VALUE FOR MONEY
At a current Street Price of $2,199.99, the BRK Ghost is not a cheap air rifle. However it offers a huge amount of value to the discerning, knowledgeable airgunner, as you’ll read throughout this comprehensive review.
Overall, this is impressively-competent PCP that delivers accuracy and power in a sophisticated package.
The Ghost is one of those few airguns that just feels “right”. Yes, that’s difficult to describe, but it’s a quality that shines-through to almost everyone who uses it.
This is one case where we would have liked to award more than 100% for the “Shootability” section of our review!
Sure, the HAM Testers found a few little niggles, that’s our job! But these gripes were small. HAM feels that the Ghost is a gun that should be on the “wish list” of any serious airgunner. Yes, it’s that good!
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BRK Ghost .22 Caliber PCP Air Rifle
SPEED AND ACCURACY
As always, HAM tested the BRK Ghost in the condition we received it. This means that – with a regulator set to 1,740 PSI – it was shooting most of the HAM test pellets waaaay too fast.
However, this is understandable, as the Ghost is designed and set-up for the knowledgeable airgunner who appreciates that Muzzle Energy – and NOT Muzzle Velocity – is the name of the game for powerful, accurate air rifle shooting. That means heavy pellets or slugs.
| Pellet | Average Muzzle Velocity | Average Muzzle Energy | Accuracy |
|---|---|---|---|
| H&N Field Target Trophy Green 10.03 Grain | 1,221.78 FPS | 33.25 Ft/Lbs | Excellent. |
| Predator GTO 11.75 Grain | 1,160.43 FPS | 35.14 Ft/Lbs | Excellent. |
| RWS Hobby 11.9 Grain | 1,140.04 FPS | 34.35 Ft/Lbs | Good. |
| Crosman Premier HP 14.3 Grain | 1092.01 FPS | 37.87 Ft/Lbs | Excellent. |
| JSB Jumbo Exact 14.35 Grain | 1094.48 FPS | 38.17 Ft/Lbs | Excellent. |
| H&N Field Target Trophy 14.66 Grain | 1090.73 FPS | 38.73 Ft/Lbs | Excellent. |
| Datstate Howler Slugs 20.3 Grain | 969.64 FPS | 42.39 Ft/Lbs | Excellent. |
| H&N Baracuda Match 21.14 Grain | 976.41 FPS | 44.76 Ft/Lbs | Excellent. |
| JSB Jumbo Monster 25.39 Grain | 914.34 FPS | 47.17 Ft/Lbs | Excellent. Best Tested. |
When shot with the standard range of HAM test pellets, HAM Tester Doug Rogers observed that “We have never had a gun that grouped so well with almost all the test pellets”. Accuracy was excellent, even with light pellets that the Ghost is definitely NOT designed to shoot.
Unsurprisingly, the BRK Ghost tested by HAM developed best accuracy using 25.39 Grain JSB Jumbo Monsters. The 25-yard, 10-shot test target is shown below. It would probably have been even better had the wind been calmer!
TRIGGER AND COCKING EFFORT
The BRK Ghost has an outstanding trigger that’s adjustable for travel and weight for both first and second stages. As always, this HAM review was undertaken with the trigger in “as received” condition. And “as received” is actually very good indeed!
There’s really no need for most users to even think of adjusting this trigger. Yes, the Ghost is a bullpup, but the trigger certainly does not feel like it. There’s an easy first stage, combined with a clear definition of the second stage release. Of drag and slop in the linkage, we found none!
With an average pull weight of 2 Lbs 2.3 Oz on test, this is a good general-purpose setting, well-suited to the Brocock/BRK ethos of hunting air rifles. Yet it’s not too heavy for target use…
The sidelever cocking action is similarly delightful to use. The action is smooth, direct and precise. The cocking handle itself is a work of art and provides exemplary grip in use.
That button ahead of the cocking handle in the photographs above and below is the safety. It’s a manually-operated “push across” unit that’s ideally positioned and worked perfectly in HAM testing. Seeing red on the left side indicates that the safety of “off”, the gun is ready to fire.
