EDgun Matador R3 versus Kalibr Cricket, my comparison….
Hi guys,
Warning for those who don’t like images:
This is going to be a thread with lots of graphics….. 😉
As promised, I’ll try to share with you my personal opinion and findings while comparing these beauties:
As some of you may know, I have two Matador Std R3s and I have one Cricket (with access to another one). All are cal.22……
My wait for my Matadors should be well documented on this very forum…..
The Crickets were a part of a group buy masterminded from Europe somewhere. The Crickets were shipped in parts to Norway and reassembled by my good blueprinting friend Egon Olsen. In the process he had to remove a “restrictor” screw that had been put into the guns before shipment. Most probably because of Power limitation rules at origin….
The Crickets arrived with no documents whatsoever. No instructions, – no nothing. I don’t think this is standard procedure though…..
The Cricket weighs less than the R3, – and is approx 5 cm shorter. Not a lot, – but overall it makes the Cricket even easier to handle than the already tiny R3….
The side by side comparison was done from my modest little shooting table at my summerhouse:
– and the shooting range is here, – with my target set up at 46mts:
Why 46 mts ? Simply because I could not pull my shooting stand further back right now. A huge tree has fallen during winter, and all the branches have taken up my space… 👿
First problem: How to fill the f…. Cricket ?
The fillprobe nut is so tiny that a standard foster coupling gasket will not seal. The entire probe is small, – and you fear you may break it while trying to tighten it:
The above (sorry for the image quality) is a comparison between ED’s, Cricket’s and Falcon’s fill probes. You can probably see what I mean….
As I could not make a standard Fostergasket fit, Egon had to make special gaskets that we fitted into the Foster coupling itself. Not an ideal solution, – and I have no clue how long it will last…….. 🙄
On the fill probe: Matador 1, Cricket 0 points.
Air filling:
I honestly dont like any of the solutions that these two manufacturers have chosen………..
The Cricket people have come up with the worst. To expose the hole for the fillprobe, – you have to slide forward the tip of the reservoir. But that stupid tip is retained by a spring, – and slides back with a smack once you let go:
If you’re not careful when taking the fillprobe back out, the tip will spring back and ruin the fill probe O-rings faster than I can say my name….
While filling, the “tip” rests on the previously mentioned small nut. And there’s not a lot clearance. So a bigger nut (for those with lathe skills), – is not going to help you much. A thicker nut might…….
In short: A very stupid filling system, – BUT once you know how to operate it and care is taken, – at least it covers the hole when filling is over.
The Matador does not come with anything to cover the filling hole at all:
I use tape right now, – but a plug of some sort would be good….. 😉
My preferred system would be that of Falcon:
The tip of the reservoir has been turned into a curled “collar” that you rotate to expose the hole. Simple, easy and effective. And few moving parts that may break or go astray……….
Now, I have no idea how much air I can fill into the Cricket, – and the gun gauge certainly does not help much:
I trust the gauge on my fillkit, – and 3000 psi is roughly on the border between green and yellow…….
Points for airfill procedure: Matador 1, Cricket 0. In my opinion….. 😉
Cheers from Trygve 😀
To be continued……….. 😀
(if you so desire…… 😳 )
All Replies
I’m a newbie on this forum, but I’ve been lurkin’ around for 6 months or so. I have a Bug .22 (Russian model) from the same shipment as Zocoloco’s. I’ve chronied it just a few 10 shot strings of each JSB pellet types, and here’s the figures. No big strings just the ave speed of each type. Even and flat shooting strings with minor variations 😀 .
Equipment used – Chrony Alpha.
JSB RS 5.52 13.43 grs = 301.56 m/s /989.1 fps = 29.18 ft/lbs
JSB Express 5.52 14.3 = 289.92 / 950.93 = 28.72
JSB Exact Jumbo 5.52 15.9 = 280.32 / 919.45 = 29.85
JSB Exact Jumbo Heavy 5.52 18.1 = 272.82 / 894.85 = 32.19
Very close to my CZ made getting 903 avg with JSB 18s. They really pop the sparrows nicely.
