Can you find an American made air rifle which not only competes in quality but exceeds the competition? Remington Nitro Piston Short Stroke air rifle from Crosman takes on this challenge and may shock you with quality, features, and cost to performance ratio. Crosman’s Remington line of air rifles is well known for their accuracy and ease of use. The Remington NPSS lives up to the Remington reputation and has become one of the best rated air rifles being sold today. Let’s take a closer look at the features of this Remington rifle.

 

Remington Nitro Piston Short Stroke Main Features

 

• Nitrogen Gas Cylinder
• Shooting Accuracy
• Sighting Options
• Open Stock
• Safety

 

Powered by a Nitrogen Gas Cylinder

 

The Remington Nitro Piston Short Stroke takes a detour from the most common power method for a break barrel cocking air rifle. Most rifles use a spring for their power source, which can lead to reduced power and spring fatigue if the gun is left in a cocked position. The nitrogen filled power cylinder used on this Remington rifles avoids the issue completely. You can cock the gun and patiently wait for the perfect shot with no worries about decreasing power.

Another problem with spring powered rifles is the variability in power due to temperature. They are usually very inefficient in low temperature conditions. The Remington NPSS remains equally powerful and accurate in all weather conditions from the bitter cold of winter to the blistering heat of summer. If you plan to use your air rifle year round the nitrogen power cylinder is a superior system.

The nitrogen gas cylinder provides you with one additional bonus, also. The Remington NPSS does not require as long of a cocking motion to be prepared for the shot. Keep in mind, this does not mean the cocking motion is significantly easier, just shorter. It still requires approximately 30 pounds of pressure to cock the gun, which should be expected on a high-powered air rifle.

The Remington NPSS comes in two different calibers, .177 and .22. The two models are nearly identical but there is one intriguing difference. Both calibers are very powerful and accurate, but the .177 fires pellets at nearly 1200fps where the .22 caliber shoots at 1000fps. The .177 version has been measured at up to 1500fps when using alloy pellets. Obviously this is due to sharing the same power cylinder and the difference is weight and air resistance on a .22 caliber pellet. This difference does make for a slight variable in noise, also. The .177 when using high performance pellets can cause an extra pop of sound as the pellets blast past the speed of sound.

Extreme Shooting Accuracy

 

One of the most commonly mentioned features in reviews by owners of the Remington Nitro Power Short Stroke rifle is accuracy. Out of the box without any break-in period the rifles can commonly maintain a target pattern of under 2” in diameter. It only gets better as the rifle is broken in. Crosman recommend waiting until you have fired between 50 and 100 shots to fine tune your sights. By the time you finish with the break-in period the rifle can consistently keep a shot pattern of under 1” diameter at 50 to 75 feet, and with high precision pellets many shooters can maintain a ½” diameter pattern.

This extreme accuracy is critical both for target shooting and eliminating pests. You do not want to take aim at a squirrel, lizard, or other pest and then discover your are shooting holes in the property you’re trying to protect. Please remember, accuracy with any air rifle is dependent on the quality of your pellets, also. You will quickly discover sticking to Crosman Pellets, like their pointed hunting pellets, will increase your accuracy and consistency.

 

High Quality Sighting Options

 

Accurate shooting is not just a function of the action of the rifle and pellet, but is heavily dependent on the sights the rifle is fitted with. Crosman chose to include two sighting options with the Remington NPSS air rifles. The first option is the traditional sights. The rifle includes a stationary front sight at the end of the barrel paired with a fully adjustable rear sight.

Crosman bundled the NPSS with their CenterPoint Optics 3 9x40AO scope. Crosman steps away from the competition with this decision. Most companies bundle low quality scopes with their high-performance air rifles, but not on the Remington NPSS. This scope is dead accurate and stays that way. Make sure you have fired the 100 shots to break-in the rifle first. With the scope properly adjusted and using Crosman’s hunting pellets some shooters claim to be able to maintain dime size shot patterns at 25 to 50 yards.

