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VALUE FOR MONEY
One hundred per cent!!!
In the Umarex Komplete we have a complete “PCP in a box”. There’s no need for a HPA tank, hand pump or compressor. The power is provided by a screw-on, disposable NitroAir cartridge that’s pre-filled with 32 Grams of Nitrogen.
For an MSRP of $199.99 – that’s deep into breakbarrel territory – the Komplete offers a huge range of features and benefits. Let’s list them here:
– PCP power without complexity.
– No need to deal with breakbarrel cocking effort, recoil and accuracy issues.
– Exceeds the mandatory 1,000 FPS in .177 caliber with lead pellets.
– Regulated action, up to 45 consistent shots per NitroAir cartridge (one included).
– Sidelever action.
– Multi-shot rotary magazine (two included).
– Built-in silencer.
– Includes 4×32 scope and rings.
– Picatinny scope rail.
– 2-year warranty.
So the Komplete takes the traditional breakbarrel benefit of “just add pellets and go” and combines it with the operational advantages of a PCP. And at a very attractive price.
HAM Specialist PCP Tester Doug Rogers is used to reviewing expensive guns. But even he was impressed. “It surprised me,” he noted in his test comments. “I was not expecting to like the Komplete but it worked well.”
BUY FROM PYRAMYD
Umarex Komplete NitroAir PCP Rifle 0.177
SPEED AND ACCURACY
Note that the HAM test gun was serial number 23L20007. It’s definitely a pre-production unit. However we do not expect there to be any significant differences between this gun and volume production.
As we can see, in .177 caliber, the Umarex Komplete tested by HAM exceed the “magic” 1,000 FPS barrier with five of our standard HAM test pellets.
More important than this – in our opinion – is that accuracy was really very good for all our standard pellets. So this is definitely not a “pellet picky” airgun.
That will be a significant benefit for first time owners – the Komplete’s target market – as they are likely to just buy the ammo that’s on the shelf next to the gun: whatever that may be.
| Pellet | Average Muzzle Velocity | Average Muzzle Energy | Accuracy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Predator GTO 5.0 Grain | 1138.94 FPS | 15.84 Ft/Lbs | Excellent. |
| H&N Field Target Trophy Green 5.56 Grain | 1120.56 FPS | 15.50 Ft/Lbs | Very Good. |
| RWS Hobby 7.0 Grain | 1040.56 FPS | 16.86 Ft/Lbs | Excellent. |
| Crosman Premier HP 7.9 Grain | 1006.79 FPS | 17.78 Ft/Lbs | Excellent. |
| JSB Exact Diabalo 7.87 Grain | 1012.85 FPS | 17.93 Ft/Lbs | Excellent. Best Tested. |
| H&N Field Target Trophy 8.64 Grain | 983.67 FPS | 18.56 Ft/Lbs | Very Good. |
| H&N Baracuda Match 10.65 Grain | 907.00 FPS | 19.45 Ft/Lbs | Excellent. |
Below we see my 25-Yard, 10-shot target. This was shot using the 7.87 Grain JSB Express pellets that Doug Rogers found most accurate in his testing. Personally, I’m VERY happy with that group!
Let’s go back to the “big box springer” comparison…
There’s NO WAY that I would be able to achieve accuracy anything like this with a breakbarrel air rifle at $200 – or indeed at any price. I think that would be true for the overwhelming majority of “average Joes” who would buy this in a big box store.
TRIGGER AND COCKING EFFORT
There’s amazingly good news here! Yes, the Umarex Komplete tested by HAM had a very good trigger.
It’s a single-stage unit, but the feel is actually pretty good by most standards. Doug Rogers categorized it as “an excellent trigger for the price”.
With an average pull weight of just 1 Lb 9.6 Oz, it’s light and – after a little experience – allows the user to anticipate when the sear is about to release. Good.
That’s a push-across manual safety located in the trigger blade. While reliable, the setting of this type of safety is not easily seen at any distance.
Amazingly for a sub-$200 PCP air rifle, the Komplete has sidelever cocking. This also functions well and is easy to use.
The lever springs out pleasantly with first pressure from the finger. Then the unusually-shaped cocking lever is easy to use, completing the full cocking cycle.
Note that – at least on the pre-production Umarex Komplete tested by HAM – the pistol grip section of the stock flexed somewhat when the cocking lever was pulled back.
Although this may not be a significant issue, it’s something that may disappear in production guns as we understand that slight changes will be made to the stock in that area before customer availability.
COMPARISON TO MAKERS CLAIMS
Manufacturer’s specifications for the Umarex Komplete include a good number of claims, as benefits the marketing needs of airguns in this price range.
These include a Muzzle Velocity of up to 1,025 FPS with lead pellets in .177 caliber, combined with a Muzzle Energy of 18 Ft/Lbs.
In HAM testing we saw a maximum of 1,040 FPS with 7.0 Grain RWS Hobby pellets. The peak was 1,138 FPS with Predator GTO alloys. So the Muzzle Velocity claim was easily exceeded by the test gun.
Muzzle Energy peaked at 19.45 Ft/Lbs with 10.65 Grain H&N Baracuda Match pellets. Again, well above the claim.
Another claim is that for up to 45 consistent, regulated shots per NitroAir cartridge. In this case, HAM testing achieved no less than 60 consistent shots from one cartridge. See details below.
Another claim is that the multi-shot rotary magazine is easy to load. The HAM testers agree with this. Pellet loading into the mags was both simple and easy, so long as it was loaded on a table or a finger strategically-placed on the underside to stop pellets falling straight through.
The claim for “both hot and cold weather performance” is clearly a comparison with CO2-powered guns.
While there is, indeed, a small change in performance for PCP airguns with temperature (and elevation for that matter), this is VERY small in comparison to that experienced by CO2-powered airguns. We’re not going to disagree with this claim.
