Type: Lever/Pump Dual Ammo Rifle
Manufacturer: Distributed by Barra.
Model: Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle.
Materials: Mostly plastic, some metal.
Weight: 4.1 pounds (1859 grams).
Total Length: 36 inches (91.44mm).
Barrel: 18 inches (45.7cm) metal rifled.
Propulsion: Pump Compressed Air.
Action: Lever/Pump
Ammunition Type: .4.5mm steel BB’s & .177 Caliber Pellets.
Ammunition Capacity: 50 BB’s in hopper, single shot Pellets.
FPS: Claimed 350-400.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle is respectable at about 5 pounds with a medium to short pull length. I would say it is perfect for novice shooters as it is not overly light so as not to go off easily by accident and not too heavy for youth shooters with less finger strength than adults. When you pull the bolt back to reload the ammo, the internal cocking mechanism is activated allowing for single action type shooting. You do need to activate the bolt with each shot.
Accuracy: My dedicated field test shooting video is planned for this week, so for now I have no idea what to expect in terms of velocity and accuracy from the Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle, other than it is claimed to shoot around 350 fps when using pellets. It does have an 18 inch rifles barrel which should contribute to helping a lot with accuracy, so I do have high expectations especially since it has a pretty good trigger and when looking down the sights they allow for a nice tight fix on the target. The rear stock is short but not so short that it feels cramped for an adult shooter which should also help when I perform my accuracy test.
Build Quality: The Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle is nothing special when it comes to materials being used in it. It is for the most plastic with the exception of the inner and outer barrel along with the rear sight and I would imagine some other internal parts. It does feel not so bad as it is a bit over 4 pounds and is smaller in nature so it feels solid enough in the hand. I wish the Pump/Lever was metal as it would of felt a bit more solid and would have added a bit more additional weight to the Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle. Fit and finish is good and overall the gun looks and feels good.
Realism: The Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle is essentially styled after the Old West Lever Action Cowboy Rifle, and it has everything we would expect other than loading shells which is available in other Lever Action Air Rifles if you don’t mind paying a premium for one. The lever is actually not a lever but more of a pump so the action and look of the lever is not exactly as you would expect from a true lever action rifle, but when it is locked in place it does look the part. The gold receiver and rifle band looks sharp and I feel matches up with the dark imitation wood stock nicely. One point to make is that the hammer is not the hammer but actually the safety and the bolt not only opens the breach area but also acts as the cocking mechanism for the internal hammer.
Pros:
Super easy to pump.
Fit and finish looks decent for a mostly plastic airgun.
In terms of realism it does look like a more compact lever action rifle for the most part
Can shoot either BB’s or Pellets.
Holds 50 BB’s in the hoper for quicker follow up shooting.
Metal octagon outer barrel adds addition weight to a mostly plastic gun.
Rear sight is metal and is also adjustable for elevation.
Trigger pull is pretty decent, not too light but is short and about 5 pounds.
Recessed barrel for added realism.
Made for kids but the shoulder pull length and sight placement works for adults too.
The gold receiver looks good and gives it a unique look.
Cons:
Mostly plastic build.
Manual says only one pump but I wonder why this is the case or perhaps just to deregulate it?
Pellets are hard to load especially if you have larger hands and fingers.
Comments:
The Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle is a competitor for products like the Red Ryder but it has a bit more realism in terms of looking more like a replica of a real steel Lever Action Cowboy Rifle. It also allows for shooting pellets and has an actual rifled barrel so hopefully this helps with accuracy. You can still kind of shoot it Lever Action Style when shooting BB’s but there is the addition of charging the bolt with each shot over and above working the Lever / Pump, so it will take a bit more time to get those follow up shots as compared to a Red Ryder BB Rifle. One other point to make is that the lever is actually not a lever but more of a pump since this is not spring powered but instead has an air reservoir which on this version only allows for one pump, but on the non-junior version you can pump it up to 10 times and get a claimed 800 fps out of it (US Version). I am going to try pumpkin the Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle up to three times to see if there is any difference in power but this could void your warranty if you damage the air reservoir by over pressuring it. So be good and only pump yours once as instructed in the manual.