Target Sports

AIR RIFLE REVIEW: START THEM YOUNG

Created on 14th May 2009

MARK CAMOCCIO thinks the Magtech ARY400 Junior is the ideal starter gun for young enthusiasts - and his 10-year-old friend likes it too

THE FUTURE of any sport is only guaranteed if new blood is both encouraged and nurtured. Shooting is obviously no exception, and it really is vital these days that we all do our bit to spread the word. Teaching the art of marksmanship and gun handling brings with it a sense of reward and discipline, which is frankly hard to beat, so instilling some passion in the next generation has to be a priority.

While I excitedly received my first air rifle as a Christmas present at the age of 13, getting youngsters hooked even earlier just has to be a good thing. Selecting an air rifle for a youngster depends on several factors, and although I'm often espousing the ethos that it's worth spending a little more to leap-frog the ‘starter' kits and indeed dedicated junior rifles (such as my test rifle here), I do accept that the sheer mass and dimensions of many more mature designs can often prove too much.

Age is the obvious governing factor, and if our plucky little wannabe is early teens and fairly well-built, then I would still recommend bypassing the elementary options.

My test rifle here, the Magtech ARY400, is designed to appeal to the ‘mini-me's' who are simply too small to cope with heavy, awkward hardware, yet still yearn to get a foot on the shooting ladder.

Magtech air rifles are made in Brazil, and with the ‘Y' in the model name standing for ‘Youth', the makers clearly have one sector of the market in mind. I've not encountered this brand before, but the quality seems fair, certainly given the asking price.

Scaled down

Many features of this rifle are scaled down, so the end result is a pint-sized product with some great little features all intended to appeal to the very young beginner, probably between nine and 12 years old. With very low power output, the Magtech is restricted in its use, but since it is designed solely to put a smile on a youngster's face as they begin their path to hopefully a lifetime of shooting, that should be an irrelevant technicality. At a little over 35" in length, the Magtech handles well - but don't just take my word for it. In the interest of a fair assessment, this rifle demanded the input from one of its target audience. Enter young Oliver from my own club - at just 10 years of age. Already keenly participating in our Hunter Field Target shoots, he currently perseveres with his Mum's Air Arms s200, but still, (quite understandably), finds the rifle far too much of a handful. Oliver's face just lit up when he pulled the Magtech into the aim, and with everything suddenly ‘just right', built with his frame in mind, he couldn't quite believe his luck. "This is so much better than our gun," he proclaimed. This wasn't so much an ungrateful utterance (though unfortunate in front of his mother!) but more the raw honesty of a youngster who, at his age, just wants a stress-free shooting experience. The Air Arms is an infinitely more sophisticated piece of technology, of course, that comes at a commensurately higher price; but the sheer enjoyment to be gained from just sitting down on a range with a simple break-barrel springer was not lost on Oliver. While he's lucky to have access to quality rifles, I'm not so sure he's at a level to appreciate it, or even needs to be ready yet for such sophistication. Let's labour the point then: this Magtech is basically a pint-sized rifle, best suited to recruiting pint-sized shooters at a very early age who would otherwise struggle to get started - and what an important role that is!

Informal target shooting at 15-20yd is the name of the game here, so let's take a closer look at what's actually on offer.

What you get

For a start, the break barrel design sees a much shorter cocking stroke, and while the action was a little stiff to begin with, it seemed to ease up with use. Oliver initially struggled, but soon slipped into a two-handed routine, which paid dividends. To be honest, I would have expected an even easier stroke, given the low power output.

The Magtech comes fitted with some snazzy fibre-optic open sights, affording a fairly good sight picture. The rear-sight is adjustable, but one small gripe here concerns the inclusion of a tiny nut on the adjustment screw, which is too fiddly by half, and easily lost. A bolder adjustment knob would make sense.

Scope rails are included, but in practice most scopes would foul the breech in any case, given the short action. Red dot sights could be an option, but I'd say keep things simple and stick with the fibre optics.

Triggers are always important, and the Magtech comes very well-appointed. A fairly smooth pull helps, while a neat, automatic safety bar (re-settable) just to the front of the guard keeps everything civilised. Youngsters are introduced to the feel of a two-stage trigger as well, even if the first stage travel is purely a dummy pivot. The test rifle came fitted with a black synthetic compound stock and an alternative hardwood stock is available at the same price. Both have an identical profile, and come fitted with a rubber butt pad to aid grip.

So how does it shoot? Well I would personally go for the hardwood version, since a small amount of resonance comes from the hollow moulding of this compound stock. With regards to accuracy, 2" groups at 20yd using the open sights and a variety of pellets gives some idea of what to expect. The firing cycle is snappy rather than aggressive, so novices are eased in gently.

To expect too much from a rifle of this type given its stated aim would be to miss the point. The Magtech ARY400 has an important part to play, offering as it does a user-friendly, easy-to-handle format ideal for very young beginners, and let's face it, anything that helps to swell the ranks within our sport has to be a good thing.

Technical specification

Model: Magtech ARY400
Manufacturer: Magtech
Country of origin: Brazil
Type: Junior spring/piston break-barrel
Calibre: .177
Weight: 5lb
Overall length: 35.5"
Barrel length: 14"
Stock: Synthetic compound stock
Velocity: 4ft/lb on test
Trigger: Two-stage non-adjustable
Price: £100
Options: Hardwood stocked version
Contact: Viking Arms T: 01423 780 810

AIR RIFLE REVIEW: START THEM YOUNG

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AIR RIFLE REVIEW: START THEM YOUNG

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