Air Gunner July 2015

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A FAMILY OF BEAR GRYLLS AIRGUNS

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GUNNER

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Which is the ultimate all-rounder?

PAGES OF HUNTING From Britain’s best writers

GOING PRO!

Carter tells all about the pest control business

7

INSIDE!

BSA

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JULY 2015

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AIR GUNNER EVOLUTION HOUSE, 2-6 EASTHAMPSTEAD ROAD, WOKINGHAM, RG40 2EG EDITORIAL Editor Phill Price Tel: 01189 742 501 [email protected] Chief sub-editor Rosie Barham Editor-in-chief Terry Doe [email protected] Designer Keith Harris

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This is my third issue at the helm and little by little I think I’m getting the hang of it. However, I have to tell the truth and admit that I’ve made my share of mistakes, none more important than last month’s competition. You see, I made the draw too early which denied those entering the competition late the chance to win. For that reason all last month’s entries will be included in this month’s competition at no charge. Live and learn, eh? Meanwhile, I was delighted to get my hands on BSA’s new Gold Star competition rifle that’s also proving to be a big hit with hunters and my Big Test on page 22 will explain why. I’ve been looking forward to this since last year’s Weston Park game fair because the Gold Star could well be a landmark in the future of rifle design. We again have a range of hunting writers all of whom have their own experiences and techniques, which I find fascinating. We can all learn from back each other and Charlie Portlock’s article on watching rabbit body language is quite brilliant. You

can tell he loves his sport and studies it well. On page 39 I’m reviewing the new Nikko Stirling Panamax scope and the great news if that you can win the very one I tested. If you go to page 91, complete our Starter for Ten questionnaire and post it to me, I’ll put all the names in a hat and you could soon be the proud owner of this fine optic. I’m also keen to understand where airgunning fits into the bigger country sports picture. For example, alongside my love of airguns I go fly fishing, deer stalking and work my gun dogs on game shoots over the winter. Many shooters I meet

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have other shooting interests such as ferreting, clay shooting and working terriers. Let me know the things you’re interested in so that I can ensure that our magazine is a satisfying read every month. I hope you enjoy this month’s magazine. I’ve tried hard to include something for everybody and I welcome your thoughts and ideas on how I can continue to make Air Gunner the best airgun magazine there is.

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CONTENTS JULY 2015 > ISSUE 375

A FAMILY OF BEAR AIRGUNS WIN GRYLLS

WORTH £350!

GUNNER

22

PANAMAX-IMUM Nikko Stirling’s new scope you can win!

SPORTER V TARGET RIFLE

14

Which is the ultimate all-rounder?

PAGES OF HUNTING From Britain’s best writers

GOING PRO!

Carter tells all about the pest control business

7

ON THE COVER ... 41 STATES OF INSIDE!

ALERT

22 The Big Test BSA Gold Star

Charlie Portlock briefs us on a rabbit’s

BSA27 EDDIE JONES

How good is the Beeza flagship? The editor finds out

AR GOLD ST22 SEE PAGE

Our renowned hunting expert goes £3.99

JULY 2015

PAGES OF NEW PRODUCTS

Rifles, scopes, clothing, pellets and knives

03 ED’S LETTER

Phill asks for your suggestions and explains a glitch

after those pesky pigeons in his own dedicated way www.airgunshooting.co.uk

18 BIG OLD SOFTIE

Editor Phill gives us the inside story on a new lightweight jacket

07 NEWS

31 BACK TO BASICS

10 LETTERS

35 LESSONS LEARNED

Here’s where we find out what’s going on in the world of airgun shooting

You have your say on what matters to you and we answer your questions

13 GURU

This month’s topic is trigger adjustment and our guru explains it perfectly

16 HFT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Gary Chillingworth reports from the biggest HFT comp of them all

4 AIR GUNNER www.airgunshooting.co.uk

Keith Warburton covers some of the key elements of airgun shooting

Russell Webb pockets a fundamental hunting lesson

39 TAKE IT TO THE PANA-MAX!

Nikko Stirling’s brand-new scope gets the once-over - and you can win it

45 MATCH PELLETS

Competition ammo is scrutinised by our resident airgunsmith and friends

talent for common sense

69 FRED CARTER Fred has some real-world advice for would-be airgun pros

86 JERRY MOSS The red squirrel ranger shares his hunting ground with a virtual buddy

48 WIN 3 BEAR GRYLLS AIRGUNS FOR £1.50 Airgun fun for all the family in our fantastic triple-gun competition

53 GOING ... GOING ... GONE!

Could an auction be the place to bag your dream airgun?

56 COUNTRY KITCHEN We have rabbit pitta pockets on the menu, this month!

59 AZEROING-IN

A brand-new knife makes its debut

60 LIGHTNING STRIKES Part II of this feature completes the regeneration of a BSA Lightning

A FAMILY OF BEAR AIRGUNS WIN GRYLLS

WORTH £350!

GUNNER

PANAMAX-IMUM Nikko Stirling’s new scope you can win!

SPORTER V TARGET RIFLE

14

Which is the ultimate all-rounder?

PAGES OF HUNTING From Britain’s best writers

GOING PRO!

Carter tells all about the pest control business

7

A FAMILY OF BEAR AIRGUNS WIN GRYLLS

WORTH £350!

GUNNER

BSA

Nikko Stirling’s new scope you can win!

SPORTER V TARGET RIFLE Which is the ultimate all-rounder?

PAGES OF HUNTING From Britain’s best writers

GOLD STAR 22 SEE PAGE

JULY 2015

PANAMAX-IMUM

14

INSIDE!

£3.99

PAGES OF NEW PRODUCTS

GOING PRO!

Carter tells all about the pest control business

Rifles, scopes, clothing, pellets and knives

www.airgunshooting.co.uk

7

INSIDE!

BSA

GOLD STAR 22 SEE PAGE

JULY 2015

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Gary Chillingworth compares match rifles to sporters

74 ORIGINAL PERFORMER

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85 PELLET PERFECT

The editor explains the importance of finding your ideal pellet - and spotlights a company that’s been designed to help you do that

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98 COMING NEXT MONTH

The August Air Gunner is already looking good - and here’s why!

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IN THE NEWS

For the very latest news visit us at www.airgunshooting.co.uk

Karbine Komfort Weihrauch is launching a new version of their now classic, pre-charged pneumatic rifle, the HW100KT. Is has the suffix LA which stands for Laminate Adjustable, telling us that they’ve prioritised gun fit with this exciting new version. The butt pad is vertically adjustable and the cheek piece adjusts up, down, left, right and also forward and back. This takes the stunning thumbhole stock to a new level. All these advantages will cost just £50 more than the nonadjustable version, at an RRP of £950. There’s more good news, this time for youngsters in the form of the HW30K kit, which is surely a dream rifle for any youngster. The solidly-built rifle has

every detail that the full-size Weihrauchs have, including the legendary Rekord trigger unit that changed the way airguns shot forever. The kit is comprised of the rifle, a 4 x 32 scope and mounts, and a stylish muzzle weight to top it off. The very best news is that this fantastic kit costs just £200 and is sure to last a lifetime, so that your lad can pass it on to his own son. www.hullcartridge.co.uk Just add pellets and enthusiasm!

Be Quick!

Win a Glamping Trip There are just a few months until we’ll be at the CLA Game fair and STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® is offering visitors the chance to win two luxury glamping weekends worth over £1,100 at this year’s event, to be held at Harewood House near Leeds in Yorkshire from Friday 31st July until Sunday 2nd August. The prize includes up to five nights’ accommodation for four people in a luxury bell tent, four entry tickets to all three days of the CLA Game Fair, plus a luxury picnic hamper. www.stihl.co.uk/glamping and for general show news visit www. gamefair.co.uk

The Weihrauch HW100KT LA. A most worthwhile progression.

Airgun World’s food writer, Rosie Barham, has written a fantastic cookery Recipes, tales of a junior airgunner, and more! book for airgun hunters, Delicious Vermin! It’s full of recipes for rabbit, pigeon and squirrels so we can make the best of the quarry we bring home. It’s been a best-seller and the first print run has nearly sold out, so if you want a copy you’d better hurry. Available from www. calmproductions. com or Amazon at £14.99, plus p&p.

Timber sport games are exciting to watch You could win a ‘glamping’ weekend at the CLA gamefair

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IN THE NEWS Drink To Success!

BB Bargain

Air Arms fans will be pleased to know that their favourite manufacturer is now offering chunky black mugs with the company logo stamped proudly across the front. Having test-driven one for a few weeks, I can report zero leakage and first-class support from the ergonomically designed handle. RRP £7.79 www.air-arms.co.uk

John Rothery Wholesale has a great new BB pistol, the Daisy 340, which is spring-powered, so there’s no need for green gas cans or Co2 capsules while you’re having fun. The magazine holds 200 4.5mm steel BBs, allowing you to blast away at your plinking targets for ages. The best news of all is that they’ll be in your local

Are you an AA fan? Then you need an AA mug

Daystate Right On Course Leading manufacturer, Daystate, has recently completed its sixteenth trade-training course at the company’s new factory in Staffordshire. The course gives airgun dealership staff full training on how Daystates are designed and built, and this covers every model in the Daystate range. Daystate director, Tony Belas, told us, ‘The prime purpose of these courses is to develop product knowledge and with it the ability to provide greater customer service at the point of sale, and afterwards. When dealers know more about our guns, they can pass more on to the customer and help them to get the most from their rifles. We are constantly raising the bar, and we make sure that Daystate outlets can do the same.’ Those attending the latest course included representatives from as far away as Cyprus, Kuwait and France, in addition to Daystate’s UK outlets.

gun shop soon at the bargain price of just £27.99. www.bisley-uk.com The Daisy 340 holds 200 BBs for plenty of plinking fun

New Airgun Club in Reading We have some great news for airgunners who live near Reading. A brand-new airgun club Reading Air Target Shooting Club is opening in June. It’s located at Grazeley Green, near Reading, not far from J11 of the M4 and the A33. There will be an eight-lane gallery with targets at 10, 20, and 30 yards, with space to add many more lanes in the future. The targets will be a mix of paper, with four cards in each, and spinners and silhouettes in each lane. At the moment, they’re engaged in building and restoring the site, which is an enclosed area for shooting in a quiet, safe, wooded area. Interestingly, they’re also going to offer archery facilities.

As the membership grows and the club gains funds, they’ll add more facilities to meet the club’s needs. As with all new clubs, they’re heavily reliant on volunteers to help with the preparation work and to offer ideas. This is where clubs get their heart and soul as people work together to make something really special. R.A.T.S.C. is also open to sponsorship opportunities if manufacturers or retailers would like to get behind this great new airgunning venture. For more information visit www.readingtarget-shooting.org.uk

Black Pepper Beauty

MKII. The RRP is £799.00 and it’s available across all three calibres on VC, Bull Barrel or Super Carbine versions. They’re in stock now so ask your nearest BSA dealer for a look. www.bsaguns.co.uk

When BSA launched the Gold Star, it was offered in what they call a Black Pepper laminate stock, which was simply lovely. It’s proven so incredibly popular that BSA is now offering it on their R10

Club Location:James Farm, James Lane, Grazeley Green, Reading. RG7 1NB

BSA is now offering the lovely Black Pepper stock on the R10

the Compatto is built around a Brocock Back with a Bang Daystate, ‘semi-bullpup’ design and runs an entirely new We’ve just taken delivery of an exciting prototype rifle from Brocock, and from what we’ve seen of it so far, this marks a whole new era for the company. Developed in conjunction with

Now this is something different. The new Brocock Compatto looks like nothing else

8 AIR GUNNER www.airgunshooting.co.uk

magazine system. Air Gunner editor, Phill, is part of the field testing team, and he’ll be bringing you the exclusive on the first production rifle. Exciting times for the re-born Brocock!

WINNER! Armex Assortment

The winner of the Evanix Windy City rifle competition is Chris Peters from Bristol who texted in with the right answer, ‘B’. Snappy.

Like most airgunners, I love shooting in my He’ll be getting a new back garden but I’m always aware that the Evanix rifle any time now. constant crack-dink! See our latest comp on of my fun could well become annoying page 48. to my neighbours. It’s for this very reason that Armex is offering the new Trueflight silencer adaptors to fit the Umarex lever action rifle and the Smith & Wesson revolver. They take just seconds to fit and have a male ½” UNF thread that will accept the majority of silencers on the market today. They

Want to keep the noise down? Armex has the answer

cost just £11.95 from your nearest Armex dealer. Armex also has an interesting pair of new rifles from the world-famous Browning brand. The X-Blade and the M-Blade are break-barrel models that wear stylish, black, synthetic stocks. They have fully-shrouded barrels that protect the metalwork from damage and rust caused by sweaty hands. The spring-piston power plant will offer years of reliable shooting and be easy to service. The X-Blade is a full-size, full-power model, whilst the M-Blade is set at 7.5 joules or around 6ft.lbs. which makes it ideal for young shooters, and clubs like the Scouts. Both rifles are available in .177 and .22. Browning’s new break-barrel rifles have some striking looks

Pellet news next! The Cobra is a pointed pellet made in Germany to Umarex’s high standards. It weighs 8.6 grains in .177, so delivers good velocity alongside strong energy retention at hunting distances. They’re delivered in tins of 250 and sell for £11.00. Umarex has a new pointed pellet designed for hunting www.armex-airgun.co.uk www.airgunshooting.co.uk AIR GUNNER 9

YOUR LETTERS Soft Option? Why do so many airgunners make such a big deal about the so-called difficulty of shooting springers, especially from a solid rest? All I do is use a folded section of ‘eggbox’ foam that came with a rifle I bought years ago, along with a fairly light grip, and I can shoot perfect groups off any rest. If I don’t have the main section of foam with me, say when I’m out hunting, I carry a pocket-

EL OF THE TMONTH

No place like foam.

sized lump of it and I use that between my hand and the rifle’s stock when I get the chance of a rested shot. Try it!

ER

Dan Emmersley Ed – Dan – you’ve given me a great idea for a DIY feature. I love the idea of a recoilabsorbent rest we can take in the field, and I’ll be working on that idea. Watch this space!

The BSA Meteor is a classic in its own right.

Pleased To Meteor Last year, a friend was moving and gave me my first-ever airgun, a .22 BSA Meteor Mark 1 (vintage 1959/62). Being of a certain age, I was keen to take up a new hobby and joined a local club, the Semer Airgun Society. The members were very welcoming and as well as being able to use club guns, I decided

to give the Meteor a go. The original plastic scope had seen better days and its mountings were too small for the Hawke 3-9 x 40, which I bought to replace it. Not mentioned in Jim Royce’s article, ‘Going off the Rails’, in the February edition of Air Gunner, is the fact that the scope rail on this model is 15.5mm

Vintage Valuation An old chap I know has a really old Weihrauch HW35, which he kept to shoot the rabbits that were eating his vegetables, but he told me that it won’t kill them cleanly any more. He says that he’s going to get a gas gun because he doesn’t have the strength to cock modern 12 ft.lbs. rifle I’d like to buy the HW35 because I always wanted one as a kid. What’s it worth? Charlie Hammond

Ed. Valuing guns is very hard to do. I’d like a classic HW35 myself especially an Export version with the 22” barrel, but I’d get a knowledgeable gun shop to look one over before I bought it. It might be that a simple service, including a new spring and piston is all it needs, but until the gunsmith gets it apart you won’t know. I’d ask if you could take it to your local gun shop for a quote, and then make him an offer.

10 AIR GUNNER www.airgunshooting.co.uk

wide, i.e different again to the 13 and 11 standards also used by BSA, but fortunately, John Knibbs International still sell the correct mounts. It was also interesting to compare the accuracy of some round-ended ‘Marksman’ pellets, that I was given with the rifle, to the modern, flat-ended variety, the latter producing a better, closer pattern. Shooting with a

Happy Newby I’m a brand-new air gunner and I am grateful for all the support, kindness, and friendship that people in the sport have shown me, from online communities to gun clubs. I have been given respect, and never made to feel like a nuisance with my beginner questions; on the contrary, I found that people were eager to share experiences and knowledge. With my second-hand Weihrauch HW90, I hope eventually to build my skills and compete in competitions. Next on my list is to find a scope, once I have become good enough with iron sights. James Parkinson Ed. It’s a great sport, isn’t it? I’ve heard this many times and it gladdens my

break-barrel seems a bit of a challenge but with it producing 5-6 ft lbs, there is plenty of life in it yet! As a newcomer to the sport, I look forward to the information in Air Gunner every month.

John Sones

heart. All sports should welcome newcomers and airgun clubs have a well-deserved reputation for bringing new shooters into the fold. If any other readers are thinking of joining a club I hope this letter encourages you to go along and enjoy all the benefits it holds.

All types of rifle welcome at the club - just as it should be.

Classic Comebacks? I thought I’d write and congratulate you on your appointment as the new editor and we hope you’ll be happy in your post. My favourite airguns are springers (not pneumatics) and over half of Air Gunner, under the outgoing editor, was dedicated to PCPs. I find them to be like automatic cars, taking the pleasure of shooting away from the shooter. I bought a Gamo Shadow IGT (gas-ram) and it’s awesome in.177. It has a muzzle crack like a rimfire. I’ve upgraded

the scope to a Hawke 3-9 x 50 mil-dot, IR and this bad boy could blow the butt off PCPs. Graham and Angie Denton Wakefield Ed - Thanks for your kind words, Graham, although I suspect your comments about PCPs may ruffle a few feathers. We rely on our readers to tell us what we should feature in Air Gunner, and they’re usually keen to let us know. Please keep those opinions coming, folks.

