Kes
13-05-2009, 07:46 PM
Bought this rifle compulsively a couple of weeks ago with a view to introducing it to my eight year old son as his first (PCP) rifle. I'd read TD's review in AGW, taken it with a pinch of salt (as one must with all magazine reviews) but made up my mind to get one sooner or later after lifting one to my cheek at Kelmarsh and liking it's compactness.
For a rifle at the lower end of the price market it's a nice (walnut) stock. It reminds me very much of the Falcon Lighthunter I used to have except that its not shiny and is smaller and lighter. Without a scope on it, it's so light it could almost be used as a pistol!
I stuck a cheap Hawke scope on it and put the recommended 200 Bar charge into it. The loading and cocking procedure is straightforward enough by depressing the spring-loaded release catch conveniently just above where your thumb rests (for right-handers that is). Pull the bolt back until it clicks using index finger and thumb, roll the pellet in front of the probe as per any other single shot gun, push the bolt/probe back with another click and it's good to go. Almost exactly like you do with a BSA Ultra except there's no subsequent cocking lever to then depress and of course, no safety catch.
The trigger is certainly better than my old Falcon's one but similar (IMO) in crispness. The blade is a bit too wide for my liking but it certainly doesnt "stick" like some I've known can.
Accuracy was pretty much as I/you'd expect. Not as "match accurate" as Steyr's/EV2's etc but enough to print the group you need to be confident enough to point it at live quarry. It should be observed that it's a very light gun and so "wobble" factor probably played its part, even bench rested as it was for some of the two lots of 25 shots I put through it before POI dropped well below half an inch. :)
What did impress me was the power output. I filled up, shot 3 (JSB 4.52)pellets, then began chronoing. The gun undoubtedly has a power curve but my readings didn't drop below 10.9 or above 11.3 ft lbs for the next 15 shots. I'm not sure why but I half expected it to be under-powered if anything. :) I didn't record the whole string or the one after it since I was really only concerned with ascertaining its suitability for vermin control.
I stuck an old half inch unf thread Falcon adaptor onto the end of it so that I could screw on a decent moderator and it's nice and quiet. The moderator The Contour comes with is small with a plastic outer casing and is next to useless!! (again, I suppose, a bit like the BSA Ultra's one).
Only giving around 20 full power shots per fill, it's no good for HFT work, even for a youngster unless you invest in getting some sort of portable buddy bottle for it (like I did with my Ultra a couple of years back) to take around with you.
It's very small which makes it an excellent choice for a (small adult) female shooter or a child, but it's appeal to me is as the sort of gun with which I can sit in a corner armed with Bisley Mag pellets and do some serious rat-zapping. :D
Sorry this review is a bit basic and short but there's not really much to tell outside of what I've posted. Suck one and see. :p
It's the smallest and lightest air rifle I've ever owned or used but I do like it - I'm hoping my lad will too. :)
For a rifle at the lower end of the price market it's a nice (walnut) stock. It reminds me very much of the Falcon Lighthunter I used to have except that its not shiny and is smaller and lighter. Without a scope on it, it's so light it could almost be used as a pistol!
I stuck a cheap Hawke scope on it and put the recommended 200 Bar charge into it. The loading and cocking procedure is straightforward enough by depressing the spring-loaded release catch conveniently just above where your thumb rests (for right-handers that is). Pull the bolt back until it clicks using index finger and thumb, roll the pellet in front of the probe as per any other single shot gun, push the bolt/probe back with another click and it's good to go. Almost exactly like you do with a BSA Ultra except there's no subsequent cocking lever to then depress and of course, no safety catch.
The trigger is certainly better than my old Falcon's one but similar (IMO) in crispness. The blade is a bit too wide for my liking but it certainly doesnt "stick" like some I've known can.
Accuracy was pretty much as I/you'd expect. Not as "match accurate" as Steyr's/EV2's etc but enough to print the group you need to be confident enough to point it at live quarry. It should be observed that it's a very light gun and so "wobble" factor probably played its part, even bench rested as it was for some of the two lots of 25 shots I put through it before POI dropped well below half an inch. :)
What did impress me was the power output. I filled up, shot 3 (JSB 4.52)pellets, then began chronoing. The gun undoubtedly has a power curve but my readings didn't drop below 10.9 or above 11.3 ft lbs for the next 15 shots. I'm not sure why but I half expected it to be under-powered if anything. :) I didn't record the whole string or the one after it since I was really only concerned with ascertaining its suitability for vermin control.
I stuck an old half inch unf thread Falcon adaptor onto the end of it so that I could screw on a decent moderator and it's nice and quiet. The moderator The Contour comes with is small with a plastic outer casing and is next to useless!! (again, I suppose, a bit like the BSA Ultra's one).
Only giving around 20 full power shots per fill, it's no good for HFT work, even for a youngster unless you invest in getting some sort of portable buddy bottle for it (like I did with my Ultra a couple of years back) to take around with you.
It's very small which makes it an excellent choice for a (small adult) female shooter or a child, but it's appeal to me is as the sort of gun with which I can sit in a corner armed with Bisley Mag pellets and do some serious rat-zapping. :D
Sorry this review is a bit basic and short but there's not really much to tell outside of what I've posted. Suck one and see. :p
It's the smallest and lightest air rifle I've ever owned or used but I do like it - I'm hoping my lad will too. :)