VALUE FOR MONEY
This new Air Venturi Avenge-XL PCP air rifle is clearly a linear design evolution of the amazingly-popular Air Venturi Avenger and Avenge-X models. That much is obvious.
However – unlike the Avenger and Avenge-X models, this is definitely NOT a general purpose air rifle. Here we have a special-purpose shooter. It’s designed purely for long-range shooting, shot from a rested or prone position.
Many people will use it as a dedicated benchrest air rifle, some for hunting. The provision of replaceable hammer springs, together with regulator and hammer spring adjustments, means that this gun can be configured with two different personalities. Out-of-the-box as a hunter. With some tweaks for benchrest competition.
HAM readers first read about the Avenge-XL in our post of 22 January, 2025. This recorded the first appearance of the gun at the 2025 SHOT Show. The MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) was listed then as $799.99.
The next post appeared on 22 January, 2026. This was the time of the 2026 SHOT Show and also when the Avenge-XL first appeared on the Pyramyd AIR website. This recorded that Pyramyd’s selling price would be $749.99.
Now – if you visit Pyramyd today – the availability date is given as 27 April 2026 and the price is now $699.99. That’s a reduction of $100.00 since the original announcement!
Air Venturi and everyone associated with the Avenge-XL has clearly been sharpening their pencils. We should all give them credit for that
But already it’s clear that there’s a lot to like. I’m sure it will attract many more airgunners into long-range benchrest shooting and hunting.
BUY FROM PYRAMYD
Air Venturi Avenge-XL PCP Air Rifle 0.30
SPEED AND ACCURACY
As we can see from the following table, the Air Venturi Avenge-XL PCP air rifle tested by HAM consistently delivered well above 100 Ft/Lbs of Muzzle Energy in .30 caliber.
| Pellet/Slug | Average Muzzle Velocity | Average Muzzle Energy | Accuracy |
|---|---|---|---|
| JSB Exact 44.75 Grain | 1,031 FPS | 105.65 Ft/Lbs | Excellent. |
| JSB Hades 44.75 Grain | 1,015 FPS | 104.42 Ft/Lbs | Excellent. Best Tested. |
| JTS Dead Center 45.06 Grain | 1,023 FPS | 104.74 Ft/Lbs | Excellent. |
| JSB Exact 50.15 Grain | 1,002 FPS | 111.83 Ft/Lbs | Very Good. |
| JSB KnockOut 50.15 Grain | 1,010 FPS | 113.62 Ft/Lbs | OK. |
| H&N Slug HPII 54.0 Grain | 982 FPS | 115.66 Ft/Lbs | Poor. |
| NSA Slugs 54.5 Grain | 977 FPS | 115.54 Ft/Lbs | Poor. |
Note that this performance, together with the test targets and shot count figures detailed in this review were achieved using the gun in “as received” condition. This is particularly important in the case of the Avenge-XL as the gun is also supplied with an alternative, lighter hammer spring.
Air Venturi provides a video showing how to change the hammer spring and indicates that the results include lower Muzzle Velocity, higher shot count and – in some cases – improved accuracy. HAM hopes to bring you an update on the Avenge-XL in this configuration in the near future.
Also, please note that the accuracy testing took place on a day with gusting winds of up to 27 MPH. Ouch, that was very tough for consistent, accurate shooting, even with .30 caliber!
Both HAM Tester Doug Wall and the Avenge-XL did very well considering the conditions. However, you can see a clear tendency to horizontal stringing in many of the test targets from the predominantly right-to-left wind.
Below. At 50 Yards, Doug fired 5 shots with a CTC of 0.7 Inches. That’s about 1.4 MOA and was – I feel – very creditable given the gusting wind conditions. It’s certainly very satisfactory for hunting small game.
We’re confident of better grouping in calmer conditions and hope to prove this in future.
TRIGGER AND COCKING EFFORT
The Air Venturi Avenge-XL PCP air rifle is fitted with a two-stage trigger.
As received from the factory, the trigger on the Avenge-XL tested by HAM felt more like a single-stage unit. There was little sign of a first stage and the trigger felt heavy – although not creepy.
In fact the trigger pull had an average weight of 3 Lb 7.1 Oz. That’s around 1 Lb 8 Oz heavier than the Avenger and Avenge-X models we have tested in the past, which was a little surprising. It’s also definitely heavy for a benchrest air rifle (although fine for hunting).
However – like those other models – the Avenge-XL has an adjustable trigger. There’s screw adjustment for sear engagement and pull length. I’ll look to reduce the pull weight and enhance the first stage when changing the hammer spring in future. (It’s also possible that the trigger pull weight will be lower anyway with the light spring due to reduced sear pressure in that configuration).
