The Air Arms Pro Sport is a sort of refined version of Air Arms’ TX200, a favorite rifle of Field Target shooters. While the TX200 is a fine gun (I have one I used to shoot in competition), the Pro Sport adds a few more touches that make it that much more enjoyable to shoot and to look at. For instance, the cocking lever of the Pro Sport is recessed within the forearm of the stock, which results in a much cleaner look, and less weight and bulk. It also has a built-in moderator, something of great interest to hunters. And like the TX200, it’s one of the the most accurate recoiling spring guns on the market. A well-tuned Pro Sport in the hands of a skilled shooter can put a pellet in a 1/4″ hole at 50 yards.
The export model (also sold as the FAC model in Great Britain) produces 14.5 ft-lbs of energy in .177, and 15 ft-lbs in .22, more than enough for small game hunting. Firing behavior is very smooth, too.
My neighbor Tom, who has a pair of very fine custom bullpup PCP rifles, had been talking about getting a Pro Sport for years, and finally ordered one last month. He’s very pleased with his. (He thinks it’s a bit harder to cock than other spring guns he’s owned, but maybe he’s just spoiled from shooting nothing but PCP guns all those years!) We had a brief shooting session in his basement, and I was pleased to see that the gun is, as reported, a refined version of the TX-200. The built-in moderator, which does significantly cut the report, is one refinement I appreciated; the other is the stock, which gives the Pro Sport the look and feel of a fine firearm.
This kind of accuracy and construction quality doesn’t come cheap, of course. The retail price in the US is generally in the neighborhood of $670-700, although I’ve seen some vendors charging as much as $900! But if I could only have one airgun, the Pro Sport would be very high on my list of choices.
Post a Comment