The Chinese company Snowpeak Airguns (SPA) is a true champion in the field of budget air rifles. This is proven by the new series of PCP air rifles called Mercury – these airguns are characterised by excellent workmanship, high modularity and, considering the features offered, above all an unbeatable purchase price.

Air rifle variants
The Mercury model is produced in 4 design versions:
- AP900 – 310 mm barrel, aluminium 118 cc air cylinder and bottom M-LOK rail.
- AP1000 – 500 mm barrel, aluminium 250 cc air cylinder and bottom M-LOK rail.
- AP900 B – 310 mm barrel, aluminium 350 cc bottle and bottom Picatinny rail.
- AP1000 B – 500 mm barrel, aluminium 350 cc bottle and bottom Picatinny rail.
Each variant is available in 3 calibres – 4.5 mm (.177), 5.5 mm (.22) and 6.35 mm (.25).
Features and characteristics
The air rifle is equipped with a rifled barrel intended for shooting with lead pellets. The whole barrel is covered with a stylish jacket / shroud with a carbon fibre-effect finish, giving the air rifle a much more premium look. The muzzle is finished with a sound moderator, and after removing it you will find a 1/2UNF thread for the possible installation of a different moderator (for models AP900 and AP900 B you can install only a moderator with a maximum body diameter of 28 mm. A larger moderator would interfere with the air cylinder).

If the threaded adapter remains on the moderator, you can simply loosen it, for example using a thin metal rod.
A significant advantage compared to the competition is the integrated pressure regulator, thanks to which the air rifle achieves consistent muzzle velocity both with a full cylinder and just above the regulator set point. The remaining pressure is indicated by a simple manometer, which is located, depending on the model, either at the end of the standard cylinder or near the neck of the pressure bottle. There you will also find the port for the Quickfill pin for a quick coupler.
Loading mechanism
The manufacturer opted for tried-and-true solutions here and used a popular biathlon-style side lever with smooth operation and a sufficiently large handle even for bigger hands. For shooting, you can use either the pre-indexed magazine (2 pcs included) or the supplied single-shot tray.

Stock and mounting systems
A major highlight of this model is the folding stock, which you must first install onto the rear Picatinny rail after unpacking the air rifle. Once the stock is mounted, you get a full-size long air rifle which can be shortened by 25 cm by folding the stock, and in the folded position the stock is held in place by a magnet. The cheekpiece is fixed and the butt pad is surprisingly made of rubber instead of plastic.

A sufficiently long metal Picatinny rail is provided for mounting a scope, and on the sides you will find two additional plastic Picatinny rails for mounting a laser, torch or other accessories.
Other parts of the air rifle include a rubberised AR-15 type pistol grip, so you can replace it with another one, and the forend, depending on the variant, features either M-LOK slots (on the version with the standard cylinder) or a bottom Picatinny rail (on the version with the air bottle).
Materials and workmanship
Although this is a budget air rifle, it is manufactured to a very high standard. The main body of the gun, the top rail and the trigger guard are made from a single piece of aluminium, nothing wobbles and everything holds firmly together. Yes, you will also find plenty of plastics here – for example on the forend, the side Picatinny rails and the entire stock is also plastic. However, thanks to the use of high-quality polymer, these parts still feel solid and durable and do not negatively affect the overall function of the air rifle in any way.