But the trigger blade is well-shaped and very comfortable to use.
There’s also a prominent, easy-to-use safety lever on the right side of the action. This is conveniently-placed and positive in operation.
The sidelever action of the Avenge-XL is easy to operate. Compared to the sidelever actions on other air rifles, it feels heavy in operation. This is undoubtedly due to the need to compress a very stout hammer spring to achieve the necessary power.
However it’s not an unpleasant action and is fair for the gun’s price point.
The pistol grip is AR-compatible and so can be replaced readily if required.
COMPARISON TO MAKERS CLAIMS
The manufacturer claims a maximum Muzzle Energy of 130 Ft/Lbs with 60.8 Grain slugs. The maximum power seen during HAM testing was 115 Ft/Lbs with 54 Grain slugs.
Given that the maximum Muzzle Velocity claim in .30 caliber is 1,100 FPS with 44.75 Grain pellets, whereas we achieved 1,030 FPS with the same weight, I would say that our test gun was performing a little below maximum specification. However, it’s likely that a slight rotation of the hammer spring tension screw would make-up that difference.
Air Venturi claims a maximum shot count of 75 per fill of High Pressure Air. However, this is with the included – but separate – light spring. HAM will check out this claim when we fit the light spring in future.
CONSISTENCY
The Air Venturi Avenge-XL tested by HAM produced 32 consistent shots before the Muzzle Velocity started to decline. Conveniently this equates to three, 10-shot magazines of consistent shooting. It’s a very decent shot count for .30 cal at 100+ Ft/lbs!
The average Standard Deviation across those 32 shots was 7.8 FPS. This is an “OK” figure, but serious long-range benchrest competitors would probably want to undertake some fine-tuning if using those pellets.
For comparison, the best Standard Deviation recorded in HAM testing was 3.7 FPS across 10 shots of JSB 50.15 Grain pellets.
The trigger pull weights recorded in HAM testing varied between 3 Lbs 2.4 Oz and 3 Lbs 9.8 Oz. That’s a variation of 7.4 Oz – nearly half a Pound. Again this was “OK” and the testers were not aware of the difference.
However, as with the Standard Deviation, serious benchrest competitors will want to tune for better. This is another aspect of performance that may well improve with the lighter hammer spring fitted.
NOISE LEVEL
Hmmm. Let’s see. A thirty caliber air rifle producing well over 100 Ft/Lbs of Muzzle Energy. There’s no way our Air Venturi Avenge-XL is going to be backyard-friendly! At least not without a dedicated airgun silencer.
That’s why the muzzle is threaded M18, in order for such a device to be fitted. Yes, that will make the gun quieter, but it will become even longer.
SIGHTS AND SCOPE
If you’re shooting out to 100 Yards, you need high quality glass with a pretty high magnification to sight on that target. No cheaping-out on a $200 3-9 x 40 scope!
That’s why I immediately mounted a Hawke Frontier 30 FFP 5-25 x 56 scope with heavy-duty Hawke Tactical high rings on our Avenge-XL.
Sure, at around $1,300 the scope costs more than the gun. But do you really want to hit that target at 100 Yards? I certainly can’t make hits if I can’t see the target clearly and sharply…
The .30 caliber magazine for the Avenge-XL – in particular – projects quite high above the action. Make sure you use high rings!
Another scope ring consideration is directly related to the long ranges at which the Avenge-XL will be shot.
Given the relatively low Ballistic Coefficients for airgun ammunition, targets far downrange will require any air rifle to be aimed “high” in compensation. This will be so with the Avenge-XL too, of course.
Depending on the range, type of ammo and power level you choose, it’s possible that your scope will run out of vertical elevation capability. This effect can be mitigated by choosing a scope with a large elevation range, but other help may be needed.
This requirement is compensated in some airguns intended for long-range shooting by an angled Picatinny scope mount. Typically the built-in angle of droop is 20 MOA. But the Avenge-XL does not have a droop scope rail.
Our Hawke Frontier 30 FFP 5-25 x 56 scope has a maximum clickable elevation range of 65 MOA. (That’s 32.5 MOA up plus 32.5 MOA down). That 32.5 MOA represents a drop of around 34 Inches at 100 Yards, so hopefully that will be enough for us.
But if your scope runs out of elevation adjustment capability for long-range shooting, you may need to invest in a set of adjustable scope rings, too. (And sadly this time there’s not a simple cheap fix from Leapers). That’s another thing to bear in mind as you get into long-range airgun shooting…
SHOOTABILITY
With the collapsible, AR-style, stock set to maximum pull length, the Avenge-XL measures a whopping 49 Inches overall. And that’s without an airgun-specific silencer should you choose to fit one.