Air Of Despondency I’ve longed to become an airgun hunter, but like many people I’ve found it impossible to get permission. There are loads of farms around me that have stacks of rabbits and pigeons, but they all say that they have shotgun shooters on their land already, so they don’t need me. What can I do? Pete Smith Ed. I’m sorry to hear that you’re struggling, but don’t give up. Rather than just arriving in a farmyard, it’s always better to be recommended, so I think it’s best to start small. Do you have a local gun shop? Ask in there; as long as you’re a regular

customer they might be able to make a contact for you. When I worked in a gun shop we regularly had people coming in complaining of rabbit damage or squirrels in their hazelnut trees. I always offered my help, and to be honest, most of them were a waste of time, but occasionally I’d arrive at a paddock and shoot some rabbits. Then the owner would tell their neighbour that I was trustworthy and effective and I’d gain the next few fields too. Once you’re in, one thing can lead to another and the land you have to shoot over builds up. Ask the gun shop owner to keep your phone number, and to offer it to new customers looking for help.

Gaining permission is one of the trickiest shooting skills of them all.

www.airgunshooting.co.uk AIR GUNNER 11

Get in touch... Post your letters to: Letters, Air Gunner, Evolution House, 2-6 Easthampstead Road, Wokingham, RG40 2EG

[email protected]

Flower Power I hope you don’t think I’m odd but I really want to know the name of a wild flower that grows quite profusely on my hunting permission. I’ve sent you a photo and, as you can see, it’s a really attractive plant. I’m not even sure if it’s a genuine wild flower, or a garden escapee, but if you have any idea what it might be, I’d really appreciate it. Even if you don’t know, thanks for trying.

clean wounds, as first aid for snakebite, and even to cure freckles and spots. Terry also went on to tell me that this plant was also used to treat fever, bloating, jaundice and flatulence. Ever wished you’d never asked? Common centaury. A wild flower with remarkable talents

Ross Daniels Ed. You’re in luck, Ross, because right opposite my desk sits Terry Doe, the editor of our sister magazine, Airgun World, and he’s a keen amateur botanist. Terry tells me that your plant is common centaury, and according to him, it’s an ‘incredibly interesting’ one. Apparently, centaury has been used by herbalists to treat intestinal worms, to

Being Prepared I shot my first rabbit the other day and my neighbour gutted and skinned it for me, but I’d like to know how to do it myself. Could you do an article about that for those of us who are new to hunting, please? Also which

knives and tools will I need? Can you do it with only a knife? Simon Dale Ed. I plan to do articles on game preparation as the year goes on,

Maxed Out! I am the very proud owner of a BSA Ultramax outfit and I really think I’ve found the best-kept secret in our sport. This combo does everything I could possibly ask of it, and if I were good enough, it would do even more, I’m sure. I’m lucky enough to own three more top hunting rifles, each of them costing far more than the Ultramax kit, but it’s the handy little Beeza I find myself reaching for whenever I head for the fields. I’m sure the Ultramax outfit was offered as a limited edition product, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it sold out ages ago, but if you can

find one, buy it – I promise you’ll be glad you did! Ryan Harling Ed – I can only agree with you; that BSA Ultramax combo is extremely effective, and at £599, including, scope, mounts, silencer, gun case and cammo finish, it’s also great value for money. I also agree with you about the likelihood of it being sold out. It was, indeed, a limited edition run, but you never know, there may be one or two available out there, and it’s definitely worth searching.

Max’ performance, max’ value.

12 AIR GUNNER www.airgunshooting.co.uk

WIN If you have a top tip, something you’d like to get off your chest, or an interesting anecdote, then why not shoot us a line? We print the best letters and emails each month and one will be awarded a top prize. This month it’s a superb BSA Essencial hunting scope and mounts worth over £60 and you could win it simply by getting in touch and sharing your views

so you’re in luck. The rabbits seem to have repopulated areas on my farms that hadn’t seen them in a couple of years, so I’ll be able to take a good harvest for myself and Jane, our Country Kitchen (page 56) cook.

All part of the prep’.

Ultimately not-sporting? My hunting partner has just bought himself an Air Arms Ultimate Sporter, and I can see why he’s so pleased with it. I’ve shot it, and it’s nothing short of fantastic. It’s taught me the real value of having a rifle that fits properly, and I’m either going to buy one or have my own rifle modified to fit me better. All that said, I have to wonder if we’re going too far these days. That Ultimate Sporter is recoilless, virtually silent, and it’s as accurate as a competition rifle. The stock is all-accommodating, and the trigger is everything a hunter could possibly need. Compared to the rifles our hunting forefathers used, it’s in a totally different

Have we gone a step too far?

league, but is it sporting? Have the animals we hunt got a sporting chance; after all, they haven’t changed at all in thousands, possibly millions, of years. Maybe I’m getting old, but I wonder what other readers think about this. Pete West Ed – I can see your point, Pete, but I think we’re still a long way from being so efficient as to be unsporting. We still have our human frailties to deal with, and we still let down our excellent hardware on a far too-regular basis. As good as an Ultimate Sporter is, it can’t make us shoot accurately unless we do our bit – which we often don’t!

AIRGUN GURU GET IN TOUCH Post your letters to: Letters, Air Gunner, 2-6 Easthampstead Road, Wokingham, RG40 2EG

[email protected] GURU TIP: Always maintain perfect aim until the pellet strikes. Keep your eye behind your scope, or open sights, until you see, or hear, the pellet impact. This way you’ll develop proper follow-through and you won’t ‘pull’ the shot at its most crucial stage. Try it!

The three trigger pull adjustment screws of the Air Arms three sear trigger unit.

Q

I have owned my threeyear-old Air Arms S410 Carbine from new, and never bothered to adjust the trigger, but I have read that a lot of people do, and I have seen videos online showing how to do it. Am I missing out by not playing with the adjustment? I only use the rifle for hunting, if that’s any help.

a particular ‘feel’, weight or length of first pull, and the three adjusters of the Air Arms trigger offer plenty of scope for adjustment. The problem is that that two of the adjusters are interdependent, and offer yhe

opportunity for people to get into trouble when they fiddle with the trigger, unless they know what they’re doing. The three screws adjust trigger weight, and the length of the first and second stages

A

GURU SAYS: The most precious gift that our American friends have given us is the saying ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’, and for as long as any rifle rifle continues to put pellets where the owner wants, I would not recommend changing anything, most especially the trigger pull. As your rifle is under 10 years old, it will have the excellent three sear trigger unit, and I honestly cannot remember coming across one of these Air Arms PCP trigger units with the factory settings that really needed any adjustment, although some people, notably competition shooters, do favour

If you do wish to adjust the trigger pull lengths it’s best to take the side plate off so you can see what your adjustment is doing.

of pull. If you wish to lighten the pull, turn the front screw (A in photo 1) anticlockwise, and vice versa to increase pull weight, being mindful that too much adjustment when increasing weight can cause the coil spring (A in photo 2) to become coil bound, so the rifle will not shoot. The other two screws are situated in the trigger blade, and it is when trying to adjust these that some people go wrong. The front adjuster (B in photo 1) controls the length of the first stage of travel, but that’s not the full story, because it alters the degree of overlap between the top and bottom sears. Turning adjuster B clockwise decreases the length of the first stage, and also decreases the total trigger blade travel before the sears disengage; turn it too far, and the rifle will discharge before the second-stage screw (adjuster C in photo 1) comes into play, so turning a sweet and predictable two-stage trigger into an unpredictable single stage trigger. Adjuster C fine tunes the start of the second pull. I think this subject is worth covering in a little more depth, so we’ll take a look inside the trigger unit next month. ■

www.airgunshooting.co.uk AIR GUNNER 13

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Gary Chillingworth reports on one of the biggest airgun competitions of the year

T

he HFT World Championships has become the premier outdoor airgun target-shooting event in the world today. With unparalleled numbers and international support, 360 shooters from around the planet descended on the Kelmarsh Game Fair in sunny Leicestershire to test their mettle against some of the best target shooters in the country. The event is set over two days, and two separate courses, and for 2015 there were two new course setters. This bunch of desperadoes had given up a week of their lives and had promised to take the world of HFT into new and terrifying territory. Greg Hensman and the Kibworth team had been tasked with setting the Alpha course, and the Buxted massive had agreed to set Bravo. Little did we know that two of the finest courses ever to be set at a championship awaited us,

Above: Pete Sparks shot well with his new HFT500

Below: There were grave concerns about Alpha course

Below: The course setters did their worst and we loved it

and as we arrived at Kelmarsh, some of the best shooters in the country were blissfully unaware that they were about to take a beating.

Day One On day one, I had to shoot Alpha and I was lucky enough to be shooting with Pete Sparkes and Mick McTighe. The Alpha course was a beast, with high targets and range traps aplenty, but what set Alpha apart from most normal HFT courses was the mixture of new targets and target positions that were designed to have no compromise. One of the new targets was a massive bird, which was apparently a red kite and as you looked through your scope, it was more like shooting a pterodactyl than one of our feathered friends. Greg had also employed a team of monkeys to scale the trees and place targets at the very top and often, as I lay at a peg dislocating my spine to see a target, I cursed the likes of former World Champion, Kieran Turner, who I knew had placed a target so high that no mortal man could get to it. The Bravo course for day two was also something very special; set by the Buxted Hobbits, Bravo was a lesson in misdirection. There was an

array of targets that had both big and small faceplates designed to make you think the targets were either closer or further away. It would be fair to say that this is probably one of the first courses designed before the setters had even seen the ground. The team knew that certain targets had to be placed at set distances, to make shooters who measure kill zones and faceplates come up with the wrong yardage. Day two was a monster; on day one I shot a respectable 54, but on day two this became a 44 and this was down to wind. One second you would give a mil-dot of right to left and miss, and then on the next target you would have to give a mil-dot left to right and still miss. After 30 targets, I was ready to beat my head against a tree and then Simon Vant walked past. I asked Simon how he did, expecting him to say high 40s, and with a smile he just said 59 and kept on walking. At this point I decided it was time to take up knitting.

Great Show The Kelmarsh country game fair is more than just a massive shooting event, it is a great day out for all the family, and one of my favourite memories from 2015 is of Paul Relf and

“Vinny has proved the old adage, ‘you get out of a sport, exactly what you put into it’” 16 AIR GUNNER www.airgunshooting.co.uk

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Dave Ramshead has represented team Engalnd for the last seven years

his son, Dylan. After the tournament had finished, Dylan brought his mighty Nerf gun on to the course and shot and killed a target. This made him officially the youngest competitor ever at 5 years old, and he can already shoot better than his dad. Well done, Dylan! Every year, Countryman Fairs give us unwavering support and without their help the World Championships would not be the spectacle that they are. So from everyone at the Worlds, a huge thanks must go to the Countryman Fairs team. This was, however, a shooting competition and for those who came, saw, and conquered, they deserve their moment in the sun, So, winning the .22 was Matt Rawlings; the springers went to Steve Whiting; the ladies was taken by Jennie Stone; the juniors, after a tense shoot off with Tom Wilingham, was taken by Syzmon Bojanowsk from Poland; and the Open was won by Vince Holland. The team events were won by Air Arms, and Team England was victorious for the

Above: Liz Ozman puts her MPR to good effect

Below: Vince Holland, world HFT champ!

seventh year in a row. All these shooters were top in their classes, but there is only one World Champion, this is the shooter who scores the highest over the two days, irrespective of class, and for 2015 this was Vince Holland who scored a massive 115/120 points. The amazing thing about this is that Vinny has only been shooting for 18 months - he has worked harder then almost any other shooter in the country, though. With his mighty Air Arms FTP900 (Purchased after reading my review in Air Gunner. I have to try and take some credit somewhere.) and training hard with Richard Woods, Vinny has proved the old adage, ‘you get out of a sport, exactly what you put into it’.

And Finally Finally, I have to thank a few people. First of all, the marshals who did a stunning job and some of them, like Steve McFarlane, Ash Bailey and Wayne Marriot, went above and beyond that call of

IMPACT AIRGUNS A New Name With a 30 Year Heritage

This target was so high that I could barely shoot that steeply

duty. The ladies who did the booking in, Jane and Jean, made sure that everyone knew what they were doing and where to go. The shooters, for turning up, and finally the sponsors; Great Wall Motor Company supplied all of the shooting cards, JSB supplied pellets and prizes, and Sure Shot donated one of their excellent stocks. Air Arms donated a stunning HFT500 and I’m sure one of these rifles will win a world championship one day. If you love shooting and you want to have a go, then come and join us at the Nationals, and then next year come and shoot the Worlds. HFT - the most fun you can have rolling about in the mud. ■

For us, it’s all about quality, service and performance - and it always will be — Chris Whistler

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www.airgunshooting.co.uk AIR GUNNER 17

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BIG

D L O SOFTIE

The editor finds a new lightweight jacket to his liking

M

y never-ending quest to find the perfect outdoor clothing has brought this interesting jacket in for a review. I know the Snugpack brand from my mountaineering days, where it’s very well respected. This company is known for making no-nonsense, robust kit that will endure the toughest conditions and its stuff is so well thought out that it’s practical to use even in the wettest, coldest weather. I’ll say from the start that I’m not a fan of over-the-head smocks, preferring zip-fronted jackets, but I found this one easy to put on and take off. The lining is Paratex Light, which slides easily against other clothing making it less restrictive around the shoulders and arms and this is backed with Softie Premier insulation, which is surprisingly warm relative to its light weight and gives the ideal protection against the chill of spring and autumn. The outer shell is Paratex Micro, which is windproof and rain resistant because of the water-repellent proofing

applied to it, but it isn’t totally waterproof. Please don’t see this as a weakness because this type of fabric is much more breathable than any waterproof can ever be, so you won’t get that horrible, sweaty feeling inside. This is a really big deal to me because it means I stay comfortable in conditions from zero to 14 degrees, even when hunting over steep, hilly ground. The camouflage pattern is genuine Multicam, which I felt looked just right

Main: Lightweight, comfortable and highly breathable. Just my kind of jacket

“this type of fabric is much more breathable than any waterproof can ever be” in my part of southern England during springtime. I know some people are uncomfortable wearing military camo patterns, but I had no such concern. In fact, to get a good feel for the jacket, I wore it every day while walking my dogs and nobody made any negative comments at all. Because of its intended use by the

18 AIR GUNNER www.airgunshooting.co.uk

Inset: One huge pocket, plus these smaller pockets means you’ll never bo short of storage

military it has a number of Velcro panels designed to accept badges and such, and they are of no interest to me, but I see no downside to them either, they’re just there. At the front, there’s a huge pocket that can be accessed from both sides, with smaller pockets at the front for secure storage. The large pocket acts as an excellent hand-warmer, too, something I appreciated on chilly mornings. The collar and cuffs have draw-cords to tighten to keep warmth in, or to loosen if you’re getting too hot. I’m really impressed with this jacket, to the extent that I forgot about my dislike of smocks. For spring and autumn it’s just what I need, and to find out that it’s made in England was the icing on the cake. ■

Model - Mountain Leader Softie Smock To find your nearest dealer, visit the website and use the stockist tab. www.snugpack.com/military £179.95

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THE BIG TEST

ON THE FIRING LINE THIS MONTH:

BSA GOLD STAR

The editor takes a good look at the future of airguns

S

porting competitions can be a great source of pleasure for many people and they often have a secondary benefit, which is that they drive development and progress in techniques and technology. It’s one of the reasons that road car manufacturers invest vast amounts of money into Formula One racing. The cleverest designers and engineers are magnetically drawn to the pinnacle of motor sport, and all those great minds in one place progress technologies at a colossal pace. ‘What’s raced on Sunday gets driven on Monday’, as the old saying goes.

Airgun competitions, like hunter field target (HFT), are just the same, and the big manufacturers keep a close eye on what the competitors

Main: Competition guns for hunters? Oh, yes!

“BSA’s Gold Star was developed with the help of the company’s HFT” use and the modifications they make to standard rifles to extract the very best performance from them. At one time it seemed that field target (FT) was the top competition, but these days the number of people shooting it has dropped, whereas HFT is booming.

22 AIR GUNNER www.airgunshooting.co.uk

Competitions up and down the country are fully booked well in advance of the day, and the manufacturers have responded. A short while ago, Air Arms and BSA launched rifles specifically targeted at these competitors, and each has proven to be exactly what the public wanted, selling like hot cakes.

HFT BSA’s Gold Star was developed, with the help of the company’s HFT team, into the stunning rifle you see in the pictures. The Black Pepper laminated wood stock is simply lovely, and perhaps reason enough alone to own

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eo n oft also available in red, white and blue laminate, which, it has to be said, is a Marmite option. Because I’m a hunter and not a competitor, it’s not for me, but the competition guys love it; each to their own, eh? The action is the well-proven Scorpion SE, offered in single-shot, as you’d want for competition, and also with the multi-shot, magazine-fed system. This surprised me, but as I was to find out, this was a very well considered decision indeed, as was the option to offer .22 calibre beside the more obvious .177. Why on earth would a competitor want a magazinefed .22? My first proper look at the rifle was at last year’s HFT World Championships, at Kelmarsh, in the hands of the shy and retiring Roger Lait. He’s a very quiet man and I had to interrogate him to learn more about the prototype - those who know him will understand. To complement his modest nature he had the equally subtle red, white and blue stock, which looked just right among all the

other pure competition es h rifles on the day. He also shot well with it, boding well for the rifle’s future.

