Costas Solomou
02-07-2007, 01:16 PM
As many of you know, I have just put my new Rapid through its paces when a couple of mates and I, put 400 rounds through it last Saturday morning. I saw it fit to write a something about my experience with the gun from the moment I decided I wanted a PCP.
major point in descison.177 is the only permitted Calibre in Cyprus. Power output is not considered. all airguns are registerd by the Police. :mad:
Disclaimer
I was well informed of both the pros and cons of the Rapid before I purchased it. I made an informed decision which I have not regretted.
My setup is a follows:
Rapid MKII,
Standard right hand walnut stock,
23” barrel with ".177 FAC" stamped on the barrel (most probably BSA),
Vortex LDC
500cc air tube,
Falcon Optics Merlin 4-14x56IR MP20 Reticule sitting on Theoben high mounts
Currently doing 930fps with 10.65grn H&N (20ft/lbs)
As far as I am aware it is unregulated, as it should be “fitted with fast flow adapter”
Prologue:
Quite a few of my friends have been purchasing air rifles lately and they have fun with them, while at the same time they are over the age of 30. I have also discovered that there is a whole wonderful air gunning world out there that I can peek into through the BBS. In order to join in the fun I had to get an air rifle as well. For me this is the closest substitute to my favourite gun which is the .22 rimfire rifle which is unfortunately illegal here in Cyprus. Problem was…that I could not hit a barn door with a Springer and a new PCP cost over £1000 with all its accessories. Finally, Last year, another mate and I decided to spend our Christmas bonuses on new PCPs with all its trimmings. – getting an air rifle has been a 6 month slog with some very unpleasant experiences during the time. (In the UK - BAR, Uttings, JSR and others are only a mouse click or phone call away – for this be very, very, grateful!).
Introduction:
I wanted to purchase an air rifle mostly for Target shooting and Plinking. I wanted it to be well balanced and light and have lots of shots per fill and look cool and not cost a fortune and be multishot…..(not fussy am I?)………..
Initially I thought of the S410 with the beautiful rosewood capped walnut stock or the Hw100 which is bullet-proof. Both these guns presented the problem that at ,177 FAC levels I would be limited to about 20 full power shots and I did not like the idea of lugging around a 12L scuba tank.
I thought about the Gunpower Talon / stealth with the buddy bottle stock, very simple design and idiot proof - but as it was single shot not really my cup of tea.
I then went to see a dealer that imported the Logun series and through the store window saw the S16 and said wow, cool, I want it! Upon entering the store and picking up the S16 I realised that I hit another dead end. The gun was heavy and unwieldy in my hands it had a short 16” barrel and the build quality was not to my expectations. Then I spotted the Gladi8or – neat - it was light, large fill (680cc), multishot, compact yet with a 19” barrel, wonderful cocking mechanism and most importantly “my” perfect balance - I could hold it at a target 90 yards away and not sway like a drunken sailor - for over 5 seconds.
Alas, this was not to be as the dealer wanted £850CYP or £970 Sterling for the gun, a midrange AGS scope, a cheap LDC and gun bag. The same setup was going for £650 in most UK gun stores. After various attempts to get the Gladiator which I have documented on the forum – I have finally decided that FX or its dealers will never see a single penny from me.
The last option on my list which was imported locally was the Theoben Rapid, which I always personally considered a little left of centre. To me it seemed a rather awkward and unwieldy looking contraption with the large tank on the front. I much preferred the sleek look of the S410 or the cool look of the FX Gladiator. But never the less, I was going to take a look at it.
First Impressions
This was the same gun as mine but with a 19” barrel.
Ohhh……Nice walnut stock….its oiled and not varnished much better than the HW100 – nice grain as well.
Right hand stock not as uncomfortable as I thought – this new fangled thumb up shooting thing might be a problem………….
Errr..ummm….its heavy…..and not well balanced, very front heavy. Stock feels a little short for my frame…….
But it’s solidly built – nice thick metallic parts and a solid feel to the whole rifle.
Breach is silky smooth, click up, pull back, push forward and clip down – ohhh I’m 13 again and this is the .22 rimfire! – Lovely!
The barrel, although free floating, does not move when pressed down with a finger – so no need for barrel band. (The Gladiator and T12 barrels move about ¼” without any effort at all.
