Comparison Hatsan Gladius Long vs Umarex Walther 1250 Dominator FT

Rifles made according to the Bull-Pup layout are distinguished by the non-standard location of the trigger and magazine: the magazine (and, most often, the cocking and bullet feed mechanism) is not in front of the trigger, but behind it, usually in the butt, and the trigger is therefore moved forward, almost to the middle of the weapon.

In the case of pneumatics, the key advantage of such a layout is a comfortable balance. The main handle in the bullpups is located approximately in the area of the center of gravity, due to which the rifle becomes more maneuverable, the transfer of fire vertically and horizontally is easier, and the barrel does not tend to tilt forward so much, and it is easier to support it with the second hand. In addition, due to such a design, it is possible to achieve a large barrel length without significantly increasing the dimensions of the entire rifle, which in some cases is an advantage (for more details, see "Barrel length"). On the other hand, moving the handle forward significantly complicates the weapon, increases its cost and can make reloading difficult. In addition, not all bullpups are convenient for left-handers - on the right side there may be various elements (a protruding magazine, a bolt handle), complicating the insertion onto the left shoulder, and special "left-handed" versions of such models are extremely rare.

It is also worth considering that due to the specifics of the layout, such rifles are designed main...ly for the use of optical/collimator sights and are almost never equipped with a classic front sight with a rear sight. True, for the bar provided in most bullpups, you can install removable front sights with rear sights, but this is hardly justified: the aiming line is too short, which makes it difficult to achieve accurate shooting.

It should be noted that in AEG drives (see "Type") the bull-pup format is used for other reasons - in models that copy the appearance of real weapons in this format.

The muzzle velocity provided by the rifle - that is, the speed of the bullet as it exits the barrel.

All other things being equal, a higher bullet speed provides greater range and accuracy, and also simplifies aiming at long distances: the bullet flies along a smoother trajectory and requires fewer adjustments in height, and the influence of side winds decreases with increasing speed. On the other hand, this indicator directly affects the price of the rifle; and in some countries, legal restrictions on the ownership of pneumatic weapons are also related to the muzzle velocity of the bullet.

As for specific values, in the weakest modern rifles the initial speed does not exceed 150 m/s, and in the most powerful it can be 300 - 350 m/s or even more(remember, the speed of sound is 330 m/s). In general, for recreational shooting at short distances, this parameter is not particularly important, and detailed recommendations for choosing pneumatics for more specific situations can be found in special sources. Let us only note that in AEG electric drives (see “Type”) the initial speed extremely rarely exceeds 150 m/s, but this is done solely for safety reasons: such “weapons” are intended for military-tactical games and initially involve shooting at people, and the high speed would be unsafe for players even with protective equipment.

It is also wor...th considering that this indicator is not strictly defined. In any type of pneumatic it depends on the weight of the bullet (the lighter the faster); therefore, in the characteristics it is usually customary to indicate a certain average velocity for standard ammunition (usually weighing 0.5 g, in AEG - 0.2 g). In addition, in multi-compression rifles the actual speed of the bullet is determined by the degree of inflation, in gas-cylinder rifles it is determined by the ambient temperature, and in PCP models it is possible to achieve higher speeds than declared by replacing the air with a special gas (for example, helium). Nevertheless, this characteristic makes it possible to evaluate the capabilities of the rifle and compare it with other models, including those that differ in type.

The type of cocking system provided in the design of the rifle.

The cocking system is responsible for setting the trigger mechanism to the combat cocking position (ready to fire), and in the case of a multi-shot design, also for feeding the next bullet into the chamber. Such systems are usually divided by the control method. The options encountered today include, in particular, a barrel break, a lever ( side or under-barrel), a pump mechanism, a bolt(including such varieties as biathlon and bolt), and an automatic cocking system. Here are the main features of each of these systems:

— Barrel break. In rifles with this type of cocking, the barrel is fixed on a rotary axis, and folds down with each reload. In this case, not only the trigger mechanism is cocked, but the chamber also opens, allowing you to load the next bullet. This option is found exclusively in spring models - conventional and with a gas spring (see "Type"), it is with such rifles that the barrel break is most compatible. One of the key advantages of such systems is their low cost. In addition, "breaks" are very easy to use, do not require special skills and are suitable even for inexperienced shooters. So such pneumatics...are extremely popular these days. At the same time, they are usually made single-shot (with very rare exceptions), constant folding and unfolding of the barrel can be quite tedious, and the barrel mount tends to loosen as it wears out, which reduces accuracy and power.

