Air Rifle Snowpeak AP900 Mercury 6.35mm

The Chinese company Snowpeak Airguns (SPA) is a real champion 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, considering the offered features, above all an unbeatable purchase price.

Rifle variants

The Mercury model is manufactured 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).

Features and characteristics

The air rifle is equipped with a rifled barrel designed for shooting with lead pellets. The whole barrel is covered with a stylish shroud / shroud with a carbon fibre look finish, giving the rifle a much more premium appearance. The muzzle is fitted with a sound moderator, and after its removal you will find a 1/2UNF thread for mounting an alternative 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 adapter stays on the moderator, you can loosen it, for example, with a thin metal rod.

A major advantage compared to the competition is the integrated pressure regulator, thanks to which the rifle achieves a consistent muzzle velocity both with a full cylinder and just above the regulator setpoint. 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. In the same place you will also find the port for the Quickfill fill probe for a quick coupler.

Loading mechanism

The manufacturer went 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 either use the spring-loaded magazine (2 pcs included) or the supplied single-shot adapter.

Stock and mounting systems

A very interesting feature of this model is the folding stock, which you must first install on the rear Picatinny rail after unpacking the 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 cheek piece is fixed, and the butt pad is surprisingly made of rubber instead of plastic.

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

Other parts of the rifle include a rubberized AR-15 style grip, which you can replace with another one, and the handguard, depending on the rifle variant, features either M-LOK slots (on the version with a standard cylinder) or a bottom Picatinny rail (on the version with an 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 is firmly held together. Yes, you will also find plenty of plastic parts here – for example on the handguard, 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! The pressure regulator on this calibre is factory set to 150 bar. Shooting below this pressure level can cause damage to the regulator and subsequently also leaks in the rifle. When the pressure reaches 150 bar, we therefore recommend always refilling the cylinder.