Seneca Dragonfly MK2 Air Rifle, Skilled Examined

At the same time as airgun know-how evolves, a number of firms proceed to provide weapons that use multi-pump pneumatic energy crops. They’re versatile, dependable, self-contained, quiet, and comparatively reasonably priced. The Seneca Dragonfly MK2 is a rifle that mixes tried-and-true multi-pump know-how with revolutionary options that take its comfort and efficiency to the subsequent stage.

Firstly, the rifle presents a rotary journal, eliminating the necessity to load a pellet by hand earlier than every shot. Then there’s the gun’s pumping mechanism, which makes use of a singular “butterfly” multi-link design to maintain pumping effort comparatively constant even because the air chamber fills. I’ve been taking pictures the Dragonfly MK2 for the previous few months whereas noting its accuracy, groupings, options, dealing with, and general efficiency. Listed here are my ideas:

Seneca Dragonfly MK2 Overview

Specs

• Sort: Multi-pump pneumatic
• Motion: Bolt with rotary journal or single-shot tray
• Caliber: .22 (examined); .177
• Projectile sort: Pellets, slugs
• Minimal pumps: 3
• Most pumps: 15
• Max ft per second (lead pellets): 850 fps (.177); 730 fps (.22)
• Vitality at muzzle:  19.7 foot-pounds (.22)
• Sights: Fiber optic entrance blade; elevation- and windage-adjustable rear sight
• Optics rail: 11 mm dovetail
• Size: 40 inches
• Weight: 6.5 kilos
• Barrel size: 22.75 inches
• Required equipment: None
• Worth: $229.99 (MSRP)

Execs

• Correct
• Nice efficiency for the value
• Versatile
• Basic look

Cons

• Can be even higher with an adjustable set off
• Screws can loosen with use
• You continue to should pump it earlier than each shot

My introduction to airgun taking pictures got here via multi-pump pneumatic rifles. First was the Crosman 760 Pumpmaster that Santa introduced for me after I was in second grade. Later, I saved up and purchased a bigger, extra highly effective Crosman 766. My brother went the Daisy Powerline route. We shot the daylights out of these rifles, which have been helpful, sensible, dependable, and lots correct for our pest and small recreation searching wants. I nonetheless have a delicate spot for multi-pumps, so I jumped on the probability to check a loaner Dragonfly MK2 from Seneca, a division of Air Venturi.

With its picket inventory and clear strains, the Dragonfly MK2 is a fairly rifle. It feels stable in hand, too, and the construct high quality appears fairly good, particularly for a gun that prices about $200. That stated, after a number of hundred pictures, I spotted that one of many screws attaching the pumping mechanism to the forestock had fallen out. Once I examined the others, they have been free, too. I used to be capable of purchase a substitute screw at my native ironmongery shop, however it’s zinc and never black, so it’s a noticeable repair. I eliminated all the opposite screws, too, and slathered the threads with Loctite. They’ve held effectively since. I’d advocate including Loctite to all of the screws earlier than taking pictures the gun and testing screw tightness usually.

The Dragonfly MK2 has an adjustable rear sight and a fiber optic entrance blade. The open sights work simply advantageous for basic plinking. However to raised take a look at the rifle’s accuracy, I added a CenterPoint 4X32 scope. The quick scope rings required me to take away the rear sight, and I may nonetheless see the orange fiber optic blade on the backside of the scope image. If this have been my rifle, I’d use medium rings, if not bigger.

The rifle’s set off is steel and feels stable. It’s a two-stage set off that broke constantly at a reasonably stout 5 kilos. It isn’t adjustable. The aspect bolt felt stable and clean, and the rotary journal labored effectively and was handy. The butterfly pumping mechanism works as marketed, serving to preserve pumping effort pretty constant even because the air chamber fills as much as its most at 15 pumps. I didn’t take a look at the precise power required for pumping, however it’s one thing even youthful shooters would be capable to handle. My younger grownup daughter had no bother pumping the gun, although the lengthy pumping stroke was a problem along with her comparatively quick wingspan. Pumping nonetheless takes some effort, so this isn’t a kind of weapons the place you’ll blow via a pair hundred pellets in a session.

