Airgun World - Summer 2015

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All sorts of clever things go into the production of new rifles, some of which I actually understand.

Evolution House 2-6 Easthampstead Road,

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VOLUME 39 ISSUE 01 EDITORIAL Editor Terry Doe 01189 742511 Technical Editor Phill Price Consultant Editor Jim Tyler Chief sub-editor Rosie Barham Publishing Consultant Derek Barnes Designer Keith Harris

ADVERTISING Commercial Manager: Dan Chart 01189 742503 [email protected] Sales Manager: Sharon Blick 01189 742533 [email protected] Sales Executive: Ryan Coupland 01189 742525 Office Manager: Sharon Wells 01189 742524

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THE EDITOR SAYS...

s I write, it’s 04.30 on a muggy summer morning, I’m sitting in my blessed man cave and I’ve just livened up my day considerably by absent-mindedly poking the charging-adaptor plug for my laptop into my ear to relieve an itch. That particular ear was still wet from its morning bath and the charging adaptor was very much plugged into the mains. The union of live plug and wet ear is something I won’t forget in a hurry, and exclamations entirely unfit for your magazine disturbed the calm reflection I usually enjoy at this time of day. Please don’t try anything like this at home, folks. I tried it because I wasn’t thinking about what I was doing. Instead, my mind was on one of its frequent walkabouts as I gathered my editorial work tools about me and settled down to write this page. Ironically, the subject of my musings was how fortunate I’ve been to know so many truly gifted, thinking men, thanks to my sport and my job.

A

Fredrik needed a new metal finish, so he invented one, and the machinery to produce it. Genius!

THE NATURE OF GENIUS The genius-in-residence this month is Fredrik Axelsson of FX Airguns, and having had a phone conversation with him the morning before, I was still marvelling at how the man’s brain works when it comes to inventing things and solving problems. Fred is a living contradiction, being so calm and friendly when you meet him, yet so fiercely driven to succeed when he has his industrial head on, he qualifies for ‘eccentric’, as do most of the true geniuses I’ve met over the years. During our conversation about the FX Wildcat I’m testing this month, Fred asked me if I liked

Phil’s hide was wrecked by brain-donors, but he didn’t let that stop him.

the new ‘brushed’ finish of the rifle’s metalwork. I said I did, and Fred told me that, he wanted a low-reflection finish that resisted finger marks and looked good even after extensive handling. Apparently, there was nothing available that fitted the bill, so Fred invented what he wanted, and developed the machinery to produce it. That machinery is now installed at the company that carries out FX Airguns’ anodising, and Frederik has exactly what he wants. That’s how really clever people do things, I guess.

CARRY ON REGARDLESS Phil Hardman isn’t a genius, any more than I am, but he’s an incredibly resourceful and resilient hunter, and that’s what makes him so good at what he does. When Phil’s favourite hide was vandalised by morons, he could have jacked in his hunt and called off his planned feature for this month, but he didn’t. He went out and ‘invented’ a solution, as you’ll see when you read his feature. Remarkable people are all around us, and there are plenty of them within the pages of the magazine you’re about to read and, I hope, enjoy. I feel privileged to know so many such people – so I thought I’d give them a plug. All the best.

Published monthly © Archant Specialist 2012 Archant Specialist is part of Archant Ltd

FOR ALL BASA ENQUIRIES CALL 0844 848 8057

Editor

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AIRGUN WORLD

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CONTENTS

THIS MONTH...

Bullseye Bargains! Reader Ads

P80

FX AIRGUNS WILDCAT Testing the latest bullpup p18 03 Editor’s Welcome

28 A Syn of the Times

32 Airgun Student

Surrounded by genius, Terry feels positively recharged

Phill Price explores a budget, break-barrel plinker from Swiss Arms

Naylor Ball’s shooting tuition earns him a bit of a kicking, but he changes style and results improve dramatically

08 Points of You Your views, news, praise, questions and criticisms of Airgun World, and the airgun world in general

39 Bee Positive! The Sumatra Stinger Carbine has a unique appeal - as you’ll see

35 Conversion Rated John Milewski studies a CO2-powered rook rifle from yesteryear

13 What’s Going On?

43 Everyday Hunter

Highlights of the airgunning month, updates on development, and some great places to shop

Join the keenest airgun hunter on the planet, as Nigel Jones patrols a famyard in search of pests

16 Competition

47 Umarex Boys Club

Win yourself a brand-new Sumatra Stinger Carbine in our top-value competition

The UBC’s Combat Gerbil - yes, really brings us an unusual Russian plinker

24 Newton’s Lore

51 The Boinger Bash

Gamekeeper Steve is hunting rabbits among the hay fields of Sussex. As usual, he has plenty of useful advice for us

Meet the good folks of Quigley Hollow, where dedicated spring-gun enthusiasts gather to celebrate their favourite airguns

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POINTS OF YOU

THE AIRGUN WORLD FORUM FOR YOUR RANTS, RAVES AND Q&AS HAPPY PROGRESSION

BORN-AGAIN AIRGUNNER

I first bought your magazine about three years ago now, when I was 11. I was instantly hooked, bought it every month, and read it cover to cover, spending hours looking at all the pictures of the high-tech guns. My dad then took me to the local gun shop and bought me a Gamo Whisper Fusion. I spent hours plinking targets in the garden, under his supervision, and then he finally took me shooting on our small farm. I shot my first-ever rabbit, and since then I have progressed - with the help of some of my older friends and my dad - to get my hands on an Edgar Brothers scope, given to me by a good friend. I then saved up my money earned from working many hours on the farm, and bought myself an Air Arms S200, with a magazine conversion kit, and now have the perfect combination of rifle and scope. I have read every issue of the magazine from 2012 to now, and I would just like to let you know that I think you are doing a great job, and you certainly encouraged me to get into airgunning. Thank you. CHARLIE PARKHURST

Having been married for the best part of 30 years, and raised five children in the meantime, - football, dance, horse riding, cadets and more, for the kids, by the way - I haven’t had an awful lot of time to give to my airgunning passion. In fact, it’s been pretty non-existent. My wife doesn’t like guns and forced me to part company with my .22 scoped, break-barrel BSA, which I’d had since I was 21. Despite hiding the aforementioned in various places, she would somehow find it, and having had this happen on numerous occasions, I was ‘persuaded’ to drive to our local refuse tip and deposit my beloved (the rifle not the wife) in the metal-recycling container. Sadly, I thought this was the end of my enjoyment, and my children’s too, because I’d bought them a .177 air pistol for targeting - the pistol went to the police, under the gun amnesty. Just recently, though, a friend’s son sparked my interest in airgunning again by telling me of his purchase of a .22. I am now the proud owner of a .22 Walther Rotex R8, along with scope, filling-tank, lamping, laser, all the camo gear and decoys,

and with just a few quick farm visits, permissions have been given. My paper targets and spinners have taken a bit of a battering while I regained my aim, and I’m like a kid with a new toy - wrong phrase, but you know what I mean. I’m so excited! I’ve also purchased a couple of books that I can’t put down, on fieldcraft, and other sources of information are mind-blowing, for which I’m very grateful. Also, the number of new friends I’ve made at my local gun club, and the wealth of experience and help offered is heartening, to say the least. My goal now is to gain a firearms licence and buy a high-powered air rifle, and a shotgun for clays. All of my children have now left home so it’s ‘me’ time. My wife? Well, she bought a dog for £800 and buys Karen Millen dresses, and as for me, I think you know what I’m going to be doing! Many thanks for reading my rambling. I love the magazine and it is now ordered from the local newsagents. Keep up the great work. ALLAN WATKINSON

JOIN THE DOTS I’ve just bought a spinning target and set it up

LETTER OF THE MONTH WIN THE JACK PYKE HUNTERS BOOTS I’d like to tell you something I hope the majority of us already know. It’s about what my airgunning really means to me and how it benefits my life. You’ll have already noticed how bad my handwriting, spelling and grammar are, so thanks for sorting it all out so the readers can understand my letter. The first thing my airgun shooting gives me is something to focus on. I had a serious car crash two years ago and a head injury left me with a very short attention span, but when it comes to my shooting I can recall most of my training and build on that session after session. It’s the best physiotherapy I’ve ever had, and I’ve had plenty, trust me! Even my therapist agrees that the process of shooting my rifle and pistol has helped me tremendously in all sorts of ways. Also, my shooting lets me see my progress, and to me this is absolutely vital. As I improve my accuracy and technique, I know I’m coming back from that crash, and getting better and better. My progress is marked on the target cards I collect after each session, so if I have a bad day between 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

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those sessions, I can study the targets and prove to myself that I am making progress. Targets don’t lie. Finally, my shooting gives me friendship. I shoot with a bunch of mates who help me more than they’ll ever know. We take the Mickey out of each other all the time, and heaven help me if I really mess up, or turn up wearing something my mates think is worth giving me stick over. I wouldn’t have it any other way, either. My airgun shooting means the world to me and without it I know I wouldn’t be as close to recovery as I am today. Thanks again for re-writing this – as I know you’ll have to – and I hope every Airgun World reader gets from their sport what I get from mine. Len Hawley Great letter, Len, and it was my pleasure to edit it for you, mate. May your sport always provide you with the encouragement you need to make a full recovery. Keep us informed, and enjoy your new boots. - 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]

CHEAPER THRILLS? I have been shooting since I was about eight years old and I am now in my late 40s. Although I have been out of the sport for about eight years, I decided I wanted to get back in and set myself a sensible price of £250 to get my kit. I then started to read magazines and do my research, and everyone was saying you needed £700-plus, and it must be a PCP with a massive scope in order to hunt. Personally, I thought this was a load of tosh because I have always used springers in the past, to great effect. I ended up getting a Stoeger X20 Suppressor .22, although I did upgrade the trigger. I matched this to a Nikko Stirling platinum 6 x 36 Nighteater scope and one-piece mount, with a simple sling and bag. All in, it cost less than £250 and this was for everything new. The first time I went out with my friends, who were both shooting PCP and zoom scopes, I got a lot of - let’s say – ‘less than positive comments’, but by the end of the morning, I was the only one to get a rabbit and I had more pigeons than both my friends put together. The main reason for this was that I knew my scope was always zeroed and I didn’t have to alter the zoom or AO, which saves time and gives the quarry less time to at 30 metres for a bit of target practice, using my BSA MK2 sub 12ft.lbs. rifle, and AA Diabolo hunter pellets in .22 calibre. When I went to retrieve the spinner, I noticed something a bit odd; where the pellets had hit the target, there was a distinct dot at the centre of each point of impact where the paint was untouched. As the pellets are semi-pointed, I am mystified as to how this can happen. Please can you tell me what you think is going on? MIKE BROWN Mike – I’ve been seeing the ‘dot’ thing for years and I’ve always wondered about it. Let’s see if our readers can come up with the answer for you. - Ed

move or run/fly off; also, my rifle was not affected by temperature. I didn’t have to watch how many pellets I shot because I could shoot as much as I wanted without worrying about running out of air, and I could do some fun shooting whilst we had a rest at the halfway point, fine-tune my rifle where needed, and get some practice. At the end of the day, I had shot probably 80-plus pellets and had a great time, whilst my friends had shot less then 20 each because they wanted to save their air for quarry. So, don’t be dragged into needing to spend a fortune on an air rifle kit that has to be PCP and has to have a large zoom scope. Enjoy the fun of just being able to pick up your kit and know that it is ready to shoot. Oh, and you don’t have to remember to fill it up with air. LEE WHALLEY Well, Lee, I’m sure a few of our PCP devotees might have a thing or two to say about your comments, and if you think springers aren’t affected by temperature changes, you’ve got some discoveries ahead of you, I assure you of that. More importantly, though, the fact that you don’t need to spend megabucks to enjoy our sport is beyond argument. - Ed

WHAT RANGE? I have just bought an SMK SynSG .22, air rifle. I’m new to this game, and this seemed like a good deal. What I would like to know is, when I can afford a scope, at which distance should I zero it? Squirrels and rabbits will be the quarry. I’ve just started getting the magazine and it’s a good read. Thanks. NICK RICHARDSON Nick – I’d suggest you begin your training for the hunting field by zeroing your rifle/scope combination at 25 yards. Put in as much range time as you can, until you can group your pellets inside a 25mm circle at all ranges out to 25 yards, and believe me that

Come on then - what causes the central ‘dot’?

takes more skill than most people realise. Keep at it, though, and the required accuracy should follow, but don’t hunt live quarry until you’re able to achieve that level of marksmanship, or better, OK? – Ed

GOING FOR GOLD STAR? I have a confession to make; I was one of those shooters who insisted that hunters didn’t need the ‘whistles and bells’ on their guns that target shooters seem to crave. Then I tried a BSA Gold Star – and I had to eat my words. I borrowed a mate’s Gold Star while he was on holiday, and the improvement in my accuracy was undeniable. Everything about it helped me shoot better, but mainly the way it fitted me. By the time my mate came back from his holiday, I’d ordered a Gold Star and I can’t wait for it to arrive. My lesson has been well and truly learned and I’ll never again open my big mouth before I actually know what I’m spouting off about. Keep up the good work. SHANE POOLE

A BSA Gold Star changed Shane’s mind - could it do the same for Lee?

EXPERT-TEASE? Do your hunting writers deliberately set out to make the rest of us feel bad about our abilities? Month after month, we see the likes of Phil Hardman, Steve Newton and Nigel Jones posing with huge bags of vermin, whilst most of us are lucky if we manage a rabbit or two. Are your writers some sort of hunting superstars, or are most of us just a bit rubbish at what we do? One thing I do know is, using the same rifles and scopes as the Airgun World writers is no shortcut to their level of success, because I’ve tried that. So, how come they’re so good and most of us aren’t? ALAN KIDD Alan – there’s nothing ‘superstar’ about our hunting writers, I assure you; they’re just extremely dedicated and work incredibly hard at what they do. They also struggle at times, like we all do, but with features to write, they are driven to get out there and do their best to have a story that’s worth telling. Above all, though, having spoken at length to all of our hunting writers, I know that they are motivated mainly by their love of hunting and being out in the countryside, and the last thing they’d want to do is to demoralise our readers. I see our writers as inspirational, and the hunting guys certainly show what’s possible, don’t they? – Ed

It’s not about being ‘superstars’. It’s about dedication, desire, and hard work.

www.airgunshooting.co.uk

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POINTS OF YOU

501-DERFUL! After reading your March edition and the review of the SMK 501 CO2 rifle, I bought one. It cost £145 and I can say without doubt that this is the best value-for-money airgun I’ve ever bought. Three of my shooting mates have bought them, now, and two more have them on order. I’m actually thinking of buying another one as a ‘project gun’, so I can carry out some upgrades and modifications on it. I’ve shot rats and feral pigeon out to 20 yards with my 501 and it’s perfect for this because I can group my shots inside 20mm and it produces 10.5 ft.lbs. When I’m plinking, I’m regularly hitting 40mm diameter spinners out to 50 yards, and this inexpensive rifle proves its worth every time I use it. I can only say to your readers; get one and you’ll see exactly why this fantastic rifle is so popular. I am not connected in any way to SMK but I’d like to see a great-value product get its deserved praise. COLIN SMAILES

know it’s the right one, although I’m sure others will have differing views. – Ed

Some love lightweight rifles - others prefer a bit of heft.

WHERE’S DANNI? What’s happened to Danni Layton? As a female shooter I was really happy to see us represented by a woman, and a busy mum at that, but she seems to have disappeared. Please say we haven’t seen the last of her. JULIE LLOYD The SMK 501 is a runaway best-seller, and deservedly so.

LIGHT FANTASTIC Why don’t we see more ultra-light rifles for hunters? I have a Brocock Contour and its light weight has been a genuine blessing in the field, especially after carrying a full-weight sporter for many years. I think at least a pound, and possibly two, could be trimmed off most hunting rifles, and they’d all be the better for it. The question is, why doesn’t every manufacturer makes at least a range of ultra-light rifles? Love the mag, especially the hunting stuff. WILL ASHTON-LIVESLEY There’s a trade-off on ultra-light rifles, Will, and it’s a significant one. Yes, the lighter a rifle is, the more convenient it will be to carry it, but when it comes to shooting that rifle, it will have more of a tendency to be ‘twitched’ off aim than a heavier one. Most shooters put accuracy above all other features, so if going too light costs too much in terms of straight shooting, the rifles will be heavier and more stable. This is a very basic explanation but I

Rest assured, Julie, Danni will be back; in fact she’s working on an article right now for us. As you say, she’s a busy mum and quite rightly, her family comes first, so she fits in her work for Airgun World around her commitments. Look out for Danni’s latest feature in the next couple of issues, OK? – Ed Danni will be back - and very soon.

he’s talking about, and what a difference it’s made to my knowledge of these fascinating devices. Jim Tyler is an absolute goldmine of technical information, and now that I’ve obtained my degree, I’ll be re-reading every issue of Airgun World with renewed enthusiasm. I do hope that Jim’s ‘Technical Airgun’ features are being saved for compilation into the definitive book on the subject that intrigues so many of us? Thanks, Jim – from your grateful student. JEROME PAYLING

The technical goldmine that is Jim Tyler.

PHIL THE POWER Phil Hardman is my all-time favourite airgun writer, and I was lucky enough to meet him at this year’s British Shooting Show. Then, Phil assured me that he only uses sub-12 ft.lbs. rifles, and I have to say I’m struggling to believe that. I know he has put together some amazing bags, especially pigeons and squirrels, but does he really use legal limit rifles? If he does, then all the more credit to him. JAMES HINTON James – having hunted with Phil, I can confirm that he does, indeed, use only sub-12 rifles, and that his success is down to how he uses it. A lesson for us all, there. – Ed

AIRGUN GRADUATE After studying airguns for over two years, I’m overjoyed to announce that I’ve graduated and I can take my rightful place alongside those who nod wisely when technical matters are discussed. Yes, I can now read Jim Tyler’s excellent articles and understand exactly what

Phil Hardman prefers sub-12 rifles - and he certainly knows how to get the best from them.

www.airgunshooting.co.uk

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WHAT’S GOING ON?

