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THE EDITOR SAYS...
his time of year is as mad as a box of overheated frogs. The post-Christmas print schedule is a nightmare in itself, and it’s immediately followed by the S.H.O.T. Show in Vegas; then the British Shooting Show hoves immediately into view, before the magnificent festival of guns and gear that is I.W.A. in Nuremberg crowns the first third of every year. Yes, I can feel your sympathy from here, but as incredibly enjoyable as these functions are, and no matter how much of a privilege it is to attend them, they’re still seriously hard work and they absolutely wreck the schedules. To increase the turmoil, my esteemed colleague and Air Gunner editor of the past seven years, Matt Clark, has left for pastures new, taking our best wishes with him. Our own Phill Price has taken over at our sister magazine, and we wish him well in his new job, too. All in all, it’s been even more intense than usual, but this isn’t your concern at all, of course, but it does have an effect on what you get to see in the mag’ each month, so I guess you are involved after all.
T
to hold over again. The plain fact is, I’m what’s known as a beta tester for this hi-tech sighting system, and I’ve been awaiting a firmware update designed to resolve an issue with the reticle. That update has arrived and it seems to do the job perfectly, but due to the bonkers goings-on, lately, I haven’t yet tested it to my satisfaction, and I’m not prepared to give my verdict until I do. It could have gone in, but ATN, Scott Country, the distributors, and I wanted to get it right, rather than get it published, so thanks again for your patience and apologies for the delay; it’s come about through the best intentions I assure you.
SIMPLE PLEASURES Meanwhile, as you’ll see inside, I’ve been escaping the madness at every opportunity to shoot the new Daystate Pulsar. It’s work, and it’s most definitely therapy, and through it I’ve discovered how wide my appreciation of airgunning has become. You see, while I sit and commune with that
2000 quid supergun, I’ve been smiling to myself at its incredible performance. I’ve also smiled because the snowdrops are out, and I’ve been grinning like a loon thanks to some excellent, amazingly simple, targets. Snappy Targets are just laser-cut pieces of ply that offer a variety of challenging little discs to test your marksmanship. When you manage to hit a disc, it pings off into biodegradable oblivion … and you grin the grin of the happy person. Well done, Snappy Targets; in a hectic world, you’ve provided the simplest of pleasure. I shall be using you in the future, especially when the madness pushes me toward my shooting range sanctuary. All the best, everyone! ... and the simplest of shooting pleasures.
... the signs of spring ...
ATN X-SIGHT This month, the main casualty has been the already overdue field test of the ATN X-Sight, which I’ve had
Editor
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AIRGUN WORLD
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CONTENTS
THIS MONTH...
Bullseye Bargains! Reader Ads
P8 0
EVERYDAY HUNTER
Nigel Jones’ p43 03 Editor’s Welcome
24 Newton’s Lore
What’s the editor been up to in the past month? More than he can manage, mostly
Steve Newton seems to be on permanent night shifts - and for good reason!
08 Points of You Share your opinions and queries on airguns, airgunning and anything else
13 What’s Going On? Eyes down and look in for the latest from the British Shooting Show
16 Competition You could win a brand-new Air Arms S410 combo in this month’s competition
19 The Editor’s Test: Daystate Pulsar Terry’s all bullpupped-up with the incredible electronic Pulsar - and can it possibly justify that two-grand pricetag?
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32 Virtual Masterwork Fancy an airgunning eBook? The Umarex Boys Club has just the thing
29 Airgunning Highs and Lows Simplicity or hi-tech - what’s best for airgunners?
35 Marks out of Three John Milewski studies a hat-trick of vintage pistol configurations
39 The Answer My Friend The editor finds himself astounded and confounded by the BSA Gold Star SE
47 No Pain, No Gain Danni Layton and the Trigger Happy posse go through the wringer at Bisley in their quest to become better shooters
52 On the Pull Triggers are crucial pieces of kit and should never be taken too lightly. Terry explains the horrors of ‘trigger fear’
CONTENTS
NEWS & OPINIONS / KIT REVIEWS / FEATURES / TUTORIALS / TECHNICAL
Technical Airgun TECHNICAL AIRGUN
EXPLORING THE
Exploring the transfer port
TRANSFER PORT Part Three: Designing the transfer port: What have we learned and how do we use this new knowledge?
(choking velocity in the breech) was found to be 556 m/s and the minimum length of transfer port required was equal to one and a half times (preferably twice) the diameter of the port.
SPRINGER TUNING: THE VARIABLE STATE OF THE ART Once the main parameters and dimensions of a major tune or re-engineering exercise on the spring rifle have been fixed, setting the right size of transfer port should constitute one of the very
arts One and Two of this article described some significant new ideas about the role of the transfer port in the spring airgun. The first, and possibly most notable of these, was the realisation that in order to maximise the efficiency of energy transfer from the main spring to the pellet, it is essential to size the transfer port so that air flow chokes at the correct pellet velocity during the shot cycle. The optimum velocity corresponds to the average speed of the pellet as it accelerates through the bore of the barrel, and occurs at approximately 80% of muzzle velocity. This explicit criterion for the choking condition arises directly from the physics of the air
P
compression and expansion cycle during the gun’s shot sequence. Specifically, it depends on the fact that no heat loss takes place from the air (i.e. the cycle is adiabatic), and that the timing of the onset of choked flow meets the requirement for maximum power transfer, which requires the release of stored energy at a constant mass flow rate. The results of the transfer port experiment (Figure 4) provided two more essential pieces of information: an indication of the speed of sound at the transfer port exit, together with the minimum port length, which was needed to support stable choked flow through into the breech. The indicated test value for Mach 1
Part Three of Professor Mike’s masterwork p73
»
Two methods of calculating the transfer port diameter.
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AIRGUN WORLD
Weighty Matters
TECHNICAL AIRGUN
WEIGHTY MATTERS Jim continues his experiments to discover how piston mass affects the springer shot cycle
I keep promising myself that I ll spend less time in the workshop, and more re-learning how to shoot.
CSA of the 30mm cylinder, which means that, for any given cylinder pressure, the retarding force on the 25mm piston during the compression stroke will be just 69% that of the 30mm piston. The pellet starts to move at a cylinder pressure of around 400psi, and so at that point the retarding force on the 30mm piston will be 440 lbf, against 304 lbf for the 25mm cylinder.
MUZZLE ENERGY I chose 30mm as the piston diameter in the example above because that’s the diameter of the piston in the HW80, which I know has the potential to produce 21 ft. lbs. in .22 (because that is what one I used to own was producing in the days when I had a firearms certificate and was a registered firearms dealer), and very possibly more, whereas the 25mm HW77 would struggle to get two thirds of that without radical internal alteration. It’s no coincidence that all of the ‘magnum’ springers (HW80, Webley Patriot, Air Arms Pro Elite and rifles from Diana and Gamo) have large diameter cylinders and long strokes, so that strongly hints at a link between swept volume and maximum potential muzzle energy, which suggests that less swept volume means lesser maximum potential muzzle energy. Although it was not difficult to tease 21 ft. lbs. from my HW80, it shot so very much better at 18 ft. lbs. that I chose to leave it at that. Not having any means of measuring the recoil cycle at the time, I was guided only by my perception of the recoil, and the difference must have been considerable for me to notice it.
Jim Tyler studies piston weight and other performance factors p78
“It’s no coincidence that all of the ‘magnum’ springers have large diameter cylinders and long strokes” or a given cylinder pressure, the retarding force that the compressed air places on the piston toward the end of the
F 78
WINDS OF CHANGE Phil Hardman p86
AIRGUN WORLD
compression stroke is a direct function of the piston’s cross sectional area (CSA). A 30mm diameter piston has a CSA of
707mm2 (1.1 square inches). whereas a 25mm piston has a CSA of 491mm2 (0.76 square inches), which is just 69% of the
We know a lot more about the shot cycle of the springer today, and at 21 ft. lbs., the piston compression stroke would be
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55 Precision Placement Phill Price tells it like it is on the subject of where hunters should be aiming
59 Charge of the Light Brigade Phill Price unveils a couple of powerful solutions for airgunners on the go
60 Subscriptions Get your Airgun World delivered to your door - and save cash too!
62 A Shot in the Dark
73 Exploring the Transfer Port Professor Mike’s concluding treatise on a vital, but largely unknown, component
78 Weighty Matters Jim Tyler can’t ‘weight’ to reveal all about what happens when we make airgun pistons lighter
80 Bullseyes Grab a bargain courtesy of other readers, or sell them your surplus airgun gear
Gary Wain has built his own night vision outfit. Could you do the same and would it be worthwhile?
83 Take a Break
65 The Road to Becoming an Airgun Marksman
90 BASA
Tim Finley gets stuck into home security and pistol grip techniques
69 Less is Sometimes More Gerard MacConnachie on the timeless appeal of the Weihrauch HW35E
Tim Finley tests a very modern Gamo pistol that retains a traditional format
Benefits galore come as standard when you join your fellow airgunners and become a member of BASA
93 Smokin’! Rosie Barham takes up smoking - in her never-ending quest to provide tasty treats that any airgunner can cook
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POINTS OF YOU
THE AIRGUN WORLD FORUM FOR YOUR RANTS, RAVES AND Q&AS Is branching sporting - or purely pest control?
SPORT V CULL First of all, I want to say I am not one of the ‘anti-hunting/killing’ believers, I think it is a great sport and if the quarry is killed as quickly as possible, then fine. Although I could not kill anything myself and prefer target shooting, I have not always been like this. I don’t know what happened along the way, but now I am older and sometimes think of my own mortality, so I just could not personally end a life. I love the magazine and read everything, cover-to-cover, and I still like to read the hunting part. I only have admiration for the guys who go out at night in the middle of winter to pop off a few rats or rabbits –
amazing! One article in the March issue really annoyed me, though, from the Everyday Hunter, Nigel Jones, on how he controls rooks and crows. From what I can gather, he waits until they have mated and laid their eggs, erects a hide underneath the nest site and then when the young have still not developed feathers for flight, but can hop about on the branches, this is when he will kill them, parents and chicks alike, I said ‘kill them’ for that’s what he does. Hunting plays no part and this contradicts what you said in January’s issue, ‘Hunters don’t kill, they hunt’, hmm, maybe. Come on, Nigel, you are a very experienced shooter. Let some sport come into your vermin control, wait until the flight feathers have developed and at least give them a chance to get away. I am sure at some stage you will get them in your cross hairs. That prompts me to ask the question what do you do with the baby rabbits that have just come out of the warren? Do they meet the same fate as the feathered critters? JOHN TATE John – Nigel was describing the annual rook cull known as ‘branching’ that takes place in early May. It’s when ‘brancher’ rooks – young birds that have left the nest to sit on the nearby branches, but have not gained the
power of flight – are culled, often in large numbers. Branching is pure pest control, rather than hunting, and it’s the only realistic way to manage rook numbers before the juvenile birds become free-flying adults and fully equipped to raid the farmers’ feed troughs and crops. This process has been a part of farming life for over a century, John, and Nigel was simply doing his bit to control pests on his permissions. What do other readers think; is branching acceptable or not? – Ed
EYE FOR A BARGAIN Thanks for publishing my letter last month on second-hand airguns. I just thought I’d let you know that your mag had two of the best for sale that I’ve seen in a while. One was a BSA R10 Mk1 and the other a two-year-old Ultra SE multi-shot, both came with Simmons scope, Weihrauch silencers, mags and gun slips – at £240 each. I just wish I lived in Surrey. I was not in a position to buy, but phoned anyway, I thought it might have been a typo, but no, the seller was upgrading and wanting to sell them quickly; when I phoned he’d already had 16 enquiries. Just goes to show that there are some great bargains to be had. Keep up the good work! MUZZIE
LETTER OF THE MONTH WIN THE JACK PYKE HUNTERS BOOTS My name is Janice Porter and I’m a brand-new, female airgunner, mainly thanks to Danni Layton’s recent articles in your magazine. I saw that Danni managed to enjoy her airgunning despite being a busy mum and I thought, ‘if Danni can do it, maybe I can too.’ I spoke to my dad, who has been an airgun shooter for most of his life, and he coached me through the safety aspects of shooting in my garden and helped me to set up a safe target area and backstop. He also explained the safe storage of airguns requirement to me, which is pure common sense, really, and Dad has now ‘donated’ (bought me for my birthday), a cabinet to keep my rifles locked away. For the past month, I’ve been shooting my Air Arms S200 and Weihrauch HW99S – both second-hand bargains – as soon as I manage to wangle a break from my job and family Thanks to the generosity of the people at Jack Pyke, we’re able to give away a pair of the brand new Hunters boots every month to the reader we consider to have sent the best letter. That’s 120 quid’s worth of excellent footwear, just for letting us know what’s on your mind. You’ve got to like those numbers! So, have a think about what you want to say and get in touch, by email or letter. Don’t write pages of text because we’ll have to to be purely yours. State shoe size and
8
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duties, and pumping the S200 is definitely helping to keep me fit! I’m even giving Dad a run for his money when we have competitions. Girl power! So, thanks Danni, and thanks Airgun World, for introducing me to a fantastic new pastime that really is a sport for all, even mega-busy working mums! Janice Good for you, Janice, and I’m sure you’ll go from strength to strength, now. Your dad will soon have to get back in serious training, or settle for second-best in the family marksperson stakes. Our Danni’s a living example that proves all women can discover the pleasure of airgun shooting and it’s great to see you enjoying your sport so much. Girl power, indeed. - Ed
address, and it’s great if you can include a photo, too. I promise we read every communication we get. If your letter wins, you’ll get these superb boots, which feature full grain leather uppers, a Vibram Trek Hunter rubber sole, a 100% waterproof, breathable, Hydroguard membrane, odour-resistant Agion antimicrobial inners and Thinsulate liners. There’s even more to these amazing boots, as you’ll find out when you win a pair. Good luck!
Something on your mind? Send us your letters and we’ll share your views with the readership. Write to: Points Of You, Evolution House, 2-6 Easthampstead Road, Wokingham, Berks. RG40 2EG. Or email
[email protected]
WHY NO SLING STUDS? Thanks for a great magazine. I look for it in the mail every month. I came to Canada from the U.K. in 1952, and for the last 60 years I’ve had rimfire and centrefire guns, then about 10 years ago I got into air rifles. At the moment, I have a Diana Model 37 Panther, Model 460, and Model 54, also a Weihrauch HW100. For my 80th birthday my wife surprised me with a TX200 so it is a good collection. The reason for this letter is to thank you for the good reading, and just to ask why they don’t put sling studs on all the hunting guns? I hope that one day the magazine will publish some pictures that can be framed, of great guns from the past and the present. Love the magazine! NORM WALKER BRITISH COLUMBIA Thanks for the kind words, Norm. The fact is, not all hunters use slings, so not all manufacturers fit sling swivel studs. These are easy enough to retrofit, and that’s what most of us do. - Ed
NEW MAN ALERT!
It’s been quite a while since I changed a man’s life, so thank you for the kind words, Joe. You carry on boring your friends. Cooking and eating what we shoot is how things should be. ‘If our quarry must be culled anyway, stick it in pastry and gravy’, that’s my motto. - Rosie
After over 40 years of being an incurable bloke, I have finally made the move to modern man – and done some cooking! My wife and family can’t believe it, and it’s all down to Rosie Barham’s book ‘Delicious Vermin’. I bought it on impulse and I’m not joking when I say it’s changed my life. My missus can’t keep me out of the kitchen Replica pistols aplenty, but what and my mates reckon I’ve about rifles? become a proper cookery bore. REPLICA Thank you Rosie and please RIFLE TIME? keep those fantastic recipes coming, because at this rate I’ll I have been reading Airgun have tried them all by Christmas. World, on and off, since the early JOE COLLINSON ‘80s. There was intermittent (Writing this while waiting for yet supply to Australia in those days, another dish to cook!) but now I subscribe to the digital edition. I have seen the Webley MkVI revolver in Airgun World Rosie’s book is a life-changer! and it looks pretty good. Manufacturers seem to make very good replica air/Co2powered handguns, but very few replica rifles, so maybe someone (BSA comes to mind) could produce a PCP/Co2-powered, 10-shot WWI vintage MkIII SMLE air rifle, or an earlier Martiniaction air rifle - just a thought. ALAN FLINT
Steve’s advice is simple - go digital!
the front of his scope. Could you tell me the make of the NV and any info on where to buy it? Many thanks for any help you can give. BOB JOHNSON Steve Newton replies: Hi Bob, it’s a PS22 Gen2 night vision conversion system from Deben, but I’m certain it’s not available any more. If you’re interested in NV technology, I’d strongly advise you to study the latest digital options, which often work out cheaper and perform to an extremely high standard. If I can help further, please ask.
BIPODS ON SPRINGERS? I have seen many of your
contributors using bipods on their PCPs, and I was wondering whether or not a bipod would work on a springer. I have seen them on springers on the Internet, but I have heard that they affect accuracy. Is this just a rumour, or do bipods not work on spring airguns? HANNES MCNEILL Hannes – Bipods can work on springers, but they can also affect the impact point of the pellet, because they can change the way the rifle recoils. As ever, if you plan to fit a bipod to any rifle, put in plenty of time on the practice range to get any changes in impact firmly established before taking that rifle into the hunting field. – Ed
Bipods can work on springers, but they can change the pellets’ point of impact.
WHAT SIGHT? On page 24 of this month’s magazine, Steve Newton is using a night-vision device that fits on
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AIRGUN WORLD
9
POINTS OF VIEW
Reader makeover now let’s see yours.
PIMP MY HFT 500 The standard HFT500 is an outstanding rifle with accuracy on a par with my FTP900. I wanted the 500 to be useable as a dedicated FT rifle for a back-up, so I set about adding furniture. First, I thought a palm rest would help to get my hand in the same place time after time. Using a hardwood (zabrano) that nearly matched the stock, and with help from my chippy mate, Des Fanson, we drew a line around the pistol grip, routed out the shape 12mm deep, and fixed with one screw. With this fitted, we cut the outer profile to fit my hand. The knee rest was made using the same wood, shaped by Des, and we added two16mm x 75mm long, aluminium pillars, made by Mick Tromans. These were counter-bored to take Rowan Engineering T Nuts, and fixed with 6mm x30mm grub screws. JEREMY STAMP Top job, Jeremy, and thanks for telling us about your rifle. We’d like to hear from any other readers who have customised their airguns, so let’s see your tweaks and tune-ups, OK? – Ed
dip the jaws into a bleach-filled bucket and then rinse under the cold tap - easy. Great magazine, and look out vermin! Greg’s coming! GREG
AN MD WRITES … Good to see you at SHOT Show, Terry, and I hope you arrived back safely. I said I would give you a rundown on the coding system for the Hatsan PCPs so here goes: The AT44 comes from the owner’s and founder’s initials and the year in which he was born - so Abdullah Tasyagan and 1944. The BT65 is his son’s initials and his year of birth - so Bahtiyar Tasyagan and 1965. The rest of the code is made up of the following: AT44-10: A 10-shot (or at least it is a multi-shot gun as the .25 Cal is only 9-shot). AT44S: It has sights fitted. AT44W: A wood stock, and also has sights fitted. An X in the code means it has no sights, so AT44WX-1022 would mean its a .22 Cal with a wood stock and no sights. AT44TX-10177 would be a Tactical (T) with no sights (X) in multi shot (-10) in .177 Cal (177). MW in the code stands for Magic Wood
Camo finish, and a C would denote Mossy Oak Break-Up Camo pattern. S1 on the end of the code would denote Section 1. Hope the above makes some sense! DEREK EDGAR, Managing Director Edgar Brothers – official UK Hatsan distributor Thank you, Derek, most enlightening. All I have to do now is remember it all the next time I review a Hatsan airgun. Fingers crossed! – Ed
SAINTLY BLESSING I have been reading Airgun World for over 20 years and I have to say that it’s now the best it has ever been. It has so much variety these days – even a female airgunner – and gives me so much to think about every month. The loss of Professor Mike Wright is a huge one indeed, but I’m sure the great man would want his legacy to be continued and developed, and Jim Tyler is the man to do just that. Please maintain the variety, the humour, the real-world approach, and most of all the passion you show throughout this excellent magazine. Well done to you, Terry, and to everyone involved. COLIN SAINT
BEING PICKY At last, I’ve finished with working, and after a bit of a gap I’m taking up air rifle shooting, both target and hunting. I already have some rifles, but not a PCP so it’s off to the British Shooting Show at Stoneleigh Park to get either a HW100 KT or an R10. I can’t wait! After watching on YouTube, and then shooting some rats, I’ve given into my hatred of handling these germ-filled pests and bought myself a litter picker for under a fiver from eBay. I should have done this ages ago because all I have to do after a shoot is to
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WHAT’S GOING ON?
