Posts Tagged ‘pcp’

Brocock’s AIMX Atomic Pistol

Monday, April 12, 2010


The British government very nearly put the lights out on the Brocock airgun company in 2004. The company, which had been famous for the manufacture of its “air cartridge” airguns, which were loaded with metallic cartridges that had been pressurized with air and loaded with a pellet, had been virtually wiped out by a change in British law.

On 20th January 2004, it became an offence to manufacture, sell, purchase, transfer or acquire any air weapon using a self-contained gas cartridge system, so Brocock could no longer make or sell the product that was at the heart of the most profitable part of its business. Then, in May 2004, it became an offence, punishable by a minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 10 years imprisonment, to even possess a self-contained gas cartridge weapon without the necessary firearm certificate.

But the Brocock folks are neither slackers nor dummies, so they rolled up their sleeves and got to work. One of the smartest things they did was to hire the chief designer for now-defunct Falcon Pneumatics. His charge was to create a new line of precharged pneumatic air rifles and pistols.

The second really smart thing they did was to design one really good basic action that would serve as a modular base for creating a whole line of air rifles and pistols. Starting from an excellent action, they could then swap barrels, reservoir sizes, and valving to produce a full product spectrum that would please a wide range of airgunners.

The new Brocock line of precharged air rifles and air pistols was launched in January, 2009, and the AIMX Atomic pistol is the latest model to fall into my hands. It is very similar to the Grand Prix, which I reviewed earlier, but that Atomic is fitted with front and rear sights.

The Atomic is about a foot long from the tip of the muzzle to the trailing edge of the rear sight or about 13.5 inches measured diagonally from the tip of the muzzle to the lowest rear edge of the pistol grip. Dangling from my Lyman digital trigger gauge, it weighs in at 2 lbs 12 oz.

It has an ambidextrous wooden “stock” with checkering on either side of the pistol grip. The stock overhangs the pistol grip at the rear by about an inch. The trigger guard, which is an integral part of the stock, is wood. The metal trigger is wide and slightly curved. Forward of the trigger guard a single Allen head bolt secures the receiver into the stock and the rest of the stock, which is flattened. flattened.

The air reservoir has a screw-off metal cap, and under that is a male foster fitting for charging the air reservoir from a SCUBA tank or hand pump. Above that is the .177 cal. Barrel which has a screw-off fitting for attaching a silencer where legal. On top of the muzzle end of the barrel is the fiber optic front sight which is surrounded by a cage of metal that protects the sight but also has cut-outs that allow light to reach the fiber optic rod.

In the middle of metal receiver is the opening for the breech. At the rear of the receiver is a metal notch rear sight which is adjustable for elevation and windage. On the right side of the rear section of the receiver, there is a lever, and at the very aft end of the receiver is a knurled knob. Like the Grand Prix, the fit and finish of the Atomic are excellent and very appealing.

Getting the Atomic ready for for shooting is easy. Remove the protective cap on the foster fitting and charge the reservoir to 200 bar/2900 psi. Press the lever at the rear of the receiver down, and the knurled knob springs backward, opening the breech. Pull the knurled knob backward until it clicks, and you have cocked the action. Insert a pellet into the breech, push the knob forward until it clicks to close the breech, and you’re set.

Now, here comes the really nice part: the Atomic has one of the nicest air pistol triggers I’ve shot in a while. At 9.4 oz, the first stage comes out of the trigger. At One pound 7.8 oz, the shot goes down range. It’s crisp and predictable. If you miss, it sure isn’t the trigger’s fault. Filled up to 200 bar, the Atomic will deliver 30 shots, launching JSB 8.44 pellets at an average of 540 fps, which is about 5.8 fp of energy at the muzzle.

At 13 yards from a Creedmoor position I found myself shooting small groups that probably would have been one-hole clusters if I had been using a scope. In all, I liked the Atomic a whole lot. It’s the kind of pistol that just begs an airgunner to take the UJ Challenge.

Til then, aim true and shoot straight.

– Jock Elliott

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Brocock Returns – Part III – the Contour

Monday, December 7, 2009

When I spoke with Nigel Silcock, owner of Brocock Airguns, to find out how his company had scrambled back from the edge of oblivion after the British government banned their cartridge guns, he was forthright about their objectives: “We knew we had to come up with an action, a reservoir, and plan to produce a whole family of successful airguns.”

