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…… 😳 )
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The only neighbours I have right now:
– and there are hundreds of them. With or without kids these days. Bloody nuisance as they dive right outside my little dock and quite frequently I find them in my fishing net in the morning. That net is supposed to catch seatrout, – NOT seabirds……
Some say this is a good enough excuse for a multishot. Or even a semiauto……….
I am not so sure…………… 🙄
Nice initial impression.
I’m curious if the Cricket’s more sophisticated functions, magazine indexing, pellet probe seating pellet into breech, magazine loading, magazine ease of insertion, and side lever durability under normal use…all factors of great interest for this newcomer.
Thank you, Zocoloco, for being our connection to the other side of the pond, and informing us about product information that quite simply has no other way to get to us. It is greatly appreciated.
Even more appreciated would be pictures of your neighbors.
H 😯 😯 T
Zoco,
very very good review….. keep more coming…….
Ta
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A few comments on the stocks:
Both guns come with beautiful walnut stocks. Both shoulder well with the Cricket stock being slightly lighter. It is with design as with women, – taste is individual. Design is really impossible to discuss.
The Cricket has some stock elements that I am not so happy with myself. The edges are overall veeery sharp:
I prefer sharp edges to be rounded a little. In the case of the Cricket, the edges are so sharp that operating her for an extensive period of time puts a strain on my fingers. Easy to fix, – but still……
Also I am not much of a “bling” man, and I don’t like the white decorative element between butt plate and stock.
The Cricket has the trigger guard integrated in the stock:
– something which makes trigger adjustments more complicated than with the Matador where two turns of a screw give you access to the adjustment options:
(sorry, – some of you may have seen a few of these pictures before).
Now, whether there at all is a trigger adjustment option in the Cricket I don’t know. You cannot see it from the outside, and I have not opened her yet. But I hope there is. While the trigger pull of the R3 certainly is heavy enough, – the Cricket offers exactly the opposite. Also there is virtually no first stage trigger pull. I have on more than one occasion accidentally released shots without wanting it. Not good and not safe at all in my opinion.
The Russians seem to be of the opinion that safety catches are for “chicken”. Neither the R3 nor the Cricket has one. I wish they had…. 🙄
Stock to action assembly is one screw only for both guns. The stock to action fit is neat and feels tight and well made. I have the impression that more care has been put into the detail of the Cricket. I don’t know how to put it, – but the Cricket somehow reminds me of a full blooded Italian sports car as opposed to the more heavy duty and “Hummerlike” R3….
I like both……..
😀
(stay tuned, – more to come, – comments/questions appreciated…………. 😉 )