 

Open Stock for Easy Gripping

 

The stock of this Crosman rifle can be a love-hate situation for many shooters. Most shooters enjoy the open stock which allows you to wrap your thumb through the opening for increased gripping power. A few shooters prefer a closed stock. This is usually due to sticking to tradition rather than any improved performance factors.

The stock on the Remington Nitro Power Short Stroke is made from synthetic materials designed to handle all weather conditions and stand up to years of heavy use. The stock includes an adjustable cheek plate which can be moved to accommodate using either the standard gun sights, or raised higher for when using the scope. The stock is equipped with a rubber butt plate to absorb the recoil from the gun. Keep in mind a high powered air rifle has a substantial kick.

The stock is designed for ambidextrous use to be comfortable for both right and left-handed shooters. As we discuss the stock it is a good time to mention the bull barrel, also. You will notice the barrel is a bit larger in diameter than most air rifles. This design serves multiple purposes including:

• Easier gripping for cocking.
• Reduced kick.
• Reduced noise.

It does add slightly to the overall weight of the air rifle, which is offset by the lightweight synthetic stock. The combination of synthetic stock with its gripping pattern and the bull barrel make cocking the gun much easy.

 

Safety at Your Fingertips

 

The Remington NPSS puts all of their safety features right at your fingertips. There are two items which you need to pay attention to for safe shooting and both are inside the trigger guard. The most important safety feature is the safety mechanism. It is located just in front of the trigger and can be easily operated with a flick of your finger. You pull the safety towards the trigger to engage the safety, and push it to the edge of the trigger guard when ready to shoot.

The second safety feature is the two-stage trigger. The first stage of the trigger pull is set to approximately 3 pounds of pressure. The second stage can be adjusted to approximately equal the first stage or set to a tighter pull. The length of the pull can be set with the adjustment screws, also. You can set the trigger motion to fit your shooting feel. A dual stage trigger gives you that added moment of assurance before the shot is taken.

Dimensions and Physical Traits of the Remington NPSS

 

The Remington Nitro Piston Short Stroke air rifle is not a lightweight contender. It tips the scales at 6.94 pounds. This weight may feel heavy to some female shooters, senior citizens, and older children, but for the majority of hunters the added weight is a real benefit. The weight helps to absorb recoil, reducing kick, and allows for more accurate shooting. The rifle is 43.87 inches long overall. It is equipped with a 3/8” dovetail optics rail to provide compatibility with a wide range of scopes, if you find reason to replace the good quality Crosman scope included with the rifle.

The rifle is the color of carbon fiber from end to end. Crosman does make a nearly identical rifle in camouflage colors for hunters who prefer the camo appearance.

 

Additional Information

 

A few important notes are necessary about the Remington NPSS rifles. The first important item is do not forget about the 100 shot break-in period. During this time your shots will be slightly more erratic and the noise from the rifle will be louder than normal. You will see shot consistency and noise decrease gradually with each shot.

The second item you must be aware of is maintenance. The rifle requires a drop of RMCOIL added to the compression chamber approximately every 300 shots. Cleaning of the stock should be done with only a soft cloth. The barrel requires cleaning with a soft cloth with a small amount of RMCOIL. Crosman recommends not substituting for other oils on the NPSS models.

The last item we need to mention is Crosman’s warranty. Where many manufacturers of air rifles have begun to rely on their supply chain for warranty processing, Crosman still offers direct contact to consumers. The 1 year warranty included with the rifle includes parts and labor on any defect in materials and workmanship. Crosman’s customer service is one of the finest in the firearm industry. Knowing you can rely on both your retail provider and Crosman to give you support gives you added confidence in buying this high-quality air rifle.

 

Included and Optional Accessories

 

The Remington Nitro Short Stroke rifle comes bundled with a single accessory. This is the scope. The scope is a high-quality product and should help place this rifle above many competitors in the same price range.

