by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier
Crosman’s DPMS SBR full auto BB gun.
This report covers:
- Summary
- The report
- The test
- Hornady Black Diamond
- Second group
- Hornady full auto
- Crosman Copperheads
- Copperheads full auto
- Air Venturi Steel BBs
- Next?
- Summary
Summary
Buy it, buy it, buy it! The Crosman DPMS SBR is a best buy, both in a reliable full auto BB gun and also in one that’s accurate.
That was my summary. Do I even need to write the rest of the report?
The report
Oh, all right! I’m here anyway, so let me show you what happened. Today is accuracy day for the DPMS and I was excited to see what it can do. I had seen indications of accuracy at the NRA Show a couple months ago, and in his video report Tyler Patner also showed us some good targets at a range farther than we normally shoot BB guns.
The test
Tyler shot at 10 yards. I’m shooting at the usual 5 meters (16.4 feet) until I know that the DPMS is really accurate. You’ll see why when I tell you what I plan on doing.
I plan to shoot 10 shots with each of three different BBs in the semiautomatic mode. That’s one shot per trigger pull. Then, if the group I get is reasonable, I plan to switch to full auto and dump the rest of the magazine into a second target. The gun does move around in full-auto, so this second group will be larger. I just want to make sure all the BBs end up on the paper and inside the trap. There are too many holes in my walls already!
I am resting the forearm on the UTG Monopod, which is a really solid rest. And I am seated. This is about the gun and not about me.
Hornady Black Diamond
First to be tested were Hornady Black Diamond BBs that I thought might prove the most accurate. I squeezed off 10 shots, one at a time, and watched as a small hole below the bull grew slowly larger. In the end 10 BBs went into 0.922-inches at 5 meters. That’s great! But the group is off to the left and the DPMS rear sight does adjust to the right. So I adjusted it a handful of clicks (10?) and shot a second group.
The first group of Black Diamonds BBs was surprising. It measures 0.922-inches between centers.
Second group
The second group is almost perfectly centered on the bull and is also smaller than the first. I suppose I was concentrating harder, now that I knew the gun can shoot. Ten shots are in a very round group that measures 0.742-inches between centers. I was really paying attention now!
The second group of Black Diamonds, after adjusting the sights, was spectacular. It measures just 0.742-inches between centers.
Hornady full auto
Since I filled the magazine for this second target, the last 15 shots were shot full-auto. I did them in two bursts and got a group that measures 1.319-inches between centers! Guys — I doubt that a real DPMS could do any better at this close range. I have shot many thousands of rounds full-auto from M16s and let me tell you, that isn’t their most accurate mode. This little BB gun can really sing!
The DPMS is even accurate in full-auto. It put 15 Black Diamonds in 1.319-inches at 5 meters.
Crosman Copperheads
The DPMS comes from Crosman so I have to test it with their Crosman Copperhead BBs. I didn’t hold out a lot of hope, though, because Copperheads have not been the most accurate BBs in past tests. But this time was different. Ten Copperheads shot on semiautomatic went into 0.765-inches at 5 meters! Shut my mouth — this gun can really shoot. Let’s try full-auto.
Ten Crosman Copperhead BBs made this 0.765-inch group at 5 meters.
Copperheads full auto
The magazine was not completely full at the start of the last test, so let’s call this 12 shots on full-auto. The group measures 1.459-inches across, which is not bad for Rock ’N Roll.
Probably 12 Crosman Copperhead BBs went into 1.459-inches at 5 meters when fired full-auto.
Air Venturi Steel BBs
The last BB I tested was the Air Venturi Steel BB. Ten of them on semiautomatic went into 0.777-inches at 5 meters — another tight group!
And on full-auto? Fifteen went into 0.787-inches — the tightest full-auto group of the test by far and smaller than a couple semiautomatic 10-shot groups. And that was with a single burst!
When fired semiautomatically, 10 Air Venturi Steel BBs went into 0.777-inches at 5 meters.
On full-auto 15 Air Venturi BBs still went into 0.787-inches at 5 meters. That’s with a single burst!
Next?
We are not done with the DPMS. After seeing the accuracy we see today it warrants mounting that new UTG dot sight I showed you last time and testing it at 10 meters. Sure, the groups will grow, but you know you want to see it. I know I do.
Summary
Refer to my opening statements.
B.B.,
I was wondering if you were going to close today’s article by shooting a pumpkin into a Jack-o’-lantern. If any BB gun could do it this probably can!
Siraniko
BB
Glad to see black rifles are getting some serious attention. I just ordered a second one and plan to keep the barrel length stock, this time. OK, I may add something to distinguish it from the rest.
Now that a reliable full auto operating system has been figured out I’m very much looking forward, to lets say a dark earth Scar, HK91 or a simple M60 LMG. 😉 So much for ending my collecting.
BY THE WAY ! I recently found a u-tube video and apparently he cured the problem of the green front plunger pin seal rolling and turning backwards stopping it from firing.
He found that there was play in the plunger pin that goes through it. He easily and slowly stretched the spring to remove any play in the plunger pin and evidently has not had the problem return.
“Say hello to my litel fren !”
Bob M
B.B,
Very nice. I am (still) thinking of how to make a pressurized 150 shot feed tube! 😉
I think that Bob should get right on that. (Hint,.. Bob) lol
Good Day to one and all,…… Chris
“…to make a pressurized 150 shot feed tube!”