Then came the first test shots, I fired at a wooden post about 50 yards away and it hit it with a rather hard thwack that impressed me. I noticed that I could group 1” shots while dead resting at 40 yards from the first shots. And the trigger was lovely to use.
I did my homework and I asked you all for your opinions and the general feedback was that I could not go wrong with the Rapid. What then became very important as I got my feel around the world of air rifles and gun dealers was the reliability and ease if maintenance. From what I have found out this gun is well built and relatively easy to repair.
I considered the heavy weight and forward balance Vs the accuracy, reliability and the ease of use / maintenance. The looks of the gun had grown on me and I actually like the look of it. I went back and tried the gun again, this time it felt better as I think I became accustomed to its balance. Accuracy and power still impressed me; suffice to say that I purchased the gun. – The only thing is that I wanted the 23” barrel for a longer range, noise reduction and better air efficiency.
Although I got the gun and kit from various sources, the cost breakdown in UK £ including VAT was as follows:
Rapid MkII .177 FAC, 19” barrel, 500cc tank, LDC, 1” mounts, double rifle case and 2 tins of Pellets - £745.00 Sterling
Upgrade to 23” barrel and 30mm Mounts - £57.00 Sterling
300 Bar 12L Faber Dive Tank with pressure gauge and Rapid fitting, Boot and net. £230
Falcon Optics Merlin 4 -14x56IR Scope £219.95 from B.A.R
Gun registration at local cop station £18
Total Cost: £1270.00 Stg
The gun is supplied in a nondescript brown box the same size as a single hard case, and there is also a little sachet containing the manual, a 1 year guarantee certificate, a hex key for the mounts, BASC membership form, a warning for dealers to check the gun before delivery and an aluminium bottle cap for the buddy bottle when not screwed on. BTW - Do not tighten the bottle cap as the bottle might leak making it very difficult to remove. Leave the cap on with a bit of play.
First use:
The first thing I did when I got the gun was to take it to a friend and have him help me attach the scope and line things up.
The first thing that struck me as a problem is that if you have a scope with a sidewheel PA then you have no room to move the scope forward or backwards. Forget adding the big sidewheel – it won’t fit.
If you move the scope back the mount touches the outer rim of the sidewheel. Move the scope forward and the magazine cannot fit. You literally have 2 -4 mm to play with.
If the scope is not setup for your reach then shooting becomes very uncomfortable.
Since sidewheels scope manufacturers are not going to change the layout, would Theoben consider a magazine that loads from the right? – This makes sense as it’s even easier to remove and replace with the trigger hand rather than using the hand that holds all the weight and the gun steady. Only AA and Theoben load from the left as far as I know. For the moment I am going to invest in a shotgun style recoil pad to extend the stock and help with the eyeball distance from the scope. As the head of the scope is only 3mm from the barrel I think it’s perfect so adding a rail will be a last resort.
On the topic of rails, what’s with the idea of bespoke mounts? I can understand the idea of supplying the gun with mounts as an added value and the screw in jobbies to hold the mounts firmly, but I believe that the rapid should have normal grooves to accept standard mounts – instead of the shallow configuration that they have now. If I had standard mounts I could have moved the mounts to push the scope forward. ???
Filling up the tank:
Again, I cannot stress enough how important it is to RTMFM! (read the %$ӣ% manual). I was given some basic instructions from the dealer but had better results when following the instructions. Unscrew until you see a 2mm gap (you will feel some resistance when full). Dry fire a few times and then unscrew completely. You will hear a small pop when the remaining pressure in the gun internals is released. Be careful not to loose the rubber o-ring on the bottle (Bottle is sealed with a valve and should no leak). Screw the bottle carefully onto the scuba tank and SLOWLY fill. The bottle will heat up slightly in the process, but this is normal. It is also common that the bottle makes a high pitched noise when filling. Once filled, release the pressure in the adapter, by using the bleed valve. (before you try to unscrew the bottle). Remove the bottle taking care not to loose the O-ring and carefully screw onto the gun. Make sure that the bottle is properly seated and screwed on tightly (there will not be any gap between the bottle and the valve of the gun).
Do not over fill (200 BAR is optimum) I accidentally filled to 220 Bar and wasted 20 -30 shots just to get the valve to open properly and give maximum power.
