Daystate Red Wolf Grand Prix – A Triumph

Daystate’s Red Wolf model has been one of those rifles that have just taken off, and as they say in their marketing, ‘changed the way people think about electronic action airguns’. I can personally vouch for this, as a friend at my local club has been using one, smartly liveried in the Blue Laminate Midnight stock. I stop and drool every time he shows up, and it’s the sheer elegance of the design that stops you in your tracks. Oh, and it shoots rather well too. I’ve obviously played with a couple on test, and it’s a classy bit of airgun for sure. 
Winning the odd Extreme Bench Rest tournament in the States hasn’t done the Red Wolf any harm either, so it’s hardly surprising that this super-successful action was selected to be the basis of Daystate’s latest foray into the world of Field Target shooting.

All the usual….
The Red Wolf action is here then, and that means Daystate’s MCT system, standing for Mapped Compensated Technology. This sees a digital microprocessor and solenoid-powered air valve monitor and control every microsecond of the firing cycle. A digital regulator in short. Couple that with their electronic trigger, and we already have a very technical piece of hardware. What the new Grand Prix model offers in addition, is a sensational state-of-the-art chassis system that’s designed to offer any serious enthusiast all the adjustment they need to maximize down-range performance.
The gun comes supplied in its own hard case, (possibly a tight squeeze once a sizeable FT scope is in place), along with a spare battery, battery charger, extended charging adaptor, two magazines, and a comprehensive instruction manual.

Precision Rifle Systems
The chassis has been designed by Precision Rifle Systems (PRS), which is a top-class engineering company, based in Cheshire, headed up by Gavyn Jones. I’ve known Gavyn from the competition circuit and bumped into him a good few months back discreetly testing and evaluating his creation. The end result of the finished rifle shown here is nothing short of a triumph.
The aluminium chassis holds the action in place, and the barrel obviously free floats within the carbon fibre shroud. The forend extends under the sizeable buddy bottle and shows a full-length accessory rail underneath. A target grip, adjustable cheekpiece, and adjustable butt hook assembly are all part of the robust design. Chunky socket screws are utilized throughout, and the quality and finish are beyond reproach. Available in Black, my Red Anodized version on test is surely the way to go, for anyone wanting to make an entrance. 

Programmable
We will of course be returning to all those adjustments, but let’s first remind ourselves of a few characteristics of the Red Wolf’s electronic action. The system is powered by a rechargeable Lithium Polymer (LiPo) battery, and this is neatly stowed in the tube that supports the cheekpiece. When the LCD display shows ‘Low Battery’, it’s time to remove the battery and top it up using the charger. The battery is good for hundreds of shots though, so this aspect shouldn’t be cause for concern.
The Red Wolf action has programmable features, and by using the trigger as a switch, the user can set various features to show on the LCD display, so the magazine shot count, power level (low, medium, or high), sleep mode (time after which the action will automatically switch off), LCD display time/off, and overall shot count, can all be set to show. In addition, the residual pressure of the onboard air supply is also shown in the top left of the LCD.

Electronic trigger
This Red Wolf Grand Prix also gets a fully adjustable match-grade electronic trigger, yet interestingly, all adjustments here are made manually, using screws in the carrier mechanism. Adjustments can be made to the second-stage contact, second-stage weight, first-stage weight, first-stage travel, the position of the trigger shoe pillar on the carrier, and the angle and position of the trigger shoe itself. A full-blown match setup in other words, and highly impressive in operation.

Setting up the chassis
Where the chassis is concerned, the composite forend stock raiser feels great in the aim. However, I do feel that a quick adjuster for this area would have made sense. As it stands, the two socket screws have to be slackened with an Allen key in order for the raiser block to slide to the desired position, back and forth along its rail. One other negative here is that if the block is slid to the rearmost position, it then blocks access to the charging valve. OK, we have an awful lot of shots to play with before that really becomes an issue, but it still qualifies as a minor irritation in my book.  Maybe I should get out more!
All other areas of the chassis are spot on. The composite right-hand dedicated pistol grip is perfectly contoured and fills the palm beautifully. And just look at all the adjustments available on the butt section. As a whole, the cheekpiece assembly can slide along the support, while the cheekpiece itself can be adjusted for cast (screws underneath). Likewise, the butt hook sub-assembly can be set for angle, then height, until it just hugs the shoulder as you like it. Look to the right side of the butt, and we get smart aluminium quick adjuster wheels too, for setting both the length of pull and the height of the cheekpiece. Navigate a particularly demanding FT course, and targets can be set 45º down a hill, or up high into a tree. In this scenario, our mounting of the rifle can be distorted, and a quick change of the cheek height, for example, may just help. Versatility is a given therefore with this Red Wolf Grand Prix chassis system, and with everything superbly precise and beautifully machined and finished, confidence when it matters, in the heat of a tournament, will be at a premium.

Feeling left out?
One point worth mentioning at this juncture, and after clarification from the ever-enthusiastic Tony Belas at Daystate, is the small matter of lefties wanting to get in on the GP action. The dedicated right-hand pistol grip is the one piece of the otherwise ambidextrous chassis (cheekpiece is transferable), which will preclude left-handed shooters from using the airgun. So, what are Daystate’s thoughts? Well, no official factory left-hand grip is currently mooted. However, the top-class outfit that is Form Rifle Stocks is now offering dedicated and rather classy left-hand grips. In fact, they offer three elements - the forend riser block, cheekpiece, and grip. A selection of their usual highly attractive laminates is available, and this I’m sure will prove a popular option/upgrade, lefties or not!

Stat attack
The huge onboard 480cc buddy bottle means the shot count is fairly enormous, even in the less efficient .177 calibre, so expect comfortably 400 plus shots from a 210 bar fill pressure. I chose to monitor the first 100 shots over the chrono with my 12 ft/lbs model on test, and whilst the consistency wasn’t blistering, 21 fps over 100 shots is still pretty good, and within parameters where you will be hard-pressed to notice any difference down range. I used Rangemaster Sovereign Hunter pellets straight from the tin for the chrono check as supplied by Daystate, but once I began the accuracy part of the test, my particular specimen showed a preference for Air Arms Diabolo Fields. This time of year, inclement weather soon descends, but picking my day, and moment between the squally stuff, the Red Wolf GP returned some impressive results. Indeed, at a range of 40 yards, I shot one of the best groups I’ve done for a while, as it was literally an enlarged hole, and over 50 yards, expect sub-half-inch clusters with ease. In short, this premium model has what it takes to mix it with the big boys and bring home silverware.

Conclusion
As alluded to earlier, Daystate’s Red Wolf has nothing to prove in competition, but this new Grand Prix configuration adds muscle and capability for those who want to push the boundaries. At the thick end of £3500, this model is undoubtedly aimed at the serious competition shooter; primarily FT, but Bench Rest and HFT too. Whether it warrants that hefty price tag is, as usual, largely subjective. Fans and collectors of Daystate will hardly baulk at the asking price, but a sober evaluation against the obvious main rivals, such as the Air Arms XTi 50 and Steyr Challenge FT, means any final decision warrants closer scrutiny with regard to personal needs and preferences.
What is beyond doubt is the pedigree of this latest ‘supergun’. Red Wolf technology and quite the most mouth-watering chassis system, superb build quality, superior finish, and radical looks to match. Decisions, decisions!

• Calibre

  .177 on test, .22, .25 (& .30 in HP spec) available

• Barrel Length

  17"

• Overal Length

  39" Max

• Weight

  10.8 lbs

• Energy

  10.8 ft/lbs

• Price

  £3500

• Contact

  Daystate - www.daystate.com