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Remington Express air rifle (SMK)

Remington Express air rifle (SMK)

I’d heard rumblings about this rifle some while back, and the word on the street was certainly favourable, but there’s nothing like a hands on experience to properly assess the goods. When a big name in the shooting world like Remington, put their name to a product, you would expect something a bit striking, and I’m pleased to say, that’s exactly what we have with their new breakbarrel, spring powered model.

The name ‘Express’ comes from the fact that this rifle is released in the States, capable of producing in excess of 1000fps with certain ammunition. Of course, any model sold in the UK, via distributor, Sportsmarketing (SMK), has to comply with the 12ft/lbs legal limit, so the Express is modified accordingly.

These guns get minimal packaging in transit, so I wasn’t expecting too much, on seeing the fairly slim-line, simple carton arriving at my door. It’s difficult not to be impressed, however, on seeing this gun at close quarters; and when you consider that a scope is also inside the box, all included in that astonishingly low retail price of £159.95, first impressions are certainly favourable. I was further intrigued simply because I’d heard those rumours as mentioned, that it was a fine gun for the money.

Okay, the scope (and mounts) included is a fairly basic 4x32 spec, but it gives any prospective enthusiast a taster of using a telescopic sight. That said, the quality of this model really does warrant better optics; so I can’t see any serious shooter sticking with the freebies for long.

Small (calibre) But Mighty

Curiously, the Express is only available in .177, but with full power output and a host of features, it looks set to win an army of fans. Take a look at that woodwork for a start! Apparently figured from beech, the straightline styling and striking grain and colouring all add to the appeal. The super sleek forend includes that subtle palmfilling tip, which is extremely comfortable in the aim.
Ambidextrous configuration includes generous panels of deep-cut checkering, both on the forend and pistol grip. The diamonds created by the design are particularly well-defined and an excellent grip is the result. In fact I’d go as far as to say this is some of the best ‘lazer cut’ checkering to adorn an airgun in some while.

One point to note though, and a possible stumbling block for shooters of a smaller build concerns that pistol grip, which happens to be raked well back. Reaching the trigger comfortably, may be a little awkward for some as a result, so try and handle this one before splashing out.

The lack of a pronounced cheekpiece is surprising, although to be fair height for correct scope alignment didn’t seem to be an issue. That super hard rubber butt pad IS however, no matter how beautifully applied and finished it may be.

As for all the metalwork, the quality of the rich chemical bluing is testament to the fact that Far Eastern production methods (utilised by Remington for this Express model) are making huge advances. In short, the finish here is the best I’ve seen yet, rivalling European-made models; which just about says it all.

Adult Fare

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At a little over 45-inches in length, the Remington Express is an adult gun for sure, yet weight is cleverly kept to a fairly modest 7.4lbs. Open sights come as standard, and they feature the modern fibre optics, giving a bright, seemingly illuminated sight picture, comprising a green rear notch and a red dot foresight. These are fine in use, with twin spring-loaded adjuster wheels for windage and elevation. With an all plastic construction, care needs to be taken to look after the slightly fragile mechanism but as mentioned above, an alternative sighting system in the form of a scope and mounts is also included in the deal.

Where spring-powered airguns are concerned, the effort taken to cock the action is of course partly dependent on the length of the barrel. A longer barrel simply means greater leverage, making it easier to force the piston backwards to compress the mainspring. This is partly the reason why I’ve never been a great fan of the obsessional tide for everything ‘carbine’. Lock-time may well be fractionally shorter with a shorter barrel, but theory goes to pot once balance is disturbed, and initial cocking effort is significantly increased.

Back to the Express, and with a rifled tube some 18.75-inches up front, you would expect the cocking action to be reasonably comfortable. What you don’t expect is just how easy that operation actually is, and the near sensation of a tuned special! Remington have clearly taken care to include recoil absorbing features into the design, and a nylon spring guide and correct lubrication are all part of the deal. Several other manufacturers really should take note, since the feel and performance of the Express far outweighs anything expected in this price bracket.
Plaudits don’t stop there either! The breech lock-up is super smooth; chambering a pellet is easy, due to the chamfer at the breech, and the automatic safety catch is yet another clever piece of design. It features a Weihrauch style, push button release, but the clever bit comes with the fact that it can be manually reset by pulling back the small lever.

On the Range

With such a surprisingly slick feel to the action, I was eager to see just what this Remington was capable of down range.

First up, the chrono check beckoned, and with average kinetic energy of 11.8ft/lbs recording on the monitor, with both Air Arms Diabolo Field, and Daystate Rangemaster pellets, and 10 shot total spreads of 14fps and 17fps respectively, near textbook results were an encouraging start to the proceedings.

At this point, I couldn’t help but note another impressive feature of this rifle – namely the trigger. The sub £160 price bracket wouldn’t normally throw up much to speak of in this department, yet the Remington has a surprise in store at every turn. The broad blade is spot-on for a gun of this type, and whilst there is some creep, the trigger mechanism releases after only a modest pull weight. Further fine adjustment (a skill that sadly eludes me) will, I’m sure, have a big effect, yet considering the Remington’s asking price, the subtlety of the design is excellent.

And so to performance. An incredibly muted muzzle report, almost no spring resonance, and a satisfyingly snappy action as the shot releases was a huge surprise as mentioned, but superb accuracy (genuine quarter inch groups c-t-c) when I did my part, shot from the over-arm FT stance over 30 yards, was the icing on the cake.

Conclusion

In short then, the Remington Express would make a great hunting rifle, presuming that reach to trigger and overall dimensions suited. In my book, it can’t fail to impress… at any price. Take another look at that RRP tag though, and I reckon it has to be considered one of the all time bargains of the year!

PRICE:  £159.95 including 4x32 scope and mounts Contact: Sportsmarketing 01206 795333

PELLETS USED IN TEST:   Air Arms Diabolo Daystate Rangemaster

  • Remington Express air rifle (SMK) - image {image:count}

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  • Remington Express air rifle (SMK) - image {image:count}

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  • Remington Express air rifle (SMK) - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • Remington Express air rifle (SMK) - image {image:count}

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gun
features

  • Model: Remington Express
  • Type: Break barrel spring/piston sporter
  • Calibre: .177 only available
  • Weight: 7.4lbs
  • Overall length: 45.25-inches
  • Stock: Ambidextrous beech sporter
  • Trigger: Two stage adjustable
  • Average velocity: 795fps 820fps
  • Spread over 10 shots: 14fps 17fps
  • Energy: 11.8ft/lbs 11.8ft/lbs
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