I shot Jewells and they are really nice. I have Timney triggers on my current varmint rifles set to 12 ozs like my airguns that I can actually adjust. I’ll bet you can get an uninletted Edgun stock. I know you can buy Cricket stocks.
How can you not like this:
😕 😯 😈
My Lelya trigger was awful as supplied, it was stiff and heavy but most annoying was if the first stage end of travel was reached then released it “stuck” in position which meant no first stage when you actually came to shoot – very annoying 😡
There is a sweet spot between the first and second stage screws but the biggest improvement for me was to take out both of the trigger adjusting screws and shape the ends into dome (half sphere) then polish with a Dremel to a mirror finish and lube when re-fitted, this improves things but it is still quite an “agricultural” affair compared to my Steyr 😆
From: Dear ‘Ol Uncle Hoot
To: info@topgun-airguns.com
Sent: 3/19/2013 1:10:45 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time
Subj: Question on .22 Compact regulator/power
Can the .22 Compact Cricket be ordered with the regulator turned up to increase the feet per second?
The forum member who has one, has documented it is shooting 18gr at about 850 fps. Can the
regulator be adjusted, prior to shipment, to increase the fps? The power adjuster at the rear only
affects the hammer spring and produces only about 25 fps increase. This is not an adequate increase.
Thank you very much.
Response:
We have not tested any modifications on the reg.
My compact gets 27 fpe.
Peter
This thread has so many posts, I can’t find where anyone has addressed the Cricket regulator to adjust for power. Has it been done?
H 😯 😯 t
Hi Hoot!
I’m a newbie on this forum, but I’ve been lurkin’ around for 6 months or so. I have a Bug .22 (Russian model) from the same shipment as Zocoloco’s. I’ve chronied it just a few 10 shot strings of each JSB pellet types, and here’s the figures. No big strings just the ave speed of each type. Even and flat shooting strings with minor variations 😀 .
Equipment used – Chrony Alpha.
JSB RS 5.52 13.43 grs = 301.56 m/s /989.1 fps = 29.18 ft/lbs
JSB Express 5.52 14.3 = 289.92 / 950.93 = 28.72
JSB Exact Jumbo 5.52 15.9 = 280.32 / 919.45 = 29.85
JSB Exact Jumbo Heavy 5.52 18.1 = 272.82 / 894.85 = 32.19
Here’s e few pics of the Bug.
I believe the triggers have been changed on the EdGuns recently… I’ll let you know when I get my Matador. My Lelya was a bit stiff but I didn’t do anything to try and tune it up to something lighter.
My USFT has what I would consider a FANTASTIC trigger although many folks don’t like them. 😕
I have an XR-100 that has a Jewell trigger and my USFT is set up very similar. You can touch it but ANY pressure will make it fire. No first stage take up or anything. The Jewell trigger when I got it, it was set up from the previous owner (on that rifle) so light you couldn’t even touch it without it firing. I figured this would allow for bump firing it was so light but I couldn’t get it to go off even when banging the butt against the floor (with a snap cap in the chamber of course). I set it to something more to my liking, it was WAY to light, likely in the 5 gram zone.
So after the Jewell I am forever spoilt. 😉
I must say my AA400 pistol (modded from a full size rifle) trigger is pretty sweet, light but it doesn’t feel like it lets go in the same spot every time when compared to my USFT.
Gotta say for the price the Cricket is quite something. I don’t like the look of the stock though.
Would I go to hell if I made an EdGun stock for a Cricket? 😕 😯 😈
No velocity adjustment would definitely be a negative for some folks but I suspect there is if not a bit more cumbersome than one might like (I am scared to take it apart at this point). I think regulator efficiency differences are a non-issue but consistency is (the Cricket is by far the bmost consistent of any of my PCPs including the AA S510C and Air Ranger. Only the Air Wolf MCT is close from strings I have seen.
