Czech manufacturer AirMaks is entering the market with a hot new product for 2021, named after the Black Sea shark – Katran.
The HP (High Power) version offers a larger Power Plenum volume and its non-choked barrel is specially tuned for shooting slugs. Of course, you can still shoot standard pellets as well.
AirMaks Katran, despite its overall length of 1210 mm, stands out for its light weight. The weight is just over 3 kg. The lightweight stock is machined on CNC machines. By pressing a button it can be folded to the left side. The locking of the stock against accidental opening is cleverly solved by a magnet that reliably holds it in place. The butt pad and cheek piece are made of durable ABS plastic. The stock also includes space for attaching two magazines.
Loading is fantastic. Hats off, the manufacturer really thought this through. You can cycle the action quickly, with one finger and without having to take the reticle off the target. The biathlon lever has a short and incredibly smooth travel. Many bullpups can only dream of that. The charging handle can be positioned on either side to suit the shooter. The icing on the cake is the protection against loading two pellets into the barrel.
The Czech-made barrel measures 700 mm (1/17.7) and is ideal for shooting slugs. It ends with an efficient cup-style sound moderator. If you want the gun to be as quiet as a summer breeze, you can add extra cups or any sound moderator with a 1/2 UNFx20 thread.
The air supply is provided by a duralumin air cylinder with a capacity of 300 cm3 and a maximum operating pressure of 300 bar. The cylinder is surrounded by a tactical forearm with KeyMod slots. Thanks to this, the balance point of the rifle is shifted slightly forward. A 22 mm rail is provided for mounting optics.
The magazine in .22 calibre (5.5 mm) holds an impressive 16 shots. A fully adjustable trigger is standard.
The pistol grip made of soft-touch polymer follows the AR15 standard and ensures a comfortable hold. The manual safety is located on the left side of the action and can be operated even with the stock folded.
The AirMaks Katran air rifle is supplied in a nice padded case.
Key advantages
- High-quality and lightweight construction
- Excellent loading system
- Folding stock
- Integrated sound moderator
- Protection against double loading of pellets