THE BRITISH SHOOTING SHOW HAD IT ALL GOING ON THIS YEAR, AND HERE ARE THE STANDOUT PRODUCTS THAT COULD WELL FIND THEIR WAY ONTO YOUR SHORTLIST STRICK’LY SPEAKING
A SYN’ SPECTOR CALLS
Gamo had a new revolver with the interesting name of Stricker which might be Spanish for Striker. The main frame is alloy with strong ABS used elsewhere. As you can see it’s bristling with sections of Weaver rail so that you can add accessories of your choice. It’s a big pistol although not too heavy so it will suit juniors and adults alike. They also showed a synthetic stock version of their ultra-popular Coyote pre-charged pneumatic rifle. Synthetic stocks are all the rage today because of their strength and ability to shrug off wet weather without any problem. www.gamo.com
Webley also had a new synthetic stock on their Spector rifle. This is available with a conventional spring/piston power plant or a
gas-ram if you prefer. It has a clear military styling bringing it into the ‘tactical’ world, which is all the fashion at the moment. www.highlandoutdoors.co.uk
Synthetic stocks are everywhere today and Gamo has added one to their Coyote.
This new Co2 revolver from Gamo has Colt Python looks.
Webley’s Spector (middle) is available as a gas-ram or a springer.
Nikko Stirling has added the Panamax line - and very impressive they looked, too.
MAX EXPOSURE Nikko Stirling has a complete new range of scopes called Panamax which looks very promising. New optics with low dispersion ETE Microlux Gen 2 coatings offer a bright clear image, while an objective bell mounted parallax adjuster and a one-inch body tube keep the weight down. The reticle is a half-mil-dot version which can be illuminated red and green. Clever design means that they offer a 20% wider field of view than other models which can be a great advantage for any hunting scope. www.highlandoutdoors.co.uk
FEBRUARY COMPETITION WINNER! OUR FEBRUARY SPOT THE DIFFERENCE WINNER BAGGED HIMSELF A FANTASTIC NEW £700 BROCOCK CONTOUR G6 COMBO! Daniel Morton is a happy hunter these days. Not only has he won our Brocock G6 February prize rifle combo, but he’s also popped the question to his ‘airgunning support specialist’, Kelly. We believe Kelly said ‘yes’, so it looks like the future Mr and Mrs Morton might have a busy year ahead, planning the wedding and honeymoon. Daniel told us he might suggest taking his new bride on a two-week airgun hunting trip to ‘somewhere romantic - with loads of rabbits.’ Hmmm. Brave man, Daniel!
Q. In ‘Get Your Fill’ on page 59, what is the name of the compressor? A. Omega GX-3
SEE P16
FOR ANOTHER GREAT PRIZE!
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AIRGUN WORLD
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WHAT’S GOING ON?
PUP IDOL Perhaps the star of the show was the much discussed Daystate Pulsar. Its striking looks and even more striking price had tongues wagging on the internet before people had the chance to see or handle one. It quickly became clear that when people saw it, and
most importantly had it in their shoulder, they loved it. It’s remarkably stable on aim and now we’ve had chance to test our sample we can confirm that it’s a remarkable gun to shoot, too. Go to page 18 and read the editor’s test to see how he got on. www.daystate.com
TAKE A FENCE Multi-tools are an invaluable item for outdoors people, but they have limits in what they’re able to do. The wire cutters are fine for copper or soft-iron wire, but will be damaged by harder things such as fencing wire. Gerber’s new MP1 has forged jaws that they claim will take these difficult jobs in their stride, a claim we’d like to test. Along with the usual blades and screwdrivers there’s also a mini-crowbar designed to be used to pry, something that’s discouraged with most multi-tools because it can damage and loosen their pivots. We hope to receive a sample soon and test these bold claims. www.gerbergear.co.uk
Can this multi-tool cut fencing wire? Gerber says yes.
Phil Hardman fell in love with the Pulsar.
HERE AND NOW
even more impressive is that the SIIISS FT sells for just £1050 which is cheap for a AIM Field Sports was showcasing yet another high-quality competition scope. It’s also dedicated field target scope. As you can see, available now - so get your order in right this Sightron model comes with all the right away! www.aimfieldsports.com accessories, such as an oversize side wheel and the rubber eyecup as standard. What’s Aim Fieldsports showed Sightron’s dedicated FT scope.
ON THE BUTTON Best Fittings’ stand was packed with happy shoppers buying all those filling accessories that this company does so well. We managed to fight through the crowd and grabbed a picture of
HALF CUT
the bar. This US Army, WW2 At the far end of the airgun area half track was huge and very impressive and I noted that the the airsoft boys were having fun carpet layers hadn’t lifted it up with several ranges and to put some underneath it. I shooting competitions. As usual wonder why? they like to bring their big-boystoys and this year they raised Big boy’s toys in the airsoft arena. ranges.
Best Fittings showed this press-button pressure release that’s a retro fit.
OUT OF THE BLUE Just when you thought you’d seen every camouflage pattern you could imagine, take a look at this from Ridgeline. It seems the New Zealanders have discovered that they see this bright blue more easily than they see blaze orange, making it the ultimate in hunter safety. In countries where many people hunt the same woodlands, danger from incorrect identification has to be minimised, so this new pattern could be just what they need. www.highlandoutdoors.co.uk Blue cammo? Better than blaze orange, we’re told.
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Tony Belas looks rightly proud of Daystate’s new supergun.
their new press-button, pressure release. It makes depressurising the hose much quicker, and the good news is that it’s available as a retro-fit part you can add to your existing tank. £15 - bargain! www.bestfittings.co.uk
WHAT’S GOING ON? Tracer has added the focusing F400 line to their catalogue.
UP AND ATOM
BEAM ME UP! Tracer had yet another new lamp to add to their incredible Ledray F400 series. Available with various tinted filters, they stand out from the crowd thanks to a long snood that cuts peripheral light. It also
focuses, allowing you to choose a flood or pencil beam and everything in between. There are several models in the range with a selection of prices to suit all budgets. Available from April. www.tracerpower.com
to be expensive when it comes to market. We’re on tenterhooks The team at Night Master has a waiting for our test sample to pre-production version of their arrive. long awaited Atom night vision www.nightmaster.co.uk unit. It’s an add-on that fits to the ocular bell of your day This was our first look at the new Atom from Night scope, a job Master. that takes just seconds. The optical performance is first class, and even more impressive when you consider that it’s not going
EVANIX AHOY! AC Guns had a huge selection of Evanix pre-charged pneumatic rifles for which they’re the importer. These guns are gaining a good reputation as highperformance PCPs, offering great value for money. AC Guns has
We were able to test the Khales FT scope on the range.
TOP OPTIC 1 Austrian optical giants, Khales, had their field target scope on display and also on a competition rifle at the ranges, where showgoers were welcomed to test it. It’s been a long time in development with huge input from
TOP OPTIC 2 Another European scope maker, Schmidt and Bender has a field target scope on display. This is the second generation of their 12.5 – 50 x 56 field target model that they
been developing special versions of some models and will offer tuning options as time goes on. We have an appointment at AC Guns headquarters, and we’ll be bringing you all the news as soon as our tests are done. www.acguns.co.uk
AC Guns showed a huge selection of Evanix rifles.
UK-based FT competitors, but the final version is close to being completed. It stands out because the parallax wheel is on the top turret rather than the conventional left side. How advantageous this is, we’ll find out when we get a sample to test. www.ruag.co.uk tell us has many improvements over the earlier one. They made a very bold claim which was that it is completely unaffected by temperature changes, so parallax rangefinding will be consistent all year round. If this can be proven to
be true it would give them a huge advantage in the hyper-competitive word of outdoor competition shooting. We’ve been promised a sample soon and we’ll be testing their claims to the very limit. www.schmidt-bender.com
Nearly ready. The new FT scope from Schmidt and Bender is close to production.
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AIRGUN WORLD
15
WIN!
A BRAND-NEW AIR ARMS S410 COMBO
WORTH £750!
This great rifle is a modern classic and the basis for the whole Air Arms 400 family. It’s totally time proven and relied upon by some of the best hunters in the business. The combination of a match-accurate barrel, precision trigger, foolproof, 10-shot, auto-load system, and that superb sporter stock, delivers field performance of the very highest quality - and here’s your chance to own one for just £1.50!
TWO WAYS TO WIN!
BY TEXT
AN AIR ARMS S410
Answer by text or spot-the-difference by post
To enter, text ‘AWS410’ followed by your answer (e.g. C) your NAME and EMAIL ADDRESS to 80058. Texts cost £1.50 plus your standard network rate.
QUESTION:
BY POST
On page 19 Which was the first Daystate Terry ever tested? A. FTR B. Air Wolf C. Huntsman
Spot the six differences between the photos below. Entry costs just £1.50 per go – cheques and postal orders made payable to ‘Airgun World’ – and you can enter as many times as you like by photocopying the entry form. As a bonus; for every five postal entries you submit, you get one free – i.e six entries for just £7.50!
ENTRY FORM
Airgun World Competition, Evolution House, 2-6 Easthampstead Road, Wokingham, Berks RG40 2EG
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ED’S TEST
FINGER ON THE The editor gets the first test of Daystate’s enigmatic new supergun ’ve been testing rifles for Airgun World for well over 25 years, and the very first review I did was a Daystate. It was their FTR model, way back at the end of the ‘80s, and it was the first solid proof that Daystate, the pioneers of the modern pre-charged pneumatic, intended to change with the times. Back then, Daystate didn’t change much, really, but the state of near-agricultural bomb-proofery that sustained the Staffordshire company and its customers for a couple of decades, seems a whole world away now. These days, Daystate are innovators, groundbreakers and envelope-pushers, and one glance at this month’s exclusive test subject shows that the company
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has no fear of taking risks, either. You’re looking at the Pulsar, an electronic, fully-ambidextrous bullpup built around a brand-new platform designed to replace the world beating Mk4 system. The laminate stock Pulsar on test is one of a three-line whip, which includes a walnut version and a fully synthetic model, with the first 200 of these designated as ‘special edition’ with a £2000 price tag as standard.
SPECIALS These specials have been dubbed the ORO (means ‘gold’, apparently) series and the test rifle is a fully
operational, prototype of one of them. The production rifles will be presented in high-grade walnut or laminate, fitted with a rangefinding laser, a match-type trigger, plus some engraving picked out in gold, all presented in a posh box with an equally posh certificate of authentification. Spookily, despite the £2000 tag, the orders are already arriving at a rate that even Daystate find pleasantly suprising. Once the first 200 are delivered, the special edition run will make way for the production version, and the asking price will drop to a measly £1795, with a pick ‘n’ mix options upgrade list, if you want to buy the extras that come as standard with the special edition run. I hope you understand all that
because I’m moving swiftly on.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS We need to establish a pivotal fact of Pulsar life, right here and now. The camera doesn’t love it. No matter how many times we posed and reposed it in the Airgun World studio, the result didn’t do it justice. No photo ever published, anywhere, fairly represents this rifle in any way. In short, the Pulsar is way better looking when you see it ‘live’. I heard this from shooters time after time, at the recent SHOT Show in Vegas, and at the British Shooting Show in the far more glamorous Stoneleigh, and you’ll say the same when you get to see one. Actually shouldering the Pulsar
‘Get it in your shoulder and see for yourself just how stable this bullpup is when it’s in the right position to do its job’ So stable on aim - and that’s the bullpup magic.
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DAYSTATE PULSAR
PULSAR! It’s way prettier than this, I assure you. I still think it’s a stunner, though.
done that are anything to go by, you’ll see it in a totally different light.
is another experience in itself, and one that absolutely must be done to assess it properly. Whatever you do, don’t heft it in your hands in the classic, and hideously misleading, ‘weighing it up’ style used by far too many airgunners. Doing this is like test driving a car from the passenger seat and concluding that it’s a bit
uncomfortable. Get it in your shoulder and see for yourself just how stable this bullpup is when it’s in the right position to do its job. For the record, I think the Pulsar looks stunning, but then I’ve seen it, shouldered it, and now I’ve shot the hell out of it, so let’s get into the performance stuff witout any more delay.
HOW DOES IT HANDLE? I usually prefer to describe the features of a test rifle before its function, but this time I’ll combine the two, because so many readers want to know what it can do. Well, in short, this fully-electronic,
10-shot, side lever, can do anything that any Daystate has ever done, but it does it in the way that only bullpups can do it. The Pulsar is just 30 inches (780mm) long, and although it weighs a perfect 8lbs (3.8kilos) without a scope, its compact design concentrates that weight, which is a good thing when it’s in the shoulder, but a distortion anywhere else. As stated, reserve every ounce of your judgement of this rifle’s looks, balance and potential until you get it pointing at a target. If 99% of those who have
HOW DOES IT SHOOT? Flicking that sidelever by reaching back to your ear feels odd at first, indeed you’ll probably find your fingers closing on air as you go for a lever that isn’t where they normally are, but a couple of magazines into it, you’ll become bullpupped and you won’t look back. The trigger, which isn’t the ‘post and shoe’ design destined for the production specials, is electronic, so there are no mechanical challenges to overcome, or any long linkages to bridge the gap between the trigger blade and its mechanism at the rear of the action. Electricity doesn’t mind running along a wiggly wire concealed within woodwork, so total sensitivity is never more than a micro-pulse of power away. Each pellet left the 17-inch (430mm) Lothar Walther barrel with the soft ‘bip!’ sound electronic Daystates tend to produce, accompanied by a tiny wisp of
Such a better screen, and it even called me ‘M8’ when it told me to change the batteries.
Six AAs will see the Pulsar through 14000 shots.
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DAYSTATE PULSAR
Never, ever assess the weight and balance of this, or any, rifle like this. Try it on-aim, where it’s designed to impress.
‘Shot after shot smacked into targets set out to 55 yards’
PCP ‘smoke’, as the warmer breath from the Pulsar’s muzzle met the cold air of my test range. Shot after shot smacked into targets set out to 55 yards, and
while I’d have preferred a bit more magnification for extreme accuracy testing, the MTC Connect 3-12 fitted to the little bullpup by Daystate was born to match that rifle. I have a ton of shooting to do with this rifle and believe me I’ll be doing it, but within the very first session I knew I was going to perform well with the Pulsar, and I did. I really did. More of that later,
The all-accommodating butt pad - at last!
Remove the butt to swap out the batteries. No problem.
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but now let me finish the description of this remarkable airgun.
THE POWER WITHIN The Pulsar’s action is powered by six, standard AA batteries housed within the stock, rather than the ‘plug-in rechargable’ Daystate usually runs on its electronic rifles. Each six-pack is good for over 14,000 shots, and the Pulsar
warns its user that a battery change is required, when it gets within 1000 shots of running out of juice. The rifle will also run on a Lithium PP3 battery, which provides around 7,500 shots’ worth of motivation. You’ll need to drop the stock to change batteries, but that’s a one bolt job and I managed it in four minutes first time out. Not a problem. The whole rifle is a progression, in terms of the way it works and how it’s made, but the most immediately noticeable improvement has to be the recessed information screen. Now housed in a neat hidey-hole on the left-hand cheek piece, the screen has no carbuncle qualities at all, while remaining as informative as ever. Great move, Daystate designers. In place of the nine levels of programming proffered by previous models, the Pulsar has just three. By opening the side lever and holding back the trigger, you can toggle between ‘Magazine On/Off’ – which stops the rifle firing once you’ve fired the final shot from the magazine – ‘Laser On/Off’ – which is self-explanatory, and ‘Power Level’, which gives the option of shooting at either 9
DAYSTATE PULSAR
TECH SPEC Model: Pulsar Manufacturer: Daystate Country of origin: UK/Italy Price: £2000.
Here’s where the laser adjusters live.
or 11-plus ft.lbs. in the non-FAC version and between 26, 35 and 40 ft.lbs in the Section 1 UK, or export model. Once the rifle is programmed to suit your requirement, the screen shows a constant reservoir pressure readout, plus the power mode chosen, and, hand on heart, I can’t say I missed the option to have the safety catch light on or off, or any of the set and forget programme modes electronic Daystate customers have enjoyed for years.
CONSISTENCY AND ACCURACY Each 200 bar charge of the Pulsar’s 300cc reservoir produces 220 shots in .177 and .250 in .22, at the 11.3 ft.lbs. clocked by the test rifle. I tested the first 50 of these shots from the .177 I’ve been using, and, using Air Arms Diabolo Field straight from the tin, the overall variation was just 10 f.p.s. I revisited the charge at 100, 150, and 200 shots, and each
Swapping the side lever to southpaw preference takes five minutes.
10-shot string maintained that consistency. At shot 222, the power dropped right off, and the pellet impact point went with it. Impressive stuff, although I can never see any normal human chugging on through a couple of hundred shots without stopping for a major rest, and a recharge. At 45 yards, I managed three groups on 16mm diameter, and almost repeated that feat at 50 yards, but for a couple of fliers caused by having the trigger set far too lightly. I was seriously annoyed about it, and it helped spark the article on page 52 of this very issue. Anyway, I adjusted the trigger to a non-stupid pull-weight, and carried on impressing myself and those around me, by shooting some truly frame-worthy groups. I’ll brag unashamedly next month, but let me close this first test with a word about the bullpup format itself, and the Pulsar in particular.
Here’s how I see the built-in spirit-level. Not pin-sharp, but part of my sight picture, which is how I like it.
BULLPUPS IN PARTICULAR Shooting a bullpup is different in so many ways, not least in terms of pellet trajectory, due to the raised sightline. It took me just one, two-hour, session to match the ranges I needed with the aimpoints required, and even less time to become used to doing that on autopilot. I’ll explore this feature, and so many others, in next month’s follow-up test, but it’s already obvious that Daystate has produced a groundbreaking sporter, here. I need to take it into the hunting field and get some rain and cold into it, but the signs are just about as exciting as they could possibly be. The photos may never do the Pulsar justice, but I promise you I will. Stand by for a noteworthy follow-up test. This special edition Pulsar is special in so many ways. ■
Type: Limited edition, pre-charged, multi-shot bullpup Calibre: .177, .22 Cocking: Side lever Loading: Via removable rotary, 10-shot magazine, or single-shot adaptor Trigger: 2-stage, adjustable unit Stock type: Laminated, ambidextrous sporter Weight: 3.8 kg (8.lbs) unscoped Length: 780mm (30ins) Barrel: 430mm (17 ins) Fill pressure: Varies. 200-bar for test rifle Shots per charge: 250 in .22, 220 in .177 Average energy: 11.3 ft.lbs. Best group at 45 yards: 16 mm diameter Favoured pellet of test rifle: Air Arms Diabolo Field Options: FAC-rated actions, various upgrades. Call for details Contact: Daystate 01785 859122
RRP £2000 Below: Cycling the side lever becomes second-nature in no time.
First group at 45 yards. Impressive.
Here’s what happens when the air supply falls below its working pressure. Instant drop-off.
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NEWTON’S LORE am writing in the middle of a very wet February indeed, and being out shooting at night has been pretty unpleasant. I have no choice at the moment, though. I’m out every night, foxing for the local farmers because the lambs have arrived and are extremely vulnerable, especially when they are being minded by young and inexperienced ewes lambing for the first time. These ewes are the bane of my life because they will wander off, leaving the young lambs alone to become easy pickings for Charlie fox. I’m getting a bit stretched because the number of shepherds asking for my services has steadily increased
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over the last three years, or so, and I will either have to train someone up to give me a hand, or reduce the size of the area I am protecting. I risk losing lambs because I am spread to thinly, and losing lambs on my watch is not an option. I’ve got my reputation to think about.
rabbit problem on his land. He owns 350 acres, mainly arable sown with cereal crops, and although the damage done by the rabbits was minimal, and the actual numbers of animals on the land were few, he wanted to keep it that way, having me do some night shooting before they could
‘A rabbit shot now, is worth 10 shots in the summertime’‘ I have very little time to spare, and that is why I had to think very carefully when I received yet another request from a landowner asking if I could take a look at the
breed in the spring. This is good forward thinking and is the best policy if you want to be really efficient at rabbit control. A rabbit shot now, before breeding, is
worth ten shots in the summertime. I knew this would be one farmer, unlike most of them, who wouldn’t be calling me in a panic because the young rabbits were getting stuck into his crops later in the year.
