Quote Originally Posted by Geezer View Post
I agree. I dislike bullpups (did i mention that already? ) but the semi-bullpup action seems quite attractive.

High sight lines are fine at range - and in airguns can flatten the apparent trajectory (by which I mean the trajectory is actually the same, but the sweet spot requiring minimal hold over/under coincides with those distances, if that makes sense, albeit falling off quicker as the range progresses) at the crucial 25-35 metre hunting ranges. But at under 15 metres you will find your shots fall 40-50mm below point of aim if zeroed for a “normal” range.

For shorter-range barn/farmyard work, it’s actually hard to beat a short conventionally-stocked rifle. If I was doing that stuff these days, I’d be reaching for my carbined Webley Xocet or BSF B55.
Agreed.

And, these days, we're even more spoilt for choice with fine, lightweight rifles offering full performance, fine accuracy and very refined shooting characteristics, like the HW99 and Walther Terrus (and its spin-offs).

When I hunted I'd occasionally take the Predator, but more often than not it was my Venom tuned 80 that accompanied me. Standard Mark 1 stock with barrel shortened by Venom and Slimtech silencer. Hardly any less wieldy and the conventional "low" profile feeling more stable and natural.

The Predator was conceived in the early 80s when it was generally thought that many guns wouldn't easily make "full power". The use of the 80 action made this a non-issue and bringing the action back in the stock made for a shorter rifle for easier manoeuvreability in the woods for squirrel, pigeon and corvid shooting, as the designer was a gamekeeper.