Geordie
04-08-2005, 06:15 PM
I've done a lot of reading up about these over the last few weeks trying to make an informed choice - consensus of opinion seems to be that they're 'variable' in build quality, and you either love em or you hate em :D
Anyway, I bit the bullet and bought one - 8 shot model in .177 cal - so here are my first impressions..
Looks - very very bizarre :eek:
Opened the box and was met with this:
http://www.seventyninedesign.com/shoot/pix/Dan/AlrosStripped.JPG
Which is amazingly simple to assemble - I mean you can literally do it in about a minute with practice!
Put together it looks a bit like this:
http://www.seventyninedesign.com/shoot/pix/Dan/Alros.JPG
but with the addition of a cunning 'cheekpiece' courtesy of the previous owner :p
http://www.seventyninedesign.com/shoot/pix/Dan/AlrosStock.JPG
I find it surprisingly comfortable in the shoulder and very pointable indeed.
The 2 stage silencer isn't the prettiest out there, but it does an excellent job of taming the muzzle blast.
The trigger on these comes in for some heavy criticism, and I understand the previous owner did some 'fettling' himself - whatever this involved must've been good, because it's a good crisp letoff. Not as nice as say my s410k, but certainly much better than my mk1 rapid.
Sitting in the midweight category it shouldn't be a beast to carry around, and I'll give it a full range test at my shoot on Saturday.
Build quality is frankly very good - I was prepared for something quite rickety, but once the parts are locked home there's no discernable 'give' in the parts at all. Coupled with one of Keef's bipod adapters it sits very solidly on target - I like :D
It's also a discrete little bugger. I've housed it in an ally briefcase affair with nice thick padding - doesn't even resemble a gun so it would suit those occasions when a full size rifle case would raise eyebrows.
The only thing that remains to say is that these rifles are fun - the 'putting it together out of a briefcase' factor can't fail to raise a smile on your face, harking back to spy/sniper films we've all watched in the past ;) :D
Range reports to follow at the weekend.
Cheers,
Dan
Anyway, I bit the bullet and bought one - 8 shot model in .177 cal - so here are my first impressions..
Looks - very very bizarre :eek:
Opened the box and was met with this:
http://www.seventyninedesign.com/shoot/pix/Dan/AlrosStripped.JPG
Which is amazingly simple to assemble - I mean you can literally do it in about a minute with practice!
Put together it looks a bit like this:
http://www.seventyninedesign.com/shoot/pix/Dan/Alros.JPG
but with the addition of a cunning 'cheekpiece' courtesy of the previous owner :p
http://www.seventyninedesign.com/shoot/pix/Dan/AlrosStock.JPG
I find it surprisingly comfortable in the shoulder and very pointable indeed.
The 2 stage silencer isn't the prettiest out there, but it does an excellent job of taming the muzzle blast.
The trigger on these comes in for some heavy criticism, and I understand the previous owner did some 'fettling' himself - whatever this involved must've been good, because it's a good crisp letoff. Not as nice as say my s410k, but certainly much better than my mk1 rapid.
Sitting in the midweight category it shouldn't be a beast to carry around, and I'll give it a full range test at my shoot on Saturday.
Build quality is frankly very good - I was prepared for something quite rickety, but once the parts are locked home there's no discernable 'give' in the parts at all. Coupled with one of Keef's bipod adapters it sits very solidly on target - I like :D
It's also a discrete little bugger. I've housed it in an ally briefcase affair with nice thick padding - doesn't even resemble a gun so it would suit those occasions when a full size rifle case would raise eyebrows.
The only thing that remains to say is that these rifles are fun - the 'putting it together out of a briefcase' factor can't fail to raise a smile on your face, harking back to spy/sniper films we've all watched in the past ;) :D
Range reports to follow at the weekend.
Cheers,
Dan