The Dragonfly MK2 includes a mildly snappy report that will increase as you’re employed up from the minimal of three pumps to the utmost of 15. The barrel options 1/2×20 threads for the addition of a suppressor. Despite the fact that I’d contemplate the gun backyard-friendly, even at full energy, I put a small DonnyFL suppressor on the rifle, and it turned the snap right into a quiet thump.

At The Vary

Arguably, the most important good thing about a multi-pump pneumatic is energy flexibility. Wish to plink? Pumping it up just a few occasions earlier than every shot means you are able to do extra taking pictures and fewer pumping. Want extra energy for a hunt within the squirrel woods? Pump it 10 or 15 occasions and have at it.

The flip aspect to that coin is that you just’ll must know the way the rifle performs at these totally different energy ranges. As anticipated, hours of goal time with the Dragonfly MK2 confirmed that impression factors shifted based mostly on totally different energy ranges and pellets. Over the course of a pair months, I put in all probability 500 pellets via my take a look at gun. Its efficiency was spectacular.

First, I examined velocity with FX 18.1-grain domed pellets. At 15 pumps, velocity ranged from 691 to 697 ft per second, good for slightly below 20 foot-pounds of vitality. At 10 pumps, the rate vary was 647 to 659 fps (about 17 fps), and at 5 pumps, the rifle was pushing these pellets down vary at about 550 fps (12 fps). Constant energy like that is step one towards accuracy.

As anticipated, based mostly on the excitement since its introduction, this rifle is kind of correct. As a result of I used a 4-power scope, I did all my testing at 25 yards, taking pictures off a Caldwell Lead Sled. Whereas I normally shoot five-shot teams, I shot seven-shot teams with the Dragonfly MK2 to correlate with the journal’s capability.

The FX pellets I used for the rate checks are nearly at all times the primary I take advantage of in any accuracy checks as a result of they constantly carry out effectively. They did on this rifle, too. My finest teams have been at 5 pumps and usually within the ½-inch to ¾-inch vary. Teams opened up a bit at 10 pumps and 15 pumps. I acquired comparable teams with 18-grain Air Arms domed pellets, one other of my go-to take a look at pellets.

Considered one of my favourite .22 rounds for higher-powered weapons is the 21.14-grain Baracuda Match domed pellets. These produced one in every of my finest teams. At 10 pumps with these beefy pellets, 5 out of seven pellets went right into a single, 3/8-inch gap. Frustratingly, that group additionally featured two flyers, however they have been probably shooter’s error.

As I used to be wrapping up testing, one in every of my daughters—a 22-year-old latest faculty grad—requested if she may shoot the gun. I loaded up {a magazine} with the Air Arms pellets and gave her a fast lesson on methods to function the rifle. An off-the-cuff however not avid shooter, she shot off a sandbag-topped tripod at a 25-yard goal. The outcome? The perfect group the gun had produced in two months of taking pictures. Six of the seven rounds went right into a single ¼-inch gap. It confirmed simply how correct this rifle could be within the arms of a gradual shooter with younger eyes.

The Seneca Dragonfly MK2 can be much more of a tack-driver with a greater set off and better magnification scope. Shooters who like to experiment with totally different energy ranges and totally different pellets will get pleasure from fidgeting with the Dragonfly to get probably the most out of the rifle’s capabilities. However the gun is simple sufficient to zero that when you don’t wish to do quite a lot of testing, you’ll be able to nonetheless be taking pictures good teams in a rush.

Is the Seneca Dragonfly MK2 Price It?

Correct. Versatile. Fairly. Inexpensive. There’s loads to love concerning the Seneca Dragonfly MK2—whether or not you’re a yard plinker, a small recreation hunter, or each. The butterfly pumping know-how isn’t solely revolutionary, however works effectively. And the rotary journal provides to taking pictures comfort. The free inventory screws have been a bit irritating, particularly provided that the rifle is in any other case solidly constructed. That’s removed from a deal-breaker, nonetheless, and simply remedied with a bit of effort and Loctite.

Will the Seneca Dragonfly MK2 develop into a long-lived basic just like the Sheridan Silver Streak or the Crosman 760 Pumpmaster? Given fast developments in airgun know-how, it’s laborious to say. From a seems to be and efficiency perspective, it definitely has the potential.