DESIGNER SUNSHINE! Ronnie Sunshines, the Hertfordshire-based airgun superstore, now has a new branch in Devon, and Ronnie’s main man, David Craze, has just been on the phone to confirm that his stores’ latest initiative is right on target and ready to be rolled out. It’s the limited edition BSA

Scorpion RS Platinum rifle combo, and what a special piece of kit it looks, too. The rifle comes complete with BSA’s full-spec’ match grade barrel, a superb, adjustable,

ROSIE REPRINTED! As promised in our June edition, we can confirm that another batch of Delicious Vermin is finished and ready to be snapped up by Rosie Barham’s ever-growing army of fans. New supplies have been brought on line, and the good news is that the price has been held at its original £14.99, which has to be a tasty bargain in anyone’s book. Delicious Vermin really does live up to its title, and in addition to the stacks of great, easy-to-cook recipes, you’ll get a truly entertaining read, plus loads of handy tips and advice. No wonder Delicious Vermin has been such a runaway best-seller from Airgun World’s very own doyen of game cookery. Contact www.calmproductions.com, or do a search on Amazon for your copy.

laminate stock, including a go-anywhere butt pad and cheek piece, plus an engraved nameplate personal to the buyer. Then there’s the platinum chrome trigger blade, guard and muzzle brake, plus two, 10-shot magazines and a VC silencer. Now add a quality 6-24 x 50 AO scope and mounts, plus a

IAN HODGE-HODGE-HODGE! According to our readers in Corrnwall, they really do have a ‘one-stop gun shop’ these days. We’ve had several emails and letters praising Ian Hodge Shooting & Fieldsports Supplies of Wadebridge, with most praising the range of products and the friendly service. When Airgun World hears about our readers being well taken care of, we like to pass that message on, so if you have a gun shop that treats you well, please tell us about it, OK? Meanwhile, Ian Hodge is the place for Cornish airgunners to drop in for all of their BSA, Daystate, Steoger, Diana, Benjamin, Remington, Jack Pyke and any other shooting needs, including a wide range of

Ronnie Sunshine has a limited edition rifle with unlimited appeal.

padded rifle case. The whole deal is priced at £799, and with just 150 being made, those orders will need to go in fast. Call Ronnie Sunshines in Hertfordshire on: 01442 872829, and in Devon on 01626 242 971

scopes, lamps, decoys, clothing, calls and so much more. We’ll be visiting Ian Hodge for a look-see, soon but in the meantime, call: 01208 813 651 with your enquiries.

Cornwall’s airgun superstore gets rave reviews.

Rabbit, pigeon, squirrel ... they’re all here, along with how to survive living with an airgun addict.

Round 5 attendees could win a superb HFT500!

NEWS FROM AIR ARMS HQ Air Arms is proud to confirm the sponsorship of Round 5 of the UKAHFT National Series 2015 - taking place at Buxted HFT in East Sussex on 19th July. Rounds 1 to 3 have already successfully taken place and have seen the Air Arms team take top honours! Setting the ball rolling for what is set to be a hugely successful series for the Air Arms Team, the AA shooters have scored high in all of the previous rounds, Air Arms have been fortunate enough to scoop a hat-trick so far in the Manufacturers Team Award.

The Air Arms winning combination doesn’t stop there! Each competitor at Round 5 will have the opportunity to go into a Prize Draw, with the winning ticket owner taking home a staggering prize of an Air Arms HFT500. Everyone has a chance of winning – but who will get the golden ticket!? For more information on Air Arms and to view Air Arms products, visit www.air-arms.co.uk To find out more about the UKAHFT National Series, please visit: https://www.sites.google. com/site/ukahft/about-ukahft

Two new Beeza models - worth making a noise about!

QUIETER COMET & MUTED METEOR BSA outlets will soon be making quite a noise about the new sound-suppressing technology being fitted to the company’s rifles. The very latest Meteor and Comet Evo springers will be carrying the option of the hi-tech, multi-baffled, Silentium silencer, and at just

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£165 for the Meteor and £149 for the Comet, these rifles have been brought right up to date for airgunners of all ages. Both models carry high quality open sights as standard, with the option of fitting a scope should you wish. Contact your local dealer for more details, or go to www.bsaguns.co.uk

WHAT’S GOING ON? Loadsa guns, and plenty of everything else, at the revamped AC Guns in East Sussex.

EMMETT & STONE OPENS ITS ARMS

ALL CHANGE AT AC GUNS! Ray Hales, the genial gentleman at the helm of AC Guns in East Sussex has been on to me to explain his shop’s total re-jig. I know how popular the outlet is, because Airgun World readers tell me so, and I’ve visited AC Guns myself and seen Ray and his capable crew in action. It turns out that since I last visited, things have moved into an entirely different gear, and the whole shop has undergone a transformation. Now, AC Guns displays over 150 rifles, and has wall-to-wall pistols, in addition to the full range of Jack

Pyke gear, gun cases, pellets, scopes and everything else. Main agents for Sumatra and Evanix, AC Guns also provides a specialised repair, maintenance and customising service, as well as one of the best ‘try before you buy’ facilities I’ve ever seen. Basically, if you’re in the area, or even if you’re not, drop in to AC Guns and speak to Ray and his team about what you need. Contact AC Guns on: 01424 752 261 or go to: [email protected]

Shooters within range of top country sports outlet, Emmett & Stone, at Marlow in Buckinghamshire, are invited to a splendid open day, with the chance to win a brand new Hatsan AT44 rifle! Here’s the place to take advantage of this outlet’s incredible range facility, and try out that new rifle, shotgun, or pistol you’ve been promising yourself, while getting a wealth of priceless advice while you do so. Saturday, September the 5th

is the date for your diary, and you can call the shop on: 01628 474 187 Come one, come all, to Emmett & Stone!

cocked and fired however, at the The design Steve came up with end of its travel the cage stops again proved beyond doubt that he’s abruptly but the central core flies one of the great airgun designers. forward under its own inertia. This His refined system now allows the count for the opens the valve, but it won’t hold it Compatto to produce up to 30 ft.lbs. open due to the return spring pulling when the original hammer system UK 12 ft.lbs. back the hammer immediately. This used in Brocock rifles could only go versions. The system can add up to 40% to the to 25. The shot count was also designers had had shot count. increased, although at this stage the considerable experience with the The problem the design team had company is not prepared to say by Harper Slingshot system and the exactly how much!’ group held a patent which was for was that the core needed a certain We hope to be testing the next the first time available to Brocock. mass to work and there wasn’t prototype in a month or two. Watch The problem was that the existing enough space available. So the COMPATTO UPDATO! team went back to Steve Harper, the this space! Slingshot was developed for the In our July issue, the editor began Daystate Huntsman and Air Ranger original inventor to ask for help. models back in 2008 and the what will be a mini-series on the space available in the Brocock was development of the new Brocock considerably less. Compatto semi-bullpup. That The Slingshot hammer system development continues apace, and works around a central core inside here the latest update, fresh from the hammer which is pulled Brocock headquarters: backwards with a light spring. With ‘One of the challenges of designing the new Brocock was to the hammer at rest, the hammer cage sits against a stop but the make the rifle compact, but Nearing production - Brocock’s new Compatto. central core does not touch the capable of high power for export, which also translates to a high shot firing valve. When the rifle is The new Harper Slingshot system is a work of genius.

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WIN!

SAMYANG SUMATRA STINGER CARBINE

This rifle has to be one of the most distinctive on the market today, with its lever-action cocking and twin cylinder air reservoir. This is a compact rifle, and yet it still offers 120 shots per fill in .22, making it a first-class hunter. Adding to its distinctive looks are the scenes of ducks being flushed by pointers, which appear on the sides of the action. You won’t see that on other guns, and in this month’s competition you can win the very rifle that’s on test.

TWO WAYS TO WIN!

BY TEXT

A SUMATRA STINGER CARBINE

Answer by text or spot-the-difference by post

To enter, text ‘AW Stinger’ 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

In the Ed’s test on page 18, What is the barrel of the Wildcat called? A. Plainbore B. Smoothtwist C. Twistsmooth

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! Includes scope and mounts, which may differ from those shown.

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Your Name ....................................................................................................................................................................... Address ............................................................................................................................................................................ Postcode................................................... Daytime Tel .................................................................................................... Email........................................................ Preferred Calibre ....................... Prize to be sent to: (Name and address of your local gunshop) Name of shop ................................................................



Address ............................................................................................................................................................................ .......................................................................................................................................................................................... BASA members ca Postcode .......................................................................................................................................................................... using one of their n enter sp ‘FREE ENTRY’ tok ecial If you are under 18, an adult must sign on your behalf and give his/her name and address ens Name................................................................................................................................................................................ Address ............................................................................................................................................................................ ......................................................................................................................................................................................... Postcode...........................................................................................................................................................................

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ES CHANG

..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... The winner of the text section and the winner of the spot-the-difference section will go into a draw to decide the overall winner. There are six differences between the two photos. Simply draw a circle around them as you spot them, then send in your completed entry form Terms and Conditions: The winner will be published in the September issue. Competition closes at midnight on 12th August 2015. Usual terms and conditions apply – visit http://www.airgunshooting.co.uk/home/terms and conditions. Archant Ltd, publisher of Airgun World, would like to keep you up to date with any special offers or new products/services which might be of interest. Please tick if you DO wish for Archant Ltd to contact you in this way by email SMS. Please tick if you would prefer NOT to receive information by post. phone. We occasionally pass your details onto carefully selected companies who wish to contact you with information about their products/services, please tick if you DO wish to be contacted in this way by email SMS. Please tick if you would prefer to NOT receive such information by post phone. COMPETITION RULES AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

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ED’S TEST: FX AIRGUNS WILDCAT

GOOD!

The editor gets an exclusive on the brand-new FX Wildcat hen I test a new FX airgun, it marks the end of quite a journey. By the time it comes to actually reviewing a production FX, I’ll have seen and often test-fired the prototype several times, and discussed it at extreme length with its developer, and FX Airguns supremo, Fredrik Axelsson. I’ve known Fredrik for over 25 years, now, and I can state that not one of the hundreds of technical conversations that have passed between us has failed to leave me shaking my head at that man’s ingenuity. Fred can visualise solutions, improvements, work-arounds and potential problems in a way that most could never hope to match. The man qualifies for that grossly overused term ‘genius’, of that there is no doubt. That’s a little about the man, then. What of his machine?

W

THE WILDCAT This month’s test subject, the Wildcat, is the latest, pre-charged pneumatic, multi-shot bullpup from FX, and as anyone who knows the brand would expect, there’s some seriously trick stuff going on with it, inside and out. From the unique ‘brushed’ metal finish applied to the Wildcat’s air

reservoir and barrel shroud, through its articulated cocking and trigger mechanisms, to the rifle’s remarkably efficient use of its power supply, this is a typical FX Airguns, Fredrik Axelsson, tribute to doing things their way. I also think the Wildcat is an attractive rifle, but then I’ve known it since it was a youngster and I’ve watched it grow up.

SOUNDS NICE We’ll explore the main features, now, and starting at the muzzle, we see the Wildcat’s entirely empty barrel shroud, and thus we have already arrived at our first remarkable observation. This rifle is quiet, and if that shroud was filled with baffles, or some other kind of sound-soaking cleverness, we’d all nod our heads sagely and think we knew why. As an efficiency freak of the highest order, Fredrik Axelsson, wanted his rifle’s barrel shroud to snuff out as much muzzle blast as possible, so of course he went down the baffles route … and why wouldn’t he? What followed was a shroud-filling exercise that went all sorts of ways, and, according to

The FX Airguns Wildcat. Somehow, even at £900, it’s a lot of airgun for the money.

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‘It’s engineering - why would we hide it?’

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Fredrik, made the Wildcat noisier. Yes, noisier. How can this be? That was exactly the question I asked Fredrik, and the next 15 minutes are still a blur to me. My translation of what Fredrik said amounts to, ‘when the baffles were installed, the muzzle noise was sharper, and our instruments registered a sound that was more noticeable than when the shroud was empty.’ Fred also mentioned something about ‘higher

pitch’ a ‘sort-of whistle’ and he definitely said that the empty shroud ‘made a nicer sound’. So it’s empty, although I got the feeling that Fred would much rather it had some technology inside it, preferably of an entirely new and self-developed kind.

SMOOTHTWIST Like all FX rifles, the Wildcat is fitted with a SmoothTwist barrel, and in this case it’s a 50cm, fully-floating, .22 calibre one,

“he definitely said that the empty shroud made a nicer sound”

EDITOR’S TEST: FX AIRGUNS WILDCAT

The groups I shot and the targets I hit made me smile. I’d like this to be adjustable, please.

“I’ve seen these barrels put in some incredibly impressive groups”

power .30 calibre, and they’ve claimed a notable haul of medals at benchrest tournaments around the world. Fredrik tells me he’s improved his barrels’ performance by making ‘small changes here and there’, proving once again that my knowing him for a couple of decades, and despite the fact that I’ve been privy to many of his company’s developments at the ‘classified’ stage, there will always be some things that will remain a secret. My first half-dozen sessions with the test rifle and a tin of FX pellets from a batch I’ve had for several years, carried out to fine-tune the zero and completely familiarise myself with the rifle, returned sub-20mm groupings at 48 yards. A bit of storm damage has opened

a hole in my technical chicken shed range, and 48 yards is the maximum distance I can get free from cross-draughts; until I can be bothered to make the necessary repairs at least, but that’s impressive grouping by anyone’s standards. More accuracy reporting later; let’s continue the tour of the Wildcat’s many features.

LEVERAGE It was decided at the design stage that the Wildcat would run a centrally located sidelever, and a fine device it is, too. There’s a standard FX sidelever, with its handle poised directly above the rifle’s trigger blade, and an actuating lever running back to the rear of the action block. An easy back-forth tweak on the lever The 8-shot mag’ worked faultlessly throughout. Is 8 shots enough? We’ll see.

cushioned on a set of super-soft ‘O’ rings. Wildcats in .177 will be available by September. The SmoothTwist system was invented by Ben Taylor and refined via Fredrik’s input, and is now owned exclusively by FX Airguns. In case you’re unaware, a SmoothTwist

barrel has a smooth, polished bore, with the impression of ‘rifling’ squeezed into the final four inches or so, to spin-stabilise the pellet on exit. That is the leasttechnical explanation of SmoothTwist you’ll ever read, but far more importantly, I’ve seen these barrels put in some incredibly impressive groups in a wide range of air rifles, from sub-12, .22, right up to high-

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AIRGUN WORLD

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EDITOR’S TEST: FX AIRGUNS WILDCAT

cocks the rifle, activates the 8-shot magazine, seats the pellet in the breech and seals the system in less than a second … and quite a bit less if you really want to crank shots through a Wildcat. I found the shiny push-rod that connects sidelever to action a little disconcerting on the eye and I asked Fredrik why it wasn’t tucked away under a shroud, or at least anodised to take the shine off it. I think I insulted him. He paused, sighed down the phone at me, as he always does when failing to explain some madly complicated technical function or other, and said, “Why would we want to hide that? It’s ENGINEERING!” Fredrik went on to explain the intensive input that had been invested in the linkages fitted to the sidelever and trigger, and how they wouldn’t take anodising to the required quality, ‘even if we were silly enough to want to cover up something as nice as that.’ That’s me told, then. I still don’t like it, mind.

THE INTERMOUNT I don’t really know why scope rails on bullpups are often referred to as ‘intermounts’. The late, great John Ford always called the mount on his Sportsmatch GC2 Scimitar bullpup ‘an

Not one of my groups, but the very first shot at 25 yards by a ‘distinguished’ Bisleyite. Colour him impressed.

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intermount’, so if it was good enough for him, I’m not arguing.

Coincidentally, John was Fredrik Axelsson’s greatest influence, too, and I’ve often wondered what the great man would have made of the FX airguns being produced these days. Enough of the musing, let’s study that mount. It’s fixed, as you can see, around the Wildcat’s reservoir and screwed to the trigger block, with the whole assembly bolted to the synthetic stock. The barrel runs through the mount, and I am assured that micro-flexes in the reservoir will not affect the rifle’s zero in any way. Why? ‘Because we have made sure it won’t.’ OK. A complete replacement Picatinny rail will be available around August, and it will be a userfriendly unit, Fredrik assures me. “Even you will be able to fit one,” he said. With a full 9 inches of sight fixing length available, scope position won’t be a problem, and before I shift to the next feature, I must make mention of the FX Infinity mounts. These can be finely adjusted for height and angle, and are perfect for getting the ideal eye/scope alignment we should, literally, be looking for with air rifles of this standard.

Some empty vessels make the least noise.

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THE TRIGGER A full-specification FX Royale trigger mechanism has been used on the Wildcat, and there is no loss of feel, precision, or sensitivity, through that articulated link, either. Fredrik was keen to point out that finding the perfect link between trigger blade and trigger mechanism was entirely worth the effort he invested in it, and when you use this rifle you’ll agree.

Full marks, FX.

THE AUTOLOAD SYSTEM An eight-shot magazine is slotted into the right-rear of the Wildcat’s action, and held in place by spring-loaded ball bearings. Loading is a matter of pushing pellets into their ports, then slipping home the mag’, with a

‘There is no loss of feel, precision or sensitivity through that link’ This is a true, two-stage mechanism, rather than a ‘dummy’ first stage connected to a single-stage unit. Again, the most impressive feature of the trigger is that it loses absolutely nothing in the translation from the blade’s position in the middle of the rifle, to the mechanism at the rear. In short, you can’t feel that link working. This is a high-quality trigger, and adjustable for let-off and blade position.

Quality componentry. Note the articulated linkage from sidelever and trigger.

swift nudge round from the thumb until you feel the ‘click’ that tells you everything’s lined up correctly. If it isn’t, the cocking lever won’t close, so you’ll know another nudge is needed. In the real world, there’s no effort or bother required to run this fast-fire system and it performed faultlessly throughout the duration of the test so far. Are eight pellets enough for a modern PCP magazine? Well, it was pointed out to me that eight shots should get you at least six rabbits per mag’,

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NEWTON’S LORE

Steve Newton makes hay after the grass is cut t the time of writing, the hay has been cut and fields that were previously unlampable are now back on the menu. For months, the rabbits here have been safe and used to feeding far out in the field, under cover of the towering hay. They have forgotten all about how dangerous the beam is, at least temporarily, and now they are once again in the firing line. Most of my night shooting is being done from vehicles and this is a great way to make large inroads into the rabbit population. Shooting from a quad bike, and using a moderated Mossberg .410 pump-action shotgun chambered for 3” rounds, means that large bags are taken most nights, and I will continue with this method for the next month or so. When the hay is cut in your area, it’s possible to get sport right from the off. On the day of cutting, corvids will be more susceptible to decoying as they flock to the field to look for chopped-up bits of rodents that failed to avoid the mower, and that night whole families of foxes will be on the field for the same purpose. After the first cut, the hay will be rowed up and if you are shooting these fields

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then don’t cross the rows and scuff them out of alignment for the baler, or you could find yourself with an angry landowner on your hands. The hay will be left to dry for a day or so and then it will be tedded (turned) to dry both sides, and then a few days later it will be baled as hay or haylage (wrapped in plastic). It’s always a race against the rain, to bale as soon as possible because while the hay is lying in rows it can be ruined by too much rain, but once its baled it’s safe and rain no longer matters.

