The most-read HAM test review of 2018 was for the American Tactical Nova Freedom. Now we’re taking a first look at its cousin the Nova Liberty air rifle.
The American Tactical Nova Liberty is a multi-shot PCP air rifle. It uses the same 10-shot magazine system as the Nova Freedom, the same side lever cocking action, trigger and, undoubtedly, other internal parts. (Being manufactured by the same factory, that just makes sense).
But the ATI Nova Liberty is a “straight” PCP air rifle. Unlike the Freedom, there’s no built-in HPA pump. Instead, there’s a regulator and the option of a wood stock – as we have on this test gun. It’s also $70 cheaper with wood stock and $100 less with synthetic than its Freedom relative.
That makes the synthetic-stocked Nova Liberty another competitor in the $300 regulated PCP market opened-up by the Umarex Gauntlet. As everything except the stock is identical, this HAM first look is also applicable to the synthetic version.
The Liberty is supplied with two magazines, a single shot tray and fill probe. It also has fiber optic open sights. Like most airgunners, the first thing the HAM Team did was to remove the open sights and install a scope. In this case, we fitted a Leapers UTG 3-9 x 40AO scope as being representative of the sort of optic that many airgunners would pair with an air rifle of this price.
Weighing-in at 7 Lbs 12 Oz, the wood-stocked Nova Liberty is 6 Oz lighter than the pump-equipped Freedom. That difference would likely be greater still for the synthetic stock version.
One other significant difference is to be found in maximum fill pressure. The Nova Freedom has a maximum fill pressure of 3,600 PSI. For the Nova Liberty it’s 4,350 PSI. That’s a HPA pressure right at the top of its class.
We’ll take a look at the implications and results of this in the full HAM review to follow.
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