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This is a personal view of my own rifles in which I attempt
to be as objective as possible. I've currently 3 different rifles, each of
which fills a particular niche. The EV2 is for FT competitions which is my
favourite part of shooting, the Harrier is an all round rifle that can shoot HFT
or hunt and is just an easy rifle to shoot. The ProSport was a getting
back to origins purchase partly because I've never been very successful with
springers and also it was available at the right price at the right time.
I don't really have a favourite, they all do something different and depending
on how I feel they're all more accurate than I am. The only major
customisation is the stock on the Harrier which was made by Dale Gath in 2005
from English walnut and a V-Mach spring in the Pro-Sport. I've never got on with sporting stocks and I decided
that a custom one was the way forward for the X2. It's made a tremendous difference
to the rifle which is far easier to shoot than before because of the fit and
this is especially apparent on standing shots which are almost easy now.
The EV2 has recently had an Anschultz butt hook added which makes it feel
snugger, and improves longer shots and standers.
Air Arms EV2 .177+ Nikko Sterling 10-50 X 40 scope
This is my FT rifle which I purchased new in March 2005. Once past the
initial bedding in period (2000 pellets) it's proven to be a very reliable and accurate
combination. It has a clear preference for 4.52mm pellets, JSB have a slight edge over Daystate. Air Arms were OK but the quality of
AA's pellets leaves much to be desired recently and most tins have a huge number
of bent pellets. I never weigh or lube, just straight from the tin.
The MK2 EV2 is more than a cosmetic change and is a slightly better rifle.
The firing cycle is notably 'deader' and the lock time feels slightly faster and
it's fitted with a new barrel.
Pro's
Fully adjustable stock.
'Low' cost, probably the best value of any FT style rifle and it works out of the box.
Nice trigger, although probably not the best.
Very consistent through the chrono despite having the 'old' valve. It's
actually better than many with the new one (5fps spread over 50 shots is
typical).
The scope range finds extremely well.
The accessory rail allows you to fit a small bipod so the rifle can sit upright when
you put it on the ground or are working on it.
Generally hits targets!
Con's
Can be temperature sensitive on very hot days. Rifle shoots high and
scope can over range by 3 yards at 55 yards which compounds the problem.
The chrono does not fully explain the difference and I suspect that the barrel
is being forced upwards as it's not fully floated.
It's a heavy combination which doesn't really bother me, but the centre of
gravity is high which takes a bit of getting used to.
Standard butt plate is not great. I've fitted an Anshultz butt hook which has
improved the rifle.
Rifle finish could be improved, especially the blueing which is adequate, but no
more. The new 2007 version has an anodised finish all over and no blueing
at all. I guess Air Arms have given up trying to get a decent finish the
traditional way.
Likes a clean barrel. I use a Logun pull through every 200 or so pellets
which does create slightly tighter groups.
Doesn't need to have lead in the barrel so shoots well from the first shot.
I get the impression it's impossible to clean an EV2 barrel too often.
Muzzle report is a sharp loud crack, so no back garden practice.
The scope can be quite dark over 35 mag.
Not a 'fun' rifle to shoot as it takes a fair bit of concentration. If I'm
really not in the mood I get 1" groups at 25 yards, but if I'm in the right
frame of mind it comes down to a single hole as far as you care to go. This is definitely a
competition only rifle.
The front scope dovetail is about 2mm too short for BKL 30mm mounts, although
recently Air Arms have modified it to allow BKL's to go straight on. You
need to chamfer the back of the mount dovetail slightly on older models to get it to fit and
there's a flare on the rifles rail that prevents you from sliding it on easily.
Overall
I'm not convinced I'd change the rifle or scope even having shot pretty much all
other recent FT rifles. It's not the perfect rifle, and there are areas that I'd
like to be improved especially the finish but overall I'm pleased with it as a
package.
However, talk to some EV2 owners and you'll get a different picture as there
seem to be some real dogs out there that spend most of their time back at the
factory although this does seem to have improved. Early silver stocks have
a tendency to split when wet. If you're buying used, try it out first. There is also a
weakness in the stock that has a tendency to snap through the middle of the
pistol grip so check to make sure there's no crack appearing. I've seen 2 EV2's and one ProTarget that have all failed in
exactly the same place and heard of others. The scope is well made and the NATO recticle is uncluttered
with no zero shift when using different magnifications and the turrets are
positive although they can be stiff. The sidewheel is a
decent size but benefits from an Ian Taylor teardrop extension which gives much
better gaps between 50 and 55 yards. I've not come across a scope that
ranges any better, but the optical quality is not the best around on the higher
magnifications. At £400 the scope really is good value with the only
viable contender in this price range (for new scopes) being the Bushnell Elite
4200 8-32. The Elite is much lighter with a higher quality build and better optics but the rangefinding is not as good over 50 yards
and it's a very long scope. If you want one scope to do everything the
Bushnell is probably the better bet but the Nikko is the better FT scope purely
because of it's accuracy over 50 yards.