With a Hawke Frontier 30 FFP 5-25 x 56 riflescope installed, the gun weighs-in at 11 Lbs 7 Oz. That’s without a bipod or any other accessories. So it’s not a lightweight.
However light weight is not an asset for a benchrest air rifle. In fact, it’s an asset.
While the rear buttstock is a six-position, adjustable AR-style unit, the forend is clearly designed not to be supported by a shooter’s hand. There’s an “infinite” – well OK, 15-Inch long – ARCA rail molded into the underside of that forend. Plus there’s no less than 16 M-LOK slots incorporated in the stock also.
The Avenge-XL shouts that this is an air rifle to be shot rested.
Most people will immediately fit a bipod. Some will shoot it from a tripod. At the least, it will be shot from a bag rest, although the design shows that was not what the designers intended.
As you can see from the studio photos, I first mounted a Leapers UTG Recon Flex bipod. This is a M-LOK-fitting bipod with two separate legs. It’s designed to be attached to matching side slots exactly as we find on the Avenge-X.
However it was clear that I need a bipod mounted further forward. That can be done easily, but not using the side slots. So I mounted a heavy-duty Leapers UTG Goliath bipod. Now we’re talking!
The Goliath is a great value, heavy duty bipod. But – at $329.99 – it’s half the cost of the Avenge-XL. There again, it’s not something to cheap-out on. Even the slightest wobble will help ensure you miss that target at 100 Yards.
But – like many bipods – the Goliath is not currently available in ARCA fit. The answer was an ARCA/Picatinny adapter, the UTG PRO M-LOK Picatinny Rail Section
That was attached to the underside M-LOK slots and the Goliath fitted, ready for action.
It surprises me that the male quick disconnect for filling the gun is completely bare. It has no cover!
My immediate action was to pop on a simple plastic cap I had lying around from previous use. But you may want to buy a more “professional” solution, like the Air Venturi QD Fill Port Protector Cap. It’s $6.99 and I’d say worth every penny to keep junk out of your Avenge-XL.
APPEARANCE AND FINISH
The Air Venturi Avenge-XL PCP air rifle is big, long and heavy. It’s a whopper and looks it!
And while – as always – beauty is in the eye of the beholder, in this case we’ll take the view that “handsome is as handsome does”. The HAM Testers certainly did not take to the looks, but it’s the results downrange that count.
Surface finish of the metal and synthetic parts is uniformly good. The Avenge-XL inspires confidence as a workmanlike tool that has been manufactured and assembled with care.
Details such as the well-designed face plates for the gauges (different for fill and regulator pressures on either side of the action) are further evidence of care in design.
The 500cc carbon fiber HPA bottle has a maximum fill pressure of 300 Bar (4,350 PSI). This is the first Air Venturi model to feature such a bottle and it’s well-paired with the gun.
BUYING AND OWNING
So how far will Air Venturi Avenge-XL PCP air rifle buyers want to shoot this baby? My guess is at least 50 Yards. Many would hope to stretch the range out to 100 Yards, even more, if they have an appropriate range to shoot at, that is. If not, why buy it?
The importance of this question relates to the non-optional accessories that will be required for this gun.
Of course, a quality scope and bipod are definite “musts” for anyone shooting long range. Maybe you have these items already, if not you’ll find that the Avenge-XL is the “gateway drug” that leads you to buy them!
Plus, you’ll definitely want to be sorting your ammo for consistency, too.
The gun itself is supplied with two magazines, a single-shot tray and a replacement, light, hammer spring. (We will be exploring the benefits of that in a future Hard Air Magazine post).
In addition, there’s a comprehensive set of O rings. No less than 27 of them by my count.
Even in advance of the gun’s introduction, you’ll find that caliber change kits and spare magazines are in stock at Pyramyd and available for purchase. And they’re well-priced too at just $69.99 for caliber change kits, for example.
Then there’s spare parts support. Spare parts and parts diagrams are readily available already on the Pyramyd website. That’s outstanding!
As aways with Air Venturi products, there’s a comprehensive, well-illustrated user guide. Plus the Avenge-XL is supported by a two-year warranty from Air Venturi in Cleveland.
TEST TARGETS
BUY FROM PYRAMYD
Air Venturi Avenge-XL PCP Air Rifle 0.30
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 Avenge-XL PCP Air Rifle Test Review .30 Caliber appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.
