wgmorgan
20-07-2005, 07:32 AM
I've only had a Air Arms Pro Sport (on loan) for a day but I have used the same gun, belonging to a mate, a few times in the past. My impression is that this gun is pure class. Picture here (http://www.air-arms.co.uk/PICS/GUNS/PROSPORTMIDDLE.jpg)
I've looked at the archive and other reviewers have pointed out that it looks like a fullbore hunting rifle, with its underlever neatly tucked up in the stock. It's said to be the most attractive springer on the market and I agree.
The quality of workmanship is very high, as it should be for a gun at this reatail price (currently £325 in beech, £379 in walnut from Blackpool Air Rifles). The bluing is high gloss and the stock has very nice chequering at the grip and forend. The forend also has grooves towards the tip, presumably to improve the hold.
When people here say it is well-balanced they are dead right. Although not light at 9lbs plus scope, it doesn't feel so heavy. The barrel, with built in silencer, is quite short and the gun is not at all front heavy.
Cocking is fairly hard work, given the relatively short stroke, and you have to continue beyond engaging the sear to engage the thumb safety too. If you don't hear a firm click then the cocking lever won't fit back under the stock and you have to go back to complete the cocking cycle.
Some people have complained that the alloy underlever is uncomfortable to grip. I haven't found it to be so, even after a couple of hours of consistent shooting. True it is rectangular in shape but the grip end is rounded off well enough. It's hard to see how it could be improved without spoiling the gun's lines.
The lever has no srping-loaded locking catch. Instead it has a cam arrangement so that just before it reaches the closed position it snaps back into the stock.
The anti bear trap is silent and you wouldn't know it was there unless you tried to fire with the cokcing lever down. This means the gun can't be uncocked without firing it though. Or rather with difficulty it can, by following instructions in the owner's manual (click here for the PDF version (http://www.air-arms.co.uk/PDFS/PSISS2.pdf)), but it's not recommended.
The cocking lever is alloy, not to everybody's taste as the silver colour does stand out somewhat. On the positive side there's no paint finish to wear off, it's lighter than steel and won't rust. Could there be some way of making the alloy chemically blackened at the manufacturing stage, to get the best of all worlds?
The sliding stainless steel breech opens to leave a very good sized gap to fit the pellet directly into the (Lothar Walther) barrel. When it's open you can see right through the underlever slot which is fine execpt if you drop a pellet and it falls to the ground.
The gold-plated trigger is two stage, with a long first stage. The second stage let-off is crisp and smooth. Firing this gun is unlike other springers I've used (unfortunately not many since the 1980s!). There is almost no twang and very little felt recoil. I'm told this is because the Pro Sport is 'pre-tuned out of the box' with synthetic piston bearings.
In short this is a superb air rifle that won't disappoint. The difference between the PS and my old Airsporter - also a beautiful gun - is a bit liek the difference between a new 3 series BMW and a Morris Minor. Like the Moggie the BSA was great in its day and still charming but in design terms the PS beats it comfortably on every score.
Then again the PS is expensive so has to be compared with the best of the rest and with the cheaper PCPs. It's no lightweight for carrying around and although well-balanced is a 'man's gun'. Needless to say, it is deadly accurate, way more than I am!
Specs taken from the Air Arms web site:
Pro-Sport Specification
O/A length 1035mm Caliber 4.5mm(.177) & 5.5mm(.22)
Barrel length 242mm - Over-tube 377mm Stock Beech & Walnut R/H only
Weight 4.1kg Std power 12ft/lbs max.
Loading Sliding breech FAC power 14.5ft/lbs 20joules (.177) 15ft/lbs 20.5 joule(.22)
Barrel & Over-tube:
Lothar Walther - 20mm o.d. - 4.5mm (.177") & 5.5mm (,22") cals -12 groove rifling - 450mm twist
- choked muzzle end. Built-in moderator.
Trigger:
True 2 stage - adjustable weight of pull - adjustable length of pull.
Stock:
Beech & Walnut right hand with ventilated butt pad.
I've looked at the archive and other reviewers have pointed out that it looks like a fullbore hunting rifle, with its underlever neatly tucked up in the stock. It's said to be the most attractive springer on the market and I agree.
The quality of workmanship is very high, as it should be for a gun at this reatail price (currently £325 in beech, £379 in walnut from Blackpool Air Rifles). The bluing is high gloss and the stock has very nice chequering at the grip and forend. The forend also has grooves towards the tip, presumably to improve the hold.
When people here say it is well-balanced they are dead right. Although not light at 9lbs plus scope, it doesn't feel so heavy. The barrel, with built in silencer, is quite short and the gun is not at all front heavy.
Cocking is fairly hard work, given the relatively short stroke, and you have to continue beyond engaging the sear to engage the thumb safety too. If you don't hear a firm click then the cocking lever won't fit back under the stock and you have to go back to complete the cocking cycle.
Some people have complained that the alloy underlever is uncomfortable to grip. I haven't found it to be so, even after a couple of hours of consistent shooting. True it is rectangular in shape but the grip end is rounded off well enough. It's hard to see how it could be improved without spoiling the gun's lines.
The lever has no srping-loaded locking catch. Instead it has a cam arrangement so that just before it reaches the closed position it snaps back into the stock.
The anti bear trap is silent and you wouldn't know it was there unless you tried to fire with the cokcing lever down. This means the gun can't be uncocked without firing it though. Or rather with difficulty it can, by following instructions in the owner's manual (click here for the PDF version (http://www.air-arms.co.uk/PDFS/PSISS2.pdf)), but it's not recommended.
The cocking lever is alloy, not to everybody's taste as the silver colour does stand out somewhat. On the positive side there's no paint finish to wear off, it's lighter than steel and won't rust. Could there be some way of making the alloy chemically blackened at the manufacturing stage, to get the best of all worlds?
The sliding stainless steel breech opens to leave a very good sized gap to fit the pellet directly into the (Lothar Walther) barrel. When it's open you can see right through the underlever slot which is fine execpt if you drop a pellet and it falls to the ground.
The gold-plated trigger is two stage, with a long first stage. The second stage let-off is crisp and smooth. Firing this gun is unlike other springers I've used (unfortunately not many since the 1980s!). There is almost no twang and very little felt recoil. I'm told this is because the Pro Sport is 'pre-tuned out of the box' with synthetic piston bearings.
In short this is a superb air rifle that won't disappoint. The difference between the PS and my old Airsporter - also a beautiful gun - is a bit liek the difference between a new 3 series BMW and a Morris Minor. Like the Moggie the BSA was great in its day and still charming but in design terms the PS beats it comfortably on every score.
Then again the PS is expensive so has to be compared with the best of the rest and with the cheaper PCPs. It's no lightweight for carrying around and although well-balanced is a 'man's gun'. Needless to say, it is deadly accurate, way more than I am!
Specs taken from the Air Arms web site:
Pro-Sport Specification
O/A length 1035mm Caliber 4.5mm(.177) & 5.5mm(.22)
Barrel length 242mm - Over-tube 377mm Stock Beech & Walnut R/H only
Weight 4.1kg Std power 12ft/lbs max.
Loading Sliding breech FAC power 14.5ft/lbs 20joules (.177) 15ft/lbs 20.5 joule(.22)
Barrel & Over-tube:
Lothar Walther - 20mm o.d. - 4.5mm (.177") & 5.5mm (,22") cals -12 groove rifling - 450mm twist
- choked muzzle end. Built-in moderator.
Trigger:
True 2 stage - adjustable weight of pull - adjustable length of pull.
Stock:
Beech & Walnut right hand with ventilated butt pad.