COMPARISON TO MAKERS CLAIMS
With its easy, externally-adjustable Huma regulator and rear power adjuster (hammer spring) control, it’s very simple to adjust the power and shot count of the BRK Ghost.
In fact, the power level can be varied by large amounts on the Ghost, even using just the rear power adjuster wheel alone. (Affecting the shot count too, of course). This makes the manufacturer’s power claims of “up to 65 Ft/Lbs” in .22 caliber a figure that’s dependent on the state of tune of a particular gun.
As can be seen below, the BRK Ghost tested by HAM was set to a regulator pressure of 120 bar (1,740 PSI).
With the power wheel set to “MAX” at that regulator pressure, the BRK Ghost tested by HAM generated 47.17 Ft/Lbs of Muzzle Energy when shooting 25.39 Grain JSB Monsters.
This is clearly lower than the manufacturer’s maximum power claim. However – as we’ll see in the next section – the shot count (for which there is not a comparable manufacturer’s spec) was truly remarkable at over 90 shots from the 480 cc HPA bottle.
So, the HAM review gun was obviously tuned for more shots rather than less, with a rather lower Muzzle Energy. (Airguns of Arizona confirmed this).
The HAM testers were not unhappy about this tune level. (We were happy about the 914 FPS average generated with the Monsters). Our experience indicates that 65 Ft/Lbs of Muzzle Energy should be easily attainable with the Ghost, although using higher Muzzle Velocities than we would personally like.
However a user could easily crank up the power level to much higher levels as required.
CONSISTENCY
As can be seen from the chart below, the BRK Ghost tested by HAM generated the remarkably-high number of 93 “consistent” shots at an average of 989 FPS per fill of the HPA bottle. (HAM standards for consistency are an Extreme Spread of 40 FPS across the string using un-sorted pellets).
This excellent consistency was coupled with a very consistent trigger pull weight. In HAM testing, the Ghost’s trigger pull varied by less than 2.5 Ounces from its 2 Lbs 2.3 Oz average.
That’s outstanding and a completely imperceptible difference to any user.
NOISE LEVEL
The HAM Team considered the BRK Ghost to be fairly loud in our subjective testing. This is not an air rifle we could recommend for backyard shooting “as is”.
However, adding an airgun-specific 0dB silencer (where legal) is an easy and effective way to reduce the Ghost’s bark. Installation is a simple matter of unscrewing an end nut from the barrel and screwing the silencer into place.
The result is a very significant reduction in the report of the gun. The noise level was cut back to a quiet “phut”. No reduction in accuracy was observed when a 0dB device was added the the Ghost tested by HAM.
The only downside is that it did bring the overall length of the Ghost up to 38.6 Inches. That’s still not overly long. However – if you’re sure that you need a silencer – it may be as well to consider the shorter Carbine or Plus models with their shorter barrels.
SIGHTS AND SCOPE
The entire top length of the BRK Ghost includes a machined dovetail rail. This is not specifically intended for scope mounting, however it provides a versatile mounting base for both the cheekpiece and the scope mount.
This means that the Picatinny scope mount can be slid along the rail before clamping securely into the position that best matches the owner’s eyes and scope.
The standard scope rail supplied with the gun has a built-in 20 MOA angle. This makes it more suitable for the long-range shooting that will likely be the lot of many Ghosts.
For this HAM test review, we installed a MTC Optics Copperhead 4-16×44 F2 scope. This scope worked well and balanced readily on the Ghost. Leapers UTG PRO P.O.I rings provided a firm and appropriate-looking mount.
SHOOTABILITY
Overall, the HAM testers loved shooting the BRK Ghost! With the Copperhead scope mounted, the all-up weight was just 9 Lbs 11 Oz. That’s pretty light…
More than that, the weight is distributed so that the Ghost balances superbly for off-hand shooting. We found it easy to hold on target when kneeling and even standing. Well, at least as well as we can ever hold a gun on target in the standing position!
HAM Tester Doug Rogers noted that “The Ghost is so easy to shoot well. It’s one of the best-shooting guns I have ever used.”
The Ghosts’s buttpad can be locked in place for maximum comfort and can accommodate both right- and left-handed shooters. True, the magazine is unfashionably small – 11 shots in .22 caliber. However that makes it small, compact and inconspicuous in use. (And how often do you actually NEED a higher magazine capacity?)
