One of the guns I have really enjoyed shooting as I prepare for squirrel season is the compact little Brocock Ranger XR. Getting ready for the woods, I brought this gun to the range to sight in, shoot a few strings over the chrony to get an idea of performance, and then have a fun plinking session to get familiar and comfortable with shooting it.
So, what were the initial impressions? First off, the folding stock allowed the gun to be folded away to almost nothing, easy to fit into my daypack for a stealth hunt. The stock once deployed was adjustable for length of pull, and with the AR style pistol grip it was easy to get a solid hold on. The side-lever cocking handle is a fine bit of machining, and very smooth cycling. And I love the magazine!
A magazine is not something to get overly excited about, of course they are very important, but it is not so frequent that I actually work up a high level of enthusiasm like I have with this one. I really like the way the hinged cover, which is held in place with a magnet, swings open to provide access for loading. Fast and easy to load, one of the more “fumble free” magazines I’ve encountered.
Performance wise I was also well impressed with the Ranger XR; I got an honest 32-35 shots per fill averaging about 17 fpe across the string, with a very respectable shot-to shot consistency. This is just about perfect in a quiet small game carbine.
Why do I want a “stealth hunter”? I have hunting and pesting permissions on several small farms and properties that are juxtaposed in an upscale suburban setting. To get to many of these stands of woods, I need to walk along a public road or out in plain view of houses, parks, boke paths etc. You do not want to be seen carrying a gun in these locations, whether you are in the right or not, as the police will be called. It has happened to me more than once, then I am tied up showing my permission letters, and on a couple of occasions arguing with cops that were ignorant of the laws they were trying to enforce, telling my I could not shoot within city limits with or without landowner permission. As a matter of fact our local ordinance do allow shooting for “the lawful taking of game” within city limits, but by the time this is sorted out time has either run out or I no longer feel like hunting.
It’s much better to have a gun that I can slip into my daypack, along with my lightweight and packable bug suit camo, slip into the woods and into my camo, hunt, bag my quarry, slip everything into my pack and hike back out to my car. And I believe this gun is going to become a favorite based on its attributed and what I’ve seen so far!
On other topics of interest: I hope everybody is either already started or getting ready for small game season. Whether you are hunt squirrel, rabbit, or quail, its a great time of the year to be in the field! You can find a place to hunt small game with an air rifle almost anywhere in the country, get out and give it a try. If you like, I can add some posts with favorite recipes and tips on game preparation.
Also, the Extreme Benchrest is fast approaching, and as usual I am looking forward to it! A great event and a great time to be in Arizona. If you’ve been to obne before you’ll probably be there again this year, if haven’t been before, its well worth the journey! And if you’re there and see me, please stop to say hello and if you have any questions about airguns or airgun hunting lets talk!