(I am considering a quick fill at some stage, if there is not much tooling involved)
Continued
Coz
major point in descison.177 is the only permitted Calibre in Cyprus. Power output is not considered. all airguns are registerd by the Police. :mad:
Disclaimer
I was well informed of both the pros and cons of the Rapid before I purchased it. I made an informed decision which I have not regretted.
My setup is a follows:
Rapid MKII,
Standard right hand walnut stock,
23” barrel with ".177 FAC" stamped on the barrel (most probably BSA),
Vortex LDC
500cc air tube,
Falcon Optics Merlin 4-14x56IR MP20 Reticule sitting on Theoben high mounts
Currently doing 930fps with 10.65grn H&N (20ft/lbs)
As far as I am aware it is unregulated, as it should be “fitted with fast flow adapter”
Prologue:
Quite a few of my friends have been purchasing air rifles lately and they have fun with them, while at the same time they are over the age of 30. I have also discovered that there is a whole wonderful air gunning world out there that I can peek into through the BBS. In order to join in the fun I had to get an air rifle as well. For me this is the closest substitute to my favourite gun which is the .22 rimfire rifle which is unfortunately illegal here in Cyprus. Problem was…that I could not hit a barn door with a Springer and a new PCP cost over £1000 with all its accessories. Finally, Last year, another mate and I decided to spend our Christmas bonuses on new PCPs with all its trimmings. – getting an air rifle has been a 6 month slog with some very unpleasant experiences during the time. (In the UK - BAR, Uttings, JSR and others are only a mouse click or phone call away – for this be very, very, grateful!).
Introduction:
I wanted to purchase an air rifle mostly for Target shooting and Plinking. I wanted it to be well balanced and light and have lots of shots per fill and look cool and not cost a fortune and be multishot…..(not fussy am I?)………..
Initially I thought of the S410 with the beautiful rosewood capped walnut stock or the Hw100 which is bullet-proof. Both these guns presented the problem that at ,177 FAC levels I would be limited to about 20 full power shots and I did not like the idea of lugging around a 12L scuba tank.
I thought about the Gunpower Talon / stealth with the buddy bottle stock, very simple design and idiot proof - but as it was single shot not really my cup of tea.
I then went to see a dealer that imported the Logun series and through the store window saw the S16 and said wow, cool, I want it! Upon entering the store and picking up the S16 I realised that I hit another dead end. The gun was heavy and unwieldy in my hands it had a short 16” barrel and the build quality was not to my expectations. Then I spotted the Gladi8or – neat - it was light, large fill (680cc), multishot, compact yet with a 19” barrel, wonderful cocking mechanism and most importantly “my” perfect balance - I could hold it at a target 90 yards away and not sway like a drunken sailor - for over 5 seconds.
Alas, this was not to be as the dealer wanted £850CYP or £970 Sterling for the gun, a midrange AGS scope, a cheap LDC and gun bag. The same setup was going for £650 in most UK gun stores. After various attempts to get the Gladiator which I have documented on the forum – I have finally decided that FX or its dealers will never see a single penny from me.
The last option on my list which was imported locally was the Theoben Rapid, which I always personally considered a little left of centre. To me it seemed a rather awkward and unwieldy looking contraption with the large tank on the front. I much preferred the sleek look of the S410 or the cool look of the FX Gladiator. But never the less, I was going to take a look at it.
First Impressions
This was the same gun as mine but with a 19” barrel.
Ohhh……Nice walnut stock….its oiled and not varnished much better than the HW100 – nice grain as well.
Right hand stock not as uncomfortable as I thought – this new fangled thumb up shooting thing might be a problem………….
Errr..ummm….its heavy…..and not well balanced, very front heavy. Stock feels a little short for my frame…….
But it’s solidly built – nice thick metallic parts and a solid feel to the whole rifle.
Breach is silky smooth, click up, pull back, push forward and clip down – ohhh I’m 13 again and this is the .22 rimfire! – Lovely!
The barrel, although free floating, does not move when pressed down with a finger – so no need for barrel band. (The Gladiator and T12 barrels move about ¼” without any effort at all.