For the internals the jury is still out. I know of several postings of folks with many thousands of pellets through the Crickets outside of the US which I think at least rivals the issues I hear on some of the Edguns over time if not betters them. We may be a bit rougher on the guns over here :10: so it will interesting to see how they hold up over time with CZ parts. Right now I prefer the CHF barrels. It is still shooting at impressive accuracy now after about 300 shots w/o a second cleaning (I cleaned it when new). That barrel is pretty darn smooth but my plan is get my gunsmith buddy to scope it. CHF barrels can be expensive because the equipment to make them is so darn expensive.
From the Edgun I have shot (2 years old) the trigger needs to get to the Crickets level (My Cricket can be set to a match level and rivals my Air Ranger in every regard). I consider that an issue unless the newer ones are improved.
I have a $2k Sako rifle and it reminds me of the Cricket. Only strong where it needs to be but just adequately built elsewhere. Peformance is top notch in every regard except maybe efficiency compared to the Edgun or Air Wolf. That said I guess I did pay about $200 less than a comparable std .22 Matador would have cost me.
I think the accuracy is likely matched at longer distances, much like the short distances.
The Predators not fitting the mag is disappointing but not surprising, I don’t think they fit in ANY mag. 😉 Can’t really hold that against the Cricket. A lack of a single shot tray on the other hand is disappointing…
This thread could be leaning due the fact that there has been NO customer tuning support (here and a few other places) for the Cricket by the retailiers or the maker. Can’t say that about the EdGun. The Cricket guys have been quick to put up for sale posts here, where are the comments on the tuning posts? Nada, nothing, none. Sure AoA or TGAG will respond (directly to the customer) if there is a problem, but that is a business doing what they must to survive, where is the REAL customer service? Where are the Cricket factory assembly and disassembly videos? Direct help in posts regarding regulator disassembly, assembly and tuning? Cricket reps haven’t just avoided this post, they have avoided ALL posts here on their rifles.
Will be interesting to see what kind of a response you get with your inquiries. 😀
If you use the Google Chrome browser it will translate the Russian automatically although it translates bullpup to bullpap 🙂 . I sent them an email on the velocity adjustments. I probably just got listed as a terrorist for emailing Moscow on airguns.
I think the gun is so new in the US that KalibrGun/Maverick is going to have to respond. Anyway, I like the 25-27 FPE as the factory setting for the Compacts however.
I exploded a few sparrows today with my std Cricket. I am anxious to get the new scope on it when it arrives (Hawke 8-32 w/ SR Pro – I switched from the 1/2 mild dot after the pictures the guy took of the reticle in hi-res). The .25 std Cricket is tempting me. I wish the mag did Predators but I will single feed them. Stubby Hi-flo .25 is 33 FPE w/ 12″ barrel but the Cricket beats it handily with 43-44 FPE and more efficiency. (of course I will keep Stubby too w/ that Maddog stock 😛 )
Too few $$ and too many great choices. 😯
I will email KalibrGun on the velocity adjustments….
I wrote “Info@topgun-airguns.com and asked about pre-adjustment of power prior to shipping to the new owner. This is the response I got:
From: Dear ‘Ol Uncle Hoot
To: info@topgun-airguns.com
Sent: 3/19/2013 1:10:45 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time
Subj: Question on .22 Compact regulator/power
Can the .22 Compact Cricket be ordered with the regulator turned up to increase the feet per second?
The forum member who has one, has documented it is shooting 18gr at about 850 fps. Can the
regulator be adjusted, prior to shipment, to increase the fps? The power adjuster at the rear only
affects the hammer spring and produces only about 25 fps increase. This is not an adequate increase.
Thank you very much.
Response:
We have not tested any modifications on the reg.
My compact gets 27 fpe.
Peter
This thread has so many posts, I can’t find where anyone has addressed the Cricket regulator to adjust for power. Has it been done?
H 😯 😯 t
I must confess that I spent over two hours reading/viewing this thread. Incredible. It is a roller coaster comparison of the Edgun and Cricket. If you read only the first part you get a different opinion than the entire thread. Edgun up, Cricket down, Cricket up, Edgun down…. Too funny.