COVER The bales may remain on the fields for up to a week and during this time they make brilliant cover for stalking and creeping up on quarry, and you may be tempted to use them as a backstop for zeroing or target shooting, but don’t! Hay is destined to feed livestock and if a horse or cow and they shouldn’t eat lead. Also, haylage bales must be left well alone because even a small tear in the plastic will ruin it, and the day you start costing your landowner money is the day you lose your shooting permission. Always

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“When the hay is cut in your area, it’s possible to get sport right from the off”

respect the work the farmer is doing and avoid any damage caused by your visit to the field. However effective shooting from vehicles can be, there are invariably areas on the edge of the land where this method is not feasible. I have just such a place on the edge of the estate that is surrounded by houses. Now, good people live in these houses and they are my eyes and I use a small rucksack to ca ears out in this area. They rry the rabbits . have no problem whatsoever about the fields being lamped, but vehicles and shotguns in the dead of night is taking their goodwill a bit too far. We have had good weather and the ground is baked pretty hard; hard enough to make a rimfire too dangerous to use because bullets will ricochet, so once again, it falls to the airgun as the ideal tool for this particular job. It doesn’t get dark until around 10pm at this time of year,

GAMEKE PER’S REPORT

“good people live in these houses and they are my eyes and ears out in this area”

A gate always makes a handy rest, so you should use one when you can.

Be careful not to cross these rows and scuff them out of alignment.

so any night shooting venture is going to be a late one, but the area was not large and I knew most of the gates would be open because the fields had just had the bales removed, so it was only going to take a couple of hours to lamp.

DARKNESS IS YOUR FRIEND It was a dark night, and there was just enough wind to take my scent away and make the leaves rustle enough to cover any sound I made, all in all, pretty good conditions for a bit of lamping. As I made my way up the path, the high hedges on each side made the darkness almost total, but I knew this path well and made good time despite such poor visibility. Soon I was close to the first likely field

At the momen shooting is do t, most of my night ne from a qu ad bike.

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GAMEKEEPER’S REPORT When the hay is first cut, it’s possible to take kneeling shots until the grass grows again.

and stopped to load the rifle by feel. Somewhere in the distance a tawny owl shrieked and I nearly dropped the pellet magazine when it was answered with an ear-splitting shriek from the branch just above my head. Then a young tawny owl flew past me like a giant moth and disappeared into the darkness unaware of the near heart attack victim he’d left behind. Recovering, I approached the first field and, to my surprise, the gate was shut. No matter; leaning on the gate, I flicked the beam on, swept the field and was rewarded with several pairs of rabbit eyes glowing back at me, around 35 yards away. I slipped the safety and leaned on the gate for stability while I took careful aim at the first rabbit. A heavy Rangemaster pellet flashed as it arced through the beam on its way to the target, a split second before I heard the ‘thock’ as it found its mark and

the rabbit dropped without a twitch. I reloaded and selected another rabbit that was frozen in its tracks and he joined his mate while the others bolted for home. Okay, not bad so far - two for two - and I was feeling on form as I carefully climbed the gate and picked up my quarry before carrying on up the field.

Keeping close to the hedgerow as a background, I made my way up the field toward a small depression in the ground that I knew would be hiding a rabbit or two, and as I cautiously approached the edge of the dip, I flicked the beam on and scanned ahead. Immediately, I could see at least a dozen pairs of eyes, and as the Air Wolf came to my shoulder I picked out an easy standing shot at 20 yards and added it to the bag. These rabbits were jumpy, for

make shooting Too many rabbits canng them on a ha to r tte be lt; ficu dif er. gate for collection lat

Standing shots are crucial for lamping, so put the practice in and you can take them without drama.

AIRGUN WORLD

A couple of rabbits are a welcome addition to the diet of my friends who live around these fields.

THE BAG IS FILLING

“I could see at least a dozen pairs of eyes, as the Air Wolf came to my shoulder”

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When the hay has been baled they make good cover for stalking, and good rests to shoot from.

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ad-shot Providing they are he you will be and drop instantly, n one able to take more tha . rabbit from a group

some reason, and at the shot they all bolted for home. I dropped to one knee, reloaded while the rifle was still on my shoulder, and began to track a rabbit through the scope. Eventually, it paused, as I knew it would, and in that moment I released the shot and watched it drop like a stone. At the end of that field I had managed to bag six rabbits, but had broken my score by missing a simple standing shot due to bad trigger release, but hey, no one’s perfect! I legged the rabbits over the gate for collection later and continued to the next likely spot. By the time I’d finished, a couple of hours later, I had chalked up enough of a decent score to make the trip worthwhile and, as always, I hung a brace of rabbits on each of the garden fences as a thank you for the occupants’ vigilance while keeping an eye on this side of the land for me. Well, that’s it once again for this month so until next time, shoot safely and have a good one! ■

SPRING GUN

A SYN OF THE TIMES

green band, meaning that it’s on, and when pushed to the right it shows red for danger. I’ve never seen a safety like this before and I have to say that it works well and is easy to understand.

LOCK UP The second unusual feature is a manual barrel lock. This is usually only seen on expensive, Germanmade guns so is very welcome on such a modestly priced item. The idea is that instead of relying on a spring to hold the barrel shut, this steel latch locks it solidly in place - in theory, improving accuracy. To release the latch you press a steel paddle mounted to the left of the rear sight. As it unlocks, the barrel drops down a few degrees, and from there you cock the action in the usual way. I was impressed to note that the barrel pivot bolt is adjustable. Many break-barrel rifles at this price have a plain, dowel-style pin that cannot be adjusted as wear sets in, but the Synxt32’s is not only adjustable but also has a set screw to lock it in place. There’s clearly been time and effort put into ensuring that this barrel never gets wobbly. The cocking stroke is quite long and needs a firm pull to complete, so if you’re thinking of buying one for a youngster it would be a good idea to confirm that he has the

Phill Price tests a break-barrel with some clever features The vertical paddle unlocks the barrel.

lthough I know the name ‘Swiss Arms’ I think of them as top-class manufacturers of combat weapons, rather then airguns. Their website is full of self-loading rifles with a clear military feel. The Syntx32 shares the black, synthetic stock, but aside from that it couldn’t be more different. In most respects, it’s a very conventional break-barrel, spring-piston rifle, a fact that can be seen by looking through the slot in the stock’s fore end. The coiled steel spring can be clearly seen. The rifle’s looks are quite striking with deep grooves in the front of the pistol grip and a very low comb that has slight

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The safety slides through the stock above the trigger.

The barrel pivot is adjustable and has a lock screw.

ambidextrous check swells. The stock is finished with a subtle, satin texture that adds a little extra grip.

scope and a pair of quite basic mounts, and I was disappointed to see that these didn’t have a recoil arrestor. Other guns coming in for review recently from SMK have had this important feature included. There are two features that make this rifle stand out from the crowd. The first is a safety that slides through the stock above the trigger mechanism. It looks like a rectangular peg and is very positive in its action. Pushed through to the left, it displays a

PULL The pull length is just slightly shorter than average at 14” which, allied to its modest weight, suggests that this gun was designed with younger shooters in mind, and I can see many a young man fancying one of these as his first gun. It comes complete with a 4 x 32

“I thought that the trigger was one of the better ones that I’ve tried in this class”

syn t

AIRGUN WORLD

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eti h

stc

SPRING GUN

TECH SPEC Manufacturer Swiss Arms Importer SMK Web www.sportsmk.co.uk Tel 01206 795333 Model Synxt32 Type Spring piston Action Break barrel Calibre .177 Length 110.5cm (43.5”) Weight 2.5 kg (5.5lbs) Safety Manual

RRP £99.99

I liked the overall balance and feel from the shoulder.

“I can see many a young man fancying one of these as his first gun” strength, in the shop before you take one home.

DIESEL As with all rifles like this, it took a good number of pellets to settle the action down, and dieseling was apparent for around 50 shots, after which it subsided. The firing cycle is quite snappy in feel, probably because it’s a pretty light rifle. However, from the shoulder it feels good and doesn’t suffer

much excessive spring noise or vibration. The balance and feel were good and reminded me of some rifles I’d shot as a kid. I selected another SMK product, the Remington Express Hammer pellet, which is an inexpensive yet high-quality roundhead and they suited the rifle well. They were a nice snug fit in the rifling and produced an average of 665 fps which equates to over 7 1/2 ft.lbs. I thought that the trigger was

one of the better ones that I’ve tried in this class. It’s rather long, but not overly heavy, and there’s a noticeable let-off point, which is a great aid to accuracy. I was soon able to connect with cans at plinking distances, every time. Being offered in .177 only surprised me at first, but when you remember that you can get through a lot of pellets in a good plinking session, the fact that .177s are cheaper suddenly

makes good sense. Also a can or paper target won’t care which calibre hits it. The Synxt32 comes fitted with open sights, which are adjustable for elevation but not windage. Many people feel that beginners should learn to shoot with open sights before progressing to a scope, and this kit provides both, so should make them happy. This is yet another excellent value for money kit from SMK. Youngsters who like the military association and ‘tactical-black’ stock may well see this as their dream gun. ■

The stock is ambidextrous with the trigger guard moulded in.

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AIRGUN STUDENT perfectly with PCPs and springers. He said ‘spring guns keep your technique honest’, and that PCPs, because they’re recoilless, let their users get away with small faults in handling, so those small faults eventually become big enough to affect even recoilless rifles. I think the phrase that summed it up best for me was, ‘a springer is like the strict teacher at school. You don’t get the chance to mess about so much in class, but you learn a whole lot more.’

FIRST LESSON

AIRGUN STUDENT

That’s why my first learning/ training session found me in a newly-mown hay field, with the sun beating down, and me really struggling to get to grips with the Remington Tyrant. I say ‘grips’, and that was my main problem; I was gripping the stock rather than letting it rest in my hands. It was that recoil, I think. I was trying to strangle the rifle, rather than just leaving it to recoil as it wanted, and keeping my hold the same every time. In fact, after 20 shots of holding tightly to that little Remington, I was getting really hot, bothered and a bit frustrated. Another call to Terry had to be made. He told me to relax, make my hold as soft as it could be, and use my stance as a platform, not a vice. He also reminded me about the safe way to cock and load a springer, but I was pleased to say that this was one lesson I’d already learned.

TAKING IT EASIER I went back to my shooting and did as I’d been told, and guess what? It worked an absolute treat. Not only

This month, our novice goes back to basics and gets a bit of a kicking fter selecting my airgun gear, getting my rifle and scope zeroed, and sorting out a means of charging my Air Arms S510 with air, I was absolutely raring to get stuck into some shooting, and I did. The odd thing is, though, it wasn’t my S510 I used, but a lightweight springer, and I did so for a very important reason. I have to say that this reason didn’t feel particularly convenient at the time,

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and it caused me more despair than I was comfortable with, but I can now see the value of it and I hope any other novices looking in will think so too.

BASIC STUFF Confession time, next. I was totally stuck about where to start with my shooting lessons, so I did what loads of other Airgun World readers do when they need a bit

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of help, and phoned the editor. Terry talked me through my next few lessons and strongly advised me to start with a lightweight, spring-powered rifle and basic scope, rather than my beloved Air Arms pre-charged pneumatic. Terry explained that it’s all about learning a technique that’s solid and consistent enough to get the most from a recoiling rifle, and that this technique would work

Rifle ‘lying’ in my supporting hand and me as relaxed as possible. That’s the way forward, for sure.

AIRGUN STUDENT: LEARNING CURVE Not the way for a springer.

did the Tyrant start to hit what I was aiming at – mainly twigs and bits of bark on a dead tree, rather than paper – I was actually enjoying the lesson. Relaxing is definitely the way to go, for me,

Get that hand in as a cushion, and accuracy returns. Excellent!

rifle, but that’s not the case at all. Apparently, the pellet is still under your control for quite a while after that trigger is squeezed, because the rifle, springer or pre-charged, is still going through its motions to

“Gripping means tension, and tension means fatigue” because it’s so much easier to keep the hold the same for every shot, when all I’m doing is letting the rifle lie in my hands, rather than having to reproduce the same grip tension every time. Gripping means tension, and tension means fatigue, which will cause inconsistency sooner or later. Less tension equals less fatigue equals better consistency. It’s simple once you understand it, isn’t it?

ANOTHER VITAL TECHNIQUE Terry repeatedly told me to get my follow-through nailed down and implanted as part of how I shoot. All this means, he said, is holding perfect aim until the pellet strikes, and I honestly didn’t understand the importance of this at all. I thought that, once the trigger was squeezed, the rest was up to the

launch the pellet. So, basically, what follow-through does, is stop you messing up everything else you’ve put into the shot, right at the last split-second. It works; it really does. Keeping my eye behind the scope and the crosshairs on target until I see the pellet hit, genuinely gave me better results. It also helped me relax more, which can only be a good thing. I know there’s still a ton of things to learn, but each successful lesson, and knowing the ‘why’ as well as the ‘how’, makes things so much more enjoyable.

directly on a solid surface, so I did just that using a fence post. The Remington shot around 3cm high at 25 yards! As advised, I slipped my hand between the rifle’s fore end and the post, and I was back on target right away. What a simple, priceless lesson, and I wonder how many airgunners out there are yet to learn it.

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE! The next three weeks will be fairly straightforward for me. I’ll be putting in as much range time as I can with the springer, then ending

each session with 50 shots from my S510 to get what I’ve learned straight into my new technique with my PCP. I’ll be working on my trigger technique, breathing control and shooting from different stances, and you can see how that works out next month. For now, I’ll happily admit that there’s way, way more to shooting a rifle well than I every thought there could be, but I’m even more keen to learn, now. I aim to graduate this course with honours – no matter how hard the study becomes! ■

... to the close.

SOFTLY-SOFTLY With my new, relaxed shooting style working well for me, I decided to try out something else Terry told me about. He said I shouldn’t rest a recoiling rifle Safety first, last, and always. Hold that barrel from the start ...

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MILEWSKI

John Milewski branches out with a classic Co2 powered rook rifle

A relatively low-powered, large projectile did not over-travel and was therefore seen as safer. Rook rifles have very sleek and delightful lines.

hooting has always been a specialised sport with dedicated equipment made available for a particular application. Consider the shotgun for moving game, or the specialised stalking rifle at the other end of the scale, where single-shot precision is required. The humble air rifle is the ideal tool for short-range hunting, when the high power of a cartridge arm is considered excessive, but precision is required. Around a century ago, there was a further class of firearm intended for the sport of rook shooting and aptly known as ‘rook rifles’. These guns combined a relatively large calibre of .295 or

S

even .360 with a comparatively low-powered powder charge. They were popular because the large calibre was hard-hitting at the relatively short distances involved, but soon lost energy and consequently did not travel too far. Young rooks, ‘branchers’, venture away from their nests in May for

had to be taken that only the breasts from the youngest of birds were used for their tenderness.

MOVING ON Rook rifles were superseded by the .22 rimfire, which ultimately developed into a popular all-round

“The slim overall lines of the donor rifle meant that there was little space to house a Co2 reservoir” their first flights, and traditionally, 12th May was the date on which these young birds were targeted in order to fill the pot. Rook pie used to be seen as a delicacy, but care

Attractive engraving adds to the charm of these old rifles.

cartridge a century ago, displacing miniature rifles as well as rook rifles. The popularity of rook rifles is increasing among collectors and what would have cost in the low

hundreds of pounds a decade ago can attract several thousands of pounds today. The rifles themselves were fairly lightly constructed, but overall, their profiles followed very attractive lines. Many of them were made by famous gun makers, and engraving could be found as standard on quite modest rifles. Airgun pioneer, Les Wesley, once converted a rook rifle to Co2 and drawing on this rifle as inspiration, airgun enthusiast, Lawrie Armatruda, decided to convert a rook rifle to the same power source. The result is quite outstanding and Lawrie has kindly allowed me to share his

The Co2 conversion seen here started off as a rifle made by, or for, John Blanch & Son of Gracechurch Street, London.

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VINTAGE GUNS

.25 CALIBRE

The engraved pistol grip cap adds a touch of class to what was a working gun.

View from below, showing the brass bolt and take-down lever under the trigger guard

Air rifles in .25 calibre were also recommended for rook shooting because the large calibre worked on a similar principle to the powderfiring rook rifles. Back in 1911, C.G. Bonehill suggested his ‘Improved Model Britannia’ air rifle as a suitable alternative because it was of large calibre for an air rifle, and pellets travelled even shorter distances if they missed their mark. Even the release lever on the Improved Britannia resembled the type of catch commonly found on

open-sighted vintage air rifles; despite their inherent accuracy, misses or even worse, disproportionate wounding will result if quarry are targeted by nostalgic shooters with deteriorating eyesight and more enthusiasm than skill. Put simply, there are more suitable tools for the job. A telescopic sight will enable a marksman to place their shot exactly where intended if they have sufficient skill, and out of respect for living quarry, chances should never be taken with less accurate arms. Rifles such as

“The popularity of rook rifles is increasing among collectors” conversion with readers this month.