Other accessories you should consider for your rifle include:

• RMCOIL – Silicone Chamber Oil
• Super Point Pellets – Extended distance pellets
• Crosman Shooting Glasses

 

Pros of the Remington NPSS

 

The positive points of the Remington NPSS Nitro Piston Short Stroke air rifle include:

• Easy cocking action
• Consistent power in all temperatures.
• No power fade after cocking.
• Highly accurate shooting.
• High quality scope included in bundle.
• Powerful air rifle – 1200fps
• Adjustable cheek pads for adjusting between standard sights and scope.
• Crosman support.
• Made in USA.

 

Cons of the Remington NPSS

 

The list of negative points about this rifle is very limited, but do include:

• Slightly heavier rifle making it difficult for younger shooters, women, and seniors.
• Break-in period required before sighting rifle.
• Some users report loose feeling first stage on trigger at some adjustment levels.

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Consumer Ratings

 

The Remington NPSS receives excellent ratings on top retail sites. Most below average reviews mention minor items like higher levels of noise when the rifle is first unboxed. Inaccurate shooting is often reported during the first 100 shots. Both of those issues are mentioned in the manual for the Remington NPSS as being common during the break-in period.

A few reviews turned up defective rifles being received by buyers. The percentage is very low and in almost every case either Crosman or the retailer immediately replaced the air rifle. Crosman stands behind their product which is mentioned repeatedly in reviews.

 

Conclusion

 

The Remington Nitro Power Short Stroke air rifle is a top choice of shooting enthusiasts and for good reasons. It offers consistent power while removing the faults of most spring powered rifles. The rifle is recommended for individuals who are interested in controlling pests, target shooting, and general pleasure shooting. The rifle is an easy to use option with great accuracy. Just remember, make sure you break-in the rifle quickly with a 100 shots on the target range before you dial in your sights.

The rifle is not intended for children. This powerful weapon should only be used by adults or with adult supervision. With a muzzle velocity of 1200fps the rifle can stop small wildlife and pests easily. The rifle is priced similarly to other high-quality products in its class. The two features which may push the Remington NPSS above other rifles is the high quality scope and the nitro powered system. You will have greater accuracy in all condition with the nitro system by Crosman.

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The Crosman Phantom 1000 air rifle is an enigma. It is a decent high-powered barrel break cocking pellet gun, but with some quirks which might fit your needs, or might drive you crazy. It is important to consider as you read this entire review that the Crosman Phantom 1000 is a low cost break barrel rifle from one of the leading companies in the industry. The rifle will not match the needs of everyone, but might be the perfect choice for you. Let’s take a look at all the features, quirks, and positive aspects of this air rifle.

 

Crosman Phantom 1000 Air Rifle Main Features

 

• High Power Spring Action Rifle
• Rifled Steel Barrel
• Bundled Scope for Increased Accuracy
• Two Stage Trigger

 

High Power Spring Action Rifle

 

The Crosman Phantom 1000 must be considered a high-powered air rifle simply by the fact it can shoot a .177 caliber pellet at over 1000fps. Some speed tests using high performance alloy pellets have obtained speeds of nearly 1200fps, but it is safer to consider this a 1000fps rifle.

The Phantom 1000 uses a break barrel cocking action which is spring powered. To cock the gun requires an initial quick slap to the end of the barrel to loosen the pivot lock. Then you simply grasp the barrel near the end while resting the butt on your leg and pull downward. It takes approximately 30 pounds of pull strength to cock the gun.

The gun gives an audible pop when you fire the gun from the rapid spring action. You will feel a definite kick from the rifle. Crosman has installed a rubber butt plate on the stock to absorb the kick and you will appreciate it. The kick is less than you would receive from most center fire rifles, but enough you would tire of the pounding on your shoulder if you were shooting many shots.

 

Rifled Steel Barrel

 

Crosman chose to go with a traditional rifled steel barrel on the Phantom 1000. This barrel gives the gun a little extra heft compared to guns using a composite barrel. The barrel has been blued with the traditional Crosman quality. It is hard to find any flaws on this series of guns.