DOING A RECCE So, as I already do the vermin control for several of his neighbours, which is how he got my number, I knew it would be easy for me to add his farm into my night-time patrols. Plus, of course, I am going though a lot of rabbits for baits, at the moment, and although I shoot over thousands of acres I have
NEWTON’S LORE
Gamekeeper Steve Newton is on permanent night patrol already – when he gets another call …
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GAMEKEEPER’S REPORT
absolutely hammered the rabbits, so I agreed to give his place a look and see what I could do for him. First, though, I had to familiarise myself with this new land in daylight, before I ventured out at night, so the next day I pulled into the farmyard for that exact purpose. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again; it’s absolutely vital that you thoroughly check out any new permission in daylight before attempting to shoot there at night, even if that takes several trips to accomplish it. The whereabouts of electric fences, gates, ditches, livestock, footpaths, boundaries, crossing places, and knowledge of Always use a rest where possible, if you approach the field carefully the gate makes a good rest.
When checking out a new permission it’s important to find the most likely places for your quarry. Fieldcraft will help you to find them.
all unsafe areas, are just some of things you need to know before setting out in the dark. I also work out the best route to take around the farm, depending on which way the wind might be blowing on the night of shooting, and to know which obstacles, if any, will be in my way and how to get around them.
GOING FOR THE MAX I am also looking for the areas of most rabbit activity and numbers - ‘hotspots’ if you like - so I can get maximum efficiency for my time out there, and these areas will be factored into my route planning. You will need your fieldcraft to find
these hotspots by looking for evidence of rabbits; burrows, scrapes, droppings, runs, and of course, signs of feeding, all of which will be there for those with eyes to see it. I did find several areas that held some rabbits, but on the whole, as expected, the place was pretty quiet. There would be no big bags here, but every single rabbit taken now is worth the effort to the farmer, so I decided to return the following evening for my first nocturnal hunt.
During my previous discussion with the farmer, I had already ascertained that there was no one else with permission to shoot or hunt this land, and that rabbits had never been shot at night. I always check this out before agreeing to a job, and insist that no one else does any night shooting at all, because it’s dangerous and I just don’t need the hassle. The fact that these rabbits had never been shot at all meant that I could use a lamp for the first few outings without the
‘It’s vital that you thoroughly check out any new permission in daylight’ Know all obstacles on your permission and the best way to get round them, and remember if you have to climb a gate always climb at the hinged end.
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GAMEKEEPER’S REPORT
rabbits becoming ‘lamp shy’. It was just as well because my night vision was currently on my foxing rifle, so I would be using a scope-mounted red beam on my Air Wolf for this particular job.
QUIETLY OPTIMISTIC I turned into the farmyard at around 8pm, plenty late enough at this time of year, and it took no time at all to check my kit and quickly zero my rifle before starting off up the track toward what, I hoped, would be the first likely spot. It had been raining again during the day and the night was dark with the faintest of drizzles, and a fair breeze, so I was quietly optimistic as I entered the first field. I flicked the beam
Lambs like this are often abandoned for long periods by young, inexperienced ewes, making them an easy target for foxes.
proved to be completely empty of rabbits so I quickly moved on to the next. I entered the second field and, just like the first, it was empty until I had worked my way right down
and watched the Rangemaster pellet flash down the beam toward the target. A nanosecond later, I heard the pellet strike, the rabbit dropped its head and moved no more, and at the sound of the
‘I would be using a scope-mounted red beam on my Air Wolf for this particular job’ on, swung it from the hedge on my right, out into the field, and saw nothing! Moving on, I repeated the procedure further down the field and, once again, drew a blank. The whole field
to the bottom hedge, where I finally picked up about half a dozen pairs of eyes. Selecting the nearest rabbit at around 35 yards, I centred the crosshair on its head, slowly squeezed the trigger,
shot, a previously unseen rabbit popped its head up to see what was going on and immediately joined it. I picked up straight away, and moved on once again.
Practise your standing shots!
BOMB CRATER Two hours later, I had seven rabbits in the bag as I approached what I had identified as the next likely spot; a small bomb crater turned into a pond was in the middle of a field and had lots of rabbit burrows all around the edge. As I approached, a quick flick of the beam showed me several pairs of eyes, and I selected the nearest at around 20 yards. Once again, the Air Wolf did its thing and by the time I had completed the circuit of the pond and worked my way back to the farmyard, I had an even dozen in the rucksack. Okay, it wasn’t a massive bag, but it was the first trip, and it was another dozen rabbits that would not be breeding this year, plus I had a few more baits for Charlie! That’s it, I’m out of space once again for this month, so until next time, have a good one and, as always, shoot safely! ■ A tasty treat for Charlie - unless I do my job first.
An even dozen. Could have been worse!
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HI-TECH V LOW TECH
HI-TECH V LOW
AIRGUNNING
HIGHS Are we better served by hi-tech developments, or would the simple life make us happier?
S W O L D N A he introduction to Gerard MacConnachie’s article on page 69 has awakened a thought-maggot in my brain. It’s wriggling as I write and I’d like to share the result of its gyrations. Gerard bemoans the ‘dreariness’
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spending every conscious spare moment of my life with the Daystate Pulsar. Such intense exposure to that two-grand, and for some, too grand, tribute to what an airgun manufacturer can produce these days was
“Airgunning isn’t something you need; - it’s something you do because you enjoy it” of our hi-tech world, citing the anti-climax of it all. He then goes on to eulogise about the classic simplicity of a spring-piston rifle from yesteryear, and it’s the value of this simplicity that made my maggot wriggle – if you’ll pardon the expression. I’m aware that the contrast between simplicity and the highest of tech is more stark than ever for me this month, due to my
always going to force the technology issue, and I found myself asking, sometimes out loud, ‘do we really need all this?’
NEED AND WANT The basic answer, of course, is ‘no’. We don’t ‘need’ a hi-tech air rifle, or any air rifle come to that, in the same way we need groceries, electricity, and the
Beauty or techno-beast? I think it’s gorgeous, but some certainly don’t.
camp, and away from the real meaning of ‘need’.
means with which to support our families. Unless you’re a professional pest controller, airgunning isn’t something you need; it’s something you do because you enjoy it. Thus we become divided into the multiple levels that form due to our commitment, desire, time and available finance. In other words, how much the sport means to us and what we’re able to spend on it. Whatever your level, you’re firmly in the ‘want’
CONTRAST AND COMPARE Let’s now remind ourselves of the good, the bad and the ugly side of hi- and low-tech, and it’s here that my long-suffering readers will begin to say ‘yes but …’ as I cover each point. That’s fine, it really is, because it highlights the essence of the whole issue, which I’ll already reveal as ‘each to their own’. Here goes. Hi-tech rifles, when they’re working as designed, shoot more efficiently than low-tech ones, and they help us to hit more targets. They do this by being recoilless,
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HI-TECH V LOW TECH
My beloved Emily was state of the art in her day, but always classically beautiful to me.
In the eyes of the gun-holder. Some of us can appreciate any level of tech.
The simple appeal of a quality, single-shot, spring-piston pistol has endured for decades.
supremely consistent, extremely ergonomic and they always have precision triggers. These guns also do their best to relieve us of as much responsibility as possible, by not insisting on perfect grip tension, trigger control and follow-through. Some shooters regard this degree of assistance as a fine thing, while others insist it renders shooting sterile, clinical and lifeless. My own father rejected a pre-charged pneumatic I loaned him to deal with a squirrel problem, and went back to the break-barrel springer he’s had for 20 years, purely because the PCP ‘didn’t feel proper.’ Not the most technical appraisal, admittedly, but many of you will know what he means. Many consider hi-tech rifles to be ugly things – I don’t; I think they’re handsome and impressive – although I also love the look of a Pro Sport or an Airsporter. One thing I can confirm, is that all airguns become prettier when they help us shoot better, no matter
how tech they are. Then there’s the perception that hi-tech means fragile laboratory instruments, while low-tech guns are as tough as tractors and never break down. Realistically, when the performance bar is set to hi-tech levels, any drop-off shouts in your face and makes you take notice, whereas a lower-set bar can dip quite a bit before we work out that all is not right. Also, a pinch of grit will never stop a springer in its tracks, but such contamination in the techno-bowels of a PCP could mean a complete systems shutdown. That said, I’ve used and abused my pre-charged pneumatics in a deliberately disgraceful way for many years, mainly as part of the field trails I carry out, and provided the basic hygiene rules are followed, any major grief is rare. The ‘fragile’ misconception remains, though.
Here we see a highly technical man who prefers the dynamic appeal of a springer.
SATISFACTION GUARANTEED Then there’s the user satisfaction thing. Dropping a distant target, or putting together a tiny group at 50 yards or so, is more satisfying with a low-tech rifle than with the latest recoilless supergun. I’ve occasionally managed to do these things with both types of rifle, and I can confirm that the difference is real. It comes from a combination of doing more of the job yourself and having no need of hi-tech airgun smarts to shoot to an applause-worthy standard. Again, some care about such things, while for others it’s all about the result.
MOVING FORWARD History will show that no one has droned on more than I about our need for hi-tech, ergonomic rifles, or at least their stocks. I droned like this with better performance as my sole motivation, and I still believe passionately that such advances should be more readily available to more airgunners. Now, without back-pedalling in any way whatsoever, I have to point out that there is far more to our glorious sport than pure robotic efficiency. Of course there is; even the efficient robots among
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us appreciate that. I believe most of us can toggle between airgunning modes, adjusting our appreciation sources as we do so. At my airgun club on any given Monday, will gather a posse of mature gentlemen who are as ecstatic about their vintage springers and affordable CO2 rifles, as they are about their megabucks PCP hardware. The source varies infinitely, but the pleasure comes out the same.
HORSES AND COURSES I’ll close this brief investigation, and hope to settle my brainmaggot, with the thought that there’s room for every type of airgun, and airgunner, within our sport. The Pulsar may polarise opinion, but the fact that it exists at all brings us good news about this pastime of ours. The investment in that rifle is, in airgun terms, colossal, and that means its maker is reasonably confident of a return on that investment. I love it when our sport is shown to be worthy of commitment, be it from those who make the guns and gear, or those who use them. Long may each cling to their own, and here’s to variety being the very spice of airgun life. ■
UMAREX BOYS CLUB
It’s well worth reading, I assure you of that.
VIRTUAL MASTERWORK
Steve McGregor’s eBook, Umarex Replica Airguns 1996 – 2014, is reviewed by UBC member Adrian Webster Over 100 photographs a good one, and having said that, t was 2005 and my passion for shooting, especially airgun shooting, was being rekindled following a lull of about 15 years due to work and travel overseas. I was particularly interested in some replica pistols on offer by a company new to me, Umarex, and would spend hours poring over a Sportsmarketing catalogue which featured their existing range: comprising ‘the Four Kings’ (S&W 586/ 686, CP88, Colt Government and Beretta 92), Walther PPK/S and CP line of pistols. How things have changed! A book such as this would have been very useful then, but with their full range of replica pistols and machine guns now standing at 52, I reckon it should be considered the next best thing to essential today!
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DEVELOPMENT The main body of the book is divided into nine chapters. The first describe the various guns on offer throughout the seven main
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stages of development through which Umarex has passed during the last 19 years. The last couple deal with the making of a replica and some useful advice on safety, shooting and maintenance. Guns are limited to .177 pellet and 4.5mm BB-firing replicas with a barrel length of less than ten inches and which use 12g Co2 capsules for propellant (a notable exception being the Browning Buckmark break-barrel pistol). Having done a certain amount of report-writing myself, I know how important it is to be able to navigate the pages and this is easy to achieve. Clicking on a heading in the table of contents takes you to the beginning of that chapter; clicking again takes you to the listing for that chapter and then reversing this process enables you to return; straightforward, logical and easy. I mention this because I am of an age when I am still more used to hard copy than e-books, but the technique adopted here is
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you can still print it out should you wish.
BEGIN AT THE BEGINNING The book starts at the beginning of the Umarex story with an introduction outlining the history of the company and how it has evolved, commencing with German firearms legislation, which
accompany the text, and they are either originals taken by the author or have been provided by Umarex themselves. As well as detailed pictures of the guns, there are also various others illustrating the history of the company, along with those taken at the Umarex facility in Arnsberg last year. Each chapter follows a similar
“Guns are limited to .177 pellet and 4.5mm BB-firing replicas” was introduced in 1972. This makes for fascinating reading and even if you are not particularly interested in replica guns or shooting as a sport, shows how hard work, determination and initiative will lead to success. Contained is a wealth of information pertaining to the company and its development, most of which I was totally unaware; for example, where exactly does the name come from?
format, with an introduction to the period it covers followed by individual sections for each gun. This includes a brief summary of pertinent facts relating to the gun in question, background information about the cartridge firing original, on which it is based (except for Chapter 7 which covers generic rather than specific replicas), a detailed description of both the appearance, construction and operation of the Umarex
E-BOOK REVIEW
version, a specification listing and finally any model changes, accessories or special editions which may have been produced.
EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY Original photographs, with a transparent background, accompany each section, highlighting not just the featured gun, but also the various models, colours and accessories available, and this is particularly interesting because many accessories and variations are now out of production. Technical information including an estimation of accuracy, muzzle velocity, approximately how many shots may be expected from a single capsule of Co2, and how well it replicates the original, both in appearance and operation, are included. Whilst not containing exploded diagrams of the guns or how to disassemble them, the operation and function of each one is described in detail and this complements the basic instruction manuals provided by Umarex. I feel the author has managed to strike a good balance; there is bound to be a certain amount of
repetition when providing information on different models based upon a similar design - for example, that of the rotary pellet system used in the Four Kings but this has been kept to a minimum, and it is still possible for the reader to head straight to a particular model without having to wade through a lot of background information first.
BALANCE Similarly, I feel just the right balance has been achieved when providing details of the cartridgefiring originals; too much, would detract from the fact this is a book about replica guns, yet at the same time I am sure most collectors, like me, are extremely interested to know about the history and development of the originals on which our, albeit low-powered, but nonetheless treasured, guns are based. This is presented in a clear and concise fashion and makes for very interesting reading in itself. If one gun happens to be very similar to another, such as the Makarov and PM Ultra, or variations on the legendary Colt 1911, then information regarding the original is given just once and referred to
later on. What becomes immediately apparent - and it’s something I particularly like - is that when describing the guns there is no bias involved whatsoever. Steve tells it like it is. You can go to this book and find out what you need to know at a glance. For example: Is the slide fixed? Does it have a rifled barrel? Does the special edition feature the same pistol as standard? Are earlier guns different to those produced today? - all questions I have found myself asking in the past.
place of reference regarding the guns themselves; information about the cartridge-firing originals on which they are based, how the replicas are made, the pros and cons of each design, their strong points and limitations as well as providing a fascinating look into the history and on-going development of Umarex itself. Details may be found at: http:// www.pistolplace.com/umarexreplica-air-guns-1996-2014/ I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. ■
COMPENDIUM A book dealing with Umarex Replica Air Guns has been needed for quite some time, and now it has finally arrived, I feel the author has done the subject the justice it deserves. For those new to the sport it offers a place - along with the UBC, of course! - to gather information about where to begin in the fascinating world of collecting and shooting replica guns, and for those who already have a substantial collection to their name, it will act as a kind of compendium for their precious guns. For those in between, it offers a
Page after virtual page of interesting info.
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AIRGUN COLLECTION
MILEWSKI
MARKS OUT OF THREE John Milewski explains how to identify the Webley Mark II Target air pistol variants ast time, we looked at the introduction of the Webley Mark II air pistol. Made between 1925 and 1930, the model can be broken down into three distinct variations, which I will unofficially refer to as the 1st, 2nd and 3rd type. As with all serial production, expect some features crossing over between variants as changes work their way down the production line and old parts are replaced with new.
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1ST TYPE (1925 – 1927) This earliest version of the Mark II could only be dismantled from the front, which was the opposite of the contemporary Mark I. The front plug fitted flush with the end of the air cylinder and was consequently of a narrower profile at the front than succeeding series. The rear of the air cylinder was solid with no screw slot. The parallel-sided trigger adjusting screw had no locking screw and could be finger-adjusted. ‘PATENT’ or ‘II’ may be seen stamped on the piston head. On the earliest versions, such as number 10105 pictured in the June 1978 issue of Guns Review
This pistol is over 80 years old, but still capable of hitting the mark.
by Mark Newcomer, the left side of the breech block was stamped ‘BRITISH PATENT NO 219872 FOREIGN PATENTS PENDING’. By the time serial numbers had
“This earliest version could only be dismantled from the front”
reached approximately 11000, the breech block was no longer marked, but the front right of the air cylinder was centrally stamped ‘BRITISH PATENT 219872’. Webley advertised their pistols as having been patented in all principle countries of the world. Once international patents had
Note the thin spring guide for the pistol’s partially removed top catch on this Mark II.
3rd-type pistols could also be stripped from the rear. Note the central securing screw on the Mark II compared to the offset version on the Mark I.
been granted, the next versions of the 1st type pistols carried five international patents on the front-left of the air cylinder, above and below the model identification marks. A further six international patents were stamped on the front right of the cylinder, above and below the stamped British patent number. Two surviving examples of this variant are numbered 14664 and 15120 (Collectorfirearms.org). The patents obscured the model details by their presence and Webley began to look for alternative ways of highlighting the model name on their pistols. wWebley Mark I pistols with serial numbers approximately in the 16000 to 18000 range carried markings that were partially stamped and partially etched ; only two Mark II pistols are currently known to me with etching. One has walnut export grips and bears the serial number of 18025, demonstrating that the serial number range was shared
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with the Mark I. On the Mark I, the left of the air cylinder was centrally marked with the model and maker’s name, together with address, whilst the right of the air cylinder was etched ‘PATENTS GRANTED’ with international patents etched in two columns of five and six patents. Pistol no. 18007 is an export model with chequered walnut grips. The model name is stamped on the front left of the cylinder with British and U.S. patents on the right side, along with ‘MADE IN ENGLAND’. The name was shortly afterwards moved to the rear-right during the transition from 1st to 2nd type variants.
Boxed examples of the Webley Mark II can fetch over £400 today.
stripped from the front. However, rather than a narrow front plug, 2nd type pistols may be identified by the presence of a flange around the circumference of the front plug. This is of the same
“the air cylinder was marked with five international patents” 2ND TYPE (1927 – 1929) Like the preceding type, these pistols also had a solid rear to the air cylinder and could only be
diameter as the air cylinder and was introduced between serial numbers 22015 (Leonard Joe collection) and 22845 mentioned
in Webley Air Pistols by Gordon Bruce. The parallel-sided trigger adjusting screw remained until around 26500 pistols had been made (Bruce) and these early trigger adjusters had no locking screw. The front left of the air cylinder was marked with five international patents. The rear left of the air cylinder was marked ‘WEBLEY & SCOTT LTD BIRMINGHAM & LONDON’. The front-right of the air cylinder was centrally marked
Note the difference between 1st type flush fitting, and 2nd type flanged, front plugs.
Note the ‘II’ stamped on this piston belonging to 18007.
The trigger adjuster screw could be locked on second- and third-type models. Note worldwide patents stamped on the side of the air cylinder.
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with six international patents. The rear right was stamped ‘WEBLEY AIR PISTOL MARK II (TARGET MODEL) MADE IN ENGLAND’. The transfer of model details to the right side highlighted them, as the presence of stamped patents no longer took the eye’s attention away from the model name.
3RD TYPE (1929 – 1930) The crucial identification feature for this final type is the ability to strip the pistol from the rear as well as the front, in a similar manner to late Mark I pistols. This series commenced sometime between serial numbers 36933 and 37421 (Gunauction.com ref. 9579369). The front plug, trigger adjustment and markings were identical to the 2nd type and one such example is 39246 (Holts sale A1064 Lot 600). Late 3rd type pistols such as 38467 and 39284 had ‘& LONDON’ removed from the cylinder markings, which conveniently dates the pistols as post-1928, when the London offices of Webley & Scott were closed. In the next part of this study of the Webley Mark II, I will detail the pistols which were exported to the U.S.A., some of which were distributed by the New Yorkbased Stoeger Arms Corporation. Sources and references Webley Air Pistols by Mark Newcomer – Guns Review June 1978 Webley Air Pistols by Gordon Bruce Encyclopaedia of Spring Air Pistols by John Griffiths Individual examples of pistols as referenced in text.■
BSA GOLD STAR SE
FOLLOW-UP TEST
is in It’s as at home on the club range as it a. the hunting field, and vice-very much-vers re, The hamster is a ‘use or remove’ featu but I prefered to use it.
