Two rifles HW95 / SMK 20S Comparison - An honest test -

[jumbuck]

I have had an AGS SR2/ SMK XS20 and BAM B20 (all made by same manufacture i know) over the years. All were very good, all had the funny points and all did their task well. The AGS always shot to the right no matter what i did to correct it and in the end just compensated. XS20 was actually my son's but he decided the sport wasn't for him. The XS was a bit lively and jumpy. And the B20 was tuned by Venoman from the Chinese air gun forum? All were bought new and sold, Bam was sold because i needed some cash None were a patch on my HW80 in finish etc but i didn't mind, however accuracy was never a real problem and using the under dog is always fun anyway.

I now have a BAM B40 and a TX200HC MkII. The B40 is of standard tune and shoots extremely well, quieter than the TX to shoot but not quite as smooth. The hardwood stock is excellently contoured ala ultra influenced TX style with no choccy run finish, however the wood feels dead like drift wood to handle. The bluing is cheap and patchy thin. The load port is over cut, slightly longer than the TX and can see the extra tooth that is normally under the tube in the TX. The trigger is good if a bit vague between stages. The Air Arms CD unit is equal to Weihrauch's sweet Record trigger but BAM missed the plot here In general i must say that it is very well made and could easily cope with main or only gun status.

Everything on the TX is right, quality,bomb proof,looks and very efficient at it's task but the BAM whilst lacking a bit of finesse, pedigree and finish is never the less very very accurate, reliable and proved a competent bunny basher I do really enjoy taking it out despite the Made in China lasered on the tube with a serial number as long as David Cameron's bank balance (Sorry David Sir, i know you struggle like the rest of us commoners )

I won't get ride of my TX for the B40 and visa-versa, the B40 is like a hen's tooth and enjoy using it and my TX is

[look no hands]

Well I have to say that the XS20 I had was blinding, I obtained it from someone on the UKCAF for a decent price and it was already Venoman tuned and triggered, a very nice rifle to shoot, not sure if I'de buy a new one for nearly £200 when a 95 isn't that much more, like already said Chinese rifles have come on leaps and bounds and heaven only knows what they will be like in the next few years, imagine what would happen if the Chinese offered Ken Turner (other good tuners are available) a huge wedge of cash to design a decent rifle from the ground up with all the right bits and tolarencies would be like, I recently shot a BAM B40 in a gunshop and although it could have done with a tune up it was pretty damn good with a very nice trigger on it that broke pretty well, now if this is a clone of one of the best underlevers in the world then what could they build if they put their own minds to it with all the tuning info obtained from this sight alone, they'de have a few airgun makers shatting themselves, especially if they starting using top grade steel/wood/barrels etc and better machining techniques.

Pete

[Ravman]

Our fisheries bailiff has a chinese underlever in .22 which he bought 2nd-hand for £80, including sights and a hard case.

I shoot a TX for preference (I also have an s200), and I was really very suprised at how good the Chinese rifle was.
Not up there with the TX, but not a million miles away either.

[charliesdad]

Just a quick word or warning the newer XS20's do not have the Rekord copy triggers but a rather crude unit, more of the sort you would expect on a cheap chinese gun and I dont think you can fit the weihrauch trigger blade to it. Easy enough to spot as it does not have the adjusting screw behind the blade tike the Rekord.

Cheers

Chris

[TonyHolden]

An excellent review and comparison, just as a side note, I believe one of the SMK synthetics is supposed to be a copy of the Diana 31, I think it may be the Synxs, but without the two stage trigger.

[hotversion]

Hows the quality of materials used back to back,ive just got a hw98 more or less a hw95,i would like to see if the smk comes close to build quality ive dabbled with smk in the early daysbout 3years ago,i know the 98 will last me a lifetime,i would b supprised if the smk would last a monthif it came to me spending £100more for the 95...i would save up as the saying goes you get what you pay for,most chinese products are poor cheap n poor,made by people who dont know what there making or doing,i dont know why so many people on hear are messing about with them when we have air arms,and yes i have 3 of there fantastic air guns.

[look no hands]

Hows the quality of materials used back to back,ive just got a hw98 more or less a hw95,i would like to see if the smk comes close to build quality ive dabbled with smk in the early daysbout 3years ago,i know the 98 will last me a lifetime,i would b supprised if the smk would last a monthif it came to me spending £100more for the 95...i would save up as the saying goes you get what you pay for,most chinese products are poor cheap n poor,made by people who dont know what there making or doing,i dont know why so many people on hear are messing about with them when we have air arms,and yes i have 3 of there fantastic air guns.

The finish isn't as good as a HW, the blueing is very grey and not that deep and they are very rough around the edges but if you spent a couple of hours just finishing them off they are perfectly capable of lasting for years of good shooting, don't knock the Chinese because they have the balls to copy other manafacturers designs, yes I know and othes know that it is moraly wrong to do what they do but if people wish to buy them then they will, some of us like to tinker and try to improve and they are perfectly fine for that use, surely it's better to get someone into our sport by getting them on the shooting ladder by buying a cheap Chinese or Turkish air rifle and then at a later date when they've saved and improved they can then buy an Air Arms or HW.
Also like has been said in the past, not to long ago HW's where having bad QC problems and people were having to replace cut off springs, at least with Chinese rifles springs they were finished properly, fair enough the spring may have been made from fuse wire but at least it didn't chew up the innards.

Pete

[hotversion]

The finish isn't as good as a HW, the blueing is very grey and not that deep and they are very rough around the edges but if you spent a couple of hours just finishing them off they are perfectly capable of lasting for years of good shooting, don't knock the Chinese because they have the balls to copy other manafacturers designs, yes I know and othes know that it is moraly wrong to do what they do but if people wish to buy them then they will, some of us like to tinker and try to improve and they are perfectly fine for that use, surely it's better to get someone into our sport by getting them on the shooting ladder by buying a cheap Chinese or Turkish air rifle and then at a later date when they've saved and improved they can then buy an Air Arms or HW.
Also like has been said in the past, not to long ago HW's where having bad QC problems and people were having to replace cut off springs, at least with Chinese rifles springs they were finished properly, fair enough the spring may have been made from fuse wire but at least it didn't chew up the innards.

Pete

I do understand that we all like a bit of tuning,i myself have a b2,i dont think ive shot it in 2years,ther ok £30 but when they try and step it up a notch they just wasting there time,and the turkish guns are poor miles better than the chinese but still poor,and air gun reviews dont help,when i got back into air guns i bought a webley ags...the reviews would have you belive it was a capable air gun in truth it was CRAP,why not support are own fantastic guns,my advice would be get a b2 if your having fun and want somthing better,save up and buy a top end springer.

[look no hands]

An excellent review and comparison, just as a side note, I believe one of the SMK synthetics is supposed to be a copy of the Diana 31, I think it may be the Synxs, but without the two stage trigger.

I know the SYNSG is a copy of the Diana 280, not sure about the Synxs.

Pete

[Bazmati2020]

Check out Brutz clone list for Chinese models vs originals

http://chineseairgunportal.brutuz.com/clonelist.htm

[look no hands]

Check out Brutz clone list for Chinese models vs originals

http://chineseairgunportal.brutuz.com/clonelist.htm

I was trying to find that list earlier, can't see the Diana 31 mentioned tho.

Pete