It is overall Edgun biased ( I only say that because there is speculation on what the Edgun MAY do better than the Cricket without actual testing behind it like long range shooting, for example, which is stated multiple times) and now appears isn’t even true.
I don’t blame Maverick one bit for not participating in this free-for-all. He wouldn’t stand a chance no matter how good the Cricket is with so many Edgun owners participating and difficulty moderating. That said it is still the most informative single source of information I have seen (congrats Zoco).
I have shot a two year old standard Edgun on many occasions and now own a new standard Cricket with about 100 pellets through it. My initial impressions are that the volume of Cricket shipments I see are coming from CZ of high quality guns right now will be a game changer in the US market if they stay at this level (and by the looks of the fancy CNC equipment in the new KalibrGun factory and the CZ CHF barrels I bet they will). With TGAG, AOA, and others supporting them locally now the writing is on the wall. I noticed that it seems KalibrGun has responded to this or maybe other threads as well as Edgun and is now tuning the guns up to customer demand (mine is low 900s fps for JSB 18s).
If Edgun had the same network that KalibrGun has now established in the US, I would have probably gone Edgun given my preferences for single shot and Edguns history of constant improvements. Nine months+ waits just doesn’t cut it.
Maybe the best news is that both are now excellent bullpup guns to choose from although slightly different strengths and weaknesses.
Hello Tedd,
Considering your age, I hope you are surviving the harsh winter you are having over there with dignity, my friend 😆
Not to worry…. He has his sheep to keep him warm! Not much dignity, but the sheep don’t seem to care. That’s the great thing about cloven hoofed females!
H 😯 😯 t
Hello Tedd,
– poor: Certainly not. I don’t think anyone owning a $1800 + airgun can be classed as poor 😆
– misguided: Yes, having followed your advice to buy an Edgun 😆
– friend: True, beyond any doubt 😉
I’m still waiting for the right weather to test if my R3 Standard is shooting any better after Ed’s repairs.
Considering your age, I hope you are surviving the harsh winter you are having over there with dignity, my friend 😆
Trygve and Nik, I am very sorry to hear about the deaths of someone that was close to you!
Idd, my condoleances also…
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All,
Google it and you’ll find plenty of videos where her Ladyship has been taken apart and reassembled. Rightfully so not by Maverick and friends but by users…….. 😉
Further up this monster thread of mine, Ed has commented on the Cricket performance compared to the R3s. The Crickets have been optimized for JSB 15.8s (when they developed the gun the JSB 18s had not been introduced yet)……..
The std Cricket delivery appears to include a setting which is close to it’s max potential speed/powerwise, – at least for the 22. cal. You may try to adjust the HSP inwards, – but the Cricket does not respond a whole lot. Using ED’s words, – it’s like an engine running at full speed from day one. How long it will last remains to be seen. The R3s have been supplied with a “reserve” capacity and may be tuned to significantly higher velocities than the Cricket if so desired.
That said, our limitation (if acccuracy is what you aim for) is the choice of pellets. As soon as you approach supersonic levels, – accuracy suffers. As I see it, the cal.22 Cricket is just perfect around the 30fpe mark and delivers “hole in one” repeatedly from day one if the shooter does his job. However long term use and testing has not been possible for any of us quite yet. I am personally worried about the hsp and how long it will last and/or deliver the uniform strings that we have seen until now…
@ Per: Good to see you onboard my friend ! With your experience, your presence can only be for the good of the community !!! 😀
Mind you, – there are elements here of our age (and older) that sometimes produce verbal ejaculations not fit for human consumption. Don’t pay attention to them. They are normal good natured individuals with a lot of knowledge that you will learn to appreciate although it appears their need for small blue pills is obvious. (Unless of course your into goats and the likes………) 😉
Cheers from sunny Lanzarote ….!!!!
Trygve 😀
PS: Per: We need to spend a day on that range of ours when I get home late april……. 😀