If you think about it, it makes a lot of sense: if a company can create one really good basic action as a base for their airguns, they can then fiddle barrel lengths, reservoir sizes, and valving to produce a wide range of air rifles and air pistols. And that appears to be exactly what Brocock has done and done very successfully.

The Contour is a compact air rifle that ought to put a grin on a lot of airgunners faces. When I first pulled it out of the box from Airguns of Arizona, I thought: “Whoa! I know a lot of hunters who would love to take this beauty out in the field.”


The Contour measures only 27.5 inches from end to end and weighs just four pounds. No, that’s not a typo; four pounds. I can’t think of any other precision air rifle that weighs so little.

Starting at the back, a soft rubber buttpad that is adjustable vertically is mounted on the skeletonized thumbhole wood stock. Moving forward, a cheek “piece” sits over a large cut out in the buttstock. Ahead of that is the thumbhole, which also has a spot for resting your thumb on the rear of the receiver if you prefer that position while shooting.


The pistol grip has checkering on each side, and “Brocock” is emblazoned on the bottom of the pistol grip. The trigger guard is comprised of wood, and inside the trigger guard is a metal trigger which is wide, slightly curved, and is apparently made out of a single chunk of metal. Moving forward again, you find a single Allen head bolt which secure the action into the stock.

Ahead of that is the forestock, which is checkered on either side. Beyond that, the air reservoir protrudes from the forestock. A threaded metal cap on the end of the reservoir protects a male foster fitting which is used to charge the reservoir from a SCUBA tank or high pressure hand pump.

Above the reservoir is the .22 cal barrel which can be fitted with a silencer where legal. Moving back, you’ll find the receiver, which has an opening in the middle for the breech and dovetails for scope mounting. At the rear righthand side of the receiver is a lever that, when pushed down, allows the bolt to spring backward and open the breech. At the extreme back end of the receiver is a knurled knob which is the aft end of the bolt.

Now, here’s where I get to tell on myself again. When I first shot the Contour, I didn’t read the manual. I just charged it up, pushed the lever that opens the breech, slipped in a pellet, and tried to shoot . . . but the gun just wouldn’t go off! Maybe it has a safety, I thought.

I ran to the basement, pulled out the manual and read. The Contour has NO safety, it clearly said. Then I realized that I had not cocked the action by pulling the knurled knob back until it clicks. I did that, and it shot just fine. In fact, my trigger gauge told me that 10.9 ounces of pressure takes the first stage out of the trigger, and at 2 pounds 4 ounces, the shot goes off.

With a 2900 psi fill, the Contour will deliver 21 shots with JSB 15. gr. pellets. High velocity is 678 fps, low 641, average 661, which is about 15.5 fp of energy at the muzzle. Shooting at 13 yards in my side yard, with Crosman .22 Premiers and a four power Hawke scope, I found that I could shoot the exact spot that I wanted. First I blew out the center of the target, then I concentrated on precision sniping the small fragments of bulls eye left around the center. This is the kind of accuracy that I really enjoy and that would give me confidence in making accurate, humane shoots for pest control.

And if you want to load your Contour and put it on safe for travel in the field, just press the bolt release lever, but this time, do NOT pull the bolt back to cock the action. Now, load a pellet, and close the breech again. Now you’re set up to carry the Contour, loaded, but not cocked. When you want to make a shot, press the bolt release lever, pull the bolt back to cock the action, then close the bolt again. You’re good to go, quickly and easily, and with no fumbling for a pellet.

I think Brocock has another clear winner with the Contour, and I can’t wait to see what they come up with next.

Til next time, aim true and shoot straight.

– Jock Elliott
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Brocock Returns – Part II – The Grand Prix

Monday, November 30, 2009

In last week’s exciting episode, we found out how Brocock airguns had nearly been put out of business when the British government banned manufacturing, selling, purchasing, transferring or acquiring any air weapon using a self-contained gas cartridge system. The ban ripped away half of Brocock’s business. Even worse, it was the most profitable half of the firm’s business.

But Brocock didn’t take the blow lying down, and they took decisive action when they saw storm clouds headed their way. One of the most decisive steps was to hire the chief designer for now-defunct Falcon Pneumatics to create a new line of precharged pneumatic air rifles and pistols. The first of the new line was introduced in January, 2009, and has been met with better than anticipated demand.

It’s easy to understand why; I’ve been testing two samples from the new
Brocock line of airguns, and I think they are just terrific. This week, we’ll be taking a look at the Brocock Grand Prix.

