Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Hammerli’s Force B1 is a new rifle with two very cool features and a bunch of others that you’ll wish all rifles had. Plus, the price tag for this feature-rich European-built rifle will surprise you.
Straight-pull Action
The standout feature on this rifle is its straight-pull action. To work it, you just use a finger tip to pull it back and then push it forward again. Of course, you could use two fingers, but it’s really not necessary.
It’s a cool experience to fire a shot, then, while keeping your eye in the scope, reach up with your trigger finger and work the action, then fire again.
The straight-pull action is smooth and intuitive — it’s easy to tell when you haven’t pushed it all the way closed, and there’s a red dot on top as a visual indicator that it’s not closed.
Historically, straight-pull actions are classics for biathlon rifles, so it was fun to shoot this gun at the SHOT range day.
SEE ALSO: Cabot Gun’s First 2011 Pistol: Insurrection — SHOT Show 2024
Change Calibers Anytime
The other huge feature on Hammerli’s Force B1 is the changeable barrel. There’s a collet that works a lot like air tools on a compressor. Just press the collet and pull out the barrel.
Currently, you can swap between .22 LR and .22 WMR — aka .22 Magnum. Other calibers will follow. The barrel has a long section of overlap inside the barrel and it locks up tightly without any wiggle. Not surprisingly, it appears to be reliable and repeatable, and the barrels are threaded 1/2″x28.
However, barrels aren’t the only thing different between .22 LR and .22 Mag. The longer case of the .22 mag requires a much larger magazine.
Ruger Rotary Mags
Hammerli’s Force B1 isn’t just compatible with Ruger 10/22 magazines: It ships with genuine Ruger-made mags. The magazine well is sized for .22 WMR magazines — I have these for a Ruger American in .22 WMR.
Remarkably, Hammerli has crafted an adapter for the .22 LR mags that makes it fit in the larger mag well. They even have one for Ruger’s BX-25 magazines that hold 25 rounds of .22 LR.
One magazine with an adapter is included, plus two more adapters for 10-round mags, and an adapter for the BX-25 mag.
Ruger-Compatible Trigger
This trigger is pretty good and includes a trigger safety, so it is totally drop-safe. But it is also compatible with after market triggers made for the 10/22, of which there are a legion.
Naturally, the safety button can be postioned on the left or the right without tools. Meanwhile, the magazine release lever in from of the trigger guard is rigid and has ledges on both sides for ambidextrous function.
Configurable Stock
The rest of the gun is also exceptionally full-featured. Like other modern guns, there’s an M-lok series on the foreend at 6:00, and those panels at 3:00 and 9:00 can be removed to add M-lok slots there, too.
The length of pull is adjustable — without tools — from 14″ to 16.5″, which is a lot. Additionally, the comb is a comfortable rubber pad that can pulled off and flipped over to change the height. Also, there are QD sling attachments in the stock.
Precision Machined
The action includes a Picatinny rail machined into the top. Also, the whole thing is a sinlge piece of aluminum, and appears to be well made. Moreover, Hammerli is an Umarex brand and this rifle is made in Europe.
Hammerli’s Force B1 with a straight-pull action and changeable barrels is available now. It’s comparable to other custom .22s, but the MSRP is just $649.
And for your viewing pleasure, the Force B1’s distopian world launch video:
Specs
- Caliber: .22 LR
- Finish: Black
- Barrel Length: 16.1″
- Overall Length: 35.5″ – 37.4″
- Capacity: 10 Rounds
- Weight: 5.75 lb.
*** Buy and Sell on GunsAmerica! All Local Sales are FREE! ***
Should be a hit in communist crapholes.
That price tag that will surprise me is what ?
ehh, ill stick w my 1022 and ruger american in wmr. the only 22lr bolt gun i want w ruger mags is a henry lever carbine. tube mags suck.
not a bad idea though, it is new and innovative esp if u live somewhere where ammo is in short supply. i know theres alot of folks out there who use 22lr for hunting almost exclusively. this dilema was created by winchester. life would be easier if these cartridges were interchangeable, so i dont understand why the 22lr case was not turned into a magnum in the first place. if someone knows please share. maybe its not feasible w the 22lr?
Make them in 5.56, 7.62×39, etc. And I’ll be interested.
This is just a guess but anything more powerful than a rimfire might cause chamber pressure problems. No locking lugs of a bolt action and no channeled gas cycling of a semi-auto might be an issue.
The single pull looks great. Just NOT for left-handers like me…unless you tell me there will be a left-handed model.
“you shall see it on the shelves in a few weeks”
It should stay on the shelves for many years before it sells
Great comment, Kane. It looks like a whole lot of questionable and unnecessary engineering to build a squirrel/plinker rifle. Perhaps the Gadget Gurus will like it.
Hi Frank. Like most shooters I love rimfire guns. I own/owned several traditional bolt actions, at least two lever actions and many semi-autos but as of yet no pump actions. This design seems like a gimmick to me without the speed of a SA or the beauty and strength of a bolt. That lever would probably mean that it is harder to store in my rimfire gun safe even w/o a scope. That lever looks to me like it might result in some nicks on the wood stocks and dings in metal parts of other guns if I tried to store this gun in the little roon I have left. So, this rifle is an easy pass for this rim fire enthusiast.
Exactly. It does seem like a little more “engineering” could have provided a means of folding that lever for storage. I too, have a host of rimfire rifles and pistols… no bolt action yet, but if the right opportunity comes along, I’ll try to make room in the safe!