Daystate Delta Wolf Full Review
The hardware
The Delta Wolf’s advanced electronics have grabbed most of the headlines. Understandable though that is, it’s a shame because the rifle’s excellent hardware is often overlooked. The styling is uncompromisingly tactical and it is fair to say that as a result it’s not the most photogenic rifle. Somehow though, in the flesh, the Delta Wolf is a lot more pleasing to the eye. Available in either a black or cerakote finish, 12 ft.lbs. versions have a 17 inch (430mm) barrel in .177 and .22 calibre. The high-power HP model has a 23 inch (600mm) barrel and is also available in .25 and .30 calibres. Overall length is 700 to 840mm and weight is 3.1 to 3.3 kgs. Complete with an adjustable shoulder pad, the stock contains the battery and most of the electronics, including a digital touch screen. As a result, although it looks a little blocky in photographs, it is less so when seen in the flesh. The plastic pistol grip is comfortable, and can be swapped for an after-market AR15-style alternative, and gives access to the two-stage post and shoe electronic trigger which is adjustable for weight and pull, as well as position and angle of the blade. Just forward is the safety catch which can be accessed from both sides and is positive and quiet to operate.
As standard, the side lever is located on the right of the rifle, but in keeping with the rest of the ambidextrous design, can be swapped easily to the left. The throw is short and well-balanced and cycles a new design, self-indexing magazine that takes 13 shots in .177, 11 in .22, 10 in .25 and eight in .30. Once again, the magazine can be inserted into the breach from left or right. In fact, you can insert two magazines, once from either side, to double the shot count.
On top, a long dovetail rail runs the entire length of the action, enabling both the cheek piece and raised picatinny scope rail to slide forward and back for perfect scope eye-alignment. In addition, there are picatinny accessory rails on the bottom of the butt as well as at the front of the action either side and under the 480cc carbon covered air bottle which takes a 240 bar fill and is good for as many as 500 shots in 12 ft. lbs. format.
Daystate has partnered with Precision Rifle Systems (PRS) to create a range of accessories, including a longer rail which enables a bipod to be placed much further forward. The Delta Wolf’s barrel was developed by the company’s Accuracy Research Team (ART) and is fully shrouded with the capacity to add a silencer.
The software
Daystate is a pioneer in the development of electronic action rifles with expertise developed over many years. Rifles such as the Pulsar and Red Wolf have been hailed as the most technologically advanced – a title that the Delta Wolf now picks up. A chronograph built in at the end of the barrel provides information to the rifle’s onboard computer. Not only does it regulate output to maintain consistency, it also enables a number of innovative adjustments. By manually adjusting the Huma-Air regulator on the high-power model, different pellet velocities can be dialled in via the touch-screen to suit different pellets and slugs. As standard, the .177 is set at 30 ft. lbs, the .22 and .25 at 65 ft.lbs. and the .30 at 95 ft. lbs.
The availability of barrel kits makes changing calibres quick and easy and by saving details in the Delta Wolf’s profiles function, there’s no need to have to re-calculate optimum zero, power setting and velocity. For obvious reasons, 12 ft. lbs. models do not have the capacity to adjust power outputs to the same degree. Rifles are set at around 11.7 ft. lbs. in the factory using 16 grain or 8.44 grain pellets and owners are advised to check the output if they use different pellets, especially heavier ones, with the chronograph. If the power creeps to more than 12 ft. lbs. there is capacity to reduce levels in five per cent increments.
Most other electronic features are common across both the 12 ft. lbs. and HP models, including the ability to switch on a magazine counter which will tell you when you’ve taken your last shot, and specify the capacity of the magazine you are using. Other electronic features include a night mode that dims the display screen when hunting in the dark; the ability to determine the length of time before the rifle goes into sleep mode and an option to switch the chronograph on and off.
The battery is a three cell lithium-polymer unit and can be charged with a USB C-type cable and any five volt phone or tablet charger rated at two amps or more. Re-awakening the Delta Wolf from sleep mode is achieved either by cocking the rifle or, if already cocked, moving the sidelever a few millimetres. Daystate says the battery will last many thousands of shots between charges, but points out that the longer rifle is kept awake before entering sleep mode will affect the battery life.
Alpha Militaria’s sneak preview with Tony Belas
Alpha Militaria’s full video review of the Daystate Delta Wolf
Richard Saunders out hunting with the Daystate Delta Wolf
Note – contains scenes of hunting footage.
