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Brocock Compatto by Mark Camoccio

Brocock Compatto by Mark Camoccio

When you stop to consider today’s airgun market, ‘all new’ models are actually quite rare. For a multitude of reasons, it makes sense to breathe new life into existing products, at different stages of their development, in order to satisfy market trends, and effectively extend a product’s life cycle with a fresh look. All manufacturers take this approach at some stage, especially when a particular model has proved popular over a period of time.

Tooling up for a brand new model from scratch can be a costly business, and a significant investment is required, which may not always pay off. Economies of scale is the name of the game, and the only way to recoup those initial production costs is to shift some product! Basically, we need manufacturers to take a risk on our behalf, and life would be a lot less exciting if they didn’t!

Potential

On test here is the new Compatto from Brocock, and yes, it is all new! It could prove something of a landmark product for the brand too, if initial reactions are any indication. Now part of the Dianna group that also owns Daystate, (yes that is the correct spelling, not to be confused with the old German manufacturer by the way), Brocock should be in a much stronger position to realise their potential.

Take a look at this model up close, and it impresses from the off, but what makes it rather unique is what’s best described as a ‘semi-Bullpup’ configuration. Unlike a full Bullpup, where there’s no butt, with the action taking over that role, the Compatto (Italian for compact) moves the barrelled action assembly rearwards by about 5-6” further than a standard rifle- and it feels and looks surprisingly radical. A break with convention then, and we’ll see how it handles in a moment.

Spec sheet

Glance through the specification of this model, and the features start to stack uppneumatic action featuring the Slingshot anti-hammer bounce system, 10-shot, bolt-operated rotary magazine, quick fill charging, two stage semi-match trigger, synthetic ambidextrous skeleton stock with adjustable butt pad, fully shrouded barrel, built-in manometer (pressure gauge), 3-stage power adjuster, and reach-forward raised sight rail. Quite a spec sheet then and a statement of intent from a manufacturer eager to raise their profile!

That synthetic skeleton stock grabs the eye of course and the large cut-outs help keep this model’s overall weight at a highly manageable 5.9lbs. The moulding is quite well executed, from ballistic polymer, although there is a slight ‘plasticky’ feel to the forend. An accessory rail at the tip is a nice touch, and there will even be a blanking cover available, to tidy up the aesthetics until the rail is actually needed. A well-shaped adjustable butt pad is a great addition, and with a nicely slimmed down thumbhole grip, and a suitably high cheek piece, the overall configuration is most pleasing!

The metalwork is equally impressive, with both the barrel shroud and cylinder treated to an extremely practical matt black finish. The chunky breech block contrasts nicely, and along with that stainless steel bolt, everything looks and feels very well machined and presented.

Cleverly, unlike many full Bullpups, the trigger unit on the Compatto has been designed to sit much further forward than usual. This then avoids the use of remote linkages that can rob the trigger of any feel or finesse, which is a symptom of the generic Bullpup design. The result being a trigger that does not feel compromised.

Preparation

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Charging the Compatto is a simple affair. Just twist the valve cover at the front of the cylinder to reveal the inlet port, push home the air supply via the probe adaptor, and charge the cylinder to 200bar. Disconnect and close the cover.

The 10-shot magazine is an impressively precise exercise in engineering, and has a quality feel about it, very similar to Daystate’s own design. To fill it, pull back the cocking bolt to the rear, pull the magazine free of the action from the left side, and then drop pellets nose first into each chamber, taking care to gently seat each one before rotating the spring-loaded drum. With the mag primed, slide it back into the action and close the bolt, which chambers the first shot. Subsequent bolt operation will cock the hammer and index the magazine each time. Glassware needs to be sorted, and here, given the Compatto’s semi-Bullpup configuration, with the action so far back, a special reach-forward scope rail is fitted, to allow for the correct amount of eye relief.

