BRK Brocock Ranger XR Test: Airgun World editor, Terry Doe, evaluates this compact new PCP air rifle with telescopic butt and power adjuster
Compact and Light
If you want a tactical rifle, how about one that fits into a rucksack? And one that is so light, you hardly know it’s there?
Then what about adding proven performance? And a regulated action, silenced discharge, multi-shot, sidelever pellet delivery. Let’s throw in an adjustable stock while we’re at it. Sounds good, eh? It certainly would be a fine thing, especially when the whole deal is built into a super-tough, matt-black chassis, designed for practicality in the field. Oh… and how about a mega-affordable price tag, too?
Well, we can’t have everything, I guess. But the new Brocock Ranger XR is all of the above – and also quite a bit more – apart from a budget price. This rifle comes in at £1,244, without the silencer and Dual Side Rail Picatinny scope mounting platform fitted to my test rifle.
The package
The company that owns BRK Brocock also owns Daystate. Yet Brocock is no ‘Daystate lite’. These rifles are high-spec’, precision items, with their own identity, and they carry a price tag to match. Let’s see what else is contained within the Ranger XR package…
First, let’s deal with the rifle’s name. That was inspired, in part, by the input of well-known Red Squirrel Ranger, Jerry Moss. He works to preserve our native red squirrel population via the Penrith & District Red Squirrel Group. Part of Jerry’s duties involve controlling the numbers of invasive grey squirrels that have taken over the native reds’ habitat. The greys also carry a virus that is deadly to the red squirrels. So removing greys is a vital task.
Jerry walks miles through woodland, often over rough ground, to visit and top up feeding stations. So Jerry needs a convenient, lightweight rifle that can be carried in a backpack. This leaves his hands free to fill, service and repair the feeders.
Jerry’s ideal rifle had to be easily transportable and also practical. Ready to go in seconds, and totally accurate when deployed. As he shoots from hides, confined spaces and vehicles, Jerry’s rifle also needs to be super-compact rifle. Does such a rifle exist?
Yes – enter the Brocock Ranger XR…