Air Rifle Snowpeak AP900 B Mercury 5.5mm

The Chinese company Snowpeak Airguns (SPA) is a true expert in the field of budget airguns. This is proven by the new series of PCP air rifles called Mercury – these airguns stand out for their excellent workmanship, high modularity and, considering the features offered, above all for their unbeatable purchase price.

Air rifle variants

The Mercury model is produced in 4 design versions:

• AP900 – 310 mm barrel, aluminium 118cc air cylinder and bottom M-LOK rail.
• AP1000 – 500 mm barrel, aluminium 250cc air cylinder and bottom M-LOK rail.
• AP900 B – 310 mm barrel, aluminium 350cc bottle and bottom Picatinny rail.
• AP1000 B – 500 mm barrel, aluminium 350cc bottle and bottom Picatinny rail.

Each variant is available in 3 calibres – 4.5 mm (.177), 5.5 mm (.22) and 6.35 mm (.25).

Functions and features

The air rifle is equipped with a rifled barrel designed for shooting with lead pellets. The entire barrel is covered by a stylish shroud / shroud with a carbon fibre-look finish, giving the air rifle a much more premium appearance. The muzzle is fitted with a sound moderator, and after removing it you will find a 1/2UNF thread for the possible installation of another moderator (in the case of models AP900 and AP900 B, you can install only a moderator with a maximum body diameter of 28 mm. A larger moderator would interfere with the air cylinder).

If the threaded adapter remains on the moderator, you can simply loosen it using, for example, a thin metal rod.

A major advantage compared to the competition is the integrated pressure regulator, thanks to which the air rifle achieves consistent muzzle velocity both with a full cylinder and just above the regulator set point. The remaining pressure is indicated by a simple manometer, which is located either at the end of the standard cylinder or near the neck of the pressure bottle, depending on the model. There you will also find the port for the Quickfill fill probe for a quick-coupler.

Cocking mechanism

The manufacturer opted for a proven solution and used the popular biathlon-style side lever with smooth operation and a sufficiently large handle even for bigger hands. For shooting you can use either a pre-tensioned magazine (2 pcs included) or the supplied single-shot adapter.

Stock and mounting systems

A major highlight of this model is the folding stock, which you must first install on the rear Picatinny rail after unpacking the air rifle. Once the stock is mounted, you get a full-size long air rifle, which can be shortened by 25 cm by folding the stock, and in the folded position the stock is held in place by a magnet. The cheekpiece is fixed and the buttpad is, surprisingly, made of rubber instead of plastic.

A sufficiently long metal Picatinny rail is provided for scope installation, and on the sides you will find two additional plastic Picatinny rails for mounting a laser, flashlight or other accessories.

Other parts of the air rifle include a rubberised AR-15 style grip, which means you can replace it with another one, and the forend, depending on the variant of the air rifle, features either M-LOK slots (on the version with the standard cylinder) or a bottom Picatinny rail (on the version with the air bottle).

Materials and workmanship

Although this is a budget air rifle, it is manufactured to a very high standard. The main body of the gun, the top rail and the trigger guard are made from a single piece of aluminium, nothing wobbles and everything holds firmly together. Yes, you will also find a lot of plastics here – for example on the forend, side Picatinny rails and the entire stock is also plastic. However, thanks to the use of high-quality polymer, these parts still feel solid and durable and do not negatively affect the overall function of the air rifle.

WARNING! For this calibre, the pressure regulator is factory-set to 150 bar. Shooting below this pressure level can cause damage to the regulator and subsequently also air leaks in the gun. When 150 bar is reached, we therefore always recommend refilling the cylinder.