The Hortitsia bolt action sporting rifle up close
From July this year, Pellpax will be stocking two super new PCP air rifles, both made by the Ukrainian company, Zbroia, based in the city of Kharkov.
Joe Meakin and Ross Mitchell, from Pellpax, visited Badersfield Air Rifle Club in Norfolk with samples of the Hortitsia, made by Zbroia since October 2015, and the Kozak, which first appeared in October 2014. Club members were keen to try them out.
The Kozak side lever model is a bullpup design, which means that the gun’s action is situated behind the trigger, decreasing the rifle’s overall length and weight without compromising the length of the barrel.
Nick Bowen is one of Badersfield’s founding members and has been shooting for 45 years. He immediately took to the Kozak.
“This short rifle is good for manoeuvring among trees. I could shoot all day with that and never get an arm ache. It’s incredibly comfortable – sitting down or standing up.”
The safety catch on the Kozak is positioned on the side of the barrel, where it can be reached and operated without having to lower the rifle from the shoulder. An adjustable cheek piece contributes to sustained comfort and, consequently, accuracy.
There was a lot of praise for the trigger action on the both the Kozak model and the Hortitsia bolt action sporting rifle. Phil Hurman said of the Hortitsia: “The trigger pull is lovely – very light and sensitive.”
Even though Nick had formed a firm attachment to the Kozak, he liked the Hortitsia too. Having taken a few shots, he said, “It’s nice to hold; well balanced; sensitive trigger.”
Founding member, Pat Gray, who has been shooting since childhood, was impressed with the smooth insertion of the probe into the magazine, describing it as “crisp and clean”. He remarked on the quietness of the rifles. Joe explained that both models include an integrated barrel shroud for very effective silencing.
The design criteria of these two rifles are accuracy, quality, reliability, and ergonomics, which, between them, just about encompass every possible area of exceptional performance.
Not everyone, of course, is looking for the same qualities in a product, and therefore the Zbroias won’t fit the bill for everyone.
But when it comes to ergonomics, these two rifles – each with an easy magazine drop-in, sensitive trigger, relatively light weight, and smooth probe engagement – are champs. Both the Hortitsia and the Kozak are available in .177 and .22 (4.5 and 5.5) calibre.
The new Zbroia air rifles will be in stock as of July 2017. If you have any questions about them, or about any of our other products, just give us call or contact us via this website.