Then came the first test shots, I fired at a wooden post about 50 yards away and it hit it with a rather hard thwack that impressed me. I noticed that I could group 1” shots while dead resting at 40 yards from the first shots. And the trigger was lovely to use.
I did my homework and I asked you all for your opinions and the general feedback was that I could not go wrong with the Rapid. What then became very important as I got my feel around the world of air rifles and gun dealers was the reliability and ease if maintenance. From what I have found out this gun is well built and relatively easy to repair.
I considered the heavy weight and forward balance Vs the accuracy, reliability and the ease of use / maintenance. The looks of the gun had grown on me and I actually like the look of it. I went back and tried the gun again, this time it felt better as I think I became accustomed to its balance. Accuracy and power still impressed me; suffice to say that I purchased the gun. – The only thing is that I wanted the 23” barrel for a longer range, noise reduction and better air efficiency.
Although I got the gun and kit from various sources, the cost breakdown in UK £ including VAT was as follows:
Rapid MkII .177 FAC, 19” barrel, 500cc tank, LDC, 1” mounts, double rifle case and 2 tins of Pellets - £745.00 Sterling
Upgrade to 23” barrel and 30mm Mounts - £57.00 Sterling
300 Bar 12L Faber Dive Tank with pressure gauge and Rapid fitting, Boot and net. £230
Falcon Optics Merlin 4 -14x56IR Scope £219.95 from B.A.R
Gun registration at local cop station £18
Total Cost: £1270.00 Stg
The gun is supplied in a nondescript brown box the same size as a single hard case, and there is also a little sachet containing the manual, a 1 year guarantee certificate, a hex key for the mounts, BASC membership form, a warning for dealers to check the gun before delivery and an aluminium bottle cap for the buddy bottle when not screwed on. BTW - Do not tighten the bottle cap as the bottle might leak making it very difficult to remove. Leave the cap on with a bit of play.
First use:
The first thing I did when I got the gun was to take it to a friend and have him help me attach the scope and line things up.
The first thing that struck me as a problem is that if you have a scope with a sidewheel PA then you have no room to move the scope forward or backwards. Forget adding the big sidewheel – it won’t fit.
If you move the scope back the mount touches the outer rim of the sidewheel. Move the scope forward and the magazine cannot fit. You literally have 2 -4 mm to play with.
If the scope is not setup for your reach then shooting becomes very uncomfortable.
Since sidewheels scope manufacturers are not going to change the layout, would Theoben consider a magazine that loads from the right? – This makes sense as it’s even easier to remove and replace with the trigger hand rather than using the hand that holds all the weight and the gun steady. Only AA and Theoben load from the left as far as I know. For the moment I am going to invest in a shotgun style recoil pad to extend the stock and help with the eyeball distance from the scope. As the head of the scope is only 3mm from the barrel I think it’s perfect so adding a rail will be a last resort.
On the topic of rails, what’s with the idea of bespoke mounts? I can understand the idea of supplying the gun with mounts as an added value and the screw in jobbies to hold the mounts firmly, but I believe that the rapid should have normal grooves to accept standard mounts – instead of the shallow configuration that they have now. If I had standard mounts I could have moved the mounts to push the scope forward. ???
Filling up the tank:
Again, I cannot stress enough how important it is to RTMFM! (read the %$ӣ% manual). I was given some basic instructions from the dealer but had better results when following the instructions. Unscrew until you see a 2mm gap (you will feel some resistance when full). Dry fire a few times and then unscrew completely. You will hear a small pop when the remaining pressure in the gun internals is released. Be careful not to loose the rubber o-ring on the bottle (Bottle is sealed with a valve and should no leak). Screw the bottle carefully onto the scuba tank and SLOWLY fill. The bottle will heat up slightly in the process, but this is normal. It is also common that the bottle makes a high pitched noise when filling. Once filled, release the pressure in the adapter, by using the bleed valve. (before you try to unscrew the bottle). Remove the bottle taking care not to loose the O-ring and carefully screw onto the gun. Make sure that the bottle is properly seated and screwed on tightly (there will not be any gap between the bottle and the valve of the gun).
Do not over fill (200 BAR is optimum) I accidentally filled to 220 Bar and wasted 20 -30 shots just to get the valve to open properly and give maximum power.
(I am considering a quick fill at some stage, if there is not much tooling involved)
Continued
Coz