AIR RIFLE REVIEW: A DIFFERENT ANIMAL

Created on 29th May 2009

MARK CAMOCCIO reviews a Phoenix that's more reinvention than reincarnation

THERE ARE so many pre-charged pneumatics on the market today that any newcomer to airgunning could be forgiven for being bewildered by choice.

With a fairly standard design format accounting for the lion's share, comparing one model to another can be difficult, especially when there's little to differentiate them at face value. A relatively thin barrel sitting over an extended air-cylinder has become the norm, with many manufacturers following this popular blueprint.

Occasionally, however, radical and innovative designs surface, and I think we can safely say the Phoenix falls into this category. Originally designed by Graham Bluck and marketed by Parker-Hale, the Phoenix rifle offers an interesting specification in that it is a fast-fire, repeating air rifle, which incorporates the Winchester-style lever action, a 10-shot magazine, and a totally concealed air-reservoir!

The Phoenix uses some complex workings, and the ingenuity of the concept grabbed the attention of Hugh Earl, the man behind Pax Guns in London. Hugh recognised that just about every aspect of the design could be fine-tuned and improved upon; putting his money where his mouth is, this talented entrepreneur acquired the business and moved production from Birmingham to his own dedicated factory in North London.

The Phoenix Mark2 now incorporates many changes from the original, and, as far as Hugh Earl is concerned, it's a different animal.

Unique firing cycle

Designed primarily as a hunting rifle, the no-nonsense profile of the Phoenix mirrors that of a live-ammo stalking rifle as it's both streamlined and uncluttered. But that unique firing cycle obviously grabs the headlines. The incredible rapid-fire rate afforded by the lever action means that, as well as its credentials for live quarry, some pure fun shooting is also on the cards!

Let's start with a once-over to confirm the features on offer here. The two-part woodwork consists of a neat and crisply executed forend, which is treated to a large panel of cut chequering on each side and finishes in a traditional Schnabel tip.

The rear stock is a conventional sporter-style, offering a raised cheekpiece and chequered pistol-grip. A more straight-line grip is on offer, necessitated by the movement of the lever action.

Both parts are treated to a pleasant matt oil finish and, with the butt cleverly capped off with a plastic plate before the addition of the butt pad, a nod to good looks has been included, besides being practical.
Action-wise, this rifle consists of three main areas: the barrel, breechblock and air cylinder.

Pax buys in the ubiquitous Lothar Walther barrel blanks, and then sends them away (still within the UK) to be profile-ground. Hugh and his team then complete the machining process in-house, and send the barrels away for blueing.

The main action block is a robust casting that gives the impression of being near bombproof! With all the intricate guts of the cocking mechanism housed within, a fair bit of weight resides in this area, but despite the slab-sided appearance, with the Phoenix motif and "Pax Guns London" etched into the surface, the Phoenix has a unique appeal.

At the left-hand side of this block is a large cut-away to house the 10-shot rotary magazine and, with Allen-headed socket screws used throughout the construction, a pleasingly high level of build quality is evident. At the base of the block sits an integral metal trigger-guard and that radical saddle gun lever action. Those familiar with fullbore lever rifles where the lever is part of the guard (meaning care must be taken with the rapid closing part of the cycling procedure to avoid impaling one's finger on the trigger) will be pleased to know the Phoenix avoids this problem. Thanks to the lever being pivoted behind the trigger, the trigger-guard stays in place during cycling so the action can be cycled swiftly and safely. A cross-bolt safety button is located behind the trigger; this can be fitted to operate from either side, to suit left or right handed-users.

One big difference noticeable on handling the Phoenix is the balance. Whereas the centre of balance for many rifles is a couple of inches forward of the trigger-guard (giving a front bias), the centre of gravity for the Phoenix sits bang on the trigger itself; this is largely a result of the air cylinder being concealed inside the rear part of the stock.

Gaining access to that cylinder for charging purposes is relatively simple and, despite being an unorthodox arrangement, the sheer neatness of the design has to be appreciated. First, the black rubber butt-pad is pulled rearwards, which frees it from its retaining lugs. This reveals the tail end of the cylinder and a small Tommy bar. The bar is simply located into the end of the cylinder and given a quarter turn. Excess air is then fired off, allowing the cylinder to be removed - standard procedure for buddy-bottle style rifles. The compact 190cc bottle can then be linked up to an air supply - be that pump or larger bottle; the prescribed 200-bar fill can then be injected. Carrying another fully-charged bottle with you is easy as it's so compact.

Pax uses the standard Schrader-type valve for the filling process, which makes changing the valve a very simple operation. There is even a spare Schrader valve supplied with each rifle. In the future, all cylinders will be made in-house and a quick-fill valve is also being planned.

New magazine

The original Phoenix used a BSA magazine, but Hugh Earl has now seen fit to produce his own: the result is a neat rotary 10-shot design that includes a visible number denoting which chamber is in use.

Once the mag has been loaded with pellets, the cocking lever is pulled down. Then the small, serrated retaining clip is pushed forwards on the left side of the action; this allows the full magazine to be pushed home into its slot. Once the lever is returned, the rifle is ready to shoot. Subsequent shots can be taken just as fast as that lever can be pulled down and snapped back up again (which cycles the mag in the process). Pax claims 10 shots in five seconds. I managed six or seven, but there's no doubting this is one of the fastest cycling guns around; and for that quick follow-up shot in the field, the design is spot-on.

With Hugh's background in specialised pellet production, it comes as no surprise to find that he now tailors the probe on the Phoenix to suit his various brands. Having experience in the production of silencers (Hugh makes silencers for other companies on the market too), it's a simple matter to screw on one of his examples.

With the test rifle being a short-barrelled carbine, a silencer is a must to tame the muzzle crack, as well as assist the balance. With a Pax Phantom in place, a muted ‘phut' is all that remains. The difference without the silencer in place is astounding

If I'm honest, I didn't expect too much from the trigger since first impressions of the blade suggested to me a fairly basic unit. I was, however, pleasantly surprised. This is a two-stage unit with some of the let-off weight taken up during the first stage, the final pull being reasonably light. A fraction of creep was detected on test and this is due in part to the sizeable sear engagement that Pax uses to ensure the rifle is not likely to discharge due to a knock, yet it doesn't take away from the fact that this is a very usable set-up.
Consistency over the chronograph was good, with a variation of just 17fps over the claimed 60 shots, and on test, just 20fps over 70 shots.

Accuracy tests over my 30yd range from a rest, and using the prescribed Logun Penetrator pellets, produced 5/16 of an inch (just over quarter-inch) groups. The Phoenix proved civilized and satisfying to shoot, thanks to the silencer.

Cycling of the cocking lever proved smooth and slick in operation, with no magazine foul-ups; although one small gripe is that the lever itself moves fractionally down on firing - just slightly disconcerting.

The rearwards balance of the Phoenix also feels unusual at first, but this just takes some getting used to, and there's no denying the accuracy on offer.

In the Phoenix, Pax Guns has a unique product. There are other fast-fire guns out there, but this lever-action really does take some beating. The inherent accuracy also makes this rifle suitable for HFT- just as long as a strict safety routine is adhered to with regards to the magazine system. With the refinements already in place, an ongoing development programme, plus Hugh Earl's obvious enthusiasm for the project, the future looks bright.

If you're in the market for something a bit different along with rewarding performance, then check out the website at www.phoenixairguns.co.uk. I think you will be fascinated - I certainly was!

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