BSA Merlin XL Multishot

https://www.guncity.com/22-bsa-merlin-xl-synthetic-gen-3i-air-rifle-1300fps-scope-options-404616

It is not listed on the BSA web site nor any Gamo site... nor have I found any reference to it outside of NZ.

Sure looks like a Gamo...  Yet says made in Spain and England

From my very limited experience shooting similar guns to these, they feel very under engineered in that how can they maintain the forces that occur with the lightweight design and materials used.

The upside being that it is lighter to carry when hunting. I would prefer to spend the $1k on a second hand weihrauch or brand new Cometa Fenix though.

Agree the Merlin is a mix of Spanish components  with a British made barrel. 

I do not own a modern BSA so no opinion as to whether the barrels are any better but good video on you-tube of the BSA factory and process.

A .22 calibre gas piston at 1100 fps using a lead pellet is ridiculous and dubious.

I do not have a Gen 3 loader and can only hope they have improved reliability from Gen 1.

Appreciate a review from anyone who is using one.

I do like the threaded barrel end as an option.

I do like the beech wood stock.

The RRR rail is a perfectly good accessory riser but will not protect a scope in any way.

The early gen 1 multi-shot mechanism is easily removed giving you a usable 1 shot rifle, unsure of the gen 3.

Assuming these are a Gamo Magnum with the over sized chamber then the trigger will be very firm.

I have considered several BSA options to date and will likely continue to resist and hope the CLX does not appear in NZ stores.

Its very much Gamo. All but the barrel; if its the UK Made cold hammer forged barrel as they use for their PCPs it should be accurate - my guess is the rest of the rifle wont allow it to be...

Trigger will be average, but in that price its weihrauch money so a comparitively sh*t trigger.

Build quality average

Magazine mechanism notoriously unreliable (hence Gun City have started to sell spare parts for them [assumably] to avoid having so many repairs)

Overpowered makes hard to cock, hard to scope, bouncy and hard to shoot, hard to hit anything.

A shame as the original BSA Merlin was a sleek little rifle, fixed barrel with an underlever like the airsporter with a pop-up breech

The UK Made new Lightning CLX claims to be the next in their 'Back to British Made' range. I wonder how many parts are made in England vs assembled from the Gamo factory parts with Brit labour...