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… is blowin’ in the wind – as the editor discovers in his follow-up test of the BSA Gold Star SE his follow-up test was scheduled to be mostly about exploring the options presented by BSA’s runaway success, the Gold Star SE. There’s still going to be plenty of that, but you’ll find what follows may be hijacked by nothing less than a phenomenon. I find myself intrigued, albeit in the sad way we shooters are when something interests us deeply. More of that later, and I promise it’s worth waiting for, but for now I’ll crack on with the day job and share my findings about BSA’s flagship.
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DONE DEAL First and foremost, there’s no more debate to be had on whether or not full-control sporters have their place in the hunting field. It’s a done deal, a no-brainer, the surest of things. The jury has
returned its verdict and it was unanimous … well, apart from those who fear change and still want all sporters to look like BSA Airsporters. Sorry my Luddite chums, to maintain the Bob Dylan motif – younger readers ask your
now. That fact is a bit of a blow to the shooting ego, but it’s a fact all the same. Yet, year after year we’ve seen the manufacturers raise their rifles’ performance bar, while those who use those rifles are left further and further behind.
The air inlet port is properly protected, as it should be.
parents – ‘the times they are a-changin’.
CONTROL IS KEY Yes, yes, I’ve thrashed my pet cause about hunters needing full control of their rifles as much as, if not more than, hunters. The performance capabilities of modern airguns has far exceeded those of their users for many years
How delighted I am to confirm that this tide of technology is turning at last, as the shooterfriendly science of ergonomics comes to the fore. Ergonomics is all about making stuff more efficient for us to use, and when it’s applied to air rifles, it makes a massive, usually instant, difference. Thus, to the potential of superior mechanical
technology, we have now added the huge advance of proper gunfit. It’s a dream team, and the BSA Gold Star SE really shows what it can do for us. Better fit means better function The Gold Star offers variable fit options controlled by adjustments on the cheek piece, butt pad and hamster. This holy trinity of gunfit can be tweaked in literally thousands of configurations, until the shooter arrives at what I imagine some geekoid lab rat would call ‘the optimum user interface’. Pull-length – the distance between the butt pad and the trigger – can be set to suit the shooter’s build, after which the cheek piece height can be fixed so that the ‘aiming eye’ is guided into prime position behind the scope. Now for the more subtle stuff, as angles are explored to bring perfect alignment of shoulder, head and hands, until everything feels as though you’ve been using the rifle for years. It’s the finest of
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BSA GOLD STAR SE
feelings and one I’m overjoyed to confirm is being felt by more airgunners than ever before, thanks to rifles like the BSA Gold Star SE.
LATEST MAGAZINE I was told by BSA that the test rifle carried the very latest magazine system, and that it had been upgraded. The company also said exactly this about the Gold Star’s barrel, but refused to divulge anything else about it. At least with the magazine I was informed that, ‘a type of specialist dry lubricant has been incorporated in the hi-grade synthetic compound, and we’ve included a last shot visual indicator.’ Fair enough. The ‘visual indicator’ is a hi-viz dot on the left-hand side of the rear magazine casement, and although it’s small, it does jump out and announce the status of the magazine. The mag’s pellet chambers are individually numbered, too, but I’d still prefer those digits to be picked out in a contrasting tint, or even a ‘blocked’ chamber to prevent totally the ability to fire on empty. Far more importantly, the magazine I had on test performed flawlessly, and I was deliberately given just one so I could get a bit intensive with its usage. I got the rifle wet and freezing cold, to the extent that I needed gloves to use the Gold Star comfortably at times, and everything was do’able with those gloves on, apart from loading pellets into the mag’. This is a highly practical and extremely reliable sporting rifle, and as you’ll see next, it shoots to a commendably high standard. Accuracy and that phenomenon Using JSB
Exact and Air Arms Diabolo Field .22 pellets, with the Gold Star SE rock-solid on a bench, I continually reproduced the 15mm to 18mm diameter groups I managed in my early tests. I bettered slightly the 22mm diameter clusters I’d done at 45 yards, but only by a millimetre or so. As impressive as these groups are, it wasn’t their size that I found phenomenal; it was the amount of windage I needed to apply to shoot them. Simply put – and this whole deal is anything but simple – the test rifle’s pellets didn’t get kicked around as much as those shot from a .22 BSA without the ‘upgraded’ barrel. I enlisted the help of a friend and we shot, side-by-side, he with his R10 and I with the test rifle, at the same targets, with the same pellets, at the same power. We called each shot in a ‘3,2,1, fire’ system, and compared results. Then we did it again, and again, and very much again. The pellets from the test rifle had wind-shifted a third less than those from the R10. Then I called Roger Lait.
NOT JUST ME As reported last month, Roger has been instrumental in helping with the development of the Gold Star SE, so he had to be my go-to guy. Being a dedicated HFT shooter, I knew Roger would be using .177, so I wanted to see if his findings matched mine. They did, so naturally I asked him what BSA had done to their barrel to bring
this about. Roger told me he’d been blanked as I had, so we sulked a bit and made up our own theories about the phenomenon of reduced wind-shift. We concluded that whatever BSA was doing to the bore of those barrels, and they can do pretty much what they like because they make the whole thing, was reducing the ‘damage’ to the pellet that occurs when they’re shot through a standard bore. I’ve seen this phenomenon before with SmoothTwist barrels, which, as the name suggests, are smoothbore with a shallowgrooved twist at the end section. Pellets emerge almost as pristine as they went in, and perhaps this lack of deformation causes less air-disturbance as they fly, resulting in reduced wind-effect between muzzle and target. As I say, it’s just a theory, and I’m not even sure BSA knows what it’s all about, but those test rifle pellets definitely moved less than the ones launched from its immediate neighbour. More tests need to be done in more wind than I usually go for during a rifle review, but there’s something significant going on and I need to know what it is.
VERDICT Phenomena aside, the BSA Gold Star SE would make a superior sporter, and that’s a fact. Proper, tailored
It’s the real hunting deal absolutely no doubt about it.
gunfit, a consistent, regulated action, a truly excellent trigger, and that secret squirrel barrel, combine to create something truly special. I have a niggle or two; namely that the thumb groove at the
It doesn’t look like an Airsporter, but I think it’s pretty. The times are changing and we need to catch up.
ed grommets to The adjuster ports neOver to you, BSA. . ge ma da t ven pre
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TECH SPEC Model: Gold Star SE Manufacturer: BSA Guns Country of origin: UK Price: £899 – for multi-shot or single-shot version Type: Pre-charged, 10-shot, bolt-action sporter Calibre:.22, .177 Cocking: Bolt-action Loading: Via removable, 10-shot magazine. Trigger: 2-stage, multi-adjustable Stock type: Adjustable ambidextrous, semi-match, laminated version Weight: 4.2 kg (9.2lbs) Including scope, mounts and silencer Length: 953mm (37.5.ins) Barrel: 394mm (15.5ins) Fill pressure: 230 bar
I found the new mag’ to be faultless, and again that’s the only acceptable standard.
Shots per charge: 90 in .22. 75 in .177. Average variation over 50 shots: 6 fps for .22 on test Average energy: 11.1 ft.lbs. Best group at 35 yards: 15mm diameter Average group at 35 yards: 17mm Favoured pellet of test rifle: Air Arms Diabolo Field Other notable pellets on test: Daystate Rangemaster Li, RWS Superdome, H&N FT Trophy, Defiant, all JSB derivatives.
back of the grip could be deeper, and that BSA needs to fit grommets of some sort to the adjuster ports to protect the surrounding stock wood. I’d also suggest the development of a reflex silencer to replace the tricklooking air-stripper, and the option of a cammo stock finish, because, as I’ll never, ever tire of saying, this is a genuine
Options: Multi-shot adaptor for single-shot models - £40 Two further stock finishes – Red, White & Blue, plus Walnut Custom options to come – bolt, trigger guard, air-stripper, trigger blade Contact: BSA on enquiries@bsaguns. com
RRP £899 sporting rifle. Full-control hunting is here at last – let’s take advantage of it! ■ It was definitely happening, but I definitely didn’t know why.
Shooter’s eye view of the last pellet indicator. It works which is always handy.
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EVERYDAY HUNTER
EVERYDAY HUNTER Nigel Jones is getting all sorts of excited about the approaching spring – and you should too!
Confidence in my cammo is important to me, and I know I’ve got that covered.
he coming months for me, and no doubt some of you, are going to get very busy indeed. April through to June is one of the best and most productive times of year for the airgun hunter, when all our pest species are very busy breeding and nurturing young. They go to and from their regular feeding sites; farmyards and stubble fields, raiding farmers’ grain stores and cattle troughs, to feed their offspring, and they’ll stop at nothing. It’s food that drives the survival of all airgun quarry, so you need to study the habitat, learn the reasons for their behaviour throughout the year, and why they’re in a particular place at any time – basically, what makes them tick. Learn this and you won’t go wrong, I assure you. April is when farmers tend to get into gear, as well. They get
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very busy indeed, breeding their livestock, ploughing fields getting ready for this year’s crop, and it is the perfect time to work my pest control alongside the farmers’ activities. It’s important to build a good relationship with your landowners, and yes I know it seems like some of them won’t give you the time of day, but they are going through a lot of stress all through the year, believe me. A select few will pay interest to what you’re doing and tip you off with regard to quarry locations. “Nigel, I’m going to sow that field next week, so keep an eye on it for me will you?” That’s my tip-off for woodpigeon and other avian quarry that will definitely swoop down and munch away on the seed the farmer has spent all day sowing. So don’t be worried and tip-toe around the
landowners, but get involved, build a friendship. This has many benefits; for one it earns respect and secondly, it could bring you a good reference or open doors for new permissions.
HARDWARE CHECK I certainly get busy at this time of the year, so I give my equipment a quick once-over, and check all stock screws and mounts. One trick is to dab a little gun oil into the holes at the top of the mount screws, where the Allen key goes in to tighten them, then I leave it, and this stops rust for at least six months. Mount screws are not that well protected, which you will find out if you go lamping on a rainy night and then put your gun away. You’ll have earned yourself rusty screws by morning, if you know what I mean. Feel free to
email the magazine for more of my gun-care tips and tricks, and I will get back to you. It’s important to do regular zero checks as well; don’t go trusting your combo too much. We owe respect to our quarry at all times, and it’s important that all vermin is dispatched cleanly and effectively, so check your zero before venturing out on a hunt. Right, let’s get down to business. I’ve been out shooting during the month of March, and I just can’t stop – hence the title ‘Everyday Hunter’. I love my job and my hobby, and I’m so proud to be part of this fantastic sport. This time I was at another cattle farm, and in one of its fields it has a rather unusual small outbuilding that’s been derelict for 20 years, or more. It is perfectly situated, overlooking a small copse that
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My luxurious hide!
surrounds a small pond, and it’s this old outbuilding that I’m going to use as my hide to ambush some magpies. They’ve been paying a lot of attention to this little wood, and maybe it’s where they are going to nest from April onwards, so it’s my job to interrupt their set-up.
STILL LEARNING I’ve been shooting this particular permission for three years now, but I’m still learning from new opportunities that keep arising. Firstly, I asked the landowner if I could cut a hole in the back of the old shed so I could shoot through, not that he would have been bothered with the state it was in anyway, but it’s always important to ask, so that I don’t get into trouble and lose my permission. There was no problem whatsoever; he knew my intentions would be for the best anyhow, because he knows I’m a licensed pest controller, and this part of the farm is home to quite a few songbirds so any sort of action against the dinner-suited robber was very much welcome. I rolled out of the sack on a very cold Thursday morning, but the weather looked promising with just a slight ground frost. These are my favourite winter conditions because frost means that it’s been a still night. I grabbed my gear, and the Ultimate Sporter, loaded the car and off I went to bag a few. I arrived just as the sky was still dark but dawn was rising to my left, telling me the sun was on its way. Quickly, I loaded a 10-shot
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“The tree rat came crashing from the tree with a perfectly-placed shot” magazine, slipped on my Jack Pyke gloves and head-net, slipped quietly into the old shed, and poked my rifle through the hole at the back, ready for the incoming black-and-white bandits. I could hear them at a distance, moving up the trees and hedgerows toward my position, and the sound of chattering was getting closer. The sky was just bright enough to take a shot because my Bushnell scope has very impressive light-gathering capabilities. A magpie pitched itself above the trees and just over the pond, so any shot here would see him plummet into the water, to my disappointment. A little frustrated, I told myself, ‘Leave this one. It’s a good decoy for more to follow’, and more did follow, but not in the form of a magpie, but a grey squirrel.
SQUIRREL DOWN Slowly and quietly, I lifted the Air Arms, aimed just under the squirrel’s ear and gently pressed through the trigger to release the shot. The tree rat came crashing the tree with a perfectly-placed shot, giving me my first kill of the morning, and then to my astonishment, the magpie lifted, and as I dropped the squirrel, it came back chattering like mad. I’d sent it into a frenzy, so I took aim and gave it a swiftly-taken shot, right to the side of its bonce, sending it to the floor. That was
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Rested shots are always handy and I’ll take any advantage I can get.
EVERYDAY HUNTER
two in the bag, but wait - there were more coming. This morning was turning out to be quite a success story. Another magpie landed, screeching, beside the first one, so I put my cross hair on its head. It wasn’t staying still, though, so I needed to concentrate and remain patient until the timing was right. My moment came, and I slipped another shot off; ‘thwack!’ - that
one was a corker, and dropped the second magpie into the pond. I was pleased with the shot, but not happy that I’d have to fish it out for the camera later on – blast!
TIME TO THINK It went quiet for a while, which I was happy about, to be honest. It gave me time to compose myself and think through what had just happened, because from the
moment I’d left the car and climbed into position, the action had started straight away. I caught my breath and settled ready for more, as always, of course. There wasn’t much about, but I could hear the cawing of rooks at a distance, and I knew that they were probably raiding the farmyard, about 300 yards from my position. It wasn’t long before my next
“My next chance arose when the flick of a squirrel’s bushy tail caught my eye”
chance arose, when the flick of a squirrel’s bushy tail caught my eye. I try not to miss much when I’m out. I stay in tune with the countryside, almost becoming part of it, and this is a skill that I have worked hard on over the years. Being more in tune with my surroundings has brought me a high level of success, and maybe all seasoned hunters have this quality, but it’s something you pick up over time, it can’t be rushed. I took aim at the squirrel’s head, just under the ear, and released the shot. It connected beautifully, sending the grey to the floor just metres from the pond. At least I wouldn’t have to go fishing for squirrels - they often sink! – but the magpie was still afloat, luckily.
HAPPY WITH THE TALLY It was approaching 9.30am, and the morning’s sport was tailing off, but I added one more magpie to the game bag, giving me a tally of five and I was happy with that. All I had left to do was to fish the magpie out of the pond, and collect the rest of my kills, ready for the photographs for this feature. What a satisfying hunt in just a few hours. I do hope you’re enjoying my hunting exploits and if I can help you get more out of your own field trips, please contact the magazine and I’ll do my best to help. See you next month. ■ Just a few hours, and that’s my hunting fix sorted ... for today at least.
Become part of it and you’ll do better, I promise.
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TUITION AND TECHNIQUE
FEMALE AIRGUNNER
NO PAIN, NO GAIN!
The Bisley bunch. Obviously, they deliberately put me between the two tallest guys!
Danni Layton and the Trigger Happy crew are Terry’orised at Bisley, but often: ‘It’s okay, it’s only an air rifle who think it’s ‘okay’ to practise any it’s all for a good cause bad habits while out with their … it’s not loaded … the safety is n my last article based on strengths and weaknesses, I mentioned I would be attending Bisley shooting ground with our very own Terry Doe and Phill Price, and here, as promised, is my update on some of the tweaks I have made to improve my shooting skills, which I will use in the field while out on hunting trips. Bisley was a lot bigger than I’d expected, and although I was reading directions on where to go, I’m not the best navigator in the world so my friend and I ended up getting lost. Nothing a quick phone call wouldn’t sort though, so after a quick, ‘Help, Terry we’re lost’, we were found and Terry took us under his wing for the day. After signing in and getting our gear together, there was no going back; we were all set to go. My team of Trigger Happy Admin, Matt, Sean, James and I, plus Pete, a Bisley club member, were taken to an excellent section of Bisley Field Target Organisation’s range layout, where we all stood, freezing, chatting and thinking, ‘How on earth are we
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going to survive this day ahead?’ – all except for Taz, who was an hour late and managed to miss the safety talk from Terry. He didn’t escape too easily though, because when the traffic decided
on’. It is NOT okay to think that it’s acceptable to forget our safety rules when it comes to an air rifle, but the one that really got me was, ‘It’s okay – the safety is on!’
airguns.
STANCE TRAINING After our discussion on safety, we were taken into the stance lessons. I truly believe that we are
“ It is an absolute MUST that you remember your safety techniques and there are no excuses” to be kind to him and he eventually showed up, Phill Price gave Taz his very own safety talk.
SAFETY FIRST, LAST, AND ALWAYS We all think we know our safety and that we’re the safest of shooters, but really, when it comes to being out in the field, or at the shooting range, we can easily become distracted and forget sometimes to put our safety in order. It is an absolute MUST that you remember your safety techniques and there are no excuses when it comes to handling our airguns. So, we were told never to say, or even tolerate others saying, these three phrases which I’m sure we all hear quite
because I have heard this many times. All that being said, we came away knowing that we can now put those safety points across to other people and correct those
all the same out there when it comes to hunting. We all have our bad days, that will always happen, and it could be down to weather conditions or simply that our game
When I study my past photos, I can see the improvement in my stance. Thanks Terry!
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FEMALE AIRGUNNER The tuition begins - and safe gun-handling is our first subject, as it should be.
My stance needed a bit of sorting, but I think I’m getting there.
is hiding away, so we come home with nothing, and I would love to find a single person who begs to differ. One thing we were taught during our stance lesson was that no matter what your trip is turning out to be like, we never fail because we are always learning and practising our skills while out in the field, or at the range. The first thing I learned, which is something I’ve always beaten myself up over, was all about ‘wobble’. I thought being of a
down to breathing, timing and calmness. Terry gave us a fantastic demonstration on breathing technique; how to hold our air rifles to the best of our ability and to take a shot calmly whilst remembering to control the movement of the rifle through our breathing. This is something we can all forget to do because it is so easy to rush into a shot when it’s right there in front of you, but we were taught that being calm and collected
“We put it down to needing to lose a few of those unwanted pounds” smaller build and having ridiculously weak arms was the reason I was so wobbly when in the standing position. I was relieved to know that even the best shooters out there struggle with ‘wobble’, but there are ways to improve (not remove) this very annoying issue, and that it’s all
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would help us immensely. We were all doing so well with our standing stance and breathing technique - except for me because I didn’t fit my rifle very well, but that will be sorted very soon - that we were all hitting targets out to 55 yards and feeling a little cocky.
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TORTURE! The next position we were taught was sitting, and this was almost torturous and one that I couldn’t do at all. We were given an example of how to sit, all bunched up cuddling our knees, and using our own body to support the weight of our air rifles. It looked so easy when Terry demonstrated, and it was totally unfair that he used Peter to demonstrate, because he was the most flexible of us all. We all thought it looked
easy, but it really wasn’t and I struggled to get my legs up far enough to support the rifle. We put it down to needing to lose a few of those unwanted pounds we gained at Christmas, and Taz struggled with his bad back, so it seemed that Peter, Sean and Matt were the ones who suited this stance down to the ground, and they used it to their advantage; they did fantastically well at hitting the long-range targets even if their bottoms were
TUITION AND TECHNIQUE
Sean did really well with his own version of the sitting position, but I really struggled!
on the day, and since while out hunting.
INVESTING IN THE FUTURE
with that ‘wobble’ problem I was talking about earlier. Again, we were hitting those longer-range targets. Happy days! We were also reminded about following-through with our shots; within around five seconds we were to find our target, take a deep breath in, and back out, squeeze the trigger once on target, and follow-through until we’d hit it,
before taking our eyes away from our scopes. We were all absolutely gob-smacked when Terry asked us to set our scopes to full magnification, but it made complete sense because once you see your mistakes magnified before your eyes, you can rectify them, but you can only rectify them if you see your shot all the way through! This helped us a lot
We learned a ton of things during our day at Bisley, and Terry even put us under the spotlight with a competition at the end of it all, to show us how nerves and adrenalin will seek out the weaknesses in our technique, and believe me it did! The real message was the need to build our shooting techniques on firm, reliable foundations, and the more we could do this, the more consistent our results would be. The things we were taught that day were actually just common sense, but it came from over 40 years of Terry’s experience and he’d explained it all to us in a way we could really understand. To find out exactly what we learned from our day at Bisley, and to see how we all applied it in our everyday shooting, make sure you get back to these pages in the next issue of Airgun World. Our shooting was genuinely improved by the Bisley experience, and I’m sure yours could be too. Stay safe and happy airgunning! ■
James’ kneeling position needs a little work, but like the rest of us, he’s well on his way to major improvement.
hanging out of their trousers! I actually got stuck in my position and needed a few hands up to get me off the ground - old before my time, perhaps? I think so.
