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“I purchased my .22 Pro Elite as a secondhand unit. As...”

Written on: 07/04/2004 by dgeesaman (1 review written)

Good Points
Power, Aesthetics, Accuracy, Quality

Bad Points
Discontinued (parts are rare in US), some units not constructed well, too heavy for some shooters.

General Comments
I purchased my .22 Pro Elite as a secondhand unit. As received, the mainspring was twangy and I had some trouble getting tight groups. However, the power was good. I sent it to a tuner who refined or 'un-did' several changes, some of which were apparently added by a previous amateur tuner, and installed Maccari internals. According to his Chrony, the gun went from a tired 19fpe to a crisp 21fpe. I've had it back for a week and I'm thoroughly pleased. I had one windless morning on the range, and I sorted my technique well enough to get 1" groups at 50y from a bench.



This is a true ultramagnum springer - I've found that proper hold and recoil compensation is critical to a straight shot. The rubber butt pad sometimes has a tendency to grab loose shirts and pull shots - not a fault of the gun IMO but a consideration for the shooter. In practiced hands this gun is possibly the most accurate springer in its power class.



The trigger is a fine unit, built for hunting and all-purpose shooting. The bluing is excellent and the beech stock on mine is attractive and nicely done. The cocking action is a little rough since the barrel length is not terribly long and the spring requires a good amount of force. However, it's far from what I consider burdensome (such as a Theoben Eliminator).



Regarding the poorly built units, my understanding is that some compression tubes have an inconsistent fit on the piston seal, thereby causing premature seal failures. According to my tuner, my PE did not have this defect and he expects my gun to go on indefinitely. It seems the problem guns are in the minority, but the issue has caused some tuners are reluctant to associate with them. IMO, as long as the buyer agrees that the tuner will begin with an evaluation, there should be no problem.



My recommendation is for any existing PE owner to send their gun to a tuner for evaluation, or carefully watch the performance with a chrony.



If not for the chance of a bad unit, I would wholeheartedly recommend the Pro Elite. It has accuracy, power, and elegance galore. It is a premier pest control gun. As long as the buyer is careful to obtain a good unit (perhaps involving a professional tuner to verify the gun as part of the transaction), this gun is an outstanding value.



Dave