The Umarex Komplete NCR Air Rifle

It’s no secret that I am very entertained by air guns. When Umarex Airguns released their Komplete Nitrogen Cartridge Rifle, I had to check one out. Shooting the Komplete was a lot of fun, but I discovered it had a lot of potential as a working gun, too.

The Komplete uses a pre-compressed 3600 psi nitrogen reservoir, which screws into a recess in the forend. My Komplete came with two 10-shot rotary magazines and a NitroAir 4×32 scope with rings.

The Komplete is a bolt action repeater whose bolt uses a short, rearward throw. For users who are looking for a pest control tool, the advantage is the ability to reload while maintaining the crosshairs on the target. It came with the Umarex SilencAir Technology device on the barrel, which appeared to reduce the “crack” of the gun and added to barrel dampening.

Air rifles can use several methods of propelling the projectile down range. The more popular methods are spring air, which is generally the “break barrel” type of gun, and PCP guns, or pre-charged pneumatics. PCP guns have a reservoir of air that is charged by a separate pump. Both technologies are capable of sending a 177-caliber pellet over 1000 fps. For the 22 caliber, which I tested, it can send 11.9-grain pellets up to 975 fps. I used 14.4 -rain pellets, which averaged 890 fps for the life of the cartridge, which was about 45 rounds. That’s a consistent 25.32 foot pounds.

Although PCP technology has been around for centuries, it has recently gained popularity with products available that can launch 35-50 caliber pellets with enough energy for medium game. For centuries, you ask? Yes, Captain Meriwether Lewis carried a PCP repeater on the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition. It could harvest small game.

Because PCP guns meter air from an onboard tank, they can be repeaters and even semi-automatic guns. The problem with most PCP is their need for an external air source, like a pump or tank reservoir. The Umarex Komplete is a PCP gun, but it uses removable Nitrogen cartridges. Using nitrogen adds to the reliability of the system.

Nitrogen makes up 78% of our atmosphere.

It is used in food packaging to displace oxygen. Since nitrogen does not hold moisture like oxygen, a nitrogen cartridge gun is less subject to internal rust. Nitrogen is inert, generally safe as a gas, and considerably more stable when used in air guns. Using nitrogen to propel pellets is environmentally friendly simply because it exists in the air already. Nitrogen’s stability includes the fact that changes in temperature are less likely to affect changes in performance.

One of the ways I tested the stability was to insert a nitrogen cartridge and test the velocity over time. It was 110 degrees outside when I brought the gun out. I shot about 25 rounds and brought it into air conditioning. I did not touch the gun until 3 weeks later. I brought the gun outside in 100-plus weather. I ran pellets across my chronograph screens. The velocity was consistent regardless of temperature.

The Komplete is particularly easy to set up and shoot. Once the user confirms that the bleed valve in the stock is closed, the front part of the forend slides off. The 32-gram nitrogen cartridge threads easily into the forend.

The pellets are dispensed from a spring-loaded rotary cartridge, which snaps into the left side of the gun, opposite the bolt. These 10-round magazines are loaded by rotating a turntable-like disc, which has a recess for each pellet, and dropping the pellets into the recesses. Once I learned how to do this, it took about 30 seconds to load a magazine.

Aside from working the crossbolt safety on the trigger, the gun is ready to shoot.

Considering the gun is made of a reinforced polymer or plastic, it feels solid on the shoulder and has enough dampening for accurate shooting. It has a pistol grip stock, which allows it to be comfortable for adult and junior shooters. The operation and design was easy for beginners, and the overall design was intuitive.

It wasn’t loud, but it wasn’t completely silent either. It was definitely quiet enough to keep all the pests within range from “exiting stage right” when pellets are flying. Unlike spring air guns, the recoil was unnoticeable. This is definitely a selling point for this kind of gun. Spring air guns, which use the force of a piston slamming a column of air into a small space, have a reverse recoil effect that can damage conventional rifle scopes. PCP guns do not, so they can use any kind of scope.

Being able to mount anything on the Komplete is an advantage. I preferred my own scope to the one that came with the gun, so I eventually mounted it. The Komplete has standard rails, and even has M-Lock mounting points up front.

This gun can shoot. The first group I shot at 25 yards had almost all the pellet holes touching. Subsequent groups were single holes. The accuracy and shooting comfort was outstanding. The trigger wasn’t mushy, and it was easy to shoot and have a conversation. This is definitely a “Cup of coffee on your back porch” kind of gun.

The gun is good for targets inside of 100 yards, but there are several videos of users pushing the limits on the Komplete. I may spend a few weeks trying different pellets at further distances.

This answers the question, “Why would I want to own this rifle?” Just the pest reduction ability alone makes it a great purchase. However, this is a great gun to teach a new shooter the proper fundamentals of marksmanship and safety. It is comfy to shoot, requires almost no maintenance, and produces predictable results. MSRP is $199.99. Prefilled cartridges (about 45 rounds) are $$24.99.

Umarex.com

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