BRK Ghost Review

Kid Tested, Dad Approved.

Took my youngest on a pass through the dogtowns this afternoon. Of course we grabbed the Ghost.

Made me think of the old Kix Cereal slogan.

He got these three from 54-62 yards. .20/18.9gr NSA slugs. There were a couple more, out to 76 yards, but these were close to each other and easily retrievable for a photo.
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Length of pull is a bit long for him but he made it work. Hardest part when they're this young is target acquisition. But I'd laser em, spin the turrets for him and then he'd get himself lined up and shoot....dead prairie dog.

We both had a ball.
 
For me as I “age out” it’s all about the “next” generation… Posts like this help me keep the faith, your son is a lucky young man to have a dad so sweet... The first airgun I ever shot was a Crosman 160, couldn’t even hold it up… Your son is generations ahead,,, thanks for the uplift.
 
The Grip

As I commented a few days ago, haven't really had any complaints with the OEM grip but splurged on a replacement. I really like laminate, and almost ordered one of the Form grips a couple different times. The hang up was that I couldn't ever get past putting laminate on a "black" chassis gun. It's completely a personal preference, but to me and my opinion, just doesn't seem to match the overall aesthetics of the Ghost. So I got to digging around on the internet for AK compatible grips and found a company that makes billet skeletonized grips out of hard anodized 7075-T6 alum. So I ordered one in black. They also offer tan and green (and a matching foregrip if that suits ones fancy). If they'd have had a brass or gold one I would have done that, to match the custom shroud endcaps Bobby machined for me. But black seemed like it'd be the best match otherwise. I was hoping the cutouts of the grip would compliment/match the cutouts in the mono block, as well as the somewhat skeletonized appearance of the rear portion of the Ghost. And it does! At least to my eye.

New grip was delivered this afternoon. Took a bunch of glamour shots and I'm including them to give readers a good look at it.
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I spent about 45 minutes shooting this evening, getting a feel for the billet grip. My out of the mailbox impressions were that it's not as comfortable as the OEM plastic grip, but I decided to give it a decent try at least. After shooting with it, I like it more than I did at first. I'll delineate the differences I've thus far noticed.....Of course it gives the impression of higher quality (billet versus plastic). It's a slimmer grip than OEM plastic, and that was one of the reasons I first didn't think I'd like it, BUT that slimmer grip allows my wrist to be in a more ergonomic position during shooting. In that regard, it reminds me a little of the grip on my USFT and how the thinness allows me to get to the trigger better. Hard to describe how something "feels" but it generally seems to be allowing me to keep my wrist in a more comfortable position while "on" the trigger. And I think it's doing that by allowing more of a thumbs up position. Ie the thumb is still wrapped around the grip, but at a higher point than the thicker plastic grip allows.

So, no final verdict yet, but so far I like it enough to leave it on there for now.

And no, it wasn't cheap, but not much is in this hobby.

 
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The Valve

To preface this one, I want to reiterate that the Ghost experience I've had is unique. The serial on this one ends in 0013, which I take to mean the 13th off the line. It was in my hands for testing 4 weeks prior to product launch. It came with components that were a surprise to AOA staff, and supposedly were not ever meant to have made it to the US market. In short, the Ghost that I was sent to review was not quite a prototype, but also not quite the production version.

With that preface....the third valve started leaking recently. And I think I finally know why I've had trouble with them.

To recap....
The valve that was installed by the factory started leaking in early December, if memory serves. AOA sent me a replacement valve and it held air until about a month ago, at which time AOA sent me a third valve. The third only held air for 2 weeks. AOA just recently sent me a 4th valve and it is in the gun now, holding air.
Valve 1 and 2 were identical in every way that I could measure.
Valve 3 and 4 are identical in every way, but different than 1 and 2.

My assumptions, based on valve inspections and experience with them is that 1 and 2 were not the more recently released "Ultra Valve," while 3 and 4 ARE the Ultra Valve.

And yes, the BRK Ghost, the Alpha Wolf, and the Delta Wolf all use the same valve (the most recent iteration being the "Ultra").

The three leaker valves all exhibited the same leak, air coming out of the barrel, a strong indicator that the poppet/valve stem is the culprit. I replaced orings, and even tried lapping the poppet to the face of the valve that it seals on and could not make any of the leaker valves hold air again. Valve 1 and 2 did not come with a buffer oring in the bottom of the valve stem pocket, on the opposite end of the valve stem from where the hammer strikes it.
What I'm calling the buffer oring is the little white loose oring in this photo. As near as I can tell, it is not a sealing oring, but a buffer to prevent the valve stem from impacting the steel blind hole/pocket. And yes, inclusion/omission has an effect on shot cycle/power output.
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And the pocket it sits in.....
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Valve 3 and 4 DID come with that buffer oring, but I removed it, with the thought process being that I wanted to match my known fps for each of the 3 power wheel settings that I've been using for each of the 3 .20 projectiles that I've been shooting. (I also shimmed the valve return spring b/c it improves the shot cycle but I don't think that was the cause of my problems). And configuring it like the previous valve DID mostly replicate what I was seeing from the previous valve. But valve #3 started leaking within 2 weeks, so something was wrong.

Upon receipt of the 4th valve I remembered that saying about repetition and expecting different results.....So I decided to install the valve as-received. I left that buffer oring in place and I did not shim the valve return spring. I figured a long chrony session to find new wheel settings was the lesser of the two evils over a 4th leaky valve. So into the gun it went, straight OEM. And the 4th valve is holding air after quite a few shots. Yes, shot cycle is different, and yes I needed to find new wheel settings to get to the desired 805-810fps with .20/13.73, 910-915fps with .20/15.89, and 875fps with .20/18.9 NSA slugs.