Yes, Chris; I’m thinking that if they’d had THESE bad boys back in the day,
with your 150 shot feed tube, then maybe I could have shot out the red star on the card
at all those carnivals where I tried, hahaha! =)~
Chris
Talk about a challenge. That may be even harder than inventing a way to simulate real flames moving along the side a Harley gas tank.
Bob M
Bob,
I think I mentioned it before,…. I would go with flexible, hard wall, non-kinking tubing, go in on the bottom of the mag. (follower removed). As for pressure, something like a micro air tank. Maybe one that held a Co2 cartridge. Add a shut off valve,… regulator if? needed. As for the pusher/slug,….. something that would push down the tube,.. yet at the same time seal the air. I do not think it would take much psi to push the bb’s. Re-setting the “pusher” would be the only kink.
You could rod it back. Or disconnect the hose, blow it out and reset it at the start. The hose would need disconnected to re-load bb’s anyways.
That is the best I have for any ideas, at any rate. If retired and I could line up parts that would appear to fit the bill,…. I would give it a go myself.
Chris
Chris
Too much trouble. I would just get a Air-Ordnance SMG or the GMG fully automatic airgun.
Or set up a system like a Steel Storm. Easier would be to clamp up 3 mags and just do a quick swap.
I think sustained CO2 use would eventually create a problem. Anyway the mag in this rifle does not need to be removed to swap out CO2 so a fixed feed setup is possible .
Bob M
” After seeing the accuracy we see today it warrants mounting that new UTG dot sight I showed you last time
and testing it at 10 meters. Sure, the groups will grow, but you know you want to see it. I know I do.”
Right you are, B.B.! I figured this thing would be spraying shots like a garden hose…but no.
I guess they couldn’t have used these things at carnivals; everyone would be shooting out the red stars,
all the prizes would be gone, and the carnies would be calling the manufacturer to ask
if they could make the gun less accurate! =>
Thanks for another interesting report,
good day all,
dave
I’ll betcha this gun will be a fun one with the dot sight and even out to 10-15 yards going full auto on a feral can.
Gunfun1,
Definitely going to be a bad day for the cans. Their only respite will be when you reload. They are going to be scurrying like the wind.
Siraniko
Siraniko
Yep just like the wind. 🙂
This carbine may be a good choice for backyard airspace violations from pesky neighbors and their
low flying camera equipped drones. The airsoft Taurus full auto sounds great, but the B.B. version hits harder i think;). Have a nice day! R
Hello all.
BB, I seem to remember from a previous post on this gun you saying that it needs recocked after the mag empties. There’s actually a bolt release on the left side of the gun, about opposite the mag release. That’s what you’re supposed to use after the mag empties. It drops the bolt with a very satisfying click. I don’t have an AR, but I understand that’s another “real” control. Thought it was worth pointing out in case you missed it, because that bolt release only adds to the grin factor of this gun.
I had a horrible time with mine early on, but it turned out to not be the gun’s fault at all. It was jamming like crazy.. I couldn’t get a single mag out before it would jam! I’d have to break it down and ramrod the stuck bb back out of the breech. It turned out it was the fault of a famous brand of bb (not included in your test). Apparently they let quality control lapse horribly. Sad, as it had been my go to for years. I switched to Black Diamonds on the advice on the PyramidAir reviews, and it has run like a champ ever since. I miss seeing the shiny bbs flight, but it has been accurate enough that I don’t really need to! Yep, another keeper.
Thank you again for this very good and interesting test BB. It is like always a pleasure to read any of them.
Yes sounds like an very interesting and very accurate have fun auto gun. Maybe one day when the wallet allows it, I will look into it to get one too.
Ya”ll all have a nice day and happy Halloween.
The same to you to BB, and keep em coming.
B.B.
Nice shooting! I am starting to like this gun. I can’t help but to compare to the other (currently available) auto bb guns you’ve tested for us. Looks like the Umarex MP40 was as accurate and shot about 35 to 50 fps faster. The Umarex EBOS wasn’t as accurate but not too far off and shot over 100 fps faster. I did look up the review on the MORPH (I know it’s just a semi but I remember it shot well for you). The MORPH had very good groups and shot around 200 fps faster. I’m thinking I need to buy this Crosman, the Umarex MP40 & MORPH (left out the EBOS due to needing batteries). They all sound like very fun plinking guns. No wild can stands a chance.
Doc
BB
Looks like this carbine has a nice tight barrel bore to achieve that accuracy and the fact that it will not tolerate deformed bb’s seems to verify it. Another nice step up in production quality.
Notice any deformation in the CO2 piercing pins? Seems to be another bug to work out along with the green seal.
I’m still amazed with the way composites have evolved and reached such a level of perfection. I’ll take it any day over pot metal. Even ‘ die-cast ‘ model cars are switching to this stuff to achieve perfection. Resin in this case.
Loved the article and i just got a red dot moa scope for the one i have……….hoping for better weather.
tb
BB,
Did you ever do the UTG dot sight @ 10 meters test? Just wondering.
Doc
Doc,
Yes, I did. But since I’m not running a separate report on that sight, it ended up in another airgun report.
/blog/2019/02/diana-chaser-air-pistol-part-4/
B.B.