ELEGANT The slim overall lines of the donor rifle meant that there was little space to house a Co2 reservoir, and Lawrie decided to utilise the original barrel for this purpose. He used a cut-down, 12-gram Co2 capsule to seal off the muzzle and provide a housing for the inlet valve, which was necessary to charge the rifle with Co2 from a bulk-fill container. Using the barrel as a gas reservoir also meant that a new barrel had to be mounted and Lawrie fitted a Crosman one above the existing barrel/reservoir, alongside a replacement set of open sights. The rifle continues to balance well and the overall profile has not suffered any detriment. The only way of telling the barrel

has not always sat on this rifle is its deep black finish compared to the greyish patina on the rest of the rifle. A new breech mechanism had to be fitted to the rear of the barrel and a low-profile bolt action seats the pellet directly into the breech. Lawrie wanted to retain the original fittings, and the rifle can be dismounted as originally intended. Many rook rifles were sold as cased sets, duly broken down into stock, barrel and fore end to fit into compartmented plush cases and although this particular rifle is not so housed, it takes seconds to break down. The barrel release lever functions in the same manner as on the original and ‘breaks’ the rifle open in the same way as a shotgun. If desired, the fore end may be removed and barrel dismounted from the action.

some rook rifles. In some quarters rooks are no longer seen as the pest they were a century ago and the May 12th tradition of harvesting young ‘branchers’ is less popular. Today, live animals should not be shot by

Lawrie’s conversion provide a link to a time long since passed, and can provide an incredible amount of satisfaction when used on inanimate targets. My sincere thanks go to Lawrie Armatruda for showing me his conversion. ■

The front barrel mount and air inlet valve are made from a cut-down Co2 cartridge.

A low-profile bolt and probe loads and seats the pellet into the rifle s bore.

The striker within the nut forces the valve open to release a measured amount of Co2 for each shot.

The snake-like lever breaks the rifle open, as originally intended.

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The original barrel serves as a Co2 reservoir on this rifle, which is capable of a consistent 7 ft.lbs.

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SUMATRA STINGER CARBINE “AC Guns’ gunsmiths completely strip, rebuild and test every rifle that arrives, guaranteeing performance”

Off the bench I achieved hunting standard accuracy again and again.

BEE POSITIVE ver the years, I’ve seen various versions of this rifle and yet never really spent any time with one. There’s no getting away from the fact that its looks are unique, bringing together references from many areas of the shooting world. At its heart is a Winchester-style, lever action that operates a six-shot rotary magazine, looking like it came straight from a revolver. The barrel sits above a dual-cylinder reservoir, making it look like a European ‘drilling’ that has multiple rifle and shotgun barrels. Although the butt section holds with the typical lever action, straight-hand style, it benefits from a very modern adjustable cheek piece, which is well suited to scope use. The last ingredient in this tasty recipe is the artwork on the sides of the action, depicting a pointer flushing ducks, something

O

Phill Price gets to grips with the Stinger’s charms

Game shooting scenes aren’t what you’d expect on an airgun.

usually found on a wildfowling shotgun. You can be sure it won’t be mistaken for any other gun.

PERFORMANCE However, I wanted to look beyond

the aesthetics into what really matters, and that’s performance. A C Guns, the UK importer, is rightly proud that they’ve worked with Samyang in Korea to develop models specifically for the British

market, i.e. the 12 ft.lbs. world. Samyang is more used to developing guns to make the very maximum muzzle energy they can, so needed help in understanding our strict laws. Despite these manufacturing improvements, AC Guns’ gunsmiths completely strip, rebuild and test every rifle that arrives, guaranteeing performance and quality for every customer. This is quite a feat and one that gets my respect. Filling the dual air reservoirs is simple because they use a Forster connector, eliminating the need for additional fittings, which has to be good. The reason for the double reservoirs is to offer the The gauge is marked in PSI and KG.

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SUMATRA STINGER CARBINE

huge 300cc capacity that’s a legacy of its high-power lineage. High-power airguns are very air hungry and when you understand that the FAC-version of this gun delivers 45 ft.lbs., you’ll see why it needs a large reservoir. The good news for the rest of us is that it translates into 120 shots per 190bar fill, which is high for a rifle in this class and more than enough for any hunting trip.

POWER Before accuracy testing began, I ran it over my Skan chronograph with my standard test pellet, the Air Arms Diablo Field, which in .22 weighs 19.9 grains. Average

velocity settled at 565 fps for a calculated muzzle energy of 11.3 ft.lbs. which is ideal. This shows the benefit of A C Guns’ work, ensuring that the muzzle energy is set perfectly. The trigger has a light first stage that stops solidly against the second. This was short with only the smallest travel from its 2½ lbs break point and perfectly usable. It didn’t feel quite as refined as some guns in this class, but had no noticeable negative effect on accuracy. Behind and above the trigger blade is a gold-coloured, cross-bolt safety button that locks the blade solidly. I like this because you know immediately

that it’s set as soon as you touch the blade, and you won’t try to fire the rifle. This safety works best for right-handed shooters because when set it projects to the right, allowing it to be disengaged by the trigger hand. In all other respects the rifle is ambidextrous. In the belly of the action is a rotary adjuster that lets you drop the power for close-range application, like ratting inside buildings. In front of this, inset in the short wooden fore end, is a neat pressure gauge. Unusually, this is marked in PSI and KG, so I relied in the gauge on my Best Fittings tank to know when I was at max fill pressure. Up on top of

the action, there’s a set of open sights. The rear one is a peep sight protected by a pair of vertical ears. This delivers the windage adjustment. Up front there’s a barleycorn-style post housed in a steel hood, which provides the vertical adjustment. They have a robust, military feel about them, adding yet another influence to this extraordinary rifle. I can’t see the use for open sights on a rifle like this and if it were mine, I’d take them off and put them somewhere safe, so that the rifle had neater lines.

IN ACTION Working the action had a nice

“those looking for a high-performance PCP that isn’t the same as everybody else’s, I suggest that you seek this rifle out” Off the shoulder the Stinger has an unusual feel.

SPECIFICATION Manufacturer Samyang Importer A C Guns Web www.acguns.co.uk Tel 01424 752261 Model Sumatra Stinger carbine Type Pre-charged pneumatic Action Lever action, multi-shot Trigger Two-stage, adjustable Length 35” Weight 7lbs Fill pressure 190bar Shots per fill 120 in .22 (90 in .177)

RRP £560.00 40

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My test gun liked the Weihrauch F&T Special in .22.

snappy feel, with the magazine cycling reliably every time. I had no jams or difficulties with it at all. A C Guns has their own magazines, made in the UK from a clear, synthetic material for the reason that the standard mags’ are designed to work with the super-heavyweights that the high-power guns usually use. The new mag is designed for the pellets we commonly use, and they are fed skirt first, something I found no trouble doing. I like the simplicity of the mag; there really is nothing to go wrong. Replacements are cheap at £18.50, so I’d get a couple of spares and load them before I set off hunting. Holding just six shots, they sit flush with the action and won’t interfere with scope mounting, which is good news. With everything set up to my liking I started shooting groups. To my surprise, the Stinger didn’t like

Filling the dual-reservoirs was simple through the Forster male fitting.

the Air Arms Field, so I worked my way though the usual suspects and two old favourites soon came to my rescue. The RWS Super Dome and Weihrauch F&T Specials started showing the kind of groups I was hoping for. At 30 yards they were both producing sub 1” groups, even in an unsteady breeze. The firing cycle had a noticeable spring noise and there’s felt recoil from the hammer’s motion, but these didn’t affect accuracy. The trigger was set a little heavier than I’d have liked, but again, this didn’t stop me getting the accuracy I demand from a hunting gun. With my confidence in the rifle established, I took a short stroll around the farmyard hoping that a rat would be silly enough to show its face, but with the countryside offering every kind of foodstuff they might want, I saw not one. This isn’t a gun for everybody, but for those looking for a high-performance PCP that isn’t the same as everybody else’s, I suggest that you seek this rifle out. It’s good value for money, reliable and accurate. It might be just what you were looking for. ■

Pellets are loaded skirt first into the magazine.

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NIGEL JONES “The prospect of some goodquality airgunning was well and truly on the cards”

Some shots were ridiculously steep but I was confident.

Gathering silage-scoffers by the handful.

he last few month’s features have seen me having a real go at grey squirrels and rats, but my squirrel patrols are coming to an end, for now, and my recent ratty raids have been a success because I am definitely on course to complete my pest control quest against the scaly tails, but another pest problem has started. Richard, the cattle farmer, gave me a call the other day, and I already knew why he was calling. It’s the time of year for me to go

T

into battle again against avian quarry. I absolutely love farmyard pest control, and the opportunities it brings to us air rifle hunters. I always make sure that I’m available around late July to early August for farmyard forays to commence, and most of my farmers know when to expect me to be on call. Richard told me that there were woodpigeons all over his maize silage, and magpies, plus the crows were back, too, so as I got off the phone, I decided to go and

investigate. It’s always a good idea to go along without your rifle, to check out the problem at hand, and do a full recce of the situation. Doing this ensures that I will have a foolproof plan in place and I carry out my pest control duties to the full. Yes, I do take my role seriously, but it means a great deal to me and I’d hate to let the farmers, or myself, down.

A VIEW TO A SKILL I check out all possible sitty-trees, if

Nigel Jones is on pigeon patrol around the farmyard the quarry are using them before they plan their attack on the farmyard’s free meals. Doing this is a good idea because sometimes I have to build hides underneath these trees to take down one or two birds before they head into the yard. I also check which cattle sheds they’re hitting, so that I can hide inside to gain a few opportunities. However, on this occasion, the avian quarry were all over the place and they didn’t seem fazed at the prospect of farm vehicles moving around, so I went back to the car park, jumped into my 4×4 and drove around the yard, to test them. They weren’t disturbed at all, so I put a plan in place; a drivearound approach for my first few visits, and some ambushing from the car, too. The prospect of some good-quality airgunning was well and truly on the cards for me and my Ultimate Sporter. Recently, I have made a few changes to my air rifle combos and one of them was to move the Bushnell Trophy XLT 4-12 × 40 from the Air Arms TDR to my Ultimate Sporter. This particular scope has suited me more of late, and has proved it on the target cards by tightening my groups even more, so with my plans for the remainder of the year to use the Ultimate Sporter, it made sense to put the scope that’s performing best onto my main rifle. Don’t get me wrong here, the Bushnell Legend that I have removed from the S510 has performed perfectly for me for the last eight months, but I always strive for better quality that suits my hunting, and the XLT offers a good all-round performance. Also, this scope has performed 100%

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EVERYDAY HUNTER

One down, about a zillion to go!

alongside my Nite-Site Wolf night vision unit.

LAST FEED TACTICS I arrived at the yard at 4.30pm because my plan was to hit the quarry on their last feed of the day before they went to roost. The farm workers finish at around 6.30pm, having mixed up feed and put it out for cattle throughout the night. It’s a bit annoying, but I have no choice and allow the farm workers to go about their business, knowing that come 6.30pm the farmyard is all mine until dusk at around 9.30pm. This should give me

enough time to build a good bag of woodies and magpies. As I saw the last farm vehicle make its final round and then park up at the top of the yard, I started to get ready, loading my 10-shot magazine with Air Arms Field pellets. I didn’t opt for any camouflage clothing because I was driving; the yard and the quarry see farm workers in overalls all day, so I decided to put on my lightweight fleece top, and plain green trousers with wellies. I jumped into the car, started the engine and began my rounds. On entering the yard, I could see three woodpigeons sitting on the dead branches of a large old oak, so I crept the slowly toward the tree, leaving myself a 20-yard angled shot. I carefully pressed through the Ultimate’s sweet, two-stage trigger, aiming under for the shot, and sent the pellet on its way. The connection was perfect as the woodie dive-bombed to the floor, stone dead. What a shot that was! The bird must have dropped at least 25 feet before it hit the ground. After picking up the woodie, I drove on hoping to find another chance, and I did in the form of a collared dove, sitting nicely at the back of a cattle shed. After making sure the shot was

“What a shot that was! The bird must have dropped at least 25 feet”

Taking advantage of a rest wherever possible.

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safe to take, I dropped the grain-gobbling pest with a swift blow to the head with another Air Arms pellet. Now with two in the bag, I was feeling confident of gaining double figures for the session because there were plenty about the yard.

AMBUSH For the next hour, I decided to park up and ambush some really tall conifer trees that the woodpigeons were paying a lot of attention to, so I hoped I could bag one or two here. After about five minutes, my idea paid off as a plump woodie swooped in and landed right at the top – it’s amazing how these large birds can balance on such small branches. I took, placed the cross hairs firmly on its head, with just a touch of hold-under, and released the shot. Smack! This certain shot hit with a thump, and the woodie My feeding flock of deeks worked well for me.

tumbled through the branches, but to my disappointment it didn’t fall all the way down, getting stuck in the thick foliage of the conifers. I climbed out of the car to go and investigate, and made sure my rifle was safe by putting it away for now. I was lucky and found the bird stuck a couple of feet above my head at the back end, Phew! I was just about able to reach far enough to collect my kill, revealing a perfect head-shot. My small ambush session had been a success and I managed to add another two woodies to the game bag, but it was time to move on and relocate to the maize silage to which the avian quarry were paying a heck of attention.

SILAGE SPORT As I drove past the opening of the silage, at least five birds took flight, but one magpie was still there,

EVERYDAY HUNTER

All the gear ... and plenty of ideas!

munching away, so I very carefully and slowly raised the Ultimate Sporter without spooking the maggie, and delivered a hardhitting shot to its head, dropping the verminous pest to the floor, and with a few last twitches it was confirmed stone dead. I quickly went to collect my kill and decided it would be a good idea to place all my shot quarry out as decoys. This would tempt more incoming birds, and with a magpie set out, it would instill confidence for them to land just where I wanted them. I positioned the car, after checking the range using my

Recycling my kills into decoys.

Bushnell Fusion range-finding binos. The digital readout confirmed 28 yards to the maize. That will do for me. I waited for more incoming vermin and it wasn’t long before a woodie dropped nicely on top of the silage. The shot was about 30 yards, which was right on my zero, so I aimed dead-on and pressed through the Ultimate’s crisp, two-stage trigger to release my high-speed payload to its mark. Thwack! The woodpigeon dropped for sure, but fell down the back of the silage. I quickly ran round to the other side of the yard to retrieve

These Bushnell range-finding binoculars are a great anti-vermin tool.

my kill, and then placed it out as another decoy. The next ten minutes saw me add another magpie to the decoy pattern, and a jackdaw. My job was almost done, but the woodies kept coming. The sweetcorn in the silage was driving them batty and they became less cautious in their efforts to get at the scrumptious grains.

There’s so much for them to eat in silage - no wonder they love it.

ALL TO PLAN The remainder of my farmyard hunting foray went to plan, and I added a further four woodies to the bag, with just a couple of misses. When the quarry lands, and if you let it settle, you get head’s bobbing up and down all over the place, and

that resulted in me choking a few shots, but that’s hunting for you. Until next month: good luck and be safe. ■

“The sweetcorn in the silage was driving them batty” A few dozen patrols like this one and I’ll really start to make a dent in the flying vermin.

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UMAREX BOYS CLUB

FROM RUSSIA WITH SHOVE The UBC’s Kevin (Combat Gerbil) Cudmore trials the Baikal MP514K springer ’ve had a run of bad luck with Co2-powered rifle types, so I decided to try something with a bit of recoil, in the form of this quirky Russian overlever. The springpowered MP514K has been around for quite a while, reviews seemed to be largely good, which was promising, and knowing Baikal, I was reasonably sure that it would be built like a tank. Build quality is surprisingly good. The gun feels solid and weighty, weighing in at 5.5lbs, and it has a good-quality polymer outer; I’d guess the same polymer as used in their cartridge firearms, such as the MP161 rifle. It has a finely grooved, rifled barrel too which appears to be of excellent quality.

I

OVERVIEW The sights, which some seem to criticise, appear pretty reasonable to me, and are adjustable for both windage and elevation. If you have

used a Mini Uzi, or any other rifle with peep sights, they will be familiar. Elevation is a simple, dial-type screw with positive clicks, but no markings. Windage is slightly fiddlier because the steel sight blade is held with two screws, which must be loosened to slide the blade to the desired position. I’ll probably put a red dot on it later because there is a decent-length Picatinny rail up top. The trigger is a light and crisp, single-stage affair, and it has a self-setting safety in front of the trigger, plus over-lever-style cocking with anti-bear trap ratchet mechanism, which is reasonably easy to use, but for me, not being used to a springer, is a bit of a workout over longer shooting periods. The rifle comes with two eight-shot plastic pellet mags, similar in style to Umarex mags,

Sound advice.

and one 10-round, spring-fed BB mag, which uses a novel design solution to the problem of a BB mag in this type of loading mechanism. There is also the typical, steel, Baikal cleaning rod in the box, and some may also come with a spare mainspring. There is, of course, a large amount of steel in this rifle. All of

the internals are steel; the only plastic is the outer stock and most of the rear sight, while the front sight is moulded into the top receiver. There is also a rubber butt pad. The stock has a stippled finish, a little like fine sharkskin with a slightly rough feel, and it appears to have been hand finished, in that all the flashings

The Baikal MP514K. It’s all sorts of quirky, and all the better for it.

“All of the internals are steel, the only plastic is the outer stock and most of the rear sight.” www.airgunshooting.co.uk

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UMAREX BOYS CLUB

“Each rifle is test-fired before packaging, too.” The Baikal’s ‘distinctive’ safety catch.

have been trimmed away by hand.

INSTRUCTIONS The instruction manual is fairly comprehensive in both English and, as you would expect, Russian, and even gives stripdown details and schematics. The manual is also stamped and signed by the fellow who put it together, and despite being newly purchased was actually made back in 2011, according to the stamps and signatures. Apparently, each rifle is test-fired before packaging, too. I would believe this to be true because the installed pellet mag’ had signs of use.

push you could always paint some numbers on the outside of the pellet mag’s.

COCKING METHOD Cocking is done by pushing a release button on the left side near the front of the stock; you brace the gun in your hip and pull the barrel and lower stock apart, over-lever style. This also indexes the mag’, pushes a pellet/BB into the breech,

The Baikal magazine (right) compared to a couple of Umarex ones.

and sets the trigger safety, you then close the barrel down to latch back into place. Once you’re sighted up, simply flick the safety forward with your trigger finger and you’re ready to fire.

