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Reader Survey >AirMaks Arms Krait MKII bullpup PCP review
- Last updated: 24/07/2026
The AirMaks Arms Krait MKII is the newest bullpup PCP from the Czech maker, tuned in the UK by Hawke Optics before it reaches the shops. Tested in .177, it proved an accurate and remarkably adjustable all-rounder that will suit hunters, club shooters and competitors alike.
The Krait has earned itself a solid reputation among UK airgunners over the past few years, so news of a MKII was always going to grab attention. The rifle seen here was first shown behind the scenes at this year’s British Shooting Show, fitted with the new MKII internals, and there is a great deal that has changed under the skin.
The first MKII rifles are arriving in the UK now, so there is a good chance you will already be able to find them on dealers’ shelves. Before we get into the detail, here is the rifle in action on video.
Watch the full AirMaks Krait MKII video review on YouTube
One thing worth grasping straight away is the scale of the range. The MKII takes the Krait family to a remarkable 20 different formats, taking in the Krait, Krait-T, Krait Pro, Krait MKII, Krait MKII Pro and Krait Lite, each offered in Standard, Long, Long High Power and Extra High Power guises. That is a lot of choice under one name.
Four models make up the MKII line-up at launch: the Standard reviewed here, plus the Long, Long High Power and Extra High Power. Our Standard test gun is a .177 with a 400mm barrel and a 300cc carbon bottle. There is a 15cc plenum at the rear and, new for the MKII, a 70cc pre-plenum ahead of the regulator, which together give roughly 370cc of usable air. That translates into around 10 per cent more shots than the original Krait, or about 275 per fill in this .177.
Every barrel length is available choked or unchoked with a 1:17.7 twist, and all use the modular shrouded CZ barrel system. At sub-12ft/lb it keeps the muzzle report very quiet, even without a moderator threaded onto the 1/2in UNF fitting. There are also handy Picatinny rails: one ahead of the trigger guard for a bipod, and two more either side of the barrel block for an IR torch or lamp.
Almost everything on the new MKII can be adjusted.
Prices are RRP at the time of publication and may have changed since.
The MKII gets a redesigned block, an all-new in-house regulator, a fresh valve and an anti-bounce hammer system. Both the regulator and hammer spring are easy to adjust, and even the UK sub-12ft/lb guns can be tuned. A clicking wheel at the rear of the stock sets the hammer spring by hand, doing away with the usual fiddling with Allen keys. From Hawke Optics the regulator arrives set at around 70 bar, but it can be taken anywhere between 50 and 110 bar, and crucially that adjustment can now be made with the rifle still charged.
A 70cc pre-plenum now sits ahead of the regulator.
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The 15cc plenum sits behind the regulator.
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The regulator can be adjusted while the rifle is under pressure.
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The fill gauge is clear and easy to read.
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The two-stage trigger is a genuine highlight. Its gently curved blade adjusts for both length and weight, and it is pleasingly wide, so it beds nicely onto the finger. A manual AR15-style safety lever sits just above and behind it, and can be switched from right to left with a flathead screwdriver. On our test rifle the first stage travelled to a crisp, definite stop before a light touch tripped the shot.
The two-stage unit is quality kit and fully adjustable.
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The AR15-style safety falls neatly to the thumb.
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Everything on the MKII is engineered to a high standard, with machined parts held to tight tolerances, and the rifle is fully customisable off the shelf. Length of pull is set with two Allen screws, while the new cheekpiece now slides horizontally as well as adjusting for height and cant, making it far easier to get a clean eye and scope line. Up top there is an extended 250mm Picatinny rail with 20 MOA of built-in gradient; medium or high mounts are worth choosing for the extra comfort they bring. Filling is via a male Foster fitting on the right of the action, taken up to 300 bar.
Setting the length of pull could hardly be simpler.
There is no shortage of Picatinny rail on this rifle.
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The 55mm drop handle sits beautifully in the hand.
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The pistol grip is now a rubberised, ambidextrous FAB Defence item that sits slightly more upright than the original’s AR15-style grip, and it feels excellent in the hand. The short-stroke side-lever remains a joy, cocking the action with just over a 90-degree pull and returning with a muffled, positive click; the chunky 55mm drop handle helps, and the lever swaps sides in seconds for left-handers.
The alloy magazines have been reworked to take projectiles up to 14mm long, each now carrying a magnetic faceplate that pulls off to reveal the rotary drum. The .177 holds 18 pellets and the .22 holds 16, both feeding from right to left with a positive click, and an anti-double-feed system rules out double loading.
The magazine only loads from the right-hand side.
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Pull the end cap off to reveal a 1/2in UNF thread.
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Out on test the Krait MKII behaved exactly as hoped. It was pellet on pellet to 30m, printed fingernail-sized groups off the bench at 40m, and still rang the spinners cleanly at 53m. It is a true all-rounder, equally at home on a club range as it is out in the field after rabbits, and that comes down to its ease of use, reliability and sheer accuracy. It is also worth knowing that former AirMaks UK agent Chris Roberts, now with Hawke Optics, hand-tunes every rifle before it reaches the trade, which keeps returns to a minimum.
Whether you shoot for the pot, for a club score or on the competition line, the AirMaks Arms Krait MKII covers just about every base. It is beautifully made, endlessly adjustable and superbly accurate, and the UK hand-tuning is the icing on the cake. A genuinely impressive bullpup.
The Krait MKII starts from £1,750 RRP, with the price rising across the range depending on model and specification.
It comes in .177 and .22, both offered choked or unchoked with a 1:17.7 twist.
Around 275 shots in .177 and 330 in .22 from a 300 bar fill, helped by the 15cc plenum and new 70cc pre-plenum.
It is distributed in the UK by Hawke Optics, where every rifle is hand-tuned before sale.
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