The Brocock Grand Prix is a precharged air pistol. Stretching 15.5 inches long and weighing 2.8 lbs, it is available with and without sights. The sample that Airguns of Arizona sent me was the “sightless” version, but was fitted with a Hawke Red Dot sight which appears to be a notch above the quality of a lot of other red dots I have seen.


Let’s take a walk around the Grand Prix. It Grand Prix has an ambidextrous wooden “stock” with checkering on either side of the pistol grip. The rear of the stock overhangs the pistol grip by about an inch, so that the pistol nestles comfortably into the web between the shooter’s thumb and forefinger. While scarcely a match grip, the pistol grip is contoured nicely, including a lip at the bottom to support the shooter’s little finger, and I found that it felt very comfortable in my hand.

Moving forward, the trigger assembly is surrounded by a wooden trigger guard. Inside the trigger guard is the trigger assembly. The metal trigger is wide, slightly curved, and appears to be machined out of a single piece of metal. Just forward of the trigger guard is a single Allen head bolt that secures the receiver into the stock. Moving forward again, the forend is flattened, which allows the Grand Prix to be rested easily.

Ahead of that, you’ll find the air reservoir which has a screw-off metal cap. Under the cap is a male foster fitting for charging the air reservoir from a SCUBA tank or hand pump. Above that is the .22 cal. barrel. The muzzle has a screw-off fitting which reveals threads for fitting a silencer where legal.

Moving aft, you’ll find the metal receiver, which has an opening for the breech in the middle and dovetails for scope mounting fore and aft of the breech opening. On the right side of the rear section of the receiver, there is a lever, and at the very aft end of the receiver is a knurled knob. Overall, I found the fit and finish of the metal and the wood on the Grand Prix to be excellent and very appealing.

To ready the Grand Prix for shooting, remove the protective cap on the foster fitting and charge the reservoir to 200 bar/2900 psi. Press the lever at the rear of the receiver down, and the knurled knob springs backward, opening the breech. Pull the knurled knob backward until it clicks, and you have cocked the action. Insert a pellet into the breech, push the knob forward until it clicks to close the breech, and you’re good to go.

On my Lyman digital trigger gauge, it only took 11.4 ounces to ease the first stage out of the trigger on the Grand Prix. At 1 pound 7.5 ounces, the shot went off. I found the trigger to be crisp and predictable. With a 2,900 psi fill, the Grand Prix will deliver 35 shots. With JSB 15.9 gr. pellets, the high was 570 fps, the low 519, and the average 543, which works out to about 10.4 foot pounds.

I tried shooting the Grand Prix from a Creedmoor position at 13 yards with Crosman .22 Premier pellets, and I found that several times I put pellets in the same hole. When I can shoot that well with an air pistol with a red dot on it, that puts a smile on my face.

The bottom line: it looks to me like the Brocock folks have hit a home run with the Grand Prix.

Til next time, aim true and shoot straight.

– Jock Elliott

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The Return of Brocock — Part I

Monday, November 23, 2009

It wasn’t so long ago that you could visit the Airguns of Arizona website, click on “Brocock” and view wonderful airguns like “the Cattleman” and the “Buntline Special.” These airguns used the Brocock air cartridge system, which consisted of a metallic cartridge, which was pressurized with air, into which a pellet was inserted. The air cartridge was then inserted into the Brocock airgun and when you pulled the trigger, the air would be released, pushing the pellet down the barrel.

Some years ago, I tried a Brocock western style revolver, and I wasn’t hugely impressed by the performance of the air cartridges, but I loved the fit and finish of the guns. Little did I know at the time, Brocock air cartridge airguns were doomed.

Here’s how it happened. On March 13, 1996, Thomas Watt walked into the Dunblane Primary School in the Scotland, armed with two 9 mm automatic pistols and two .357 magnum revolvers, and slaughtered 16 children and one adult. The following year, the government almost completely banned all private ownership of handguns.

In 2002, the BBC reported: “Figures from NCIS (National Criminal Intelligence Service) show that converted Brococks now account for 35% of all guns recovered by the police. When used legally, the airgun fires small pellets using a compressed air charge in a cartridge that is loaded into the pistol. But criminal gangs have been adapting the guns by fitting special steel sleeves inside the chamber of the gun, enabling live .22 calibre bullets to be fired. In October, Bradford taxi driver Mohammed Basharat was murdered with a converted Brocock pistol. This weapon had been drilled out to take more powerful .38 calibre bullets.”

