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ART Tuning – A Special Red Wolf Service At Airguns of Arizona

Monday, May 2, 2022

The Daystate Red Wolf in .22 caliber is already well-known as one of the most accurate air rifles available for long-distance benchrest shooting, out-of-the-box.

But a special ART Tuning service from Airguns of Arizona can improve even on that, should the customer wish.

In this post, we’ll find out how…

ART stands for Accuracy Research Team. It’s the name of a Daystate philosophy for ensuring that their products are developed to achieve outstanding outstanding accuracy. You can read more about it in this story.

But even with such dedication, skill and technology, it’s still possible to improve individual examples of a product and take it to even greater heights.

“Blueprinting” the engine for a race car is one example of this type of work. ART Tuning is another – it’s a service offered by Airguns of Arizona, specifically for the Red Wolf.

The way that AoA undertakes their ART service is to break it into two parts…

First, there’s a workshop part. Secondly, there’s long-range test-firing to prove the effectiveness of the tune.

Importantly, the two stages of this process are undertaken by two different people. This is deliberate as it provides an un-biased approach, combining outstanding workshop skills with world-class testing on the range used for the annual Extreme Benchrest competition.

Let’s Start With The Workshop Side.

A key part of the ART Tuning service is mapping and re-programming the Red Wolf’s electronic “brain”. In this way, the gun’s electronics is individually set-up to provide best performance when using one specific, great-performing pellet: normally this is the 25.39 Grain JSB Monster Redesigned.

Then the AoA specialist installs a new bolt probe that’s specially-optimized to provide best performance with this pellet.

Steve Buchanan is the “wizard” tuner. He also has several other specialist “magic” tricks that are incorporated into the tune…

If the customer has any other specific requirements, these will be incorporated while the Red Wolf is on Steve’s workshop bench.

After a lot of painstaking work, the results of this tune are documented and will be presented to the customer as proof of the exact set-up of his or her individual gun.

Then To The Range.

After this extensive set-up process, the gun is taken to the Rio Salado range and test fired.

I joined Jared Clark one evening and watched him test a batch of guns that had passed through the ART tuning process.

Jared explained that his shooting test typically takes around 100 shots. He’ll normally shoot 20, 5-shot groups with each gun. As you can see, he shoots from bags. This is to prevent any possibility of jump when shooting from a bipod and is another part of removing variables from the testing.

What he’s looking for is a “good feel” with multiple, consistently-excellent groups of around 1-Inch Center-to-Center at 78 Yards from the same gun.

If a customer orders a Red Wolf with a scope, that scope will be mounted, sighted-in and used for the test. Likewise, if the customer orders a dedicated airgun silencer at the same time, the whole ART Tune process will be undertaken specifically to include that configuration.

Let’s be clear, this is a customized process that provides the customer with an unique air rifle that’s dedicated to its new owner!

Normally, the ART-tuned gun will pass Jared’s testing first time. But if he’s not satisfied with the accuracy – it will go back for the tune to be double-checked, then tested again.

It has to be right!

The customer will also receive a test target illustrating the Red Wolf’s performance.

Note that Jared shoots the Monster Redesigned pellets “straight from the tin”. So there’s still additional accuracy improvement potential should the customer be willing to sort pellets by weight and head size for competition at EBR…

So why isn’t ART Tuning included with every Daystate Red Wolf? In a word – cost!

Like “blueprinting” an engine, this is a specialist tuning process that goes waaay above and beyond even the best that can be achieved with volume manufacturing in a factory environment. As you can tell, it takes knowledgeable, highly-skilled people a lot of time to achieve.

That’s why it’s an additional-cost option for those customers lucky enough to buy a Red Wolf from Airguns of Arizona.

If you’re interested in an ART tune for your new air rifle, the best way is to order by phone from AoA and discuss any specific requirements. They’ll be pleased to help you!

Tags: Daystate, pcp
Posted in Airguns | No Comments »

There’s A New LCS SK-19 Semi Auto – And More!

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Now is a good time for an up-date on the LCS SK-19 platform!

Let’s start with the recent introduction of a new semi-auto LCS SK-19 air rifle. This rapid-firing, semi-auto only, PCP is very closely based on the selective fire (full and semi-auto) SK-19 model that has been available for a couple of years now.

The main difference is that the fire control lever of the SK-19 is now replaced by a simple safety lever.

The semi-auto model shows just a choice of “Fire” and “Safe”. This replaces the “Semi”, “Full” and “Safe” selections possible with the full-auto capable model. The “second” trigger safety above the trigger is also still included in the semi-auto model, however – presumably on the basis that it’s (definitely) better to be “Safe” than sorry!

Otherwise, appearance, specifications and performance are all very similar to the selective-fire model. It’s available in both .25 and .30 calibers.

Of course, given the ability of the SK-19 to fire so fast – even in semi-auto mode – everyone wants more shots per fill. So I tried-out a SK-19 fitted with two HPA bottles, courtesy of the Air Superiority V Twin dual bottle adapter.

Having the dual bottles certainly revolutionized the SK-19 for me. Now I could fire seemingly for ever without the need to refill with High Pressure Air 🙂

Well, actually, “for ever” was actually around 100 shots for the .25 caliber version with two 480cc bottles mounted. That’s pretty impressive!

Of course, there’s never anything gained for nothing. Naturally adding the adapter plus another bottle increases the weight of the SK-19. But that’s what the lower Picatinny rail is for…

I added an Accu-Tac bipod under the front end of the rifle. That took the weight and definitely is the way to go if you’re shooting from a bench.