Better Fit

GUNTRADE GATEWAY ext

‘hamster’. This moves vertically and can be reversed. The trigger moves fore and aft, and can rotate on its post. I found this very useful. The cheek piece can move up, down and side to side, whilst the butt pad moves up, down, and rotates left to right, and it can further travel in and out to adjust pull-length. Ten minutes with some Allen keys changed the fit from how my 6’ 4” colleague wanted it, to my 5’ 9” frame. Easy. As I shot it, the more I loved the ability to make subtle changes to ‘tune’ the fit, making it closer and closer to perfection. If I could make one change to the build, I would make the pull length adjustable. During the cold winter weather we typically have lots of thick, warm clothing under a substantial jacket, so the ability to shorten the stock would maintain the ideal fit. Of all the adjustable parts, my favourite one is the cheek piece. Being able to set the comb to support your cheekbone, so that your master eye is automatically and perfectly centred with the axis of the scope, is fantastic. Almost every rifle I can think of has the comb set for the height of open sights when we all shoot scopes, and it drives me nuts. The correct height supports your head and neck, whilst adding a vital extra amount of contact that stabilises you and the rifle in perfect harmony. I know that I’m going on, but for me this is the greatest Ô

To find out more about these and many more products, visit www.guntradegateway.co.uk

Much of the thinking behind guns like these is that modern precharged rifles are way more accurate than we can ever use when shooting from typical field positions, so a better human interface was needed to help us to extract more of the performance. If you’ve ever seen a 10-metre Olympic match rifle, you’ll know that they have a bewildering array of adjustments to allow the individual to personalise the fit in the most exquisite way. However, they’re not practical in outdoor conditions, so it was necessary to take the most important parts of the adjustability and adapt them for our sport. Let’s take a good look at the main picture and play ‘spot the adjustable parts’. Most obvious is the fore end

“A better human interface was needed to help us to extract more of the performance” Below: With the comb set perfectly I locked onto the sight picture instantly

Left: This little bright dot shows you that the mag is on its last shot Far left: The safety is on the wrong side for me, but then most BSAs are

www.airgunshooting.co.uk AIR GUNNER 23

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With such a huge range of adjustments I placed the trigger shoe perfectly for my hand

The pellet on the right went through an ECHF barrel. Can you see the differnce?

area of possible improvement any rifle can offer. I’d like to see adjustable cheek pieces on every high-quality rifle.

Perfect position I made good use of the trigger position adjusters as well. After removing the stock, I slid the blade all the way to the rear, and rotated the match-style ‘shoe’ to the right. This was then perfectly placed for my medium-sized hand, eliminating any tension, and allowing me to get the best from the delicate twostage trigger. I relish a good trigger that allows me to ‘think the shot off’ rather then needing to make a deliberate physical effort to drop the sear. For me, this is a big deal, and a great confidence builder. I appreciate the hamster being fully removable because I would want it attached for hunting. I like my rifles as slim and sleek as possible when I’m ducking under branches and crawling along a dry ditch. It also saves a little weight. Weighing in at over 9 lbs ready to hunt, it’s a fair chunk to carry for four hours, but for the competition guys, weight equals stability on aim, so is most welcome. I set the vertical adjustment of the butt pad to the centre point so that it’s

at its most versatile. While hunting, I have no time for fiddling with settings; I just need to shoulder the rifle and get on with the job, whereas in a competition, you have all the time in the world to make changes before you enter the shooting lane.

Above: The hamster can be removed for hunting

Take Your Time In the competition world, any possible advantage is taken and

“I relish a good trigger that allows me to ‘think the shot off’” when somebody comes up with an improvement, word spreads like wildfire across the Internet and everybody pays attention. During a phone call with Mr Lait, he was wildly over-excited because he believed that he’d discovered a match-winning advantage that BSA’s trick new-barrel technology, ECHF (Enhanced Cold Hammer Forged) barrel was giving. In his testing, he

24 AIR GUNNER www.airgunshooting.co.uk

found that pellets though this barrel were ‘taking less wind’, or in English they were drifting 50% less distance off target, compared to other guns. If this turns out to be correct, it will be a hugely impressive feat of engineering and a big lead for BSA guns over all the other manufacturers. BSA are unsurprisingly tight-lipped about their new barrels, with the big boss just smiling knowingly each time I believe that I’ve tumbled the secret. His stock answer is, “That might be the difference, but I’m not telling.” The Gold Star comes fitted with a muzzle brake-cum-stripper, which is a standard tool in the world of competition guns. The idea is that as the pellet leaves the muzzle, the cone inside the stripper deflects the turbulent air that could otherwise unsettle the

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pellet. There’s an optimum distance that the cone should be set away from the muzzle and the Gold Star’s stripper is fully adjustable, of course. This allows the dedicated competitor to set it for the particular pellet they choose.

Above: The stripper comes as a standard part

On the Range at Last

Right: The extra stability this gun offers can always be felt

When I finally got some time to run a proper test, I headed off to Bisley with lots of pellets, plenty of targets, a full dive tank, and a bucket of patience. You see, to get a real feel for a rifle it takes time to tune yourself into the gun. It’s only then that you can truly see what it can do. I particularly wanted to shoot at the main range at Bisley because the wind is notoriously fickle. It swirls and eddies making reading it close to impossible, and just when you think you have it understood, it changes again and laughs in your face. The weather was mild, making a long session at the bench comfortable, a good thing for serious accuracy testing. After trying all the usual highquality pellets, my test gun showed a clear preference for H&N Field Target Trophy. It

SPECS

Manufacturer BSA Guns Web www.bsaguns.co.uk Model Gold Star SE Type Pre-charged pneumatic Action Bolt action with 10shot rotary magazine Also available as a singleshot (same price) Trigger Two-stage, multiadjustable Stock Multi-adjustable laminate wood (available in other colours and walnut) Weight 4.2kg (9.2lbs) Length 935mm (37.5”) Shots per fill 90 in .22 and 75 in .177

RRP £899.99

wasn’t too keen on the Air Arms Field, which surprised me. They work well in almost everything, so perhaps the ECHF system isn’t suited to them. After getting a good zero at 45 yards, I settled down to see what the rifle and pellets could do and, despite the tricky wind, I was soon getting groups around ½” with the odd

Left: The Black Pepper stock really adds to the rifle’s good looks

“Perhaps this really is the future of our high-end airguns”

one straying out as far as ¾”. This speaks well for the new barrel. Over the chrono I was unsurprised to see consistent velocities around 562 fps plus or minus 4 fps. The batch of H&N FTT I had weighed 14.9 grains, which calculates to just over 10.5ft.lbs, and I checked with the factory who confirmed that mine was a prototype and that production guns would have their power set somewhat higher. Which leaves me to explain why a competition gun should have a magazine and be in .22. The answer is that hunters are buying more of these guns than HFT competitors. These people are keen to take advantage of all the features to maximise their success in the hunting fields, just as the competition guys would at a match. Perhaps this really is the future of our high-end airguns. I certainly hope so, anyway. ■

www.airgunshooting.co.uk AIR GUNNER 25

www.bsa.co.uk

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PART 2

We catch up with Eddie and Mick as the action really gets going

“One person who had been lucky, though, was Mick. I’d heard a pellet strike something hard while I was searching”

I

t was over an hour before pigeons started to move around us. I’d noticed a couple drop into the trees that Mick was covering, but had heard no shot and I was tempted to text Mick but I didn’t want to disturb him, just in case. Ten minutes later, I heard a nice thump of a pellet hitting something so I had to call him to see what he was playing at, as you do. He told me that he’d seen them come in, but couldn’t get a clear shot through

to them so he’d wanted to wait. It was a good call because we don’t want to injure anything, and his patience paid off in the end. I’d been watching the pigeons that were flying around and they were not doing the usual flight that they take on so many occasions. The main bulk had been flying over the field to my left and coming into the smaller trees behind us. This was a real problem for me because I had no chance of turning around with the gun. I did try, as anyone would, but I was seen every time. There was hardly a breeze in the air, what little there was came from behind me so I ruled out that the wind could be the reason they were coming

Main: Once you lay flat your camo will do the rest

Left: The warrens looked well used

round the trees rather than dropping straight in.

How’s it going? I decided to have a quick run up to Mick and let him know what the pigeons were doing and see what we could do to turn the tide in our favour. Mick is the most optimistic person you could meet so he was happy to sit it out for a while and just see if anything happened. It was a good 40 minutes later when I finally had two birds drop in. I slid the Impact under the net and found one that was nice and clear; the pigeon was sitting side-on to me, and with no wind to worry about I took the shot. It was a nice head shot and the Ô

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pigeon dropped to the floor. Glad that I had got off the mark, too, I settled down ready for my next chance, which came in to land not long after. I had seen it come in through the branches at the back of the tree, and as I looked in that direction I could see the grey plumage between some branches. I kept the scope on it for a couple of minutes and then I spotted something different about this pigeon and as it turned, I could see it was actually a stock dove. Thankfully, I am not one to take a potshot at anything, otherwise I could have been in big trouble. Stock doves are protected and luckily, this one was going to fly off unharmed.

On the Move The sun was now gracing the tops of the trees and more birds were moving about in the fields in front of us, and a group of pigeons had headed toward Mick. I was hoping for a shot to ring out and I was not disappointed. Mick

had wasted no time getting on one and through the trees I could see a pigeon falling to the floor. Mick was using his other rifle today, and it was as accurate as the one he had used last month. For the next couple of hours, we did manage to get a few more between us. The sun had definitely helped to draw them into our chosen spots, and Mick had even shot one that was trying to get jiggy with one of the decoys, so they were definitely doing their job. As the afternoon wore on, we decided to have a go at a rabbit or two. I had seen a few showing on the ground now the evenings were drawing out, and Mick had decided he was going to give his .177 Daystate FAC a go here because it had been gathering dust in his cabinet. We had packed all the gear away and were heading back towards the truck when we noticed a couple of rabbits feeding close to a small warren. Unfortunately, they spotted us too and ran for cover. We

28 AIR GUNNER www.airgunshooting.co.uk

Main: The FAC rifle got the dust blown off

had a look at the warren and could see signs of fresh dug soil, so Mick decided this was going to be his spot when we got back. I opted for a small, square cover that usually produces a bunny or two for me most times, so with bipods fitted and bodies refreshed after a nice cuppa, we set off to bag a rabbit.

Here we are Top left: This small bank was packed with holes

Mick was first to reach his chosen spot and I watched as he settled down, and I reached my spot a few minutes later and got myself comfy 30 yards out in the field. I had been watching the hedge line for about 15 minutes when I noticed the dust cap missing from the front of the gun. I had left mine off at home when I filled the gun, but Mick had loaned me one when we got to the ground. I felt bad for losing the cover, so I set off to try to find it. I knew it had been on when we left the car after our drink, so all I had to do was backtrack - sounds easy, but after an hour of looking I’d had no luck. One

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“Mick had even shot one that was trying to get jiggy with one of the decoys”

person who had been lucky, though, was Mick. I’d heard a pellet strike something hard while I was searching for the cover and was happy that he’d got something. Mad with myself for losing the cap, I headed back to my spot. Nothing had came out while I was away so I was hoping I would get a chance sooner rather than later. I had been lying there waiting for a good hour when I noticed a white tail bobbing around in the next field. It was too far for me to get, but it raised my spirits a bit because the field backs on to the same cover where I was waiting for one to come out. Twenty minutes passed, and still

nothing, and Mick had been able to get another shot off so I was down 2-0. I lay there and nothing came, but as I got up I could see three rabbits just around the corner from me. I tried in vain to get to them, but with hardly any cover I just couldn’t get near them. In the end, one spotted me at about 50 yards and that was my chance gone. I signalled to Mick that we would have to take some pictures so we called it a day, and when he came towards me I was quite surprised to see what he had shot. He had been met by a couple of squirrels while he was waiting for rabbits. Mick is not for one for letting a chance slip by and a squirrel is just as rewarding as a rabbit,

Above: Waiting on the bipod, Mick was superstable

Right: The smile of success and a job well done

so he took his chances while he could, and I was glad he had managed to get those squirrels because the rabbits might not have shown again. Well, we took what pictures we needed and headed back to the truck, and after I’d apologised to Mick about his dust cap we took one more look, but found nothing. Next time the weather should have warmed up a bit and I am sure the rabbits will be more forthcoming in giving us a chance to take them. ■ www.airgunshooting.co.uk AIR GUNNER 29

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GETTING BACK TO BASICS Keith Warburton explains the mysteries of parallax

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t’s interesting how we often think we’re doing things right when we aren’t, and then something happens that wakes us up and puts us back on the right track. I had one of those moments a few weeks ago. I’d previously had a really good score in a Hunter Field Target (HFT) competition, which tempted me into thinking that

Above: If your thing is punching paper at a fixed distance you probably don t need to worry about parallax Below: Every scope is different, so make your checks carefully

I might be becoming quite a good shooter, and then for the next couple of competitions I was ‘not very good’. Those weren’t the words I used at the time. Later on, I happened to be showing off the rifle I was using and one of the shooters I was with said, “That scope’s canted, isn’t it?” I have previously met at least one shooter

the action of the rifle, or fasten it to the scope mounts, then look through the scope at a plumb line and rotate the scope within its mounts until the vertical line of the reticle covers, or runs parallel to the plumb line. The effect on a rifle and scope combo that hasn’t been properly set up in this way is, although pellets may land precisely

“When I checked it I found pellets were at least a centimetre adrift at 45 yards” who has his scope canted deliberately, because it suits his eye and head position when shooting. My canted scope wasn’t deliberate. The use of the word ‘cant’ in this situation is ‘when the reticle of the telescopic sight isn’t true to the axis of the barrel’. The way to eliminate cant is to put a spirit level in, or on,

where you aim them at your zero distance, that they will land to the right or left, or high or low outside of that range.

Pay Attention A couple of weeks previously, I’d fitted some new Sportsmatch mounts to the rifle and had set it up only

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roughly before I’d been called off to do something else. Of course, I’d forgotten to go back and fine-tune the fitting of the scope to get rid of any cant. Cue sound effect: palm slapping forehead. When I checked it, I found that pellets were at least a centimetre adrift at 45 yards, and several millimetres off on close targets. Had it been my hunting rifle, that would equate to an injured

insulated-coffee-mug-and-didn’t-giveit-back-for-a-year. When I’d first come to modern air rifle shooting, about six years ago, I went along to my nearest club, Cambridge HFT and a couple of chaps there took me round the course. Justin was one of them. Over the years I’d become aware that he frequently changed his scopes, struggling to get one that suited his eyes; this was

“A lot of inexperienced shooters seem to believe that power is the be-all and end-all of shooting” rabbit or a completely missed pigeon at 35 yards. Not good. At the same shoot I was chatting with another chap. To spare his blushes let’s make up a name and call him Justin Rhone, who-borrowed-my-

one of the reasons he was, let’s say, a middling shooter. He’s just realised - and freely admits - that he’s been setting them up wrongly all along. He’s now doing it the right way and has become a much improved and more

Left: This shows the side parallax adjustment of the MTC-Connect-24, together with the elevation and windage turrets

Below: This shooter needs the ocular lens wound all the way out, and uses x8 magnification for good depth of field

Bottom: Use a plumb line and spirit level to ensure that your scope isn’t canted

consistent shooter. What was Justin’s error? As far as I can understand, he was setting the parallax to his zero distance, then zeroing it, and then twiddling the ocular adjustment (that’s the one closest to your eye, if you didn’t know) to get the reticle sharp, but what you should do is get the reticle as sharp as possible first of all. You do this by looking through the scope at a neutral background, not a very bright sky, and adjusting the ocular bell until the reticle is as sharp as possible. Then, and only then, you set your parallax. You do that at maximum magnification, if your scope has an adjustable mag’, and once all that is done you wind down the magnification until you get the depth of field (the range of distances over which you can see clearly) and magnification that you want, and finally check the sharpness of the reticle again.

Application An airgunner’s zero, and parallax, may vary for different applications and with different combinations of scope and rifle. It could be that you are only ever potting at paper targets at ten or 20 metres, or shooting cans at 50 yards. If that’s the case, it would be appropriate to parallax and zero at those distances. Zeroing is simply adjusting the reticle, by means of the turrets, so that the pellet lands on ‘cross hairs’ at your

32 AIR GUNNER www.airgunshooting.co.uk

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Left: The Bushnell Legend scope has the ocular lens wound out to suit Keith s eyesight, and the magnification set to x9

zeroing distance; you will also do this in conjunction with adjusting the parallax. So what’s parallax when it’s at home? Most scopes sold these days have an adjustable parallax, carried out via a rotatable ring on the front, objective end of the scope, or a wheel on the side. Some people think of it as ‘focus’. This allows you to make sure the image of what you want to shoot, at your parallax distance, is as sharp as possible. Usefully, although sometimes inaccurately, the parallax distances are marked out on the scope, perhaps from 10 yards to infinity, a bit like a telephoto camera lens. Some scopes with simple 30-30 or duplex reticles (cross hairs without divisions) don’t have an easily adjustable parallax, but by removing a locking ring from the end of the objective lens you are able to rotate it in its mount; if your fingers aren’t strong enough, you might have to use a special tool, or improvise one from a piece of flat metal, to wind the lens in or out. Most HFT shooters parallax and zero somewhere between 25 and 35 yards, in .177 calibre. Because we can’t adjust our scopes when we are out on a course, we usually adjust parallax to give the best possible depth of field, meaning we hope we can see far and near targets sharply enough to be able to shoot them. For instance, the Air Arms HFT 500 with the MTC Connect-24 is zeroed at 29 yards, and my Air Arms TX200 springer with the Nikko Stirling Gold Crown Airking is zeroed at 32 yards, and both are parallaxed at about 25 yards. So why those distances?

