We might earn income from the merchandise accessible on this web page and take part in affiliate packages. Learn More ›
Small recreation looking and plinking reactive targets with an airgun is an absolute blast, it doesn’t matter what your age. And as a result of airguns generate decrease energy and may be very quiet, they supply a method to hunt in suburban areas (the place authorized) and conditions the place a firearm isn’t sensible. The Umarex Notos is a brand new airgun for 2023 and it’s already one in every of my favourite small recreation weapons.
It comes with all of the elements to set it up as a big handgun or a really compact carbine, making it probably the most versatile choices to return alongside shortly. It can be the most effective airgun values you’ll discover at properly below $300 with options of air rifles many occasions its worth. Here’s what I consider the Umarex NOTOS after testing it within the discipline and on the vary.
- Barrel Length: 11.75 inches
- Shrouded barrel (3 baffle SilencAir system)
- Weight: 4 kilos
- Caliber: .22
- Maximum Velocity: 740 fps
- Seven shot journal
- Side lever motion
- 21 pictures per fill
- 3625 psi working strain
- Regulated to 1900 psi
Power Source
The Notos is a PCP airgun, which suggests it has an air tank that must be crammed by an exterior supply. Two of the commonest choices are a compressor or a big air tank like those used for scuba diving. The compressor you employ to fill your gun have to be made for air rifles as a result of it must fill to a really excessive strain, 3,600 psi, and take away moisture from the air. If you go the tank route, you should buy a tank from an airgun provider and fill it at a dive store, paintball retailer, or firehouse.
Sound Reduction
Firearm silencers require a $200 tax stamp, paperwork, and an extended ready interval, however sound suppression on air rifles is a distinct story, and it doesn’t require any extra paperwork. The Umarex NOTOS is saved quiet from a shrouded barrel and a moderator on the finish of the barrel. Think of it like an integrally suppressed rifle just like the B&T USA SPR300 Pro Rifle.
Testing the Umarex Notos within the Field
On a latest javelina hunt in West Texas, I introduced the Umarex NOTOS alongside as my small recreation gun and began with a while on the vary testing a number of pellets to find out what works greatest on this platform. I at all times do that with a brand new air rifle, as they are often choosy regarding pellet choice.
I shot teams at 30 yards, and I ought to point out on a windy day, with the JSB Jumbo Express 14.35 gr spherical nostril, the 14.5 gr RWS Superdome, the 18.1 gr JTS Dead Center spherical nostril, the 18 gr Apolo hole level, and the 17 gr Apolo wadcutter pellets.
I used to be capturing off a bench, the carbine rested on sandbags, beginning with a full 3625 psi (250 BAR) cost of air. I continued capturing so long as the strain gauge stayed within the inexperienced, refilling earlier than the needle moved into the purple. This is a regulated gun and may stay constant so long as the tank strain exceeds the regulator strain (1900 psi).
After getting sighted in, I sat down on the bench to shoot 5 consecutive five-shot teams at 30 yards, one every with the pellets listed above. The very first thing to notice is that the Umarex NOTOS was pellet tolerant and grouped properly with all 5 pellets, which is steadily not the case when testing weapons. The most correct pellet was the 14.35 gr JSB Jumbo Express, adopted intently by the 18.1 gr JTS Dead Center. The least correct was the 17 gr Aoplo Wadcutter. This was not stunning, as in my expertise, flat head pellets are usually much less correct at better distances and don’t carry out properly in windy situations. I used to be stunned that they really grouped in addition to they did below these circumstances and nonetheless provided good accuracy.
As this gun is regulated, I shot one full string with the JSBs to gauge consistency, discovering minimal variation. Next, I shot ten strings to get the typical velocity for the opposite pellets. The outcomes are proven within the determine above and display that the shot-to-shot consistency over the complete string was good, with an expansion of 28 fps. However, if we have a look at the primary 19 pictures within the string, the variation is 9 fps, main me to imagine that the tank strain had fallen under the 1900 psi regulator setting within the final two pictures.
Across the 5 pellets, the facility output was 18 fpe to twenty fpe, which was properly above the claims in Umarex’s promoting supplies. I imagine this energy stage is within the candy spot for a mid-range small recreation gun. With these outcomes, I felt assured taking the NOTOS out small recreation looking, and cleanly bagged a few huge jackrabbits at 45 yards on my first outing. Over every week, the NOTOS and I did a pair extra rabbit hunts and bagged a number of Eurasian Collared doves as properly. My pals and I additionally managed to plink our method by means of a few tins of pellets. We had 1000’s of {dollars} value of high-end weapons with us, however you needed to stand in line to get a flip with this little carbine.
What the Umarex NOTOS Does Best
The Umarex NOTOS is correct and at 45 yards will ship the spinners and reactive targets flying all day lengthy. And then, when the shooter is completed with goal follow and plinking, they will head out to the woods the place this carbine is highly effective sufficient to cleanly drop small recreation on the identical distance. With light-weight and adjustable inventory, this gun will present a great match for just about any shooter, so it’s a nice youth rifle that may develop with the shooter. And to tie a bow on this bundle, Umarex has positioned it at a really aggressive worth level.
When taking all of those parts into consideration, I imagine the NOTOS might be the perfect starter or youth gun that may be discovered as we speak. You can add a conveyable compressor and nonetheless be within the worth vary of many weapons that don’t provide the identical options.
But it could be a mistake to think about the NOTOS as solely a youth-oriented airgun. I believe many skilled grownup airgunners would additionally take pleasure in this carbine. It is a pleasure to pack over distances or when transferring by means of thick cowl, and whereas not overly highly effective, in my expertise, it does the job on small recreation. Match it with a compact scope, and you’ve got one of many lightest small recreation setups accessible.
Read Next: Best Air Rifle Scopes
Where the NOTOS Can Improve
Nothing is ideal, and I’ve a few reservations when recommending the NOTOS. First, though this gun comes with pistol grips to configure it as a handgun, it’s a giant handgun. It is okay for a robust shooter that wishes to hunt it as a handgun. However, it’s in all probability too cumbersome and heavy for a shooter of smaller stature. I believe that for a smaller shooter, a CO2-powered duplicate handgun can be a greater match.
Another factor to contemplate is that at sub-20 fpe, the facility output is on the decrease finish of the spectrum. It is okay for small recreation inside 45 yards however is underpowered for long-range capturing. To preserve this in perspective, the authorized restrict for an airgun with no firearms allow within the UK is 12 fpe, and the British have been looking rabbits, squirrels, and crows with sub 12 fpe rifles for many years.
The final merchandise to contemplate is that you would be able to get any caliber you need, as long as you desire a .22. The NOTOS is simply accessible in .22, so in order for you one other caliber, you might be out of luck. Having stated this, I believe that .22 is the optimum caliber for this gun when trying on the efficiency potential. If the NOTOS was restricted to 12 fpe I’d take into account a .177, or if it generated 40 fpe I’d take into account a .25, however as it’s the .22 provides the perfect mixture of accuracy, energy, and shot rely.
Final Thoughts
It’s apparent that I favored this little carbine so much. If you might be in search of a rifle to show the younger ones to shoot or desire a compact small recreation gun for your self, the Umarex NOTOS may properly be an ideal match. And what makes the choice much more compelling is the worth.