As you can see from the photograph above, the other accessory fitted on this SK-19 was the Kraford And Lypt adjustable buttpad.

This provides a significant improvement in shooting the SK-19 as it provides the facility to adjust the plate up or down 20mm. There’s also a rotating pad for cant compensation, combined with tactile hard rubber pips for improved grip against the shooter’s shoulder.

As another bonus, the adjustable buttpad is designed with a smaller bottom plate than top. The claim is that this improves fit under your arm while the wider top plate distributes recoil pressure against the shoulder. It worked for me!

Meanwhile, back to the new Semi-Auto SK-19…

Loading the 19-shot magazine is undertaken in the same manner as the selective-fire version. Pellets (or slugs) are pushed into the non-removable magazine from the rear. Then the magazine is rotated clockwise to expose further open slots. And so on…

This new version of the LCS SK-19 will be welcomed by customers who do not need – or want – the fully-automatic fire capability of the selective fire model, but who can benefit from a rapid follow-up shot when necessary.

Tags: pcp
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The Umarex Gauntlet 2 Is Now At AoA

Friday, February 25, 2022

The Gauntlet has been around for some years, so – now that the Umarex Gauntlet 2 is in stock at Airguns of Arizona – let’s look at the new model in some depth and understand how it compares to the original Gauntlet.

The Umarex Gauntlet 2 continues in the tradition of the original Gauntlet. It redefines the PCP air rifle market in terms of price/performance – again!

The original Gauntlet set the PCP world alight because of its combination of features, including a consistent, regulated shot count at an unmatched price point.

First off – there’s the new stock color and design. It’s a lot more stylish in my opinion and uses many less small parts. The breech now has Picatinny rails for scope mounting, in line with the current trend. In fact, the breech IS the same as the original Gauntlet with the Picatinny rails mounted on top as separate parts.

The scope ring you can see in the photograph above is a UTG POI ring. They’re manufactured by Leapers and I find they give good results.

Now we have an even more oversized bolt handle. It’s steel and knurled to provide good grip for operation. Actually, it works very well.

But even with this larger bolt handle, the cocking effort for the Gauntlet 2 is very high. All Gauntlet models have the heaviest bolt action I’ve ever tested!

Why so tough to cock? Well, undoubtedly the design of the Umarex Gauntlet needs a heavy hammer spring to achieve its power levels. That hammer spring need to be cocked before firing and you supply the effort to tension that spring when pulling back on the bolt handle.

To be sure, it’s far from impossible to cock. And it’s something that the owner will become used to. It’s also slightly easier than the original version.

Most will likely find it a very acceptable part trade-off for the significantly increased power of the second generation Gauntlet.

Furthermore, the Gauntlet 2 is available in .22 and .25 calibers only. There’s no longer a .177 model. This is not surprising as sales of .177 cal PCPs in the US market have become very restricted.

Note that this comparison is based on the .22 caliber Gauntlet. There are differences in specs between the .22 and .25 caliber models in both the “Gen 1” and “Gen 2” Gauntlets.

The regulator pressure for the .22 caliber gun has been increased from the original 1,100 PSI to 1,900 PSI. That’s an increase of 73%.

There’s also a different HPA bottle supplied with the Gauntlet 2. This offers a whopping 85% increase in capacity from 13 Cubic Inches of the Gen 1 model to 24 Cubic Inches.

Not only that, but the maximum fill pressure for the Gen 2 bottle has been increased, too. Now it’s up to 4,500 PSI from the original 3,000 PSI.

It’s an interesting commentary on the capability of the basic Gauntlet platform that it has proved to be capable of such significant power increases while still retaining the same overall design as the original Gen 1 model.

So what were the results?

Using mid-weight (13.43 Grain) .22 caliber pellets, the muzzle energy has jumped from 20.42 Ft/Lbs in the Gen 1 gun to 33.18 Ft/Lbs. That’s an increase of 62%.

The number of consistent shots per fill for the Gauntlet 2 fell by 16% (from 74 to 62). However, if we take the number of consistent shots and multiply it my the muzzle energy per shot for each gun, we find that there’s a 36% increase in the total muzzle energy obtained from one fill of HPA. As follows…

Gen 1 Gauntlet. 20.42 Ft/Lbs x 74 shots = 1,510 Ft/Lbs.
Gen 2 Gauntlet. 33.18 Ft/Lbs x 62 shots = 2,057 Ft/Lbs.

As is expected from any PCP, the Gauntlet 2’s power level increases with pellet weight. Starting at the 30 Ft/Lbs level with ultra-light 10.03 Grain H&N Field Target Trophy Green alloys, it rises to over 45 Ft/Lbs with JSB 25.39 Grain Jumbo Monsters. Now we’re talking!

This is in .22 caliber, remember. So the Gauntlet 2’s 45 Ft/Lbs of Muzzle Energy matches that of the original Gauntlet in .25 caliber. That’s a significant increase in power!

Sure it’s well down from the power of a .22 caliber Daystate Red Wolf HP. And the sophistication of the Gauntlet is nowhere near that of the Daystate. But for a $410 PCP, it’s very creditable and – after all – it is about $2,400 lower in price than the Red Wolf too…

There’s no doubt that the Umarex Gauntlet 2 is a large air rifle. Overall length is 47 Inches, which is longer than most PCPs. The all-up weight of the rig I tested was 11 Lbs 0 Oz, including the scope. This – in itself – is not exceptional. However the long front-mounted HPA tank brings the center of gravity well forward.