 Daystate Harrier X2
.177+ Bushnell Elite 4200 6-24 mildot
This was the first rifle I purchased after a break of almost 30 years and was
attracted by the ability to use a 10 shot magazine or single shot tray in one
rifle. Again, JSB or Daystate 4.52mm seem to work best. Mine has a FAC barrel and cylinder but was
always under 12ft/lb from the factory.
Pro's
Single or multishot on one rifle.
Has always been very, very accurate and reliable with a manageable power curve
especially if you drop 15 bar off the maximum fill.
The Dale Gath custom stock has transformed the way the rifle shoots, probably
the best thing you can do is get one made and lose the Daystate plank which
really ruins the whole rifle unless you're the one person in the world they're
supposed to fit. Daystate insist on putting a low cheek piece on all of
their rifles although the sporter stock is an improvement over the old style
thumbhole.
Nice safety catch that's away from the trigger although I NEVER use a safety.
It's either loaded or safe in my book.
FAC cylinder gives 90 good shots with an extended sweet spot at 11.5ft/lb.
I suspect that the longer barrel also helps with the number of shots.
Quiet, even without a moderator. A Logun or HW moderator make it almost
silent down range.
Easy to shoot once the stock is sorted out.
The scope is probably the best mildot scope you can get unless you spend a huge amount more.
Easily up to Leupold standards in build and light transmission. Range finds well out to 45 yards, the 8-32
will do better but doesn't come with mildots as standard. It also comes with a huge sunshade.
Nice! Superb scope to
use when lamping as it only needs the smallest amount of light, and on 6mag it's actually
brighter than just using your eyes so it's possible just to use moonlight.
Con's
The standard Daystate stock looks nice but was a terrible fit. As with
most Daystates, the cheek piece is far too low.
If you use the magazine you need to check out the mounts as not all medium
height ones will clear the magazine. I use BKL's on all my rifles and they
offer just enough space as they're a little higher than most mediums by about
2mm. The
scope rail would benefit from being 2mm higher to get over this. As most
would use it with a magazine you have to fit medium-high mounts regardless of
the scope size.
Trigger is OK, but not as good as the Air Arms S4X0 range or the HW100.
Magazines are not 100% reliable and often need to be lightly sanded with emery
cloth to fit the rifle. Strangely they may fit one rifle perfectly and the
same magazine be sloppy in another and tight in a third suggesting poor
tolerances in the rifle build.
Pellets can fall backwards and get trapped in the rear of the block where the
pellet probe is housed. Involves a bit of a strip down to get it out.
I know 4 people that have had this happen on Harriers and MK3's.
Chemical black finish is not to everyone's taste and you do need to keep it well
oiled or you'll see rust starting to appear.
The screw in single pellet tray is a scope off job to fit. Get a magnetic
one or use double sided tape. The Daystate one is too shallow and it's all
too easy for pellets to roll straight off so get one from the 'Pie Man' on the
Airgun BBS.
A mixture of metric, UNC and what may be BA fittings on the rifle give the
impression it's been cobbled together as an A level project using only materials
to hand rather than engineered.
Some of the newer X2 variations are extortionately priced and not
worth the money.
Overall
Although it's a fine rifle, if I was looking for an all round/hunting rifle
again I'd probably not buy the Harrier X2. The stock looks great but is
a poor fit for me and it feels a bit Heath Robinson in places. Everything works
well, but it's not an elegant piece of engineering. The S410/S400 has a
much better fitting stock and the HW100 is also a serious contender with both single and multishot systems although the HW thumbhole
stock is absolutely dreadful for me. The S4x0 feels a better designed and built
gun although you have to decide on single or multishot when you buy one and the
HW100 is superbly finished with typically robust and totally functional German
engineering with the ability to single load or multishot magazine fed on the
same rifle. The trigger, magazine cocking and the single pellet tray are
superb on the HW but the screw in air receiver always worries me as it's another
thing to cross thread although the new ones are now fitted with a probe filler.
I suspect I'd probably go for a HW100 in .177 and then get another stock made as
my ideal hunting rifle.
 AirArms ProSport
.177+ Bushnell Legend 5-15 mildot
In an attempt to learn to shoot a 'proper' air rifle it was
acquired second hand from a friend who'd just purchased it new just a few weeks
prior and found he
didn't like springers. Out of the box it needed a fair bit of adjustment
(especially the trigger which was abysmal at first) and running in before it
became pleasant to shoot but nothing that cost money or a strip down. You won't be surprised to hear that JSB 4.52mm's
also work here but I've not had a chance to experiment, so there may be a better
choice. At least with the JSB's I only have to buy one type of gun food.
Pro's
Very accurate and bearing in mind I'm a real novice when it comes
to springers I can hit a 55 yard target 'most' of the time.
Soft recoil out of the box which improves further with the first tin of
pellets.
Trigger is very good once adjusted correctly and can be set very light with a crisp 2nd stage release.
The concealed cocking lever gives it the look of a full bore rifle, if you like
that sort of thing.
Self contained power, no need for a divers bottle.
Loading port is offset and quite generous and is far enough forward to allow a long scope
to be fitted but can only load from the right hand side. I think there is
a left handed version?
Some may find it a heavy rifle, but I could go heavier. Nice balance on
standing shots.
Comb height is better than most other sporting rifles giving a good contact with
your cheek but is still too low for high mounts.
