Icon Logo Gun Mart

Stoeger A30

Stoeger A30

Stoeger are now a well-established brand on the airgun scene, and their range of guns has slowly expanded to meet a growing demand. The introduction of various gas-ram powered designs in recent years has increased appeal across a wider audience, but as expected, spring-piston driven sporting rifles still play a major part in the company’s fortunes.

On test here is a brand new model, the A30, and whilst it sticks with the traditional route to power generation, the new stock configuration and that striking barrel assembly ensure that it grabs attention from the off.


Sporting airguns, especially of the break-barrel variety, are as popular as ever, so in a crowded market sector manufacturers need to try hard, to differentiate their products from the opposition. The A30 has been designed to make just such an impression.

Available in both .177 and .22 calibre, and with a wooden stock or synthetics, there’s options aplenty, to appeal to both enthusiasts and beginners. My test model was supplied in the larger .22 calibre, with the synthetic stock fitted – and close inspection soon reveals that it comes supplied as a package deal. For inside the protective carton, you get one of Stoeger’s own brand 3-9x40 AO scopes and, what Stoeger term their ‘magnum one block mount’; a single piece mount that even has an arrestor stud fitted. Belts and braces for sure, but it does bring confidence in the set-up.

A rubber buttpad, built in cocking aid, two-stage trigger, and adjustable fibre optic open sights as standard, complete an impressive spec list, and all for sub £200 RRP. So, is it any good? Read on.

First impressions

When I first clapped eyes on the A30, I was immediately drawn to the stock detail, and Stoeger’s design team really have done a fine job with the configuration. From the subtle angular shape of the forend tip, those beefy side panels, and that sleek pistol grip – it all just looks moulding, and the finish is quite precise. That rubber butt pad is unnecessarily solid to the touch, and the inside of the breech jaws are a little rough, but these are regular faults with this type of rifle, and overall, the stock works well.

story continues below...

Turning to the action, both the exposed section of barrel and the main compression cylinder are treated to a chemical bluing process, which I have to say is well above the standard for this price bracket, being fairly well polished, with few machining marks. The synthetic barrel cocking aid/foresight assembly is slickly done, and with an extended area of chequering pattern incorporated into the moulding design, it works on several levels.

A hooded foresight is formed using a red fibre optic element, whilst the fully adjustable rear sight has twin green fibre optic elements, and finger wheel adjusters, for both windage and elevation. No numbers are printed, but both adjusters carry reference markers of sorts.

And so to work! The scope supplied came already set into the one-piece mount, so it just remained for the mount to be loosely fixed onto the scope rails, then the four Allen bolts tightened up alternately (in much the same way as car wheel nuts are tightened evenly in turn), once eye relief and focus was deemed to be correct. Many airguns come with scopes as part of the package these days, but the quality of any optics included does vary enormously in my experience. That said, the particular 3-9x40AO model included here, proved very satisfactory indeed, with a good, crisp sight picture, and clarity.

Handle the A30, and a few details stand out immediately. The forend tip feels really comfortable in the lead hand, whilst a more relaxed stance, finds those beefy raised side panels of chequering equally accommodating. Couple that with the unusually slim line pistol grip, and the overall feel is of a mature airgun, with design flair and handling as standard.

On the range

Breaking the barrel is a fairly easy operation, with the breech not proving overly tight, as so many often are. As for the cocking stroke, it’s quite long, yet when a positive motion is adopted, effort seems reasonable and consistent throughout. There’s little chamfer on the breech, but the majority of pellets on test proved reasonably easy to push flush into the rifling. I’m no fan of safety catches, and the A30’s is an automatic affair, requiring that semicircular button at the rear of the cylinder to be pushed forward to ready the shot. On test, it proved a little sluggish, but with an internal anti bear trap mechanism also fitted (meaning this model has to be fired once it has been cocked) the safety aspect will appeal to many.

Stoeger have this model made for them in China, and the seemingly generic trigger unit utilised, is disappointingly familiar. Okay, it does the job, but it is easily the weakest point of this rifle, being a little vague and difficult to adjust. I’m nit picking of course, and if you want this rifle as a general starter gun, or medium range hunter, then it does the job.

Over my 30-yard range, and pushing for ultimate results, working through the creep on the trigger, I occasionally managed 5/8-inch groups c-t-c, but one-inch clusters with a variety of ammo, would probably be more representative. Chronograph testing revealed a consistent power plant; again with appropriate ammo, and with RWS Superfield proving a good match both in terms of velocity and accuracy, I hadn’t had to look far.

Conclusion

It’s a fact of life that manufacturers need to be seen to be introducing new models periodically, and whilst the A30 is nothing new, it’s smart, bold styling does help maintain a fresh dynamic look for the Stoeger brand. Bear in mind that 3-9x40 scope and mounts all included in the asking price, and it’s something of a bargain too; whether for medium range hunting, or informal target shooting.

  • Stoeger A30 - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • Stoeger A30 - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • Stoeger A30 - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • Stoeger A30 - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • Stoeger A30 - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • Stoeger A30 - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • Stoeger A30 - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

gun
features

  • Model: Stoeger A30
  • Type: Break barrel sporter
  • Power Source: Spring piston
  • Calibre: .22 on test/ .177 available
  • Weight: 7lbs
  • Length: 42.25-inches
  • Barrel: 16.5-inches
  • Stock: Synthetic sporter
  • Trigger: Two stage adjustable
  • Velocity: using RWS Superfield pellets High 561fps Low 554 Ave 558 Spread 7fps (10-shot string)
  • Energy: 11ft/lbs av. on test
  • Price: RRP £195 including 3-9x40AO Stoeger scope and mounts.
  • Options: A30 S2 version complete with moderator & scope £205
  • Contact: GMK www.stoegerairguns.com, www.gmk.co.uk
Arrow