It’s manageable, but could be a tough proposition for smaller shooters to hold steady.

The new and improved stock design of the Umarex Gauntlet 2 does, however, allow for a bipod to be fitted. M-Lok slots are incorporated in the upper sides and base of the forend.

For testing, I mounted a bipod to a Picatinny rail adapter installed in the M-Lok slots. The result was solid and sturdy. This is another improvement compared to the original Gauntlet, which did not have provision for mounting a bipod.

Shooting from a bipod was found to be comfortable and stable. If you can, this is the best way to shoot the Gauntlet 2.

Overall, the Umarex Gauntlet 2 gives you a ton of gun for the money – in every respect!

Power, accuracy and consistency were all outstanding in the sample I tested. The consistent shot count is good, too. Yes, the Gauntlet 2 is more expensive than the original Gauntlet, but it’s easy to see why, given this stellar performance.

Downsides are the sheer length of the gun, the muzzle-heavy weight distribution and the very heavy, rather rough bolt action. But – if you can live with these drawbacks – there’s nothing in the market today to touch the Umarex Gauntlet 2 for value.

Tags: pcp
Posted in Airguns | No Comments »

The Benjamin Gunnar – A New PCP Worth Considering

Friday, February 18, 2022

I know what you’re thinking…

You’re looking to buy a quality PCP air rifle. You have a budget of about a Grand. Of course, you come to Airguns of Arizona!

Here you see quality PCPs from well-known brands like Weihrauch, Daystate and Brocock and more. Sure, most of them cost a little more than your budget – maybe $200 or $300 more. But, having got this far, you’re going to go all-in and swallow a few more bucks for a quality PCP.

Then you see the Benjamin Gunnar at precisely $999.99. What, a Benjamin for a Grand?

Sure the Marauder has built-up a great reputation over many years, but that’s half the price. But that Gunnar sure looks interesting. Hmmm…

And yes, the Gunnar is an interesting air rifle. It has the now-familiar “black gun” look about it, with an AR15-style one piece receiver, pistol grip and collapsible buttstock. It’s available in the current “must have” calibers of .22 and .25, too.

I’ve been shooting it and can report that it is a pleasant air rifle on the range. In .22 caliber, I’ve seen a very fair muzzle energy of 33.6 Ft/Lbs when shooting 25.39 Grain JSB Jumbo Monsters, together with 10-shot, 50-Yard groups of around 1-Inch when shooting un-selected JSB pellets of various types.

There’s not much wrong with that. So let’s look a little closer.

First impressions are definitely positive as the Gunnar is supplied packed in a heavy-duty synthetic carrying case. This case has side and end handles. It also has wheels, being suitable for dragging across solid surfaces like concrete.

That robust case will protect the Gunnar on its’ journey to you. And that’s a not insignificant benefit. It’s also large enough to hold the rifle with a substantial scope mounted on it. Sadly, that’s not always the case with other cases that are bundled with air rifles.

You’ll need to collapse the Gunnar’s multi-length AR-style stock to fit in the case, but that’s no real hardship.

The Gunnar has a large, alloy HPA tank that promises a good shot count.

The regulator is built-in to the tank assembly, rather than being integral to the receiver. However, the gun has to be de-gassed and the tank assembly removed and disassembled to adjust the regulator setting.

One secret benefit of this is that the “V block” holding the pressure gauge and quick disconnect fill nipple can be re-assembled with the gauge facing the opposite side, should that be more convenient for the user.

There’s a solid, two-piece Aluminum receiver. This provides a substantial housing for the trigger, hammer, valve, safety, bolt and and cocking mechanism. There’s also a front, underside Picatinny rail. Many shooters will want to install a bipod to this rail.

In front of the trigger, there’s a gauge showing the regulator output pressure. Surprisingly – perhaps – for 2022, the HPA tank fills to a moderate 3,000 PSI. The regulator is set to approximately 1,500 PSI when received from the factory.

Bolt operation is courtesy of a smooth sidelever mechanism. Two magazines are supplied with each gun.

The .22 cal mags hold 12 shots. In .25 caliber, it’s 10. They’re somewhat different to the traditional Marauder magazines – but the loading principal is the same.

The obligatory power-adjustment control is located on the left side of the receiver. This works by varying the size of the transfer port. The power control lever is provided with 5 positions.

But note that there’s no hammer spring adjustment capability on the Gunnar.

I used the top Picatinny rail to mount a Hawke Sidewinder 30 SF 4-16 x 50 scope. There’s a clear design benefit here as the magazine does not project above the Picatinny rail. This allows a low scope height to be attained which many shooters will find to be a good thing.

Pistol grip and buttstock are AR-compatible units. The pistol grip is pleasantly grippy.

The buttstock is multi-length adjustable. The cheekpiece is also adjustable: not only for height, but also for position along the stock’s length. This is a pretty high-end buttstock!

Indeed, there’s also a third Picatinny rail on the underside of the stock. This can be used for mounting a monopod for benchrest shooting.

The barrel is fully-shrouded. However a replacement shroud end cap is also supplied with the gun. This can be screwed-into the end of the shroud to allow a moderator to be added, should extra quietness of report be desired. I installed a 0dB unit, of course.

So there’s a lot of positives in the Benjamin Gunnar.