Mounted on the barrel you will find the front and rear fiber optic sights. Here is the first place we hit one of the quirks of this rifle. The fiber optic sights used on the Crosman Phantom are cheap. They are low quality and many reviewers mention finding the sights are not tightly secured. If you want to shoot with high accuracy without using a scope this could be a troubling problem.

 

Using the Bundled Scope for Increased Accuracy

 

The Crosman Phantom is sold in two different packages. One package includes the Crosman 4×32 optics scope. With the problem we just talked about with the fiber optics sights a scope seems almost essential. The bundled scope is adequate, but barely more. It provides high quality optics which are clear and easy to read but lack somewhat on adjustability and overall quality.

If you are avid hunter using high quality optics on your hunting rifles you will be disappointed by the scope. If you are a weekend shooter you will probably find the scope very adequate. When you properly adjust the scope it will allow you to group shots in a 1 to 2 inch diameter from 25 to 50 yards away.

As we mention, this is a bit of an odd problem. You have a low cost rifle with a very average scope. If you are like most shooters seeking a simple pellet gun for keeping pests out of your yard and to enjoy a little shooting fun, then the scope will work fine. If you want high accuracy you should consider buying an alternative scope.

Keep in mind the Crosman Phantom 1000 air rifle is offered with or without the scope depending on the bundle you select. If you are concerned about the quality of the scope buy the gun without the bundled scope and add a scope of your own choosing. With the standard mounts on the rifle you can select scopes from BSA, Crosman, Barska, Gamo or your own favorite. They will all easily mount to the Phantom 1000.

 

Two Stage Trigger

 

We will now move on to our next curious feature from Crosman. Crosman knows how to make a high quality two stage adjustable trigger. You find them flawlessly deployed on many of their air rifles sporting the Remington brand. Sadly they failed to implement the same quality on the Crosman Phantom 1000 series.

The two stage trigger is most commonly described as sloppy. There is no mistake it is a two stage trigger, but the difference between the stages is so slight that it is not a big benefit. The trigger is adjustable, but the adjustments affect both stages simultaneously. On Crosman’s higher end guns the adjustments are to each stage independently letting you adjust for the feel you desire.

You will find some people who purchase the Phantom 1000 will replace the trigger assembly with an aftermarket product. The trigger quality is adequate for the majority of owners. It provides a reasonable feel with a slight variation between stages. Not the best trigger from Crosman, but still superior to the single stage triggers on low-end rifles.

 

Dimensions and Physical Characteristics

 

The Crosman Phantom 1000 air rifle is an excellent sized rifle. It is 44.5 inches long and weighs a solid 6 pounds. The six pound weight is a nice balance. It is not too light where control is difficult and kick is problematic. It is not too heavy. You can carry it comfortably for hours of pest hunting or target fun. The steel break barrel is approximately 18” long giving you good leverage for cocking the gun.

 

Additional Information

 

There is one piece of additional information which is crucial when discussing the Phantom 1000. It is a Crosman. The importance of this label is often overlooked by buyers. Crosman provides high quality service and customer support which is unmatched in the air rifle industry. This simple fact elevates the value of the Phantom 1000 compared to competitors at the same price point.

Other items which need to be mentioned include the all synthetic stock, checkered grips, and comfortable design. The rifle is designed to mimic the size, weight, and feel of a real center-fire .22 caliber rifle. You will enjoy the way it feels pulled to your shoulder with your cheek pushed against the cheek plate preparing for your shot. The gun’s comfortable feel adds to accuracy and reduces shooting fatigue.

The stock of the rifle is designed to be used by both right-handed and left handed hunters. The same checkered pattern and cheek plates can be found on both sides of the stock.

The Crosman Phantom 1000 comes with a 1 year parts and labor warranty from Crosman. This feature may be the most valuable item you will find in the package. When you find a problem with a Crosman rifle you can be sure the issue will be resolved.

The Phantom safety is a manual system which is mounted inside the trigger guard. You can wait until you have your target lined up and then with your trigger finger flip the safety switch off and pull the trigger in a split second.

