The Chinese company Snowpeak Airguns (SPA) is a true master in the field of budget air rifles. This is proven by the new series of PCP air rifles called Mercury – these airguns are characterized by excellent workmanship, high modularity and, in view of the functions offered, above all by an unbeatable purchase price.
Air rifle variants
The Mercury model is produced in 4 construction 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 lead pellets. The entire barrel is enclosed in a stylish shroud / shroud with a finish imitating carbon fibre, giving the rifle a much more premium look. The muzzle is fitted with a sound moderator, and after removing it you will reveal a 1/2UNF thread for possible installation of another moderator (for the AP900 and AP900 B models 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 adaptor remains on the moderator, you can simply loosen it, for example using a thin metal rod.
A major advantage compared to the competition is the integrated pressure regulator, thanks to which the 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 air bottle, depending on the model. There you will also find the port for the Quickfill filling pin for a quick coupling.
Cocking mechanism
The manufacturer went for a proven solution and used a popular biathlon-style side lever with smooth operation and a handle large enough even for bigger hands. For shooting you can use either the pre-indexed magazine (2 pcs included) or the supplied single-shot tray.
Stock and mounting systems
A very interesting feature of this model is the folding stock, which you must first install onto the rear Picatinny rail after unpacking the rifle. Once the stock is mounted, you get a fully-fledged 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 butt pad is surprisingly made of rubber instead of plastic.
For mounting a riflescope there is a sufficiently long metal Picatinny rail, and on the sides you will find two additional plastic Picatinny rails for attaching a laser, torch or other accessories.
Other parts of the rifle include a rubberised AR-15 type grip, which you can replace with another one, and the fore-end, depending on the variant, features either M-LOK slots (on the version with standard cylinder) or a bottom Picatinny rail (on the version with 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 plastic here – for example on the fore-end, the 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 rifle.
WARNING! For this calibre the 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 rifle. When the pressure reaches 150 bar, we therefore recommend always refilling the cylinder.
