Kral Mortal - Practical Tactical

Turkish brand Kral continues to evolve, and their range of PCP airguns has widened considerably to cater for different tastes and requirements. On test here is the Kral Mortal, and this is specifically aimed at the tactical sector of the market.

Quick spec check
OK, a quick run-down of what we are getting for the money here. So, the Mortal is a multi-shot PCP that comes complete with two magazines, a single shot tray, and a filling adaptor. It comes fitted with a full-length shrouded barrel that’s threaded at the muzzle, Picatinny rail mounting, an adjustable trigger, side-lever operation, a manual safety catch, a manometer, and a power adjuster. There’s an AR-style pistol grip, and the tactical stock is not only adjustable but also folds.

Practical & versatile
OK, it’s fair to say the Mortal offers nothing new and follows the classic profile for this type of rifle, but for devotees of the black arts, this configuration has become a winning formula. The distinctive forend is a one-piece synthetic moulding, but when I say I had to look very closely to try and ascertain if it was metal, you may appreciate the quality on offer. The multiple M-LOK slots mean that accessories like a bipod, torch, laser, or even rubber inserts to enhance the grip, can be utilized and locked into place at the tweak of a ‘T’ bolt. This ability to bolt on accessories is all part of the appeal of this tactical hardware.
Kral supplies an angled fore grip with the Mortal, packaged separately, and this simply slides onto the Picatinny rail on the underside of the forend, then tightens into position. Bear in mind that the positioning of the front rail can also be altered, and the options are many and varied.
The contoured pistol grip is AR-style and made from satisfyingly soft rubber. But a huge plus point with this setup is the rear stock attached to the buffer tube.

Go configure
The butt pad is thick rubber with plenty of grip, but it’s the adjustable elements that really score. The length of pull can be altered by depressing the spring-loaded catch on the underside and by sliding the entire assembly along the tube. Release the catch and it all locks up at the next stage. 2.25” of adjustment here is massive, so all body profiles are catered for. OK, admittedly there is some play with the rear stock assembly against the action, but it’s no big deal.
Eye/scope alignment is easy to set, since the synthetic roll-over cheekpiece sees further adjustment via another spring-loaded button, this time on the right side of the butt. Again, it moves in stages and can add 1.5” to the height of the cheekpiece if fully wound up. Stock configuration is ambidextrous throughout, yet it all works well I have to say.
Time to focus on that radical, yet increasingly popular feature that Kral utilizes here. For press the button on the right side of the buffer tube, and the entire rear stock assembly then folds back on the action. We now have a rifle that can be stowed away in a case just two feet long, and that brings enormous versatility. Perfect for when we may need to keep a low profile, perhaps arriving at a permission without an enormous case that instantly gives the game away. The folding stock is just a very neat feature, and in the case of the Mortal, it’s very well executed.

Multi-shot
As mentioned, the Mortal is designed to be a multi-shot, and whilst Kral provides a small snap-in single-shot tray, the more popular alternative will be to use the cassette-style magazines provided. Two are included, and these are 12-shot in .22 calibre, as per my test model, and 14-shot in .177. The magazines are plastic, but the front cover isn’t clear, which is unusual. To fill, just wind the front cover clockwise, in the direction of the arrow, all the way around against spring pressure. Next, insert a pellet nose first into the exposed chamber, as this holds the drum, and the cover can then be twisted back, one chamber at a time, filling each hole until the mag is full. The shot count window will now show a full magazine.
Look to the base of the receiver and the two cut-outs just forward of the trigger are actually magazine holders, which is a neat idea. The mags can be stowed, either full or empty, by simply pushing them in upside down, from the right side, before sliding them through to the left to remove. The location can be a bit fiddly, but it’s a good idea, nonetheless.

Trigger adjustment & charging
The Mortal comes with a match trigger blade, and this can be adjusted for height and angle around its pillar. The mechanism is 2-stage, and with the stock removed, this can be adjusted for first-stage travel, second-stage travel, and sear engagement. On test, it came set with a fairly crisp, light, and wholly predictable release, so I didn’t feel the need to play.
OK, the last task before we get started is to get some air into the Mortal’s 200cc capacity cylinder. There’s a well-placed manometer mounted on the right side of the action, and this is reassuringly clear to read, having the customary three coloured sectors. Yellow covers 0-100 bar, green is the working area that covers 100-200 bar, and red shows 200-315 bar. I like clear, safe guidance with PCPs and the Mortal couldn’t be simpler, with the receiver clearly marked up with ‘Max pressure 200 bar’ in bold.
To access the front valve, just pull away the pressure-fit dust cover. Kral includes a brass filling adaptor in the box, but on first inspection, I thought the Mortal was fitted with a Foster attachment, so didn’t bother fitting Kral’s adaptor, preferring the standard Foster end from my home bottle. Curiously, it wouldn’t connect, and on closer inspection, it’s clear Kral has gone their own way here. Time to play the game, and after twiddling with a couple of spanners, the task was complete.

Shot cycle
The plastic single-shot tray was a very tight fit when squeezed into the breech, and the bolt was tight passing through it, so I quickly dispensed with this route, sticking with the multi-shot approach. Pulling back the attractive biathlon side-lever takes only modest effort, and with an open breech, the magazine can be inserted from the right side. Next, close the lever, and the first shot is ready. Remember there’s a manual safety on the right side just in case you need it, and we’re away. The magazine does protrude a good distance above the Picatinny mounting rail, which is a minor irritation and something to consider when sorting glassware. One other minor gripe is that the Mortal is fairly noisy. If this is deemed a problem, then don’t forget the ½ UNF thread for a silencer at the muzzle.
As for the ergonomics, the Mortal feels great in the shoulder, with all those adjustable elements helping the cause. Arriving at a comfortable, perfectly supported shooting position is what it’s all about, and those features are not to be underestimated.

Figure it out
Close analysis of the chronograph revealed that over the first six magazines (72 shots), the total velocity spread was only 14 fps, bar one stray shot, which is very good. Monitoring shots until the residual cylinder pressure dropped down to 100 bar, showed 120 shots in all, and a total spread over the first 100 shots of 38 fps, which isn’t too shabby either. Maximum power on test was around 10.6 ft/lbs, with the average a little lower, for the record.
Kral also fits a power adjuster to this model, which has become a popular feature that appears on a variety of airguns. There’s a small ‘+’ and ‘–’ on the left side of the action, but the control dial sits on the right side. On test, with the dial wound right down to the minimum, velocity registered around 209 fps, and this climbed to 448 fps with the dial set to the midpoint. Just consider casual plinking sessions on the range, where high power isn’t needed, and this feature can really shine, boosting the shot count quite considerably.
As for accuracy, the Mortal did prove a little pellet fussy, but several pellet brands would quite happily group around the ½” mark over my 30 yard test range. That’s pretty acceptable for a gun in this price sector and represents very usable performance for a variety of applications.

Conclusion
We’ve got the Mortal here, but a Mortal X is also available, which offers a longer barrel, shroud, and cylinder. The additional length will obviously increase weight, along with shot capacity, but the downside will be less manoeuvrability and the loss of the compact aspect. There’s also an FDE version, and this has the identical action but offers sand-coloured stock elements, with the butt, chassis, forend, and filler valve all colour coded.
As it stands though, the Kral Mortal, in the standard form on test here, is a highly appealing airgun that is well thought out, bursting with technical features and shows a competent level of performance to back it all up.