BRK Ranger XR2 Recon – Value For Money
In total, there’s four models included in the new Ranger XR2 line, all based on the same, proven, receiver. They are designated as the “Lite”, “Recon”, “Compact” and “Tactical”. They have very different personalities based on overall length and weight.
These are chunky, no-nonsense airguns that build upon the reputation of the original Ranger as a versatile, reliable pest-control tool. And they’re starting to arrive at Airguns of Arizona now for US customers.
As a “tube gun”, they also do not include a bulky HPA bottle. This appeals to many people, too. It’s good to see BRK offering a choice in their range.
This is also a “chassis” gun, with a solid, one-piece Aluminum frame incorporated into the design. The chassis concept is widespread, of course, however it’s often offered only as a (usually expensive) upgrade. The Ranger XR2 models include that as part of the basic product configuration.
Our review Ranger XR2 is the Recon model. It’s around 40-Inches long – depending on how the stock is set – with a 23-Inch barrel and 185 cc HPA tube. Unusually, this one is in .177 caliber and has a dedicated slug barrel. It’s the first dedicated “slug gun” ever tested by Hard Air Magazine.
The current selling price is $1,749.99.
But is Recon good value? For many serious airgunners, the answer is likely to be “yes”. Read on to find out why…
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BRK Ranger XR2 Recon
BRK Ranger XR2 Recon – Speed And Accuracy
There’s no doubt that the XR2 Recon tested by HAM is a powerful air rifle. With a maximum tested Muzzle Energy of 32.85 Ft/Lbs, it’s the most powerful .177 that I have ever shot.
| Slug | Average Muzzle Velocity | Average Muzzle Energy | Accuracy |
|---|---|---|---|
| H&N Slug HP 10 Grain | 1.049 FPS | 24.44 Ft/Lbs | Very good |
| JSB Knock Out Mk 1 10.03 Grain | 1,054 FPS | 24.75 Ft/Lbs | Excellent |
| JSB KnockOut Mk 2 10.03 Grain | 1,032 FPS | 23.73 Ft/Lbs | Poor |
| JSB KnockOut Mk 3 10.03 Grain | 1,059 FPS | 24.98 Ft/Lbs | Excellent |
| Daystate Howler 12.6 Grain | 983 FPS | 27.04 Ft/Lbs | Very good |
| H&N Slug HP 13 Grain | 995 FPS | 28.59 Ft/Lbs | What happened??? |
| JSB KnockOut Mk 1 13.43 Grain | 986 FPS | 29.0 Ft/Lbs | Excellent. Best tested. |
| H&N Slug HP 16 Grain | 934 FPS | 31.0 Ft/Lbs | Excellent |
| H&N Slug HP 20 Grain | 860 FPS | 32.85 Ft/Lbs | Excellent |
It’s also extremely accurate, as the following test target shows. That’s 10 slugs in an approximately 1/3-Inch CTC group at 25 Yards with 13.43 Grain JSB KnockOut Mark 1 slugs. That is undoubtedly the best 10-shot, 25-Yard group I have ever shot!
As you will see below, that performance was not unique to the KnockOuts. The 20 Grain H&N Slug HP group was very nearly as good, too.
Several of the other 25-Yard groups were excellent, too. So this is not a “picky” slug gun when it comes to ammo.
But there was one exception. The H&N 13 Grain Slug HP group was unbelievably bad – in spite of excellent-looking slugs providing the best Standard Deviation of an outstanding 2 FPS. Why was that? I’m sure it was not an inherent issue with the ammo itself. All the other H&H slugs shot very well…
Was it due to some incompatibility between the slug bearing surface length and the rifling rate of the barrel? I don’t know. Suggestions and – if possible – answers please in the HAM Community!
BRK Ranger XR2 Recon – Trigger And Cocking Effort
The average pull weight of the XR2 Recon tested by HAM was 2 Lbs 13.4 Oz. The feel of the two-stage mechanism is good. There’s a definite first stage and it’s easy to feel when the sear is going to release. This is a very pleasant trigger to use!
As always, HAM tested the trigger “as received”. However there are adjustment possibilities for both first and second stages, together with trigger position. If the Recon were to be used for benchrest competition, a little lightening-up would probably be in order. However, for hunting and more general shooting, the set-up as received would be just fine.
The manual safety is a “paddle type” that flips from side-to side. It’s inside the trigger guard, just in front of the trigger itself. This is a convenient location for the safety and it works precisely. However, it is not easy to operate with one hand.