KNEELY THERE The next stance we learned was the kneeling position, and I particularly enjoyed this one, as did the rest of the team. We found it a very comfortable and easy position to use and it really helped
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TRIGGER SENSE
ON THE PULL! Trigger sense should be common sense – let’s make sure it is
recently had an email from a reader and he followed it up with a phone call. Then he came to the British Shooting Show specifically to talk to me about the trigger on his rifle. The chap’s name was Paul, and our discussion prompted this feature. Paul was having accuracy problems and had convinced himself that his rifle’s trigger couldn’t be set lightly enough to allow precision shooting. I asked him to get the let-off measured and to get back to me. Paul did more than that; he bought a trigger gauge and did it himself. Paul confirmed that the trigger of his rifle released each shot at a weight of 1.5lbs, which he thought would allow me to diagnose the problem. It did. The problem was Paul.
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releases consistently at a weight between 1 and 2lbs, without ‘creep’ or drag, is perfectly equipped to assist optimum accuracy. That statement’s a bit wordy, but the meaning is still absolutely nailed on. Paul’s 1.5lbs trigger was not the culprit, here,
“Great to get a problem sorted, but I was still thinking about the whole trigger issue” An affordable trigger gauge and a sensible setting. Great starting point.
LET’S GET REAL Let’s begin with a basic, vital statement: any trigger that
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AIRGUN WORLD
and thinking it was had closed his mind and turned his attention to a ‘problem’ that wasn’t a problem at all. I gave Paul a shortlist of things to check and he called me a few days after the show to say that refitting his silencer had solved the problem. Great to get a problem
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sorted, but I was still thinking about the whole trigger issue.
TOO LIGHT – TOO BAD Experience has shown me that far too many airgunners believe it’s best to set their triggers as light as the mechanisms will allow. It’s not best and it’s not even approaching ‘best’; it’s actually as close to ‘worst’ as makes no difference, and not just from a safety perspective, either. Of course, having a trigger that lets go if a gnat flies near it is just plain reckless, but there’s much more to it than that. Please, if you’re of the hair-trigger persuasion, read on and think seriously about changing your attitude, and your trigger setting.
TRIGGER FEAR Your trigger is the final mechanical link between you and your rifle. The trigger blade is the ‘go’ button
When your trigger is your friend, the results tend to follow.
“You must be smooth, confident, measured and consistent” that authorises the release of the shot after everything else has been checked and deemed fit to travel to the target. Triggering is a big deal and it absolutely must be done properly, or not at all. You must be smooth, confident, measured and consistent in your dealings with your trigger and it needs to fill the role of a trusted friend to overall accuracy. For all of this to come together, trust in your trigger has to be total and without hesitation, or you’ll fall victim to the curse of trigger fear – and then you’ve really got problems.
FREQUENT FLIERS You see, if your trigger is set too lightly, all it takes is a change of temperature, especially downward, or some inclement weather, to make your forefinger a little more clumsy … a tiny bit sausage-like. Then, you find yourself triggering before you are fully ready, and even a couple of these can set up hesitation, muscle tension, and ultimately, trigger fear. Your confidence drops and that once-friendly trigger becomes a barrier to accuracy, not a boon. The fliers start to appear, increasing the tension and with it the fear. Your shooting becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy of failure,
and you’re usually left wondering why.
THE SIMPLE CURE Obviously, setting your trigger to a weight that will neither catch you out, nor cause you to pull your shots off target, is the way forward here. If you’re unsure what that let-off weight should be, go for 1.5lbs and take it from there. Trigger gauges are affordable and using one will give you a reference point with which to work. Google is your friend, and finding a gauge is but a few clicks away. Once you’ve set your trigger properly, just keep shooting until confidence is instilled and complete. The more you get to know your trigger, the less you need to think about it, until slipping those precision shots becomes almost subconscious. Above all, make your trigger your friend – and I promise you’ll have nothing to fear. ■ Classic trigger fear group. Shooting well - until the tension builds!
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SHOOTING TECHNIQUE”
PRECISION PLACEMENT Phill Price gets something off his chest recently got an email from a reader who told me that his FX rifle was making 11.4 ft.lbs. firing .22 Air Arms Field pellets, yet he
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was unable to kill pigeons with head shots. My immediate reaction was that he had an accuracy problem which could be
caused by many things, so I asked him to test the rifle at the range to ensure that he could land every pellet in a group you could cover with a pound coin. What’s more, this needed to be at the maximum
“It’s true that you might get a clean kill with a body shot, but might isn’t good enough”
Even tough vermin like squirrels have no answer to a clean brain shot.
range he wanted to hunt at. This is a difficult task if you consider 30 to 35 yards to be a reasonable hunting distance. Sure, some people will claim to reach much further with perfect consistency and perhaps some of them can, but in the real world of wind, range judgement and pressure, it’s a tough challenge. My correspondent sent back a rather curt reply saying that he’d been a Cadet Marksman and was bloody good at judging range. I told him that in that case I couldn’t help. A gun making close to the legal limit will drive a pellet clean through the tiny skull of a pigeon and effect a clean kill every time, but a poorly placed shot might only clip off a few feathers or worse still cause a non-fatal wound. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard people blame their rifle, scope or pellet for their lack of success in the field, so the first thing to do is to check their performance at the range before ever pulling the trigger on another living thing. If the combination is capable of achieving the required accuracy, we move on to the chronograph. Anything above 10 ft.lbs. will be effective when used correctly, so don’t worry about the odd bit of muzzle energy as long as the rifle is accurate. In my experience, the real cause of failure to kill cleanly is down to the shooter, in two ways. The first is that few people are as good as they think they are. The way to get right down to what you’re really capable of is to shoot paper targets. Draw 20mm dots onto target cards and place them downrange at 10-yard intervals and then shoot them standing, sitting, and prone to see just where your pellets land. The distance at which you can keep every pellet in the black is your maximum hunting range. Don’t cheat, because you’re only
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VORTEK HW77
A body shot on a rabbit is very unlike to succeed. Don’t try it.
“I can’t tell you the number of times that I’ve heard people blame their rifle, scope or pellet for their lack of success” deceiving yourself. Be strict and honest and you’ll learn a lot. If you shoot best prone off a bipod, you might well be able to reach further than the kneeling position, and certainly better then standing and shooting off hand, and through this you’ve learned something else. However, remember that prone shooting only works in a limited number of situations when the quarry is on the ground and the vegetation is low, such as shooting rabbits on
well grazed pasture. Next we come to the thorny subject of kill zones. A simple rule we can all follow is that head shots are best for airguns. Any pellet passing through the brain of our quarry will cause instant death no matter if it’s .177, .22, roundhead, pointed, hollow point or wadcutter. This applies to rabbits, squirrels, rats, and all the birds we hunt. There’s no question that this is right, so please don’t listen to those who tell you differently.
All three of these dropped on the spot. I know what I’m talking about.
It’s true that you might get a clean kill with a body shot, but ‘might’ isn’t good enough. We need to do our very best to achieve a clean kill each and every time we take a hunting shot, so the method that gives the greatest likelihood of success is the only one we can consider. Going back to my correspondent, I’ll have to guess what his problem was. Firstly, was he really as accurate as he believed? We’ll never know. Was
his rifle zeroed correctly? Very few people’s guns are, and finally how good was he at judging range? I’ve been trying to master it for about 35 years and I’ve achieved not-too-bad status, but I’m still a long way from perfect. That’s why I used laser rangefinding wherever I can. He’d also chosen a .22 rifle that has a more curved trajectory than a .177, making any ranging error more costly. He contended that he was able to see his pellets hitting the birds’ heads yet they flew away strongly, so my suspicion is that he merely grazed them, shaving off some feathers. Had the pellet landed in the brain, no bird known to man would have survived, so the answer is clear. Precision placement is everything. ■
A shot that passes through a pigeon’s brain will give a clean kill every time.
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AIRGUN WORLD
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TECH TOYS
CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE
The Power Bank Torch can really save the day.
Phill Price tests some first-class accessories t seems that almost everybody uses a smartphone these days and they’re power-hungry beasts. Bright screens and hundreds of apps updating themselves in the background use up the battery far too quickly for my liking, and I have to be contactable all the time. Because of this, a dead phone is unacceptable to me so I was very pleased to receive a Power Bank from Cluson Engineering. This neat little power pack does double duty as a handy torch as well. It’s charged from the USB port on your computer which takes time, but I just plug it in as I start work, detach it at lunchtime, and it’s worked perfectly for me. I’ve not only charged my phone but at the British Shooting Show I helped a few desperate colleagues as well. The torch isn’t that bright but has easily enough power for loading the car or finding your keys, and for that reason I’m tempted to buy a second one to leave in the glove box. It has connectors for iPhone4 and 5 plus micro USB smartphones. It’s very reasonably priced at just £24.99, which makes it a complete bargain in my eyes. Similar products I’ve seen have cost much more and seem to do the same job
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sent me their new HP12 model, it looked to be right up my street. It’s still very powerful, offering up to 900 lumens for short durations and a very impressive 400 lumens for 3 hours 45 minutes, plus two lower power settings, which for me are vital. When it comes to loading magazines and other close-up work, too much power can be a real problem, dazzling your eyes and ruining your night vision. The 50 lumen setting on the HP12 was perfect. The biggest change for me is the lamp housing, which is tiny, and they’ve changed the battery
compartment to use two superefficient Cr123A batteries saving even more weight. Despite the reduction in battery count, the power and duration are still stunning. These can be swapped for a single 18650 rechargable, which is my preferred option. ■ Low: 50 lumens (36 hrs) - Mid: 150 lumens (10hrs 10 min) High: 400 lumens (3 hrs 45 min) - Burst - 900 lumens. Fenix HP12 head torch www.myfenix.co.uk 029 2115 7162 £56.95
Lots of power from a tiny lamp is ideal for me.
“The 50 lumen setting on the HP12 was perfect”
www.cluson.co.uk Tel 01730 264672 PBT-1 Power Bank and Torch £24.99 plus VAT My old Fenix head torch is my workhorse for all-night hunting trips. It has four power levels, loads of power and because it has four AA batteries in the back, long run times too. However, it has one drawback for me; it’s a little bulky and heavy. When it’s not in use it takes up quite a lot of space in my pocket, and when on my head I can feel the weight, so when they
With up to 900 lumens this tiny head torch is incredibly powerful.
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DIY ON THE DARK SIDE
A SHOT IN THE
Gary Wain has a rat problem and decides to build his own night vision system to solve it efore we start, let me say that there are many excellent night vision builds on the market today, many of which can be had for quite reasonable money. That said, there are also some available with price tags so eye-watering that only those with the deepest pockets, or those willing to part with a kidney need apply. My aim is not to compare what I did with commercially available units, and I’m not making these to sell, but to show that it’s possible to build a reasonable system, with the minimal of skills, the most basic of tools, and at a cost that won’t leave your bank account as dry as a ship’s biscuit. Whether or not you deem such a project worthwhile is entirely your call, but I enjoyed it and I’m quietly pleased with the outcome. Having
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established what we’re doing, we should perhaps also determine why. In simple terms, I have something of a rat problem, which isn’t great, but then again, the presence of rats in and along the borders of the garden presented a good opportunity for some proactive pest control. The elephant in the room, though, was that neither my rifle nor I could see in the dark.
DECISION MADE I looked at many purpose-built units and took plenty of advice from friendly internet forum
members and friends, not least of whom was my neighbour, Jim, and decided that I would build my own. The specification I laid out for my build was as follows: Firstly, the rig had to be quick to mount and dismount. Secondly, it had to have a decent-sized screen so that it didn’t cause eyestrain. Thirdly, the rig had to be upgradable, so a modular approach was essential, and finally, it had to do all this without breaking the bank. In very simple terms, a basic night-vision rig consists of six components; scope, camera, screen, illuminator (IR torch), power source, and mounting system. Webbased
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research, forums and enthusiast sites, looking at various self-build
options and routes already travelled by other NV rig builders, all played a huge part in bringing together a parts list and project plan. For me, the choice of scope was easy because I would be using the MTC Viper 6-24 x 56 already attached to my rifle. For the camera, I chose the tried and tested e700 unit, which, if you look around on the web, can be obtained with adapters to fit a range of scopes. The choice of IR illuminators on the market is massive and really quite baffling, with apparently identical units varying massively in price. In the end, I went for a T20 unit fitted with a 38mm lens, and the only other choice I had to make was whether to go for 850nm or 940nm torch, and I opted for 940nm, because I favoured concealment over range. The screen set me back the princely sum of £16.99. It was sold as an in-car reversing aid, and came complete with a whole host of mounting brackets - none of which would prove to be of any use to me. Control is nothing without power, and to power the torch and screen I selected a 6-volt battery and
DIY NIGHT VISION
DARK! charger. The batteries can be had at varying milliamp hours, with little price difference between the bottom and top of the range, so I opted for the longest-lasting I could find. The same was true of the 18650s used to power the torch. The best advice I had when buying batteries was, ‘buy cheap - buy twice’. As the 6v battery arrived in quite a lurid electric blue, I decided a good going over with black insulating tape was the order of the day, not so much to hide it from the rats as to stop it offending my sensibilities.
QUICK AND EASY The whole rig had to be quick and easy to mount, so a quick-release,
Velcro would simply give, as opposed to the items being snapped off and potentially damaged.
TESTING … TESTING After several hours of testing, and satisfied that all the components were working, it was time for me to start the most daunting part of the build - the wiring. Having loops of cable hanging off the side of your rifle is not only unsightly, but has great propensity for getting caught up in twigs and branches when you’re trying to slip silently through the undergrowth. Basically, they had to go, and with only self-taught skills I was able to fit all the
“When buying batteries, it’s a case of ‘buy cheap-buy twice’ “ Picatinny rail seemed the way forward, and after a quick gander at the interweb, a slow boat from China brought me a selection of rails and risers. I opted for the 100mm long riser rail, but found it was just a little too long and interfered with the bell of the scope’s objective lens, whilst butting up just a little too close to the elevation adjuster. A few minutes with a file saw the problem resolved, with thanks to the Chinese for not making the rail out of the hardest material in the world. The problem of attaching the screen-to-scope mount was overcome by using some good, old-fashioned, redneck engineering. The top of a fizzy-drink bottle, with the neck still attached to add strength, glued to a rectangle of aluminium, turned out to be perfect, mainly because it fits perfectly into a 30mm scope mount. Rather than glue, or screw, everything in place, I chose to use self-adhesive Velcro. The rationale being that should the NV rig receive a knock in the field, or God forbid, the rifle dropped, the
All of the required components laid out ready for assembly.
connections into one small project box, and I only burned myself once. Result! In total the build cost £350; £100 of which was on quality batteries and chargers. I knew that the rig worked on the bench, but it would soon be time to put theory into practice. Would it work in the field, and would I be able to see that all-important ratty eye shine? There was only one way to find out – and that’s exactly what I’ll be doing next month. Hopefully, I’ll see you, and those rats, in the next edition! ■
I’m not an electrician so please don’t criticise my soldering and wiring skills.
Although it looks top-heavy there’s not really a lot of weight there at all.
Right: Camera with housing. Right bottom: Redneck engineering at its best!
Pitch-black outside but I can see in the dark. Now for those rats! .
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NEW SHOOTER
DR FINLEY
THE ROAD TO BECOMING AN AIRGUN
MARKSMAN Tim Finley takes us through stage two, where airgun security is on the agenda or Part Two of this feature, I’d like to detail a very important element of airgun shooting - safe storage – before I get down to the shooting instruction. From February 2011, airgun owners have been liable for a fine of up to £1000 if they do not take reasonable precautions to prevent unauthorised access to their airguns by people under the age of 18. The good news is, staying on the safe side of this law is a simple matter of common sense. I bought an aluminium, lockable, electrician’s tool-case for £20. It’s 44 x 32 x13.5 cm and is perfect for CO2 pistol shooting because it houses everything you need. It can take two boxed CO2 pistols, BB ammo containers, safety glasses, Allen keys and numerous 12 gramme CO2 bulbs, and it comes with two locks and a shoulder strap. The AMTA gun-lock is then perfect for securing the case to permanent fixtures in the house, either by the
F
side loops, or the handle in between the two locks on the front. I have screwed a loop to the wall inside a wardrobe and the case is then locked onto that,
club, where a two-handed grip was frowned upon and not taught by any of the club coaches. With the ban on .22 target pistols, that is no longer an option for anyone
“One of the members of my club is an Army firearms instructor” where it’s both out of sight and secure. Job done, now let’s learn to shoot.
PISTOL TECHNIQUES Pistol shooting is more of a challenge than rifle shooting and there are specific methods of shooting a handgun that can really help a shooter to get the best out of it. I was given pistol-shooting instruction as a teenager, as a member of a .22 rimfire targetshooting
and it was not until I started running three-gun competitions that I really looked at pistol shooting techniques. One of the members of my club is an Army firearms instructor, and he consistently beats me with a CO2-powered pistol. Admittedly, he has an advantage because he shoots them for a living, and when the Army had the SIG Sauer P-226 as its handgun, he used a CO2 version of the gun he used every day. It was from him, plus looking at the latest
2
PART
trends in practical pistol shooting, that I developed my own preferred two-handed grip.
ESSENTIAL DIFFERENCES The position of the body and its orientation to the target, with a two-handed grip, differs greatly from the single-handed, paperpunching stance in which the chest is at 90 degrees to the target; with a practical, doublehanded grip the chest is square on to the target. My Army friend teaches this because it puts the
The correct grip is vital to consistency. It’s a fair-sized case.
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DR FINLEY: NEW SHOOTER
plates of the body armour they use square on to the threat, which is not really an issue for back garden plinking! To achieve the correct grip, hold the gun by the barrel with the nontrigger hand and then place the trigger hand on the grip, keeping the thumb parallel with the barrel. Then point the pistol toward the target and wrap the fingers of other hand around the trigger hand. The thumb of that hand needs to sit in the same orientation as the thumb underneath it. Do not wrap that thumb around the back of the trigger hand. It does feel weird at first, but the object is to assist the mind and body to get the gun onto the target quickly. With practice it becomes
out and practised before the heat of the competition. Know where your next magazine is without looking for it. Make sure it’s the right way up, loaded and gassed. I modified my magazines by taking out a latch where the springloaded plunger could potentially get hung up, but the SIG owner had to take a Dremel to his magazines because they were prone to the BBs not being fed upwards into the action correctly. Ammunition is important and 4.5mm BBs come in many forms; from pure steel, to copper-coated, nickel-plated, to lead. There are not many lead-only BB pistols because these normally have rifled barrels. Steel BB pistols have smoothbore barrels so don’t use steel BBs in a rifled barrel. Never
“It feels weird, but the object is to assist the mind and body” second-nature and can be used on any type of plinking pistol, CO2 or break-barrel. You do have to modify the grip you use slightly, depending upon the layout of the pistol as well as its size.
CHANGING FAST For my three-gun competitions a fast magazine change is essential, and this really has to be thought
scrimp on the cost of BBs either; buy the best and never, ever re-use them. Once you damage the bore of a barrel with a once-fired BB hitting a solid object, it is not easy to fix, so just don’t do it.
BOTH EYES OPEN For speed or tactical shooting, you keep both eyes open, the master
The AMTA lock is perfect for securing to a fixed point in the house – not a shed or garage.
The case has two locks.
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The supporting hand is too low and the thumb is not pointing at the target.
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The twenty-quid case.
eye being the one that then lines up the sights. This is normally the right eye for a right-handed shooter, and the left eye for a left-hander. This was a struggle for me at first because I was used to match pistols, and then FT and HFT PCP pistols fitted with scopes. Next time, I’ll concentrate on the types of sight and those all-important targets, but for now please try to practise what I preach – and you’ll be on your way to becoming a marksman.
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT A two-handed grip is more accurate than a one-handed grip and it’s faster to shoot with both eyes open. The ‘both eyes open’ deal applies to rifle shooting, too, and it’s well wortyh trying ■
You can even get BBs in black now, very tacticool.