You don’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to figure on what would happen next. This is from a police website in the UK:

“On 20th January 2004, it became an offence to manufacture, sell, purchase, transfer or acquire any air weapon using a self-contained gas cartridge system.

From 1 May 2004, it became an offence, punishable by a minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 10 years imprisonment, to possess a self-contained gas cartridge weapon without the necessary firearm certificate.”

With the stroke of a pen, a mature airgun technology that had at least 75,000 customers in the UK was wiped out. On the face of it, you would think that that is would be game, set and match for Brocock airguns. But it didn’t turn out that way. Starting January, 2009, Brocock has come back in grand style in both the UK and the US.

I spoke with Nigel Silcock, owner of Brocock Airguns to find out why. “When the air cartridge guns were banned, we still had 50% of our business left. The thing that really hurt, however, was that we lost the half of our business that was most profitable,” he says.

But Silcock and his team are no dummies. When they saw trouble brewing on the horizon for the air cartridge guns, they began looking are precharge designs. They brought out the Enigma, but according to Silcock, it never really took off.

“Then Falcon Pneumatics closed, and the guy who did their design work came to work for us,” Silcock says, adding, “He knew how to put these things together.”

“We knew we had to come up with an action, a reservoir, and plan to produce a whole family of successful airguns,” he says.

And indeed they have. Since the introduction of the first of the new line in January, demand has been twice what Brocock had anticipated.

Next time, we’ll start to explore this new line of airguns by taking a look at Brocock’s new Grand Prix pistol.

Til then, aim true and shoot straight.

– Jock Elliott

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BSA Lone Star – Part II

Monday, October 5, 2009

To shoot the Lone Star, make sure you have cocked the action by pressing in the cocking knob (see Part I), take aim, flick off the safety, and squeeze the trigger. The slack comes out of the first stage at about 10 ounces, and at one pound, ten ounces, the shot goes off. The trigger is adjustable for trigger weight and sear engagement after you have removed the action from the stock. But given how light and crisp the trigger is as set by the factory, I don’t see the need to fiddle around with it.

Now, I have a confession to make: prior to the Lone Star, I had never shot a .25 cal. airgun. My impression is that it is extremely easy to shoot well. The Lone Star is equipped with one of BSA’s match barrels, and the pellets simply go where the gun is pointed. Shooting tight groups is easy.

I’m also impressed that you can feel the recoil when the Lone Star goes off and the muzzle lifts a bit. The Lone Star will launch 30.9 grain Kodiak pellets at an average of 751 fps, delivering 30 shots from a fill with an extreme spread of 25 fps. But since there is no pressure gauge, you better keep track of your shot count.

The other thing that impresses me about the Lone Star is that it is LOUD. Not as raucous as a .22 cal. Sumatra, but this is certainly not the airgun you want to be popping off in a suburban neighborhood. You will, no doubt, attract unwanted attention.

The rear sight on the Lone Star is somewhat unusual, to my thinking. The elevation adjustment has the customary click-stops, but the windage adjustment has click-stops that are very subtle. The first time I adjusted the sight, I thought there were no click-stops; the second time, I could “sorta” feels the clicks. I tried the iron sights for a while, decided my eyes were no longer up to precision shooting with classic iron sights, and mounted a scope.

The scope I chose was a Hawke Airmax 3-9 x 40 AO. This scope has the Map 6 reticle, which has extra aiming points for compensating for the trajectory of an air rifle. Using free downloadable software, you can set up the Hawke scope so you know exactly where your aiming points are when you go out in the field. The Ballistic Reticle Software even has presets for various air and powder-burning calibers. I used Hawke rings to mount the scope. I like them because the anti-recoil pin can be easily screwed in or out, depending upon whether you need it or not.

I liked shooting the Lone Star with the Hawke scope. If I were choosing a hunting air rifle, it would be high on my list of candidates.

I felt the Lone Star and the Hawke scope were an attractive and potent combination, offering the ability to deliver a hard-hitting .25 pellet exactly where you want it, and it will certainly hold an inch at 50 yards. For some accuracy results at 50 yards, check out this video. If you want a hunting rifle that will dispatch your quarry with authority, the BSA Lone Star may be just what you are looking for.

Til next time, aim true and shoot straight.

– Jock Elliott

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BSA .25 caliber Lone Star

Monday, September 28, 2009

The BSA Lone Star is one of the few PCP sporting rifles that is available with iron sights.

