Stoeger XM1 Ranger Air Rifle Test Review .22 Caliber

VALUE FOR MONEY

At a Street Price of $349.99, the Stoeger XM1 Ranger air rifle is an attractively-priced PCP. It has all the expected features: a regulated action, shrouded barrel, side lever action, magazine feed and a five-year warranty. In spite of playing in an ultra-competitive section of the market, it’s definitely strong value.

Hard Air Magazine previously took a brief look at the shorter version of this gun called the “Scout”.  We were quite impressed. However the Ranger is the first PCP air rifle from Stoeger Airguns that HAM has reviewed in detail.

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Stoeger XM1 Ranger

SPEED AND ACCURACY

The highest Muzzle Velocity achieved by the Stoeger XM1 Ranger air rifle tested by HAM was 1,140 FPS using 10.03 Grain H&N Field Target Trophy Green alloy pellets. The fastest-shooting lead pellets were – of course – the 11.9 Grain RWS Hobbys at 1,079 FPS.

More importantly, the maximum Muzzle Energy found by the HAM Team on test was 36.34 Ft/Lbs when shooting H&N Barracuda Match 21.14 Grain pellets.

Given this level of performance, the HAM Team suggests that the Stoeger XM1 Ranger air rifle is shot with heavy pellets – such as the Barracudas. Should you wish to use lighter pellets, it would probably be beneficial to reduce the velocity with which they are shot for best accuracy.

As with many PCP air rifles, the hammer spring tension can be adjusted externally in order to change the power. This is achieved using the Allen screw at the rear of the action. So it’s easy to do, so long as you have access to a Chronograph to monitor the results.

The regulator is not externally-adjustable. However, it was set to a perfect balance with the hammer spring tension on the test gun “right out of the box”.

TRIGGER AND COCKING EFFORT

The Stoeger XM1 Ranger air rifle tested by HAM gave us mixed reactions…

The average trigger pull weight we measured was 2 Lb 1.8 Oz. That sounds very good, however, both HAM testers agreed that the trigger FELT much heavier than that. (And we are very used to doing this!)

So we double-checked using two Lyman Digital Trigger Pull Gauges, but yip, just over 2 Lbs it was. It just didn’t feel like it.

Every time we measured the trigger pull weight, the consistency was excellent – as you’ll see below. Yet the HAM testers found the trigger to have a long, soggy first stage and somewhat indistinct letoff. Except when it didn’t!

Occasionally there was a short first stage and distinct sear brake. “Why couldn’t it be like that all the time?” Doug Rogers wondered!

In addition I found the trigger uncomfortable – even a little painful – to use. This was due to the sharp “step” you can see in the photograph of the trigger blade below. Doug Rogers – our resident “trigger snob” didn’t object to it – however. Although he definitely would make adjustments to the trigger were it his own gun.

The trigger is setscrew-adjustable for first stage pull length and second stage pull weight.

The push across manual safety worked well. It’s simple, positive and effective. However the small size of the safety button does mean that it’s tough to find. It’s also difficult to see if it is actually engaged.

Cocking was another issue for the HAM testers. The action itself was very heavy. Somehow the mechanical advantage benefit from the side lever seems to have been lost in this configuration as the actual cocking effort takes place in a very small rotational angle.

This heavy cocking effort was multiplied by the diminutive handle at the end of the side lever. This was too small for both HAM testers fingers. In addition, the handle itself rotates: not a benefit.

The result was several occasions when our fingers slipped off of the cocking lever handle during operation. Curses resulted and the magazine was withdrawn to avoid double-feeding on that shot!

Here is an obvious opportunity for an aftermarket longer cocking handle. It would be easy to install and offer big benefits.

Given the obvious effort that Stoeger Airguns has made in many other areas of the design to give the Ranger a comfortable, customizable shooting experience, we were disappointed with both the trigger and cocking action. Making a lot of shots was actually a slightly painful experience…

COMPARISON TO MAKERS CLAIMS

The main claim made by the manufacturer for the Stoeger XM1 Ranger air rifle is that the maximum Muzzle Velocity is the obligatory 1,000 FPS. As we have seen from the test data above, the Ranger tested by HAM easily exceeded this claim.

