My .22 Bantam HiLite arrived late yesterday PM, beautiful as I'd hoped. Shot just a few pellets to insure she was functioning correctly before cleaning the bore well. Chronographed her with the pellets I hope to use, 16 grain Air Arms and 18.1 grain JSBs to find she's 1-2 foot-pounds below spec at 848 FPS/ 28.9 FP with the 18.1s and 891 FPS/ 28.2 FP with 16s. No surprise with a brand-new PCP, and expect power to come up with break-in. She also didn't exhibit as flat shot-string-bell-curve as specs, but given the purely mechanical nature of the Sling-shot hammer/valve system I'm not alarmed, and hope that also improves with break-in.
The trigger-action was heavier than expected and had a glitch after the first stage and before second stage release. Figured that might go away with break-in. With just over 100 rounds through the new gun, the glitch is almost gone ant the trigger action has improved considerabbly.
After mounting a Weaver V-16 (my favorite rifle scope), I started accuracy testing with 18.1 JSBs that are not a good batch (nappy-looking skirts). Five consecutive five-shot groups at 50 yards averaged .69" c-t-c in light winds. Not bad, but nothing to get excited about.
By then it was dark-thirty but I couldn't wait to try the 16 grain AAs. First two groups were similar to those with 18.1grain JSBs at .62" and .73" c-t-c, but then the little gun seemed to just find its form and started stacking pellets one on another. One of the few times I've felt an airgun was shooting fully to my abilities, the last 4 five-shot groups at 50 yards measured .41", .32", .46" and .45" for a .41" four-group average, and a six-group average with 16 grain AAs of exactly .50" c-t-c. That puts this rifle among the most accurate I've tested in 30+ years of accuracy testing over 400 airguns... and she's still breaking in! Yes, I
am happy.
But I'll be happier when/if power and consistency comes up to specs with break-in, and the trigger lives up to the "adjustable match grade" spec. I believe that's all somewhere between possible and likely.
Did all shooting so far with no moderator, other than the first 3 shots to see how quiet she was with the Weihrauch mod they sent instead of the Airstream mod I ordered. 'Interesting' that they sent the Weihrauch mod after trying to switch me to it, even though I interrupted the salesman with, "No' I'm not interested in the Weihrauch; I want the Airstream", and the invoice showed the Airstream. Called the dealer today, and they've already Priority mailed an Airstream with a pre-paid shipping label to return the Weihrauch I specifically did
not order.
OOPS, almost forgot. Couldn't stand to not shoot her at all today, so despite
very gusty winds shot a ten-shot group at 50 yards with 16 grain AA's that measured .74" c-t-c.