In the literature that comes with the BSA .25 cal Lone Star is a note that says, with typical British understatement: “Professional Hunting Rifle.”

And it truly is a professional hunting rifle, a big, hairy, powerful hunting rifle. Stretching 41.5 inches from end to end and weighing 7.8 lbs, the .25 Lone Star is capable of generating 35 to 40 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle and delivering a lot of that energy downrange while maintaining commendable accuracy.

It’s one of the few sporting precharged air rifles that is available these days with iron sights. I can picture an English gamekeeper carrying one of these as he goes about his normal duties. When he encounters a pest animal, pah-BOOM!, and it’s lights out.

At the rear of the Lone Star is a soft rubber butt pad emblazoned with the BSA “3-rifle” symbol. Moving forward, the right hand hardwood stock has a high comb and pronounced cheek piece. Moving forward again, the pistol grip is checkered on either side, and the end piece is stamped with the BSA logo. At the top of the pistol grip, just under the end of the receiver, there is a concave indentation for resting your thumb while shooting. The black metal trigger guard has the initials “BSA” on the bottom surface, and it houses and adjustable two-stage trigger.

Ahead of the trigger guard, the forestock is checkered on either side. At the end of the forestock there is a knob that we’ll get back to in just a bit. Above the knob is the air reservoir with a threaded end cap. Above the air reservoir is the barrel with a blade front sight mounted near the muzzle. The muzzle brake has a screw-off ring that allows a silencer to be fitted where legal. Moving back along the barrel, you’ll find the receiver which has scope grooves fore and aft of the breech. On the forward part of the breech, the rear sight is mounted. On the right side of the breech, toward the rear, are a push button for releasing the bolt and, below that, a lever type safety (forward for fire, back for safe).

That’s it. To get the Lone Star ready for shooting, unscrew the end cap on the air reservoir, fit the filler probe to your SCUBA tank or pump, and charge the Lone Star up to a maximum of 232 bar. Make sure that your SCUBA yoke or high pressure pump has a pressure gauge, because there is no gauge on the Lone Star to tell you “when’s enough.”

To load the Lone Star, press down the “probe release catch” on the right side of the receiver; the bolt will spring backward, opening the breech. Place a pellet in the breech and push the bolt forward until it clicks. The Lone Star is now loaded.

You can walk around with the Lone Star, click off the safety, and squeeze the trigger, and nothing will happen. Why? Because you haven’t cocked the action. To do that, grab the cocking knob at the end of the forestock and press it back toward the pistol grip until it clicks. Anytime you want, you can de-cock the Lone Star by pushing in the cocking knob, pulling the trigger, and slowly releasing the cocking knob.

Next time, we’ll shoot the Lone Star.

Til then, aim true and shoot straight.

– Jock Elliott

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The Incredibly Versatile Challenger

Monday, September 21, 2009

Back in April, I had the opportunity to take a fast early look at Crosman’s new three-position, sporter level PCP match rifle, the Challenger 2009. I was impressed. Based on the Discovery chassis, the Challenger incorporates some goodies – notably the trigger – from Crosman’s Marauder air rifle and some of the Marauder’s tuning capabilities. The result is an entry level match rifle that does a lot of things well.

One of the things that slipped by me when I first looked at the Challenger 2009 is how incredibly versatile this air rifle is. To start, you can shoot three-position air rifle with it, and you can use it as an entry level rifle for shooting Olympic-style ten-meter competition.

But the Challenger also qualifies for the new competition developed by the Civilian Marksmanship Program, called National Match Air Rifle (NMAR). Shot indoors or outdoors on 10-meter ranges, NMAR events simulate highpower rifle shooting and are shot at reduced highpower rifle targets. There are two official NMAR targets. The AR-SR is an exact, proportionate reduction of the standard highpower rifle 200-yard short-range target. The AR-MR is a similarly reduced version of the 600-yard mid-range target.

Three classes of air rifles qualify for NMAR competition: AR Class, Match and Sporter. The AR class – or so-called “clone” rifles – are modified sporter or precision class air rifles with stock systems configured similar to M16/AR15-type rifles. The NMAR Match air rifle class includes any precision air rifle that is ISSF legal. The Sporter class includes air rifles of 7.5 lbs maximum with 1.5 lb minimum trigger pull. That’s where the Challenger 2009 fits in.