Scope is superb value for money. Very clear and bright (91% light
transmission) with a good zoom range (5-15). Small objective keeps it low
on the rifle which helps maintain good contact on the cheek piece. Although not as good as the Elite 4200, it's probably
the perfect sensibly priced HFT/hunting scope and works well at dawn and dusk.
Con's
The ProSport can be expensive. The rosewood capped walnut version is getting on for S400 costs.
Makes your elbow ache. The cocking lever is attached directly to the
piston tube so you don't have a second pivot point unlike the TX200 and HW's
which takes more effort.
Shows up any weakness in your technique, which isn't always a bad thing.
Blueing is poor. Obviously not Air Arms forte.
Makes your elbow ache. Yes, I know I've put in in twice, but it really
does make your elbow ache.
It's a springer so it isn't going to be as consistently accurate at the longer
distances as a good PCP, but what did you expect? Not far off though.
You can't fit a moderator, but the shrouded barrel is just about quiet enough to
hunt with.
The pivot pin on the cocking lever is a loose fit and can start to come out
which gouges the inside of the stock. A small dab of blue loctite solves
this.
As with most Bushnell's, the scope is very long but doesn't cause too much
fiddling at the breech.
I'm not a big fan of the ornate laser chequering, but it's a matter of personal
taste.
I keep forgetting to take off the safety! I'm not sure that safety catches
are intrinsically safe, far better only to cock it when you intend to take a
shot.
Overall
I really like this rifle and scope combination. After about a year I
fitted a V-Mach spring which has a different recoil characteristic making it
smoother and more repeatable, which was not really a problem but it has improved
the firing cycle and reduced the muzzle report notably with no spring twang. The scope is excellent value and
I'd buy another if I obtain any more rifles. Not up to the Elite 4200 standard
with no range finding ability but is a really good all around scope for about
£150 if you shop around. If you can't
afford a Whiscombe then this is probably the best spring rifle you can buy
new unless you want to fit aftermarket springs and give it a tune in which case it's
probably a close tie between this and the HW77/97 which would be a cheaper
option. A superb combination for standing shots once you master the
correct holding technique (don't grip it!). Now that it's run in
and I've got the trigger just right and a better scope on it, the chap I bought
it from wants it back!
Air Arms S200 .177 +AGS Sapphire 3-9
It's actually not mine, it's the club rifle but I look after it. It was
purchased primarily to allow first timers to have a go. We did consider
the T stock which is adjustable for size, but given people want to shoot and not
mess around adjusting the stock we went for the S. The extra cost of the
S200T probably isn't worth it anyway and the T version has the target air
receiver which has to be removed completely to be filled which means you can't
fit a silencer unless you buy the S type air cylinder for an additional £60.
Pro's
As accurate as anything else on the market under £500
Very good value for money and the perfect rifle for juniors.
Very simple and reliable construction. Not much to go wrong and easy and
cheap to fix if it does. You see some really old ones still knocking down
targets with no problems at all.
Nicely finished rifle, doesn't feel cheap
Trigger mechanism isn't very sophisticated but works very well with adjustment
of weight as well as 1st and 2nd stages. Although it'll never be a 'match'
trigger, if you set it up right it's not at all bad.
Good range of after market goodies including an excellent 10 shot magazine,
brass cocking bolt, brass trigger and silencer.
Scope is bright and easy to use for a novice with a sensible zoom range
Easy to sell second hand especially in .177. They usually change hands for
good money in under 48 hours.
Con's
Limited shot capacity. Bank on a realistic maximum of 50 with 40 good ones
in .177. It will keep on going, but the power really drops off.
Small and light, fine for juniors but not great for anyone over 6ft tall.
Weight can actually be advantageous, but this rifle is light.
2 part stock is OK but not fantastic, but it helps to keep the cost down.
Internals are partially open to the elements, although it's not a problem if you
keep it clean and lubricated
Scope lacks any parallax adjustment (focus) so close targets will always be
blurred
Scopes mildots are too far apart to be useful on an air rifle
Overall
If you're looking to buy a starter rifle on a tight budget you really can't go
wrong with one of these. They do have limitations, 40 shots is only just
enough to shoot a competition (although there's nothing in the BFTA rules to
prevent you from refilling on course) and the size and weight will either appeal or
disappoint. I've never heard anyone (who knows anything about rifles) slate an
S200, they do go wrong occasionally but they're easy and cheap to fix, certainly
if you're competent with a spanner and have a chronograph it has the potential to be a DIY job.
The first time I had to strip one down it took less than 2 hours from start to
finish and even replacing most of the internals it only cost £20. It isn't as
good a rifle as the S400, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with it at all.
Accuracy is very good if not excellent and reliability is also very good.
What more do you want for £250? This is probably the best rifle you can
get for a junior due to it's size, weight and cost that will easily shoot as
well as rifles twice the price and for £65 and 10 minutes work (just a couple of
screws to undo and requires no skill) you can upgrade it to an excellent 10 shot multishot.
I've shot S200's that have been put into custom stocks and it makes a good rifle
even better.
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Southampton
Buccaneers Field Target Club
