Precihole Sports Club Pro Junior

I first got wind of the major collaboration between Precihole Sports and Air Arms when it was revealed at the British Shooting Show at the NEC early in 2024. Air Arms’ own rebranding (also revealed at the show) had everyone talking, and the news of the Precihole tie-up just seemed like information overload on the day!

Time to relax
Well, here we are, several months down the line, and with the dust well and truly settled, the Precihole tie-up can be seen for what it is—a bold commercial decision that should benefit both companies. Unsurprisingly, in an age dominated by social media and mischievous keyboard warriors, hearsay and twisted detail inevitably lead to confusion.
Well, ignore the nonsense and take note! Having now discussed the move with Air Arms MD, Claire West, it all seems fairly logical. Let’s not forget Air Arms’ partnership with CZ for many years, producing the highly successful S200 model. Air Arms was looking for another company with which to work, and Precihole came onto their radar.
Precihole Sports is effectively a family-run business and is widely regarded as India’s premier airgun manufacturer, having now been in the industry for over 12 years. So, after lengthy discussions and negotiations over several trade shows, Claire considered them the perfect fit, and a deal was struck.

Clarification going forward
So, for clarification going forward, Air Arms’ original products will still be manufactured in the UK. Several new models, based around an X200 PCP action designed by Air Arms, will be ‘Air Arms’ branded but produced by Precihole in India. Inevitably, these models will incur lower production costs, so they can then be offered at a lower price point. Finally, Air Arms will act as global distributors for Precihole Sports’ own range of airguns. Claire’s sincerity and passion for the project are obvious, with the ethos being that many more shooters will now be able to afford an airgun which gives them entry into the ‘Air Arms family’, so to speak. From there, they stand to benefit from the same level of aftercare and service that has earned the brand such high regard. From my viewpoint, that’s a laudable outlook—well-intentioned.

Target models
And so, we come to the hardware. Ever since hearing about and seeing the Precihole line-up, I’ve been super keen to sample the goods, and the model on test here is the Precihole Sports Club Pro Junior. This is clearly aimed at the indoor 10m target shooting discipline, and being a dedicated junior model, the idea is that every element and feature is scaled down for ease of use and handling.
Inside the box, the Club Pro Junior comes supplied with dioptre sights, a filling adaptor, and Allen keys. The dioptre rear sight assembly comes packed separately from the rifle, as does the hooded foresight unit, so the first task is to bolt the dioptre sight onto the 11mm dovetail rails. This has a small dovetail clamping block as part of the design, so it’s all super easy to assemble. It pays to locate it as far back as possible, since we want the dioptre’s aperture fairly close to the eye when sighting up. Locating the foresight is equally straightforward, as it just needs to slide onto its rail and to be tightened into place. The foresight is the standard design, where the rear collar can be unscrewed and different-sized elements inserted. Interchangeable elements are not supplied, but the one fitted works perfectly well. Great to have that option though.

Build quality
Pick up this Club Pro Junior, and it just feels right. Everything looks precise and well-machined, and whilst synthetic stocks can feel cheap, the slick moulding and perfect execution are hard to fault. The configuration is ambidextrous, and I like the prominent cheekpiece, and especially the drop-down 90-degree target grip, complete with palm swell and grip pattern. The action is an all-metal affair, save for the cylinder end cap and loading tray insert, and with a smart matte black finish applied to the cylinder, and chemical bluing on the barrel, everything just feels slick and refined.

Charging the cylinder
Charging PCPs demands respect, given the high-pressure air systems that we work with, and it’s always pleasing when guidance is clear. In the case of the Club Pro Junior, the maximum fill pressure is reassuringly stamped on the main cylinder, and this is 150bar. A small filling adaptor probe is supplied, and access to the inlet valve is via the knurled revolving dust cover at the front of the cylinder. This has a quality feel and twists with satisfying resistance, so keeping dirt at bay is assured. Insert the probe, slowly decant 150bar, bleed the line, remove the adaptor, and close the cover. Job done. Residual pressure will now show on the clearly marked manometer at the front of the cylinder, with the working pressure effectively in the green section. Red is overcharged, and if you hit yellow, then it’s time for a refill.

Barrel detail
Considering that Precihole has been producing barrels for the defence industry for over 30 years, it’s hardly surprising that their airguns come fitted with their own barrels. Up front, there’s a sizeable barrel weight that carries the foresight, since there are no baffles or expansion chamber designed in. It’s well finished though, and is a contributing factor in the Club Pro’s excellent balance.

Handling and feedback
At just over 6lbs, this Club Pro Junior is incredibly light, and balances really well, making it a perfect starting point for younger shooters. The side-lever is neat, scaled down, and incredibly easy to operate. It flies back initially when released, then pull back to cock the action, roll a pellet into the channel, and just a minimal nudge closes it back. Overall, it’s perfectly weighted, making the whole shooting experience with this Precihole extremely enjoyable. The loading channel is a little fiddly and restricted, but it’s fair to say I have sausage fingers. Given this model’s intended target audience is much younger shooters, with small digits, I’d say it’s not really an issue and more an observation.
This Club Pro Junior sports a really nice two-stage trigger, and whilst any adjustment necessitates the removal of the stock, which is irritating, my test gun came with an extremely crisp, pleasingly light release. Top marks for the broad, near-straight target blade too.
One point to quickly mention is the dry-fire facility, which is always a welcome feature, and for the uninitiated, this means the gun can be mounted and the trigger pulled, replicating the feel of a shot, but without actually firing a pellet or expelling any air. This is perfect for training, practising, and building muscle memory—anytime, anywhere. To set the dry-fire mode, just pull back the side-lever to cock the action, then push the silver bolt/button (on the left side of the receiver) fully to the right. Now close the side-lever, and the trigger is set, but nothing else. Pushing the silver bolt back to the left makes the rifle ‘live’ again. It’s all slickly done, and it works well.

Range data
Given the sights have to be fitted, as mentioned, I was pretty impressed that my first shot happened to be a perfect bull. Beginner’s luck for sure! Indeed, given that the target shown is actually my first five shots over 10 yards (from a rest), I’m guessing the factory roughly adjusts the sights before dispatch. Impressive, nonetheless. Incidentally, the cloverleaf pictured will still support a single pellet, which gives an indication of the performance on offer here, all in such an ‘easy to pick up’ format. I didn’t have to zero, but for the record, the dioptre finger wheels have positive clicks and feel robust.
As for shot count, given the Junior Pro’s scaled-down profile, the low fill pressure of 150bar makes sense, especially with power set deliberately low, in line with indoor target rifle requirements. Low power means more shots, and the chronograph recorded 110 shots using Bisley Long Range Gold pellets, all within a fair 38fps total spread. I stopped when the main cylinder pressure had dropped to 75bar, which, incidentally, is just before the yellow section on the gauge. Plenty of shots then, and a level of consistency that’s hard to fault, especially since the pellets were taken straight from the tin.

Verdict
I mentioned at the outset that this model is aimed at the indoor 10m discipline, but of course, it has a much wider remit than that. Basically, it’s just a damn good airgun. Perfectly scaled down, beautifully executed, and easy to use by the little people that we desperately need to encourage into our great sport. So, try to wrestle that phone off them, point them in the direction of some fresh air, and put this impressive airgun in their hands. You never know—it might just work.
Either way, if this model is representative of what Precihole Sports is all about, then I’m sold already. It’s a classy little number.