— Automatic cocking. Systems that do not require any additional actions from the shooter to cock the weapon; found in PCP pneumatics (see "Type"), gas-cylinder models, and AEGs (the latter are by definition made only with automatic cocking). In accordance with the name, the cocking in such weapons is carried out automatically before each shot - as a rule, with the next bullet being sent into the chamber (although there are also single-shot models where the bullet must be inserted manually). In any case, the automatic cocking is extremely simple and easy to use. In addition, even fully automatic weapons can be created on the basis of such mechanisms (see "Automatic mode"), although most rifles with this feature still operate in the single-fire format. The disadvantages of such systems include the complexity of the design and the rather high cost, as well as the fact that air/gas is additionally consumed for the automatic cocking. This reduces the number of shots per charge, and can also reduce the initial velocity compared to similar models with manual reloading (however, the latter is typical mainly for gas-cylinder rifles).

— Under-barrel lever. Systems that use a lever under the barrel, which must be pressed down with each cocking. Like the barrel break described above, this method is used primarily with spring-piston mechanisms and gas springs. It is more convenient and reliable, since the rifle barrel remains stationary at all times, and its design does not include fasteners that can become loose and fail. On the other hand, the lever design is noticeably more complex and expensive than the break-action design, and therefore is quite rare.
Note that the pumping lever in multi-compression models (see "Type") is usually not responsible for cocking the weapon, so a different cocking method is specified for such rifles (although there are exceptions). And in gas-cylinder models, there is a special type of under-barrel lever - the so-called Henry bracket, like in classic cowboy Winchesters (in fact, such pneumatics usually just copy this weapon).

— Side lever. Systems that use a lever on the side of the rifle — usually on the right. They are found mainly in models with a spring-piston mechanism or a gas spring. As in the case of an under-barrel lever, the main advantage of this method is the immobility of the barrel, which contributes to accuracy and reliability. On the other hand, such a cocking system is usually made for right-handers and can be inconvenient when shooting from the left shoulder; in addition, a side lever is somewhat more difficult to fit into a design than an under-barrel lever. Therefore, this option has not become very popular.

— Bolt. Systems using a classic type of bolt handle — sliding back and forth. This type of cocking does not provide air pumping, and therefore is used only in gas-cylinder rifles, PCP, and some multi-compression models (see "Type"). Pneumatics with bolts are mainly made multi-shot — this is the very idea of such systems (feeding the next bullet from the magazine); however, there are exceptions. In general, this is a fairly simple, practical and reliable method of cocking, but nowadays more specific types of bolts are increasingly used — biathlon and bolt; they are listed separately in our catalog and described below.

— Biathlon bolt. A type of bolt (see above), copied from small-caliber biathlon rifles. In such systems, as in traditional bolt mechanisms, the cocking handle is located on the side and moves back and forth. The key difference is that this handle is fixed on a rotating mount and does not slide along the guides when reloading, but swings on the axis. The biathlon bolt differs from the similar in design side lever (see above) in its location (at the rear of the rifle), shorter lever length, and the fact that it does not provide air inflation. Many shooters consider this bolt more convenient than the classic one — in particular, it has a very small operating force, due to which you can move the lever without taking your eyes off the sight. And in some models, you don’t even need to remove your “shooting” hand from the handle to cock the bolt — just hook the lever with your index finger, pull it towards you with a light movement of the wrist, and then, if necessary, move it forward with your thumb. The biathlon bolt is used almost exclusively in PCP rifles (see "Type").

— Bolt action. A type of bolt (see above) that not only moves back and forth when reloading, but also rotates around its axis — similar to how it happens in many classic firearms like the Mosin rifle or Remington 700. In fact, the resemblance to real weapons is one of the key advantages of such systems: they are valued by fans of traditional rifles, and can also be good training simulators for developing basic shooting skills from more serious "bolt" weapons. Most pneumatics with such cocking systems are PCP or gas-cylinder, only a few models use the multi-compression principle (see "Type").

— Pump mechanism. Systems in which a movable fore-end is used for cocking — as in pump-action shotguns, hence the name. The main convenience of such systems is that cocking can be done without removing your hands from the weapon. On the other hand, the constant movement of the fore-end throws off the sight and has a negative effect on accuracy, so this cocking method is not particularly popular in air rifles.