Below: Precision is everything when hunting

Right : Front parallax adjustment resembles a telephoto camera lens

Bottom: Ten millimetres off target on an HFT course might be embarrassing

dropping as it is affected by gravity. In other words, you are able to simply point and shoot ‘on cross hairs’. There are several factors which affect PBR, primarily the power of the rifle and the weight of the pellet. As a general rule, powerful rifles shooting lighter pellets tend to have a more extended PBR – they shoot flatter. That’s one reason why many shooters like to get the power of their rifles as close to the 12 ft. lbs. legal limit for energy levels as possible. A lot of inexperienced shooters - and

possible trajectory or the maximum ‘killing power’ when hunting. In doing so, they are very often ignoring the fact that all the power in the world is useless unless you can deliver the pellet exactly where it needs to go every time. In order to do that, the number one requirement is accuracy, with its relative consistency coming a close second. I know several experienced shooters who shoot at power levels well below 11ft. lbs., because that’s what gives them most accuracy with their chosen rifle. One

“An airgunner’s zero (and parallax) may vary for different situations” quite a few experienced ones, who should know better - seem to believe that power is the be-all and end-all of shooting. So they crank their rifles right up to the legal limit of 12 ft lbs, looking either for the flattest

of the risks of pushing power levels close to the limit is that you might end up going over that limit, and if you do, you risk a very hefty fine and the prospect of spending time with people whose company you might not normally choose. So then, if you think your shooting has dropped off a bit recently, maybe you should find your way back to basics. Oh, and while you’re there, clean your barrel. ■

What is PBR? Those zero distances are slap bang in the middle the Point Blank Range (PBR) of each of the two rifles. PBR is when the rifle and scope combination doesn’t need any vertical adjustment in order to overcome the pellet www.airgunshooting.co.uk AIR GUNNER 33

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“As I brought the rifle up to my shoulder I noticed that in my haste to take the shot I had forgotten to put the magazine in”

Above; Loading the Air Arms mag’ is easy, when you remember

Below; Mags in my rucksack were no use with a rabbit in sight

saw another rabbit. I stood completely still and worked out how I would approach it by using the hedge line as cover. This would take me to within approximately 25 yards, where I would feel comfortable taking a head shot. As I stalked down the hedge line I became completely engrossed in the behaviour of the rabbit and where I was putting my feet, and soon found myself close enough to take a shot. Slowly, I lowered myself into the seated position and bought the rifle up to my shoulder, but now I had entered a part of the field where I was completely devoid of cover, and as I looked through the scope, I saw the rabbit making a dash for the safety of the warren. It was time return to the car and have a re-think. My first hunting trip had not quite gone according to plan; in fact, I hadn’t fired a shot, and only succeeded in scaring two rabbits. I put my rifle back into the Jack Pyke case and with a sense of disappointment, returned to my car. The temptation would have been to allow myself to be downhearted, but as the early morning sun shone on me

I took the time to consider how lucky I was. I had just hunted over my own permission, I have a loving family who are all in good health, and I have a secure job. It was a day for enjoying life. Andy McLachlan has frequently written about the importance of taking

Above: All the gear and no idea ... yet

Above right: Page one. Put mag in gun before setting off

a healthy snack on hunting trips and I had taken his advice. A flask of coffee and a packet of Jaffa cakes awaited me in the car, and I began to make a plan for what I hoped would be my next and more successful visit to my shooting permission. ■

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TAKE IT TO THE

PANA-MAX T his new scope from Nikko Stirling has its importer, Highland Outdoors, very excited. You see, it contains their full wish list of features, some of which buck the current trends. Take, for example, the parallax adjuster. I believe that every airgun scope needs this facility, and the fashionable way is to use a side-wheel, mounted on the central saddle, but this is not without some trade-offs. It needs an extra lens to function, compared to an objectivemounted adjuster, which makes the scope heavier and more expensive. There’s nothing wrong with objective PA adjustment in my book, so it’s a great choice. Next, we come to the diameter of the scope’s body. The world of ‘bigger must be better’ has taken many airgun scopes to 30mm, but the Panamax uses the good old 1” size. I understand that for snipers shooting at 1300 yards, a huge range of vertical adjustment would explain the need for the bigger tube, but for airgun use there’s no benefit. The 1” body is lighter and allows the scope to be mounted lower to the action. Lastly, they’ve also ignored the trend for tall, exposed ‘sniper’ turrets in favour of low, yet finger-friendly ones, which I believe are exactly what hunters need. They cannot be turned accidentally and don’t catch on everything they touch. The power adjustment range is

The editor takes a look through Nikko Stirling’s latest optic

“it contains their full wish list of features, some of which buck the current trends” impressive going from 4.5 to 14 which covers everything we could ever need, from close-range ratting to the longest range target shooting. Just how they’ve squeezed this extra amount from the scope I don’t know, but it’s very welcome. This is complemented by a mil-dot reticle that has additional hash marks between the dots. This adds a further level of precision to your shots. I was really pleased to find that the reticle was medium thickness when too many scopes today use ones so fine that they’re easily

Above: It’s a goodlooking scope with the performance to back that up

Left: Low, yet fingerfriendly turrets are just what I like

SPECS Manufacturer Nikko Stirling Importer Highland Outdoors Web www. highlandoutdoors.co.uk Model 4.5-14 x 50 AO Length 13” (33cm) Weight 1.3 lbs (600g) Reticle Half mil-dot Body tube 1” RRP £155.49

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E P O C S S I TH AGE 91 SEE P

lost in poor light or against confusing backgrounds. I was able to shoot with perfect accuracy right out to 55 yards at our club range, which is about 20 yards further than I ever hunt. I noted their claim of a 20% wider field of view compared to other 1” scopes and although I can’t verify that specific number, it certainly was a noticeable improvement. I like wide angle scopes because they make my life easier when I’m trying to find my quarry. I applaud Nikko Stirling for doing things their own way rather than simply following the trends. I feel this scope really does suit the hunter’s needs and offers everything you could require, at a price most of us can afford. ■

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MATCH PELLETS Neil Price asks some top-class shooters for their opinion on some new match ammo

ell target shooting is amongst the oldest ‘pub and club’ sports in the country. It started in the 1890s after Queen Victoria was advised about the poor standard of shooting during the Boer War. Promoted by the likes of Lord Ednam and Baden Powell (Scouts Founder), by 1905 there were 1600 teams in Birmingham alone, and 4000 nationally. Bell target shooting is an indoor sport using .177 calibre air rifles shooting at an all-steel bell target at a distance of either six or seven yards. With the development of more accurate air rifles and dioptre sighting systems, it has turned into a very competitive sport, and an offshoot from this is 10-metre card shooting, which has been an Olympic discipline for many years now. Pellets used in 10-metre card and 6- and 7-yard bell target competitions have evolved greatly over the years since bell target shooting first started.

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Initially, pellets were used straight out of the tin, and the skirt deformation on many of the pellets can be seen clearly, and these would be okay for informal, ‘backyard’ plinking, but not for serious competition. Very quickly, it became apparent that a much more accurate pellet was required as people’s skills grew and equipment improved, and so the flat-nosed diablo pellet was developed. It was found that this nose shape was more accurate over the shorter distances that were being shot in competition. In the 1970s, tins of ‘selected’ pellets became available in boxes of 50. I bet this photograph will bring back memories to our more mature bell target shooters. The tins of ‘selected’ pellets were superseded by plastic flat packs of 100 pellets. Over the years, pellet packaging and protection has continued to develop, finding improved ways of protecting pellets from damage and deformation. A new make on the scene are Match Grade selected pellets from Qiang Yuan, Zhuhai Qiangyuan Sportsgoods Co., Ltd. in China. These were 4.49 nominal diameter … … and Olympic Grade pellets which were 4.50 nominal diameter. These are individually packed in foam inserts. This not only gives the pellets protection, it makes them easy to pick out for loading. The skirt forms on all of the pellets looked very consistent and free from deformation. The pellets themselves looked very clean and uniform with no ‘flash’ line visible around them. The foam inserts give the pellets excellent protection from damage and deformation and, as stated, it makes them far easier to extract with nervous fingers under match conditions.

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I weighed 50 of these pellets on a precision carat scale, and found a weight variation between 7.72 and 7.78 grain, giving a total variation of 0.06 grain. To put this in perspective, I regularly find a variation of pellet weight of between 8.2 and 8.9 grain in the same tin of a popular and well-liked brand of pellets with a nominal weight of 8.44 grain that is used by F.T. and H.F.T. shooters. This is a variation of 0.7 grain, which is over ten times the above variation. This is one type of 10-metre card with five target faces, one shot to be taken on each target face. This is a close-up shot of one of the target faces with a penny at the side to give scale. To score a 10, the centre white dot has to be touched. A 10X is scored when the white dot is completely removed. The centre dot is 0.5 mm in diameter, that is 20 thousandths of an inch in old money. I was asked to give an impartial evaluation of these pellets. However, I do know my own limitations, so I asked a couple of friends of mine who are experienced 10-metre shooters, to do the honours for me. These guys do not have blood running through their veins like us mere mortals. When it comes to precision shooting they have ice water. To be competitive at 10-metre shooting, you must have the correct gear. First is a shooting glove to cushion the fore end against the supporting hand, and a double canvas shooting jacket to steady the upper body movement. Next are double canvas trousers to steady the lower body and leg movement. Finally, specialist shooting shoes with completely flat bottoms to eliminate the ‘rock’ that can happen with normal shoes. After a normal six-yard bell target match had finished at Ashby Road Sports and Social Club in Hinckley, Leicestershire, a ten-metre range was set up. The first thing to notice with these pellets was that they slid easily into the rifle’s breech, every pellet feeling exactly the same as it was being loaded. After Karl and Glen had shot their first cards, it was seen that the point of impact had altered slightly from their normal match pellets, with them both scoring 9s and 10s, but consistently at the 11 o’clock position. After slight adjustments were made to the rear dioptre sights, cards like this were consistently achieved. The score on this card is 50 ex 50 with 4 10Xs, the bottom left target showing just a fraction of the centre dot remaining. The conclusion that I can draw from this is that both the match and Olympic grade pellets performed flawlessly in both rifles once they had been sighted in for these particular pellets. Not once in around 250 shots taken in 10-metre match conditions was there anything that could be called a ‘flyer’. Any 9s that were scored - and there were not that many of them - was down to ‘operator error’. ■

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46 AIR GUNNER www.airgunshooting.co.uk

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Prices as follows

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A grade Red box £7.00 200 pcs B grade Green box £5.00 200 pcs Training grade £8.00 500 pcs Email [email protected] Or telephone 01628 780 870 07977 599 600

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YOU CAN WIN!

WORTH £357

THIS ENTIRE TRIO OF BEAR NECCESSIT ENTRY FORM

This is a snippet from a picture printed elsewhere in this issue. Can you spot which page it’s on?

Name Address Postcode

Daytime Tel

Email Prize to be sent to: (Name and address of your local gunshop) Postcode If you are under 18, an adult must sign on your behalf and give his/her name and address Name Address

BASA members can enter using one of their special ‘FREE ENTRY’ tokens

Postcode Closing date: Thursay 3rd August 2015 Tick if you have a subscription to Air Gunner Anyone involved in the preparation of this competition may not enter.

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Archant Ltd, publisher of Air Gunner, would like to keep you up to date with any special offers or new products/services which might be of interest. Please tick if you DO wish for Archant Ltd to contact you in this way by email SMS. Please tick if you would prefer NOT to receive information by post phone. We occasionally pass your details onto carefully selected companies who wish to contact you with information about their products/services, please tick if you DO wish to be contacted in this way by email SMS. Please tick if you would prefer NOT to receive such information by post phone.

Send your answers to: July Jigsaw, Air Gunner, Evolution House, 2-6 Easthampstead Road, Wokingham, RG40 2EG 48 AIR GUNNER www.airgunshooting.co.uk

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ALL THREE OF THESE GREAT BEAR GRYLLS AIRGUNS FOR JUST £1.50!

This month we’re doing things a little differently, by offering Air Gunner readers the chance to win an entire family of spring-piston fun guns and their accessories from the Bear Grylls range, so you and yours can enjoy our fantastic sport together. Our winner will get all

three guns: the Survivor Pistol Set, the Junior Survivor Set and the Adventure Survivor Set, which all come with pellets and targets cards, and the Junior Survivor Set includes a scope and mounts. The whole lot retails at £357, but you could have it for just £1.50!

TIES COULD BE YOURS FOR JUST £1.50!

HOW TO ENTER By Post

Check out the jigsaw piece printed on the entry form below and see if you can spot from which main photo elsewhere in this edition it has been taken. When you have found the full picture, write down the page number on which it appears in the answer box below and send your completed entry form to the address at the bottom of the page. Entry costs just £1.50 per go cheque and postal orders payable to Air Gunner - and you can enter as many times as you like. As a bonus though, for every five entries you submit, you get another one free - i.e. six entries for £7.50

By Text Answer this question: What is the rifle the editor is testing on page 22? A. Gold Star B. Golden earing C. Gold Spot. Text AG Family followed by your answer (e.g. C) your NAME and EMAIL ADDRESS to 80058. For example: ‘AG Family C J.Smith@ blogs.co.uk’ Texts cost £1.50 plus your standard network rate. Closing date for entries is Thursday 3rd of August one entry free provided the entry form is submitted with a validated ‘Free Competition entry’ token from their membership pack. Multiple entries allowed. If you do not wish to destroy your copy of the magazine you can send your entry on a separate piece of paper. Photocopies are also allowed. In the event of a tie, all correct entries will be put into a hat and there will be a draw to decide the winner. Prize is supplied on behalf of Air Gunner by the manufacturer. The prize will be sent to the winner’s designated gun shop who may levy an administration charge for handling.

www.airgunshooting.co.uk AIR GUNNER 49

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Available through your local gun shop. Distributed to the trade by ASI. Tel: 01728 688555 Web: www.a-s-i.co.uk

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Looking for your dream collectible? An auction might be the place to find it

Left: This example not only has a travel case but also some early Co2 capsules

Above: Guns can often be found in excellent condition

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aluing airguns for auction is tricky and requires a combination of knowledge, skill and gut feeling. Air Gunner talks to Holt’s Auctioneers to find out which airguns are collectible today and why.

Value judgment In Holt’s Auctioneers’ next main sale, to be held on Thursday 19th March 2015 at Princess Louise House in Hammersmith, London, eyes will be on a very unusual rifle – Lot 605. Made around 1740, it features an octagonal 32½” barrel, dovetailed foresight, engraved and blued rear sight, a breech end engraved with a Romanesque bust on a stand, and a game scene engraved lockplate signed ‘Wentzlav a Ehrenbreitstein’. It also has a walnut stock with oversize butt. Here is a clue; this covers a Girandoni-style air-reservoir with a filling valve concealed under a trapdoor in the heel-plate. Yes, this is an airgun, but one disguised as a flintlock sporting rifle. As such it is extremely rare and highly collectible. For those who fancy adding this gem to their collection the estimate is £5,000-£7,000. Clearly not all airguns are as

interesting as this one, but far from being relatively modern guns designed, as many people think, for small boys to pot rabbits or plink at tin cans, they have a noble history. Airguns were invented long before the first firearms, and the oldest existing mechanical airgun, based on a bellows system, dates back to around 1580; it can be seen in the Livrustkammaren Museum in Stockholm, Sweden. “Early airguns were very serious things,” explains Robert Morgan, Holt’s airgun expert and valuer. “Branded as the guns of assassins and poachers, airguns such as the Wentzlav are extremely rare. To be honest since

Above: Having their original box adds to the pleasure

I’ve worked at Holt’s this is the most exciting airgun I’ve ever seen.” Early airguns were capable of felling beasts at greater distances than the powder arms of the day as Robert points out. “They would kill deer and they would kill people, with the result that most countries brought in laws prohibiting the sale of airguns to all except the titled few, such as the landed gentry or the King. So airguns from this period survive in tiny numbers.” Today the value of airguns is all to do with their collectibility. “The largest market for airguns is in the collector arena and then the value comes down to the three ‘Cs’: condition, condition, condition,” says Robert. “To come up with a price we have to assess desirability, rarity and how good an example it is. So I will look at the barrels, the stock, and assess all the working parts. Having said that, if the gun looks like it has had very little use, the chances are that all the parts will work and collectors don’t worry too much if the washers have deteriorated because that happens over time, but we must always be aware of something that looks too good to be true. If we get a gun that was made in smaller numbers turning up in near mint condition we have to check it hasn’t been expertly refinished, which cripples the value. It’s not like a classic car where bringing it up to concours condition Ô

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sends the value through the roof.” As well as evaluating practical aspects, a valuer also relies on the experience he or she has gained over the years, combined with a certain amount of gut feeling. “Carrying out a valuation is quite an esoteric thing and you do get an instinct about a gun,” explains Chris Beaumont, Holt’s second-in-command, who believes holding the gun in his hands is vital. “When someone telephones and tells me about a gun it’s very hard to make a judgment. Without wanting to sound odd, holding it tells me a lot; it’s almost as if it comes to life.” For Nick Holt, founder of Holt’s, much can be ascertained by having a good sniff. “Don’t think me strange, but the first thing I do when valuing any gun is smell it,” he says. “This can tell me whether it had been cleaned recently, if it’s musty from being locked in a gun cabinet for years, or - if it’s an airgun - whether it has been refinished. New bluing, or bluing that isn’t period, really does have a distinct small and an airgun that has been refinished in this way is of far less value than a true original.” So which airguns are worth collecting today? As well as pricey antique ones, Robert says the biggest growth area is in what he terms as ‘post-war classics’ which are being bought by men (and they are mostly men) in their 50s and older with disposable incomes. “I think it comes down to the fact that they always wanted one of these guns as a youngster and couldn’t afford it. Now they can! So we are now seeing Webleys and BSAs from the 1950s and 1960s making good money at auction. For instance we had a BSA Airsporter up for auction recently. It was made in the early 1950s, it was as clean a one as I’ve ever seen and in lovely condition so I put it in the main

Above: It’s great to get the paperwork that would have come with the gun

54 AIR GUNNER www.airgunshooting.co.uk

sale with an estimate of £80-£120. It sold for £450 - but these do have to be in mint condition, and ideally with the original box, which in most cases is worth as much as what’s inside.” Here, buyers beware; there is a big market in producing superb, aged-looking fake boxes. “One of the biggest areas of collecting is Webley air pistols, but the pitfall for new collectors is the proliferation of fake replica boxes and accessories now being made to go with them,” explains Robert. “Presenting a near unfired air pistol in a box can add £200-£300 to the value, and there are people out there making boxes that look original and aged, with oil stains, bashed corners and so on, which are very convincing.” While rare English air pistols are highly collectible, the luck will be in finding one. Miracles do happen, though, as Robert points out. “In the five years since I’ve been working at Holt’s I’ve only seen one example of a concentric piston Westley Richards ‘Highest Possible’ of which only a handful were made and which has the barrel inside the piston rather than above it. A chap had pulled this one out of a dustbin in London. He rang me and as what he was describing sounded unusual I asked him to send me a photo. When I saw it I nearly died. At that point there were eight examples of this gun known in the world! It sold for £1,200 at auction which is a lot of money for an air pistol.” For those

looking to buy an airgun at auction Nick Holt has some sage advice. “Do your homework. Look at the estimate and check the gun carefully. Consider the costs of resealing if necessary and read the information in the catalogue, which will have been written by an expert and will tell you a lot. If that says the gun is in good working order then it will be; alternatively, if it says it is untested, you may want to take further advice.” For those of you who have an old airgun tucked away, well you never know. “We had a chap who did house clearances and some 40 years ago he bought the contents of a house. They included an old air pistol which, frankly, looked like rubbish,” laughs Robert. “He slung it on a shelf in his garage and there it sat gathering cobwebs. Forty years later he saw a Holt’s catalogue and noticed we had a Titan air pistol up for sale. His had ‘‘Titan stamped on it, but it didn’t look the same, so he contacted me and it turned out to be a Titan Model One, of which there were less than a handful known. It went on to fetch £1,300 at auction.” ■ For more information, visit www. holtsauctioneers.com.