The safety pushes to the left to disengage. This is easy and natural for right-handers, but not so for southpaws, who may find it necessary to break their hold on the gun to let off the safety. On the other hand, setting the safety is more difficult for the right-handed shooter…
However, in the HAM Team’s opinion it’s not so easy to actually see the safety’s position.
The sidelever cocking action is easy and precise to use. The side lever itself is well positioned and pleasantly-weighted. The cocking effort itself was around 7.5 Lbs. That’s lighter than the trigger pull weight of some air rifles we have tested!
Cocking was easy, helped – no doubt – by that oversize cocking lever handle. This has tactical looks and tactile feeling – it’s an efficient and enjoyable way to cock the air rifle. Very nice!
While we’re here, this may be a good time to mention the power adjuster of the Recon. It’s that rotary switch just under the company logo, controlling a transfer port adjuster. We left it set to “maximum” for the whole test and imagine that most owners will do likewise.
BRK Ranger XR2 Recon – Comparison To Makers Claims
Headline specifications for the BRK Ranger XR2 Recon in .177 caliber are a Muzzle Energy of up to 30 Ft/Lbs and up to 26 shots (two magazines) per fill on full power.
HAM test results produced a maximum of 32.85 Ft/Lbs when using 20 Grain H&N Slug HP ammo. That’s comfortably above the manufacturer’s claim. It also exceeds the factory test target which recorded an average of 31.2 Ft/Lbs with the same, 20 Grain H&N slugs.
Our consistency testing posted below shows that the Recon achieved 23 consistent shots at the full power setting. That’s slightly below the specs, but is congruent with the power level being above claims.
BRK Ranger XR2 Recon – Consistency
The XR2 Recon tested by HAM offered excellent consistency. Standard Deviation – the measure of shot-to-shot consistency in a string – averaged 7.5 FPS across the range of HAM test slugs. It actually fell to as low as 2 FPS for the 13 Grain H&N Slugs HP. That’s really outstanding!
The “shootdown chart” below was made at the full power setting. As we can see, the regulator set point was met at shot 23 when firing the 20 Grain H&N Slugs at full power.
Trigger pull weight was also very consistent. It varied by less than 3 Oz above or below the average of 2 Lbs 13.4 Oz. That difference is imperceptible to the HAM Testers and – probably – to any other user, too.
Another aspect of consistency was the strong level of accuracy achieved with almost all of the slugs in the HAM test suite.
BRK Ranger XR2 Recon – Noise Level
It came as no surprise that the XR2 Recon tested by HAM gave a fairly loud report. After all, with this level of power and no built-in acoustic silencing, how could it be anything else?
Fortunately the muzzle is threaded. Attaching an airgun-specific 0dB silencer would tame the bark considerably, making it definitely backyard-friendly. However the overall length of the gun would be increased by about 3 Inches and it’s already long enough for me!
Is that a good trade-off? That will be a decision for each individual owner. Most will probably add that silencer where legal to do so.
BRK Ranger XR2 Recon – Sights And Scope
The Ranger XR2 family is equipped with a two-part Picatinny rail for scope mounting. This provided plenty of real estate for attaching a scope on our Recon.
These Picatinny rails can also be removed if required, revealing a set of regular (but shorter) airgun dovetail rails underneath. This provides another mounting option for short eye relief or low-mounted scopes.
For this test, we mounted a MTC Viper Pro 3-18 x 50 AO scope to the Recon using our favorite UTG Pro rings.
The scope is not too big, so it balanced well on the Ranger XR2. Mounted with 30mm Leapers UTG Pro rings, the all-up weight increased to 10 Lbs 9 Oz. Plus, the finish of the metal components matched very well too.
This scope balanced well on the gun and gave a high quality image for our testing. Obviously no-one will mount a cheap riflescope on a premium air rifle like the Recon, nor will they skimp on rings. The HAM Team didn’t either…
Needless to say, there are no open sights supplied with the BRK Rangers. However, everyone will want to mount an optic of some sort for pest-control shooting, so that’s a non-issue.
BRK Ranger XR2 Recon – Shootability
The Recon is a long air rifle – although somewhat shorter than the XR2 Ranger Sniper member of the range. Due to the long HPA tube, extending almost the full length of the barrel, it is definitely muzzle-heavy.
Some people will like that. But if – like HAM Reviewer Stephen Archer, you don’t – BRK has the handier Lite and Compact models available in the range. True, these sacrifice power and shot count for that improved handling, but that’s life: you can’t have everything. Credit to BRK for offering its customers the choice!