If you talk to the knowledgeable staff at AoA, they’ll be able to tell you more, including the fact that AoA is offering a special of free shipping for a limited time…

Tags: Benjamin, pcp
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2022 SHOT Show Report – New Cricket Semi-Auto And More…

Thursday, January 20, 2022

Those happy faces above are the combined KalibrGun and AoA teams at KaliberGun’s Booth at the 2022 SHOT Show. And they had plenty to smile about, as you can see…

The biggest news was the appearance of a prototype semi-auto Cricket! Although there’s understandably no specifications available yet, this new model is clearly a development of the recent – and highly-rated – Cricket 2 Tactical.

The give-away for the semi-auto action of this new Cricket 2 is the straight-pull cocking lever on the side of the receiver. There’s no sidelever cocking here!

But KalibrGun innovations don’t end there. Another highlight was carbon fiber stocks for Cricket models. I had not previously heard of a completely carbon fiber-stocked air rifle before. But KalibrGun have done it…

Carbon fibre stocks will be available in future for both Cricket and Cricket 2 Tactical models. They’re extremely light, durable and practical. They also look great!

It’s important to note that these stocks are build entirely of carbon fiber. They’re not just carbon-fiber-wrapped, as is often the case.

KalibrGun have also taken the opportunity to incorporate a bipod into the forend. Very neat!

The Cricket 2 Tactical was being shown with a stylish laminated wood stock that sets off the design very nicely, too.

In fact, the laminated wood stocks for the Cricket 2 tactical are planned to be available in multiple colorways, including blue, green and orange. They also include a monopod in the rear buttstock for additional stability in benchrest shooting.

Another air rifle you may expect to find at AoA in future is the new Diana XR200.

The Diana XR200 is the first model in what is promised to be a whole new range of PCPs. It’s made in Germany and is being shown for the first time at the 2022 SHOT Show.

The XR200 certainly is an interesting air rifle! It has some new and unique features, together with an impressive range of features. It’s to be available in four calibers: .177 cal, .22, .25 and .30 caliber.

One obvious feature is the position of the HPA pressure gauge. This is at the front of the pressure tube, however it faces backwards – towards the shooter – and is rotatable to be visible from either side of the gun. A big benefit here is one of safety: it’s not necessary to look down the barrel of the gun to read this gauge!

The Diana XR200 will be available with German Lothar Walther barrels. There’s also the option of polygonal barrels and slug-optimized barrels.

Diana has also taken steps to make the XR200 slug-friendly by having very deep magazines. These are able to accept slugs of up to 16 mm length, says the company.

Of course the XR200 is regulated. An Altaros regulator is included for consistent shot count. It’s adjustable and there’s a pressure gauge on the right side of the action to display the regulator setting.

Airguns of Arizona has long recommended and sold UTG scopes from Leapers. So it’s likely that they will also offer this new range of scopes…

At the 2022 SHOT Show Leapers celebrated both the launch of the Integrix scope line and the 30th anniversary of the company which – in the best American style – was founded by owner David Ding in his garage back in 1992.

Intergix riflescopes are developed, designed and manufactured completely in-house by Leapers. They’re the product of years of market research, design and engineering. With Integrix, Leapers is aiming to challenge the best scope makers at the top end of the market!

On show were Integrix 3-18×44, 3-12×56 and 1-8×28 scopes. Each is available in both First Focal Plane (FFP) and Second Focal Plane reticles. All include ultra-premium optical glass from internationally-famous glass founders Schott and Ohara as part of the goal to achieve top image quality.

I understand that Integrix scopes will start shipping in late Spring/early Summer 2022. So they’ll be here soon!

Tags: pcp
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The LCS Air Arms SK-19 In .30 Caliber

Monday, September 27, 2021

It’s tough to develop new products when demand is so high that you can’t keep up with the current order rate. That’s the situation LCS Air Arms have been in since the beginning of their company.

But that’s not stopped them from slowly expanding the range of selective-fire SK-19 airguns. Following the initial .22 and .25 caliber models, they also introduced variants with attractive anodized highlights. Yes, that’s cosmetic, but – trust me – it still takes development time and effort to implement correctly.

And now there’s the .30 caliber version of the SK-19.

That increase in caliber makes a huge difference to the power. The SK-19 .30 caliber is actually about twice as powerful as the .22 cal model – on a shot-to-shot basis. We’re talking of a difference between 40 Ft/Lbs for the .22’s Muzzle Energy to 80 Ft/Lbs for the thirty cal.

This step up even from .25 cal. to .30 caliber requires the gun to handle a much larger volume of air per shot to create that additional power.

So the engineering skill and effort involved in this recent development should not be underestimated! It’s compounded by the full-auto capability of the gun. Full auto fire in .30 caliber requires the internals to handle a huge amount of High Pressure Air in a very short space of time.

The SK-19’s designers must have to have invested a significant amount of CAD design, testing and manufacturing programming time. And then more testing. Ever more testing…

You know they did this because it works!

In fact, the .30 caliber version of the SK-19 works faultlessly, just like the smaller calibers. That’s a big achievement for this relatively new company. We should not just take it for granted.

Although the .30 caliber version looks similar to the .22 and .25 caliber models, it actually features a longer barrel and longer bipod mount rail. That’s apart from the internal modifications, of course.

Let’s be clear, the SK-19 is not a cheap air rifle. The price is $2,199 for the .30 cal model. Then you need a quality scope and rings. Plus a robust HPA supply system (think heavy-duty HPA compressor plus large HPA tank). Then factor-in plenty of .30 caliber pellets at 10 – 12 cents each (you’ll be needing them). Plus, most owners will add accessories like a bipod and possibly an air capacity upgrade.

