EB Arms Agincourt

Edgar Brothers have been a familiar name on the shooting scene for some considerable time, but staying ahead in business is all about identifying market opportunities, and moving with the times. The epic rise of PCPs is a major success story, so it’s therefore one that can’t easily be ignored. As a major distributor of airguns, Edgars has happily enjoyed a slice of the cake, but the development and emergence of their own brand, EB Arms, was the inevitable next step.

All hail the Agincourt
EB Arms first hit the market with a tactical model called the XV2, which was followed by the XV2RS. However, not everyone wants tactical, and Edgars know that many airgun enthusiasts prefer a somewhat more traditionally styled rifle, and that’s where the model on test comes in.
Welcome to the brand new EB Arms Agincourt, and to quote Edgar Brothers: “We’re very excited to unveil the Agincourt. It represents the culmination of a project we’ve been working on for some considerable time, so to finally have it here is great. It should appeal to new and experienced shooters alike. Everyone that has picked up the rifle comments on how impressed they are with the weight, balance and build quality, and are astonished at the price.”

All-inclusive
Launched at the Great British Shooting Show earlier in the year, the Agincourt is designed to be a no-nonsense PCP, that offers a host of features in an all-inclusive package, all at a price which will appeal to many. It’s a comprehensive package indeed, so let me give you the rundown.
Firstly, it all comes supplied in a fairly compact padded hard case, and this has a cut-out inside the high-density foam, so the gun sits nice and snug. Providing a hard case makes sense from the point of view of the manufacturer since they guarantee protection for the gun in transit, and we get the same peace of mind after purchase, whether transporting or storing. However, it’s quite common for the case to be just big enough for the gun on its own, and having to discard a case once the gun is in play, is absurd. No such problem here, with plenty of internal space factored in for a sizeable optic too. Alongside the Agincourt, we get a couple of recessed magazines, a bolt-on accessory rail, probe-style filling adaptor, Allen keys, oil, spare seals, instructions, and even a bipod/grip, which we’ll come to later. That’s a pretty comprehensive all-inclusive package then, so in we go!

In a word or two
My test rifle came in .22 calibre, but .177 is also available. Sleek is the word that comes to mind when faced with the Agincourt, justified by the combination of that extended cylinder, fully shrouded ‘bull’ barrel, and the stylish flowing woodwork. It’s ergonomic too, with plenty of thought having gone into handling, configuration, and feel in the aim.
EB Arms has opted for hardwood for the stock, so we can’t get too carried away drooling over the grain pattern here. My test rifle’s timber has the look of mahogany, and whilst it’s undeniably fairly plain, I like the matte finish and love the laser-cut chequering. All very nicely done. It’s actually stippling for the record, but it works a treat. The flowing forend with rounded tip is fairly graceful, and that super thin integral trigger guard adds an air of refinement. Sling studs are fitted as standard, and on the base of the grip, there’s the ‘EB logo’. A well-defined cheekpiece and ventilated rubber butt pad finish it all off nicely, and the end result is supremely functional. It’s just a shame it’s not walnut.
Any negatives? Well, the rear stock finish was fairly rough and crude in places on my gun, with some surprising scuff/machining marks around the cheekpiece definition. No specially prepared rifle for a magazine review then! However, a quick reminder of the reasonable RRP prevents me from getting too upset here.

Function
As for the metalwork, all surfaces come with a matte black anodized finish. It’s evenly applied and highly practical. The PCP action is a multi-shot design, and with side-lever operation well and truly in vogue, it’s no surprise the Agincourt comes complete with a stylish drop-down Biathlon lever, taking full mechanical advantage in the process. There’s a manual safety catch here, just below the lever, and this is super smooth if needed. The barrel is full length, protruding forward of the shroud, and it’s threaded ½” UNF for a silencer, plus comes with a thread protector.
A two-part Picatinny rail covers either side of the receiver, so mounting a scope is easy and secure. Charging is done via the probe adaptor supplied, and the Agincourt is specified with a maximum fill pressure of 200 bar. To access the filling valve, just rotate the plastic dust cover at the front of the cylinder, where you’ll also find a branded EB Arms manometer, to keep tabs on residual pressure.

Multi-shot
Cassette-style magazines are utilized, offering 12 shots in .22 (on test) and 14 in .177. The mag is also fitted with a small magnet on the underside and this means it snaps into position when it is inserted into the action. Filling the magazine requires the clear lid to be rotated fully clockwise, then holding against spring pressure, drop a pellet skirt-first into the single chamber from the rear, which holds the drum. Now fill all chambers from the front, and close the lid. Pull back the side-lever to cock the action, and insert the magazine from the right side, feeling it snap into position. Return the lever and the first shot is ready.

Add-on accessories
Now, at this point, let’s consider those add-ons in the box. There’s a small accessory rail which connects to the underside of the forend with the single bolt supplied, and with this in position, we can then bolt on anything via the Picatinny rail system, so a laser, lamp, grip, or the ‘Grip-pod’ supplied by Edgar Brothers. This accessory clamps on via a single bolt clamp and can be used as a forward grip for the Agincourt. Alternatively, press the button and some bipod feet snap out in a fairly violent fashion! It’s a great feature for sure, but the downside is that the beautiful flowing lines of the Agincourt’s stock will be disrupted. Oh well.
Opt to hunt with the Agincourt, a task it is well up to incidentally, and you may want to utilize a silencer, given the significant muzzle report. Don’t forget, there’s no expansion chamber in the shroud, so it makes sense.

Figure it out
Right, time for an evaluation of the action, and just before we do, it’s worth mentioning the trigger. Guidance notes make no mention of adjustment to the mechanism. However, my test rifle had just a short first stage and then a slight increase in pressure would trip the shot. It was just about right, and with an adjustable shoe to play with, I really couldn’t grumble.
For the test period, given this was a new model, I was referred to an online version of the instruction booklet, and here, whilst most manufacturers don’t even list shot count, EB had chosen to be quite specific, stating that a 200 bar fill pressure should give around 100 shots before power would drop below 11 ft/lbs. My test rifle didn’t quite get to that when clocked over the chronograph, as I clocked 72 shots in all before the residual cylinder pressure dropped to 100 bar, and I stopped at this point. Going by my test rifle, it’s more like 50-60 shots, which are highly usable and very consistent, all being within a total spread of 20 fps. Go past that point and expect a drop-off in velocity. The Agincourt is unregulated, as you would expect at this price point, so the more marked power curve is a characteristic of such a setup at the end of the day. Cycling the side-lever is fairly easy and smooth, and on test, the system proved fault-free.
In terms of accuracy, groups easily coverable with a 5p piece were the norm and were easy to achieve with a variety of ammo over 30 yards, which is a great start. Moving back to a more challenging 40 yards did show the Agincourt as being slightly more pellet fussy, but the ever-reliable Air Arms Diabolo Field proved a fit, with ¾” groups. Given that I was using pellets straight from the tin, this was encouraging and highly competent performance. So, as usual, take the time for pellet trials and the Agincourt will reward the effort.

Final thoughts
OK, so the shot count fell a bit short of the claims, but there are still plenty of shots on offer, plus some serious performance available at the top end of the pressure band. Just consider that full hard case of tricks on offer too, for an RRP that’s currently sub £500, and it’s hard not to conclude that the Agincourt is great value for money. A super sleek budget sporter that’s highly capable, easy on the eye, and gentle on the pocket.