A real hard hitter

I own six break-barrel air rifles in the impressive .25 calibre, but these guns are becoming increasingly rare. Only one manufacturer now produces .25 springers as standard. Similarly, finding lighter pellets for such rifles is growing harder. I’ve known for some time that I’d eventually need to switch to a PCP in .25, and the time had finally come.

Having reviewed several Kral rifles over the years, I had my eye on the compact NP02 Puncher. It seemed perfect for my needs. For ratting, a bulky, tactical, long-barrelled rifle might look impressive, but it’s impractical. The NP02 combines a small under-barrel air cylinder and a buddy bottle rear stock, offering significant air capacity for the powerful 6.35mm slugs.

Unboxing my .25 PCP was thrilling, and the Puncher did not disappoint. The compact Turkish walnut stock, with its sculpted pistol grip, looked stunning. Handling it for the first time was even better—it was lightweight, pointable and perfectly balanced.

The NP02 is packed with features: side-lever loading, rotary multi-shot magazines, a pressure gauge, a quick-fill port, and a threaded barrel. It’s clear the designers thought of everything. On the chronograph, the Kral achieved 510fps with 20.06-gr pellets, producing 11.5ft/lbs. The Puncher comes with two rotary magazines: 10-shot in .25, 12-shot in .22, and 14-shot in .177. The safety catch is manual, located on the right-hand side above the trigger. Pushing the silver lever forward reveals a white “F,” indicating it’s ready to fire; sliding it back covers the “F” with an “S” for safe.

Compact Design

An unusual feature is the side lever on the left-hand side of the action. Initially, this felt odd since most rifles have it on the right, but it proved logical. The NP02’s compact design ensures your trigger hand remains on the grip while cocking with your left hand. This setup improves control, particularly with its short, manoeuvrable profile.

The Turkish walnut stock is well-crafted and features stippled grips for added comfort. While Kral includes single-shot trays for .177 and .22, they omit one for .25. I purchased a tray online for £8. The buddy bottle, which also serves as a cheek rest, has a 420cc capacity. Paired with the 110cc front cylinder, this provides 530cc of air. Expect around 120 shots in .25, 180 in .22, and 150 in .177 from a 200-bar fill.

One minor drawback is the adjustable butt pad, which extends the pull length to 406mm—about 30mm too long. This is manageable for my 6ft 1in frame, but could be uncomfortable for shorter shooters. A redesign to shorten the pull length by removing the adjuster would make it more versatile.

A Formidable Scope

For optics, I was fortunate to inherit a Hawke 3-12×50 Nite-Eye from my late best friend, Tom Walton. This formidable scope features side-wheel parallax, a MAP6 glass-etched multi-line reticle, and red and blue illumination. It even has an auto-off function. The 50mm objective lens gathers excellent light and provides a wide field of view at 20-30 yards—perfect for ratting. No wonder Tom treasured it.

The NP02’s balance is remarkable. Whether standing or kneeling, it felt rock solid. Its European barrel performed exceptionally well with H&N Field Target Trophy pellets, delivering impressive accuracy. Five-shot groups formed a single hole, measuring 13mm centre-to-centre at 20 yards using the 10-shot magazine.

A power adjustment reduces output from 11.5ft/lbs to 3.5ft/lbs. This makes it ideal for indoor or back-garden plinking in .177, significantly increasing shot counts. However, I kept the rifle at full power in .25 to test its performance at 30 yards. The results were excellent: consistent sub-20mm groups across 10 shots from the magazine, especially when rested.

I fitted a moderator to the rifle’s threaded barrel, protected by a stylish spiral-patterned thread cap. While a muzzle brake is an option, I prefer the moderator’s added length, which keeps my supporting hand away from the barrel’s end.

Returning to the pull length issue, its extended size may limit the rifle’s appeal to smaller shooters. However, for taller users, its ergonomics work beautifully. The left-side cocking lever allows seamless operation: keeping the target sighted through the scope, adjusting the parallax, and reloading without losing stability or focus.

Final Thoughts

In summary, the Kral Puncher NP02 is a modern PCP air rifle that offers outstanding features, excellent shot capacity, and reliable accuracy—all at a competitive price. For me, it’s the perfect tool to maximise the potential of 6.35mm pellets. If you’re looking for a practical tool that prioritises performance over flashy aesthetics, the Kral Puncher NP02 excels.