by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier
Air Arms Galahad PCP in walnut is a striking looking air rifle!
This report covers:
- What’s new?
- Range of guns
- Regulated
- Fill to 250 bar
- Fill probe
- Repeater
- On the level
- Ambidextrous design
- Bullpup
- Power adjustment
- Is there more?
What’s new?
Today I begin a series on the Galahad rifle from Air Arms. This is a high-end precharged pneumatic (PCP) air rifle that’s new this year. I announced it in this year’s SHOT Show report and told you I would be testing it. Today I begin!
Range of guns
The Galahad is actually a range of PCPs in both .22 and .25 calibers. They come with or without moderators (silencers) and they come in both carbine and rifle lengths. The stocks can be something they call black soft touch, which I believe is synthetic, or beech or walnut. So there are some decisions to make when choosing this airgun.
I think you need to think about how you want to use it. That should help you make the right choice. The rifle I am testing for you is a rifle length (19.4-inch barrel) .22 with a moderator and a walnut stock. I normally select the synthetic stock to test because the stock has no affect on the performance and I don’t need to tie up expensive inventory, but in this case I wanted to see how nice Air Arms made it. So I’m looking at a top of the line Galahad in .22 caliber with a moderator. The serial number is 900469, in case you want to buy it after I’ve tested it. I can tell you now that the wood is beautiful in an understate English way. It’s an oil finish that feels dry to the touch, and all the checkering and contours are perfect.
Guns without the moderator are available on special order, but Pyramyd AIR doesn’t keep them in stock. I’m told by Tyler Patner that without the moderator the gun is not too loud except on high power. But you probably don’t want to shoot it without a moderator in your backyard.
Regulated
Muzzle energy is 32 foot-pounds (for the rifle — 28 for the carbine), so this is not a super-powerful PCP. That means the accuracy should be easier to achieve and maintain, and also the shot count should be good. A regulator keeps the rifle steady and extends the shot count. Regs are found on more expensive PCPs as a matter of course and we should see the effect when I test the velocity. According to the information on the website, I should get 100+ shots per fill on low power and 45 shots on high. That would be astounding, and of course I will test it for you.
Fill to 250 bar
The Galahad accepts a fill up to 250 bar, which is 3,626 psi. I fill from a carbon fiber air tank that’s rated to 4,500 psi, which is 310 bar, so I’ll have no problem filling this one all the way, but you need to keep the fill pressure in mind. If you stop your fill at 3000 psi you will still get the same power, but the total shot count will be less. Perhaps I can test that for you, so we will all know.
Naturally there is an onboard manometer or pressure gauge to tell you where you are at all times. Once you learn your rifle you will know at a glance how many more full-power shots are available.
The onboard gauge tells you where you are in the fill.
Fill probe
The biggest news, I think, is that Air Arms has put a quick disconnect full probe port on this rifle. It replaces what was the most complex and difficult fill adaptor in the industry. And the probe comes packaged with the rifle — along with a second magazine and 4 Allen wrenches to adjust the rifle.
Rotate the cover to expose the fill port, then slide the probe in for a fill.
Repeater
At this price the rifle has to be a repeater. There are two 10-shot magazines that come with the rifle. Both calibers use 10-shot magazines.
On the level
At the rear of the receiver under the Picatinney rail there is a small bubble level built in! This is one more step towards the ultimate in accuracy.
A bubble level is located at the rear of the receiver.
I’m not sure how useful this level will be when there is a scope mounted. I will check it when I shoot the rifle for accuracy.
Ambidextrous design
The Galahad is designed to fit all shooters. Most of the gun is the same on both sides, but the cocking lever fits either on the left or the right side of the forearm. Your off-hand thumb cocks the action by pushing the lever forward. Swapping the lever to the other side of the rifle is a simple task that’s covered in the owner’s manual.
The cocking lever is pushed forward to cock the rifle. It can be switched to the right side by the user.
The rest of the rifle fits anyone. The rubber buttplate moves up and down and also swivels from side to side to accommodate any firing position. I plan to set the rifle up to fit me!
The adjustable buttpad moves up and down and swivels side to side for a perfect fit.
Bullpup
By now you must have noticed that even though this Galahad is a rifle, it’s also a bullpup. That means the overall length is shortened by the receiver being located back near the butt. The trigger linkage has to be long to reach the sear. In the past bullpup triggers were a weak spot in the design. I have dry-fired the test rifle several times and, though stage one of the two-stage trigger feels heavy, it has a definite stopping point at stage 2 and stage 2 breaks crisply. I would imagine it will be liked by some but not by all. The trigger is adjustable and I plan to adjust this one for you.
All the Galahad PCPs are bullpups. The moderated test rifle is 35-3/4-inches long and weighs 8 pounds 12 ounces without a scope. That’s a chunk to carry afield, and there are no sling swivels. But a sling is still possible if you tie it to the stock and reservoir, front and rear. It’s a redneck approach, but it works.