There are two basic courses of fire for NMAR. The standing course consists of two sighting shots and 20 shots for record on the AR-SR (200-yard) target in the standing position. The full course/half course consists of 20 (full course) or 10 (half course) shots each in the standing, sitting or kneeling, and prone position, fired in that order of the AR-SR (for sitting and standing) and AR-MR (600-yard) (for prone) targets.

For the UJ Quigley Bucket Challenge, you'll want a post and bead front sight insert like this one.

There are lots of other things you can do with the Challenger. Get yourself some of Lee Shaver’s blackpowder silhouette sight inserts (available from many gun shops), slip the post-and-bead insert into the Challenger’s front globe sight, and make like Matthew Quigley shooting at the UJ Quigley Bucket Challenge.

A Challenger with a scope is an excellent setup for minisniping or NRA air rifle sihouette.

(I feel like one of those silly infomercials here) But wait! There’s more! If you mount a scope on the Challenger, which is really easy to do, thanks to its scope rails, and put some spent 9mm brass out at 35 yards, you can minisnipe with the Challenger. With a scope, you also can (and some folks have already done it very successfully) shoot NRA air rifle silhouette in the “match” category. Beyond that, the engineers at Crosman are also exploring the options for turning the Challenger 2009 into an entry-level field target rifle.

At this point, I would be remiss if I didn’t point out some of the Challenger’s other admirable qualities. First, it’s really, really accurate. With a big scope mounted, I found I could hit the exact spot on the target that I wanted at 20 yards . . . for example, that little spec of white still showing where I had already blown the center out of the bullseye. That’s the kind of accuracy that puts a grin on my face.

Second, the trigger is excellent and makes it easy to shoot well. Third, the Challenger delivers 100 shots from a 2000 psi fill. That means if you fill it with a high pressure hand pump, it will be relatively easy to get it up to pressure (certainly easier than going to 3,000 psi) and you won’t be refilling the Challenger every two seconds. And if you fill the Challenger from a 3,000 psi SCUBA tank, you’ll get a lot of fills before you have to go back to the dive shop for a refill.

In addition, the Challenger is makes very little noise, which if you live close to others, is excellent for maintaining good neighbor relations. Last but not least, the Challenger has a highly adjustable stock, including a length of pull that is adjustable from 12.5 to 16 inches, which means it will fit a wide range of different size shooters.

In short, the Challenger is a very versatile air rifle, offering its owner the ability to compete in many different shooting disciplines, and providing access to a whole lot of fun in formal competition and the back yard.

Til next time, aim true and shoot straight.

– Jock Elliott

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Posted in Airguns | 13 Comments »

BSA SuperTEN

Monday, September 14, 2009

Before we get to today’s blog, a couple of quick notes. First, Airguns of Arizona now has JSB Monsters in stock. These .22 cal. pellets weigh 25.4 grains and come in 200-count tins. Second, AoA has a new deal on JSB pellets. Order just 4 tins at the same time and get $1 off on each tin.

The BSA SuperTEN is a handsome and accurate air rifle.

The BSA SuperTEN is an interesting and accurate air rifle. Available in .177 and .22, the SuperTEN is available in three levels of “trim.” The base model has no silencer, the next level up has a full factory non-removable silencer, and the top model has a full bull barrel. All models have a ten-shot rotary magazine, fully adjustable match trigger, and a specially crowned match barrel.

This is why the SuperTEN is called a bottle gun.

The SuperTEN is a so-called “bottle” airgun. That’s because the air reservoir, mounted at the end of the forestock, is in fact a steel bottle for holding the compressed air. To charge the bottle, it must be unscrewed from the air rifle, attached to a SCUBA tank or pump, and charged up to 230 bar (3336 PSI).

One of the things that makes the SuperTEN attractive is that it is a regulated airgun. That means there is a mechanism in the action that, like the diver’s regulator on a SCUBA tank, controls how much air the SuperTEN can sip for each shot. As a result, the SuperTEN is extremely consistent in its velocity from shot to shot until the air pressure in the air reservoir drops so low that it must be refilled.

The SuperTEN is available at two different power levels. The British version keeps the power just below 12 foot pounds (fp) in both .177 and .22 and delivers a large number of shots per fill. The export version produces 22 fp in .177 and 30 fp in .22 and delivers 40 shots per fill. The regulator controls the power, and there are two different regulators: one for Britain and one for export. One of the neat features of the SuperTEN is that, if you own both regulators, called the “cigar” regulator, you can swap between them in just a few minutes. This gives you the flexibility to choose between lower power and lots of shots and higher power and fewer shots.