Indeed, even the mid-weight 14.66 Grain H&N Field Target Trophy pellets exceeded that with an average of 1,025 FPS. As always, these tests were made with the rifle in “out of the box” condition.

Above. We fitted a Leapers UTG TBNR bipod to the Ranger. It worked well!

Stoeger also claims that the Ranger’s fully adjustable stock system (Length Of Pull, cheek riser height, grip) ensure a custom fit for shooters of all sizes as well as for seasonal changes in clothing. This is another claim that is definitely met by the product.

CONSISTENCY

Stoeger says that the Ranger’s regulator is set to 130 – 140 bar (that’s 1,885 to 2,030 PSI). The reg pressure is shown in the small gauge in the underside of the stock, ahead of the trigger.

With the test gun filled to full pressure (250 bar, 3,625 PSI), we achieved 53 shots from the fill before reaching the regulator set pressure. The graph below shows the details.

It also has to be said that the Ranger tested by HAM gave excellent measured consistency.  The graph above shows probably the flattest “curve” of any regulated PCP air rifle that we have ever tested. Outstanding!

The Standard Deviation (mathematical expression of consistency within a shot string) was an excellent 4.21 FPS average over the standard HAM test pellet suite.

Measured trigger pulls were very consistent too, varying between 2 Lb 0.5 Oz and 2 Lb 2.5 Oz. Unfortunately we did not manage to catch one of those “light” pulls, in spite of trying hard!

Plus accuracy was generally very good or better with all the pellets tested. The Stoeger XM1 Ranger air rifle is clearly not “pellet picky”. That – in itself – is a very valuable capability for many shooters!

NOISE LEVEL

It’s loud! Although the Stoeger XM1 Ranger air rifle tested by HAM is fitted with a long, shrouded barrel, the report was pretty hard on the ears. Backyard-friendly this is not…

However – to be fair – Stoeger Airguns does position the Ranger as a hunting tool, rather than a backyard plinker.

Sure, there’s a barrel nut that can be removed to install a dedicated airgun silencer – where legal. But – as always – that lengthens the gun and impairs the handling.

SIGHTS AND SCOPE

The Stoeger XM1 Ranger air rifle is equipped with a standard Picatinny scope rail. For this test review, we installed a Leapers UTG 3-12 x 44 SWAT scope.

The UTG scope fitted and balanced well on the Ranger. We used the included UTG rings. The SWAT scope provides a good range of magnification for hunting, together with a good, simple Second Focal Plane reticle with mil-dots for convenient aiming-off. Plus, there’s that multi-colored illuminated reticle should you want it.

With parallax correction distances down to 10 Yards, this scope is well-suited to airgun use. Plus – selling at $219.97 – it’s an appropriate price to combine with the Ranger.

In total, the Ranger/UTG combo weighed 9 Lb 7 Oz. Although not the lightest PCP air rifle combination we have tested, it felt solid and substantial to hold. The long HPA tube tended to a slight muzzle-heaviness, which is popular with many shooters looking for longer range accuracy.

Note, however, that the magazine loads from the left side. This means that it will not be possible to use both the magazine feed and a “big wheel” for the side parallax correction turret. If you want to use a big wheel, you’ll need to use the single shot tray.

SHOOTABILITY

Here is where Stoeger Airguns aims to differentiate their PCP air rifles. The adjustable stock is a major part of the offering, starting with the five-level adjustable cheekpiece.

While adjustable cheekpieces are not uncommon, the ability to easily alter the Length Of Pull definitely is – particularly at this price point. Just pop off the butpad and make sure the appropriate number of spacers is installed.

Unique at any price – so far as we are aware – is the capability of changing the size of the pistol grip to match that of the shooter’s hands. This is achieved using the slide on/off moldings we see here in the photograph below.

