Air Rifle Snowpeak AP900 B Mercury 6.35mm

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

Air rifle variants

The Mercury model is manufactured in 4 design versions:

• AP900 – 310 mm barrel, aluminium 118cc air tube and bottom M-LOK rail.
• AP1000 – 500 mm barrel, aluminium 250cc air tube and bottom M-LOK rail.
• AP900 B – 310 mm barrel, aluminium 350cc bottle and bottom Picatinny rail.
• AP1000 B – 500 mm barrel, aluminium 350cc 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 designed for shooting lead pellets. The entire barrel is covered with a stylish jacket / shroud with a surface finish imitating carbon fibre, giving the air rifle a much more premium look. The barrel muzzle is fitted with a sound moderator, and after its removal you will find a 1/2UNF thread for possible installation of a different moderator (for models AP900 and AP900 B it is possible to install only a moderator with a maximum body diameter of 28 mm. A larger moderator would interfere with the air tube).

If the threaded adapter remains on the moderator, you can simply loosen it, for example using a thin metal rod.

A major 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 either at the end of the standard air tube or near the neck of the air bottle, depending on the model. This is also where you will find the port for the Quickfill fill pin for quick coupler.

Loading mechanism

The manufacturer opted for a safe bet here and used the popular biathlon-style side lever with smooth operation and a grip large enough even for bigger hands. You can use either a pre-tensioned magazine (2 pcs included) or the supplied single-shot adapter for shooting.

Trigger and safety

The trigger mechanism allows you to adjust the trigger pull weight, trigger travel and its overall height and cant. On the left side above the trigger there is a manual AR-15 type safety.

Stock and mounting systems

A very interesting feature of this model is the folding stock, which you must first install onto the rear Picatinny rail after unboxing the air rifle. Once the stock is installed, you get a full-size long air rifle that 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 buttpad 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 style pistol grip, so you can replace it with another one if you wish, and the fore-end, depending on the air rifle variant, features either M-LOK slots (on the version with a standard air tube) or a bottom Picatinny rail (on the version with an 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 plastic parts here – for example on the fore-end, 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.