And in models like AEG (see “Type”) and other airsoft weapons, the capacity is indicated for the standard magazine supplied in the kit; in this case, the magazine, as a rule, is removable, and if desired, it can be replaced with another one that differs in capacity. It is worth noting here that airsoft magazines are usually divided into “bunkers” (high capacity) and “mechanics” (low capacity). Mechanas typically hold up to 150 pellets, and some of these magazines have the same capacity as real weapons. This variety is appreciated by lovers of realism and experienced players. In “bunkers,” in turn, the capacity is already hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of bullets. They are convenient for beginners and undemanding airsoft players, but a serious drawback of such magazines is noise - the balls, hanging in the main compartment of the “bunker”, turn it into a rattle, making it difficult to move covertly.

The type of safety provided in the design of the rifle.

Recall that the fuse is a device that prevents an unwanted shot. In air rifles, such a device can be automatic or manual, and in some models it is absent altogether. Here are the features of each option:

— Manual. Fuse, switched on and off exclusively manually, at the will of the shooter. The most common variety — such mechanisms are as simple and inexpensive as possible. They are somewhat less safe than automatic ones (see below) and require more careful attention; however, it is not difficult to develop the skill to properly handle the manual safety. And in multi-shot models, the advantage of manual safety over automatic is that there is no need to make unnecessary actions between shots.

— Automatic. A fuse that, at a certain moment, works automatically, without additional actions on the part of the shooter. Most often, such systems operate in this way: the weapon automatically becomes on the safety lock after the trigger is cocked, and in order to make a shot, you must first turn off the safety lock manually. This provides more safety than in the manual systems described above: if the shooter forgets about the fuse, the shot will not happen anyway. Particularly popular are automatic safety locks in cocked rifles due to a broken barrel (see "Cocking System"): such a mechanism does not allow you to pull the trigger until the shooter has completed relo...ading. But in other types of pneumatics, this option is rare.
In addition, this category may include systems that are not fuses in the original sense of the word — for example, a mechanism that prevents the bullet from feeding into the chamber of a PCP rifle (see “Type”) if there is already a charge there.

— Is absent. No separate fuse. A similar design is found in two varieties of air rifles. The first is low-cost models with a spring principle of operation (including those with a gas spring; see "Type"). In such models, the fuse is abandoned solely to simplify and reduce the cost of construction; it is worth buying such a rifle only if the future owner knows the safety rules when handling weapons.
The second type of pneumatics without fuses are high-end PCP rifles designed for professional shooters. Similarly, the role of the "fuse" when using such weapons is played exclusively by the skills and experience of the user himself.

The ability to adjust the location of the emphasis under the cheek, located on the butt. Usually, we are talking about at least height adjustment, and in advanced models it may also be possible to move the stop back and forth. Anyway, this feature allows you to adjust the position of the cheek to the physique and personal preferences of a particular shooter, thus providing the most comfortable tab — and this convenience, in turn, has a positive effect on accuracy. At the same time, the ability to adjust the cheekpiece significantly increases the price of the rifle, and therefore it is found mainly in top-class models.

The ability to adjust the back of the stock mounted in the rifle.

Most often, we are talking about adjusting the length, which allows you to adjust the length of the butt to the growth and, accordingly, the length of the hands of a particular user. In some models, such adjustment is carried out due to the telescopic design of the butt itself, in others, interchangeable or retractable butt pads are provided. Anyway, this feature provides additional comfort when shooting. And it will be especially useful in two cases: if several people of different builds use the same rifle and if they have to shoot at different times of the year (in the latter case, the ability to adjust the stock depending on the thickness of the layer of clothing is useful).

In addition, more specific adjustments can be provided in modern pneumatics — for example, moving the butt plate up or down, used when shooting from non-standard positions or as an analogue of cheek adjustment (see above).

The presence of a retainer for additional (spare) magazines in the design of the rifle. Such a latch usually has the form of a nest (or several nests) on the bed or butt, where, in fact, the magazines are inserted. This is much more convenient than keeping a spare ammunition in your pocket or bag: magazines for pneumatics are usually small in size, and it can be difficult to “catch” them among other contents throughout the entire volume of the pocket / bag. The latch also allows you to keep the ammunition in a strictly defined place at the shooter's hand.

The presence in the design of the rifle sling swivels — special loops or staples (usually metal) on which the weapon belt is attached. There are usually two such loops — in the front and back of the weapon. In this case, most often the swivels are installed on the underside of the butt and forearm; this design is universal, it allows both right-handed and left-handed people to use the belt with the same comfort. There are also models with a lateral location of the front swivel — usually on the left side of the forearm, under the right-handed hold; however, nowadays in such rifles it is often possible to rearrange the swivel to the other side. So if the pneumatic is bought for a left-hander and it is planned to equip it with a belt, it will not hurt to clarify the features of the sling swivels separately, however, most likely, their design will not create inconvenience.