Next auctions: 18th June 2015 17th September 2015 10th December 2015 Below: The condition of this classic rifle was outstanding

Above: Some airguns were disguised as flintlocks

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RABBIT PITTA POCKETS

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Jane Price makes a delicious carry-along lunch for the hungry airgunner

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y parents’ generation remember regularly eating rabbit in their childhood, because during the Second World War people kept and bred their own rabbits for food. Resourceful homeowners did what they could to feed their families as food became scarce as rationing was introduced, and rabbits were ideal for this due to their good rate of reproduction all year round. Nowadays, it’s unusual to see rabbit on the average dinner table, but this is due to fashion rather than quality of the meat. Rabbit is mild in flavour and can be used in place of chicken or pork in many recipes. This is one of those recipes that are a pleasure to cook, because it gives an opportunity for experimenting with flavours. The spices in the sauce

Above: Sit back in the garden, soak up the sun and enjoy this delicious meal

56 AIR GUNNER www.airgunshooting.co.uk

can be changed depending on your personal preference, or what you have in the cupboard. For alternative ingredients, you could use chilli powder or cayenne in place of the fresh chilli, or add mustard, or paprika, for a milder flavour, and honey can be used instead of dark brown sugar, although this will give you a slightly different texture and colour. Spices are often dry-fried in a hot pan for a few seconds before adding to a sauce, but the use of onions here helps to prevent the spices from burning. When the fennel seeds are added, the delicious aroma released as they cook fills the kitchen. Why not wrap up these pitta pockets in foil and take them for a picnic, or to keep you going on a trip to get more rabbits! ■

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jv|u{y€Grp{jolu TIP FROM PHILL Making the very best of the animals and birds we harvest takes many forms. Gutting rabbits soon after they’re shot prevents the stomach contents from tainting the meat and allows them to cool down. This is particularly important in the warmer weather. When skinning them always try to cut from the inside outwards so that as little hair as

possible is introduced to the meat. Also ensure that there are no poo balls indide the pelvis too. You don’t want them in your dinner. My final tip is that soaking your raw rabbits in salted water for a few hours removes any remaining blood but be sure to rinse them well. Once that’s done they’re ready for the pot.

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Add the crushed fennel seeds, garlic and chilli mix, and cook for a couple of minutes

Some of our favourite toppings.

Add the sugar, and keep stirring until dissolved

Add the rabbit and stir well

eL ft: carefully to make a pocket

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Right: Spoon the mixture into each pitta

www.airgunshooting.co.uk AIR GUNNER 57

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AZERO-ING IN A new knife brand from Spain attracts the editor’s eye

W

hile at the huge IWA show this spring I met the guys from Sporting Cutlery who were very excited because they hoped to close an exclusive deal with a new Spanish knife maker that day. I have to confess that I’d never heard of Azero, a company that was keen to have representation of their brand in the UK to the high standard they demand. Hands were shaken, glasses of wine (lots of glasses!) were raised and now I have the first of their products on my desk.

Below: A neat suede pouch is included

“The heart of any knife that’s designed to do some work is the blade steel”

without affecting the microstructure.’ In other words, it’ll keep a good edge when worked hard, yet be easy to resharpen. The scales are made from a lovely olive wood which will respond well to a touch of stock oil now and then to enhance its good looks. I’m always wary of non-locking knives for fear that they’ll close on my fingers and deliver a nasty cut, so I was pleased to feel just how strong the blade retention system was. I noted that the non-adjustable pivot was placed low in the frame, so I asked why this was. Does it offer an advantage in terms of locking? Azero tells us that this position is called ‘the semi-block’ and it really does increase the force of the lock. The

relocation allows for a stronger and more positive position for the spring, which gives a mechanical advantage. At the heel, there’s a small loop as an integral part of the frame, onto which a leather thong is attached to make extracting the knife from your pocket easier. So far, I’m impressed with this little knife. It has a solid build quality that gives the feeling that you could take on some pretty tough cutting jobs without harming it, or yourself. ■ Model AZ157013 Length: 14cm Blade: 6cm Handle material: Olive wood RRP £39.95 www.sportingcutlery.co.uk Tel 01492 642220

Sporting Cutlery chose to introduce the brand with a knife that will have huge general appeal to us Brits. It’s a very neat pocket-folder and meets all the ‘legal carry’ rules, having a 6cm blade that has no lock, and it’s delivered with a suede pouch to protect your trouser pocket, which is a nice touch. The heart of any knife designed to do some work is the blade steel, and Azero chose wisely by ordering 14C28 from Sandvik in Sweden. Sandvik quotes, ‘This new grade matches the previous highest achievable hardness

This is a very handsome knife built to take some hard work

“In other words, it’ll keep a good edge when worked hard, yet be easy to resharpen”

www.airgunshooting.co.uk AIR GUNNER 59

LIGHTNING STRIKES

Neil Price sets out to fettle a decidedly out-of-sorts BSA Lightning

1

It can be quite difficult fitting the new piston seal over the dovetail-shaped retaining spigot on the end of the piston. I find that soaking the new seal in a cup of hot water out of the kettle makes it a lot more supple and easier to fit. The inner guide/piston weight is not used with the V-Mach spring and guide kit, so this can be put to one side. The new spring and guide set placed inside the plastic piston sleeve ready for reassembly. Some Moly grease smeared onto the outside of the new piston seal and on the piston bearing surfaces. Make sure that no grease goes on the front of the piston seal, as dieseling will occur if there is. The piston can now be fitted into the compression cylinder. Remember to line up the cocking slot in the piston with the corresponding slot in the cylinder. Ease the lip of the new seal over the cut-outs in the compression cylinder with the blade of a small screwdriver, to prevent them getting chipped and torn on the internal sharp edges. I use the new piston liner and the new spring and guide set to press the piston fully home in the compression cylinder. Put some Moly grease along the cocking slot and on the ears of the cocking lever. Insert the cocking lever ears through the round cut out at the end of the cocking slot and engage it in the piston.

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Locate the cocking arm into the jaws of the barrel block along with the two small anti-rattle washers. Line everything up and fit the pivot pin flush with the jaws. Place the action into a spring compressor and with the slotted tube, compress the mainspring ... … until the cross pin can be fully inserted. The tension on the spring compressor can now be released and the action removed from the spring compressor. Slide in the trigger assembly until the cross pin holes are aligned and fit the cross pin. Slide in the plastic end cap. Align the holes in the action and the plastic end cap and fit the cross pin. Place the anti-bear trap return spring over the plastic spigot on the trigger housing with the larger bend to the left as shown. Slide the anti-bear trap plate into the retaining

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lugs on the trigger block side frame. The end of the spring has to locate on the forward side of the link pin. The middle of the spring arm has to locate in the recess in the lug on the trigger housing. The action can now be fitted into the stock. I put a few pellets through the rifle into my pellet trap and then did a ten-shot string through my chronograph to see what improvements have been made. That’s a bit better, 2 ft/ second variation which is phenomenal, and a much smoother and quieter firing cycle. This rifle is now actually very smooth to shoot with the recoil tamed, just giving a dull ‘thud’ and a straight push back into the shoulder with almost no muzzle flip. It is also a great deal easier to cock I am glad to say, as I didn’t need another ‘Bullworker’ session. Any spring-powered air rifle after having this type of work carried out will increase in muzzle energy after a few tins of pellets have been put through it, and the new components bed in by up to 0.5 f.p.e. I am quite happy with these initial readings of just under 11 f.p.e. and am confident that the rifle will remain legal at under the 12 f.p.e. absolute limit for unlicensed air rifles in the U.K. It is imperative that after putting new springs and piston seals in spring-powered air rifles, that a chrono is used to check the muzzle energy, so that you know that your rifle is legal.

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Contact Details:John Knibbs International Ltd www.airgunspares.com Hillside, Shawbury Lane Shustoke Warwickshire B46 2RR www.airgunspares.com T:01675 481006

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Velocity (ft/sec) 555 554 553 554 554 553 553 554 553 553

Muzzle Energy 10.95 10.91 10.87 10.91 10.91 10.87 10.87 10.91 10.87 10.87

As always with any work you carry out on your airguns, only attempt it if you’re fully confident about what you’re undertaking. Remember, you’ll need the required tools for any job, and one of the most vital of these is a reliable chronograph with which you can test your airgun to ensure that it complies with the law. If you’re in any doubt - consult an expert and let them do the work for you.

62 AIR GUNNER www.airgunshooting.co.uk

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AIR GUNNER 63

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ULTIMATE ALL-ROUNDER

Gary Chillingworth compares sporters to match guns to find an all-round winner

A

question often asked is: Should I buy a target rifle, or should I buy a quality, hunting rifle that can bag rabbits and compete in HFT? In the past, I have always been a bit biased and gone down the target rifle route because it has always been my belief that accuracy is everything, and you only ever need one shot for one kill, but as I was now in the possession of one of the finest hunting rifles on the market, the GSX600 from Impact, and a top -end target rifle, the Steyr LG110, I thought it would be a good idea to test the two back to back, and see which came out on top. So, with

this in mind, I put the kettle on and worked out a set of five parameters to test a rifle for both the field and the tournament world; accuracy, portability, robustness, consistency, and ease of use.

Main: Dust, grit, straw and all kinds of dirt get onto a hunting gun

Accuracy I took my Steyr and the GSX on to my home range and set up a 15mm target at 40 yards. There was a slight 3mph wind from behind and the plan was to fire 10 shots with each gun at the 15mm target. The problem was that after 10 minutes of shooting, I had hit the target 100% of the time with both rifles, and this level of accuracy

Below: With the silencer removed the Impact is tiny

is more than enough for hunting or HFT. The next accuracy test was a supported, standing shot - I’d decided not to bother with unsupported shots because these have an element of luck. With the supported shots, I found the slightly heavier target rifle to be more stable, but again, there was no real difference between the guns and a 20mm target at 30 yards was dispatched with ease, 100% of the time. I just wish I could do this in competition! As far as accuracy is concerned, in my opinion there is no difference between a high-quality hunting or target rifle. Ô

“after 10 minutes of shooting I had hit the target 100% of the time with both rifles” www.airgunshooting.co.uk AIR GUNNER 65

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Portability The Impact is designed to be a hunting gun and with a quality sling fitted, its lightweight and compact design makes the rifle a joy to hump around the fields. The Steyr,

however, is a different animal; it is long and heavy and even though the full-length accessory rail makes the attachment of a sling a doddle, this particular gun is not a field rifle. It is designed to be carried in a bag and

“A quality hunter will do everything that you want it to do; it will hold its own at the highest level”

does not like to be knocked against trees or fences, so for portability, the hunting gun is the winner.

Robustness

Below: Off-hand the sporter is less stable

This is the interesting one. Hunting guns, like the Impact, and rifles like the HW100, are bulletproof, and you can use them in the rain or snow, in the heat of the summer, or the cool of autumn. Rifles like the Steyr, though, are designed to be indoor guns and if you get them wet, the internals can soon develop a layer of crud and rust, although cleaning and drying them is very easy. The Steyrs are true thoroughbreds and to labour the analogy, you would not use a racehorse to plough a field. There are target guns like the FTP900, AR20 and high-end Daystates where you will not have this issue, because the internals are designed to cope with the worst of British weather. So, if a robust gun is important to you, then a hunter is the way to go.

Consistency Left: Would you want the Steyer in this situation? Not really

Below left: Off the bench I could be sure of shooting straight through the SKAN Below right: The Combro attached with some high-tech elastic bands

This is slightly harder to test, but what I am interested in is the speed of a pellet out of the barrel and for this I used a Combro chronograph attached to the barrel of the rifle, and a Skan chronograph. Consequently, the pellet was passing through two chronos and giving an average reading. I was using the new JSB Premium Exacts, and these pellets are of a very high tolerance. I shot a 20-shot string with each gun, and both rifles returned between 4 and 6 fps spread. I then placed the chronograph downrange at 40 yards and found that with a stripper attached to both guns, the FPS was similar, but with a silencer attached to the Impact, the velocity dropped by 20 fps. So, again, there was no main difference between the two rifles.

Usability For me, a target gun is far more usable in the world of HFT. Most target guns have adjustable cheek

66 AIR GUNNER www.airgunshooting.co.uk

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pieces, but pads and hamsters, and a hunter, like the Impact or the HW100, has a fairly basic functional stock. I like the idea of making a rifle fit me perfectly and this is because of one thing, parallax error. Parallax (PX) error in a scope is the bane of an HFT shooter’s life and it can cause as many lost points as mis-ranging or making a wind judgement error. Having a gun that forces you into a set position every time you shoot it, helps you to reduce PX error because you nearly always shoot from a fixed head position. Hunting guns do not have this problem because hunters can alter the PX on their scopes and eradicate PX this way. Once again, I have to come down on the side of the hunter-style rifle. The usability of the GSX600, HW100 or a basic S410 is far better than a bespoke target gun. You can use them all year round and the maintenance is minimal, but the question is, would I use a hunting rifle over the Steyr? I now have two of the best guns money can buy; the Steyr LG110 and the GSX600. They are both as accurate as each other and they are both great to shoot, so if I was going out shooting, which one would I grab? Well, to be honest, it would be the Steyr and I don’t really know why. It could be that this gun has good memories, or it could be that I just like the way it looks and sounds, but I know deep down that it is the gun for me. A quality hunter will do everything that you want it to do. It will hold

its own at the highest level and then when you are done shooting at the World Championships, you can go out and bag rabbits to your heart’s content, but I just love my Steyr.

Decision time

Below: Head to head, but which is best?

Bottom: Steyr in its natural habitat

This article is one of those annoying ones. Before I started the test, I was convinced that I would be coming down on the side of the target guns, but not for the first time I have proved myself to be an idiot. A target gun is brilliant and you can certainly use one to hunt, but a target rifle has limitations whereas a quality hunter can do everything. If you have your heart set on a target gun, but still want to use it for hunting, then get yourself a rifle

that can do both. Guns like the MPR, Ultimate Sporter and HFT500 from Air Arms are brilliant and can be used all year round and the HW100, BSA Gold Star and Mk4 Panther from Daystate are all great quality target rifles that will excel in the field, but no matter what you get, make sure its fits you well and will do what you want it to do. A high-quality rifle will bring you years of pleasure and as I say every week, get to a club. If you are a hunter, then HFT or FT will improve your shooting, and if you are a target shooter then come and shoot the nationals and have some fun. Most importantly, matter what, get out there and get shooting. ■ Photographs by Ben Beck

“The usability of the GSX600, HW100 or a basic S410 is far better than a bespoke target gun”

www.airgunshooting.co.uk AIR GUNNER 67

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GOING PRO’! Fred Carter delivers his wake-up call to those considering a career in pest control

W

hen I was a kid, I was fanatically devoted to my airguns and specifically, hunting with them. Many, many times I harboured the notion of combining my love of shooting and hunting with some sort of career. I figured that if I was doing what I loved, and getting paid for it, my life would be just about as happy as it could possibly be. First, I looked at becoming a gamekeeper, and helped out on a couple of shoots. That turned out to be low paid, incredibly hard work, and most of the shooting I got to do had to be done in my own time, because there was just so much work

to get through. I soon discovered that being a gamekeeper wasn’t a job at all; it was a complete lifestyle, and it wasn’t for me. These days, I have several gamekeepers as friends and I admire them for their dedication to a life and work that is still extremely demanding, despite all of the advances in methods and hardware. It’s still not for me, either, but to complete the circle, I still help out wherever I can.

THE REAL WORLD CALLS … Then, the demands of supporting a family took me down all sorts of career paths, but my dedication to shooting, pest control and fieldsports

Main: There’s a lot more to professional pest control than walking around with a rifle

never diminished, so I eventually got round to becoming a professional pest controller. It’s not the only thing I do, but it’s the job I enjoy most, and I’ve done my best to be as good at it as I possibly can. That’s me, but what about you? Every month, readers of this magazine who want to be a professional pest controller contact me, and my advice on that is contained in this article. Some will no doubt be disappointed with what I say, but there are too many deluded people out there already without me adding to their number. Stand by for the truth that I hope will replace the myth that surrounds pro’ pest control. Ô

www.airgunshooting.co.uk AIR GUNNER 69

mylkGjhy{ly

FIRST THING FIRST I need to state right here and now that any notions of you earning a living wage by shooting vermin with an air rifle must be dismissed. It just can’t happen; it never has and it never will. No, in the real world, which is the only one worth bothering about when it comes to having a worthwhile job, being a pro’ pest controller is far more about bugs than bunnies. Read that last sentence again. For every rabbit control job I get, I do at least 20 based on cockroaches, wasps, fleas, or related pests. Now add the amount of proofing I carry out, and that represents even more of

my time than the ‘bug jobs’, plus the routine maintenance and monitoring of traps, bait boxes and proofed areas, and it’s obvious that there isn’t much of my working week left for the time-consuming process of shooting vermin with an air rifle. I charge a reasonable fee for what I do, and while I still like the idea of being paid to shoot rabbits, rats, squirrels, pigeons and crows, no client is going to indulge me to that degree.

