Remington Nitro Piston Short Stroke Air Rifle Review

Remington Nitro Piston Short StrokeCan 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.

Remington NPSS Nitro Piston Short Stroke Air Rifle

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.

Remington NPSS Nitro Piston Short Stroke

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

 

Remington NPSSThe 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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