Starting at the back of the SuperTEN, you find a black rubber buttplate that is adjustable vertically. Just loosen a screw in the middle, slide the buttplate up or down as needed, and retighten the screw. Ahead of that, a thick black plastic spacer attaches to the stock which has a pronounced cheekpiece on the left side. Moving forward, the pistol grip is checkered and has a dark hardwood cap. The top of the pistol grip, just under the receiver, there is a concave spot for resting your thumb while shooting.

Forward of the pistol grip is the black metal trigger guard, inside of which is a very crisp and highly adjustable two-stage trigger. Moving ahead again, you’ll find the forestock, which has checkered grip panels on either side. At the end of the forestock is the air reservoir, which must be unscrewed from the SuperTEN for charging.

Above the air reservoir is the barrel, which is attached to a black metal receiver. On the left side of the receiver is a slot into which the 10-shot rotary magazine is inserted. The magazine also protrudes slightly out of the right side of the receiver. There you’ll also find a slide-action safety (forward to fire, back to safe the action) and the bolt, which rides in a track with two slots. On top of the receiver is a full-length 10.8mm dovetailed scope rail.

When you cycle the SuperTEN, make sure you pull the bolt all the way back and down into the rear slot.

When I shot the .22 cal. base model SuperTEN, I found that it averaged 940 fps with JSB .22 jumbo express pellets and produced a .81 ctc group at 50 yards. Further, the trigger was a pleasure. When you shoot the SuperTEN, be aware of one trick: you have to make sure that you pull the bolt all the way back and down into the rear slot before cycling the bolt forward again. If you don’t, the SuperTEN will not cock and will not shoot. When you work the bolt again, you run the risk of loading two pellets into the barrel.

The SuperTEN enjoys a reputation as one of the most accurate airguns available, but it is being phased out, to be replaced by the BSA R10 which has the features – a quick fill fitting and a pressure gauge – that airgunners are requesting today.

Til next time, aim true and shoot straight.

– Jock Elliott

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Daystate Huntsman Midas – Part II

Monday, August 17, 2009

To get the Daystate Huntsman Midas ready to shoot, remove the cap at the end of the air reservoir, attach a high pressure pump or SCUBA tank, and charge the reservoir up to 230 BAR maximum. (I didn’t have a 230 BAR air source, so I charged the Huntsman to 200 BAR. You can do that, no problem; you simply won’t get as many shots as you would from 230 BAR.)

The 10-shot magazine, shown here in the breech, is very easy to load.

To load the 10-shot magazine, first apply the safety catch. Lift the bolt handle at the rear of the breech block and pull all the way back until fully cocked. Next move the bolt forward about 10mm until you feel a click. Now the magazine can be removed. (Any attempt to remove the magazine before you feel the click will simply end in frustration. I know; I tried.)

Next load one pellet head-first into the large hole at the bottom of the magazine, making sure that the pellet head passes the seating o-ring. Rotate the pellet ring counter-clockwise to bring the next empty bay in line with the loading port. Continue this one click at a time until a maximum of 10 pellets has been loaded. When this has been completed, replace the magazine into its position in the breech block and return the bolt forward to the closed and locked position. Now you’re good to go.

The red anodized safety lever can be seen just below the gold finished bolt handle.

Take aim at the target, flick the safety off, and start to squeeze the trigger. This is the point at which things begin to get astonishing. On the sample that I tested, the first stage required only 4.5 ounces of pressure. At about 8 ounces – that’s right folks, just one-half pound – the shot goes off.

Further, considering the Huntsman was launching JSB .22 Jumbo Express pellets at a lively 840 fps (average) the report was remarkably subdued. It wasn’t dead quiet by any means, but it was a lot quieter than I expected to be. There are two reasons for this. First, the new Huntsman of 40% more efficient than the old model, which means that it uses a lot less air and causes a lot less noise for each shot. Second, the barrel is shrouded, which definitely takes the top end off the report.

The chief reason the new Huntsman is so efficient is because of the Steve Harper designed patented “slingshot” valve. This innovative concept utilizes principles of inertia to mimic the operation of a solenoid-powered valve hammer and, therefore, eliminates the phenomenon known as ‘hammer bounce’ – a common problem on conventional PCPs where the valve constantly opens and closes after the main discharge, ‘wasting’ air long after the pellet has been accelerated up the bore. But with valve, the Huntsman delivers performance comparable to a computerized Daystate – namely extremely efficient use of air, a very high number of shots per charge, a flat power curve, an ultra-fast firing cycle and a quiet muzzle discharge. As effective as the slingshot system is, it’s also remarkably simple and, therefore, reliable. As a result, Daystate is able to back-up it up with a three-year warranty.

