Armex X10 Avenger

Armex make no secret that they ‘sourced’ a company with a tested rifle design and decided to use the action as the basis for their first PCP. So, many features on this rifle are exactly the same as found on others that run this same removable rotary 10-shot magazine.

Personally from the outset I feel the level of success is ultimately going to be the potential customer being led by brand allegiance, cosmetics or hopefully un-biased reviews such as this. Though Armex are still new to the airgun scene, they have made quite an effort in making this a desirable version, very much due to the stock design.

Thumbs Up… or Thumb Through?

The rifle is available in a standard sporter stock or the thumbhole version as tested. Both are made from Espatia wood which has a well defined grain ‘n’ stain that certainly enables it to cosmetically standout from similar designs.

I hardly have to reiterate my liking for thumbhole stocks and I’m glad to be able to report this is a very nice design. As well as the ideally positioned and well crafted thumbhole, the stock boasts a high, swept back, right hand, roll-over cheek piece and a sliding rubber butt pad. The steep pistol grip has a generous thumb channel on the right for an alternate grip. Both grip and the lengthy, tapered forend have panels of deep cut chequering making it easy to handle. Looking longer than its overall length of 40.55” (without a silencer) I was pleased to see – after unscrewing the muzzle thread protector - a standard ½x20” UNF thread so you can fit a moddy of choice. More on this later, as first you need some air! 

Filling and Loading

The X10 takes a 200-bar maximum fill but the recommended 185-bar gives approximately 90 full power shots in the .177 calibre tested and 120 in .22. Filling is by a push in probe connector. This is inserted into the fill point at the front of the air reservoir forward of the substantial barrel band. There’s also an air gauge set in the underside of the stock to keep track of the fill status.

It’s not only the stock that Armex have got right, as the lengthy, chrome-plated cocking bolt is another praiseworthy feature. Turn it up from its closed position and it slightly flicks back for you to then easily draw it back to lock in the rearward position. This allows you to remove the metal, 10-shot magazines. There’s no retaining catch, rather it’s held securely in the housing by a large central ball bearing which also enables it to index around smoothly each time you cycle the action.

Once filled you simply slot the magazine back in the right side of the action ensuring it’s seated properly and revolving freely. Then push forward the cocking bolt, turn down to the original position and as well as cocking the rifle on the rearward stroke it now takes a pellet from the magazine into the breech on its return.

The raised action block has a lengthy set of scope rails so fitting optics isn’t a problem. Long or short, big or small, this rifle handles them all, so scoping up with the Walther 3 – 9 X 40AO IR Armex market and supplied for test seemed a sensible choice, as was spinning on one of their own silencers. They have a reasonable selection from a compact can - the M.B.M.S System Suppressor - to the largest 8 ½ model. These have a striking resemblance to the much missed BBMS and BBMF as marketed by Webley Venom back in the day. At the risk of getting ahead of myself, needless to say the compact did an acceptable job of taming muzzle report while the big fella made it a complete hush up!

Range Ready

The 2-stage adjustable trigger is a lovely unit and with its large manual safety lever positioned above and to the right of the action, it’s just where you need it. No creep, just a precise let off for each shot which brings me to want to state something that struck me as I was testing this rifle.

Now accuracy of a PCP, barring pilot error (i.e. you), is not only down to general gun handling but to trigger release, barrel quality and consistency of air given out to each pellet as you squeeze the trigger; the latter can be dependent on a knock open valve or a regulator. The X10 doesn’t use a regulator, yet it is consistent and accurate throughout most of the charge,  judging by the amount of fingernail groups it achieved at a set zero of 30-yds using Air Arms Field pellets (recommended by Armex). I mention this as though these rifles are of non-UK build the internals must be made to a high level of engineering, particularly the knock open valve.

Even though I favour carbines I feel the stock design helped the rifle feel much more manageable than I first presumed. If it was mine I’d have a set of sling swivel studs on there in a flash and have no hesitation in using this as a sit and wait ambush rifle shooting off a bipod.

Intrinsically, the X10 Avenger is a lovely looking, good handling and very accurate performer. However, many might say Armex have played it safe by using this action, but personally with the input they’ve given by way of stock and cocking bolt, I feel they’ve stamped their own identity on it. So in effect though there are similar rifles out there it’s going to be up to the individual taste of potential buyers whether they choose an Avenger over the opposition.

We Reckon:
• Great first effort
• Good capacity
• Nice shooter all over

PRICE:
£585 Thumbhole (tested)
£565 Sporter version