46 AIRGUN SHOOTER

Top-spec, match-grade air rifl es are an enticing prospect to Mark Camoccio – so he gets fi rst dibs on the latest PCP innovation from US-based Rapid Air Weapons…

In my professional capacity, I get to sample air-powered rifl e technology from all over the world serving all ends of the market. That includes some of the most cutting edge kit available, like the

TM1000 from US brand Rapid Air Weapons (RAW), which I recently took stock of. I’ve been eagerly anticipating this rifl e for some time – there’s even a waiting list for reviewers!

These guns are hand-built over in the States by RAW, then shipped across the Pond to their main UK distributor, Michael Tawn Airgun Supplies in Cambridgeshire. There are various specifi cations of TM1000 available, but the thrust of the project is to deliver a top-end accuracy machine, aimed at the fastidious target-oriented shooter. Whether Field Target or benchrest, Rapid Air Weapons have it covered with an uncompromising approach to engineering and design – a design that is also now extended to fi eld shooters with the HM1000 Hunter model with a 360cc buddy bottle and sporter-like stock.

For a relatively new release, this gun has certainly hit the ground running. Victories in Hunter Field Target – much to the chagrin of purists – have proved this model’s worth, while I personally know of several shooters putting in a good showing with their TM1000s in the hotbed arena of benchrest. So accolades are stacking up.

When fi rst handling this truly impressive air rifl e, the stripped-bare, ruthlessly focused design really stands out. Its gloriously chunky breech block arrangement had me practically salivating. Loading the TM1000 is done via direct feed into the very lip of the rifl ing – which is the best way to load an airgun, as it allows the shooter to feel for an overly loose or tight pellet. Just occasionally, this can be the difference between hitting and missing a vital target, and it’s a feature that all aspirant airgun engineers should incorporate.

Air Arms’s now sadly discontinued EV2, undoubtedly one of the most successful Field Target guns on the circuit, had direct feed loading – though admittedly with an annoyingly chamfered breech and seal that the pellet had to pass through.

RAW has copied and enhanced the breech area largely from the EV2, with a similar, and equally exquisite sidelever sitting to the right of the breech. The over-centre engineering keeps tension on the lever, until the bare minimum of effort pulls it back to withdraw the loading probe and cock the hammer. Perfect weighting and a meticulous design makes the whole process immensely satisfying, but that’s only part of the story.

Shooters who opt for this grade of rifl e will normally appreciate a top-class trigger, and that’s exactly what RAW has provided. Despite its curved, sporting look, my test rifl e’s trigger was a full-blown, genuine two-stage match unit. Its ‘trip’ has a snap-glass mechanism, giving

RAWRAWRAWRAWRAWRAWRAWRAWRAWPerformer in the

The TM1000 has sidelever cocking and a direct-feed breech

046-048 MC test tm1000_Rev3_MH.indd 46 17/09/2013 09:54

TEST: RAW TM1000

AIRGUN SHOOTER 47

TEST: TEST:

total crispness and a superbly sensitive, 28g release weight. The boys at RAW are clearly speaking my language!

While I’m a huge fan of beautifully grained walnut stocks, the fantastic quality of the laminate supplied fi tted to the test model was such that I would readily take the plunge. The main consideration here though is weight, and there’s no doubting the exceptional density of the bonded laminate adds serious ‘grammage’ to the equation; this is a hefty rifl e indeed.

Raising this rifl e to the shoulder, your trigger hand can either adopt a thumb-up hold, using the generously and supremely comfortable thumb-shelf, or a thumb-through hold, grabbing the thumbhole itself. There’s plenty of stippling around the grip area, which also sports a palm swell and an integral shelf at the base.

Butt hooks are all the rage with target grade hardware these days, and the one supplied here is yet another exercise in fi ne engineering. That said, they’re just not for me – though I’m possibly in a minority here. The

TM1000’s forend is perhaps not deep enough for everyone, but still offers plenty of hold points, and it has an accessory rail underneath. My usual FT stances posed no discomfort, although those FT shooters who like to rest the gun on their knee may struggle with the lack of forend depth. If you’re in need of a ‘hamster’ fi tment, however, RAW manufacture a fantastic piece of kit as an option, with lots of adjustment.

