Parker-Hale Dragon .22" sporter

[Geezer]

We had a guy at our old club who bought the target version of the Dragon and was doing really well with it until it started to drop pressure to the point of complete failure. I think he took it back and swapped it out for a Ken Turner tuned '77 and said how much better the spring rifle is compared. That was the death of the SSP Dragon at that point I believe.

My experience exactly. I compared it to my three "breathed on" 77s, and just could not see the point. Worse trigger, handling, balance, awful complex cocking stroke. Potentially as accurate, when it worked, but more weight, hassle and general issues. Then it stopped working properly (twice), and the 77s are still great a quarter century or more since they were last fettled.

[T 20]

Thank you all. I shall keep it in the "pending" tray.

I had high hopes for these, and the Mohawk, but they never quite delivered the goods, IMHO.

IIRC, Tom Gaylord described the Dragon as (something like) a physics experiment rather than a usable gun.

Yes Geezer

The Dragon valve having two different sealed diameters works by blowing open by moving downwards on pulling the trigger.
The same result could have been achieved with a simple blow open valve as found in an Innova or Crosman140 with the valve moving backwards --- the more I look at the Dragon valve the more bonkers it looks.

The SSP Mohawk on the other hand has a simple knock open valve and seems to be a very reliable system.
I've used my new to me Mohawk at the last three events here at Quigley Hollow and I'm quite impressed with it to say the least.
One thing I'm finding is that air temperature has an effect on SSP velocity, when it was roasting on Sunday I measured a 30fps velocity drop.




All the best Mick