The HAM testers feel that the Ranger’s stock customization capabilities are a major buying feature and a strong differentiator for Stoeger Airguns. However it has to be recorded that both Doug and I found the gun to be perfect for us “as issued”. We didn’t need the customization but were pleased to know that it exists…

Another shootability benefit was to be found in the swell of the forearm. It widens-out to provide a comfortable, easy-to-grasp forend. Very good!

The only stock adjustability feature missing from the Ranger is cant adjustment for the buttplate. However this is normally found only on much more expensive air rifles and its’ omission is not noted as a strike here against the product.

In addition to these built-in modifications, Stoeger has also included no less than three short Picatinny rails as options that can be added to the forend as desired by the owner.

Just like that!

These mini rails allow the user to add a sling swivel and/or lasers or lights for hunting.

There’s a mounting point for a sling swivel already included in the rear end of the buttstock, as we can see in the photograph below. That’s another indication of the manufacturer’s positioning of the Stoeger XM1 Ranger air rifle as a hunting tool. A sling makes the gun so much easier to carry in the field and can be used as a support for offhand shooting.

However the actual shooting experience was sadly held back by the trigger and cocking issues mentioned above.

APPEARANCE AND FINISH

Of course the Stoeger XM1 Ranger air rifle is unashamedly a “black rifle”. This is the most popular buying choice in the PCP market right now and so just makes sense. However the look falls short of the “full on AR15” appearance that’s becoming ever more common.

Doug Rogers – a machinist by profession – commented that “The metal looks good.” He also considered that the manufacture had “Done a good job on the plastic for the price.”

Certainly the Ranger’s finish is at least comparable with that of other PCPs in this price range. Plus the unusual triangular grip area moldings make for a comfortable yet grippy effect that’s likely to be welcomed by a hunter with cold and wet or muddy hands.

Stoeger’s logo tagline is “Every Day Tough”. The Ranger certainly lives-up to that positioning.

BUYING AND OWNING

The Stoeger XM1 Ranger air rifle is widely available from gunshops that sell Benelli Group products. It’s also available online from our friends at Pyramyd and Airgun Depot.

There’s a “good news/bad news” aspect to filling the Ranger with High Pressure Air. The bad news is that it uses a probe filling system. The HAM Team always prefers a “standard” 1/4-Inch NPT quick disconnect filling system.

However, the Ranger’s probe fill did work well. Plus, the spring-loaded cover does a great job at keeping junk out of the HPA tube while being impossible to lose. Excellent!

Another downside – in my opinion – is the positioning of the High Pressure Air fill gauge at the end of the HPA tube.

This means that it’s almost impossible to check the fill pressure without looking down the barrel. What does it say on page 2 of the Owner’s Manual? “Never point a gun at any part of your body or another person.” Quite.

Unfortunately this Owner’s Manual suffers from being a multi-model book. It covers six different models, with most space allocated to installing the stock modifications (which are easy to do). This means that there’s minimal specific information on the Ranger itself.

For example, the description of how to load the magazine is very unclear. Doug and I both ended-up doing it in different ways! One of them must have been wrong…

Then the gun is supplied with bags full of tools (four Allen keys plus a gauge removal tool – we think) and O rings (I counted 21 of different sizes). This is great. However the manual gives a stern warning. “Never disassemble your gun.”

So why include all these tools and parts, if the owner is instructed not to use them? As they are included, the Owner’s Manual should explain what they are for and how they can be used.

More positive is that the Stoeger XM1 Ranger air rifle is supplied with a single shot tray. There’s also two magazines, with metal rotors (which we much prefer to plastic) and the fill probe. Again very good.

Airgun Depot shows the warranty coverage to be 5 years. It says that on the box, too. The Owner’s Manual says it’s two years. The company web page doesn’t say…

TEST TARGETS

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Stoeger XM1 Ranger

This entire article including scoring, test targets etc is Copyright Hard Air Magazine and may NOT in part or in whole be reproduced in any electronic or printed medium without prior permission from the publisher.

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