VERDICT It is quite a lovely little rifle, in my opinion; surprisingly comfortable to hold, considering its diminutive size, and it’s well balanced - for

me - and accurate. It’s a bit of a workout to cock, but I’m sure I’ll get the knack of it with use. It was dieseling like a freight train, out of the box, but that is starting to dissipate as it breaks in. If you like quirky airguns, and want something that is accurate, with reasonable power, is multi-shot and multi-ammo, you could do far worse than picking up one of these. ■

HOW DOES IT SHOOT? So, on to how it shoots. Pretty well, actually. Power is around 5 ft. lbs. (7-7.5 joules) and accuracy is good. The targets were shot with the stock sights at seven yards, with Geco pellets, by someone who hasn’t shot a springer for over 20 years. The recoil is not too harsh, and the gun is relatively quiet, too, making it okay to shoot indoors and in my garden. You have to keep count of your shots, of course, because you don’t want to dry fire. Some sort of visible counter on the mag’s would have been nice, but I suppose at a

“It is quite a lovely little rifle, in my opinion; surprisingly comfortable to hold” Eight shots at 7 yards, open sights. Not bad at all.

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SPRING-GUN CELEBRATION

The ever-popular Air Arms TX200, sporting some seriously sexy woodwork, too.

BASH -TASTIC! Antonio Lembo invites us to an airgunning get-together at the Quigley Hollow AGC

he ‘Boinger Bash’, is a two-day meeting of like-minded spring-gun enthusiasts from around the country, conceived by members of the Airgun BBS online forum, and organised by the event’s host, Mick Furniss. The star attraction of the first meeting back in 2013 was a scaled down version of the ‘Quigley’ bucket, made famous in the film ‘Quigley Down Under’. Due to the popularity of the Quigley bucket target, the phrase ‘Quigley Hollow’ was coined by one of the ‘Boingermen’ as we

T

The selection of boingers at the Bash is a springer enthusiast’s dream.

have come to be known. Quigley Hollow stuck and is now the affectionate title for the site, and a little earlier this year, Mick officially formed The Quigley Hollow Airgun Club. So, from a few springer enthusiasts’ yearning for an informal, casual meet, our little concept has now grown into something a little larger and is highly valued among the springer fraternity.

MANY AND VARIED The guns that have appeared at the six Bash events held so far

“the vast majority are hometuned by the enthusiast”

Proper grub, superb company, shelter from anything inclement and a ton of lovely springs to play with. Paradise at Quigley Hollow!

could not be more varied. There are, as one would expect, large numbers of modern Weihrauch and Air Arms rifles; some standard, some professionally tuned, but the vast majority are home-tuned by the enthusiast. We see rifles that have been shortstroked, reduced cylinder bore, aluminium pistons, skirtless pistons. Some of the rifles tuned by the ‘shed tuners’ beggar belief with their sublime, super-sweetshot cycles. It’s each to their own, though, and due to the informal nature of the meets, people are

not out of place even if they bring along just the one budget gun. People bring their Chinese rifles, many of which have been tinkered with, and we see many Meteors in attendance. Lots of lovely classic rifles of yesteryear appear, from vintage BSAs to the more modern Airsporters, Mercuries, Vulcans and so on. Many rescued project rifles make their presence felt, and most of these would have been destined for the scrap bin by their previous owners, but the Boingermen resurrect them; some

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THE BOINGER BASH PEOPLE POWER

My beloved Kestock Predator always gets an outing at the Bash.

are also restored to their cosmetic beauty.

CHERISHED AND RARE The ever-cherished Feinwekbau Sport always seems quite popular and then we see examples of very rare rifles, like the Whiscombes, Parks and Sterlings of the world. A Venom Lazaglided, Airmasters FTS stocked HW77 came to visit us recently, complete with Venom Mach 1 trigger unit - rare and an absolute joy. People bring along examples of guns that didn’t sell so well and therefore exist in fewer numbers, like the ASI Statical. Exotic match rifles are always present, too; not only springpowered works of mechanical art, like the FWB300, but also pre-charged and single-stroke pneumatic versions. Even though the event is mainly centred on the

spring-piston design, other power plants are not excluded and we see plenty of gas-ram, PCP and Co2 guns. The main interest and spirit is focused on the spring gun, though, and for good reason.

EASY ACCESS A springer is accessible to all. Available at all budgets, and self-contained so there is never any need to worry about an external air supply system or CO2 capsules. Most have a basic, easy to understand, power plant, lending itself to home servicing, repairing and tuning, but most of all, it’s the springer’s enduring feel and character that wins so many fans. Competition shooters the world over, and countless owner-enthusiasts have demonstrated that the springer can be every bit as accurate as its It’s all action at the Hollow!

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pneumatic competition. It’s just less forgiving and punishes poor technique, but the results are there to be had. The springer has a heart, a soul and a feel that the recoilless rifles, for many, cannot provide. Most springers can be easily and quickly dismantled, serviced or repaired with basic tools and just a whiff of mechanical understanding. The sense of achievement in being able to strip the gun, hand-finish the internal fit of the components, maybe replace some parts and

More than anything else, though, it’s the people that make these events the very special resource that they are. Ages vary from youngsters who have come with their parents, right up to some shooters in their late ‘70s, and all, without exception, love the friendly, uncompetitive nature of these meets. At our last gathering, we even had the smiling young baby, Eleanor, at just seven months old. Talk about starting them young! Many, many long-term friendships have been forged at The Hollow; friendships that will endure and stand the test of time, as we like-minded, passionate enthusiasts share a common bond. That bond is the love of the humble spring-powered air rifle, its simplicity and its ability to bring together so many different people from all walks of life. Some of the attendees travel from as far afield as Scotland and Cornwall to be a part of this very special little thing that we’ve started.

COME AND STAY Camping availability is provided by our hosts - Mick, and his lovely wife, Shirley, and for a mere £20, people can just come for the day or the whole weekend. Some even arrive as early as the Wednesday and stay until the following

“That bond is the love of the humble, spring-powered air rifle” end up with a rifle shooting more smoothly than when it left the factory puts a smile on the user’s face. All age groups welcome, from 7 months to 70 years, plus all ages between and beyond.

Monday and make a mini-holiday out of their visit to Quigley Hollow. So, that can be as much as five or six nights camping and four or five

This is the cherished family conveyance of our landlord, Mick Furniss. What a tribute to this country’s automotive heritage it is. (Cough!)

HOW THE BOINGER BASH BEGAN A number of spring-gun enthusiasts on the Airgun BBS dreamed of having a gathering, so that we could all meet and talk about our beloved springers, to shoot, discuss methods of improving them, and share ideas. For some time, various potential venues were discussed, and it was agreed that if this meet were to attract enthusiasts from all corners of the UK, a central location would be the fairest - but where? Various potential venues and existing clubs were proposed, all unsuitable, but eventually, Mick Furniss, learned engineer, airgun guru, all-round nice and helpful bloke, and BBS member, offered up an idea, and in conjunction with Airgun World’s very own technical writer, Jim Tyler, Mick came up with a

days shooting for just £20. Every night a bonfire is lit, the Boingerpeople gather and much merriment and banter is to be had. We even have our own guardian angel, Captain Bongo, providing hot-water bottles and KitKats to the needy. Show me anything that’s better value than that! Safety, of course, is right at the very top of the priority list, but the emphasis is firmly on these events being casual and informal, and the main buzzword is fun.

formula. Mick invited everyone interested to his stunning venue located in the very centre of England, in the beautiful Warwickshire countryside. It would grant accessibility to as many people as possible, and rather than having a rabble of enthusiasts trying to organise such a meet, Mick offered to organise the whole lot; insurance, catering, making targets, parking arrangements, camping, toilet facilities …the lot. So, a thread was started on the forum to gauge interest, and after a short while it had gained sufficient attention to warrant the meet, and the very first Spring Gun Gathering was on. That was six meets ago, and we’re counting the days until the next one!

and how welcome they are made to feel. It must be the spirit of the Boing! Whether you are already a fan of the springer, a total newcomer without a gun, or just a fan of airguns in general, why not come along to one of these very special events and immerse yourself in all things airgun? The next meeting is planned for the first week in September, and you can find up to date details on http://www. airgunbbs.com. ■ An Airmasters HW77 FTS. Nice.

WINNERS ALL It is evident that the Quigley Hollow meets have discovered a winning formula, because many people make the return visit, and some have attended each and every meet. Those who miss the odd event regret not being able to come, but actively join in the banter on the thread on the BBS, and every newcomer that attends remarks on what a fantastic, fun, friendly and informal event it is

The infamous Quigley bucket. More than just a target - mastery of it is something to which the Boingers aspire.

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KNIVES

STABLE MATE Phill Price asks, does this new asstrom is an interesting company that has its roots firmly in Scandinavia and yet produces many products ideal for the UK market. Their knives have a strong Scandi’ influence, but over time have gently moved toward British tastes, and I’ll freely admit that browsing their catalogue is something I find a pleasure. A while ago, they told me of a large investment they were making in a technology that drives an acrylic material all the way through wood, stabilising it against the damage caused by moisture. Cracking, warping and rot would soon be things of the past.

C

FEEL AND BALANCE The Scandinavians love ‘natural’ products such as leather and wood, so the practical, strong and durable, yet boring materials like Micarta just don’t float their boat, so Casstrom hoped that by making their favourite woods, like curly birch, super-tough they’d create a new market. What they’d have is wood that can survive almost anything. Their No 10 Swedish Forest Knife is one of my favourites, having a feel and balance that I find hard to beat. The option I selected uses Sandvik 14c28N stainless steel with a flat grind, which I find perfect for game preparation. I use mine for everything from pigeons to deer and trout. However, mine wears a Micarta handle, which isn’t the prettiest thing. The knife on test has the same blade, but with a stunning, curly birch handle that can be scrubbed in hot, soapy water with no ill effects at all.

IDEAL GAME BLADE The blade profile is a modified drop-point that I feel is the ideal game blade. It’s ‘pointy’ enough for delicate little cuts, whilst the deep belly works well for skinning.

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technology make the ultimate knife? Being a flat grind, it slips through meat and skin with ease, making it a safe knife with which to work on any animal or bird. Another typical Scandi’ feature is the lovely, heavy, 3mm-thick, vegetable-tanned leather sheath. This has a traditional, crafted feeling that relies on friction to hold the knife safely. Because the knife sits low inside, I felt no concern that it might fall out and be lost in the field. For me, this new wood technology is exciting. I love the traditional look and feel of wood, steel and leather, whether that’s in a gun or a knife. Sure, stainless actions and synthetic stocks are becoming common, but who doesn’t love their granddad’s shotgun and the leather case it lived in? I think that this technology allied to a stainless steel blade gives us the best of both worlds in a visually pleasing package that can still do all the hard work in the field. This could be the beginning of something beautiful. ■ www.casstrom.com RRP £99.95

“What they’d have is wood that can survive almost anything” www.airgunshooting.co.uk

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COLT PYTHON I was happily impressed with the Python’s accuracy.

SNAKES

ALIVE

Phill Price is pleasantly surprised by this big beast ack before fullbore handguns were banned in the UK, the .357 Colt Python held legendary status with revolver aficionados. It was the .357 magnum and people loved them. They were big, strong guns, well capable of taking the punishment dished out by this violent, high-pressure cartridge. They were beautifully built and

B

You have the choice of bright nickel or a blacked finish.

had a lovely finish to complete the package. The Umarex replica captures those features and interestingly, comes fitted with replica Pachmayr combat-style grips, rather then the traditional, flared wooden ones that were standard for decades. These change the look of the revolver and also the

feel, because they’re pretty big and this isn’t a gun for small hands. The sights are conventional combat-style ones with the rear being blacked and the front chrome, like the rest of the metalwork. These worked well against a black target bull, but I did find the sun reflected off the front sight in bright weather. If it were mine, I’d run some matte white paint along the ribbed surface to eliminate the shine. Being the 6” version, the sight base is long, adding precision to the sight picture.

LIGHT ACTION The trigger operates in single- and

double-action, with the single action being particularly sweet. Cocking the hammer with your thumb allows for a short and light action that makes accurate shooting far e asier. Like most guns of this type it’s powered by a 12-gramme Co2 capsule which lives inside the grips. What’s a little less common is that it’s installed by using the large Allen key supplied to unscrew a cap in the base of the grips. You then drop the capsule in, narrow end first, and then refit the cap using only light pressure to seat the capsule onto the piercing spike at the top, which allows the gas to flow into the action. To add realism to the shooting experience, the Python uses

4.5mm BBs are pressed into the fake bullet.

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READERS RIFLE

“The Python was producing close to 400 fps which is a lot for a gun in this class” SPECIFICATION Manufacturer Umarex Importer Armex Web www.armex-airgun.co.uk Tel 0121 643 4900 Model Python .357 Type Revolver Power source 12 gramme Co2 Length 11½” (29.2cm) Weight 2.5 lbs (1.12kg)

BLACK £119.99 NICKEL £129.99 Loading is just like the real thing.

dummy cartridges that accept a BB in the front opening of the soft, synthetic material that represents the bullet. Once all six are loaded you can drop them, one by one, into the chambers, or use the speed loader supplied in the kit to load all six at once. An interesting feature of the Python is that the tab, which unlocks the cylinder from the frame, moves to the back, rather than the more conventional forward movement. With everything ready, I set out a target at six yards and started shooting in single-action mode, and I was immediately happy and

surprised at just how accurate I was with this revolver. BB revolvers aren’t known as tack-drivers but this one was a winner. The centre of the group was about 1¼” low of my aim point, but the groups were under an inch, with the occasional flyer which might well have been down to my bad technique. I was genuinely impressed. I then tried shooting in double-action mode, which is always much more difficult and, again, I was surprised at just how well I did. The group centre dropped lower still and more to the

right, but this is quite typical when shooting in double-action. The extra effort needed to pull the trigger to cock the hammer and cycle the cylinder before the shot is released tends to move you off the perfect aim. During this test, I noticed just how loudly the 4.5mm steel BBs were ringing my steel target holder, even denting it. Over the chronograph the answer became clear. The Python was producing close to 400 fps, which is a lot for a gun in this class. Perhaps the longer barrel was making good use of the Co2 pressure. This velocity is close to 30fps higher than claimed on the

box. This is a big handful of revolver with the performance to match. Anybody looking to add a Colt revolver to a collection would be well advised to have a good look at this. ■ A 12 gramme Co2 capsule fits inside the grips.

The box contains the dummy cartridges, BBs and the hex driver for the cap alongside the speed-loader.

A hex driver screws on the cap that holds the capusle.

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HUNTING DIY

FOOD FOR THOUGHT The spiral spring cost just a few quid.

All the components ready to go.

We cut a 1” hole on the bottom.

Gary Wain knows how to get the rats where he wants them f you’ve read my other articles you’ll know that I have something of a rat problem over here in my sunny little corner of Lincolnshire. So far, I’ve been able to keep them at bay by using the night vision system I built, but as the days grow longer and it appears that the rats grow wiser, it’s been necessary to think outside the box and up my game a bit, as it were. After a chat with my good friend, Jim, we thought we thought that a feeder device of some sort might tempt the rats out during daylight, and perhaps serve

I

to highlight other vermin that could grow into a potential problem if left unchecked. After some time wandering the Interweb and looking at the

the fields, my aim was not to shoot these because doing so with a sub 12 ft.lbs. air rifle is not the best idea in the world, even when they are in season. Rather, my

“we alighted on the idea of a simple, pheasant feeder” various options, we alighted on the idea of a simple, pheasant feeder. By the nature of its design, it would dispense grain when the spring was knocked, and although it would attract pheasants in from

The spring viewed from inside.

intention was to keep the rats engaged in one specific area, away from the house and outbuildings. It’s also great that the feeder would negate the need for me to bait up each day

because a plentiful supply of grain would be automatically dispensed. As a by-product, and with an eye towards conservation, we were also hopeful that it might help us to keep down the numbers of corvids that are decimating the hedge bird population in this area. The feeder has three main components; the container itself, the legs, and the all-important, spiral, spring-feeding device, all of which are held together by some sturdy, zinc-coated coach bolts. For the barrel, we chose a 40-litre container that had previously been used to transport chutney; a tentative sniff inside,

Here, we see the spring in place.

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HUNTING DIY We’ll treat cut surfaces later.

The legs were cut at an angle to aid stability.

and a few minutes of retching afterwards, confirmed this to be true. To be honest, any sturdy container with a lid that can be sealed or screwed down will suffice, and you can make your feeder as big or as small as you like. As this one would only be going into the edge of the garden, and not miles away, we could make it small because we wouldn’t exactly be dragging bags of grain for miles when it came time to fill it up. For the legs, I used some treated timber left over from another job. The size and height of the feeder you intend to make will determine the size of timber you use; we found that a six-foot length of 55mm x 55mm (approx. 2”x2”) was fine for our needs. That left the all-important, spiral spring feeder. Again, the good old Interweb was able to provide, with the example shown costing us just

a few quid. The idea, of course, is that the grain within the barrel funnels down and fills the internal aspect of the spiral spring, which when knocked either accidently or deliberately by a critter, will dispense a quantity of grain from between the turns of the spring. This attracts attention, which results in more activations of the spring and more feed being

AIRGUN WORLD

when I nearly beaned up. With the barrel washed and rinsed, the next job was to drill a hole in bottom large enough for the spiral of our feeder to pass though, and two smaller holes that lined up with the retaining holes in the spring flange. With the spring in place, it was then time to cut the wood for the legs. Having first tried

“the local vermin and critters had grown accustomed to there being food in that location” dispensed.

THE BUILD While getting the tools together, we found a need for a decent rough saw, a 1” diameter hole drill, a socket set or spanner, and a large-headed screwdriver. A good workbench, or in our case, a Workmate also came in handy. You’ll notice that we haven’t

After test fitting everything is tightened down.

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included anything with which to take measurements. If you’re the sort who likes squares and rulers, then by all means knock yourself out and measure everything up precisely. On this occasion, though, we found it unnecessary to be that precise and chose to use the good old ‘Mark 1 Eyeball’. In its past travels, the chutney barrel had spent some time out in

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the sun and fermented the remnants of its pickled, spicy contents, so with this in mind, the first job was to give it a damn good wash out. I thought the smell might not be encouraging to the intended wildlife, and also, it would be nice to be able to work with the barrel without the stench causing my eyes to sting, and it making me retch to the point

Not bad for a first go. Now to paint it up.

unsuccessfully to support the wood on the side of an old railway sleeper, it was decided that it was best to stop being lazy and dig the Workmate out of the shed; the job now properly supported so things became much easier. I chose to angle the cuts by a small amount, because this would cause the legs to splay out a little and so add stability to the feeder.