CONSISTENCY
The Komplete tested by HAM completely blew away Umarex’s claims for the number of shots per NitroAir cartridge!
As you can see from the chart below, we achieved no less than 60 consistent shots at an average of 976 FPS with 8.64 Grain H&N Field Target Trophy pellets.
As the Umarex Komplete does not include a pressure gauge, most new owners will likely keep shooting until either the point-of-impact drops appreciably or the gun stops going bang.
The chart above shows that – in .177 caliber – the Komplete tested by HAM was still shooting at an acceptable 645 FPS at shot 84. That’s seven magazines worth!
Komplete owners are going to be pleased with this too…
NOISE LEVEL
As is to be expected from any air rifle, the Umarex Komplete can be loud if shooting with light pellets in .177 caliber.
There’s no way that shots exceeding the Sound Barrier (approximately 1,100 FPS) are going to be quietened by the Komplete’s built-in silencer. Nor would they with any other air rifle.
So the secret to backyard-friendly shooting is to use mid-weight (7.9 Grain or heavier) pellets with a .177 caliber gun. Alternatively, choosing .22 caliber will mitigate the noise issue also.
Overall, it’s fair to say that the Komplete is not the quietest air rifle ever tested by HAM. But shooting mid-weight pellets, you are not too likely to disturb the neighbors.
SIGHTS AND SCOPE
There’s good news and bad news here…
The good news is that the Umarex Komplete has a good-length Picatinny scope rail molded into the top of the receiver. This provides plenty of real estate for mounting different length riflescopes and individual shooter’s eye relief requirements.
More good news is that the magazine does not project high above the top of the Picatinny rails. This is another feature that makes scope mounting easy and flexible.
Then, too, a riflescope and rings is included with the Komplete. This allows the excited new owner to start shooting immediately.
The bad news is that this bundled scope is – inevitably for cost reasons – a 4×32 model of limited optical quality. The HAM Team fitted the 4×32 scope for photography, but that’s all.
For our shooting tests we installed an Axeon Optics 4-16 x 44 scope. While not an expensive riflescope, this Umarex USA optic offers improved optical quality, zoom magnification, a mil-dot reticle and AO close focusing. Big improvement!
We suggest that all Komplete owners up-grade their scope as soon as possible. It will be a great help in achieving the best possible accuracy from this PCP air rifle.
SHOOTABILITY
With a bare weight of 5 Lbs 13 Oz (plus the scope) and a length of 41.5 Inches, the Umarex Komplete is a light, manageable air rifle. As Doug Rogers observed: “The whole family could use it.”
In spite of the front-mounted NitroAir cartridge, balance is very acceptable also. Combined with the light trigger and high-combed, ambidextrous buttstock stock, this is a comfortable air rifle to shoot.
The rotary magazines are loaded into the breech from the left side. Again, operation is easy and foolproof.
APPEARANCE AND FINISH
The Umarex Komplete has an overall harmonious deign. At 41.5-Inches long, it’s reasonably compact and looks a well-balanced design.
The light gray synthetic stock is a welcome change from the “all black” look of so many contemporary air rifles. My personal opinion is that it would look even better in olive green or flat dark earth. (Umarex USA, are you listening???)
Generally, the Komplete is fairly well finished. It’s certainly well done for the price. The quality of the molding on the stock is good, as this close-up of the pistol grip shows.
The only let-down for the HAM testers was that there’s somewhat more flash at the mold joins than we’ve become used to seeing recently. But it’s not objectionable.
The breech is a synthetic molding – as is becoming more common with low-end PCPs. It looks fine, is rust-proof and has accurately-molded Picatinny rails for scope mounting.
BUYING AND OWNING
Umarex is clearly anticipating that the Komplete NCR will be a product that sells well in big box retail stores. Given the company’s strong distribution presence, you are very likely to be seeing the Komplete in a store near you soon.
Of course, it will be available in the usual online specialist airgun dealers too, including Pyramyd and Airgun Depot.
By design, owners of the Umarex Komplete will be buying the dedicated NitroAir cartridges. These are sold in two-packs at a MSRP of $24.99. That represents up to 90 consistent, regulated shots – at least according to the company’s claims. So the air cost is about 28 Cents per shot.
Sure, that’s more expensive that the air from a tank, handpump or compressor. But then you do not need to buy, operate or maintain any such additional devices. Nor do you need to worry about potentially over-filling the gun.
Plus – if the HAM test experience is typical – users of the .177 caliber Komplete will probably achieve more like 84 shots from one cartridge. Now the cost per shot is under 15 Cents per shot.
The Komplete’s value proposition is simplicity and ease of ownership. The cartridges are the key to that.
As the regulator is set to 1,800 PSI, it’s likely that a fair amount of pressure will remain in the NitroAir cartridge when you want to remove and replace it. As we have seen, for plinking, it’s possible to make up to 84 shots if you accept a falling Muzzle Velocity as you keep shooting past the regulator set pressure.
At any event, it’s it is essential to degas the action before unscrewing the depleted cartridge. That’s the purpose of the degassing screw in the underside of the stock. You’ll need a 5mm Allen (hex) key to do this.
Again, it’s easy to do. Just don’t forget to tighten that screw back before loading a new NitroAir cartridge or you’ll hear an expensive hissing sound…
As always from this manufacturer, the Umarex Komplete is supplied with clear, precise and easily-understood instructions in multiple languages. Good!
There’s also a two-year warranty that’s fulfilled in the USA through the company’s headquarters in Fort Smith, AR.
TEST TARGETS
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.
BUY FROM PYRAMYD
Umarex Komplete NitroAir PCP Rifle 0.177
The post Umarex Komplete PCP Air Rifle Test Review .177 Caliber appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.
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