When I opened the box my first thought was,"Wow, this is one unique looking gun." It's all metal (except for the hand grips),and obviously built to last. It has the weight I have come to look for in quality airguns. It seems heavier than even the 1077W rifle, which is reviewed below. The Hurricane is a spring piston type pistol that has a bit of a rearward kick due to the direction the piston moves. I like the fact that it is a very quiet shooter, especially compared to the co2 sheridan pistols.
Now I think it is important to mention that this gun is similar to the Tempest, which is a less expensive version. The Tempest is a bit shorter, but the real difference is the sights. On the Tempest the sights are adjustable by loosing a screw and sliding them, whereas the Hurricane has very easy knobs for windage and elevation. Also the front sight is hooded. It frames the target object, and the recoil is small enough that you can see the target go down framed in the arched hood.
I was surprised at how tough it was to cock. It is not the force, just the lack of leverage due to the short barrel which serves as the cocking lever. The effort is rewarded with a muzzle velocity of 500fps in .177 cal.-- That's a lot. It is accurate at 10 to 20 meters for plinking, and really limited by the iron sights. I bought the .22 cal.
An impessive feature is the trigger. It is smooth and predictable. The trigger is a two stage, and adjustable with a little allen wrench that is supposed to be included (which was missing from mine). You supposedly adjust it down to about 3 lbs Adjusted all the way down it releases at about 7 pounds. I am kind of upset this is so far off the advertised, but it still releases predictably.(This is what reviews are for, I guess.) I think this is especially important in a pistol since it is more difficult to stablize. People get fed-up when they have to concentrate on how much pressure to exert on the trigger rather than when to pull it. This is where it surpasses the cheeper Crosmans and Daisys, and worth the $160 price tag. It is almost silent to boot.
I am impressed with the accuracy; for I can have 1/2 inch groups at ten meters. I have 1-2" groups at 20 yards. Compared to a $80 Crosman pistol I recently tried this was a much higher stage of accuracy in a more durable container. Get this one instead of the tempest.
The Sheridan Model E above is nickel or chrome plated which adds to it's already heavy brass weight. It uses standard 12gm cylinders and uses the Sheridan .20 caliber pellets. It achieves 450 fps with 8.7 gm diablol pellets, producing 6 ft lbs. It's effective range is 20 yards and has a maximum range of 350 yards. The E comes equipted with iron sights that are nicely adjustable to elevation with a threaded screw. No dovetails for sights though.
I like the all metal constuction and the metal safety. There is also a bit a recoil that some may like. The design is a typical Sheridan with the CO2 port under the brass barrel. The cylinders install easily and not much force is needed to puncture them. A word of warning. Don't leave them in the pistol for too long for they can be hard to get out for some reason. (personal experience) Also it is important to occasionally put some silicone oil on the tip of the powerlet. I never did and the powerletstuck to the piercing seal and they came out together. Off to the repair shop.
I like a brass barrel because of the remote possibility of rust compared to steel. This is a concern in Ireland and Florida.
The main detraction is the rough and heavy trigger. The gun is sastisfactory in the accuracy deptartment, but the trigger makes this a challenge. I am sure grease in the right place would improve this situation. The handle covers are wood, and on mine they were poorly fitted. That may just have been an individual variation though.
Loading the pellets is from the top and very easy. For a little over a $100 this airgun is a good deal overall.