HUNTING DIY

Not a single rule or measure was used in the making of this feeder.

Once all the legs had been cut, it was just a matter of offering them up to the convenient rim on the edge of the barrel, roughly marking where the holes would need to be drilled to hold them in place. I chose to use a pair of zinc-plated coach bolts for each leg, but if you’re intending to build a bigger feeder, you may wish to use more. The only real decision that had to be made, aside from the size of the barrel, was how high off the ground to place the feeder, or in other words, how long to make the legs. Opinion on this matter seems to be divided into three main camps; the first group believed it should be low so that the feeding animals knock their heads on the spring, causing grain to be released. The second group were adamant that it should be higher so that the animal pecked at it, to the same effect, and the third

group thought that it’s all a load of old tosh and that, cosmically speaking, it doesn’t really matter. In the end, it was decided to keep the feeder quite high, the rationale being that the legs could always be made shorter if the need arose.

FUNCTION FULFILLED Filling the feeder with a bag of grain and twanging the spring confirmed that the assembled feeder would surely perform its function. The final touch was to give it the good news with a can of spray paint in a colour more befitting its surroundings. I’m not sure whether the green makes it more acceptable to the wildlife, but it certainly makes it more acceptable to my good lady who, for reasons I fail to understand, didn’t seem too keen on having a red and blue ‘Sputnik’ at the end of the garden. I chose to position the feeder at

Whether it matters to the wildlife or not, it keeps it out of sight for me.

My good friend, Jim, fixes the legs in place.

the corner of the land opposite the summerhouse I had previously used to shoot rats from. The reasons for this were twofold; firstly as a result of many months baiting rats, the local vermin and critters had grown accustomed to there being food in that location, and secondly, the summerhouse I had used throughout the winter

had proved a very comfortable and practical place to shoot from, offering protection from the elements as well as a degree of concealment. It has to be said, if the vermin failed to show, it would at least prove to be a very comfortable and cosy place to while away the time with a copy of Airgun World. ■

The mean, green critterbaiting machine.

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DR FINLEY

DR FINLEY

A sucessful left-hand shot was very satisfying.

BACK IN THE GAME! PART2

Tim Finley brings us part two of getting his old pal airgunning again ou’ll know from last time that Tom was missing an airgun from his pest control armoury, so I supplied him with a BSA Lightning and a Hawke scope. Tom’s brand new springer was now zeroed in, and the job he had for us to do

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large, metal storage bin where the shooter sits on a pile of logs, so I augmented it a little, to break up my head silhouette, by placing some logs along the top of the bin. The logs were a bit precarious for Tom, so he was over to my right

keep your wits about you and constantly check around any potential shooting areas. I had already made my mind up not to shoot at a rat if there were any chickens within a foot or so of the vermin. The chickens and rats

OVER WATCH

So, with the feed out we took to our silent vigil. I took the time to scan the area and see how the

“Tom had a clear head-on shot from his position so I left it alone” was at his nephew’s allotment. He has free-range chickens roaming around and the amount of feed about on the ground attracted vermin. Rats were feeding on the chicken feed. With other animals about, using poisoned bait was out of the question, and such random killing is not the right way to control the rats. He’d had some success with his own airgun, but as we had new guns and scopes to test out, we thought we’d kill two birds with one stone and do some good for Michael on his allotment. He had two perfect shooting spots, and one was behind a

sitting on a plastic chair, partially obscured by an old van and a discarded rabbit hutch. He always brings his face veil so he was quite inconspicuous to any rat - i.e. not a recognisable human shape. I was okay, too, because the area above the log pile was covered and casting a shadow over me. To tempt them out, Michael had put out chicken feed in the regular places, and Michael’s wife had given us a ‘Scarborough’ warning when we called for him, telling us not to shoot her beloved chickens. It’s not a daft warning because with the birds wandering willy and indeed nilly around, you have to

tend to avoid one another, but you never know.

blue, glass-etched MAP6A reticle stood out against all the various

The two amigos.

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DR FINLEY

There were other animals around that we had to take care to avoid.

Tom took advantage of support for his elbow.

backdrops around the allotment. From dark corners to bright sunshine, the reticle was clearly visible - nice. Soon Mr Rat poked out a snout from under a pile of roof tiles, only for a second because he was checking out the lie of the land. Then another one approached from under a pile of wooden pallets to my left. Tom had a clear head-on shot from his position so I left it alone; I could only see its snout. The muffled report of the BSA Lightning was drowned out by a loud smack as the .177 pellet struck home. We came out of our hides because we were writing up the job for this article, and Mr Rat was dead, but out of reach back under the pallets, so there was no photo. We returned to our respective sentinel positions. The rat I had seen under the roof tiles then scurried over the large, central, open space. Obviously, it had seen the fate of its companion and decided to change feeding locale, but I was perched somewhat precariously on the pile of logs

and facing to the right, and had no way of changing my shooting position, so I made the instant decision to change shooting

AIRGUN WORLD

TWO RAT DAY We stayed a bit longer, but we had

“It was an easy, side-on shot to the brain, and the .22 pellet smacked home” shoulders and take a left-handed shot. Resting on the metal storage bin made it easier to keep in a stable shooting position, and the Lightning SE has an ambidextrous stock. I also shoot a lot of so-called ‘weak-shoulder’ stages in Mini Rifle competitions so it doesn’t feel too alien. As I got into the ‘lefty’ shooting position, Mr Rat came out into the open, and I was totally confident before I took the shot. That’s the thing when hunting; if you have any niggling doubts at all about the shot you are about to take on a living thing, do not take the shot, ever! It was an easy, side-on shot to the brain, and the .22 pellet smacked home with what seemed a somewhat louder noise than Tom’s shot with the

One fewer feed-stealing rodent.

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smaller .177 pellet.

he had known we were there and was keen to see if we had made any dent in the rat population. It’s a small village and everyone knows everyone, and Tom has always encouraged young shooters, so now he had an airgun again, he could give the lad a safe introduction to airgun shooting. It went to prove again that an airgun does have a very valid place in any pest controller’s array of tools, and I was also pleased that I’d taken a clean, weak-shoulder shot. The Lighting continues to impress me and Tom was very happy with his new gun; the scope was new to

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shot the only two rats we saw, we called it a day – well, almost. As we were locking up behind us, we ran into a young lad out with his Jack Russell. He knew Michael and asked us how we had got on;

him so we set off to the next test, but more of that next time. ■ BSA Lightning SE RRP £290 Hawke Scopes www. hawkeoptics. com

Tom was off to my left.

2013 winner for - 8x32, 2012 winner for 10x42

PEST CONTROL

PAYING

YOUR DUES

Clearance pest control is a far cry from one for the pot, but Gerard MacConnachie never says no to a job

hirty years ago, I could only dream of the network of contacts and shooting permissions which age and experience have subsequently bestowed upon me. Back then, finding somewhere to shoot was hard; what rightthinking farmer would allow the grunting stranger at the door, who’s just interrupted his dinner, to go wandering around his land with a gun? That’s where we all start, though, so if that’s where you are right now, stop whining and get on with it. You’ll find somewhere if you just stick at it, and from that point, if you’re a true airgun enthusiast, you’ll meet new people and find new permissions. Ironically, getting older has meant I no longer leap at the

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chance of every new shooting opportunity. Today, I hunt for reasons other than hitting as many targets as possible, but sometimes, someone in your network may call upon you to

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help, and help you must - and with gratitude.

ANSWERING THE CALL The call came from the gaffer at a cement works, who said they were

Just keep still for a second or two ...

plagued with feral pigeons to such an extent that they were literally fouling the interior of the ‘bait hut’ where the lads stop to take their break and eat their packed lunch. Sure enough, a quick recce revealed that the air was thick with the feathered vermin; what’s more, they paid not the slightest attention to the cement mixer wagons coming and going, the din of the plant, or the men going about their daily business. The birds were everywhere - and the mess they made was all too obvious. So, after obtaining a set of keys, a windless, balmy evening was chosen and I set about getting into the right mindset; this was an important job I was doing, I was going to do it well, and by the time

PEST CONTROL I just had to graft it out, bird by bird.

container, waiting, and getting my gear together. For this job, I’d brought along my Weihrauch HW100 in .177, fed with JSB Exact Heavies. I love the flatter trajectory of the smaller calibre, the higher velocity, and the HW100 is quite ridiculously accurate. At 10.34 grains, the JSBs pack a huge punch relative to their diminutive size, and I think overall this is my favourite - and most effective - hunting rig.

FIRST TARGET The first target presented itself in fairly short order: a greasy-looking rat slithered into view from beneath a discarded supermarket

bag lying under the container, but it was away long before I’d even registered what it was, let alone got a shot off. I didn’t have to wait too long for the ferals to start coming back in. This time, though, they were on high alert; they came in one by one, and they wheeled around the yard before alighting atop a high tower from which a conveyor belt reached for the ground at 45 degrees. I’d been told this tower was their roosting spot, and that the interior was plastered with dried excrement which was a breathing hazard to the men whose job took them in there. I didn’t question this; I wasn’t about to scale the hairy-looking ladder

“I love the flatter trajectory of the smaller calibre” night fell, the cement works would be free of the avian pest which had cause so much trouble. Or at least that was the plan.

A lone sentry keeps watch. This wasn’t going to be easy, was it?

LIKE NIGHT AND DAY The ferals were there all right - in abundance, but as soon as I stepped out of the car in the middle of the works and directed my attention to the birds, they evaporated into thin air. Where they had completely ignored the clamour of human activity around them during the working day, the presence of a lone figure in the early evening dispersed them like a drop of oil on the surface of a pond. I wasn’t about to go home, so I spent the first part of the evening just sitting out of sight behind a

Mega-bags are still possible with 12ft.lbs.

Well, this bag won’t solve the pigeon problem, but as a far more efficient terminator once said, ‘I’ll be back!’

which took you up to the top.

GONE QUIET The first bird fell to a headshot as it settled on the tower and was about to make its way inside. It was followed a few minutes later by another. Then it all went very quiet. I started to wonder if they’d snuck in round the back and were already tucked in for the night, but then another pair appeared in the sky and I quickly ducked into cover. They came straight to ground and made for a drainage channel partly full of brown, filthy-looking water. I took one bird, and its companion didn’t flinch, so I cycled the magazine and was about to squeeze off a second shot when the feral took to the air again.

PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE From then on, it was a matter of sitting patiently and waiting for the occasional lone bird to present itself. I have to report there weren’t many more, and when I rang the gaffer and told him how many (or how few) I had accounted for, he asked me if I had been drinking, and declared that he could have done better with a handful of pebbles and a catapult. There’s just no pleasing some folk, but that won’t stop me trying! Happy shooting. ■

‘We’re plagued with them!’ he said.

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TECHNICAL AIRGUN

When it comes to putting new wonder lubricants in a springer, it pays not to be a pioneer. Use what s tried and tested.

VISCOSITY Viscosity is a measure of the internal friction of a fluid or grease, and the higher the viscosity, the greater the resistance to flow. When a grease is applied to a mainspring, the wire has to push a small wave ahead of it along the spring guide, and internal friction in the grease robs the mainspring of some of its energy. I decided to test the viscosity of the two better

SPRING VIBRATIONS Jim continues his exploration of the effectiveness of various means of reducing spring twang

he initial plan was to find a way to get a spring vibrating outside a rifle, in order to isolate the spring vibration from other noise sources, such as barrel vibration, but the problem with using a coil spring is that it takes time to clean it thoroughly, and if any traces of the previous grease

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frequency vibration under 100 Hz (cycles per second). A light coat of grease on one face of the feeler gauge reduced the frequency of the vibration by around 5%, and the amplitude (loudness) by 6.6%. I think that’s significant, because a springer can easily be damped enough to prevent audible noise,

regular sine wave produced by the feeler gauge (see illustration Simple wave), and is what is known as an aperiodic complex wave, which is the combination of many vibrations of differing frequencies and amplitudes, in everyday language a cacophony. The illustration Aperiodic

“I started off by clamping a spring steel feeler gauge to a microphone, and ‘twanging’ it” tested remain on the spring, it would render the following test invalid, so an ‘easier to degrease’ alternative was sought. I started off by clamping a spring steel feeler gauge to a microphone, and ‘twanging’ it, to see the effect of grease on a low

excepting a tiny amount transmitted through the stock, which the shooter hears, and I believe that is low frequency sound, which a thick grease will certainly reduce. The audible twang of a springer is very different from the simple

complex wave is a recording of the spring noise produced by one of my springers, and shows the complexity of the frequency and amplitude range. In order to reduce the noise, the spring guide and/or grease must reduce the amplitude of all of the frequencies.

performers in my earlier anti-throw tests; a lithium-thickened grease with high molybdenum content, and the same with added thickener, by applying a thin layer to the surface of an inclined, plastic-faced board, and timing how long it took a small plastic box filled with pellets (weight 76 grams) to slide the length of the board. With no grease, the box slid too fast for an accurate measure of the time, but it was certainly well under one second. With a thin coat of the high moly grease, the box took an average of 3.5 seconds to slide the length of the board, at an average velocity of around 85mm per second. With the thickened grease, the box slowed to near the speed of continental drift. It seems the fumed silica structures that interlock to give my custom spring grease its antithrow characteristics also increase its resistance to flow, or for anything to move through or over it, which will include mainsprings. A mainspring typically contains just under two metres of wire, of which two-thirds might surround

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TECHNICAL AIRGUN: MAINSPRING VIBRATION

One of my failed attempts to replicate spring twang outside the airgun involved a sash cramp and a large hammer, applied in the direction of the arrow.

entirely on grease to damp mainspring vibration is that variations in temperature cause variations in the viscosity of greases; the hotter the temperature, the lower the grease’s internal friction. In very hot weather, greases can thin so much that their retarding effect on the spring is reduced to the point that the piston velocity rises enough to cause a substantial rise in muzzle energy; the opposite is true in very cold conditions. In most greases, the viscosity is caused by internal friction, but the effect of the internal friction of my thickened grease will be dwarfed by the effect of the interlocking

I use greases only to supplement the mainspring vibration suppression measures, which are a spring guide and piston sleeve.

in a springer, and record the noise and muzzle energy. I tested the high moly and thickened greases in my HW77. First, a lavish application of high moly, followed by a very light, then a slightly heavier application of thickened grease. The light application of thickened grease increased piston peak velocity over the heavy application of moly grease by just under 1%, and the slightly heavier application of thickened grease decreased piston peak velocity over the moly grease by just under 1%. The muzzle energy was within 0.2 ft. lbs. in all the tests, so used in moderation, and kept off the spring guide, it seems that the thickened grease won’t rob the mainspring of too much energy. The illustration ‘Thickened grease’ shows where and why the main spring vibration is created. The red trace is the recoil velocity, the blue the noise, which is mainly caused by the spring. There is very little noise during the compression stroke, but a

“With the thickened grease, the box slowed to near the speed of continental drift”

the spring guide when the spring is compressed, so when the sears disengage, there will be something over a metre of wire trying to move, and resisted by the grease wherever the wire is close enough

to the spring guide, or the piston sleeve, for the grease to make contact.

TEMPERATURE The big problem with relying

A recording of springer twang reveals it to contain many frequencies and amplitudes.

fumed silica structures, which strongly suggests that its viscosity will vary to a far lesser degree with changes in temperature. That needs testing at some point, and is a subject I shall return to in the future.

TESTING

sharp increase following piston bounce. I’d replaced the wellbehaved spring that previously lived in the HW77 (donated to a friend for his HFT rifle) with a less suitable one that caused harsh piston crash at the end of the A simple yet informative test.

My original plan may have been to test greases outside the springer, but the very high viscosity of my thickened grease had the potential to rob a springer of muzzle energy and, if that loss was substantial, it could easily outweigh the benefit of damping spring noise; it could be too high a price to pay, and so I really needed to test the greases

JIM’S SPRING GREASE RECOMMENDATIONS. 1. Rifle with close-fitting spring guide and PTFE piston sleeve. There may well be no spring noise but if there is, a very light smear of high moly content lithium grease will kill it. 2. Rifle with a slack fitting spring guide and piston sleeve. A light coating of thickened grease, or a heavier coating of high moly lithium grease. 3. Rifle with very slack or no spring guide or piston sleeve. A medium to heavy coating of thickened grease.

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TECHNICAL AIRGUN: MAINSPRING

A very lightly-loaded paintbrush allows a thin coat of grease to be applied to the outside of the spring, away from the guide.

second forward stroke, and it is following the piston crash or landing, and after the mainspring has stopped feeding in momentum, that the loudest spring noise commences. Not even the heavier application of

what the vibrations would be like with no grease on the spring.

HEAVY

time duration by 0.44 milliseconds in comparison with a dry spring, and at a cost of 0.55 ft. lb. at the

muzzle, which isn’t so bad as many suppose – it’s just 19 fps with 8.4g pellets. ■

It’s difficult to quantify a coating of grease, but the heaviest coating of the thickened grease fell well short

“There is very little noise during the compression stroke, but a sharp increase following piston bounce” thickened grease could tame the noise following piston crash, but it did quickly damp the vibrations some 15 milliseconds later. The spring specifications were 20.4mm O/D, 3.1mm wire, 25.5 coils, and 27.9mm of preload, which made 26 ft. lbs. available to the piston, and gave a preload of 44 lb/f, which explains the piston crash. The period of the vibration, starting after piston bounce, lasts just over 25 milliseconds (a fortieth of a second), and it is not audible, even from a few inches away, because it was drowned out by the muzzle blast, though I could just about sense it with my face against the cheek piece. This raised the question of whether a heavier still application of the grease could improve on the post-piston-crash vibration, and

of the moly greases in many factory fresh rifles, although the effect was somewhat greater, and can be seen in the illustration ‘Heaviest thickened grease’. The heavy application of grease increased the compression stroke

If there is sufficient clearance between the spring and piston, a 0.5mm thick PTFE piston sleeve will really reduce spring twang.

My HW95 has a 31-coil version of the 34-coil spring shown next to the rifle and creates far less twang. Softer spring plus more preload, equals more twang.