Here’s how it works. The slingshot hammer is contained within a cage, both of which move forward under pressure from the mainspring when the trigger is released. Using soft buffers, the cage’s forward motion is brought to a rapid halt, allowing the hammer within to carry on and strike open the main valve under inertia. A pulse of high pressure air is released from the secondary air reservoir, driving the pellet along the bore. Assisted by air pressure and a return spring, the open valve is immediately shut and the hammer moves rearwards – what would normally be the initial stages of a ‘bounce’. However, an internal buffer within the cage absorbs most of the hammer’s kinetic energy and, aided by the anti-bounce spring, the hammer does not open the valve a second time and therefore does not waste air. Even though the Huntsman has a relatively small air reservoir, you can expect 30 full power shots from a fill.

Neither does the Huntsman disappoint when it comes to accuracy. At 50 yards, five shots fell into a group that measured just .59 in. ctc.

In all, the Huntsman delivers the goods: excellent efficiency, sparkling accuracy, and a quieter-than-expected report, all backed up by striking good looks.

Til next time, aim true and shoot straight.

– Jock Elliott

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The Daystate Huntsman Midas – Part I

Monday, August 10, 2009

The Daystate Huntsman Midas looks great, and it shoots as good as it looks.

“Hey, that looks like a real rifle!” That’s an exact quote from Dick Johnson, a benchrest competitor who frequently accompanies me to the range to test air rifles. In saying that, Dick showed that he had gotten the point of the new Daystate Huntsman exactly. It’s an air rifle that is designed to look and feel like a traditional firearm.

Dick is accustomed to me showing up with a trunk full of pneumatic arms that look like they came from Darth Vader’s workshop, so for him to say that he likes the way an air rifle looks is, well, remarkable.

And in this case, the object of Dick’s admiration wasn’t just a new Daystate Huntsman, but a Daystate Huntsman Midas. The gun I was testing was, in fact, #123 of a limited edition of 400. These special limited Midas Editions of the Huntsman were created to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the first Huntsman Air Rifle produced by Daystate on September 28, 1998. It’s fitted with the latest Harper Patent slingshot valve system, a special American Walnut stock, and Rosewood grip cap, as well as a gold-finished tube and fittings. How do I know? Easy: the rifle came with a hand-signed certificate attesting to its authenticity.

Over the years I have learned, through bitter experience, to harden my heart to the charms of shapely stocks, well-figured walnut, and snazzy accoutrements. It’s performance that matters, Darn It! Having said that, I’ll have to admit that the Huntsman Midas is pretty easy on the eye.

The Huntsman stretches 38 inches from buttplate to muzzle, and weighs six pounds. Starting at the rear, you’ll find a ventilated rubber buttplate attached to that American Walnut stock. The version I tested was righthanded and had a distinct cheekpiece on the left hand side of the stock. Below the buttstock and just ahead of the buttpad, a stud for a sling was attached. Forward of that is the pistol grip, which is checkered on both sides and is fitted with the rosewood cap and a lighter colored spacer.

Ahead of the pistol grip is the black metal trigger guard with a gold-colored metal trigger inside. Above the trigger guard, on either side of the stock, the Daystate name and emblem are incised into the stock. The two-stage trigger is adjustable for second stage weight, trigger blade angle, and first stage travel. Ahead of that is an allen screw for holding the action in the stock, and still further ahead is an air gauge, with a gold-colored trim ring, that reads in bar.

Moving toward the muzzle again, the forestock is checkered on either side, and you’ll find another sling stud. At the end of the forestock are a barrel band and a black metal cap, which when removed, reveals a foster fitting for filling the air reservoir. The gold-finished air reservoir is visible between the top of the forestock and the matte black finished barrel. At the end of the barrel is a cap that can be unscrewed for fitting a silencer where legal.

Traveling back along the barrel, you’ll find the receiver, which has dovetails for fitting a scope, the breech – where the ten-shot rotary magazine can be inserted – and the gold-finished bolt handle. Below the bolt handle on the left side of the receiver is the rotary safety. Flick the red anodized tab UP for fire and DOWN for safe.

Next time, we’ll see how the Daystate Huntsman Midas shoots.

Til then, aim true and shoot straight.

– Jock Elliott

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