First impressions: a PCP that stands apart

Ever since spotting this rifle in the Sportsmarketing catalogue I’ve wanted to get my hands on one. If bold styling is your thing, then the Remington Vought absolutely demands a closer look. The beefy profile really does set it apart from the crowd. No standard barrel clamped over a cylinder here. The Vought is more akin to a centrefire rifle.

Several factors come together to create the visuals. Though the end result may not have universal appeal, I absolutely love it. At a time when many manufacturers are switching their designs to subtle sidelever operation, the Remington Vought bucks the trend. It features a stonkingly good-looking, chunky bolt handle and slide mechanism.

The stock shows a straight-line butt. Meanwhile, the beefy forend suggests a heavyweight target gun. The cutting-edge configuration removes the obvious cylinder. Compressed air sits around the barrel within the chunky main tube. FX Airguns has used this approach with its DRS models. It remains a radical setup.

Alongside the Vought, there is a host of extras. These make the rifle look excellent value at around £600. Three magazines are supplied. In addition, you get spare seals, a filling adaptor, and a 3-9×40 scope with mounts.

Inside the action: regulated system and build quality

The Vought’s action is technically regulated. This explains the presence of two manometers. One sits just in front of the trigger and shows regulator pressure. Meanwhile, the second sits beneath the forend tip between twin Picatinny rails. It displays the residual pressure in the main tank.

All the metalwork has a matte black finish. This is highly practical for hunting. The laser-chequered Sporter stock comes in an attractive medium-brown colour. Importantly, it still shows the natural grain pattern of the wood. Overall, this is a very good-looking rifle.

To give the Vought a fair chance in testing, I fitted my own optic. The dovetail rails are quite short on this model. However, I soon mounted my MTC Genesis 3-9×40 and was ready to go. Just bear in mind the height of the magazine when planning scope mounting.

Competition in the airgun market is fierce. As a result, manufacturers increasingly supply rifles with multiple magazines. Three magazines are included here. Set them up in advance and you have plenty of firepower ready. Each magazine holds 10 shots. Although plastic, they feel well made.

Magazine system and filling procedure

The filling procedure is straightforward. No pre-winding is required. Simply drop a pellet head-first into the open chamber. Keep a finger over the back of the hole to stop it falling through.

The first pellet holds the spring-loaded mechanism. You can then rotate the drum to reveal the next chamber. Drop another pellet in and repeat until the magazine is full.

Charging the rifle’s air supply is also simple. Unscrew the dust cover at the muzzle end. This reveals a ½in thread for a sound moderator. It also exposes the inlet valve.

The filling adaptor uses a stick-style design. This is among the easiest systems to use. One end snaps into the Foster connector from the air supply. The other pushes into the inlet valve.

The recommended fill pressure is 190bar. The maximum is 200bar. I followed the advice and filled to 190bar. Check the probe is fully inserted. Then slowly charge the rifle, bleed the line, remove the probe and replace the cover.

Handling and operation in the field

An honest assessment must mention the bolt action. The chunky silver handle looks superb. However, the cocking stroke was not the smoothest I have encountered.

A precise and positive approach works best. Lift the bolt handle clear of its notch. Pull it fully rearward to cock the action. Next, snap the loaded magazine into place from the left side using its guide groove. Return the bolt forward and lock it down. You now have 10 shots ready.

The manual safety catch sits inside the trigger guard. During testing it proved unreliable. Occasionally the rifle could still fire. That is clearly not ideal. Personally, I would ignore it and follow strict safe gun handling.

Another minor drawback involves the straight-line stock. Your cheek position may sit slightly low. However, a small cheek pad would solve this easily.

Trigger performance

The trigger sits nicely to the rear. I particularly like the broad blade design. The manual makes no reference to adjustment. It is also unclear whether the unit is single-stage or two-stage.

In use, the pull felt slightly vague. There was a little creep during a short movement. However, the release was extremely light. For my style of shooting, this worked well. As always, keep your finger clear of the trigger until ready to fire.

Noise and accessory options

The rifle is fairly loud when fired. Therefore, hunters should consider fitting a moderator. Thankfully the muzzle is threaded for exactly that purpose.

With a moderator fitted during testing, the report dropped dramatically. The rifle became extremely quiet. Of course, the extra length reduces manoeuvrability slightly. It also alters the sleek appearance. However, the resulting stealth is worthwhile in the field.

The Vought also offers good accessory options. Twin Picatinny rails sit beneath the forend. These allow the attachment of bipods or other accessories. There is also a short run of dovetail rail on top of the action tube.

For more on safe and responsible shooting practice, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) offers extensive guidance for airgun shooters.

Field test results: power and shot count

The regulator pressure on my test rifle sat at 900psi. This equals roughly 60bar. I began with several test cards to set the zero and assess the rifle’s feel.

Shorter pellets seemed to cycle more smoothly through the magazine. I initially used QYS pellets weighing 8.44 grains. However, the shorter Air Arms Diabolo Express pellets at 7.87 grains worked slightly better.

Over the chronograph, using QYS pellets, I recorded 55 shots. The total spread measured 33fps. That is not exceptional for consistency or shot count. However, it is more than adequate for a hunting rifle. Average power measured a healthy 11.3ft/lb.

I stopped at 55 shots. At that point, the main cylinder pressure had dropped close to the regulator pressure.

Anyone seeking a huge shot count may prefer another model. Nevertheless, the Vought offers enough performance for typical hunting use.

Accuracy testing at range

Accuracy testing began at 30 yards. Both QYS and Air Arms Diabolo Field pellets produced groups of roughly half an inch. That is perfectly respectable.

However, the shorter pellets seemed promising. Switching to Air Arms Diabolo Express tightened groups significantly. They shrank to around a quarter of an inch.

Moving back to 40 yards barely increased group size. That level of consistency is excellent for a hunting PCP rifle.

Conclusion: distinctive design with solid performance

With the right ammunition, the Remington Vought clearly performs well. The multishot system is not the slickest available. It proved slightly sticky during testing.

Even so, it is difficult not to like this unusual air rifle. Few guns turn heads quite like the Vought. The bold styling, quick handling and solid accuracy all stand out.

It may not be perfect. However, its unique character and genuine performance make it highly appealing. At the current retail price, it looks like very good value indeed.