by the Standard Deviation figures recorded on the test targets at the foot of this review. Every single Standard Deviation was lower than 3 FPS, with the average being 1.72 FPS.
Without doubt, this is the most consistent airgun we have ever tested for Muzzle Velocity!
Another aspect of consistency can be found by looking at the trigger pull weights. Here the minimum recorded weight was 3Lbs 4.3 Oz. The maximum was 3 Lbs 7.7 Oz. That 3.4 Oz difference between pull weights is remarkably low and completely imperceptible to the shooter.
A final aspect of consistency is the fact that the Alpha achieved “Very Good” or “Excellent” results on seven out of the nine test targets. This lack of “pellet pickiness” is another great benefit of consistency in real world use.
NOISE LEVEL
The Air Venturi Alpha is fitted with a shrouded barrel and installed silencer. In .22 caliber, I found the report surprisingly quiet given the short barrel and would definitely consider it to be “backyard friendly” for many owners.
I would also expect the long-barreled versions to be quieter, once they become available.
SIGHTS AND SCOPE
As with most current PCP air rifles, the Alpha has no iron sights. So optical sights of some sort are obligatory. They are mounted on the curious “toothed” Picatinny rail that stretches across the top of the receiver.
In this compact configuration, I had a ton of fun with short-range (less than 20 Yards) plinking using this Leapers UTG red/green dot sight. The combination handled really well and would also be ideal for close range pesting. Those short, vertical side Picatinny rails could be used to attach a laser or lights for low-light hunting, too.
But of course, most people will mount a scope. And it’s here that the Alpha’s short – 6 3/4-Inch – rail comes into play.
In combination with the short – 14 3/4-Inch – pull length of the folding stock and the overall small size of the gun, it’s best to mount a fairly compact riflescope.
I settled eventually on a Hawke Airmax 30 SF Compact scope. This matched well with the size of the gun and also allowed me to achieve the long eye relief distance that I require.
From this experience, I would definitely advise careful scope selection and positioning, particularly if you, too, require the scope set well forward to obtain a long eye relief.
SHOOTABILITY
The first impression when you receive an Alpha is “Wow it’s light”. The second is “Wow it’s small”. This is – without doubt – a very comfortable little gun that’s ideal for shooters of smaller stature, or who just don’t want to shoot a heavy gun.
Whatever the configuration, the Air Venturi Alpha PCP air rifle has a side lever action operating a 10-shot magazine in .22 caliber. The fill pressure is 3,625 PSI, that’s 250 Bar, if you prefer.
Both the relatively low fill pressure and the side lever cocking are likely to make any version of the Alpha enjoyable to shoot.
However the ultra-compact (33 1/2-Inch) length and light weight (just 4.1 Lbs plus scope) of this “Compact Tube” variant mean that handling is really superb. The Alpha points well and comes onto the target rapidly when shot freehand. It would also be ideal for use in blinds or tight locations when hunting.
Yes, the Alpha could be used as a pistol – maybe. However it’s supplied with a folding stock that’s attached to the vertical Picatinny rail at the rear of the receiver. We will be testing and referring to it as an air rifle – not pistol.
There’s a fixed-length, side-folding stock that stows conveniently against the left side of the gun, should you wish. It’s held in place by a small, high-strength magnet.
Due to the mounting system, it would be easy to replace with a longer buttstock, or one with an adjustable cheekpiece etc. The pistol grip is AR-compatible, so that can be easily changed as well.
However, the Air Venturi Alpha has another trick or two up its’ sleeve!
Here’s the first. Use a 2.5 mm Allen key to remove the two screws holding the cheekpiece in place. You’ll find that it’s possible to re-position the cheekpiece longitudinally to a second position.
With the addition of some suitable washers and/or spacers, plus appropriate length M4 screws, it would be an easy home project to raise the height of the supplied cheekpiece, too!
The second trick makes use of that magnet on the side of the forend. As well as it’s intended use as a retaining device for the folded stock, it can also be used to retain a magazine.
So, it’s possible to hold a second magazine in reserve – but attached to the gun – using this capability. Like so…
Talking of mags, the Air Venturi Alpha uses a ratchet-style magazine. I like this a lot as it makes loading very easy, with no need to keep the mag’s rotor tensioned against the internal spring when filling with pellets.
This is a huge improvement over many other magazines from the loading perspective. However it unfortunately does not incorporate a “blind” section that prevents blank firing when all the pellets are used.
So you need to remember to keep count of the pellets you have fired with the Alpha.
And before leaving this section, I have to say – again – that I am really not happy with the position of the pressure gauge at the end of the HPA tube. Although not as bad as some, it’s easy to point the barrel at yourself when checking pressure. Not a good situation.
APPEARANCE AND FINISH
Very good indeed!
I love the look of this Air Venturi Alpha. It’s positively svelte in appearance, with not an ounce of superfluous weight or size.
Although I have – so far – only seen the other Alpha models in photographs, the Compact Tube model here has an outstanding balance to the design. The longer models look somewhat “gangly” to me. However your mileage may vary when discussing appearance, as always…
The forend is perforated with multitudinous M-LOK slots. So I fitted a Leapers UTG Reconflex II bipod. This has separate legs that attach to M-LOK slots.
The result is sturdy, plus – when folded forward – the legs are kept well out of the way and do not hinder offhand shooting as much as a regular bipod can. It was a good companion for the Alpha and – again – highlights the excellent design.
Although the light brown forend and cheekpiece are small, they break-up the appearance and prevent the Alpha from having an aggressive “black gun” look.
As for finish: impeccable!
Machining, fit and surface finish of all parts would not disgrace a $1,000 airgun. That applies to metal and synthetic parts, as well as the carbon fiber barrel shroud.
The Air Venturi Alpha is a prime example of the high level of finish that is becoming so common on mid-range PCPs nowadays. It’s a world away from the standards of even 10 years ago, when Hard Air Magazine began publishing.
BUYING AND OWNING
The Alpha is a hugely “accessorizable” air rifle. For example, the short Picatinny rails on the side of the receiver could be used to mount a flashlight. Or – as I did – a sling swivel. (I always like slings on my rifles).
Another good point is that the Air Venturi Alpha PCP air rifle is supplied complete with two magazines, a single shot tray and a fill probe.
There’s also a set of replacement O rings and tools. However there’s no instructions for actually how to use them. Also, there’s a threaded barrel cap, yet the included silencer is clearly not meant to be removed – it’s on there really, really tight!
But there is a degassing screw on the right side of the gun. This is an useful feature that should be used before going inside the Alpha.
The Alpha is filled using a fill probe. This is not my favorite means of filling – I much prefer to use a 1/8-Inch NPT “Foster” fitting.
Should you wish to leave the fill probe in place between fills, as shown below, note that on this compact tube model of the Alpha, the extended gauge shroud jams against the silencer. That’s not likely to be beneficial for accuracy…
There’s a useful, practical Owner’s Manual that’s in English only.
Again, downsides are few. Warranty is provided by Air Venturi from the company’s Solon, Ohio facility. But it covers the Alpha for 12 months only.
Also you’re unlikely to see the Alpha in a big box sporting goods store. But that may be OK as it’s readily available online from Airgun Depot, Pyramyd Air and other Air Venturi dealers.
TEST TARGETS
BUY FROM PYRAMYD
Air Venturi Alpha Air Rifle 0.22
This entire article including scoring, test targets etc is Copyright Hard Air Magazine and may NOT in part or in whole be reproduced in any electronic or printed medium without prior permission from the publisher.
The post Air Venturi Alpha PCP Air Rifle Review .22 Caliber appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.
