BEST BUYS

BEST BUYS

Reximex Pretensis

Mat Manning finds the Reximex Pretensis to be more than just a handsome PCP at a sensible price

As someone who has reviewed a heck of a lot of airguns, I have learned to manage my expectations when testing kit with a lower than typical price tag—it’s only fair because a low-cost airgun is hardly going to compete with one costing several times as much. There are exceptions to the rule, though, and the subject of this review is one of them. In its walnut stock guise, the Reximex Pretensis from Range Right retails at £525, and although it would be ridiculous to suggest that it’s in quite the same league as a two-grand supergun, this Turkish PCP punches miles above its weight—not just in terms of performance, it̓s a very handsome piece of kit, too. In fact, I might go as far as saying that I think it’s the nicest looking sub-£600 airgun on the market right now.

I found the Reximex Pretensis an absolute pleasure to shoot, both on the range and in the field. It is nicely balanced, has a great cocking action and a crisp, predictable trigger. Best of all, it is capable of an impressive level of accuracy. The design of its stock, and the ability to adjust the cheekpiece up and down, make it comfortable to shoot from virtually all stances, from prone to standing.

Of course, shooting from the support of a bench irons out the worst of the inevitable human wobbles, and that was when the Pretensis showed its true potential. I ran a variety of pellets through the test gun, and it shot pretty well with all, but showed a slight preference for Air Arms Diabolo Field.

Shooting with these in windless conditions, ragged single-hole groups soon became an expectation at 30m. Even at 40m, groups were still generally loose one-holers—even with the occasional stray pellet, most could still be covered by a 2p coin. This airgun certainly has the power and accuracy to tackle small pests over sensible sub-12 ranges.

The Reximex Pretensis has managed to impress me from the outset. As already explained, I wanted to manage my expectations when I saw its retail price, but I was immediately taken with its handsome looks, which will certainly add to the pride of ownership felt by anyone who chooses to buy one. Most importantly, though, its looks are more than matched by its features and performance, which certainly exceed its asking price.

Ceská zbrojovka 512 .22 rimfire

Looking for a dependable semi-automatic for pest control? Look no further, says Bruce Potts

When it comes to rimfires, CZ (Ceská zbrojo vka) has designed, built and supplied the world with pretty much every conceivable bolt-action model available. I tend to forget, however, that it actually produces a rather good semi-automat ic in the guise of the 512 model, which combines CZ’s legendary accuracy with its reliable repeat ing-action design.

This makes it a real contender for those wanting a fast second or third shot when lamping rabbits or squirrel drey shooting. A lot of semis are plagued with stoppages or feed problems but CZ seems to have ironed these out, making this semi-auto a very viable pest control tool. CZ has also worked on its looks—older models were not the most at tractive guns. While there is a Tactical version, the rifle on test is the Sporter model, which is offered in .22LR and .22WMR.

Conclusion

CZ is not called ‘king of rimfires’ for nothing; it knows what works and what doesn’t. We had one hang-up in the magazine from a dodgy bul let, but otherwise total reliability, even with the slower subsonics. Accuracy was good for a semi, as was the trigger, although a little heavy, and magazines are cheap. This gun is really worth a look.