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TECHNICAL AIRGUN

CYLINDER LUBRICATION Jim looks into the dos and don’ts of lubricating the spring air rifle cylinder

he choice of cylinder lubrication during the latter part of the half century I’ve been shooting springers seems to have been dictated as much by fashion as function, with fashion having the upper hand at times. Until the late 1970s, the only ‘authoritative’ guide to a choice of cylinder lubrication was the instruction manual that accompanied nearly every new airgun, and it inevitably, and perhaps unsurprisingly, advised that the rifle manufacturer’s own brand of mineral oil gave the best results. Because the airguns of the time had leather washers that could dry out, partly due to oxidisation and partly due to dieseling, and because most airguns relied upon a degree of combustion to start the pellet moving earlier in the stroke and increase muzzle energy, the advice was to place one or two drops down the transfer port every 500 pellets. With the 1977 launch of Airgun World, the hackneyed cylinder lubrication advice offered by manufacturers was supplemented with advertisements and articles extolling the virtues of two modern wonder lubricants, molybdenum disulphide and polytetrafluoroethylene, otherwise known as ‘Moly’ and PTFE, respectively. At the time, very little was known of the science of the springer, and friction was assumed to be the greatest obstacle to ‘power’, and so the new lubricants found a very receptive market. Like the airgun manufacturers’

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Lubricant will pick up any dust or grit, and you don t want either in the cylinder. Cleanliness is everything.

oils that preceded them, the moly greases were based on mineral oils, thickened with lithium soap and with fine particles of molybdenum disulphide in suspension. Being based on mineral oils, the moly grease

fumes auto-ignited at much the same cylinder pressure and temperature.

DIESELING A brilliant experiment by the late, great Gerald Cardew, published in

Airgun World, appeared to offer conclusive proof that all spring airguns derived a sizeable proportion of their muzzle energy through combustion. Gerald placed an airgun inside a sealed plastic bag, evacuated the air and

“People questioned whether the grease could provide enough calories to provide the amount of energy that had been claimed” 76

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TECHNICAL AIRGUN: LUBRICATION

You could use a PTFE-based lubricant on pistons with full bearings, but check that there s nothing untoward in it first!

You could use a PTFE-based lubricant on pistons with full bearings, but check that there s nothing untoward in it first!

replaced it with nitrogen - which will not support combustion - and managed to load and fire it, finding a significant drop in muzzle energy compared to shooting the same rifle in air. The obvious conclusion, that the air rifle used in the test, which had a very short piston stroke, needed to diesel to make the desired muzzle energy, was absolutely correct, but the inferred conclusion, that all springers needed to diesel to generate the desired muzzle

energy, was not right. A few people, including me and Mike Wright, did not subscribe to the theory that all springers needed to diesel, because we were running bone-dry springers fitted with piston seals made from PTFE (in its solid form), but I think it fair to say that a great many people, possibly the majority, took the theory to heart, and also took measures to introduce a controlled amount of combustible grease into the compression area of the

cylinder. Standard practice was to use abrasives to produce fine scoring on the cylinder wall, which acted as a reservoir and held a reasonably measured quantity of grease that migrated from the piston body, spring and seal. In order to ensure a long-term supply of grease, the spring and piston body were liberally coated, which also quietened the shot cycle, so it seemed like a good idea. With the passage of time, the fashion for scoring cylinder walls and liberally coating pistons with grease passed. People questioned whether or not the grease could provide enough calories to provide

“A few people, including me and Mike Wright, did not subscribe to the theory that all”

the amount of energy that had been claimed, and concluded that it could not.

MODERN TIMES Until fairly recently, it has been accepted practice when assembling a springer, to degrease the cylinder thoroughly, and to smear a thin layer of molybdenum-rich grease around the side of the piston seal, the idea being that when fitted, the grease will leave a thin layer on the cylinder wall. Some of the fumes initially given off by the grease may diesel, but the cylinder wall will retain sufficient molybdenum, and it seems to work well in practice. More recently, people have been experimenting with

Using a high-speed drill, buffing mop and mild abrasives to polish a piston. A micrometer can reveal high spots on a piston body.

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TECHNICAL AIRGUN: LURICATION

Always degrease the cylinder before refitting the piston; otherwise the piston will scrape grease forward into the compression area.

lubricants containing PTFE, rather than molybdenum. PTFE is an excellent lubricant between steel and plastic, but not recommended for steel to steel, and so while it can lubricate the piston seal, it should not be allowed between steel-bearing surfaces, such as the piston skirt and cylinder wall. It is normal practice for data sheets to be provided for lubricants, which give details of viscosity, auto-ignition and flashpoint temperatures, safety notes and details of chemical composition, but some of the PTFE-based lubricants’ data sheets don’t tell you what’s in the stuff, possibly to make it more difficult for competitors to copy the

mix, but one that does give chemical composition lists oxygen as a key component, as much as 10% by mass. The oxygen-rich lubricant breaks down at 400C, a temperature that is comfortably exceeded in a springer compression area, and the product of it breaking down is gaseous oxygen. So, at around 90% into the available piston stroke, just before the pellet starts to move, the oxygen-rich lubricant starts giving off gaseous oxygen, which increases the propensity of most materials, including steel, to burn. It probably also increases the chances of rust (ferrous oxide) developing. All in all, using it

The cheapest way of degreasing a cylinder seems to be to use soft toilet tissue.

sounds like a bad idea to me, and I would recommend avoiding any lubricants with trade names ending with the letters ‘ox’, which implies that oxygen is a key component.

TWO ZONES For the purposes of lubrication, I think of the cylinder as two separate entities; at the front, there is the compression area, and at the rear, the area against which the piston skirt comes into contact. Ideally, the compression area would be dry lubricated. Many people used to use a product called Dri Slide, which comprised finely powdered molybdenum in

suspension in a fluid that quickly evaporated on exposure to air, leaving a dry coating of molybdenum on the cylinder wall. Dri Slide and similar products are available, but do take time to find and study the data sheet, because some dry molybdenum products leave residues other than molybdenum. An alternative to using Dri Slide, or other products with liquid carriers, is to buff dry molybdenum powder into the cylinder wall using cloth and a dowel. Some time ago, I carried out some admittedly crude tests pushing a piston with a synthetic seal up a dry-lubricated cylinder, and then repeated the experiment

“If the piston is scratched, the cylinder will be, too”

Apply a very thin layer of grease to the side of the piston seal, taking care not to get any on the front face.

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If the cocking shoe rides on a piston liner, make sure to get some grease on the liner.

TECHNICAL AIRGUN: LUBRICATION

Before refitting a shimmed breech block, put some moly grease on the block and jaws where the shim will fit.

after smearing a very thin film of aircraft grade high molybdenum content grease on the side of the piston seal. The reduction that the grease caused in friction was enough to convince me that dry cylinder lubrication alone is not enough, certainly with a synthetic ‘parachute’ seal. Although dry lubrication might in theory be the best option for the compression area, the time-tested smear of high molybdenum content grease on the side of the piston seal might be the best in practice, with or without dry lubricant buffed into the cylinder wall.

NON-COMPRESSION AREA Unless the piston skirt has synthetic bearings, there is metal-to-metal contact between

the rear section of the cylinder and the piston, usually the skirt, and the wear is most commonly concentrated on the point where the piston touches the cylinder as it slips off the sear, which is usually the top rear. Piston bodies aren’t always perfectly round by any means, but can have high spots that contact the cylinder wall. We’re not talking massive bulges, but minutely raised areas that can develop, with use, into areas that are highly polished, matte, or have fine, longitudinal scratches, depending on how well they have been lubricated. These high areas may not even register if measured with a Vernier calliper, and will only be apparent if measured with a micrometer. You could take high spots down, but the piston body

has to touch the cylinder wall somewhere and if the high spots are highly polished, I’d be inclined to leave them but ensure that they had adequate lubrication on reassembly. Any visible scratches on high spots, though, should be polished out.

POLISHING Many people seem to polish pistons by rotating them at speed, using anything from an electric drill to a lathe, and using fine wet ‘n dry abrasive paper, but it’s questionable whether this is best practice, because deep axial (along the axis of the piston) scratches are being replaced by, or augmented with, less deep radial scratches, which will be at 90 degrees to any scratches that have developed in the cylinder wall.

“I have learned that it doesn’t pay to be a pioneer when it comes to springer lubricant” I’d advise against using a three-legged honer in the cylinder; it’s too easy to create slack spots.

An alternative, which I favour, is to use a high-speed drill with a buffing wheel, in conjunction with a mild abrasive, such as metal polish, and to use the buffing wheel more at an angle to the axis of the piston. If the piston is scratched, the cylinder will be, too, because it is usually a much softer steel than the piston body. The usual method of polishing the cylinder is to use a length of dowel, with a mop, and abrasive paste or fluid, or fine abrasive paper, spun with an electric drill, which of course results in fine scratches at right angles to the piston’s direction of travel. This might seem a good idea because it is similar to the traditional finishing of the cylinder bores of internal combustion engines, but these are crosshatched at an angle of about 20 degrees, rather than being radial, and what’s more, they are ‘plateau’ finished these days. Using abrasive paper to polish the bore leaves a series of peaks and troughs, the plateau process takes off the peaks and leaves flat areas separated by valleys to hold lubricant. Perhaps a better alternative would be to start polishing using a drill, and finish by hand, working the mop up and down the cylinder, to lower the peaks caused by the abrasive, and achieve something closer to a plateau surface. However much you polish, the surface will never be perfectly smooth, and you don’t want it perfectly smooth, because the tiny cavities left are needed as a reservoir for lubricant.

PIONEER As a general rule, I have learned that it doesn’t pay to be a pioneer when it comes to springer lubricant, and it especially doesn’t pay to use any new wonder lubricant unless its data sheet lists exactly what its constituents are, and at what temperature it starts to break down. Molybdenum-rich, lithiumthickened greases seem the best option for areas of metal-to-metal contact, have stood the test of time, and are still my first choice for cylinder lubrication. ■

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walnut ambidextrous stock, 2 magazines, Hawke Eclipse 30 SF 6-24x50 IR scope. Strap studs fitted. Como padded bag, less than two years old. Excellent condition. Will post UK mainland. £785.00 Tel: 02392 453942. WEBLEY MKII AIR PISTOL .177, metal piston rings, good condition. Webley Junior 1960 MKII IS 1936 both belonging to myself and my father. Used but both loved and cared for. £130 ( will not split). Tel: 07563 706462 ( Norfolk ). FEINWEKBAU 80 Match pistol, near new condition, unfired since service by City Airweapons, Solihull. Brand new set of balance weights. Match pellets, targets etc included, £320. Tel; 07538 720290 ( Herts). WANTED FALCON FN12 or Falcon 12 Raptor Lighthunter, .22 multi shot. Tel:07977 323504 ( Conwy ). BSA ULTRA 2.2 multi shot, tactical stock PCP, Weihrauch silencer, SMK 4x40 scope, FX pump, Buffalo padded gun slip, 2 tins of WRS pellets. £350 no offers. Tel: 07834 408990. AIR ARMS S400 Classic, walnut stock, scope 5-20x50, silencer, as new condition £465. Walther Rotex RM8 air rifle 1.77, 8 shot mag, Menelle stock, on board pressure gauge, max pressure 232 bar, silencer £395. Hawke Sport Mil dot 4-12x50, available for £95. Tel: 01209 612600 (Cornwall).

THEOBEN RAPID 7 air rifle .22 Mark I, Simmons scope 6-8x40, 2 mags, still in original box. Had very little use and in first class condition. £675. Tel: 01209 612600 ( Cornwall). WEIHRAUCH HW80K 5.5MM with moderator and Nikko Sterling mount master, 4x40 scope, good used condition £250. ( Midlands ). THEOBEN RAPID 7 .22 MK1, Simmons scope 6x18-40, silencer, 2 mags and extra buddy bottle, purchased 1987. Still in original box, in first class condition, very little use. £725.00. Tel: 01206 612600 (Cornwall). WEBLEY VICTOR RIFLE .177 1970/80 in near mint condition with Simmons 4x40 Gold Optic scope. Collect only £150. Tel: 01245 320892 (Essex). BSA MERCURY ‘3’ .177, vgc £275. Early 5 digit HW35 .177 £195. Theoben Countryman Carbine .177, vgc £395. BSA Airsporter G.E .22 £190. Stalker Tiger 10 l/h .22 beautiful stock, buddy bottle model £695. Tel: 01983 566634 (Isle of Wight). NIKKO STIRLING 5X20-50 Targetmaster 1” as new still in packaging, cost £175 sell £120. Tel: 01454 314315 (Bristol). Wanted: Kind person in Beeston, Notts area to take my air tank to be refilled. Owing to health problems not able to take myself. Will pay any fees required for this favour and it will allow me to continue my lifetime sport at home. Tel: 0115 9257001

Beeston ( answer phone if I can’t get to the phone in time). AIR ARMS .22 Pro-Sport with Walther scope PX adjustment and IR as new £400. Phone 01564 826594,mobile 07910061468 (Birmingham). WEIHRAUCH HW97K .177, with Hawke Varmint II 4-16x44 scope, Weihrauch one piece mount, lens cover. Adjustable cheek piece and butt pad. CB 625 Chronograph, Bisley cleaning rods, gun slip all vgc £325. Tel: 01603 400056 Norfolk. WANTED, THEOBEN RAPID 2.5 cal. ( non fac). Cash waiting. Tel or text: 07930 612612. Weihrauch HW99S .22 air rifle with Nikko Stirling 4-12x50 AO scope in fleece case. Less than 50 shots fired. As new £150. Tel: 0797 1143121 ( South Essex). WEIHRAUCH 98FT .22 mint unused in box with Bushnell XL scope with hard case, pellets £325. Tel: 07563 706462 Norfolk. UNUSED AIRFORCE One Trophy Vermin .22 single shot pisto, ergonomic grip, cased plus 1,000 Air Arms Diabolo pellets, ten Bisley Co2 capsules, special bonus of ‘Coast’ brand dual colour head torch still in blister pack in this bundle, all for £160. Bergara all terrain chair with turntable seat, all quickly dismantles, light but tough, into canvas satchel, as new £60 post paid. Tel: 01702 200718 ( Essex).

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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FAC AIRGUNS now back in stock… HUGE SELECTION, powering range from 20ftlbs to 100ftlbs, Many Discounted Down!

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FT OPTICS

SPOT-ON

SIGHTRON Tim Finley tries a new contender for the serious FT shooter ack in 2012, I tested a Sightron, a 10-50 x 60 1000-yard bench rest scope that people were beginning to use for field target shooting because the

B

to make a dedicated FT scope, because there was a gap in the market for a high quality optic, but not at the price of some of the top-end makes.

limit of nine yards. I did wonder if they had made a mistake here because 55 yards is the maximum distance for an FT target, but you always need the scope to go that

“A mil is very useful for FT because it equates to a 40mm diameter disc at 45 yards” glass was outstanding and the scope was a fantastic rangefinder. They were also relatively cheap compared to other top-end scopes. John Dean, the clever guy who brought Sightron to the UK many years ago, was an FT shooter, and so pushed Sightron

The scope that Sightron came up with is based on the 10-50 x 60 30mm tube 1000 yard bench rest, side-wheel scope, but with important optic and functional changes. The first thing they did was to limit the parallax top-end range to 55 yards, with a lower

Illumination goes all the way to 11.

The soft eyecup wasn’t my cup of tea.

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touch further just in case it’s 56, or indeed, 57 yards. I would find out when I tested the scope. They addressed the rangefinding by producing a 127mm diameter, add-on wheel, and this can be attached to the 37mm diameter, integral Despite the small distance between marks, the separation was clear to the eye.

sidewheel, parallax adjustment on the scope, with three Allen bolts. One very nice bit of design flair is the large ‘S’ incorporated into the spokes of the wheel, so you will know it’s a Sightron scope from a distance. Sightron have really embraced the concept of a dedicated FT scope and supply the FTMH in a large box, complete with the side wheel, sunshade and a rubber eyecup. Rangefinding is more accurate and consistent when using an eyecup to block out all extraneous light from entering the ocular lens, and you could beat whales to death with the sunshade; sturdy is the word I am looking for here. The mil-hash reticle has a useful illuminated dot.

FT OPTICS

oN u o d Sightron side wheel.

TORX IT UP The scope has large elevation and windage turrets and these have a castellated rim, for grip. They give you the specific Torx#20 key to set both turrets to zero once you have carried out your set-up. 30mm scope mounts are easy to come by now, even reach- forward and bullet-drop compensation ones, and Sportsmatch are the scope mounts I would go for. I attached the Sightron to my Air Arms 400 test bed rifle. Never fix the large sidewheel to an FT before first checking the position of the scope for optimum eye relief. That way, you can have the mount nearest your eye as the read-off marker for your larger rangefinding side wheel. Also, it’s easier to apply white tape to the side wheel around its diameter, for marking up your ranges, when it’s not attached to the scope. I was ultra keen to see just how far the scope measured out to; as I mentioned earlier, 55 yards is not far enough. I shouldn’t have worried, though, because it went out to 62 measured yards on 50 x magnification. It came down to ten yards, and it states nine as the minimum, but FT targets start at

b tin

ten yards so that is not an issue.

SNAPPY With practice FT targets set out, I got on with rangefinding, and all I can say is that this scope is perfect. The image snaps in and out of focus, and the Japanese, quality-coated lenses aid the sight picture, but it’s the parallax adjustment that is geared to give the FT shooter the ability to attain the clear, focused image on the chosen target in a very repeatable fashion. Also, a relatively small movement on the wheel takes the image out of focus. I spent an hour setting rangefinding and marking up the wheel, and the 55

th g

and 50-yard markings were the critical ones. In the end, there was only 4.7mm between the two. It doesn’t sound a lot on a 127mm diameter wheel, but because of the way the Sightron’s image snaps in and out, it works. I noted that the battery compartment for a CR2032 and dial are at an angle on the eye bell’s left side I was less keen on the very bendy, rubber eye-cup. I prefer a more rigid one, but that’s a personal choice. Let’s talk reticle, and it is a mil-hash in the second focal plane, hence the FTMH in the model title. The reticle is etched on glass and being in the second focal plane, the distances

between theishash lines change relative to the target, depending upon which magnification you are set on. Sightron supplies a data sheet detailing the reticle’s design. It is set to give 0.240 mils between the lines on 50 times magnification. A mil is very useful for FT because it equates to a 40mm diameter disc at 45 yards, and with a bit more work you would be able to set it to a 40mm disc at 55 yards, and then use that for aiming off at those tricky, long targets - the scope is also available with a 2 MOA reticle. It has an illuminated centre dot that lights up red, and when shooting in dark, dense woodland, that can be a life saver - or ‘shot saver’, I should say. In true Spinal Tap tradition, the brightness goes up to 11. I can see why Sightron scopes have won FT World Championships, and with a dedicated FT scope, Sightron has become the clear choice for any potential FT world champion. ■

SPECIFICATIONS Make Sightron UK Distributor Aim Field Sports 01606 860678 www.aimfeildsports.com Country of manufacture Japan Model SIIISS1050*60FTIRMH (#25011) Magnification: 10-50X Object Diameter: 60mm FOV (ft @ 100yds.): 9.6-2.2 Eye Relief (in.): 3.8-4.5 Reticle Type: Mil-hash (@24X IR) or 2MOA Click Value (@ 100yds.): .05 MRAD

A sunshade is included.