So what was the reason for the leaky valves? I'm not 100% positive but I'm thinking that buffer oring is the answer. AOA told me they had leaker valves back around the end of the 2022, but weren't seeing anymore in the the more recent guns. My first two leaker valves were from that time frame. Neither of those had that buffer oring. I think Daystate/BRK realized it was necessary b/c the 3rd valve had it. Of course I'm a dummy and removed the buffer oring from the 3rd valve prior to install and had the exact same issue as valve 1 and 2. I think that valves without that buffer oring allow the valve stem to be damaged. And I can't determine if the damage is from an imperceptibly bent valve stem, or from the composite poppet partially separating from the metal valve stem. Part of the reason that I've come to this conclusion is that the valves have a metallic ping when used at higher hammer spring settings and without the buffer oring. I think that ping was the valve stem slamming into that steel pocket, and eventually being damaged from it, over the course of thousands of shots. With the 4th valve installed (WITH buffer oring) and "max" on the hammer spring tension, the ping is absent.

I think (and I'm hoping) that the buffer oring prevents valve stem damage.

I'm really excited to have the Ghost back up and running!
 
Cocking lever location input desired......(ie, talk me through this)

I single feed and I prefer to single feed. I am right handed. The review Ghost has had cocking lever on right side the whole time I've been enjoying the gun. The process sounds more cumbersome than it is....but basically I cock, load, shut lever, all done with right hand. Left hand supporting gun through all that, usually on the bottle.

During prairie dog outing I watched @pesty3782 cock and shoot his Ghost Carbine with the lever on the left side. He used magazines, and I think there's no debate for a magazine user, left side is where it's at. Right hand can stay on grip the whole time, left hand cocks. Simple.

BUT it's a bit trickier for a single feed situation. I can get used to just about anything with enough repetition....is there any logical reason to swap the lever to left side for a right-handed single-feed guy? Any Ghost users out there doing it that way?
 
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First get a Carm single shot loader, then decide on the cocking handle.

I have one and they're really nice... but it adds another two steps, flip it open and then flip it closed. The magazine gap on the Ghost breech is large enough to load it directly into the barrel with fingers only.

I'm not saying the way I've been doing it is "right" or "best." I posed the question to gather opinions about single loading with cocking lever on the left side versus the right side.
 
Cabes new PR about an hr ago, lasered @ 84 yards, can't tell from the angle of the photo but it was right in the noggin.
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I shot a handful too, 4-5 in the 95-110yd range, and maybe 8-10 in the 60-90yd window.

All with the .20/15.89 JSB. Minimal wind so used it instead of the slugs this time out. It was a bit of an eye opener to shoot in nearly zero wind. I couldn't help but mentally shake my head at how easy it was to drill em. Range em, either click or holdover, and SMACK!

The Ghost .20 seems nearly automatic. Crosshair in the right place (or turret adjusted for the distance) and the pellet/slug simply goes right where I want it to. Amazing.
 
Oh my goodness, Cabe and the Ghost are almost the same size… made my night… super sweet, lucky son and dad. The squirrel? Unlucky🤓

Cabe is five, just started kindergarten. So he's definitely still a little guy. His older brother is 10 and has been shooting field target with me for....I think we're in the 4th summer now, and he was coming with and just plinking in the downtime the summer before that. Colben shoots at a pretty dang high level for a 10 year old. He manages his own equipment, ranges his own targets, consults his dope sheet and dials/holdover himself. In fact, Colben and I went to a different dogtown this evening and he got 8-10, all from bucket and sticks, closest was 67 yards and furthest was 95. He got to take a shot at one that was at 135 yards and exploded the dust right under the dogs feet......so close! And that was with his sub20fpe gun.

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Anyway, Cabe, seeing how good older brother Colben shoots and being pretty competitive..... Cabe's always wanting to shoot, just b/c he enjoys it, but also wanting to outpace his brother with practice. And the practice is paying off, cuz not many 5 year olds can make an 84 yard shot on a prairie dog.

Only sad thing is that they'll probably get called cheaters at some point for practicing (trigger time) so much.

It's really cool to have two sons to share the joy of airguns with. Lots of smiles just this very day.
 
That appears to be a “stolen” Taipan in his hands 🤭

Tony P
Lol, yep. Colbe claimed it as his own a while back. I tried reasoning with him about the shorter LOP fitting his little brother better but he wouldn't budge. So Cabe can just BARELY reach the trigger when shouldered on the gun he shoots the most, and that's with a straight arm. Cabe has the same problem with the Ghost but he makes it work.
 
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What?? You can load .20 pellets without a SS Loader? I guess I really do have fat fingers. You seem like a normal size guy as am I, no way would I do SS Load on my Ghost, from either side. 😨

Lol it works pretty good. To determine the winner between two highest scores in Hunter class, we had a timed shoot-off at the July field target match over near Luna, NM. Match director decided on 60seconds to shoot 5 of the 1/5th scale silhouette chickens @ 55 yards, from bucket and sticks. I got the first four and pulled the fifth shot, I had 10-15 seconds left. The other guy didn't get his 5 shots off in time. I was single feeding the .20/13.73.

I just pinch it between thumb and first finger and feed it in the barrel, via the magazine gap.

I hate loading magazines. Ha ha

I'm 5'10" and weigh about 180. Medium hand size.
 
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