Although I accuracy tested a buddy's .22 Ranchero against my home-made FT pistol and an Alan Zasadny customized (for field target) Steyr LP-10 ten-meter pistol a decade ago, for some inexplicable reason I did not own a Ranchero until purchasing a used .177 posted on this forum's classified section a few months ago. That's it in the photo above. Besides the reasonable asking price, what closed the sale for me (instantly) was the custom muzzle brake extending the muzzle beyond the 50 CC FX air-chamber extension; both those additions making it a better field target pistol than a stock Ranchero.
She held air for only a couple months, then shot weaker upon return from FX USA for complete reseal. A slight increase in the (factory) hammer-spring adjustment brought her close enough to the FT power limit to not go further at (great) expense to shot count. 8.44 FX, 200 BAR, 30 shot power-band- Lo= 764, Hi= 781, ES= 17, SD= 4.6, Avg= 772 FPS/11.1 FP.
Towards the end of Ranchero production they used Woods & Waters SC walnut stocks; I assume because the previous walnut stocks became unavailable. Mine is not a W&W SC stock.
Testing notes of my .177 Ranchero suggests it more accurate than the .22 tested a decade ago, that lost the three-way accuracy battle by averaging 1.04" five-shot groups at 50 yards. Accuracy notes on my .177 Ranchero show it comparably accurate to the other two field target pistols in the accuracy shoot-out.
11/2/2021- Five consecutive five-shot groups at 50 yards with 8.4 FX averaged .71” c-t-c in light winds. 11/13/2021- Shot an .87” c-t-c eight-shot group at 50 yards with 8.4 grain FX pellets in light winds. "Any other info?" MoF, yes. Correction... ALWAYS.
The buddy that loaned me his .22 Ranchero for testing never beat me in pistol field target until I helped him adjust his trigger; whereupon I couldn't beat him again for a couple years. He subsequently bought a .177 Ranchero for PFT competition, and has captured State and/or National Champion titles with his Rancheros (both calibers).
"Is there a MK1 and. MK2 version?" Aside from aforementioned change in the walnut-stocked model, not to my knowledge. Perhaps because FX has been too busy introducing ("planned obsolescence"?) model evolutions to not only not do so with the Ranchero,
but not continue producing its fine PCP pistol at all! It's called "Progress", and is in parentheses for a couple reasons.