Minutes Per Revolution: 2.5 MRAD W/E Travel (@ 100yds.): 14.5 MRAD Knob Style: Tactical (Resettable) Parallax: Side focus: 9yds to 55yds Finish: Matte black Fully Multi-coated: Yes (Zact-7 TM 7-Layer) Weight: 30.8oz Length: 16.9in Tube Diameter: 30mm

RRP £1050

“With practice FT targets set out, I got on with rangefinding, and all I can say is that this scope is perfect” www.airgunshooting.co.uk

AIRGUN WORLD

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AIR ARMS BISLEY BRATTON SOUND BSA GAMO DAYSTATE FALCON HAWKE STEYR THEOBEN NOCKOVER TARGETS DIANA CHARGING BOTTLES RHINO BUSHNELL

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HARDMAN’S HUNTING

“I had travelled less than 100 yards when I spotted a few rabbits sitting out feeding.”

made the retrieves, from none to three kills in as many minutes, and the pressure was off!

MAX RANGE When my hunting’s going well, all other problems are temporarily put aside. Below: Time to refocus my attention on the day.

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Moving on, I had travelled less than 100 yards when I spotted a few rabbits sitting out feeding in the next field along from where I had bagged the pigeon. The closest was 40 yards, but from the concealment of the wood, with a nice post to rest on, I knew I wasn’t going to miss this maximum range target, as I took aim and then squeezed the shot off. The resulting impact sent the other two fleeing straight toward me, and the apparent safety of the wood. I tracked the slower of the two as it headed straight at me; 30 yards, 20, 15, 10, I made a hissing sound as it closed to within 7 or 8 yards and it stopped dead in its tracks, quite literally, once the pellet arrived and caught it between the eyes. I continued on my way, moving further into the wood and then back across along the edge of the fields on the other side. I didn’t see a huge amount, but what I did see, I bagged, with the exception of a magpie that I missed with a 20-yard standing shot that clipped a twig. I wasn’t counting my kills, but another couple of rabbits and a few more crows fell to me as I worked my way back along from where I’d come, along with a single collared dove to make it 12 kills in total. Unfortunately, I don’t

Yes, I’d call that a successful day!

have the space to recount every kill for you here, but it had turned out to be a really enjoyable day, and despite my disappointment at the start, by the end I felt much better.

THE BEST-LAID PLANS … Sure, hunting doesn’t always go to plan, but would it be any fun if it did? I’d like to think the camo netting and the rest of the kit was taken by some misguided local kids who have an interest in the outdoors and maybe wanted it to use to build a hide of their own, or a camp - the sort of thing I used to do. Maybe, one day they’ll use it to set up their own squirrel hide and have as much fun with it as I have, who knows? I’m not sure I will bother rebuilding, even in a new location, for fear of it happening again, although maybe a feeder hidden away some place without the hide might work. I’ll have to think about that one, so until next month, take care and happy hunting, even if all of your plans go as horribly wrong as mine did. ■

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91

BOOTS

FAST AND LIGHT!

Need some lightweight, easy-access boots? Have a look at these

Those side zips are a great idea.

No more comfy boot out there.

hen I find a pair of boots I really like, I tend to wear them to death, and that’s what I’m doing to these Special Ops Multicam jobs from Thatchreed. I wear them when I’m shooting, fishing, driving, range testing, and even during a couple of 10-mile road walks when I’m training for a 30-mile charity march I’ve been conned into doing. The thing is, of all the footwear I have in my locker, it’s these 75 quid boots that I’m reaching for during this intermittent summer of ours, and there are plenty of good reasons for this.

jump into the boots, and a quick grab of the zip tags has everything snug and comfy. They even have Velcro tabs at the top of the zipper to keep everything rattle-free and unsnaggable. For such a reasonably priced boot, these Special Ops have some truly excellent features.

weather hunting boot.

Ops boots, take your time in getting the lacing tension just right. Once STURDY you’ve done that, you can forget it, These boots are constructed because you won’t need to use the around a double-stitched laces again, just the side zips. Of combination of Multicam course, if you need to adjust the patterened Cordura and light tan laces you can, but in three months suede leather, with extensive of solid use, I’ve left them as they padding all over the inside areas were tied the first time I wore the and tongue. Extra scuff protection boots. FLEXIBLE Apart from perhaps giving them a The most noticeable, and appreciated, surrounds the toe and heel brush to get the worst of any mud feature is the pure comfort of the boot, sections, and more of the same and this begins with their flexible, EVA covers the boot’s mid-section where off them, I can’t see what other it naturally creases as you walk. For maintenance these boots will need. cushioned rubber sole. These boots such a light boot – just 1.2kilos per Hand on heart, these are the most are not designed to be waterproof, pair – they offer good protection comfortable boots I’ve ever worn. although I’ve used them in very wet and support, and then of course Slip a pair on – and you’ll see how grass with nothing seeping through EASY ON – EASY OFF there’s that commendable comfort. ‘special’ they really are. the zips, so how well the sole sheds First, the Special Ops – daft name, but there you are – are so incredibly mud is still a mystery, but their grip, Price: £75 easy to slip on and off. Those sturdy lightness, and that incredible comfort TIPS Contact: www.thatchreed.co.uk makes them ideal as an all-round, dry If you get a pair of Viper Special YKK nylon side zips let me almost

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SIMPLE FIXES

SQUEEZE TO about trigger technique and proper follow-through, and getting both right will improve your accuracy more than most shooters could possibly imagine.

expression ‘pull the trigger’. It’s just wrong. We don’t have triggers that need to be ‘pulled’ these days. If yours does, get it professionally sorted until it can be used with reasonable pressure. A trigger should be squeezed or pressed, never pulled, or you’ll pull the rifle away from your point of aim – hence ‘pulling the shot’. Next, too many shooters use the wrong part of their finger on the trigger blade. Use only the tip of your finger, rather than wrapping your finger around the trigger blade, and you’ll develop the ‘straight press’ technique soon enough.

TAKE A TIP

FOLLOW-THROUGH

First, do your best to offload the

The technique of follow through is the least-practised vital shooting skill in airgunning. In fact, a recent conversation with young Naylor Ball, our Airgun Student, prompted this little feature, so strongly do I feel about it. If everyone incorporated correct follow-through into their technique, the collective accuracy of the nation’s airgunners would double and treble. All it is, is maintaining perfect aim until the pellet strikes. That really is it. There’s no more to it. Ideally, after pressing the trigger, keep it in the ‘fired’ position – don’t allow it to move forward – and hold it there until you see the result of your shot through the sights. While you’re at it, reduce muscle tension as much as possible, pause your breathing, and relax into the shot. Do these things, make them part of your shooting, and you really will be a far better shot than you are now. Another quick tip next month. ■

PLEASE!

Tweak your trigger technique, and watch those results improve queezing the trigger represents more than simply firing a shot. If you’ve done your job properly, that final press on the trigger blade is you confirming that all is well with the shot – it’s safe, legal, on target and set to hit exactly what you’re aiming at – and that you are

S

fully satisfied with everything that has gone before. The fact is, all of those pre-shot factors, and there are many, many, more than I’ve listed here, can be rendered pointless according to how you use the trigger, and by what you do after you’ve used it. I’m talking

Too much trigger finger for accurate shooting.

Correct - ready to press for success.

Youve got everything else right - no don’t mess it all up, OK?

www.airgunshooting.co.uk

AIRGUN WORLD

97

Welcome to Britain’s ONLY Airgun Association

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

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

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

 0844 848 8057 quote CBASA6WA

Lines are open 8am-9.30pm Mon to Fri, 8am-4pm Sat. BT calls to 0844 cost no more than 5p/min plus a 15p call set up fee, calls from mobiles usually cost more. # Third party liability indemnity – excess £250 property damage only. The public liability insurance is arranged by Arthur J. Gallagher insurance brokers limited who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Allow up to 14 days for the preparation of your membership documents. You will be instantly insured subject to your payment being successfully processed. For more information on benefits please visit www.airgunshooting.co.uk/basa-membership. T&Cs: Direct Debit is a UK offer only. Details of Direct Debit Guarantee are available on request. Offer ends 31/12/15.

“NIL ILLIGITIMUM CARBORUNDUM”

G.T.Shooting

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020 8660 6843 OPEN 10.00am to 5.30pm Tues-Sat

RRP: £699.00 Incl Diopter Sight & Quickfill Adapter

www.airgunshooting.co.uk | AIRGUN WORLD |

99

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PIGEON PIZZAIOLA

ROSIE’S RECIPE Serve on a chilly autumn evening.

PIGEON PIZZAIOLA Rosie Barham tells us why this simple dish is one of her favourites izzaiola sauce is one of my favourite things. It gives me all the flavours of a genuine Italian pizza - minus the cheese - with none of the cholesterol and calories in the real thing. You can lob it over practically anything; steak, chicken, pork chops, fish … I’ve even used it on pasta, just as it is, no additives, but with just a smidgeon of parmigiano reggiano sprinkled on top. Even if you don’t like to eat olives directly from the deli counter, once they’re cooked with the other ingredients in this sauce, you’ll just get a milder flavour than the fresh variety, and they add a certain piquancy to the finished dish. I recommend that you give it a try, and I guarantee that you’ll never view olives in the same negative way again. The recipe calls for green olives, but I usually

P

add a couple of the black ones, too, for colour. I’m all for making life easy for

about a quarter of an hour to cook. Add a couple of squashed garlic cloves to it if you’re going to

“People will think that you’ve spent hours in the kitchen, chopping and stirring, whereas the prep is done within minutes” myself, and pizzaiola is one of the simplest sauces to knock up. People will think that you’ve spent hours in the kitchen, chopping and stirring, whereas the prep is done within minutes, and it takes

serve it with steak; fresh rosemary for lamb chops, sage leaves for pork, thyme with chicken or rabbit, or just the basic recipe to use with fish – but don’t put it over plaice, brill, or anything else of a

Chop tomatoes, mushroom, courgette ... ... fry for two minutes ...

delicate nature; Pizzaiola needs robust, ‘man-fish’ like turbot, hake, or cod. I cooked the pigeon in the sauce this time, instead of just pouring it over the top as I would with a steak, or chops, and I made it the day before I wanted to eat it so that the flavours had time to infuse and permeate the meat. It just needed a couple of minutes in a microwave while the rice was cooking, and the whole meal was ready to go. ■

»

... season and combine with boiled rice.

www.airgunshooting.co.uk

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ROSIE’S RECIPE: PIGEON PIZZAIOLA

INGREDIENTS: Pigeon breasts, or a couple of whole pigeons, jointed A good glug of good-quality olive oil, for frying. Pizzaiola sauce: One small, finely chopped onion One tin chopped tomatoes A few sun-dried tomatoes, chopped A dozen green olives, sliced – and a few black ones (optional) One clove of garlic, squashed A teaspoon of sugar A handful of fresh basil leaves

METHOD: Fry pigeon and onion gently in the olive oil for a few minutes until onion is translucent. Add the sliced olives, all the tomatoes and the sugar. Bring to a boil and then simmer very gently for about 20 minutes. Add basil leaves. Cook for five more minutes. Serve with vegetable rice.

Ingredients: Sun-dried and tinned tomatoes, olive oil, pigeon, onion, olives, garlic, basil. Joint your pigeons and fry with the onion for a few minutes.

Vegetable Rice: Open a packet of Uncle Ben’s, or cook your own plain, boiled rice, add stir-fried vegetables and seasoning. Add tomatoes, olives and sugar.

Chop olives and sun-dried tomatoes.

Top with a piece of foil to stop the liquid evaporating. After 20 minutes, remove foil and continue cooking. Add torn basil leaves and stir through.

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AIRGUN WORLD

www.airgunshooting.co.uk

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

Scotland

Northern Ireland

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

North

SUNDERLAND SCUBA CENTRE

Wales

Central

East

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, [email protected]

www.sunderlandairguns.com Mon-Fri 9-5:30 | Sat 9-4:30 | Sun 10-3

DAVEY AND SON NORTH YORKSHIRE

London & South East

South West

Supplying all types of Air Rifles and Pistols. PCP/Spring/Gas Ram/CO2. Optics and Nightvision. All associated accessories. Clothing and Footwear.

Isle of Wight

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. At our shop we sell Airguns, pellets, 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 www.tracksidegunsandarchery.com Email: [email protected]

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

Wykeham, Scarborough, Yorkshire, YO13 9QP 01723 865039 [email protected]

MANCHESTER AIR GUNS

CHURCHILLS OF DEREHAM Large Stock of New & Used Guns Full Gun Repair Service – On Site Clay Shoots/Lessons Arranged

470 Oldham Road, Failsworth, Manchester M35 0FH Tel: 0161 681 7947 Large stocks of guns, scopes, pellets. Servicing & repairs

FRE E PO STA GE ON LIN E

GUNS WANTED – CASH PAID 01362 696926 Visit our online shop www.onlinegunshop.co.uk

TONY'S CAMO & AIRGUN CENTRE

HENRY KRANK

MOOREDGES AIRGUNS

COUNTRY SPORTING GUNS

A Huge Range of Accessories and Clothing

www.henrykrank.com

The Chantreys, Mooredges Road, Thorne, Doncaster DN8 5RY Tel: 01405 741706 Fax: 01405 740936

Cannons Cottage, Punchbowl Lane, Brothertoft, Boston, Lincolnshire PE20 3SB

Open 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM Tues - Sat, Closed Sundays

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: [email protected] www.tonyscamo.co.uk

Extensive range of all leading airguns, scopes and accessories.

Extensive range of antique air guns also in stock.

Mail order available.

Visit our shop at: 100-104 Lowtown, Pudsey, W.Yorkshire, LS28 9AY Call us on: 01132 569163 or 01132 565167 Email us: [email protected]

Open Mon, Wed - Sat 9.00-5.30pm & Sun 10.00-4.00pm Late nights Thursday / Friday. Open Bank Holidays

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AIRGUN WORLD

Twitter: @Mooredges_info Web: www.mooredges.com

Tel: 01205 311246 / 01205 369470 Email: [email protected] Web: www.countrysportingguns.co.uk Opening hours: Mon - Sat 9am - 5.30pm 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.

To advertise here phone Ryan Coupland: 01189 742525 T.R. ROBB AIRGUN SPECIALIST

PORTSMOUTH GUN CENTRE

316 High Road, South Benfleet, Essex SS7 5HB

We stock rifles, pistols, shotguns, airguns and black powder weapons.

Tel: 01268 752888 Website: trrobb.com Information: www.trrobb.com

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

Full range of Air Rifles, Pistols and Telescopic Sights. Tuning Servicing Kits.

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. 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

Airguns Bought and Sold

Tel: 02392 660 574 email: [email protected]

BORDERS GUNROOM

RIFLE SPORTS

C&H WESTON

New & S/H Air Rifles bought and sold Repairs carried out on the premises Full range of accessories

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

South of Scotlands largest retailer of Shooting and Fly Fishing equipment

Unit 59 Globe Industrial Estate Grays, Essex RM176ST

Main St, St Boswells, Melrose, TD6 0AA Tel: 01835 822844

01375 658000 www.riflesports.co.uk

WONDERLAND MODELS

RONNIE SUNSHINES

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 Members of the Gun Trade Association Dealer Registration Number 191

PARK STREET GUNS 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 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

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.

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

DAYSTATE, WEIHRAUCH, BSA, AIR ARMS, WEBLEY, LOGUN

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

43 West Street, Chichester, Sussex PO19 1RP

Nottingham Road, Trowell, Nottingham NG9 3PA

Tel: 01243 774687

Tel: 0115 930 7798

Wide choice of Air and CO2 Rifles and Pistols, Pellets, Scopes and loads of kit!

www.chiarm.co.uk

Mon/Tues/Thur: 10-5 Fri: 10-7 Sat: 9-5.30

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.

R&K STOCKCRAFT GUNSMITHS

KIBWORTH GUNSHOP & SHOOTING GROUND

JAYNES TACKLE AND GUN SHOP

EXPERT ADVICE WITH A COMPETITIVE PRICE? CALL NOW 01908 561298

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"

Friendly Family Run Business in Wellington Market Town. New and used air rifles bought and sold. We also sell a range of air pistols, pellets and accessories. Open Monday - Saturday from 9am Find us at 41, Market Street, Wellington, Telford, Shropshire, TF1 1DT | 01952 257400 www.jaynesfishingtackle.co.uk

19 Vicarage Road, Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes, Bucks, MK11 1BN Tel: 01908 561298 or 01908 568493 Email: [email protected] Web: www.rkstockcraft.com

[email protected] Probably the best selection of Airguns in the South West

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.

WALKERS OF TROWELL

Opening Hours Mon - Friday 8:30am - 5:00pm Sat - 8:30am - 3:15pm Closed on Sunday

www.thegunroom.co.uk

9 Station Road, Hailsham, East Sussex Tel: 01323 846883

CHICHESTER ARMOURY

Jericho Farm, Oxford Road, Oakley, Bucks HP18 9RG Tel: 01844 238308

4 Western Road, Devon Tel/Fax: 01752 893344

COUNTRYWIDE

THE OXFORD GUN CO

Email: [email protected]

THE GUN ROOM IVYBRIDGE

MFC SUPPLIES

Website: www.gunshot.co.uk

Tel: 01727 872646/872669 Fax: 01727 875449

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:

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

1-2 Park Street Lane, Park Street, St. Albans AL2 2NE

MELBOURNE TACKLE & GUNS

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

DRAGON FIELD SPORTS

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 105