An in-depth review of the Karma Red Panda’s precision performance and tuning potential
By Steve Brew - Isle of Man, UK
When you first shoulder the Karma Red Panda, you immediately sense it’s something different, something special. Purposeful. Solid. Confident in its design. This isn’t a rifle chasing trends — it’s one setting them!
After spending considerable time with the Karma Red Panda, I’m now in a position to confidently discuss its performance and potential. Having owned the rifle for several months, I have had ample opportunity to test it both on the range and in the field. Predominantly used as a long-range slug target and hunting platform, I have put the Red Panda thoroughly through its paces and have been consistently impressed by its capability and versatility.
My Karma Red Panda is in .22 calibre and I have spent time testing slugs ranging from 30 to 42 grains. Projectile manufacturers and profiles evaluated include Zan projectiles (standard hollow-point with dished-base), ELR range slugs, Corbin ELRs, Corbin hollow-point boattails, and the new AirMarksman slugs that I produced on a Corbin press using Corbin dies. I’ve also been developing and testing variants from the Zan Hyperline series throughout this trial. The precision bull barrel of the Karma Red Panda proved largely non-fussy with ammunition; I tested a variety of diameter projectiles (.217”, .2175” and .218”) and multiple profiles. While the Red Panda in my experience shows a slight preference for .218” projectiles, smaller diameters also shot exceptionally well and delivered repeatable accuracy.
Tuning for Accuracy.
Tuning the Karma Red Panda is straightforward and intuitive — ideal for quick adjustments on the range or in the field. The rifle features an external, adjustable secondary regulator that is adjustable with a single 8 mm Allen key, allowing rapid pressure adjustments to optimise shot-to-shot consistency. Hammer strike force is easily increased or decreased via the thumb wheel hammer adjuster at the rear of the receiver, which varies the hammer-spring preload and consequently the hammer/valve impact force.
A dedicated valve-port adjuster lets you increase or decrease the transfer-port diameter, providing a simple and effective way to fine-tune velocity and shot-to-shot consistency. By altering the port size you can control both projectile velocities and the system’s back-pressure — a useful means of narrowing velocity spreads for improved accuracy.
Overall, adjustments are both convenient and fast to perform in the field. Between the regulator, hammer-preload wheel and valve-port adjuster, the Red Panda offers a compact, user-friendly tuning suite that makes achieving consistent, reliable performance a straightforward process.
During extensive testing the Karma Red Panda consistently produced exceptional velocity uniformity. Typical extreme spreads (ES) measured between 2–4 ft/s, while standard deviations (SD) remained below 1.5 ft/s across multiple tunes and projectile types. These were not isolated readings but repeatable results observed throughout my evaluation program.
Importantly, those figures held true across different regulator/valve tunes and with a range of slugs, demonstrating the platform’s inherent shot-to-shot consistency. In my view these ES and SD values represent the rifle’s normal operating envelope and speak directly to its suitability for precision long-range slug work where tight velocity spread is critical to accuracy and precision repeatability.
Throughout extensive testing of the Karma Red Panda I identified a clear regulator “sweet spot” between 160–180 bar on the secondary regulator. This range provided the best balance of accuracy and performance across slugs from 30–42 grains. At ~160 bar (secondary regulator) I recorded suitable velocities of 980–1,040 ft/s with 30, 32 and 34-grain projectiles when the hammer-spring preload (adjusted by the rear thumb wheel) and the valve-port were balanced with small incremental adjustments.
Raising the regulator toward 180 bar accommodated the heavier, longer ELR-type projectiles (for example Zan and Corbin ELRs in the 40.1–42 grain range). With the hammer preload set just over the halfway mark on the indicator and the transfer port opened fully, I consistently achieved velocities between 950–980 ft/s—an ideal window for those heavier slugs. Notably, at 180 bar and with only half the available hammer force in use there remains margin to increase power if desired; I’ve not needed to exploit that margin yet but may explore it in future tests.
Key tuning takeaways:
• Secondary regulator sweet spot: 160–180 bar.
• Light/medium slugs (30–34 gr): ~980–1,040 ft/s at ~160 bar, fine-tuned with hammer preload and valve-port.
• Heavy ELR slugs (40–42 gr): ~950–980 ft/s at ~180 bar, hammer preload just over halfway and transfer port fully open.
• System shows room for additional power at higher regulator pressure or increased hammer force, though current settings meet performance and consistency goals.
Accuracy with the Karma Red Panda
Accuracy with the Karma Red Panda was nothing short of outstanding. The rifle was not projectile-fussy and performed extremely well with a wide range of projectiles. Ragged-hole groups at 50 yards became the norm without any tuning, and sub-1-inch groups at 100 yards were routine across a variety of projectiles. This consistency demonstrates the performance of a Tier-1 rifle system built to deliver.
From a competition standpoint I spent a lot of time shooting Zan ELRs and Corbin ELRs; I would choose those projectiles for competition because of their superior ballistic coefficients (BC). For field and hunting work, however, I preferred my own 34-grain hollow-point boattail slugs, produced on my Corbin press using Corbin dies. One calm summer afternoon I fine-tuned those projectiles to the rifle. By dropping the regulated pressure to 168 bar and adjusting the hammer balance, I achieved what can only be described as incredible precision.
Results: repeatable half-inch groups at 100 yards when conditions allowed and a velocity extreme spread (ES) of 2–3 ft/s, repeatedly. These are the projectiles I used throughout the summer for long-range target work and pest control. Videos showing my work are available on the Precision Airgunning Facebook group.
I have consistently and humanely engaged rabbits and pigeons at ranges up to 200 yards with the Karma Red Panda, achieving pinpoint accuracy when shooting my 34-grain Corbin-made hollow-point boattail slugs at approximately 995 ft/s. With a G1 ballistic coefficient of 0.158, these slugs deliver devastating long-range performance.
I am currently testing 36- and 40-grain Corbin boattail ELR slugs, but at the time of writing this article it was too early to report results or make claims about those slugs performance prior to their market release, all I will say is that it is an exciting time to be an airgunner!
Karma Red Panda - Proven on the Podium and in the Field
The Karma Red Panda is a rifle conceived by shooters with shooters in mind. Its bench-rest pedigree speaks for itself: since its introduction it has amassed an exceptional record of podium wins and finishes. The new 2025 PRS variant is a natural evolution — purpose-built to contend in PRS and PMC slug competitions — and I expect it to continue that winning tradition.
At roughly 22 lb, the Red Panda is deliberately heavy. That mass is not a design flaw but a performance choice: it delivers rock-steady stability on the bench, when mounted on props or barricades, and when rested on walls, gates or fence posts in the field. It is not a Wood stalking rifle, nor was it ever intended to be — critiquing it for that is like faulting a Ferrari for not performing like a Land Rover in mud. Instead, the Red Panda excels in roles that reward stability and repeatability - observation posts, extended prone engagements, and long-range precision work where a stable platform matters more than lightweight portability.
In short, the Karma Red Panda is purposefully engineered for accuracy and consistency. For competitors and marksmen who prioritise podium-level performance over backpack convenience, it represents a compelling and thoroughly considered option.