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WEIHRAUCH HW35E
LESS IS SOMETIMES
MORE
It’s the simple things that get the pulse racing - says Gerard MacConnachie don’t know about you, but the technological leaps of the last 10 years have left me feeling cold. I’m writing this on a MacBook Pro that also serves as a mobile broadcast studio and non-linear video editor; the pictures I took earlier are
I
which at the moment is somewhere dark, remote and rainy. Earlier, while I took a brew, I spoke to Herself on my iPhone via FaceTime. I used to think that when true video phone calls were an everyday reality, it would mean
Call of Duty against each other on the interweb, nothing has really set the world alight since. Wake me up when we get a matter transporter like the one on Star Trek, or maybe a Time Machine.
IMPROVEMENTS FOR ALL Of course, modern technology has also improved the lives of millions
“Technology has improved our lives in so many ways, and for many, tech is now king” available to me here - or indeed anywhere - from the Cloud, and I’ll send it all to Editor Doe through a mobile wi-fi dongle which harvests the 4G signal from wherever I am,
‘The Future’ had arrived. Well, they are, and here it is. How dreary. I think once we got over our excitement at being able to play
of us in many different ways, and for many airgun shooters, tech is now king. Consider the new Daystate Pulsar. It is absolutely astonishing. Computer driven,
electronically controlled, and boasting a multi-function display, lasers and quite possibly a nuclear reactor, it looks like something the Colonial Marines might bring to bear against a hive of Xenomorphs - but it’s an air rifle. It may not be your cup of tea, and you might need a stiff drink after seeing the price tag, but it is not designed to be a rifle for everyone. However, those shooters that do take one home will know that they possess the absolute state of the art in air rifle design, and for some people, that in itself may be worth the financial outlay. While I can dispassionately acknowledge the excellence of the new Daystate, I found myself
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WEIHRAUCH HW35E
The mechanical legend that is the Rekord trigger unit.
looking to the past when deciding which rifle would be the next addition to my own cabinet; something classic, established, and with nothing to prove.
LONG-TERM WANT I had wanted a Weihrauch HW35E for years and it had to be an Export model; the walnut stock, sling swivels, grip cap and butt pad with white spacers are subtle enhancements, but make all the difference in the world. The original had a 22” barrel, but the contemporary version is slightly different in that the barrel has been shortened to 19 inches, the leather piston seal has been upgraded to a synthetic item, and the stock, while still walnut, lacks the tiger-stripe finesse of the older variants, but to these eyes, the HW35E is still the most beautiful and elegant air rifle in the world. The first HW35 appeared in 1951, and it has been in continuous production ever since. In that time, countless other rifles have come and gone, vanished without trace, while the 35 quietly extends its lead, so Weihrauch must be doing something right.
TOP TRIGGER
SUPREMELY SATISFYING
It was the first air rifle equipped with the iconic two-stage Rekord trigger, a unit widely held up as being the best of its kind in the world. Even today, it’s hard not to marvel at it. To release the energy stored in a charged mainspring with such delicacy is no easy task, and the Rekord breaks with superbly tactile precision. Today, there are other fine triggers from Air Arms and Diana, for example, but Weihrauch paved the way. The distinctive barrel latch is also still there, and it’s another
Shooting through the iron sights, as you should, the HW35E is supremely pointable, and targets are acquired with languid ease. Straight out of the box and with barely any adjustment, I was shooting satisfyingly tight groups, offhand, in the garden until it got dark. I have no plans to fit a scope.
AIRGUN WORLD
GROWING APPEAL I cared not at all for Weihrauch’s oldest rifle when I first started shooting, and I find it interesting
that its appeal has grown the older I have become. I wonder how many others feel the same way. As the years go by, the attention is drawn by inherent quality and design, whose form follows function, and I think the HW35E is a classic example of this. If you have not considered it before, I can recommend it unreservedly to anyone who loves air rifles that don’t need to shout to make themselves heard; the growing of a beard is not mandatory. Happy shooting! ■
“The first HW35 appeared in 1951 and it’s been in continuous production ever since” example of simple, yet fine, engineering design. Hold the long, slender barrel just above the breech block, thumb the latch and the breech opens a few degrees and stays there, while you reach for the end of the barrel and cock the rifle, in one smooth movement. Purists thumb the latch once again to close the barrel, but I like to hear the satisfyingly deep click of the lock-up.
No scope, no need. Class is permanent.
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So solid crew - and good for another 50 years at least.
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Trademark whiteline grip spacer and high quality chequering.
IN
! 5 W .2 O & N 2 .2 OCK ST We always believed that the Trophy was a “winner”. Now it’s official. Readers of Airgun Shooter Magazine have voted it “Best CO2/Pneumatic pistol 2014”. Could it be “the overall quality of engineering which is nothing short of exceptional” or the fact that “the Trophy’s accuracy is quite exceptional” maybe it’s because “this pistol ‘points superbly” or because the trigger is “crisp. Predictable and light”1 Whatever the reason the Trophy is now even more desirable as it features a chequered grip stained dark walnut. It is also Europe’s only pistol that is available in .25 (6.35) calibre, delivering 5 ft/lb + muzzle energy in this powerful format. The even better news is that after the first consignment sold out in days, .22 and .25 are now back in stock!! 1 – Nigel Allen, Airgun Shooter December 2014
E LIBR ERY 2 CA IV IN .2 NG DEL 2 I CO LUD INC ND 10 X ES L A U S CAP
TECHNICAL AIRGUN
EXPLORING THE TRANSFER PORT Part Three: Designing the transfer port: What have we learned and how do we use this new knowledge?
(choking velocity in the breech) was found to be 556 m/s and the minimum length of transfer port required was equal to one and a half times (preferably twice) the diameter of the port.
SPRINGER TUNING: THE VARIABLE STATE OF THE ART Once the main parameters and dimensions of a major tune or re-engineering exercise on the spring rifle have been fixed, setting the right size of transfer port should constitute one of the very
arts One and Two of this article described some significant new ideas about the role of the transfer port in the spring airgun. The first, and possibly most notable of these, was the realisation that in order to maximise the efficiency of energy transfer from the main spring to the pellet, it is essential to size the transfer port so that air flow chokes at the correct pellet velocity during the shot cycle. The optimum velocity corresponds to the average speed of the pellet as it accelerates through the bore of the barrel, and occurs at approximately 80% of muzzle velocity. This explicit criterion for the choking condition arises directly from the physics of the air
P
compression and expansion cycle during the gun’s shot sequence. Specifically, it depends on the fact that no heat loss takes place from the air (i.e. the cycle is adiabatic), and that the timing of the onset of choked flow meets the requirement for maximum power transfer, which requires the release of stored energy at a constant mass flow rate. The results of the transfer port experiment (Figure 4) provided two more essential pieces of information: an indication of the speed of sound at the transfer port exit, together with the minimum port length, which was needed to support stable choked flow through into the breech. The indicated test value for Mach 1
Two methods of calculating the transfer port diameter.
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TECHNICAL AIRGUN: TRANSFER PORT
Air Arms underlever rifles are popular subjects for transfer port experiment because the cylinder end unscrews.
Drilling the port oversize and threading it allows different inserts to be tested.
One of Jim Tyler’s early test results suggested that the piston speed was 80% of its peak velocity when the pellet started to move.
final stages in achieving the optimum blend of design features which we are endeavouring to achieve: accuracy, consistency and energy efficiency being the main aims. Over the years, and certainly over the 40 years or so that I’ve done this as a hobby, a range of different approaches to the other main modifications has been adopted.
CONTROLLED COMBUSTION One end of the spectrum is the
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‘controlled combustion’, or dieseling, tuning approach of the 1980s, when spring and piston assemblies were well-lubricated with lithium/moly grease. The piston ran inside slightly roughened compression cylinders, where the tiny grooves acted as ‘fuel’ reservoirs, transporting auto-igniting vapour onto the face of the piston seal. A contrasting, and opposite, practice was to highly-finish all internal surfaces, whilst using softer springs,
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carefully sized piston seals and very little lubrication. No lubricant was allowed to contact the front of the piston seal. It is now apparent that the introduction of controlled lubricant combustion, although often very effective in raising muzzle energy, was only really essential when it was needed to extend the gun’s active piston stroke after the pellet release. This situation sometimes arose as the result of over-square cylinder dimensions in some older
rifles of the time - the Weihrauch HW35 being a classic example of the period – but whatever tuning method was used, it always changed the interaction of different factors during the firing cycle, and these required re-balancing to reap any intended benefits. For example, a gun that relies on dieseling to achieve its muzzle energy needs only about half the amount of stretch to its cylinder pressure pulse to do the job, compared to a more contemporary design, and should therefore have a roughly 40% larger transfer port. So today, when dry, synthetic piston seals are used to replace wet, leather seals, the transfer port needs reducing at the same time. What may perhaps come as a surprise is the amount of knowledge that is still being uncovered. My own work on dieseling was first published as recently as 2011 in the September edition of Airgun World, and I mention it specifically to illustrate that (a) the mode of pellet release is a critical factor in determining transfer port size, and (b) springer research is still very much a live topic. Regular readers of Jim Tyler’s articles won’t need reminding on the second point! Sometimes, quite major changes were made to convert products, designed for sale in those countries without UK-type power limits, into something more suited to home requirements. Such pioneering works on the
TECHNICAL AIRGUN: TRANSFER PORT
increased this to about 2.7/1, which is much closer to what I believe to be the optimum ratio of around 3/1, with a real improvement in efficiency, even at a lower swept volume. In many respects, the same spirit of innovation prevails today, when internet forums testify to the ongoing and burgeoning interest in tuning existing springer designs and in the critical analysis of new products, often within weeks of them coming to the market. So
springer, by talented British companies, notably Venom and Airmasters, and individuals like Gerald Cardew, John Bowkett, Eddie Barber, Mike Wade and others, led the world in this respect. Original equipment manufacturers concentrated on maximising their sales worldwide, where the most saleable design for unrestricted power markets often fell short of being ideal for us in Britain; one single, glorious exception being the launch of the
“It is a simple matter to estimate the required port diameter” Weihrauch HW77 in 1983. As an example, the radical reduction in diameter of the Weihrauch HW80 compression tube from 30 to 25 mm immediately comes to mind as a successful way of converting a rifle, originally conceived by Dr Robert Beeman as a 20 ft lb offering for the American market, into a 12 ft lb rifle for the UK. At the lower muzzle energy levels demanded in the British market, the same technique was employed earlier on the Weihrauch HW35 by Norman May and Co for the ‘Normay Vixen’. It is worth noting that this was done, not to reduce power, but to improve energy efficiency, which is severely restrained in the HW35 by an over-square (stroke length/cylinder diameter) ratio of 2.17/1. Reducing the cylinder diameter
although the ‘Golden Age’ of professional springer tuning is now long gone, a new generation of enthusiasts is out there doing serious and often very impressive work. The reality is that there are a number of different approaches to coming up with an effective set of tuning modifications (e.g. changes to spring stiffness, cylinder volume, piston mass, piston stroke, barrel length etc.) to improve performance. All of these potential changes interact with one another, but a change in transfer port size can be used to optimise the final set-up.
MATCHING VELOCITIES AND TIMES Figure 5 depicts a typical experimental piston velocity characteristic (courtesy of Jim Tyler) for the HW95 fitted with a
You can buy centre bits like this with a radius that allows the port inlet to be radiused, but the gains are minimal.
Contrary to what you may have read, there is no point polishing the port or reaming it.
0.22 calibre, 410 mm long barrel. The pulse time turns out to be approximately one millisecond, which falls well within the pellet transit time of three milliseconds. The pellet release and muzzle exit times are indicated for reference. The piston velocity at pellet release is equal to about 80% of the peak piston speed and equates to a little over 10m/s in this case. The physical length of the pressure pulse is a fraction less than the remaining piston stroke (in this example, with a release pressure of 25 bar, the length of the pressure pulse is approximately 8mm). The compression chamber pulse is thus ‘stretched’ within the barrel by a factor of 3:1 in terms of time duration. The dimensional expansion of the pulse length which occurs in two modes, unchoked flow followed by choked flow, can be regarded as a natural
consequence of the air from the compression chamber expanding via the transfer port, into the smaller diameter barrel to occupy a longer length, as in the simple ‘stirrup pump’ model, described in Part One of the article. At the interface between the port exit and the barrel breech, a change in velocity has to take place to maintain continuity of volume flow rate. Since we know that the transfer port chokes when the flow in the transfer port reaches Mach 1, it is a simple matter to estimate the required transfer port diameter, which will ensure that this occurs at any chosen air speed in the barrel. Provided that the estimated speed of sound in the transfer port is reasonably accurate, this simple gives a reliable indication of the required transfer port size. For example, if we refer to Figure 6, we can quickly calculate
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The transfer port outlet should be left square.
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TECHNICAL AIRGUN: TRANSFER PORT
AS USUAL IN THE SPRINGER, EVERYTHING DEPENDS ON EVERYTHING ELSE! Table 1 gives typical timing data for 0.177 and 0.22 pellets shot at 11.5 ftlbs muzzle energy and also at representative higher energies, which relate to the potential maximum muzzle energy capabilities of the same power plants in ‘export form’. In the UK, the owners of rifles operating at these higher outputs (over 12ftlbs) are required to hold a Firearms Certificate for the gun concerned. The reason for including the data for the higher power versions is that, in other countries where energy restrictions do not apply, these guns are actually the standard versions available to the general public. Manufacturers understandably focus the overall
the ideal transfer port diameter for a 5.5 mm calibre rifle to have an ideal choke velocity at 80% of muzzle velocity. Taking a typical muzzle velocity of 180 m/s, this works out to be: 0.0417 x 5.5 x square root of (180) = 3.08 mm. This seems to be trivially simple, but we need to bear in mind the underlying assumption that, in all other respects, the rifle is set up properly and that this is a late or even final stage in the tuning process. If, on the other hand, adjustment of the transfer port is being carried out in an attempt to
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design of their products on global, rather than United Kingdom, market requirements. Consequently, key design parameters may not be optimum for UK specification guns; including cylinder diameter, piston stroke, spring stiffness and transfer port dimensions. This is something that professional and amateur tuners have known for a long time and much effort has gone into developing after-market modifications, which are aimed at resolving these sometimes real, but often imagined, problems. With regard to the transfer port, I have included timing data for a range of power options in order to illustrate the broad range of timing combinations that have to be
catered for in a single rifle design. Table 2 gives the results of transfer port calculations for the HW95 in different configurations. Notice, firstly, that the ideal diameter of transfer port varies less than might be anticipated for different calibres and muzzle velocities and that a single size can indeed cater for a wide range of outputs. Secondly, it is apparent that the two methods of analysis give answers that are very close, with the equivalent pulse results coming out a few per cent higher in each case. This is a pattern that consistently repeats itself for the wide range of guns that I have scrutinized, possibly
rebalance a major change in parameters (e.g. after shortening of the barrel, along with short stroking to ‘speed up the action’), then there is obviously much more to be considered. However, this model, based on velocity matching, is restricted from the point of view of doing any detailed calculations from absolute scratch, because it implicitly assumes that the design of the gun is such that the profile of the pellet velocity curve conforms to the contours shown in Figures 2 and 3. From a modification/tuning
standpoint, this is not a major issue because any properly set-up springer will always have this shape of velocity characteristic. In
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because of the choice of typical piston velocity in the approximate formula. For all practical purposes, however, we may regard the two methods as giving the same answer. Where a large difference occurs, this signifies that the design configuration is awry in some other aspect, usually, but not exclusively, cylinder diameter or barrel length. Table 3 shows calculated, and manufacturer’s typical, transfer port diameters for the four calibres at nominal 16 and 8 joule (12 and 6 ft. lb) levels, and Table 4 shows suggested transfer port diameter changes for a variety of other rifle modifications.
parameters like stroke length, cylinder diameter and the transfer port interact with each other, velocity matching alone does not
“A great deal of prior knowledge is required” essence, the model treats the sizing of the transfer port as a last, or very late, stage in the tuning process after any other modifications have been done correctly. But, from the perspective of understanding how
tell us all we need to know. In order to get round this difficulty of understanding the interaction of the transfer port with other parameters more fully, we can turn to the idea of an equivalent pressure pulse (www.
TECHNICAL AIRGUN: TRANSFER PORT
researchgate.net/...pneumatic... cannon), which treats the compression chamber as a virtual dump valve, containing a volume of air with the same quantum of internal energy as exists in the real gun and which is released when the pellet commences movement. Provided that the energy equivalence is maintained, whilst matching the correct timings for both the pellet and piston movements, the overall rate of energy delivery to the pellet should be broadly correct, as should the distribution of energy between the two modes of air flow. The analysis does provides invaluable insights for anyone attempting to modify an existing standard design for improved performance, even though one may have doubts as to the numerical validity of the resulting fomulae, for every conceivable range of parameters. Figure 6 contains the necessary formulae for both the velocitymatching and equivalent pulse methods of finding the appropriate transfer port diameter, but how useful are they? The velocitymatching formula is handy and straightforward to use and, based on the results of the transfer port experiment, seems to give a quick and reliable result. For example, a 5.5 mm calibre rifle with a typical muzzle velocity of 180 metres/sec would need a transfer port diameter of about 3.1 mm (0.0417 x 5.5 x square root of 180) to produce our ideal pellet velocity characteristic. This seems trivially easy, but bear in mind that the formula implicitly assumes that the other dimensions of the gun are balanced and correct. To see the effect of varying other parameters, such as reducing the piston stroke, piston weight etc., we need to look at a more detailed analysis, based on the equivalent pulse idea. Far from being quick and easy, the equivalent pulse formula is difficult to use in its complete form because a great deal of prior knowledge is required: for example, the terms, ‘Vp’ and ‘q’ relating to the piston velocity and remaining stroke at the instant of pellet release. These variables, in turn, depend on pellet release pressure and mode of operation
This ground-breaking experiment showed that the flow choked at 1,825fps, and that too short a transfer port was counterproductive.
(dieseling or non-dieseling), for ‘q’, and upon spring energy, cylinder volume and piston assembly
spring energies. Consequently, we can use typical values for some of the variables without
“a longer barrel is better with a slightly smaller port” mass, for ‘Vp’. All this implies that an unrealistic level of knowledge is required up-front. In the real world, however, such a high degree of precision is unnecessary, since any given transfer port design will need to cater for a range of muzzle velocities, pellet choices and
compromising the end result too much and an appropriate formula is included in Figure 6. Overall, I think that the main benefit of this approach is that it illustrates the complex interrelationship between the optimum size of the transfer port and other critical parameters,
such as stroke length, cylinder diameter, barrel length, calibre, and muzzle and piston velocities. What we can immediately see is the diameter of the transfer port is proportional to calibre of the barrel and the square root of muzzle velocity. It is also roughly proportional to the length of the piston stroke (i.e. shorter piston strokes need smaller transfer ports). The length of the barrel also comes into it; a longer barrel is better with a slightly smaller port. In addition, smaller diameter cylinders will favour larger transfer ports. ■
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AIRGUN WORLD
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TECHNICAL AIRGUN
WEIGHTY MATTERS Jim continues his experiments to discover how piston mass affects the springer shot cycle
I keep promising myself that I ll spend less time in the workshop, and more re-learning how to shoot.
CSA of the 30mm cylinder, which means that, for any given cylinder pressure, the retarding force on the 25mm piston during the compression stroke will be just 69% that of the 30mm piston. The pellet starts to move at a cylinder pressure of around 400psi, and so at that point the retarding force on the 30mm piston will be 440 lbf, against 304 lbf for the 25mm cylinder.
MUZZLE ENERGY I chose 30mm as the piston diameter in the example above because that’s the diameter of the piston in the HW80, which I know has the potential to produce 21 ft. lbs. in .22 (because that is what one I used to own was producing in the days when I had a firearms certificate and was a registered firearms dealer), and very possibly more, whereas the 25mm HW77 would struggle to get two thirds of that without radical internal alteration. It’s no coincidence that all of the ‘magnum’ springers (HW80, Webley Patriot, Air Arms Pro Elite and rifles from Diana and Gamo) have large diameter cylinders and long strokes, so that strongly hints at a link between swept volume and maximum potential muzzle energy, which suggests that less swept volume means lesser maximum potential muzzle energy. Although it was not difficult to tease 21 ft. lbs. from my HW80, it shot so very much better at 18 ft. lbs. that I chose to leave it at that. Not having any means of measuring the recoil cycle at the time, I was guided only by my perception of the recoil, and the difference must have been considerable for me to notice it.