At the rear, the Recon is equipped with a multi-position adjustable buttstock. This AR-style fitment makes it easy to set the best pull length for comfortable shooting. It also has an adjustable-height cheekpiece/comb.
Again, that’s a simple, practical benefit that helps shooters achieve a consistent, comfortable shooting stance. That pays dividends in real-world accuracy downrange…
The 13-shot rotary magazine works well and predictably, as always with Brocock/BRK and Daystate air rifles. It’s also very easy to load. The only downside is that will allow blank shots to be fired on an empty chamber, so you need to keep track of how many shots you have fired.
In addition, the HAM Team also particularly liked the single shot tray. This was easy to use, providing a convenient, high wall on the “non-loading” side.
The single shot tray can also be installed from either side. This unusual feature is particularly appreciated by left-handed shooters.
As mentioned above, the XR2 Recon tested by HAM weighed a heavy 10 Lbs 9 Oz with mounted scope. That increased to 12 Lbs 4 Oz when the Leapers Goliath bipod was attached. And it could be even more if the multitudinous possibilities for attaching other devices to the chassis forend were to be utilized.
Heavy, yes! But ideal for prone or benchrest shooting…
BRK Ranger XR2 Recon – Appearance And Finish
The BRK Recon is a workmanlike, “chunky” kind of gun. It certainly feels as if practicality and ergonomics – rather than outright appearance – were driving factors behind the product.
However – so long as you like black guns – the HAM Team found the Recon to be quite good-looking in its own way. I would say that it’s one of those air rifles that looks better “in the flesh” than it does in photographs.
In line with my personal preferences, I would say that the Ranger XR2 Compact is the best-looking version. But – as mentioned before – BRK is offering choices and the Recon will clearly appeal to many.
The long HPA tube and correspondingly-dimensioned chassis balance the appearance well.
As always with Brocock/BRK products, the machining, molding and surface finish of all parts is perfect. An understated air of quality is the result. There’s not much more to say!
BRK Ranger XR2 Recon – Buying And Owning
As with all Brocock/BRK products, you’ll only find the Ranger XR2 Recon available from specialist airgun dealers such as Airguns of Arizona and the Precision Airgun Distribution network of dealers across the USA.
However, knowledgeable air gunners will know this. They will also value the three-year warranty that’s provided with the Recon. This is supported in the USA by Airguns of Arizona’s repair facility in Phoenix for US customers.
The Recon tested by HAM was supplied with a generic, BRK “Official Handbook”. This is a beautifully-produced, full-color publication that provides much information, including parts diagrams. However it’s not model-specific and so the Ranger XR2 owner will need to select the information appropriate for his or her gun.
Examining the included parts diagrams reveals only about 15 O rings are used in Ranger family models. This is good news as – generally – the lower the number of O rings in a PCP air rifle – the less chance of a leak. That low number of O rings endorses the strong reputation of BRK airguns for long-term reliability.
In addition to the side-mounted power adjuster, there’s also a 12-step hammer spring tension adjusting wheel at the rear of the action. This is intended to provide an easy, externally-adjustable capability for owners to finesse the gun’s tune with their chosen ammo.
Finally, we need to raise a couple of operational issues concerning the Recon which the HAM Testers found unsatisfactory.
The first is the fill probe filling system. We don’t like fill probes at the best of times as they are easy to loose and completely non-standard.
Another strike against the fill probe supplied by BRK is that it has a threaded end. This means that it’s necessary to buy – or find (that was our big problem, Grrrrr) – an adapter to connect it to a HPA compressor or tank. A far superior solution is for the fill probe to have a male “Foster-style” quick disconnect instead. That would make it compatible with the connectors that most of us already use to fill out PCPs with air.
The second gripe concerns the location and faceplate of the High Pressure Air gauge. Take a close look at it below…
Practically it’s really, really difficult to read the gauge without looking straight down the barrel at the same time. That’s a clear safety issue to me, although this is mitigated if a silencer is fitted. Side-mounted front HPA pressure gauges are becoming common for tube-based PCPs: it’s time for BRK to join this trend!
Finally we found the gauge faceplate itself difficult to read in low light. Also it had no red sector to indicate the maximum fill pressure. There is a subtle pink section indicating low pressure, however. Again a simple thing, but one which caused the testers frustration multiple times: it should be a very easy fix in manufacturing.
BRK Ranger XR2 Recon – Additional 25-Yard Test Targets
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BRK Ranger XR2 Recon
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.
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