BRK PATHFINDER XR O.D GREEN

Launched last year, the original BRK Pathfinder XR has long since proven its worth and popularity, especially among pest controllers. There aren’t that many compact, lightweight hunting rifles out there, especially ones that fold up small enough to put in a small rucksack. Now there’s a new addition to the family in the form of this O.D Green model.

The law
There’s always misinformation floating around on social media claiming this style of rifle isn’t legal. Do you really think that a company as big as BRK would produce a rifle that wasn’t UK-legal? The main confusion seems to be the actual length of the rifle when folded and the barrel length itself, so here is an excerpt from a statement issued by BRK on the matter:
“Brocock confirms that the Brocock Pathfinder XR conforms with the UK Firearms Act 1968 in that it is an air weapon and is exempt from defining gun length as specified under Section 5 (1) (aba).
Brocock also defines the Brocock Pathfinder XR as “an air rifle, which does not exceed a muzzle energy of 12ft/lbs and is therefore not classified as especially dangerous and is exempt from the need for a Section 1 licence under the Firearms Act 1968”.
So, it is, in fact, a legal airgun, even if the barrel is only 256mm long.

High or low
As you would expect, a rifle of this quality requires the very best regulator, and just like its other PCP rifles, BRK has installed a HUMA unit which is linked to a floating hammer system. There is also a variable power dial on the right-hand side of the action, which allows you to dial the power down – handy for shooting at close quarters in your back garden, or within the confines of a small barn when ratting.
This regulator also comes into its own in the FAC versions, which are available in .177 (18ft/lbs), .22 (27ft/lbs), and .25 (30ft/lbs).

Keeping things compact
The Pathfinder XR O.D Green is a full-power, UK-legal sub-12ft/lbs air rifle, which follows a similar concept to the hugely successful Ranger XR predecessor, but with a little more beef to it and a much higher shot count thanks to the 300cc carbon Kevlar bottle.
At present, this rifle is only available as a kit, which includes a rather nifty carry bag that also has back straps, so it can be used as a rucksack. Also included is a colour-coordinated BRK MF-121 silencer, which really does quieten things down, and together with the fully shrouded barrel, it makes it whisper quiet.
Weighing in at just 6.4lbs, it’s one of the lightest hunting rifles on the market and is already a massive hit with hunters.
To collapse the stock, you simply grab hold of it near the joint and lift it upwards to release the mechanism. You can then fold the stock to the left so that it butts up against the main body of the rifle. To open it out again, simply push the stock to the right until the locking mechanism clicks and locks it all into place. It’s absolutely rock-solid, which I know has been a concern with many other folding stock rifles from other manufacturers. There’s absolutely no play in it once folded out.
You can extend or reduce the length of pull by depressing the small lever housed inside the skeleton butt section, then slide the butt in or out to your desired length. I must make a point of noting that the butt pad itself is made from a rubberised material, with horizontal grooves cut into it for added support. It just adds that extra feeling of solidness when the rifle is shouldered, no matter what you happen to be wearing.
As far as the polymer stock goes, I really like the AK pistol grip, as not only does it look the part, but it also adds a different dimension to the handling.

Slick and effective
If you like your side-lever rifles, then you’re going to love this one. It has been ergonomically designed and uses a relatively short stroke, with minimal effort to cock the rifle. It features a machined aluminium drop-down handle, which sits really well between your thumb and forefinger when cocking. I particularly like the way that they have drilled it out to reduce weight and also add some grip for use in wet weather.
Brocock’s new self-indexing magazines are also superb, and you get 11 shots in .22 and 13 shots in .177. They’re the flip-up cover version and are extremely easy to load. Just turn the inner of the magazine all the way clockwise and then drop a pellet in to hold it in place. Next, fill the remaining holes with pellets, and then flip the lid back over, and you’re done. The magazine inserts from right to left, and it’s magnetic, so it clicks into place and stays there. This rifle also comes supplied with a single-shot tray.
When it comes to filling the 300cc bottle, the Pathfinder utilises BRK’s long-reach, quick-fill Foster connector, and the fill port is cleverly housed underneath the main body of the rifle, beneath a magnetic fill port cap that simply pulls off.

The controls
The Pathfinder XR features BRK’s classic two-stage adjustable trigger unit, which can be adjusted for pull weight, length of stage, and blade position. The rifle sent to me for test had a reasonably short first stage set, coming to an abrupt halt as it reached the second stage, which then took very little effort to pull. It’s clean, crisp, and very easy to get used to – as you would expect from a BRK unit. The blade is gently curved, and the pad of your finger sits very comfortably on it.
There is a manual safety switch housed inside the trigger guard, immediately in front of the trigger. As far as pull weight goes, it’s just over 1lb straight from the factory, according to my scales.

Mount up
This rifle comes supplied with a two-piece Picatinny scope rail, with 50mm at the rear and 145mm at the front. The magazine sits a couple of millimetres underneath the base of the rails, so you can use a single-piece mount if needs be, but more importantly, you can put a thermal or a night-vision unit on top with no problems. There’s another 75mm Picatinny rail underneath the bottle on the fore-end to attach a bipod, and this can easily be removed if needed.

In the field
This is another one of those wonderful rifles that I’m really struggling to put down, and it really is such great fun to shoot. Because it’s such a small, compact unit, the balance point is extended to a ‘palm’ rather than a single point, and it just feels great to shoot in all manner of positions. The fact that you can adjust the length of pull via the extendable butt section means that this really is a “one size fits all” rifle, with a wide range of adjustment for all body sizes.
I’ve had this little gem out on the range during a couple of day sessions, coupled with three evenings at one of my rat permissions. It hasn’t missed a beat, and as you would imagine, it is insanely accurate.
In the end, what you’re paying for here is exceptional quality and performance. Everything about the Pathfinder XR screams quality and purpose. If you’re a hunter, like me, then you’re going to love the Pathfinder.