“It’s no coincidence that all of the ‘magnum’ springers have large diameter cylinders and long strokes” or a given cylinder pressure, the retarding force that the compressed air places on the piston toward the end of the
F
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compression stroke is a direct function of the piston’s cross sectional area (CSA). A 30mm diameter piston has a CSA of
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707mm2 (1.1 square inches). whereas a 25mm piston has a CSA of 491mm2 (0.76 square inches), which is just 69% of the
We know a lot more about the shot cycle of the springer today, and at 21 ft. lbs., the piston compression stroke would be
TECHNICAL AIRGUN: PISTON MASS
It takes longer to deburr the holes than it does to drill them, thanks to the piston’s case hardening.
It took a high-speed drill and a grindstone to shift the steel shards left after drilling the larger holes.
longer, giving slightly more recoil, and the peak cylinder pressure would be higher, giving sharper surge and probably a harder piston landing at the end of the second forward stroke. This is not something peculiar to ‘magnum’ springers; the same shot cycle is to be had from any springer, if it’s pushed to its maximum potential muzzle energy, and the overriding sensation after taking a few shots is that the pad of the user’s trigger finger becomes sore from being slapped by the trigger blade as the rifle jolts sharply forward. It seems that, for a given piston stroke, if the cylinder diameter is reduced, the level of muzzle energy at which the rifle will shoot like my 21 ft. lb. HW80 will fall, as will the level of muzzle energy at which the rife shoots sweetly.
SECTIONAL DENSITY The retarding force from the compressed air has to be overcome by the piston and
Fifteen 9mm diameter holes took the HW95 piston down to 232 grams, and gave the best result.
facing only 69% of the retarding force. That may go some way to explaining the energy efficiency and sweet shot cycle of the 25mm HW77 within the UK muzzle energy limit. What happens if the sectional density is too low?
LIGHTENED PISTON Regular readers may remember that I reduced the mass of my HW95 .20 piston to 219g, giving it a SD 41.2 g/cm2. The recoil reduced nicely, the shot cycle felt ‘quick’, as they say, and all seemed well with the world. The more I shot the rifle, though, the less I liked the shot cycle. It took a cold day to reveal what was wrong, and it was a very harsh forward movement that caused the trigger blade to slap the pad of my trigger finger which, in the cold, was far more sensitive than normal. The slap wasn’t enough to cause pain, but it was there, and I could feel it.
Testing revealed that, at the end of the compression stroke, the piston velocity reduced from 4 M/s (Metres per second), to zero in just 0.13 milliseconds (ms); that’s what you call slamming the brakes on, because with a normal weight piston that same deceleration takes around 0.4ms. Of course, the piston then bounced, and in the first 2 ms of bounce the light piston accelerated to 2.44 M/s against the normal weight piston’s 0.78 M/s. In round terms, the surge acceleration with the light piston was three times as fast, and the piston landing velocity was greatly increased, which is the bit that was slapping my finger. So what was happening? The piston needs a certain momentum to compress the air, and to cause the piston to hang around in the vicinity of the transfer port long enough to get the pellet up to speed, but to get the same muzzle velocity, the lighter piston had to travel faster (14 M/s peak velocity
against 13.3 M/s for the normal piston) and, because it bounced back more quickly, it had to travel a fraction further to maintain the pellet driving time. Adding a brass top hat that weighed 15g more than the Delrin one it replaced took the piston mass to 234g and its SD to 44 g/cm2, fractionally less than that of the early HW77. The extra piston mass increased the recoil displacement by around 4%, reduced the piston peak velocity by 5%, and increased the compression stroke time by 6%, all of which was expected. Most importantly, it lowered the piston landing approach velocity by over 10%, and the trigger blade no longer slapped my trigger finger. It seems that while lightening the piston reduces recoil travel, going too far can risk giving the piston a very hard landing, and the user a sore trigger finger on cold days! ■
“The recoil reduced nicely, the shot cycle felt ‘quick’, as they say, and all seemed well with the world” spring’s momentum, which is a product of mass and velocity. Because a narrower piston faces less opposing force from the compressing air throughout the majority of the compression stroke, it needs less momentum, so it does not need to be as heavy. What the piston will need, though, is to maintain a high enough sectional density (SD), which is the mass divided by the cross sectional area. With my old HW80, the SD was approximately 49.2 g/cm2 (grams per centimetre squared), while the SD of the early HW77 is nearer 44.6 g/cm2, so the early 25mm HW77 has 90% of the SD of the HW80, but is
The lighter piston flew faster and further, and had a much harder final landing, than the heavier one.
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PRIVA E SMALL ATD
BULLSEYES
BARGAINS GALORE - DIRECT FROM THE AIRGUN WORLD READERS For only £4 your advert will appear in the next issue of Airgun World and on our website www.airgunshooting.co.uk
ONLY
£4
S
Are you look ing to sell yo ur gun? Are you a co llector lookin g for that rare gem? Th ousands of de dicated enthusiasts read Airgun W or ld every month. Look no further this is the pl ace to buy and sell!
Post your ad to, Airgun World Bullseyes, Evolution House, 2-6 Easthampstead Road, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG40 2EG Please include your name, address, telephone number and a maximum of 40 words and we will contact you for payment if necessary. Please make cheques or POs payable to Airgun World. Get your entries in before the end of January to be in the March issue. Unfortunately we cannot guarantee which issue your ad will appear in. Please note that we cannot take your advert over the phone. For further information call Sharon on 01189 742524
BSA AIRSPORTER .22 MKII £150, Diana 27 £60, post war Diana 25, made in Great Britain £55, Webley Vulcan MK1 £80, Diana Model 15 post war £30. Wanted – front sight for L. Jefferies u/l air rifle 7th batch (1907) plus front sight for L. Jefferies air rifle S no. 640 1st batch, back sight blade and wheel for pre-war Diana 27. Tel. 0121 477 9401 (Birmingham). AIR BOTTLE 12LTR 300 bar, hose gauge and bleed £175. Tel: 0116 220 4446 (Leicester). COLLECTOR HAS cash waiting for air canes and old airguns of all types, also flintlock and percussion items. Tel: 01234 851424 (Bedford) AIR ARMS TX200 .22 springer with Hawke scope, as new plus FX hand pump £550. Tel: 01536 483642 (Northants). UN-USED AIRFORCE One Trophy Vermin .22 single-shot pistol, ergonomic beech grip, cased, plus 1000 Air Arms pellets, ten Bisley Co2 capsules all for £170. Hawke Eclipse scope IR 4-16 x 50 AO, mil-dot reticle, as new boxed with manual £60 inc post. Bergara all terrain chair with turntable seat all quickly dismantles, light and tough, into canvas satchel, condition as new £70. Tel: 01702 200718 (Essex). WANTED – DIANA MOD 300R preferably NIB and unfired. Will also consider Diana Mod 75 with left hand stock but must be
excellent condition, preferably boxed. Tel: 07531 626170 (Ormskirk) BSA AIRSPORTER .177. Really great condition one piece stock. Serial No. EF10979, £200. Tel: 07732 025066 (New Eltham). 2 X WALTHER CP88 by Umarex, .177. One in excellent condition, one for spares or repair, estimated £50, or less DIY. Over 1000 pellets and four Co2s. £100. Tel: 07735 218443 (Skipton). WEIHRAUCH HW45 Silver Star, only fired about 200 times. Mint condition, never dropped. Only change from standard is the grip securing screws have been changed to stainless steel. Boxed and comes with pistol slip. Can send pictures to email address, £195.00. Tel: 07902 963266 (Wiltshire ). HW80 .22, mint condition, less than 70 shots fired. Kept in sheepskin gun slip all its life, £250.00. Webley Nemesis .177, mint condition and in original box, less than 70 shots £65 ono. Tel: 07872 475143 (Kent). WEIHRAUCH 100S .22, silencer, Hawke 6-24 x 50, Mil-dot, excellent condition, 2 mags, 3 litre air bottle and bag. HW90K .22, Hawke 3-9 x 50 scope, silencer and bag, good condition. Millita .177 No. 24560 with bag. RO 72 .177, No. 025898. Tel: 01427 612693 (Lincolnshire).
LEUPOLD VXII 3-9 X 33 EFR fine duplex gold ring telescopic sight. Brand new and unused, cost £470, unwanted gift £375. Tel: 0174 9841774 (Somerset).
service etc.
BRATTON SOUND gun safe, holds 5 scoped rifles, has internal lockable cabinet for pellets etc, 2 sets of keys, POA. Tel: 07762 569054 (Hertfordshire).
WEIHRAUCH HW45 air pistol 2006 .177, very good condition. Can be sent by post £135.00 ovno. Tel:0121 2464819 (Birmingham).
AIR ARMS S400 Superlite Classic .177 with Hawke Eclipse 4-16 x 50 AIOR scope and silencer adaptor with HW silencer, Rowan Hamster and sling, £475.00. CS1000 walnut target stock £200.00. Crosman Nitro Venom Dusk .177 with 3-9 x 32 Centrepoint scope £95.00. Tel: 07762569054 (Hertfordshire).
BSA R10 .22, complete with scope and Weihrauch silencer, £240 ono. Reason for sale – recently upgraded. Tel: 07974 375334 (Surrey).
WEBLEY & SCOTT MK2 service air rifle .22 serial no.S5661, early example, in vgc, cased (not original), £400. Webley & Scott .177 air pistol, patent applied for, early example. serial no.1247, vgc. Buyer collects. Tel: 0161 4424158 (Stockport). REMINGTON EXPRESS rifle .177, very accurate, very little use, in pristine condition with scope or red dot. Received very good review in Airgun World. £140.00 Tel:07890781668 (Leics). UNDERLEVER AIR rifles wanted, pre 1960s, especially BSA, Haenel, Original, BSF, Webley, and any other spring operated items such as Britannia, Greener, Webley MKII
ALSO AIR PISTOLS and items for use as spares or restoration. Tel:01689 852862 (Kent).
THEOBEN GSX 600 .22 with thumbhole stock, adjustable butt pad. 12 shot mag, 180cc tube, charging lead, 3-9 x 50 AG PX Tasco scope, made in Japan. All in mint condition, £700 ono. Tel: 07787 140456 (S.Yorkshire). 10 LITRE 232 bar air cylinder complete with gauge, hose and rubber boot. All as new £135 (plus carriage or collect). Burris 4 x Shortmag, outstanding small scope, made in USA. NEW STILL in box £100. Tel: 01977 661671 (Yorkshire). WEIHRAUCH HW100 KT .22, only 2 ½ years old with MTC Mamba lite 4-16 x 44, Jack Pyke studs and sling. Excellent condition and just serviced so no leaks. Comes with 2 magazines and fill probe £600. Tel: 07765 4666563 (Hampshire).
The Bullseyes service is for readers wishing to buy and sell airgun equipment as part of a non-commercial transaction. There is no need for such transactions to be made face to face (unless an airgun is FAC rated), but Airgun World requests that due caution is exercised when buying or selling an airgun. You must adhere to the current airgun laws. You cannot buy an airgun if you are under 18 years of age. Bullseyes are not offered to those who sell airguns as a way of trade of business
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Airgun Hunting Days: Stalking in woodland and pasture with abundant rabbit, squirrel, pigeon and all airgun quarry.
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Night Shooting Trips: Either with lamp or Night Vision, all equipment can be hired.
Situated only 3 miles from historic Battle and only 7 miles from the seaside means there is plenty to keep the family occupied while you are out shooting.
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Classic Credit also available with a minimum of 10% deposit and payments spread between 12 and 48 months, APR 19.9%, on these and any other product over £300! Stockists of BSA, Weihrauch, Walther, Remington & most major makes of airguns & accessories.
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GAMO P900 IGT
TOP VALUE GUNS
TAKE A
BREAK! Tim Finley discovers the simple delights of a Gamo P900 IGT
ust because CO2 pistols are so popular does not mean manufacturers have turned their back on the humble breakbarrel, spring pistol development. Gamo have redesigned a replacement to the long-running, P-800, break-barrel, springpowered pistol. The new P-900 also embraces the latest developments in airgun design and has a
J
gas-ram for its power plant, as opposed to a spring. They call it ‘inert gas technology’ or IGT, and the inert gas they use is nitrogen. When compressed it acts like a spring and drives the piston forward to generate compressed air to propel the pellet down the barrel. It’s in .177 (4.5mm) calibre so is perfect for plinking.
GOOD FEEL From the outset, the P-900 felt ‘modern’, and there is very little steel in the construction, even the front cocking link is synthetic. There are five bright blue, angled stripes down each side of the action, letting you know it’s a gas-ram-powered gun, if you didn’t spot the IGT logo, and it feels really light, weighing just over half a kilo. The P-900 has a moulded-on hood for the front fibre-optic sight element, which protects the 15mm, red rod during the cocking process, and it has cut-outs on each side to allow enough light to enable the front dot to glow. There is a manual safety catch
behind the trigger, and I would put this on before cocking the P-900; it does have an anti bear-trap, but it’s good, safe, gun-handling practice. It doesn’t take a great deal of effort to cock the action, after which, pushing the safety catch button in from the left hides a small, red panel on that side, so that the safety blocks the movement of the trigger. Push in from the right, as a right-handed shooter would do with the trigger finger, and the gun is ready to fire, showing the red panel.
SOLID LOCK-UP The breech is sealed with an ‘O’ ring and the lock-up on the spring detent is solid, so there is no detectable looseness in the barrel. One thing I spotted was that the P-900 has a barrel pivot pin that can be tightened, a feature normally only seen on rifles. Over the chronograph it gave me 285 fps. equating to 1.4 ft.lbs. and that’s lower than the advertised figures of 345fps. It has the distinctive firing cycle of a gas-ram, so there is no spring noise and just a fast-action, snap. The trigger is unusual in that it uses Gamo’s SAT, or Smooth Action Trigger technology. It has a pseudo first stage; you take up
“It has the distinctive firing cycle of a gas-ram, so there is no spring noise” www.airgunshooting.co.uk
AIRGUN WORLD
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»
GAMO P900 IGT
A traditional pistol, in a modern format.
Modern synthetics used to maximum effect - even on the breech.
trigger pressure by moving the curved, light grey plastic blade back until it comes to a stop on the sear engagement. Here’s where the smooth action bit comes in, and you can feel the trigger moving back in the second stage until the gun fires. To me, it felt weird at first, but you do get used to it. It makes for a light-ish trigger weight that comes in at 2.1kg, and it’s a non-adjustable trigger in terms of weight. Normal triggers just break on the second stage and don’t move through it, and I’d like to try it on a Gamo rifle, where they now fit them, before I make my mind up on the SAT. The P-900 has an open, long-sight base of 270mm, with the rear sight plate formed from a yellow plastic square, and it is only adjustable for windage via a slot-headed screw on the right-hand side of the action.
“There are no CO2 bulbs to buy; all you need is the gun, some pellets and a target” There is no provision for fitting optical sighting systems.
GRIPPING STUFF I loved the feel of the angled, ambidextrous grip with its small, dimpled grip panels on either side.
It was comfortable with either a one- or two-handed grip. A 160mm-long, rifled steel barrel liner sits inside the synthetic barrel and accuracy was good using flat-headed, paper-punching-type lead pellets. It shot 15mm
You’ll have no problem seeing the rearsight!
centre-to-centre, five-shot groups at six yards, so this would make an ideal training pistol for young shots. The lightness of the pistol and its decent trigger, coupled with the long sight base, would make it an easy gun for a novice to shoot, and seasoned shooters have much to like about the P-900, too. It’s a gas-ram so there is no spring torque to deal with, which on a pistol can be noticeable, and there are no CO2 bulbs to buy; all you need is the gun, some pellets and a target with a safe backstop, and you’re away.
VERDICT I really liked the Gamo P-900 IGT. It is certainly a gun designed for longevity because a sealed gas-ram will remain at the same power for longer than a spring, and the pistol is modern, well made, and very accurate.
INSTANT OBSERVATIONS A very modern pistol. Packed with all the latest features and materials. ■
SPECIFICATIONS The trigger isn’t refined but its does the job.
Manufacturer Gamo Country of origin Spain Distributor BSA UK Ltd Model P900 IGT Type Break-barrel pistol Barrel length 160 mm Calibre .177 pellet Action Gas-ram piston Sights Open notch and post, fibre-optic elements Sight Base 270mm Trigger weight 2.1kg Overall length 325mm Weight 0.58kg
RRP £55.00 84
AIRGUN WORLD
www.airgunshooting.co.uk
The front fibre-optic rod is protected.
HARDMAN’S HUNTING
WINDS
OF
CHANGE?
Phil reflects on his time with his beloved MK4 ach and every feature I have ever written for Airgun World has been ‘as it happens’ out in the field. Some have been easy, and some have been hard, but one way or another I have never failed to come up with the goods. I’ve seen myself out the day before a deadline, the weather finally improving, lady luck finally shining down, and a last minute kill saving the day, but this month, I have failed, for the first time in five years. As a hunting writer this is beyond annoying; my only job, apart from writing, is to put kills in the bag, and I couldn’t. The
E
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weather has played havoc here, high winds being the main problem, and sub-zero temperatures contributing heavily too, but I have gone out time and time again, only to turn back. I’ve even had pigeons in my scope, but due to the wind decided not to take the shot. That’s the thing, though; hunting isn’t always about when to squeeze the trigger, it’s also about when not to, and if you’re not 100% confident of making a clean kill, it’s your responsibility as a hunter to turn the shot down, no matter what, magazine deadlines included. This isn’t a game we
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play. These are lives we are taking and we should always do so with the utmost care, respect, and responsibility for the animals we hunt. You’ll get another chance next time, just as I will, probably right after this goes to print.
GREAT EXPERIENCE It hasn’t all been doom and gloom this month. I was lucky enough to attend the British Shooting Show at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire, only for one of the three days, but I managed to meet plenty of our readers, which is always a brilliant experience for me. When I hear about your
hunts, your techniques, and discuss the pros and cons of different bits of kit, I am in my element. We don’t have any shooting clubs around here, so shows are really the only chance I get to chat face to face with a lot of other airgunners at one time. It’s also a great chance to meet up with many of my old friends from the internet. Now, if you’re like me, and don’t attend a club, and spend most of your shooting time alone, I urge you to try the internet, there are many forums out there - Google will show you the way - but I find Facebook the best. It has a thriving airgun community, with many groups dedicated to different areas of the sport, as well as more generalised forums, and there is always someone on hand to offer friendly advice. Seriously, any of you technophobes who think Facebook is stupid, and for kids, you should give it a try. There’s a whole other airgunning world out there waiting to be discovered - oh, and if you do, be sure to look me up and say hi!
NOT A FAN BOY There was one other thing I was particularly looking forward to at the shooting show, and that was meeting the new Daystate Pulsar face to face. I know what you’re all thinking, ‘Here comes all the ‘fan boy’ hype from a magazine writer who is closely associated to the manufacturer’. Well, no! You see, I adore my Daystate MK4, and this Pulsar, this thing, is supposedly
HARDMAN’S HUNTING
types saying that pre-chargers don’t have character, she does!
MEMORIES AND MAGIC MOMENTS
The only thing I’m certain about, is that this rifle is going to take some replacing.
A single rabbit from an evening stalk. Sometimes that’s all I need for a perfect day.
going to kill it off! Yep, the MK4 is being discontinued to make way for newer and improved technology, and upon hearing this I went into a mega-huffy pouting session of proportions that would put my four-year-old daughter to shame. I hated it when I saw the release pictures. ‘What have they done!’ I shouted at my computer screen. A blindly loyal Daystate fan, I am not. I use them because they are the best, in my opinion, and in the hunting field, I want to be at my best, and know that the kit I am using is too. So, yes, the Pulsar I was determined to loathe was going to be there, along with Tony Belas from Daystate. It was time
for the showdown!
