Everyone Loves a Good Origin Story
The Umarex Origin is appropriately named. This line of airguns from Umarex USA has undoubtedly become the “Origin” story for a whole new wave of shooters who were gun-shy to try out PCP Airguns until their release. As of the release of this article, the Umarex Origin is available in both .22 and .25 calibers and three different configurations. This article will look at the original Origin and how it put PCP Airgunning within reach of thousands of new airgunners.
All the Tools in One Box
To understand just how Umarex USA changed the game, it’s important to realize that while PCP airguns are the most powerful airguns on the market and are the easiest to shoot, they also require expensive infrastructure to make them work. PCP Airguns store pressurized air in an onboard air cylinder, which is depleted as you shoot the airgun. So, once you have the PCP airgun, you need an easy way to fill it, and that’s where things start to break down. The primary fill methods for PCP newbies have been hand pumps and scuba tanks. Hand pumps are great because they are inexpensive and reliable. But, it takes a lot of effort to fill an airgun. And, it’s not about strength; it’s about body mass. For example, if you want to fill an airgun to 250 bar, about 3625 PSI, you need to weigh close to 200 pounds or better just to compress the pump fully. It’s pretty easy up to about 2800 psi, but then it gets really hard.
Old school aluminum scuba tanks are affordable, especially on the secondary market, but they also have their issues. They only fill to 3000 PSI, whereas many modern PCP airguns, including the Umarex Origin, fill to 3600+ PSI. Additionally, you still need to fill the tank at a licensed shop which can be time-consuming and expensive.
Enter the Origin
To make things easy for new airgunners, Umarex released the Origin .22 caliber with an included hand pump in the box. But they did not stop there. Knowing that hand pumping takes a lot of effort and energy just to take one shot, they set their engineers to the task of devising a solution.
Before we share how Umarex cracked this nut, let's describe the typical experience of filling a pcp with a hand pump. If your airgun is empty, you need to get it up to usable pressure before anything really works. That may be 1500 to 2000 PSI, given that it takes about 10 to 15 strokes of the hand pump per 100 PSI (this will vary based on the volume of the onboard air cylinder); you could need in the neighborhood of 150 strokes just to start to get up to working pressure. To fill an airgun with a cylinder the size of the Origin’s may take 250 +/- strokes. New shooters often overlook the amount of effort and quickly either abandon PCP or feel forced to spend hundreds more on other gear. In either case, it’s not a fun learning curve.
The solution presented itself in the form of a pre-pressurized chamber called the Ever Pressure Tank System that works to “boost” the internal pressure of the storage cylinder. This gives shooters the ability to take a full-power shot after only 13 pumps and provides consistent pressure through most of the usable shot curve. Not only does it help shooters get to usable pressure more quickly, but it reduces the total number of strokes on the hand pump by almost half.
The Gun Itself
With the biggest hurdle out of the way, airgunners now have a turnkey entry point into the PCP airgunning world. Knowing this was going to be the case, Umarex needed to make sure that the experience lived up to expectations. The Origin rifle is a solid performing airgun with a feature set that checks a lot of boxes for today’s airgunner. The composite stock is well built and very comfortable. The magazine (10-shot in .22 /
8-shot for .25) holds your next pellet at the ready and indexes automatically when you cock the rifle. Speaking of cocking, gone is the side or rear bolt design that can be difficult for some new shooters. Umarex opted instead for a side lever with a drop handle. As a result, shooters get a positive grip on the cocking handle, which provides a mechanical advantage when cocking the hammer. It’s all very smooth and extremely reliable. The metal two-stage trigger is set to under 2 pounds out of the box and further enhances the experience. On top of the receiver, you’ll find the slotted rail suitable for Weaver or Picatinny mounted optics. Umarex does not include an optic with the Origin, so you’ll need to plan to add one right out of the gate. Fortunately, Umarex has their Axeon line of scopes which work really well, are very clear, and are priced comparably for the Origin.
Let's Talk Performance
Umarex has spent a lot of time on the fill system and function of the Origin. So how does it all come together? It comes together pretty darn well. The .22 caliber Origin produces energy over 30-foot pounds and the .25 caliber version produces upwards of 50-foot pounds. Moreover, shooters can expect about 50+/- shots per full charge. That’s a lot of shooting. Within those 50 shots, expect to find a 30 to 35-shot sweet spot where velocity remains extremely stable shot to shot.
When it comes to accuracy, the Origin is a solid 50-yard performer. Provided conditions are right, and the person behind the trigger can do their part, you should see sub 1” CTC groups as the norm.
Time to Wrap it Up
The Umarex Origin is an all-in-one solution for airgunners looking to get into the PCP world without breaking the bank. With 30+ foot-pounds and 1” accuracy, the .22 caliber Umarex Origin has quickly become a favorite for target shooters and small game hunters alike. For those that already have a fill solution, Umarex has released a version of the Umarex Origin without the hand pump. So whether you are brand new to the sport, or a seasoned pro, take a look at adding the Umarex Origin to your airgun collection. If you would like to know more about Umarex USA, the various Origin Models, or any of their other airgun products, please check out www.umarexusa.com.
Rick Eutsler