Airsporter - Tap Loader

[junglie2022]

Yes they made some worthwhile improvements toward the end, such as the way they extended the stock so that it rejoined at the front, making it much stronger. Also some of the stocks had more pronounced styling similar to the Weihrauch "monte carlo" style. The rotating breech looked a great idea compared to the tap (though I note it has some detractors).

It is a pity they gave up with it - if only they could have upgraded the trigger, there seems to be enough room for a more sophisticated mechanism in that large casting. At the time I was so miffed at the demise of the Mercury/Airsporter I didn't even look at the Superstar, which I now realise was decent rifle in its own right.

The rotating breech was a brilliant idea, those guns were a lot easier to work on too as the trigger blocks are held by two Allen bolts & a small screw underneath and the breech forms the front of the cylinder too so important to change the 2 o rings on it if the gun feels slammy & power is down a tad, mine had a restrictor screw in the transfer port too ( not all have them) & when I removed that from the bore went a tad ott ! So had to remove as coil from the spring which made it a bit nicer to shoot & easier to cock. It was as accurate as my excellent shooting challenger too. ( Both .22 ) Never shot an airsporter anywhere near it on both power & accuracy before or since tbh....

 

[bootneckbob]

So I thought I'd do a little Airsporter Vs Pro Sport tonight. 25 shots kneeling from 20 yards. Not my best by a long shot, but the idea was to be a comparable like for like with both rifles.
The Airsporter is sporting a nikko sterling silver crown and its not focused at 20 yards, plus I was shooting into the low sun in the west, albeit I was keeping the worst of it filtered through a tree! The Pro Sport has a crystal clear Leupold EFR but same conditions.
I would say although the Pro Target groups really should have been better for me; it can/I can drop 40mm kills at 55 yards kneeling comfortably when plinking. Something I've never done with the Airsporter as the accuracy falls short. Perhaps I should try it again though?

Anyway, here are the results; unfiltered just 25 shots with each. No warming up, or best of!

So, as this is a Airsporter thread...didn't put up too bad a show did it.

 

[maximus]

Not much in it at 20 yards, well done!

 

[bootneckbob]

Not much in it at 20 yards, well done!

TBH, the Airsporter is really only a backgarden plinker, but 10mm groups are totally doable. The Pro Target is still pretty new to me, but I wanted to do underlevers (similar type). My 80, 97 and the AA pro sport, TX200Sr and Mk2 are all capable of pretty much 100% hits on a 15mm spinner kneeling normally. The Airsporter I'd say 80% but at greater distances that accuracy between the two really opens up.

What has surprised me in recent ish times, is just how much better the HWs must have been than the BSAs; certainly late 80s.