The Ghosts’ sidelever cocking handle is beautiful and a joy to use. It can also easily be changed from the right side to the left. However Stephen Archer found it to be just a little too deep.
Why? Well when holding my trigger finger “up” for safety on the range, I found the handle blocked the natural lie of our first finger when the Ghost was cocked and ready to fire – but not just yet! You can see this in the photograph below.
Being left-handed, Doug Rogers did not have this issue. So, maybe the long-term answer to this issue could be to swap the cocking lever to the other side of the gun.
Of course, BRK offers an elegant solution to the limited magazine capacity issue through the ability of the Ghost’s magazines to clip back-to-back by strong magnets. The chassis allows loading from either side, too.
However this advantage is offset by two factors. One is the price of spare magazines – they’re $119 in the USA. The other is that a separate, accessory riser is required to lift the cheekpiece clear of the magazine well on the side it’s mounted, should you want to use the dual magazine capability.
Given that we’re looking at an air rifle costing North of $2K, it would be nice if dual-magazine operation could be available as standard. (One is included with the Daystate Alpha Wolf, for example).
The all-metal magazine itself opens-out for loading and is a pleasure to load. There’s no messing with loading the first pellet “backwards” and the cover plate stops pellets (or slugs) from shedding into your pocket.
APPEARANCE AND FINISH
If you like the look of “black gun” air rifles, you’re likely to love the looks of the BRK Ghost! The basic design elements are all there: a bullpup configuration with shrouded barrel, carbon-fiber tank up-front, mid-mounted sidelever and prominent pistol grip.
HAM is testing the “HP” version with 23-Inch long barrel and 480cc HPA bottle. This has an overall length of 33.6 Inches. However the Ghost is also available in two shorter models. The “Plus” has an overall length of 29 Inches while the stubby “Carbine” uses a short barrel and HPA bottle to reduce the overall length to just 26 Inches.
All three models have outstanding looks in the HAM team’s opinion. The guns are all well-balanced visually and have a handsome simplicity of line that attracts the eye.
By the way, that’s a Leapers UTG TBNR bipod mounted to the short Picatinny rail under the stock. That also worked well and is another high quality product that can be recommended for use with the BRK Ghost. If shooting from a bench or prone, the bipod provides a very stable shooting platform for the air rifle.
One unusual feature is that the BRK Ghost uses an AR47-compatible pistol grip. This compares to the AR15-fit grips that are typical in the industry and provides another distinguishing feature to the gun.
HAM Tester Doug Rogers is a qualified machinist. His professional opinion is that “all metalwork and finish is excellent”. It’s not going to get better than that…
BUYING AND OWNING
The BRK Ghost is available in the USA from Airguns of Arizona and Precision Airgun Distribution dealers. It is supplied complete with one magazine. There’s no single shot tray. However there is an excellent, sumptuous and beautifully-illustrated “Official Handbook” that explains how to use the gun. It’s in English only.
Fill pressure for the Ghost is a relatively-low 3,625 PSI (250 bar). As with many high-end PCP air rifles, the male quick disconnect nipple is protected by its location in a well ahead of the trigger.
The special, long-shank female quick disconnect supplied has a screw thread at the other end. So – if you don’t already own a Brocock or Daystate air rifle already, you’ll need to purchase an adapter to connect it to a regular HPA hose female quick disconnect…
There’s a simple, yet stylish cover plate that keeps junk out of the quick disconnect. This is magnetic and works well so long as you don’t loose it.
As with other Brocock/BRK air rifles, the Ghost is protected by the high-quality, included, hard case that’s supplied with it. It’s also covered by a 3 year warranty. This is supported in the USA by Airguns of Arizona’s repair facility in Phoenix for US customers.
TEST TARGETS
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BRK Ghost .22 Caliber PCP Air Rifle
This entire article including scoring, test targets etc is Copyright Hard Air Magazine and may NOT in part or in whole be reproduced in any electronic or printed medium without prior permission from the publisher.
The post BRK Ghost Air Rifle Test Review .22 Caliber appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.
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