Marksman Model 2004 Review

Overall Rating

Cheap
Accurate

Very hard to cock
Looks like a toy due to plastic cover
Loose rear view

I got my Marksman 2004 air pistol just 2 hours ago and could not stop shooting it. After over 100 rounds, I think I have enough experience to comment it a little bit. :-)

First impression: the black cover looks ugly compared to other air pistol with medal cover or shining finish. Don't use it for just showing off.

Then, I used the cheap Crosman Wadcutter .177 pellets from Walmart to give it a try. Heard a lot for the tricky feeding action, but not a thing for my small finger.

After that, I found it is very difficult for my left hand to cock the overlever: I have to use my right hand instead. The sharp edges near the rear sight also add to the difficulity for fingers to hold it during the cock. More over, I jamed my T-shirt once. Man, it is realy an adult air pistol. I cannot imagine a boy or even a lady can handle the cock safely!

The actual shooting was quite pleasant. I only adjusted the height of the rear sight to get the pellets through the 1 inch center of my target 6 meters (20 feet )away (I was in my living room). For a layman like me, the only problem is to prevent muzzle jump when pulling the trigger. All my shoots scattered in a vertical lines actually. Having a hand rest helped me a lot. The overall results were mostly consistent and predictable. It is a lot of fun to shoot this gun!

The sound of the shooting is loud enough. I also tested the power: shooting a yellowpage book from 6 meters away. The pellet penetrated 100 pages and bounced back to the window behind myself. Quite scary! So treat this pistol with caution!!

I only concern about one thing now: after using my right hand to cock the overlever for a while, the overlever seems moved to the left a little bit and has some problem to meet the hatch (the mock hammer). I know it is caused by the uneven force during my cock. I use my left hand to cock the gun sometimes to compensate the position change.

Conclusion: Definitely satistified with this purchage. Highly recommended!

Members' Comments onlastklim's Review

• lastklim on 9th Oct 2005

  After more break-in pellets, the cock becomes more smooth and easier than before.
  
  I also mounted a cheap Daisy red dot sight ($8.80 from Walmart, it was $12.00 before) to my Marksman 2004. Now it becomes a one-hole accurate pistol, so exciting!
  
  The new problem now: whether to keep the red dot sight or not
  
  keep it: highly accurate, extremely easy to aim, but seems losing some fun after shooting a while.
  
  Not keep it: using open sight is more challenging and fun, but cannot always put pellets into one hole.
  
  What about you guys' choices???

• lastklim on 23rd Oct 2005

  After only 500 pellet, I suddenly felt a cock became too soft. Sadly, my marksman 2004 does not hold air tightly any more.
  
  I disassembled the chamber+piston and checked the o ring. There was an obvious dent on it. I am pretty certain this is caused by the tiny hole near the head of the chamber, through which the air goes into the chamber when one begines to cock the airgun. But since the o ring is squeezed within the chamber so tight and it may be scratched by the tiny hole when lubricant is not enough.
  
  I tried to find a replacement for the o-ring in ace hardware but could not find a perfect match for it. The closest one has a similar size but it is too thick. Any one could tell me where to get it and what is the exactly size???
  
  This is really bad......:-(

• Canadian shooter on 14th Nov 2005

  If the replacement 0-ring is too thick, grind it down with a bench grinder or a FINE file.

• curious matt on 6th Dec 2005

  please, I just need to know if the gun is semi-automatic. I will buy it if it is. Please reply fast - very fast. ASAP please!!!

• Order8964 on 19th Oct 2006

  I used Marksman 2004, the one made in China for around 250 pellets of different kinds (pointer, hunters and match). The negative side of this gun is the 'O-Rings' always come out. It is not replaceable and will become very expensive if I eventually lost it. The handle is a bit bucky, and the gun is heavy, especially for cocking.