Above: If you build it ... they will come. Setting traps correctly is a major part of the required skill set

LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS If the time allowed, and my clients really were happy to pay me for patrolling their premises with an

Below: If only we could earn a living wage from shooting vermin!

“I like the idea of being paid to shoot rabbits, rats, squirrels, pigeons and crows, no client is going to indulge me”

air rifle, the law would still have to be satisfied before I could start putting vermin in the bag. For instance, in the case of feral pigeons, that law demands that I consider all reasonable non-lethal methods before I elect to shoot the birds. That means I’m legally obliged to advise my client that we have to think seriously about putting up bird spikes and/or netting. If that is considered ‘reasonable’, then that’s what must be done. As you can see, a thorough knowledge of the law is required when you offer shooting as a means of pest control. More of the same applies if shooting is considered to be the most reasonable way to solve the problem. Basically, those birds must be presenting a health hazard, or be damaging crops. Other birds, such as magpies, can be shot because they endanger songbirds, but the point is, you can’t just rock up and shoot them because they’re ‘on the vermin list’. Get stuck in. You’ll need to learn all about this sort of thing.

Far more efficient than any air rifle, but nowhere near as satisfying.

70 AIR GUNNER www.airgunshooting.co.uk

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THE GOOD NEWS You may be thinking that there’s virtually no place for the air rifle in professional pest control, but I’m pleased to say that’s not the case at all. In fact, not only was I using my air rifle just a couple of days before writing this article; I was using my favourite vintage BSA Airsporter, and very effectively, too. The open sights of the Airsporter are perfect for short-range work, because they sit directly on top of the barrel, unlike a scope, so I don’t need to aim high to compensate. I also use my Air Arms S410 on a weekly basis when I’m doing my rounds of clients’ premises, mainly to pick off rats, rabbits and ferals, but as I’ve said, this isn’t part of the contract, it’s just a extra service I provide because I enjoy doing it

Above: Knowing the signs. Some evidence of pest activity is easy to spot

Right: A couple of co-workers who always put in a full shift

Bottom: All too often, you have to shift stuff to get at the job in hand, but it’s all part of the service Below: When you find this, you just know the pests are going to be there!

“I’d urge you to consider joining the British Pest Control Association”

and it helps the client. Meanwhile, the real bulk of the job goes on, and I have to be prepared for it, with the proper equipment, training, insurance, certificates and skills.

MY ADVICE TO YOU If I were a young person – pro’ pest control is an equal opportunities profession and plenty of women are employed in it – I’d do my best to join one of the big companies and learn the trade that way. I had to learn things as I went along and there’s simply not a place for doing that these days. I’d also urge you to consider seriously joining the British Pest Control Association. The B.P.C.A. was formed way back in 1942, and the last time I looked at their website - www.bpca.org. uk – there were at least 12 courses available for members and nonmembers and these cover just about everything you’ll need to know, from using pesticides, through your

specialised insurance requirements, to surveying jobs. These courses aren’t cheap, with the bird control one alone costing £215 plus VAT for non-members, but the information provided will set you up to operate safely, legally and profitably, and that’s the only way to go about it.

CONCLUSION If you want to be a professional pest controller, you have to accept that it’s a demanding, full-time job, and a world away from helping a farmer with a bit of vermin control. If you discover that being a pro’ isn’t what you really want to do, then you can still go about your vermin control with a professional attitude, and just knock off ‘profitability’ from your way of working. Then again, there are other types of ‘profit’, not just financial, and the reward for carrying out your pest control duties like a pro’ can bring you far more pleasure than mere money. ■

www.airgunshooting.co.uk AIR GUNNER 71

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ORIGINAL PERFORMER Steve Prime lands on his feet with an absolute bargain pistol

I

t is always a good feeling as you walk into your local gun shop and see all the latest models, bright and shiny behind a glass cabinet, all bidding for your hard-earned cash. However, there is another market the second-hand one - and there are plenty of bargains out there to grab your attention. You pay a lot less for a better second-hand pistol than paying out for a lesser-quality new one, so it pays to do some research before making any purchase. The Original Diana LP5 pistol is one of these which over the past few years has passed me by. I love springers and break-barrel springers in particular. On the range, some of our club members shoot the Original 6 and 10 models,

both with a built-in recoilless system, and they shoot them well. It is quite difficult to see much difference between the Original 5 and early Original 6 in appearance, but shooting them is a different kettle of fish. I am going to concentrate on the Original

“I love springers and break-barrel springers in particular” 5 for this article and the one we have on trial is a very clean 1970s model in .22 calibre. Below: Note the difference in length

74 AIR GUNNER www.airgunshooting.co.uk

History The ‘Diana’ trade

name belonged to the largest manufacturer of spring airguns, Mayer and Grammelspacher, (founded in 1890) who also turned a hand to household goods and metalware. The first pistol came to life in 1892 and the company had several rifles to its name by 1914. Between the wars, development in its weaponry progressed, but in 1940 production was suspended and in 1947 the original production machinery was sold on to a company called ‘Millard Brothers’ with production recommencing in 1950. The Diana trade name was also passed on to Millard Brothers with the result that the German guns are now sold in the UK under the banner of ‘Originals’. (Ref the Airgun Book by John Walter). Despite a lot of ‘Googling’ I struggled

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to collate much information on this particular pistol, so I was pleased to be offered the aforementioned book from a close colleague, which helped build a history behind the Diana brand name. Back to the pistol itself, and taking in first impressions, the grip looks too plastic and the general overall size of the LP5 too bulky. Maybe this is why it has never caught my eye in the past. I was given the opportunity by Leicestershire Airguns to borrow an LP5 in .22 to take down to the range and put it through its paces; original box and parts manual with an immaculate pistol - it would have been rude not to accept the offer.

Handling Handling is an important part in any pistol choice and the LP5 set me back a little. First appearances were definitely deceptive as the pistol felt great in the hand and beautifully balanced. The anatomically-shaped, chequered plastic grip suits even the smaller hand, pushing the thumb into the specifically-shaped thumb rest ready to take the perfect shot.

Above: The two-handed hold worked well

Left: Despite being moulded the chequering is nice and sharp Right: The clear rear sight is fully adjustable

Below: What a bargain with its box and instructions!

The fully adjustable rear sights are clear, precise and extremely well engineered with a revolving multinotch plate enhanced by the hooded foresight, giving perfect focus on any target. Research found the cocking mechanism of the break-barrel a little stiff - something I did not have a problem with. The pistol is in such good condition that I doubt it has been fired much in its lifetime. The trigger is fairly light and very smooth, resulting in a surprisingly soft feedback from a spring pistol. I did not get a chance to chrono the power output but found it perfectly adequate and would guess an output of around 3 ft. lbs. There is one thing missing on this pistol that lets it down for an old pistol in the modern age - it has no automatic or manual safety, but this .22 version would make a great HFT pistol and if permitted I will take it on our next club pistol HFT meet.

pistols, and right enough, they suit this LP5 with a nice, tight fit into the breech. This only whets my appetite more to get out on a pistol HFT - bring it on, as they say. It is interesting to note that the first models appeared as early as 1930, and production recommenced in 1956, with our model from the 1970s showing how a good pistol can stand the test of time. In 1978, the LP5 was superseded by the LP5G having undertaken some modernisation making the shooting experience much more desirable. To conclude; this is a really good quality, second-hand pistol, which can be bought for around £120. I offer my thanks to Leicestershire Airguns for the opportunity to shoot this not so little gem, and for opening my eyes to yet another breed of pistol. ■

Bright and Sunny Below: A great combination

I began writing this article late one Saturday night and as it happened - a rare occurrence in Britain - Sunday turned out to be a stunner, with beautiful, bright March sunshine, so I was out into the garden to find out how this Original LP5 behaves from 6 yards onto a paper target. Apart from the ‘shaky hand flyer’ the results were very impressive using the 5.56 Wasp pellets designed to suit the older

“This only whets my appetite more to get out on a pistol HFT - bring it on, as they say” www.airgunshooting.co.uk AIR GUNNER 75

SWAP SHOP REMEMBER you DO NOT have to be a registered firearms dealer (RFD) to sell your airgun as part of a private transaction, and this transaction DOES NOT have to be ‘face to face’ – though you must ensure the buyer is over 18 years of age. Are you looking to sell a gun? Dedicated gun enthusiasts read Air Gunner every month; if you’re looking to sell then they’re looking to buy! Alternatively, is there a gun you’ve been trying to find? Are you a collector or just looking for a particular treat? For all your buying and selling needs, Swap Shop is here! For only £4.00 (40 words max) your advert will appear in the next issue of Air Gunner and on our website. We are now able to accept your advert at www. airgunshooting.co.uk or by post addressed to Air Gunner Swap THEOBEN RAPID 7 .22 MK1, Simmons scope 6x18-40, silencer, 2 mags and extra buddy bottle, purchased 1987. Still in original box, in first class condition, very little use. £725.00. Tel: 01206 612600 (Cornwall). WEBLEY VICTOR RIFLE .177 1970/80 in near mint condition with Simmons 4x40 Gold Optic scope. Collect only £150. Tel: 01245 320892 (Essex). BSA MERCURY ‘3’ .177, vgc £275. Early 5 digit HW35 .177 £195. Theoben Countryman Carbine .177, vgc £395. BSA Airsporter G.E .22 £190. Stalker Tiger 10 l/h .22 beautiful stock, buddy bottle model £695. Tel: 01983 566634 (Isle of Wight).

IR as new £400. Phone 01564 826594,mobile 07910061468 (Birmingham). WEIHRAUCH HW97K .177, with Hawke Varmint II 4-16x44 scope, Weihrauch one piece mount, lens cover. Adjustable cheek piece and butt pad. CB 625 Chronograph, Bisley cleaning rods, gun slip all vgc £325. Tel: 01603 400056 Norfolk. WANTED, THEOBEN Rapid 2.5 cal. ( non fac). Cash waiting. Tel or text: 07930 612612. WEIHRAUCH HW99S .22 air rifle with Nikko Stirling 4-12x50 AO scope in fleece case. Less than 50 shots fired. As new £150. Tel: 0797 1143121 ( South Essex).

WANTED: KIND PERSON IN BEESTON, Notts area to take my air tank to be refilled. Owing to health problems not able to take myself. Will pay any fees required for this favour and it will allow me to continue my lifetime sport at home. Tel: 0115 9257001 Beeston ( answer phone if I can’t get to the phone in time).

CROSMAN SINGLE Action 6 .22 Co2, boxed £125. Crosman 44 Peacemaker .22 Co2 boxed £100. Crosman Shiloh Co2 boxed £125, Crosman 44 Peace .177 £95. Original model 10 target pistol (invisible repair to plastic sight protector) £155. Daisy Powerline model 717 target pneumatic £95. Webley Hurricane .177 £85. Hamerli Sparkler Co2 £125. Webley Tracker side lever mint £185, Pioneer BB76 Bicentennial model American BB under lever £90. Tel: 0121 4452956 (Alvechurch).

AIR ARMS .22 Pro-Sport with Walther scope PX adjustment and

WEIHRAUCH 98FT .22 mint unused in box with Bushnell XL scope

NIKKO STIRLING 5X20-50 Targetmaster 1” as new still in packaging, cost £175 sell £120. Tel: 01454 314315 (Bristol).

Shop, Evolution House, 2-6 Easthampstead Road, Wokingham, RG40 2EG. Please include your name, address, telephone number and a maximum of 40 words and make all cheques or PO’s payable to ‘Air Gunner’. Get your information to us by 10th MARCH for your chance to be in our MAY issue. We cannot guarantee which issue your advert will appear in. Please note that we cannot take your advert over the phone, though for any further information call Sharon on 01189 742 524 with hard case, pellets £325. Tel: 07563 706462 Norfolk. UNUSED AIRFORCE One Trophy Vermin .22 single shot pisto, ergonomic grip, cased plus 1,000 Air Arms Diabolo pellets, ten Bisley Co2 capsules, special bonus of ‘Coast’ brand dual colour head torch still in blister pack in this bundle, all for £160. Bergara all terrain chair with turntable seat, all quickly dismantles, light but tough, into canvas satchel, as new £60 post paid. Tel: 01702 200718 ( Essex).

rings. Padded slip and pellets included. Extremely accurate and fine tuned 11.8ftlbs. £480. Tel: 01452 538638 ( Glouc). AIR ARMS S510 .177 WALNUT, AGS 3-9 x 50, silencer, 2 mags, slip bag, excellent condition £480. Weihrauch 95K .22 Nikko 3-9 x 40, silencer, slip bag, excellent condition, little use £220. Tel: 01243 373960 (Nr Portsmouth).

RWS SERIES 50 .177 s/shot rifle in vgc + 10 shot mag £250. ( Berkshire). Tel: 0118 9302067.

AGS PCR-1, .22 with thumbhole stock and original stock, including 6 x 40 Nikko scope, Logun silencer, highly accurate and very quite. Very good condition, rarely used hence reason for sale. £195 ono. Tel: 07900 884614 (Oxon).

BSA ULTRA .177 complete outfit for sale. Includes 3-9x50 scope, Weirauch silencer, 3ltr 300 bar air bottle, chrony chronograph, bi-pod, sling, gunbag. All in as new condition, £500. Tel: 01484 715292 ( West Yorks).

ANSCHUTZ SUPER MATCH 1913 .22 model, central front sight, Anschutz blue bubble , Anschutz Vario rear, over £150 extras, jacket 38/42 , sling, scope, stand, serviced 2014 by NSRA, £450. Tel: 07563 706462 (Norfolk).

DAYSTATE PANTHER / Target .177 MTC Viper 4-16x50 IR scope. MK5 carbon silencer, 2 magazines, single shot tray, charger, Daystate hard case, S/S studs. All as new with original packaging, £1,200 buyer collects. Tel: 0777 9146294 (Sheffield).

WEIHRAUCH HW75 .177 air pistol. Diamond XT speed sight, mini red. Targets, pellets, excellent condition £270. Tel: 0797 1572719 (Nottingham). Callers only.

AIR ARMS TX200HC .177, brand new in mint condition. Deben Hawke 6.5-20x50 IR scope and

WALTHER LGU MASTER .177, bought last year, hardly used, perfect condition and in original box with three tins of pellets. £150 no offers. Tel: 0161 370 1345 (Manchester).

The editor reserves the right to edit adverts as may be required. Swap Shop is a service offered to readers who wish to undertake private transactions between themselves. There is no need for such transactions to be made face to face (unless an airgun is FAC-rated), but Air Gunner requests that all due caution is excercised when buying or selling an airgun. You must adhere to the current airgun laws. You can’t buy an airgun if you are under 18 years old. The Swap Shop is not offered to those who sell airguns as part of a business.

76 AIR GUNNER www.airgunshooting.co.uk

RRP: £699.00 Incl Diopter Sight & Quickfill Adapter

AIR GUNNER 77

The Midland Gun Company Part 4. 1930s by John Atkins Research and additional photographs: John Burton and John Milewski

Figure 1

O

ver the past months, I’ve looked at a selection of pre-World War One and inter-wars period air pistols, BB guns, juvenile break-barrel airguns and air rifles from America, Germany and Britain, all sold by the Midland Gun Company of Birmingham,

Figure 2

concentrating latterly on their List No. 2 (63rd edition) with 1936 prices - a period popular with collectors because the well-made airguns of that era are usually still affordable and, as a bonus, are often found in excellent shooting condition. To complete the range,

‘The Midland’ sold at that time, I’ll finish this series by describing the rest of the air rifles they offered. The choice of calibre was an important one then, and now. Although causing less controversy and discussion in 1936, the price of ammunition was probably a top priority when deciding, for many. BSA .177” pellets were 2/3d (11p) per thousand while .22” were double the price at 4/6d (22½p) - an important consideration, especially for schoolboys and others of modest means. The British BSA .177” Light Model underlever cocking rifle at £3.10 shillings (£3.50) and the larger Special Club Model in either calibre at £4, were by far the most expensive of the air rifles offered by the Midland Gun Co. in 1936, but if one of those was prohibitive price-wise, customers might be able to afford the still considerable sum of 50 shillings (£2.50) to spend on an air rifle. There was a choice of two break-barrel models for that price, one being the .177” German ‘Perfecta’ air rifle with breech lever lock, shown in Figure 1, advertised in the Midland Gun Co. 1936 list. Alternatively, you could purchase the Midland Gun Co’s. own ‘Model de Luxe’ air rifle in .22” calibre that also cost 50 shillings. Ô Figure 1: The German ‘Perfecta’ air rifle with breech lever lock as advertised in the Midland Gun Co. 1936 list (part of page 42) for 50 shillings (£2.50) Figure 2: Easily identified in a gun rack by the side locking lever - the slim ‘Perfecta’ is seen centre (ten rifles in from either side). The streamlined rear to the large trigger guard identifies it as a later model of the type

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Figure 4

hpyn|uGjvsslj{pvu Figure 3

Advertising them as ‘Manufactured in these Works’, the Midland also offered their 22” in plain ‘Standard’ form for five shillings (25p) less, as well as cheaper .177” Standard option, with or without off-the-shelf engraving. Let’s first look at the German rifle the Midland sold as the Perfecta, describing it as, ‘A real tip-top target model’. When I visit other collectors’ gunrooms, the lever breech air rifles are easy to spot in the racks; they are either British Greener air rifles or, more likely, German breech lever lock rifles sold under a dozen different names, and sometimes stamped with them. Figure 2 shows the slim Perfecta seen centre (ten rifles in from either side), easily identified in a gun rack by the locking lever on the side. The streamlined rear to the large trigger guard identifies it as a later model of the type, as does the very large oval heel to the pistol grip of these final-type stocks. The version sold by the Midland Gun Co. had an elevating rearsight with German silver-tipped front sight. The descending cheek pieces to the breech jaws usually indicates an early model, and these can be seen in Figure 3 detailing the side lever breech latch fitted to many German break-barrel air rifles. Much rarer, is the German ‘Stern’ (Star) pistol (Figure 4) advertised by G. C. Dornheim AG of Suhl in 1913 that shares the lever lock breech feature more often found on a variety of German air rifles including the new ‘Precision’ Air Rifle available in Britain from 1908. This very expensive air pistol was fitted with the Hebel lock for comfortable handling and safety and is so rare that it’s known only from this advertisement and it possibly never reappeared after the Great War. A pity, because it’s performance was excellent, the advertisement assured us, due to its secure lock and reliable construction. Approaching the massive length of a Tell 1 pistol, the Stern measured 50 cm overall and was .177” calibre. The maker remains unknown, but was most likely Oscar Will or F. Langenhan. Figure 5 shows the Stern air rifle with lever locking device fitted at the side, advertised in the 1927 catalogue of Gecado (once owned by German gun wholesaler G. C. Dornheim AG). Note the traditional-type trigger guard. Jump forward ten years and the later model Stern lever lock (Figure 6) advertised in the 1937 Geco (Gustav Genschow & Co. AG of Berlin) catalogue No. 65 has simplified (and cheaper to produce) breech jaws, a new stock 80 AIR GUNNER www.airgunshooting.co.uk

Figure 5

Figure 6

and large trigger guard. Of all the many lever lock breech air rifles illustrated in interwars German catalogues, the closest to the Perfecta sold by the Midland Gun Co. is this later Stern - appearing identical. The streamlined back to the large trigger guards appearing on both Stern and ‘Pfeil’ models is the giveaway that these are 1930s breech lever lock models rather than earlier ones. They also appear in the undated, but probably post-WW2, Catalogue No. 5 of Reinhold Manteuffel & Co., Zella-Mehlis in Thüringen (founded in 1911) - as the Nos. 10 and 22 lever lock air rifles.