Power adjustment
The power is adjustable via a knob on the right side of the receiver, but the manual that came with the rifle I’m testing got the instructions a little wrong. The manual says the power has no specific settings, but on this gun there are five detent positions to the power knob. Also the test rifle is missing the graphics that tell you where the power is set, but you can gauge that by the position of the screw slot on the left side of the receiver. I will test this for you in Part 2. I might have to do a two-part velocity test with all the things this rifle has.
Is there more?
There probably is more to see. I keep finding new things every time I examine the rifle. But that will have to suffice for now. We have a long review ahead of us with the Galahad!
BB,
That is probably the most graceful looking of the bullpups to come to market so far. I will be most interested in hearing your thoughts about the cocking lever and it’s performance. This whole package seems to be quite refined, but this is what is expected from Air Arms.
B.B.,
Very nice to see that your are getting to test a high end gun. Hopefully the accuracy will warrant the cost. Regulated is nice. The adjustable butt pad is nice. I read that you can add spacers as well. The weight per P.A. is 8.6# with the moderator. Yours must have hit the turkey and pumpkin pie a little heavy over the holidays. 😉
That wood “strap” the runs from the pistol grip to the butt stock looks like a fragile point. Especially the way the grain runs. I have seen similar uses of wood on other stocks,… even at the trigger guard. It does not seem too “bump” friendly. I wish AA would put their gauge somewhere besides the end of the reservoir. If you are trying for an exact fill on the gun gauge, the only way is to get a straight on view. Better to go by the tank gauge anyways I suppose. It is a hefty bugger. The synthetic version did not shave any weight off per the P.A. listings, but we all know how that goes. I would have expected some weight reduction. Having the TX and LGU,.. I have come to appreciate the weight factor for lugging around or shooting off hand. The Maximus seems to shine there.
While the bull pup design is not for me,.. this looks to be one fine piece of shooting equipment with a lot going for it. I’ll be looking forward to the rest of the reports.
Chris
Chris,
Each wood-stocked gun will weigh different, due to the weight of the wood. I weighed mine on a balance beam scale.
As for the gauge, I always use the tank gauge for as fill. I know how accurate it is. The onboard gauge is to tell me how much air remains.
Yes, I agree that Air Arms has made a very sleek-looking air rifle. But then, they always do.
B.B.
B.B.
I have only shot 2 PCP air guns. They were both bolt actions, and they both jammed!
I am a right hand shooter and was wondering about the lever action. Conceptually, I think I would prefer the cocking lever on the left side of the action. That way my trigger hand never has to move and I can stay, “in position”.
What is wrong with is idea? Will you be moving the cocking lever to both side to see which suites you better?
Thanks,
Yogi
Yogi,
I have no need to move the lever. It is exactly where I want it to be. I like it.
B.B.
For a right handed shooter, is it better to have the cocking lever on the right or left?
-Y
Yogi,
The tip of the cocking lever is exactly at my left thumb on the stock, so it is natural to cock the gun that way. If it was on the right I would have to move my shooting hand to cock and that would be clumsy.
B.B.
OK, agreed!
Now would not most bolt action PCP be easier to shoot if the bolt was on the left(for right handed shooters)? If the shooter rests his/her rifle directly on the bag rest, they have a free hand to cock the gun with. No need to move….
Sorry for all the PCP questions but I am a springer guy…
-Y
Yogi,
I shoot left and like the cocking bolt on the left. I believe most rifles are set with the bolt/lever on the right for right hand shooters. I cock the bolt with my trigger hand. It is already back in that area and requires very little movement of my body. That is with the M-rod and I would see a side lever such as this being no different.
Come to think of it,… being a left shooter,… I should give this consideration for any bolt or side lever. I would bet that feature is fixed and non changeable on most rifles,… even ambi stocked ones.
Thanks for asking the questions,…. Chris
I think Air Arms may have missed the boat by making the Galahad so heavy. It’s my opinion that buyers of bullpups want a gun that is both short and light weight.
My favorite of all the bullpups is the Hummingbird. Too bad it isn’t available anymore. It is small, lightweight, and to my eyes, the best looking of all the bullpups.
David Enoch
Very nice looking rifle! Unfortunately bullpups are not legal in Canada 🙁
Glad to see that AA is adding regulators to their PCPs – it was the regulator in the HW100 that convinced me to go with Weihrauch instead of the AA S510.
Looking forward to the rest of this series! I am in the market for .25 PCP so I may be putting AA back on the contenders list. Have to pop over to their site and see what else they are offering.
Vana2,
I am assuming that you can get the “full power” version of anything that you would be looking at? Not some tuned down version?
That depends, on a PAL he can get any airgun, that same license is for firearms. Without it, he would be looking below 500FPS or under 4ft lbs.
Getting a PAL is not a huge burden, anyone who is going to buy firearms would already have one.
Chris,
Yup, fully licensed but can’t have an airgun that is bullpup or has built-in suppressors.