Maintenance for the Crosman Phantom is very easy. The stock requires gentle cleaning with a soft damp cloth. The barrel should be cleaned with a slight amount of Crosman oil. Use the proper caliber cleaning rods and materials to clean the barrel after every 200 to 300 shots.

 

Included/Optional Accessories

 

The one option included with the Crosman Phantom 1000 bundle we reviewed is the 4×32 scope. This option is essential for the most accuracy with the rifle.

Other optional items you should consider include:

• Crosman RMCOIL – Silicone chamber oil for Crosman break barrel rifles.
• Crosman Destroyer .177 Pointed Pellets – These pellets are a pests worst nightmare.
• Crosman Super Point Pellets – Low priced pellets which offer maximum shooting distance.
• Crosman Varmint Target Block – Practice your pest shooting skills with complete safety.

 

Pros of the Crosman Phantom 1000 Air Rifle

 

The list of pros for the Crosman Phantom 1000 must start with cost. This low cost entry into shooting with a break barrel rifle is a great value. It may not have the power, quality, and accuracy of higher-end rifles from Crosman, but it fits the market space almost perfectly. Other pros for the gun include:

• All synthetic stock for weather resistance.
• Excellent power of 1000fps.
• Avoids the loud crack of breaking the sound barrier.
• Easy cocking action
• Accurate shooting

 

Cons for the Crosman Phantom 1000

 

The cons for this rifle need to be weighed carefully against the cost. The Phantom 1000 is an entry level product in the break barrel market and should be viewed as such. For many new shooters the following issues are not a concern.

• Little difference between stages on two stage trigger.
• Fiber optic sights are not highly durable or accurate.
• Bundled scope should not be considered a high-quality option.
• Pivot locks are not as tight as higher end rifles.

As you can imagine, many of those small items cause complaints and concerns from experienced shooters, especially hunters familiar with using high-powered center-fire rifles. These issues will be largely ignored by beginning shooters as irrelevant.

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Consumer Ratings

 

The consumer ratings on the Crosman Phantom 1000 may have you questioning many of the conclusions reached in this review. The Phantom 1000 receives above average to excellent reviews consistently on top retail sites. This brings us back to the most important point of this rifle. It is a great value for the cost. This is a low cost rifle with good features. It does not measure up to the features of products from Crosman or Gamo which cost twice the price, nor should it.

It is interesting to read most reviews which list a series of faults with the gun and then promptly give the gun a “must buy” rating. This even occurs when the reviewer is an experienced hunter. It all comes back to the comparison between quality, features, and cost. These experienced users realize with all the minor faults they uncovered in the rifle it is still an excellent value for most buyers. Make sure to pay attention to the features which are really important to you and not get stuck on features which do not affect your enjoyment and success using the product.

The consumer ratings are based on buyers getting what they expected. When you buy a lower priced product you must expect a little different shooting experience. This gun deserves the high ratings it receives due to overall value.

 

Conclusion

 

Who is this product targeted to? It is targeted to new shooters and people looking for a low-cost alternative. Serious shooters should not consider this rifle as their first choice, they will be disappointed.

If you are looking for an air rifle to keep the pests out of your yard or garden and want to keep your costs low, then do not hesitate. This rifle is perfect for that purpose. It provides plenty of power to eliminate squirrels, rats, starlings, and other pests which invade your yard. Once you adjust the scope to match your shooting style it can have you shooting accurately within a 1” diameter from 25 to 40 yards away.

If your desires are to develop your skills as a target shooter, then this rifle is NOT for you. If you are only shooting for fun it is a great choice. The accuracy of the gun is adequate for most purposes, but for someone who desires to hit the bulls eye with every shot the gun will be a little frustrating.

The rifle is a true Crosman rifle. The Crosman Phantom 1000 was designed to be their entry break barrel rifle and it fills the niche perfectly. If you desire a better rifle, take a look at other options from Crosman, but it will be hard to beat the balance between quality, accuracy, and low price found in the Phantom.

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