Downrange, a check over the chronoscope revealed that the power level was actually set a little on the low side, and my test results showed the test gun was producing a shade under 11ft/lb with the ubiquitous JSB pellet – Air Arms Diabolo Field in this case. Of course, this can be set a little higher at the point of collection, but I lost no sleep over those fi gures for my purposes.

The shot count of the TM is impressive, too. You can expect around 120 from its regulated action courtesy of 200BAR – the recommended fi ll pressure. For the record, these fi gures were comfortably exceeded in my test and the shot-to-shot velocity variation was what I’d expect of a

With its well-profi led laminate stock and chunky

breech block, the TM1000 is an enticing prospect

The two-stage match trigger is nicely curved with a crisp let-off

A butt hook rounds off the top-quality laminate stock

046-048 MC test tm1000_Rev3_MH.indd 47 17/09/2013 09:54

48 AIRGUN SHOOTER

TEST: RAW TM1000 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONMODEL: TM1000 FT

MANUFACTURER: Rapid Air Weapons

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA

TYPE: Single-shot outdoor silhouette rifl e. (BR and

sporting versions also available)

CALIBRE: .177 (tested), .20, .22 and .25

COCKING: Sidelever

POWER SOURCE: External air supply (bottle or pump)

FILL PRESSURE: 200BAR

SHOTS PER CHARGE: Approx. 120 shots at 12ft/lb

(manufacturer’s claim)

WEIGHT: 4.5kg (unscoped)

OVERALL LENGTH: 1,003mm

BARREL LENGTH: 483mm

STOCK: Laminate thumbhole

TRIGGER: Match grade two-stage unit down to 28g (2oz)

ENERGY: 10.8ft/lb (tested with AADF); high-power

models available

SRP: £1,544

CONTACT: Michael Tawn Airgun Supplies

01945 420770 ● www.tawnadoairguns.com

regulated match rifl e with pellets plucked straight from the tin – minimal, and in single fi gures.

There’s the usual on-board air gauge at the left side of the breech – nothing fabulous, it must be said – to keep you up to speed with what pressure is in the rifl e’s cylinder. Speaking of which, while the barrel shroud of my rifl e was silver anodised, the air cylinder appeared have a light grey powder coating. Charging is via a snap-fi t system, located under the screw-off dust cover at the front end.

My initial zeroing and group-checking was conducted over 35 yards, and here I achieved regular, tight 6mm clusters. Moving back to 45 yards enlarged the pattern only slightly, while the all-important, benchmark 50-yard test produced sub-12mm groups. All textbook stuff.

As for negatives, I found that the ported muzzle in the shroud produced what I can only describe as a slightly obtrusive, less than subtle report – to the point where, if I was to opt for one of these models, I would have to include the carbon-fi bre shroud in the listed specifi cation. Thankfully, options abound with the TM1000, and if those superb laminate stocks just aren’t your cup of tea, then a traditional walnut handle – which is cheaper and lighter – is also available.

An adjustable rubber butt pad can be fi tted in place of the fully-adjustable butt hook, too, so all tastes are clearly catered for. RAW also produce a dedicated benchrest model, complete with squared off woodwork, in-keeping with the requirements of this increasingly popular, ever-demanding discipline, and for more information on this variant,

A dust cover shields the snap-fi t charging system

An on-board pressure gauge sits to the left of the breech

Accuracy at long-range competition distances is superb

have a browse of the company’s website at www.rapidairweapons.com.

So was the TM1000 worth the wait? Well, the answer has to be a resounding yes! To be honest, I would have bought the test gun for myself were it not for that butt hook. I’m a stickler for concave soft rubber in the shoulder, and that’s the bottom line. These rifl es come with the butt section crafted to fi t the butt hook, so it would be impractical to make the switch on this test rifl e.

But I’m still tempted to put in an order to my own spec because, action-wise, you just can’t fault those super-tight groupings, recorded at the outer-most distances to be found in outdoor competitions. My only reservation is that rather irritating muzzle report, so I’d avoid the ported shroud, however slick it may look.

In short, the TM1000 represents a serious choice in top quality hardware, with a mouthwatering spec list and level of engineering. In a results-driven market – at least where top-end rifl es are concerned – the TM1000 has already proven itself in top national competitions. And with several high-profi le victories already to its name so soon after its release, I’d say that’s all the endorsement this PCP needs. ●

The TM1000’s spec list and engineering makes it highly appealing to competition shooters

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