Definitive Guide to DAR Gen 3

The DAR Gen 3 PCP air rifle comes in old school styling. It's not a bullpup and doesn't present as "tacti-cool" at all. Rather it's very traditional on the outside with its chunky wood stock and black rifle receiver. The ambidextrous stock features a raised cheekpiece and minimal checkering on the grip and forearm. While simple in appearance, it's very comfortable and gets the job done.

The build quality of the DAR Gen 3 air rifle is way better than you'd expect for its modest price. The all metal construction not only feels very premium, the fit and finish is exceptional. Additionally, DAR provides rebuild kits for those who want to tinker or need to perform regular maintenance. Teardown and reassembly is very straightforward if you have experience with regulated PCP airguns.

Let's talk about the regulator for a bit. Yes the DAR Gen 3 is regulated, a feature we've come to not only appreciate but expect even in entry level airguns. The regulator is fed from a 250cc air cylinder that fills to a modest, by today's standards, 3000 PSI. While that's a relatively low pressure and small air volume, the DAR Gen 3 has a pretty decent shot count, but we'll get to that later. There's a single pressure gauge that shows the main cylinder pressure. We're not sure what pressure the reg is calibrated for, but we guess it's somewhere near the 120 BAR range, as that's where our velocities started to drop.

Let's look at some other features. The DAR features a weaver style scope rail. It's split to accommodate the ten shot magazine. On a side note and example of the attention to build quality, the magazines are metal, extremely easy to load, and feed flawlessly. Extra mags will set you back about $25 each, which is not bad at all.

From the side, the DAR reminds us a lot of the Benjamin Marauder. That's not a bad thing as the Marauder is an exceptional airgun. But where the Marauder still uses a cumbersome rear bolt, DAR uses a side lever cocking action. Not only is this much better for general function, but it also helps prevent the jams and double feeding that can occur with rear bolt cocking air rifles. The cocking handle has a vertical handle that aids in ease of cocking.

There are no external power adjustments on the DAR Gen 3 pellet rifle. What you see is what you get. However, you can adjust the two stage trigger to your liking. Out of the box, the trigger pull comes in around two pounds. We found not only the pull to be perfectly acceptable but also the position of the first and second stages. But again, if you want to go in and tinker, you certainly can.

As we move forward from the receiver, you have the 16.25" rifle steel barrel that is fully shrouded, ending with a 1/2 UNF threaded fitting, perfect for those who want to make use of various compatible accessories. When it comes to noise output, the stock rifle is not terribly loud, coming in at a little over 100DB. Just a point of note that DB measurements can vary based on multiple factors. So while we think the DAR Gen 3 PCP rifle should be suitable for backyard target practice, you may feel differently once you spend some time behind the trigger. But again, you have the 1/2 UNF threaded adaptor for accessories.

It's time now to get our DAR ready for some testing. The first thing you'll need to do is fill the air cylinder. Given that it has a smaller air cylinder and only needs 3000 PSI, hand pumping is certainly an option. However, if you plan to shoot often, or tend to shoot for longer sessions, then you may want to consider a personal compressor. If you go out to the range, or plan to take this out hunting, you may want to go all in for a carbon fiber tank AND personal compressor so that you'll always have the high pressure air you'll need, regardless of your shooting location.

Once you are topped off to 3000 PSI, it's time to load the mag. Just a quick note, anytime you are not actively shooting, you should engage the safety. The DAR has a manual safety located on the trigger blade. Now let's load the magazine. The ten shot magazine loads from the rear and has an o-ring to hold each pellet by the waist. It's important to get the head of the pellet past that o-ring to help prevent loading and feeding issues. To load the next pellet, simply rotate the mag to the next empty hole and insert the next pellet, ensuring it's properly inserted. Just repeat the process until the mag is full.

Insert the magazine back into the receiver and close the cocking handle. The DAR is now ready to fire. Simply move the safety to fire, aim your rifle at your intended target and squeeze the trigger. To fire again, cycle the cocking handle, making sure to bring it all the way to the back until you hear the sear engage the hammer, and then return it forward.

Performance and Accuracy

Now let's get to the good stuff. You can expect to get about three mags before falling of the regulated. That's thirty, full powered and accurate shots per fill. We found the JSB 25.4 grain pellets to be the most consistently accurate across the board. Our chrony tests put the average power at around thirty eight foot pounds. The spread was greater than we had hoped, with a thirty seven FPS spread and a standard deviation of about thirteen FPS. While those numbers don't look great on paper, they certainly did not impact accuracy. Here's what we were getting at fifty yards. This is a typical ten shot group.

Regardless of the price, the DAR Gen 3 is very close to being a SUB MOA airgun, at least out to fifty yards, and that's no small feat. The fact that this rifle comes in at under $400 is simply amazing.

Summing Up

Dynamic Air Rifles may have needed three generations to get things right, but it was certainly worth the wait. Would we like to see some external adjustment options like we enjoy on the Air Venturi Avenger? Sure, that would be nice. But not everyone needs that. The DAR is a "what you see is what you get" kind of airgun, and it delivers performance and accuracy well above its price tag. The wood and all metal construction, ease of maintenance, really nice cocking system, and even an affordable metal magazine make the DAR Gen 3 PCP air rifle a great option for new airgunners looking to get into PCP airguns, as well as oldtimers who enjoy simple but effective airguns.

If you have more questions about Dynamic Air Rifles and what they bring to the table, just check them out on our site or give us a call. We'll be happy to help.