TalonSS AirForce Airgun: Silent Hunter and Sniper Trainer

The TalonSS pre-charged pneumatic air rifle from AirForce Airguns is flexible and fun. This state-of-the-art airgun technology can be adjusted for high velocity or low noise and extra shots. The TalonSS is a highly accurate rifle which can entertain by punching small holes in paper or small game hunting.

Airguns are available in a wide range of price and performance levels from low cost, low power BB guns to multi thousand dollar match grade guns. AirForce guns combine features of the best guns with exceptional value. They rank just below the top-of-the-line competition guns in performance, but are priced much lower. These American made beauties cost about half of what you’d pay for a comparable gun made in Europe.

The fire control system features an automatic safety with the safety release inside the trigger guard like an M-1 Garrand.  A light two-stage trigger makes the Talon shoot like a sniper rifle. A rail mounting system allows for mounting optics and accessories.

My gun came with an AirForce 4-16×50 scope, mounting rails and scope rings. It was a simple matter to mount the scope and sighting-in was easy using the external adjusting knobs for windage and elevation. The gun comes with a great DVD which details loading and zero procedures.

Pre-charged pneumatic airguns like the Talon SS can use regular rifle scopes. Spring powered air guns have an odd forward recoil from the movement of their piston that will destroy the reticles on conventional rifle scopes requiring the use scopes specifically made for airguns.

Shooting this rifle is noting short of amazing. When you pull the trigger, it releases a hammer which opens the air valve firing the pellet out of the barrel. You can feel a short snap when the hammer opens the valve but there’s no felt recoil.

When shooting a firearm, there are many variables: bullet weight, powder charge, and case volume. Shooting a particular cartridge is very consistent. Because pre-charged pneumatic airguns use compressed air, the pressure in the air tank decreases with each shot. AirForce guns use a trick to minimize that variable.

Here’s how it works. Pulling the trigger releases the hammer propelled by a coil spring into the valve on the tank. That pushes the valve open releasing a charge of air to accelerate the pellet down the barrel. The pressure of the air in the tank then overcomes the force of the hammer and the force of the spring to once again seal the valve. As the pressure in the tank goes down, it doesn’t close the valve quite as quickly, thus allowing slightly greater volume of air to propel the pellet. This brilliant self-regulating mechanism provides great consistency shot-to-shot through

There’s one more feature of the Talon which gives you control over the length of time the valve stays open and hence the speed at which you’re driving the pellet. On the left side of the gun, just forward of the grip, there is micro-adjustment for power level. This modulates the sound level, performance, and number of shots you get from a tank of air. To shoot in your basement or in your backyard you need a bullet trap designed for a .22 caliber gun and you will want to dial your Talon down to the lowest and quietest setting.

The Talon SS has a removable 490cc air tank which also serves as the stock. It has a maximum air pressure of 3,000 psi. There’s a built-in blow-out valve which prevents excessive pressure.The Talon can be filled with a hand pump, scuba tank or an air compressor without removing it. Scuba tanks relatively inexpensive and easy to refill. You can even rent scuba tanks. Let your local dive shop handle compressor maintenance and noise.

I am a scuba diver so I already had a tank and a refill card at my local dive shop. After three hundred rounds the pressure only dropped from 3,000 psi to about 2,500 psi, plenty of pressure to keep shooting. The Talon’s air tank is easy to fill. Attach the fill hose to the tank, connect it to the fitting on the Talon, close the bleed valve and crack the scuba tank valve. You should fill slowly but it only takes a minute. When full, close the tank valve, open the bleed valve, disconnect the fitting and you’re ready to shoot.

The SS in the name means you get an integral suppressor and a 12″ barrel, The short barrel makes it light and the integral 4″ suppressor makes it quiet. ATF is not involved in this because it is not a “firearm”. An innovative muzzle cap that strips away air turbulence and reduces discharge sound levels. Even quieter if you adjust the power down.

With quality pellets like the SIG Wraith, you can expect sub-minute accuracy and good terminal effects. I like to use reactive targets from Concealed Carry INC.  They don’t tear like paper targets and the hits are easy to see.

Made in Texas, the Talon SS features a 12 inch Lothar Walther barrel (1:16 twist). Space-age polymers and aircraft-grade aluminum make the AirForce Talon SS light and strong.

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There are many ways to configure this gun using rail-mounted accessories. Not sure which caliber to get?  Extra barrels are available, and changing caliber is quick and easy and doesn’t require any special tools. If you replace the barrel with a longer one, you will get more velocity but the gun will not be as quiet.