My HW100S FAC (30fpe) had to have the baffles removed by the vendor to make it legal.
The HW is quiet enough (I have a very BIG backyard) but it bugs me that the powers that be have classified airguns in the same category as powder-burners because they couldn’t be bothered setting up separate (appropriate) regulations.
Hank
Hank,
It will be interesting to see what you end up with in a .25 caliber. 🙂
I would be interested in hearing your opinion of wood being used like it is here in the brace from the pistol grip to the butt stock. Similarly,…. what about trigger guards made entirely from wood. With you having had extensive experience with fine wood working and the fact that you make stocks,… I thought that you would be a good one to ask. They look good, but I am not sure what would happen if they ever took a good bump.
Thanks, Chris
Chris,
So far, the FX Royale 500 is on the top of the wish-list and RidgeRunner has me thinking about the RAW rifles 🙂
On the Galahad, the brace looks to be about an inch wide and one quarter inch thick in the thinnest area. Being supported by the stock and the pistol grip would be quite strong if the wood grain is oriented to be parallel to that thin section. On this particular stock the grain is not in the best orientation for strength – it would withstand a reasonable bump but not a lot more.
On this stock the grain around the trigger guard is nicely oriented and being well supported should be robust.
I am in the varnishing stage of my new stock for my FWB124. On that stock the trigger guard is blended into the forearm to create a flat platform for my supporting palm when I am using the artillery hold. Because the trigger guard is not supported by the pistol grip I made it up of thin maple laminations for strength. Makes a nice contrast to the walnut grip as well.
Hank
Hank,
I figured you would have some good insight. Thanks. Just be a little extra careful I think is the takeaway. FX’s and RAW’s huh? Sounds like you have a plan. You will have to bump that nice range out to 100 yards. The 124 stock sounds nice. Don’t forget,… you still have the Maximus stock for the Grand Daughter,….. 😉 Chris
What is up with Euro PCPs and not using Foster? Actually it could be any fitting, I don’t care which but the industry should standardize it.
Steven,
Welcome to the discussion we PCP users have been having for the past 20 years! 😉
B.B.
Clearly consumers and vendors need to start demanding it. I bet for someone like Air Arms PA being the USA retailer has at least a little say. Even if it is just to toss an adaptor in the box and discount them a little less, it would be something.
Yea, like Metric and SAE nuts and bolts. At least the Brits no longer use Whitworth, or do they?
-Y
At least those can have different uses, so you don’t confuse things.
Well all mobile phones went to mini then micro USB that was a huge moment. In the EU Apple even supplies and adaptor, in the USA at least the other end is USB A.
Good to see a post from David Enoch and I agree with your comments.
BB, what do you mean by repeater, is it semi automatic or it is because one does not have to load pellets manually into the breech after every shot? In that case will bolt action s be also classified as repeaters? I find the term repeater very confusing. 🙁
Riki,
If you have to cycle anything like a bolt or a lever,…. it is a repeater.
If you can keep pulling the trigger, 1 shot per pull, without doing anything else,… it is a semi-auto.
In either case,… the ammo is stored on board.
Riki,
Any rifle or handgun that feeds ammunition from a magazine or a clip is calleda repeater. It has nothing to do with the action.
Bolt actions are repeaters
Revolvers are repeaters
Semiautomatics are repeaters
Slide actions (also called pumps) are repeaters
Full-auto guns (machineguns) are repeaters
B.B.
B.B.,
Mmmmm,…… I guess that means that I have to head back to corner of the room and put that “pointy hat” on again? And later,… after school,….. write your comment on the chalkboard 100 times. ;(
Chris
Chris,
I though that pointy hat was yours. You’re always wearing it. 😉
B.B.
B.B.,
Oh well,… I tried. I think that the difference between clips and magazines (and) the difference between single and double action,.. might be the rest of the explanation. I think that I will pass at the moment though. ( I am only up to 12 of 100 on the chalk board and the darn hat keeps falling off )
🙂 Chris
Yes, it is an attractive gun. But the problem with the trigger linkage seems like a deal-killer as it does with other bullpups. You need a very good reason to have a shorter gun to make that worthwhile. But I do like the bubble-level in the receiver. I thought the purpose of the bubble-level was to hold the gun upright which it should do in the receiver. And this way you avoid the hassle of adjusting the bubble-level on a scope.
Matt61
I like the bubble level built in to the rail. If it works out it would be nice for a manufacturer to come out with a add on or replacement to add that to other rifles without it.
Silver Eagle
Silver Eagle,
If you look under accessories on the P.A. site you will find various levels that mount to the rail and also on the scope mounts. One is a separate ring that mounts to the scope tube. I bring this up in case you were not aware of them and wanted to give levels a go. I myself have never tried them while shooting. My thought is if you take your eye off the level,.. and the rifle moves,… then what was the point? I shoot with both eyes open, so maybe one of the add on types would help. I still would want to see it while aiming. The new scope that UTG has with the level built in is nice. That would be the optimal way to go in my opinion.