A Visit to ‘The Midland’ The Midland Gun Co. seem to have had quite a few addresses that they operated from, including London offices and showrooms. The October, 1902 issue of Arms & Explosives tell us that the Midland Gun Co. has moved from Bath Street to ‘more commodious premises’ at the Demon Gun Works, Vesey Street, Birmingham. Clearly, they didn’t dispose of the Bath Street premises, because that’s the address stated in the 1936 catalogue. Years ago, I asked the late Birmingham gun historian, Bernard Hinchley, if he would kindly supply me with a large map of the old city, showing where all airgun work was

done. It’s clearly marked by Bernard that The Midland’s airgun work was done off Loveday Street in the Midland Gun Co. Air Rifle Shop - rather than in the main factory and warehouse in Bath Street, and this neatly explains why the old Bath Street workers that Ray Hill and John Burton managed to trace and interview never saw the ‘Demons’ and other Midland airguns. Among his collected material, written in April 1989, my friend, the late John Burton described how his first encounter with the Midland Gun Company of Birmingham was in 1963. He was desperately keen on shooting in those days and he had recently bought an old Midland side-by-side hammer gun in 12-gauge. It needed repair and he thought the best place for that would be with the makers themselves. John Burton took his precious possession to Birmingham by train and soon found his way to Steelhouse Lane and into Loveday Street. (See street map redrawn from the one appearing on the back of the 1936 Midland Gun Co. Catalogue List No. 2 63rd Edition, Figure 7). He was very glad the gun quarter had not been bulldozed completely away, and a policeman from Steelhouse Lane Police Station showed him the way to the ‘Midland Gun’, as it was affectionately known.

hpyn|uGjvsslj{pvu Figure 7

John Burton was met by an elderly, greyhaired man who took him up a flight of stairs on the outside of the building. This led to a long workshop, dimly lit, and occupied that Saturday morning by the old man and

Figure 8

a young apprentice in his late teens. John was unsure if he remembered correctly, but his memory kept telling him that the workshop was lit by gaslight - but it seemed so late for this, his mind may have been playing tricks. The old man was proud of his craft, and during that morning he showed John Burton every aspect of shotgun manufacture that he could. He was fascinating to listen to, and time stood still as he enthusiastically showed and explained the processes involved, and it was John’s regret that he could not remember his name to record in his notes, so long after. He promised to send him a quotation for the repairs needed to John’s gun while, in

Figure 3: Detail of the side lever breech latch fitted to several German break-barrel air rifles Figure 4: The Stern pistol advertised by G. C. Dornheim AG of Suhl in 1913 shares a feature more often found on a variety of German air rifles including the new ‘Precision’ Air Rifle available in Britain from 1908 - the lever lock breech Figure 5: Stern lever lock rifle advertised in the 1927 catalogue of Gecado (once owned by German gun wholesaler G. C. Dornheim AG). Note the traditional type trigger guard Figure 6: Later model Stern lever lock advertised in the 1937 Geco (Gustav Genschow & Co. AG of Berlin) catalogue No. 65. Note modernised breech jaws, new stock and large trigger guard Figure 7: Birmingham street map showing the Midland Gun Co. location in 1936. Redrawn from their List No. 2 63rd Edition Figure 8: The Midland’s ‘Model de Luxe’ air rifle advertised in the 1936 catalogue in both .177 and .22. The ‘Club Model’ was the ‘Standard’ rifle but fitted with a BSA type aperture rearsight

passing, he also offered to make him a good Midland double boxlock for £65. As John earned a mere £10 a week in 1963, this was unfortunately way above his purchasing power. He remembered having the action tightened, the barrels blacked so beautifully, the top rib re-soldered, and one of the locks repaired, all for the princely sum of £8-12-5 (£8.62) including postage. John Burton was thrilled with that gun. It was called the ‘Demon’ and had a demon stamped on one of the flats of the action, and the company’s works was the ‘Demon Gun Works’. Nearly 30 years later, John had another gun, the Demon, made by the Midland Gun Company, but this time it was an air rifle.

Location Unfortunately, the map appearing on the back page of the 1936 Midland Gun Co. catalogue is of too poor quality to reproduce, so I’ve re-made it from scratch altering only two obvious mistakes - the misspelling of ‘St. Philip’s Cathedral’ as ‘Phillip’s’ and ‘St. Mary’s Row’ (appearing as ‘Rd’). Apart from that, the section is religiously copied. I can’t vouch for the original accuracy of it, but it does give an idea of the Midland’s Bath Street location back in 1936. A long-distance motor services terminal was at their door, and the Great Western (Snow Hill Station) was only three minutes away from the Midland Gun Co. for the convenience of visitors to Birmingham wishing to call at the works. Note how Webley and Scott in Weaman Street were opposite the Gaumont cinema. In his excellent account: ‘Meet Your Maker’ telling of his time working for Webley, Bob Stevens informed that Webley had two testing ranges; a 25-yard one on the roof, and a 100-yard range below the basement, six floors down, constructed of concrete, about seven feet square, and with one access, a steel door behind the firing point. Ô www.airgunshooting.co.uk AIR GUNNER 81

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are stamped in six areas, including the butt itself. The spring guide from the trigger block is 56mm in Nos. 943 and 918 and their pistons and spring-guide tubes do not have split seams - they appear milled out of the solid. Stocks could vary in length due to special measurements, because The Midland would make the rifle to fit you, at a small extra charge. Trigger adjustment, sights and stock are very BSA-like. Stocks have metal butt

Figure 13

Figure 14

plates and chequering patterns can vary. The diagram Figure 16 outlines chequering patterns of three Midland Gun Co. rifles and that of a break-barrel BSA of 1936 No. B925, as a comparison. The hand-cut chequering panel on Midland Standard rifle no. 729 is virtually the same as Nos. 926 and 930, which are three inches long, or less; while the BSA panel is larger - at around three and a half inches. The BSA chequering panels with, or without ‘BSA’ lettering, fit these old-style BSA stocks well, as you can see in Figure 17, but the heat-impressed panels did not follow the redesigned angular shape pistol grips of the mid-1930s so well when utilised, as can be seen on Page 81 of last month’s issue. The Chelmsford & Essex Museum have a Midland Gun ‘Compact’ air rifle in four parts that could be easily concealed by a poacher but assembled in around 30 seconds, the subject of a ‘Fred Grimwade’ article in Airgun World March 1978. I’ve seen a similar one and rather fancied the air rifle was based on the popular German Diana No. 27 and just made up by The Midland. John Burton summed up by saying he had a distinct feeling that the unnamed rifles are Mayer & Grammelspacher Model 27s whilst the engraved models may be the same, but possess a fair amount of hand-fitting by the

Midland Gun Co.; this goes for the cylinderstamped models as well. ■ REFERENCES: Original Catalogue of Sporting Guns, etc. Midland Gun Company, List No. 2, 63rd Edition 1936 prices); Guns Review June 1976 letter from Peter J. Colman; Air Rifles by Dennis Hiller; Midland Gun Compact by Fred Grimwade in Airgun World, March 1978; Midland Gun Co. Material collected and written by John Burton, April 1989 (unpublished). Recommended further reading: Air Rifles of the Midland Gun Company, by John Milewski, Airgun World, August, September and October 2013. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Thanks to John Burton and Ray Hill for research and photographs; also to John Milewski for photographic input. Thanks also to Fred Johnson for allowing John Burton to peruse No. 729 and to Keith Dingley for No. 926. Figure 12: Midland Gun Co. rifles. Top: Non-engraved ‘Standard Model’ air rifle, serial number 1452. Below: ‘Model de Luxe’, serial number 724. [Photo courtesy of John Milewski] Figure 13: The curious nut flush with the flattish wood surface of this Midland ‘Standard’ model. The inlet ‘tail’ prevents any rotation as the rear trigger guard screw exits through it and the top of the stock. [Photo courtesy of John Milewski] Figure 14: The same fitting used on this ‘Model de Luxe’, but the tailed nut is also engraved. Not all Midland rifles use this securing arrangement. [Photo courtesy of John Milewski] Figure 15: Comparison table showing Midland Gun Co. air rifles encountered by John Burton. None of the three ‘Standard’ models included here, have the rear trigger guard screw exiting through the top of the stock, as does the engraved model no. 943 Figure 16: Outlines of chequering patterns of three Midland Gun Co. rifles and that of a break-barrel BSA of 1936 no. B925 as a comparison

Figure 16

Figure 17: The BSA chequering panels with, or without ‘BSA’ lettering, fit these old style BSA stocks well but the heat impressed panels did not follow the re-designed angular shape pistol grips of the mid 1930s so well, when utilised (See Figure 7, Page 81 last month’s issue).

Figure 15

Figure 17

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Below: Serious testing needs a solid bench and rifle rests

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simply fill in the questionaire below and post it back to me. I’ll put all the makes in a hat and the first one out will be the proud owner of the very scope I tested. I’m keen to know more about our readers so please take the time to fill it in and perhaps a Panamax will be yours.

6. ARE YOU INVOLVED WITH OTHER COUNTRY SPORTS SUCH AS FERRETING? NO IF YES WHAT ARE THEY? YES

2.DO YOU BUY OTHER AIRGUN MAGAZINES? NO IF YES WHICH ONES?: YES 7. ARE YOU A HUNTER OR A TARGET SHOOTER?

3.DO YOU BUY OTHER SHOOTING MAGAZINES? NO IF SO WHICH ONES? YES 8. DO YOU OWN A DOG? IF SO WHICH BREED AND DO YOU WORK IT IN THE FIELD?

4.ARE YOU INVOLVED WITH OTHER TYPES OF SHOOTING? NO IF SO WHAT ARE THEY? YES 9. ARE YOU A FISHERMAN? IF YES COARSE OR GAME FISH?

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NAME: ADDRESS:

PHONE:

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[email protected] www.airgunshooting.co.uk AIR GUNNER 91

THE HOME OF

AIR GUNNER AND AIRGUN WORLD MAGAZINES

NEWS, VIDEOS, ADVICE, CONTACTS, CLASSIFIEDS, SHOPPING, GUN CLUBS, BASA MEMBERSHIP, BLOGS, NEWSLETTERS, SURVEYS, MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS....

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92 AIR GUNNER

UK T: 0044 (0) 151 604 1788 M: 0044 (0) 7768 406377 E: fi[email protected]

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AIR GUNNER 93

GUN SHOPS Directory Key: Trade Associations:

BASC Trade Member

GTA Trade Member

COUNTRYSIDE

ALLIANCE

Countryside Alliance Trade Member

Items stocked:

Airguns

Pistols

Optics

Clothing/ Footwear Knives

Decoys Pellets & & Hides Accessories AirSoft

Archery & Equipment Gun safes

WALKERS OF TROWELL Nottingham Road, Trowell, Nottingham NG9 3PA Tel: 0115 9307798 Credit cards:

Scotland Northern Ireland

Stockists of: Daystate, BSA, Weihrauch, Air Arms, Umarex, Hawke, plus a large range of Pellets & Accessories. Fishing Tackle & Outdoor Clothing.

LONDON & S.E.

North

EAGLE GUNS (HATFIELD)

Central East

Email: [email protected] Web: www.eagle-guns.co.uk Opening hours: Tues & Thurs 09:30-12:30, Sat 10:30-15:30 Credit cards:

Wales London & South East C&H WESTON

South West Isle of Wight

CENTRAL BROM SPORTS Brom Sports, 66 Widemarsh St Hereford HR4 9HG Tel: 01432 344610 Web: www.bromsports.co.uk Email: [email protected] Opening hours: Open 9 ’till 5 Tuesday to Saturday Bank holiday Mondays 10am - 3pm Credit cards: HEREFORD’S AIRGUN SPECIALISTS. A large range of Air guns and accessories available including: Air Arms, BSA, Daystate, Webley, Crossman, SMK, Hawke and many more. Also available, Air Cylinder charging, Archery, Crossbows, Soft Air, Repairs & servicing and much more. A family friendly outlet, with help and advice always available.

KEXBY FIELD SPORTS High Street, Kexby, Gainsborough, DN21 5LZ Tel: 01427 787157 Mob: 07776 282324 Email: [email protected] Opening hours: 8.30-7.00 Mon-Fri. 8.30-5.30 Sat 9.00-12.00 Sun Credit cards:

New and used air rifles. Most leading brands stocked. Part exchange a pleasure. Try before you buy. Scopes, lamps, slings, gun bags, clothing, boots, wellingtons, camo nets, poles, decoys etc. Everything you need to get started or uprade!

THE GUN CENTRE 71 Blaby Road, South Wigston, Leicester,LE184PB Tel: 0116 2786552

NEW GUNSHOP NOW OPEN IN LEICESTER. Stocking all major brands. Great Prices, Great Service Also full Fishing tackle shop.

94 AIR GUNNER

CITY AIRWEAPONS LINCOLN LTD 154a Newark Road, Lincoln LN5 8QJ Tel: 01522 576238 Web: www.cityairweaponslincoln.co.uk Credit cards:

Mail order to other RFDs. Theoben Specialist including FAC. Combo deals available on new and used air weapons. Probably the best prices in the area. Cash for Airweapons. Part X welcome. Specialist repairs. Classic airweapons bought and sold. FAC conversions. On-site charging facilities. Large selection of pellets, quantity discounts.

MELBOURNE TACKLE AND GUN 64 Church Street, Melbourne Derbyshire DE73 8EJ Tel: 01332 862091 Email: [email protected] Web: melbournegun.com Opening hours: 9.00-5.30 every day except Sunday Credit cards:

A busy gun shop established for over 20 years, selling an extensive range of new and secondhand shotguns, sporting rifles and air rifles with all ammunition and equipment. A large range of outdoor waterproof clothing. Part exchange welcome. Secondhand guns wanted. Gunsmith available.

12 East Street, Brighton, Sussex BN1 1HP Tel: 01273 326338/733832 Fax: 01273 720107 Email: [email protected] Web: www.chweston.co.uk Opening hours: Mon-Sat 9-5.30. Sun & Bank Hol 10.30-4.30 Credit cards:

Established 1819, C&H Weston offer a friendly service. We stock all good brands such as Air Arms, BSA, Daystate, Falcon, Brocock, Weihrauch, Gamo, Theoben, FX. Massive pellet range, chronographs, scales, gun cabinets, servicing. Scopes by Lightstream, Hawke, Nikko, BSA, MTC, Nikon, AGS. PX a pleasure.

CHRIS POTTER COUNTRY SPORTS 2-6 Grover Street, (off Camden Road) Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 2QB Tel: 01892 522208 Email: [email protected] Web: www.gun.co.uk Opening hours: 9-5.30 Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri, Sat. Closed Wed and Sun Credit cards:

Large premises with a huge choice of airguns, sporting guns, rifles and accessories. We have a wide variety of new and used rifles and combos, BSA, Air Arms, Weihrauch brands available from stock. Helpful friendly advice always available. For all your shooting needs.

CRAWLEY SURPLUS STORE DBL SUSSEX LTD

SHOOTING SUPPLIES LTD 38 Sherwood Road, Bromsgrove, Worcs B60 3DR Tel: 01527 831261 Fax: 01527 832007 Email: [email protected] Web: www.shootingsuppliesltd.co.uk

Unit 2 Access House, Stephenson Way, Three Bridges, Crawley RH10 1TN Tel: 01293 525880 Fax: 01293 522749 Email: [email protected] Web: www.airpistols.co.uk Opening hours: 9.30 - 5.30 Mon - Sat Credit cards:

Credit cards: Open: Tues-Sat 9am-5.30pm, Fri 9am-7pm The Midlands largest gun shop. Main agents for Air Arms, BSA, Brocock, Daystate, FX, Umarex, Weihrauch. Over 200 new guns always in stock plus a good selection of secondhand. Extensive range of scopes and accessories with clothing and footwear from Seeland and Laksen. Helpful expert advice for the perfect combination.

We have moved to a larger showroom with a testing range and free parking. Always a large range of CO2 pistols, rifles, airsoft guns, gas blow back pistols. Major brands stocked, SMK, Umarex, Weihrauch, Air Arms, Gamo, BSA, Brocock. Large range of clothing and accessories. Visit online www.airpistols.co.uk.

