Reximex Zone

So, has the hubbub surrounding bullpups subsided? Well, I think some of the frenzy may have died down a little, but one thing is for sure - pretty much all the sizeable manufacturers of PCP airguns now have a bullpup model sitting in the line-up. A case of all bases covered undoubtedly, but for many devotees of the ‘way of the shorty’, the militaristic credentials and perceived technical advantages still hold sway.

In the zone
On test here is one of the new breeds of bullpups from the popular Turkish brand, Reximex, and when I checked their latest product portfolio, it revealed they now produce more bullpups (seven different models) than any other type of airgun. So, I think we can safely say they have embraced the concept.
My test gun is the Reximex Zone, and whilst I couldn’t resist the lure of the Turkish Walnut, it’s also available with a synthetic stock. The difference in weight is minimal really, 7.27lbs for the synthetic against 7.5lbs for Walnut, but it’s great to have the choice as always.

Bull what?
So, what’s the bullpup thing all about? Well, for those who are new to our game, or haven’t paid attention to developments over the last few years, the concept has been lifted from the military, whereby the gun’s action is positioned right to the back of the stock, thereby radically altering weight distribution, and in turn, overall handling. Now, I’d be the first to admit that this configuration won’t suit everyone. I always need to add a silencer at least, to get more weight at the front, yet I do get it, and several friends have gone down this path, and are constantly letting me know how it suits them. OK, I get it!
Compactness in a confined space is a big advantage, as is the allowance for a longer barrel if deemed necessary, simply because the overall length is dramatically reduced to start with. Downside? Well, this type of gun tends to set up a high sight line, requiring the optics to be positioned a bit higher, and the shooter to sight over the action. Look to the Zone here, and like many such bullpup designs, the face is placed near to the breech/magazine area. I can’t help feeling just slightly uneasy about that if I’m honest, yet an army of fans of the system don’t seem to bat an eyelid.

Fit & finish
My first impressions of the Zone are definitely favourable, and everything looks precise and well-finished. There’s the sparing use of synthetics too, with just the cheekpiece and mid-barrel support being of composite material. All the metalwork, shroud, cylinder, and receiver, get a smart matte black coating, and I suspect the barrel is chemically blued. 

Taking stock
As for the tasteful Turkish walnut, the grain pattern really is pleasing to the eye. As with other Reximex models, opt for the synthetic stocked version and it comes with an adjustable butt pad assembly. Opt for the rather more civilized walnut, as per my test model, and the well-shaped rubber butt-pad is fixed. Where the synthetic cheekpiece plate is concerned, there is no mention in the instruction manual, so I was intrigued to confirm either way whether any adjustment was possible. After removing the small retaining screw at the rear of the plate, all was revealed. There is some basic adjustment of sorts. There is only one mounting hole, so the cheek has to sit in the same place, but underneath sits two small spacers. These each raise the cheek by about 3mm, so one, both, or no spacers can be used, as required.

Charging regime
Look to that massive raised’ intermount’ and there are plenty of options for scope position. It puzzles me though, why Reximex only offers the Picatinny rail on this model, given that they fit their all-encompassing dual mount that offers dovetail and Picatinny on other models.
As for charging that sizable 260cc cylinder, just pull off the dust cover at the front and insert the probe-style adaptor. 250 bar is the max, but I would personally stick to 200 bar for less stress over time. I initially thought the manometer on the side of the action was faulty, as it was stuck on 120 bar. However, look to the front of the cylinder, and residual pressure is shown here. The side gauge is meant to show a constant regulator pressure, and that’s exactly what it does. Doh!

Single or multi?
The latest cassette-style magazine from Reximex has a lairy yellow inner drum, which certainly looks distinctive. Filling it is fairly conventional, requiring the clear cover to be wound round clockwise, then a pellet dropped into the first chamber, which holds the mechanism. Next, slide the cover back anticlockwise, filling each chamber in turn.
On test, the plastic magazines were quite a tight fit within their slot in the action, so I took little encouragement to utilize the single shot carrier, which takes the form of a small plastic block, with the tray built in. The best practice here was to leave the block in situ, then slide it to the right to make it easier to accept the pellet, rolled in from the right. Snap the carrier block back to the left, before closing the side-lever to chamber the pellet. This actually sets up a satisfying routine for taking a shot and felt slick and efficient on test. I subsequently utilized the magazines to get shots through faster for the chronograph, and they worked fine, so hunters who insist on a magazine, fear ye not.

Hands-on
Many dedicated bullpups have the cocking lever set midway down the action, and this allows for the action to be cycled whilst the gun is still in the aim. The Zone follows several rivals by taking a slightly lazy route, offering an adapted action from another model, which keeps the side-lever in the same position. Once the action is mounted at the back of the stock, the lever sits almost at the shoulder, which isn’t easy to operate in the same way. OK, it sounds like I’m nitpicking, and after this review, I concluded that this Zone was a cracking piece of hardware regardless. But I’m paid for constructive criticism regarding perceived negatives, so here it is.

Test card
The Zone is specified as regulated, and as mentioned, the side manometer permanently shows the reg pressure. Over the chronograph, I chose to test the first 150 shots, and here, the regulated action using Air Arms Diabolo Field pellets returned pretty textbook figures. A total velocity spread of just 23 fps is extremely good, and with plenty of main residual pressure showing, it’s obvious the Zone is good for a high shot count. Let’s not forget there’s also the now-familiar power adjuster that Reximex is so fond of. Dial it down, and energy can be reduced to just a few ft/lbs, thus increasing the shot count further. Versatile or what!?
For the record, the muzzle report is pleasingly muted with this model, a result of the ‘Integrated Silent Force’ sound moderator that’s incorporated into the shroud. But for those wishing to go into stealth mode, the ½” UNF thread up front allows for a secondary silencer to suit.
As is always the case with airguns, it really does pay to spend time pellet testing, to see what ammo suits a particular barrel. Where the Zone was concerned, I had reasonable results across the board, but small differences at closer range will obviously magnify further out, so it still pays to go with the brand that will give slightly tighter groups. JTS ‘Dead Center’ 16.08-grain pellets weren’t bad over 30 yards, coverable by a 5p piece, but switching to Air Arms Diabolo Fields just trimmed it down further in this case. Ragged tight clusters at 30 yards were very easy to come by, so I knew a further challenge was needed for this very capable gun. Moving back to 40 yards, the groups were still staying within 0.5”, which is pretty impressive in anyone’s book.

Verdict
As mentioned, there’s a synthetic path to take if you so wish, but just look at the tasty timber on show here, and you’ll need to think hard. As it stands, either route gets you the same very capable regulated PCP action, well up to the demands of hunting, or just casual target shooting. The Zone’s spec sheet is comprehensive, to say the least, but just consider those performance figures and it’s clear this is an impressive tool, all at a price point that should have wide appeal.