So yes, this is an expensive air rifle to own. It’s also particularly expensive to run in .30 caliber due to the ammo cost. But the performance is unmatched. And the best is (almost) always expensive…

The SK-19 .30 caliber sample I tested gave a Muzzle Velocity of 898 FPS with 44.75 Grain JSB Exact pellets. That represents 80 Ft/Lbs of Muzzle Energy – per shot.

The heavier, 50.15 Grain JSBs produced an average of 863 FPS – that’s 83 Ft/Lbs of Muzzle Energy.

Accuracy was exceptional, too. Shot at 20 Yards with 44.75 Grain JSB Exacts, this target gave a genuine “one hole” group for 10 shots.

Out at 50 Yards, I couldn’t resist setting the “fun switch” to full auto using the same pellets. The group was just 3-Inches high and 1.25-Inches wide. for all 17 shots from the full magazine.

It’s clear that the SK-19 .30 caliber can really shoot – even on full auto!

In full auto mode, a quick “dab” of the trigger provides a “2-shot burst” capability. This is easy to do and is quite predictable. The main requirement is to completely release the trigger between “dabs” so that the action will re-set before firing again.

Holding the trigger back in full-automatic mode empties the magazine in less than 3 seconds. It REALLY brings the smile to your face!

All SK-19s are fitted with two safeties. One is located above the trigger on the left side of the gun. The other is part of the fire control selector at the rear.

But there is also an unannounced third “safety” that can be deployed for complete “belt and braces” security.

If you swing out the magazine locking lever – as in the photograph above – this prevents the magazine from indexing. The result is that no pellet can be placed in battery in the gun. If you pull the trigger with the locking lever out, all you will get is the sound of escaping High Pressure Air…

Thanks to Lauren Parsons for this tid-bit of information!

My .30 caliber test gun featured the standard 480cc tank, yet it still delivered 55 consistent shots before reaching the regulator set point.

There’s a larger, 580cc tank option that can be specified with the SK-19. The result – of course – will be a higher shot count.

Given the 17-shot magazine capacity in .30 caliber, it would make practical sense to re-fill with a full charge of of High Pressure Air after three full magazines of shooting (51 shots).

Of course, the SK-19 is all about shooting! Loading? Well that’s something you just have to do…

It’s steady, plodding work to rotate the magazine, then load three pellets – in the .30 caliber version – before deliberately rotating the magazine again to show another three empty chambers. Repeat…

The new longer, lower Picatinny rail that’s fitted to the SK-19 .30 caliber is beneficial. It allows a wider range of positions for attaching the bipod that will very likely be supporting the LCS when it’s fired on the range.

As mentioned above, the gun can be ordered with a 580 cc bottle, instead of the 480cc tank used for this test. In addition, there are double bottle adapters available – although then you are talking of a considerable increase in weight, along with the huge increase in shot count. Don’t forget to order that bipod!

There’s not a huge range of ammunition available for .30 caliber airguns. Mainly, it comes from JSB – under one name or another – while NSA also has some .30 caliber slugs.

But there is one type of pellet that will not fit the SK-19 .30 caliber – that’s Predator Polymags.

Even though the difference between the magazine depth and maximum Polymag pellet length was just 0.15mm (or about 6 Thou, if you prefer), it’s just too much. The gun will not accept them. All the conventional pellets fitted without any issues whatsoever.

But that Polymag issue is the only real problem I found with the .30 caliber version of the SK-19.

The selective fire capability compared with the quality, reliability, power and accuracy means that there’s nothing in the market that can compare with the SK-19!

That’s why so many avid airgunners have been happy to wait in line to receive their SK-19…

Tags: pcp
Posted in Airguns | No Comments »

It’s A Great, Compact Hunter! The EVOL Mini.

Friday, September 17, 2021

The American Air Arms EVOL Mini is an outstanding, compact hunting air rifle that grows on you with use. The more I shot it, the more I liked it!

It will be loved by the hunter who wants an airgun that’s simple, unbreakable, accurate and oozes quality.

The EVOL Mini is a beautifully designed and manufactured air rifle. It’s designed for great shooting “as is”. There’s no externally adjustable settings – the gun is designed to operate out of the box with a wide range of pellets without adjustment.

So it’s not for airgunners who want to tweak, tinker and tune their gun. It’s extremely compact, balances well and has a fantastic trigger. Power is remarkable for an air rifle of this size and weight. And the consistency is outstanding.

And this is not a bullpup! For many people, this is a big deal!

What more could you want from a hunting gun?

Let’s put some numbers to that. The EVOL Mini featured here weighs-in at just 7 Lbs 4 Oz. And that includes the scope, rings and a full magazine of pellets. The overall length is just 31 Inches with the Magpul stock fully extended. When the stock’s retracted, it’s less than 28 Inches. Compact, or what!!!

In testing, I found a maximum muzzle energy of 33.64 Ft/Lbs when shooting 25.39 Grain JSB Jumbo Monsters. That’s very decent power for such a compact .22 caliber PCP.

So the EVOL Mini is for the hunter who just wants to shoot. Unlike many other PCP air rifles of this price, there’s not a seemingly-endless list of controls to adjust power and shot count. In fact, there’s no externally-adjustable controls at all. Just trigger, cocking lever and safety.