Services offered:

& Compressed Gunsmith Repairs Servicing Air

Power Testing

Range Facilities

Credit available

CHICHESTER ARMOURY 43 West St, Chichester, Sussex PO19 1RP Tel: 01243 774687 Email: [email protected] Web: www.chiarm.co.uk Opening hours: 9.30-1 2-5.00 Credit cards:

To advertise your gunshop on these pages please call us on 01189 742525

RONNIE SUNSHINES

MAY OF LONDON LTD COUNTRYSIDE

ALLIANCE

Good selection of new and used air rifles, stocking spring and pre-charged guns. Help and advice always available.

EMMETT & STONE COUNTRY SPORTS Wilton Farm, Marlow Road Little Marlow, Bucks SL7 3RR Tel: 01628 474187 Email: [email protected] Web: www.escountrysports.co.uk Opening hours: Mon-Sat 9am-5pm Credit cards:

Hertfordshire’s leading Airgun Specialists we stock Weihrauch, Daystate, Air Arms, BSA, Logun, SMK, and many more. Plus a large range of CO2 pistols, scopes, clothing and a comprehensive stock of airgun accessories. We are also Bushcraft and Survival specialists supplying all the kit you need to survive. Come and visit our shop and Try before you buy on our purpose built indoor range. Or visit our website www.ronniesunshines.com

COUNTRYSIDE

ALLIANCE

We sell all major makes of airguns including BSA, Weihrauch, Gamo, Daystate, Umarex and more. All pellets and decoying equipment. Also in-house airgun smith service and power testing facilities. Friendly and knowledgeable service – always!

G. E. FULTON

R & K STOCKCRAFT GUNSMITHS

STRINGTOWN SUPPLIES 29 High Street, Polegate East Sussex BN26 5AB Tel: 01323 488844 Email: [email protected] Web: www.stringtownsupplies.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/ stringtownsurplus Opening hours: 9.30-5.30 MON-SAT 10.30-2.30 SUN Credit cards: Why not visit our amazing shop (“The Aladdin’s Cave” as its known!) Secondhand and new airguns. Air Arms, BSA, Crosman, Gamo, Hawke, SMK, Umarex, Webley, Weihrauch etc. Plus: Army surplus, camo clothing, Jack Pyke, archery, crossbows, airsoft, de-acts, paintball. Mail order service. Also dealer to dealer.

19 Vicarage Road, Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes, MK11 1BN Tel: 01908 561298 or 01908 568493 Email: [email protected] Web: www.rkstockcraft.com Opening hours: Mon - Fri 8:30am 5:00pm. Sat 8:30am - 3:15pm. Closed on Sunday.

Stockists of BSA, Air Arms, Daystate, Gamo, Weihrauch. UK importers of Feinwerkbau. New and used air rifles and accessories. Scopes. Fitting service. Pre-charged, CO2, spring power. Service and repair of all guns.

SCOTLAND

BORDERS GUNROOM

EXPERT ADVICE WITH A COMPETITIVE PRICE? CALL NOW 01908 561298

GREENFIELDS AIRGUN CENTRE The Shooting Grounds, Sturry Hill, Sturry, Canterbury CT2 0NG Tel: 01227 713222 Fax: 01227 710611 Email: [email protected] Web: www.greenfieldsshooting.co.uk Opening hours: Tues - Sat 8.30am - 5.30pm.

Main St, St Boswells, Melrose, TD6 0AA Tel/Fax: 01835 822844 Email: [email protected] Opening hours: 8.30 - 5.30 Credit cards:

PORTSMOUTH GUN CENTRE 295 London Road, Portsmouth, PO2 9HF Tel: 02392 660 574 Email: [email protected]

Sun 9.00am - 1.00pm. Closed Mon

Credit cards: Stockists of BSA, Webley, Air Arms, Logun, Weihrauch, Gamo and many more. Helpful Friendly Advice Always Available.

Stock list of all major brands of airguns new and used. Try before you buy range available contact for further stock list and details.

Air rifle and pistol sales and servicing. Dive cylinders and filling station on-site, indoor range, vast range of goods and accessories. Expert and friendly advice always given. We also sell shotguns, rifles, cartridges, ammunition, clays, cabinets and clothing.

PARK STREET GUNS

Bisley Camp, Brookwood Woking, Surrey GU24 0NZ Tel: 01483 473204 Fax: 01483 475011 Email: [email protected] Web: www.fultonsofbisley.com Opening hours: 9.00am - 5.30pm Mon - Sun 7 days a week Credit cards:

HAYWARDS GUNS

4 Canalside, Northbridge Road Berkhamsted, Herts HP4 1EG Tel/Fax: 01442 872829 Email: [email protected] Web: www.ronniesunshines.com Opening hours: Mon - Sat 9 - 5 Credit cards:

1-2 Park Street Lane, Park St. St. Albans, Herts AL2 2NE Tel: 01727 872646 / 872669 Fax: 01727 875449 Email: [email protected] Web: www.gunshot.co.uk Opening hours: Mon - Fri 9 - 5.30 Sat 9 - 5 Credit cards:

Stockists of: Minox, Daystate, theoben, BSA, Weihrauch, Air Arms, Urmarex plus a wide range of pellets & Accessories. Please ask for further assistance and goods.

Buncton Barn, Buncton Lane, Bolney, West Sussex, RH17 5RE Tel: 01444 882815 Email: [email protected] Web: www.haywardsguns.co.uk Opening Hours: Mon - Fri 9.00-17.30 Sat 9.00 - 17.00 Credit cards:

21-23 Cherry Tree Rise, Buckhurst hill, Essex IG9 6EU Tel: 0208 504 5946 Email: [email protected] Web: www.mayoflondon.com Opening hours: Tues - Fri 9.30am - 6pm Sat 9.30am - 5.30pm Credit cards:

We stock rifles, pistols, shotguns, airguns and black powder weapons. Keeping the leading brands in stock, the business can accommodate all enquiries from customers and shooters alike. Complimenting the vast range of firearms, Portsmouth Gun Centre also carries a large amount of accessories, ammunition, clothing and miscellaneous shooting equipment.

RIFLE SPORTS Unit 59, Globe Industrial Estate Grays, Essex RM176ST Tel: 01375 658000 Web: www.riflesports.co.uk

Airguns, Rimfire ammunition and accessories including: Scopes, Bi-pods, Lamps, Night Vision, Airgun Pellets & much more. Scopes by Bushnell, Nikko, Sabre, SMK and Nikon

South of Scotland’s largest gun and fly fishing retailer. Large selection of new and secondhand spring and pre-charged air rifles, scopes and accessories. Repairs carried out on the premises. Instruction given.

GUNSMITHS & FISHING TACKLE SPECIALISTS 920 Pollokshaws Road, Glasgow, G41 2ET Tel: 0141 6322005 Web: www.tackleandguns.net Email: [email protected] Opening hours: Mon - Sat, 10am - 5pm Credit cards:

TACKLE AND GUNS

Gunsmiths and Fishing Tackle specialists established over 37 years, situated opposite Queens Park on Pollokshaws Rd, Glasgow. All major makes Firearms, Shotguns and Airguns - “If we don’t have it, we can get it” & if you’re thinking of upgrading to FAC, give us a shout! Repair Service also available.

TO ADVERTISE YOUR GUN SHOP ON THESE PAGES PLEASE CALL US ON

01189 742525 AIR GUNNER 95

GUN SHOPS BASC Trade Member

Directory Key: Trade Associations:

GTA Trade Member

COUNTRYSIDE

ALLIANCE

Countryside Alliance Trade Member

Items stocked:

Airguns

Pistols

Optics

Clothing/ Footwear Knives

Decoys Pellets & & Hides Accessories AirSoft

EAST

MOOREDGES AIRGUNS The Chantreys, Mooredges Road, Thorne, Doncaster DN8 5RY Tel: 01405 741706 Fax: 01405 740936 Email: [email protected] Twitter: @Mooredges_info Web: www.mooredges.com Opening hours: Open 6 days a week, closed Tuesdays. Mon - Sat 9.00am - 5.30pm. Sun 10.00am - 4.00pm. Open Bank Holidays Credit cards:

Scotland Northern Ireland

North

Central

East

Wales

London & South East South West Isle of Wight

SCOTLAND WONDERLAND MODELS 97 + 101 Lothian Road, Edinburgh EH3 9AN Tel: 0131 229 6428 Fax: 0131 229 7625 Email: [email protected] Web: www.wonderlandmodels.com Opening hours: 9.30 - 6.00 Credit cards: Edinburgh’s leading air rifle, air pistol, airgun pellet and accessories supplier. We are dealers for Air Arms, Anics, BSA, Crosman, Gamo, Sportsmarketing, Umarex, Webley and Weihrauch. We also stock BB guns, pellets and targets. We stock the full range of Barnett slingshots and archery equipment.

WALES DRAGON FIELD SPORTS 8 Egerton Street, Wrexham Town Centre Tel: 01978 290990 Fax: 01978 311141 Email: [email protected] Web: www.dragonfieldsports.co.uk Opening hours: Mon - Sat 9am - 5pm Credit cards:

Full range of: Air Rifles, Air Pistols, CO2 Pistols, Shotguns, Firearms. Also: Scopes, Lamps, Ammo, Camo Clothing, Archery. Servicing and Repairs.

VALLEY ARMS Bolero Camp, Park Road, Ruthin, Denbighshire LL15 1NB Tel/Fax: 01824 704438 Email: [email protected] Web: www.valleyarms.co.uk Opening hours: Mon - Fri 9 - 5.30 Tues & Thurs 7 - 9pm. Sat 9 - 4.30 Credit cards:

Largest selection of new and used guns in North Wales. On-site indoor range. On-site workshop. Full range of accessories. 90 years of shooting experience at your disposal. Part exchange welcome.

NORTH MANCHESTER AIR GUNS 470 Oldham Road, Failsworth, Manchester M35 0FH Tel: 0161 681 7947 Fax: 0161 684 8092 Web: www. manchesterairguns.co.uk Opening hours: 9.30 - 5 pm. Closed Sun Credit cards: All credit cards accepted

Britain’s first Airgun Only Gunshop (since 1977). Large stocks of airguns, scopes and pellets. Servicing, repairs and re-blueing. Free advice with pleasure!

96 AIR GUNNER

Extensive range of all leading airguns, scopes and accessories. Also a wide range of camo clothing and footwear available.

PHOENIX FIELD SPORTS SUPPLIES 37-41 High Street, Old Town, Bridlington East Yorkshire YO164PR Tel: 01262 605512 Email: [email protected] Opening hours: Wed - Sat 10am - 5pm (Closed Monday and Tuesday) Credit cards: Air rifles: Weihrauch, Crosman, Hammerli, Kral. Shotguns: Sabbati, Investarm, etc. Pellets: RWS, Crosman, Walther, Lanes, etc. Working dog equipment: Whistles, dummies, leads, sticks, etc. Also: Cartridges, gunslips, clothing and footwear. Jack Pyke stockist, Bluelite, Blazer litelamps, battery packs, torches, bags, equipment, safety eyewear, ear defenders, camo nets and decoys. FISHING AND ARCHERY EQUIPMENT ALSO AVAILABLE HERE.

TONY’S CAMO & AIRGUN CENTRE Saltney House, Chesterbank Business Park, River Lane, Saltney, Chester, CH4 8SL Tel: 01244 681191 Web: www.tonyscamo.co.uk Opening hours: Tue - Sat 9am - 5:30 pm

Indoor range open 6 days a week. See website for more details.

Archery & Equipment Gun safes

BEDFORD COUNTRY PURSUITS 111 Castle Road, Bedford, MK40 3QX Tel: 01234 346648 Fax: 01234 346648 Email: [email protected] Web: www.bedfordcountrypursuits.com Opening hours: Tues,Thurs, Fri, Sat 8AM - 5.30PM. Wed 8AM-7PM. Closed Sunday & Monday. Credit cards:

Selection of Air Rifles, Firearms and Shotguns. All leading makes. Compressor for cylinder filling and rifles. BASC/ATEO airgun instructors. Buy with confidence, friendly advice given

CHURCHILLS OF DEREHAM 24 Norwich Street, Dereham, Norfolk NR19 1BX Tel: 01362 696926 Fax: 01362 854489 Email: [email protected] Web: www.onlinegunshop.co.uk Opening hours: 9am to 5pm Mon to Sat Credit cards:

Large stock of New & Used Guns. Full Gun Repair Service – On Site. Clay Shoots/Lessons Arranged. GUNS WANTED – CASH PAID. FREE POSTAGE ONLINE!

COUNTRY SPORTING GUNS Cannons Cottage, Punchbowl Lane, Brothertoft, Boston, Lincolnshire PE20 3SB Line 1: 01205 311246 Line 2: 01205 369470 Email: [email protected] Web: www.countrysportingguns.co.uk Opening hours: Mon - Sat 9am - 5.30pm We now sell impact airguns!!

WARRINGTON GUNS 53 Norris Street, Warrington, Cheshire WA2 7RJ Tel: 01925 415901 Email: [email protected] Web: www.warringtonguns.com Opening hours: Mon - Fri 9am - 5.30pm Sat 9am - 4.30pm Credit cards: Selection of air rifles including BSA, Air Arms, Daystate, Cometa, Brocock, Webley, Weihrauch, Edgar, FX, Walther and more. Rimfire and centre fire rifles, shotguns, ammunition and cartridges available here.

WIGHILL PARK GUNS Wighill Park, Nr Tadcaster, North Yorkshire LS24 8BW Tel: 01937 833757 Fax: 01937 530563 Email: [email protected] Web: www.wighillparkguns.co.uk Opening hours: Wed 9-5, Thurs late night 9-8pm. Fri and Sat 9-5pm Credit cards:

Visit one of Britain‘s best stocked Airgun Shops in the heart of the Yorkshire countryside. TRY BEFORE YOU BUY ON OUR INDOOR RANGE. Part exchange a specialty.

SUNDERLAND SCUBA CENTRE 4A Atkinsons Buildings, Trimdon Street Sunderland, Tyne and Wear SR4 6AH Tel: 01915 670147 Email: [email protected] Web: www.sunderlandairguns.com Opening hours: 9.00-5.30 Mon-Fri | 9.00-4.30 Sat 10.00-3.00 Sun Credit cards:

Stockists of Weihrauch, Webley, BSA, Norica, Gamo, Hammerli, scopes, lamps, pellets and accessories. Airsoft guns stocked, crossbows & archery available. Guns serviced and repaired. Airgun and cylinder refills to 300 bar.

We supply airguns and shooting accessories, stocking all major air rifle brands, optics and silencers. Setup and tuning service. We are selected BSA area dealers. Sporting rifles and shotguns including ammo. New and secondhand rifles and shotguns. SHOOTING RANGE. We buy airguns. This is the home of the Grand European 80 Varmint air rifle.

T.R.ROBB 316 High Road, South Benfleet Essex SS7 5HB Tel: 01268 752888 Web: www.trrobb.co.uk

Full range of air rifles and pistols. Soft-air and Simmons scope specialist. Tuning kits and Customising Service.

SOUTH WEST COUNTRYWIDE Bradford Road, Melksham, Wiltshire, SN12 8LQ Tel: 01225 701473 Email: [email protected] Opening hours: Mon - Fri 8.30-18.00, Sat 8.30-17.30, Sun 10-16.00 Credit cards:

Offers a great selection of new & used air guns. Stockists of Weirauch, BSA, Air Arms, Daystate, Gamo, Umarex, SMK and Crosman. Gun repair on site. Good selection of scopes on site.

TO ADVERTISE YOUR GUN SHOP ON THESE PAGES PLEASE CALL US ON

01189 742525

Welcome to Britain’s ONLY Airgun Association

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Enjoy the privileges BASA brings – and above all, shoot legally and safely  Up to £2 million third party liability insurance Covering Airguns and FAC Airguns 

SPECIAL OFFERS from selected retailers  DISCOUNTS off Archant books and DVDs 

Photo ID card and proof of insurance

THE DEAL ONLY £19.95 by Direct Debit or £23.95 by credit/debit card 12 months BASA Membership

Current members can also take up this great offer by extending their membership today! Just call and quote the code below.

BE SAFE, BE SURE GET INSURED  www.subscriptionsave.co.uk/BAAG

 0844 848 8057 quote CBASA5GA

Lines are open 8am-9.30pm Mon to Fri, 8am-4pm Sat. BT calls to 0844 cost no more than 5p/min plus a 15p call set up fee, calls from mobiles usually cost more. # Third party liability indemnity – excess £250 property damage only. The public liability insurance is arranged by Arthur J. Gallagher insurance brokers limited who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Allow up to 14 days for the preparation of your membership documents. You will be instantly insured subject to your payment being successfully processed. For more information on benefits please visit www.airgunshooting.co.uk/basa-membership. T&Cs: Direct Debit is a UK offer only. Details of Direct Debit Guarantee are available on request. Offer ends 30/06/15.

NEXT MONTH

SUMMER 2015 ISSUE 374 ON SALE 19TH JUNE

NEMESIS Steve Prime brings us the low down on this underrated pistol

Improving on perfection? Full Big Test treatment next month

COUNTRY KITCHEN

Making the most delicious food from the gardens and fields

Now you can get the Air Gunner App - go to the App Store via iTunes! Scan this QR Code with your smart phone

WALTHER LGV PRO

Now you can buy single issues of Air Gunner online - go to

www.buyamag.co.uk/airgunner 98 AIR GUNNER www.airgunshooting.co.uk

TIME TO GET TACTICAL

Extended fore-end Stylish Muzzle brake Lightweight synthetic tactical stock Automatic in-guard safety catch Complete with CenterPoint 4x32 scope Ergonomic fit including straightline butt and dropdown pistol grip

THE TR77 RIFLE FROM CROSMAN

RRP £165 Distributed to the trade by: ASI, Alliance House, Snape, Saxmundham, Suffolk IP17 1SW

Tel: 01728 688555 Fax: 01728 688950 E: [email protected] W: www.a-s-i.co.uk

GM03.15/167/aa