Range bound

Shoulder the Compatto and it feels extremely pointable and manageable. I do have a large frame however, and every so often, an extended forward grip would make contact with the cylinder. Extending the forend by a few inches would add little extra weight, but it would cater for the more orang-utan like among us! As things stand, this gun still feels good in the aim courtesy of that well shaped and satisfyingly thin grip, and whilst there is no thumb-up option (another opportunity missed surely at the design stage), the thumbhole allows for a good degree of control. There’s even a hole in the toe of the butt ready for sling swivels if you so wish.

Reach to trigger feels spot-on with the Compatto, given that the blade is set well back within the guard. As for its function, the flat, finger surface feels excellent, and with a relatively light and predictable second stage on my test rifle. I wasn’t about to waste time with the multitude of adjustment on offer. My test gun didn’t come fitted with a safety catch, but on their website they show an in-guard lug and tell us it’s a resettable type!

Extended silencer

So what about muzzle report? Well, that fully shrouded barrel actually incorporates an extended silencer with a reverse thrust design incorporating baffles. There’s no harshness, but there is still plenty of audible noise. Unscrew the knurled cap at the muzzle, and add-on a threaded silencer of your choice, (1/2” UNF) and it’s a different story. I’d do this for front weight in any case, although the ultra compact feel may well be compromised. Would you really care though? This a cracking gun to handle, and for me, a whisper quiet secondary silencer just adds to the enjoyment.

From the prescribed fill pressure of 200bar, I clocked impressive 135-shots, but a super consistent velocity spread of just 17 fps over 80-shots is the more important statistic! Evidence that Steve Harper’s patented Slingshot hammer system was doing its job. Experimenting with lower fill pressures will help get to that ‘sweet spot’ sooner too.

As for cycling the magazine, in use it should be noted that it is still possible to fire just air or double load pellets- the down side of many a multi-shot. Adopt a positive cocking stroke on the bolt however, and you should be fine. Accuracy wise, when I did my bit, this model was capable of ¼” centre-to-centre clusters over 35 yards, and sub-1/2” groups over the 42 yards that I could muster between showers, using the .22 Kaiser-branded pellets supplied.

But there’s more!

So this slick little Brocock is quite a performer- but there’s another ace up its sleeve! At the twist of a small knob, just forward of the magazine housing on the right of the action, the power can be adjusted between three levels. These roughly equate to the following: low- 4.5 ft/lbs, medium- 8.7 ft/lbs, and high 11ft/lbs. Obviously, shot count will rise dramatically if the Compatto was to be shot on low setting as opposed to high, and for close range practise, for example, this is a really useful feature.

Conclusion

All in all, an exciting prospect then; and this model could well herald a new dawn at Brocock. It’s a cleverly thought out design, with the power adjustment feature alone bringing great versatility. The semi bull-pup configuration will find its fans too, and with all-important build quality nailed, lending it a solid, dependable feel, the Compatto looks to have what it takes. In short, Brocock’s vibrant new management team clearly mean business, having sent out the right signals since taking the helm. Products like this highly innovative Compatto will surely do the rest.

  • Brocock Compatto by Mark Camoccio - image {image:count}

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  • Brocock Compatto by Mark Camoccio - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • Brocock Compatto by Mark Camoccio - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • Brocock Compatto by Mark Camoccio - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • Brocock Compatto by Mark Camoccio - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

gun
features

  • Model : Brocock Compatto
  • Type : Multi-shot PCP
  • Calibre : .177, .22 (on test), .25
  • Weight : 5.9lbs
  • Length : 34”
  • Barrel : 18”
  • Stock : Ambidextrous skeleton thumbhole
  • Trigger : 2-stage semi-match
  • Fill Pressure : 200bar
  • Shot Count : 80-135 on test
  • Velocity using Kaiser pellets supplied: Best 80-shot string High 576 Low 559 Ave 570fps Spread 17fps Energy 10.6ft/lbs ave
  • 135-shot string from 200bar fill: High 576 Low 540 Ave 562 Spread 36fps Energy 10.3ft/lbs
  • Price : £589
  • Contact: Brocock, 01785 851304, www.brocock.co.uk
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