The EVOL Mini fills to a maximum of 4,000 PSI. This is coupled with a regulator set pressure of 1,950/2,000 PSI to give strong performance for such a compact airgun. Unusually, there’s a 5,000 PSI burst disk built-in to the design. This is a rarely-encountered feature in airguns but one that’s welcome in the EVOL Mini.

Among the great usability features is the positioning of the front (main) pressure gauge. Although the male quick disconnect fill nipple is positioned at the side of the tube while the pressure gauge is placed on the opposite side.

Here we have a front-mounted pressure gauge that does NOT require you to “look down the barrel” to read it. That’s simply excellent design by Tom Costan, American Air Arms owner.

The trigger of my EVOL Mini was set to an average pull weight of just 12.9 Ounces.

First, there’s an incredibly light, smooth first stage. That’s followed by a genuine “glass break” sear release that’s instantaneous, yet completely predictable.

I found this to be a near perfect trigger. However, it is adjustable and the pull weight can be increased if you prefer a heavier trigger for hunting.

In harmony with all physical aspects of the EVOL Mini, the side lever cocking arm is compact. However this short length has a slight downside…

Although the action is smooth and the knob perfectly-designed, the second half of the stroke becomes quite heavy. This is due to a – presumably – rather stout hammer spring being compressed as the stroke is completed. However I found it quite tolerable and not a problem in use.

The EVOL Mini features an Aluminum magazine is robust and easy-to-load. It snaps down very positively into its position in the magazine well – probably more precisely than any other PCP magazine I’ve ever tested.

Then it’s retained in position by a sprung ball bearing. This has to be good for the consistent, precise pellet feeding that’s a significant contributor to accuracy.

You’ll never be wondering if the mag really is perfectly located with the EVOL Mini!

All of this is very good – in fact excellent. However, you’ll have to keep track of the number of shots taken as there’s no way to see how many shots have been taken – or how many pellets remain in the magazine.

But let’s face it. Most hunters take a relatively low number of shots in a hunt, so this may not be a big deal for you either.

That means that the relatively low consistent shot count of about 30 shots per fill is unlikely to be a disadvantage for most hunters either.

For any air rifle of this power level, the EVOL Mini is very quiet. Yes, there’s no capability for attaching an aftermarket suppressor, but it’s not needed – at least in the my opinion. And why would you want to attach an additional silencer that would significantly increase the length of such a compact air rifle?

As expected, the EVOL is fitted with a Picatinny top rail for scope mounting. I wanted a relatively short, yet high quality, scope to match the design philosophy of the the gun.

So, I mounted a Sightron 3-16 x 42 scope using UTG Pro rings from Leapers. The result was very comfortable balance and a harmonious blending of surface finishes.

Like other Sightron scopes, this 3-16 x 42 model has a fine graduated reticle. It displays a sharp, high contrast image and is easily focused by the side-mounted parallax control knob. The covered elevation and windage turrets have 1/4 MOA clicks.

Overall, this scope complemented the EVOL Mini well, although some hunters might want the capability of an illuminated reticle for shots in deep cover.

For light weight, compact, yet stable support, I attached a Spartan Javelin Lite bipod to the front of the incredibly long lower Picatinny rail. As you would expect, this bipod is also available from Airguns of Arizona.

Machining, fit and finish of all metal exterior parts on the EVOL Mini were simply outstanding! I have no doubt that the same quality will be found internally as well.

The pistol grip and collapsible buttstock are – of course – primarily synthetic. These are Magpul parts and are of the expected high quality. The only issue is that the collapsible stock is somewhat loose and “rattly” but that’s down to Magpul rather than American Air Arms.

The EVOL Mini is designed for shooting, pure and simple. It’s amazingly compact and balances beautifully. That trigger is just sublime. Critters beware!!!

Tags: hunting, pcp
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Shooting The Daystate Delta Wolf

Tuesday, July 27, 2021

So now I’ve shot a Daystate Delta Wolf for the first time. In fact, a couple of times!

What do I think of it? In a word, it’s fabulous!!!!!!!

The gun I’m shooting is in .25 caliber. So its electronic brain was already pre-programmed and set for this caliber. It was ready to shoot right out of the box!

Actually, I already had a good idea of the performance of this gun as it was accompanied by no less than two test certificates.

The first is the factory test. This confirms that our gun produced 946.6 FPS and 67.5Ft/lbs of Muzzle Energy when shooting 33.95 Grain Daystate Rangemaster Emperor pellets.

The second is from Airguns of Arizona. This includes a test target and indicates that the same gun shoots 25.39 Grain JSB King pellets at 900 FPS. That calculates out to 45.56 Ft/Lbs of Muzzle Energy with the lighter pellets.

Initial impressions of the Delta Wolf are that it’s somehow smaller than expected. In particular, the photographs I’d previously seen made the buttstock – with LCD display – look rather large. But “in person” it doesn’t look so at all and the design looks very harmonious and balanced.

I tried out the ambidextrous safety. It’s perfectly positioned and engages and disengages with ease and precision. Personal opinion is that this has to be about the best safety that I’ve ever used.

That safety is also the cause of a surprise! When I flicked it off then on to test operation, the LCD display came alive. That was as expected. What I didn’t expect was an unexpected noise from the gun some time later when it wasn’t even being touched. That was the electronics switching off after a set period of inactivity.

Well, it was a surprise the first time…

Then there’s the cocking lever. This slides back and forth with absolutely no effort at all. It’s a beautiful, smooth action with none of the effort normally required to cock an air rifle’s hammer spring.

That’s because there is no hammer spring in the conventional sense!