SURPRISE SURPRISE I must admit, I was slightly taken by surprise at how nice-looking it is. The pictures just do not do it justice, and as I shouldered it, it handled nicely too. This was annoying. I liked it a bit - okay, a lot. I felt like I was cheating on my MK4, and I love her. We’re like an old married couple. Anyway, the Pulsar was really creating a buzz at the show, with me included, and Tony was kind enough to say he’d send me one up in a month or two, which was all I could think of for the rest of the day. I even kept going back just to handle it again. Long after the show was
finished, I arrived home late and tired, with the Pulsar on my mind and I got to wondering, is this really the end of the MK4? I don’t mean for manufacturing, I mean, for me. As tired out as I was from the long day and eight hours of travelling, I had to see my MK4; I had to handle her, my trusty rifle. I sat with her on my knee, I shouldered her. I fell instantly in love again, like I do every single time I pick her up. To me the Daystate MK4iS is the greatest airgun ever produced, easily the best. It’s much more than a sum of its parts to me. We’re a team. We have been through so much, and despite hardcore, old-school
I remember the day I got her. It was just before Christmas, about four years ago. I opened the box and saw the stock, and the grain was lovely, but it was the shape that really got me, and still does every time I look at it. The cheek piece, with its sharp leading edge is beautiful, with just a hint of aggression; the whole rifle is sleek, with perfectly balanced, flowing lines that look like the designer drew it without lifting pen from paper. Up on aim, the rifle balances like a thoroughbred, eye falling behind the scope in such a natural way, with the grip, and reach to trigger, perfect for most-sized hands. Aiming a MK4iS is as natural as pointing your finger at something. Firing one isn’t something that comes naturally to most shooters right away, and that’s because the vast majority of airguns are used to mechanical triggers, and the MK4 is fully electronic. The amount of times I have handed my rifle over with the warning, ‘The trigger is
“To me, the Daystate MK4iS is the greatest airgun ever produced”
So many memories, but is it all set to change?
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HARDMAN’S HUNTING
I just can’t get that Pulsar out of my head!
sensitive, mind’, only to see the pellet land a foot to the side of the target because the rifle fired before the shooter had properly lined up the shot. The look of surprise is always the same too. You don’t pull the trigger on a MK4, you don’t even really squeeze it - you just kind of think ‘shoot’ and it does, but once you become accustomed to it, it is deadly accurate.
LITTLE INPUT The rifle requires so little physical input that there is nothing to upset it, and this makes a difference downrange. Stupidly small groups become easy. The trigger isn’t the only thing that is light to use; the bolt takes some adjustment, too. You don’t need to ‘cock’ the rifle, because the electronics mean it always is, the bolt simply cycles the magazine to feed the next
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pellet into the breech. That means the bolt is super-light, and slides with little to no resistance. I use my right-hand ring finger to reload mine, and it glides back and forth with ease. The first time I ever tried to ‘cock’ an electronic rifle, I nearly pulled the bolt out from the back of the gun, and now when I got back to mechanical guns, I pull so gently that most of the time they don’t cock and I end up trying to fire with nothing happening, which is rather embarrassing when there are other people around.
CONFESSION TIME I know a lot of people are often wary of electronics on a hunting rifle - I was at one point - but I have a bit of a confession to make; I am not that good at looking after my rifles, or any of my kit really. It all gets a really hard life, with
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minimum fuss, and care. Want to have a guess at how many times I have cleaned my MK4? Once! Yep, one time I did it, and that was only externally. The barrel hasn’t been cleaned in over 3341 shots, and it still shoots faultlessly. It’s been used in the rain, snow, minus 15 degrees is the coldest, and I don’t even take it out of the bag to warm it up when I get home. I can imagine some of you out there cringing at the thought, but when I get back in, I put the gun away, still in its bag and forget about it until the next time I use it. I love her, but I love her because she is such an efficient tool, a tool to do a job, without needing constant maintenance or care, and with no bluing to worry about, fully sealed electronics and plenty of oil on the stock, she’s an all-weather, day and night hunting
machine, just like me, who rarely requires much maintenance either.
IT WAS A DARK, STORMY NIGHT During this period of rifle abuse I have suffered one failure. It was on a particularly stormy night, and the rain was so heavy that I had a small waterfall coming from the gun’s charging port, which meant that when I went to shoot, the gun wouldn’t turn on. I rang the factory and was told that the water would have washed away the grease from the charging port that usually seals it, and since it had been a few years since the rifle was built, adding some more would be a good idea. I did, and it solved the problem, and it has never happened since. That is it. The only thing I have had to do since I got it was add a
HARDMAN’S HUNTING
“If I treated mechanical guns like this, they wouldn’t last six months” My hunting rifle is a tool, not a trinket - and it gets a proper workout every time I use it.
We’re an item - no doubt about it.
dab of grease, no oily rags, no worrying about rusty bluing, nothing. I have only charged it with electricity three or four times, and I think the last time I did that was almost a year ago, yet she just keeps on going. Trust me electronic guns aren’t less reliable than mechanical ones. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that if I treated most mechanical guns like this, they wouldn’t last six months, especially from manufacturers that use a blued finish instead of Daystate’s parkerizing, which is weatherproof.
HUGGETT UP FRONT Up front, I have a Huggett shroud and silencer fitted, which I have never really talked about at length because I am normally slotting pigeons or rabbits at this point, but I get asked a lot so, yes, I think it’s an improvement over the
Daystate MK5. That is a very good silencer, but the Hugget is in a league of its own, and it looks rather nice too, with all its little meshy bits and blingy swirls. I’ve had some astounding days out with this rifle, so the bond has grown and grown as the seasons have rolled by; 60-plus bird days out decoying pigeons on numerous occasions, a few nights of ratting that will stick with me forever, and some shots that I could re-live every time I close my eyes, they were so memorable. She’s seen off the Wolverine B and C type which were launched while I’ve had her, and now she has to face the new Pulsar, which, if it’s the more effective tool for the job, will replace her as my number one hunting rifle. Loyalty has no place in the hunting field for me;
it’s all about being as effective as you can be! Trouble is, for the Pulsar, I am not really sure how it could do the job any better, and it just cannot compete on looks. It’s like comparing Susan Boyle to
Kate Moss. It’s going to be an interesting few months as the two go head-to-head and battle it out. See you next time, when I’ll have a proper hunting trip to tell you about – I hope! ■
A great day in the field; one of many I’m proud to say.
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SMOKED PIGEON
ROSIE’S RECIPE
SMOKIN’!
Rosie uses her brine to produce a remarkable pigeon dish ’m still replacing some of the items that I left behind when I moved house a couple of decades ago; my grandmother’s Victorian, fluted game pie tins - which I’ve had to replace with today’s equivalent, and they’re nowhere near as classy; a wooden jam spoon with holes so that it doesn’t cool the jam when you stir; an Italian espresso maker; a wooden, fish-shaped serving platter … all stuff that I’d once loved and lost. I’ve also bought a couple of new items, one of which is a smoker. I always thought that I wouldn’t have room, because they’re big, aren’t they? You need a garden, or at least a patio on which to erect
I
the housing – or not. Clearly, I’ve been watching too many kipper documentaries because the one I bought is only about eight inches square and fits nicely underneath an upturned cardboard box with
flavour, and to keep the food moist. If you want to spice things up a bit, you can add to the basic salt and sugar mixture. I used a couple of bay leaves, dried thyme and squashed peppercorns, but
“Clearly, I’ve been watching too many kipper commercials” holes in the top. No heat source is required so I can leave it safely on my balcony for the hour it takes to smoke a couple of pigeon breasts. Cheap as chips, too, on t’Internet. The important bit of the whole smoking process is the brine. This step is vital to preserve, add
add chilli, garlic, ginger … whatever. The ratio is: One cup each of salt and sugar to a gallon of water, add the herbs and spices, and only brine for a couple of hours for small amounts of meat. You can also use maple syrup, or
honey, as a sweetener, if you prefer. My first attempt at cold smoking wasn’t bad, in fact. Next time, I’ll add a few more spices, but it’s all about experimentation – and at least, I know that my food is cold-smoked and needs a modicum of cooking. I once bought some trout from our local fishmonger, which I thought was hot-smoked, served it up to a friend and watched as he manfully tried to get a knife through it, before we both realised that it was, in fact, cold-smoked. I tried to pass it off as high-end sushi, but he didn’t believe me, so I bunged it in the microwave for two minutes. Smoking my own will save me further embarrassment, I’m hoping. ■
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AIRGUN WORLD
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SIMPLE GAME: SMOKED PIGEON
METHOD:
INGREDIENTS:
Steep pigeon pieces in the cold brine for a couple of hours.
Main Course: One pigeon per person, jointed.
Dry off with kitchen paper and leave to dry further in a fridge – overnight is good.
Salad leaves
Starter: One pigeon will serve two people. Oil or butter for frying.
Smoke for an hour, then remove from the smoker, and leave to rest in a fridge until ready to cook.
Sunflower/pumpkin seeds.
Pan-fry the meat for three minutes each side.
Brine: One gallon of water.
Remove from the pan and add the seeds and sultanas to the meat juices.
One cup of brown sugar, or half a cup of maple syrup.
A few sultanas.
One cup of salt.
Two bay leaves.
Arrange on top of salad leaves for a starter, or mashed potato/ rice as a main course.
A teaspoon of dried thyme, or a handful of fresh. One teaspoon of black peppercorns.
Sprinkle with the seed mixture and serve. Different wood dusts will give you a variety of smoky flavours. The darker the wood, the more intense. Smokin’ starter!
Boil the water to dissolve salt and sugar. Allow to cool thoroughly before placing meat. Weight it down with a small plate if the meat has a tendency to float.
Brine: water, salt, sugar, bay leaves, thyme, black pepper.
Dissolve salt and sugar, add seasonings.
Place pigeon pieces into brine.
Weight it down with a small plate.
Dry off on kitchen paper.
Place meat into smoker.
Up-end a cardboard box, allowing air to get in.
Smoked pigeon, sunflower & pumpkin seeds, sultanas. Fry seed mixture for two minutes.
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DEALERS DIRECTORY PICKERING GUNS Large display of new and second hand shotguns, rifles, air weapons, and general shooting accessories. Part exchange welcome. Guns bought for cash. Opening hours: Mon-Sat 9-5pm. Closed Wed. 8 Birdgate, Pickering, North Yorkshire, YO18 7AL Tel: 01751 476904, Tel/fax: 01751 477773 Email:
[email protected] www.pickeringairguns.co.uk
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WIGHILL PARK GUNS www.wighillparkguns.co.uk 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 Wighill Park, Nr Tadcaster, North Yorkshire LS24 8BW Tel: 01937 833757 Fax: 01937 530563
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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. 4A Atkinsons Buildings, Trimdon Street Sunderland, Tyne and Wear SR4 6AH Tel: 01915 670147,
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TRACKSIDE GUNS AND ARCHERY LTD Trackside Guns and Archery Ltd is a retail shop with an indoor and outdoor Archery Range and an indoor Airgun shooting range based in Lincolnshire. We sell shotgun cartridges, live rounds and everything you need for Shooting Sports. We also stock a large range of Archery equipment. Open Mon 9am - 8pm, Wed 9am - 10pm, Tues, Fri, Sat 9am - 5pm. Thursday and Sunday Closed. Trackside Guns and Archery Ltd, Station Yard, Station Road, North Kelsey Moor, Caistor, Lincolnshire LN7 6HD Tel: 01652 678895 Email:
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WARRINGTON GUNS Selection of air rifles including BSA, Air Arms, Daystate, Cometa, Brocock, Webley, Weihrauch, FX, Walther, Edgar and more. Rimfire and centre fire rifles, shotguns, ammunition and cartridges available here. Open 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM Mon - Fri, 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM Sat 53 Norris Street, Warrington, Cheshire WA2 7RJ Tel: 01925 415901 Email:
[email protected] Web: www.warringtonguns.com
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A Huge Range of Accessories and Clothing
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We stock Air Arms, BSA, Weihrauch, Hatsan, Walther, Gamo, Crosman and Umarex air guns both new and second hand.
Tony's Camo & Airgun Centre, Chesterbank Business Park, River Lane, Saltney, Chester CH4 8SL Tel: 01244 681191 Email:
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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.
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T.R. ROBB AIRGUN SPECIALIST
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316 High Road, South Benfleet, Essex SS7 5HB Tel: 01268 752888 Website: trrobb.com Information: www.trrobb.com Full range of Air Rifles, Pistols and Telescopic Sights. Tuning Servicing Kits. Airguns Bought and Sold
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MAY OF LONDON LTD Air rifle and pistol sales. Gunsmith on-site. Dive cylinders and filling station on-site. Indoor range. Vast range of goods and accessories. Expert and friendly advice always given.
South of Scotlands largest retailer of Shooting and Fly Fishing equipment
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EDINBURGH Edinburgh’s leading air rifle, air pistol, air gun pellet and accessories supplier. We are dealers for Air Arms, Anics, BSA, Crosman, Gamo, Sportsmarketing, Umarex, Webley and Weihrauch www.wonderlandmodels.com Tel: 0131 229 6428 97 Lothian Road, Edinburgh EH3 9AN
Airguns, Rimfire ammunition and accessories including:
12 East Street, Brighton, Sussex BN1 1HP Tel: 01273 326338 Email:
[email protected] Web: www.chweston.co.uk
Delivery service available for air weapons
Scopes, Bi-pods, Lamps, Night Vision, Airgun Pellets & much more. Scopes by Bushnell, Nikko, Sabre, SMK and Nikon Unit 59 Globe Industrial Estate Grays, Essex RM176ST
Members of the Gun Trade Association Dealer Registration Number 191
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PARK STREET GUNS
RONNIE SUNSHINES
REGISTERED FIREARM DEALER
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
1-2 Park Street Lane, Park Street, St. Albans AL2 2NE Tel: 01727 872646/872669 Fax: 01727 875449 Email:
[email protected] Website: www.gunshot.co.uk
THE OXFORD GUN CO Jericho Farm, Oxford Road, Oakley, Bucks HP18 9RG Tel: 01844 238308 Wide choice of Air and CO2 Rifles and Pistols, Pellets, Scopes and loads of kit! Mon/Tues/Thur: 10-5 Fri: 10-7 Sat: 9-5.30
HERTFORDSHIRE’S LEADING AIRGUN SPECIALISTS we stock Weihrauch, Daystate, Air Arms, BSA, FX, Webley, SMK, and many more. Plus a large range of CO2 pistols, scopes, clothing and a comprehensive stock of airgun accessories. We are also a 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
GREENFIELDS AIRGUN CENTRE The Shooting Grounds, Sturry Hill, Sturry, Canterbury CT2 0NG Stockists of BSA, Webley, Air Arms, Daystate, SMK, Hawke, Weihrauch, Gamo and many more. Helpful Friendly Advice Always Available Tel: 01227 713222 Fax: 01227 710611 Website: www.greenfieldsshooting.co.uk Email:
[email protected] Open Tues-Sat 8.30-5.00. Sun 9-1. Closed Mon CANTERBURY AIRGUN CLUB ON SITE
We also sell Shotguns, Rifles, Cartridges, Ammunition, Cabinets and Clothing. Open: Tues-Fri 9.30am-6pm & Sat 9.30am-5.30pm 21-23 Cherry Tree Rise, Buckhurst Hill, Essex IG9 6EU Tel: 0208 504 5946, Fax: 0208 505 6664.
[email protected] | www.mayoflondon.com
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 9-5.30. Sun & Bank Hol 10.30-4.30 Established 1819, C&H Weston offer a friendly service. We stock all good brands such as Air Arms, BSA, Daystate, Brocock, Weihrauch, Gamo, ASG, Crossman, SMK. We stock a massive range of pellets and other shooting accessorises. Scopes by Lightstream, Hawke, Nikko, BSA, MTC. PX a pleasure. Second hand guns also stocked.
THE GUN ROOM IVYBRIDGE 4 Western Road, Devon Tel/Fax: 01752 893344
www.thegunroom.co.uk
[email protected] Probably the best selection of Airguns in the South West
DAYSTATE, WEIHRAUCH, BSA, AIR ARMS, WEBLEY, LOGUN
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COUNTRYWIDE
9 Station Road, Hailsham, East Sussex Tel: 01323 846883
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.
New and Secondhand Airguns Bought and Sold, Pneumatic Service Centre Also spares, repairs, scopes, Soft Air, Sling Shots, Decoys, Cartridges, Huge Stocks ofArmy Surplus, Camo Clothing & Gortex, Invisible Clothing, Combat Boots, Ammo Boxes, Camo Netting plus lots more
BROM SPORTS
Bradford Road, Melksham, Wiltshire, SN12 8LQ Tel: 01225 701473 Email:
[email protected] Open Mon-Fri 8.30-6.00. Sat 8.30-5.30. Sun 10.00-16.00.
NORTH WALES SHOOTING SCHOOL
HEREFORD’S AIRGUN SPECIALIST 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. Bromyard Sports 66 Widemarsh Street, Hereford HR4 9HG. Tel: 01432 344610 www.bromsports.co.uk Email:
[email protected] Open 9 ’till 5 Tuesday to Saturday Bank Holiday Mondays 10am - 3pm
Air Rifles, Accessories, Chronograph, Gunsmith
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CHICHESTER ARMOURY
WALKERS OF TROWELL
EXPERT ADVICE WITH A COMPETITIVE PRICE? CALL NOW 01908 561298
43 West Street, Chichester, Sussex PO19 1RP
Nottingham Road, Trowell, Nottingham NG9 3PA
Tel: 01243 774687
Tel: 0115 930 7798
www.chiarm.co.uk Wide choice of air rifles, pistols and accessories
Stockists of: Daystate, BSA, Weichrauch, Air Arms, Umarex, Hawke. Large range of Pellets & Accessories. Fishing Tackle & Outdoor Clothing.
STRINGTOWN SUPPLIES
KIBWORTH GUNSHOP & SHOOTING GROUND
IBSTOCK GUN & TACKLE
29 High Street, Polegate, East Sussex BN26 5AB Tel: 01323 488844 Email:
[email protected] Web: www.stringtownsupplies.com Opening hours: 9.15 to 5.30 (6 days a week). Sunday 10-4. 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.
On main A6 1/2 mile south Kibworth, Leicestershire, LE8 0RB. Tel: 0116 279 6001 ext 2. Extensive range of airguns & accessories. Try before you buy! Repairs, tuning, customising www.kibworthshootingground.co.uk
[email protected] "Official Daystate Dealer & Repair Centre"
61-63 Chapel St, Ibstock Leic, LE67 6HF Tel: 01530 260901 www.Ibstocktackle.co.uk Wide range of air rifles, scopes and accessories at discount prices. Daystate stockist. ALL REPAIRS UNDERTAKEN Guns always wanted - Cash paid
19 Vicarage Road, Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes, Bucks, MK11 1BN Tel: 01908 561298 or 01908 568493 Email:
[email protected] Web: www.rkstockcraft.com
64 Church Street, Melbourne, Derbyshire Tel: 01332 862091 Large selection of new and second hand Sporting Rifles, Shotguns and Air Rifles. Outdoor, Waterproof Clothing & Footwear. Barbour, Aigle & Seeland stockist. Visit our website: www.melbournegun.com
New and Secondhand – Quality Service
Credit cards:
R&K STOCKCRAFT GUNSMITHS Opening Hours Mon - Friday 8:30am - 5:00pm Sat - 8:30am - 3:15pm Closed on Sunday
MELBOURNE TACKLE & GUNS
Sealand Manor, Nr. Chester Tel: 01244 812219 55 yard Air Rifle Range £5 for two hours
Tuesday – Saturday Ring for availability
WREXHAM Full range of air rifles and pistols: Webley, Weihrauch, BSA, Crosman, Logun, Air Arms, Brocock etc + Scopes, Lamps, Archery 8 Egerton St, Wrexham town centre Tel: 01978 290990
VALLEY ARMS DENBIGHSHIRE 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 Bolero Camp, Park Road, Ruthin, Denbighshire LL15 1NB Tel:01824 704438 Email:
[email protected] Web: www.valleyarms.co.uk
AIRGUN WORLD
97
Shooting Books & DVD’s A SELECTION OF BOOKS AND DVD’S FROM
Total Airgun Hunting II DVD
Total Airgun Hunting II DVD
Total Airgun Hunting II DVD
See the experts in action as they once again take to the countryside to bag some squirrels and rats
See the experts in action as they once again take to the countryside to bag some pigeons and crows
See the experts in action as they once again take to the countryside to bag some rabbits
ONLY £15.95
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LIMITED STOCK SPORTING RIFLE SHOOTER
The moment you've been waiting for has arrived because the Airgun World Buyers Guide 2015 is on sale now. Containing the most comprehensive list of airguns available in the UK, this booklet will enable you to make an informed choice when it comes to buying a new air pistol or rifle. Even better, the Buyers Guide includes features on how to get the best from your sport and raise the standard of your shooting.
BOOKS
NOW AVAILABLE AIRGUN WORLD BUYERS GUIDE 2015
From air rifles to the heavy safari calibres, this guide has it all! Aim to be the best, with tips and advice from Sporting Shooter's experts. Only available by post or phone
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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