Then there’s the trigger. This has an incredibly-light first stage, followed by a “glass break” as the gun fires. There’s absolutely zero feeling of the drag and long linkage normally present in bullpup air rifles.

Again, that’s because there is no conventional linkage. The Delta Wolf’s “fly by wire” trigger system is perfect for remote placement!

Most of the publicity photographs for the Delta Wolf show it being used with average-size, or compact, riflescopes. Being impressed with the quality of the Sightron SIII 10-50 x 60 scope, I determined to install this, using Leapers UTG P.O.I. rings. The Sightron is a long scope, but the resulting combination balances and handles well, in my opinion.

Although the gun arrived ready to shoot already, I plan to spend some time reading and understanding the programming options before starting a thorough test.

The Delta Wolf PCP is extremely sophisticated, yet the user interface – both hardware and software – is amazingly streamlined.

In particular, the ability of the LCD to display the specific tune setup, precise HPA pressure and Muzzle Velocity in such a simple, direct manner is clearly something that represents a step change in the way we interface with an air rifle.

Software has changed everyone’s lives in just about everything we do. Now it looks likely to make the set-up and tuning of air rifles much easier and quicker than conventional, mechanical controls.

Here we have comprehensive control over the firing cycle without the need to adjust a series of mechanical controls. So we can shoot different pellets and change calibers with literally a few touches of the LCD screen. (Well, you still have to change the barrel and bolt manually, of course).

Then the results are instantly displayed after the shot , courtesy of the the built-in chronograph that’s enclosed in the barrel shroud.

As expected, there’s a sublime level of finish everywhere on the product. Of course this is expected for a Daystate, but it’s still pleasing to have expectations met when examining a new airgun for the first time.

The only area that hasn’t exceeded my expectations so far was the buttpad. This is a simple plastic molded part and I expected better.

But this is all part of the design philosophy. Daystate is partnering with Precision Rifle Systems – PRS – to provide aftermarket accessories. One of them is this beautiful and functional adjustable monopod.

That’s what I need next…

Yes, previous Daystate air rifles have included electronic controls. But the Delta Wolf takes this to a whole new level. In my opinion, this will lead to a cellphone-like evolution. Once we’re truly familiar and comfortable with electronic controls in airguns, we’ll wonder how we ever lived without them.

It’s clear that the Delta Wolf is a major step forward for airgun technology. Now I just need to get my brain in gear to make the most of it!

Tags: Daystate, pcp
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Cricket 2 Tactical – It’s In Stock At AoA, But You’ll Have To Ask!

Wednesday, July 14, 2021

The Cricket 2 Tactical is a new model that’s a major step forward for Czech manufacturer KalibrGun. And it’s in stock at Airguns of Arizona now. But you’ll have to phone as it’s not even on the AoA web site yet!

This gun is definitely good-looking and fun to shoot! In fact, I wasn’t too surprised to find that 25.39 Grain Redesigned JSB Jumbo Monster pellets were grouping very well at 50 Yards range.

This new Cricket 2 Tactical model offers some definite improvements to the traditional Cricket platform. In fact, these improvements are so significant that, in my opinion, this “Tactical” version really qualifies as a completely new model.

High Capacity HPA Bottle Supply

The biggest change is a move from the Cricket’s traditional High Pressure Air tube system to a high capacity carbon fiber HPA bottle. This move provides a huge increase in consistent shot count.

In fact, the shot count is more than doubled compared to the traditional “HPA tube” versions of the Cricket. Maximum fill pressure is the same at 4,350 PSI (300 bar).

This new air supply system allows for other benefits, too. Now the pressure gauge is located on the side of the action. This is another HUGE improvement. No longer do you need to (almost) look down the barrel to check the air pressure in the tank.

The incorporation of a short Picatinny rail ahead of the trigger guard provides the opportunity to fit a bipod. This will help the owner achieve the consistent long range accuracy that the Cricket platform has always been noted for.

Improved Operation

KalibrGun says that the Cricket 2 Tactical incorporates a more protected cocking mechanism. There’s also an improved cocking action for lighter and smother operation. Certainly the cocking lever is very slick and easy to use.

In addition, I definitely found magazine loading easier than with previous Cricket models I have used. The mechanism has been simplified so that it’s no longer necessary to hold the lever back when inserting the magazine into the breech.

There’s also an obvious, easy-to-use safety. This is of the trigger-blocking, “push across” type and is ambidextrous. It’s that red button you can see above the trigger in the photographs. That’s another improvement from KalibrGun!

These are all important design changes that add together to create a step-change in usability for the new Tactical model.

Airguns of Arizona has the Cricket 2 Tactical available in .22 caliber in two versions. There’s a “compact model” – above – and a “long model”, below. The differences are in barrel and tank length, as you can see.

AoA also has .25 and .30 caliber versions in stock at the time of this writing.

In .22 caliber there is certainly a very considerable number of consistent shots available from one fill of the large, 477 cc HPA bottle. KalibrGun claims about 160 per fill and that sounds realistic to me.

Yet More Improvements

There’s now a Picatinny-mount scope rail. While not required for recoil-handling, it’s clearly the current standard for scope mounting on PCPs.

Although the Cricket II’s barrel is shrouded, the new Tactical model also includes an industry-standard 1/2-Inch UNF threaded adapter at the muzzle. This will allow the easy installation of a silencer for those who want the quietest possible report from their air rifle.

The minimalist stock design of the Cricket II Tactical is called the “WTC” stock. It includes the signature Cricket capability of holding multiple spare magazines – two in this case.

Also visible in our photographs is the long top Picatinny rail for scope mounting. In advance of a comprehensive test review, I mounted a Sightron 10-50 x 60 scope on the “Tactical”. Yes, this is a long scope but it still balanced well while providing sufficient eye relief.

As usual, I mounted the scope with Leapers UTG Pro rings for a solid, harmonious installation. The surface finishes of gun, scope and rings all blend well together, as you can see below.

Specifications

Caliber	.22 Compact	.22 Long	0.25	0.30
Barrel Length	17.7 Inches	23.6 Inches	23.6 Inches	23.6 Inches
Max Muzzle Energy	40 Ft/Lbs	55 Ft/Lbs	60 Ft/Lbs	90 Ft/Lbs
Max Muzzle Velocity	985 FPS	1050 FPS	985 FPS	915 FPS
HPA Capacity	477 cc	627 cc	627 cc	613 cc
Shot Count	130 shots at 860 FPS	160 shots at 860 FPS	110 shots at 895 FPS	65 shots at 860 FPS
Overall Length	26.8 Inches	33.1 Inches	33.1 Inches	33.1 Inches
Weight	7.5 Lbs	8.3 Lbs	8.3 lbs	8.3 Lbs
Magazine capacity	14 shots	14 shots	12 shots	10 shots

If you like the look of the Cricket 2 Tactical, I suggest contacting AoA immediately before they sell out! Pricing starts at around $1,895.00.

Tags: Cricket, pcp
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The Brocock Ranger XR. It’s A New Sidelever Carbine

Saturday, June 12, 2021

Hot on the heels of the new Brocock Atomic pistol is another new, compact Brocock model. The British manufacturer is clearly on a roll right now!

The Ranger XR is firmly positioned as a pest controller’s ideal air rifle.

Brocock describes the new sidelever, foldable Ranger as perfectly suited for mobile hunters. Also those shooting in confined environments like hides and vehicles.

Brocock rifles have been a firm favorite with professional pest controllers for years. These include Jerry Moss who – for the last 18 years – has spearheaded efforts to preserve native red squirrels in the Whinfell area of Cumbria in the UK by reducing the invasive grey squirrel population.

Jerry’s input was instrumental to the concept and design of the Ranger XR.
“Full length and carbine rifles are ideal in many situations, but if you like to stay mobile and need to cover large areas on foot, especially over rough ground, a small, light rifle makes life a lot easier,” says Jerry.

“I also spend a lot of time staking out feeders and shooting from a hide or even a vehicle. With its 10-inch barrel, the Ranger XR is much easier to handle. And when it comes to taking care of business, I know I can rely on its accuracy and power to do what’s necessary quickly and humanely every time.”

The Ranger XR measures just 23.6 Inches long with the folding stock deployed and only 15.75 Inches with it retracted.

Despite its compact size and 10.1 inch barrel, Brocock says the Ranger XR is as accurate as full length and carbine rifles. This is due, in part, to the improved hammer design and Huma-Air regulator that was developed for the recently launched Safari XR.

As a result, air release is more precisely metered to eradicate the power curve and minimize shot-to-shot deviation, Brocock explains.

The result is a light weight airgun of of 5.5 Lbs that can deliver around 30 shots at a Muzzle Energy of 20 Ft/Lbs. In .177 caliber, the spec is for 35 shots at 16 Ft/Lbs.

The Brocock Ranger XR sidelever carbine is also designed to work with the company’s new self-indexing magazine. This increases shot capacity to 13 shots in .177 and 11 in .22 caliber while offering improved pellet/bore alignment.

To accommodate those who use large parallax adjustment wheel accessory on their scope, the magazines insert into the breach from the right. This will be a welcome improvement for many shooters who prefer the precision focusing that a sidewheel can offer.

Many traditional Brocock features are incorporated into the Ranger XR. These include the side power control and the manual “paddle” safety inside the trigger guard.

Brocock Ranger XR Sidelever Carbine Features:
· Ergonomic light XR sidelever operation
· Ambidextrous stock with adjustable, folding butt
· Underside picatinny accessory rails for bipods, torch etc.
· Huma-Air regulator
· Multiple power settings via side power adjuster
· Removable self-indexing magazine
· Single-shot tray
· Two-stage adjustable trigger
· Resettable manual safety catch
· Silencer Adaptor for optional 0dB silencer
· Optional picatinny and side rail for scopes and accessories

Note that US market models will come complete with the top and side picatinny rails that are additional cost upgrades on the UK version. This is in addition to the increased power, of course! A 0dB moderator – shown in many of these photographs – is also included as standard with US guns.

As you would expect, the Ranger will be available from your friends at Airguns of Arizona. Availability is anticipated soon!

Tags: Brocock, pcp
Posted in Airguns | No Comments »

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Posts Tagged ‘pcp’

ART Tuning – A Special Red Wolf Service At Airguns of Arizona

There’s A New LCS SK-19 Semi Auto – And More!

The Umarex Gauntlet 2 Is Now At AoA

The Benjamin Gunnar – A New PCP Worth Considering

2022 SHOT Show Report – New Cricket Semi-Auto And More…

The LCS Air Arms SK-19 In .30 Caliber

It’s A Great, Compact Hunter! The EVOL Mini.

Shooting The Daystate Delta Wolf

Cricket 2 Tactical – It’s In Stock At AoA, But You’ll Have To Ask!

The Brocock Ranger XR. It’s A New Sidelever Carbine

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