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Thousands of visitors brought us a huge amount of input at the Game Fair.

s far as feedback goes, this month has been a recordbreaker. A combination of last month’s 40th anniversary issue and spending three days at the Hatfield House Game Fair has generated incredible response from our readers, and I’m so pleased to report that the vast majority of it has been positive. It’s always wonderful to know we’re giving our readers what they want, and that has been my mission statement since I took over the editorship almost 10 years ago.

Ten years! Blimey, time really does fly when you’re having as much fun as I do with my day job.

A

SUGGESTIONS …

SUGGESTIONS Not all of the readership feedback was positive, though, and a chap by the name of Arthur, really gave me a hard time for ‘always concentrating on fancy new guns, rather than the ones ordinary people can afford.’ Arthur’s been reading this magazine almost as long as I have, so he has every right to his opinion and I took everything he said on board.

I asked him which airguns he used and I was a little surprised when he listed five rifles, comprising an Air Arms Ultimate Sporter, a Daystate Huntsman

FAC, two BSA R10s, one in each calibre, and an FX Streamline.

Arthur’s next purchase was going to be a Weihrauch HW100, ‘because I haven’t got one of those’, and he asked my opinion about which model to go for.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT I took Arthur round to the Hull Cartridge stand to try the various models of HW100 and on the way I felt obliged to ask him why he criticised me for devoting too much magazine space to ‘fancy guns’, when he clearly preferred those very same rifles. His answer provided food for permanent thought.

‘Oh, I can afford those guns now, Terry. My mortgage is paid and I’ve done all right for myself, but it was a totally different story for many, many years. I remember when I really struggled to provide for my family, and my shooting had to take a back seat. I could barely afford good pellets, let

alone the best rifles. You must never forget those who are where you and I once were, because they’re the ones who need your help most.’

POINT TAKEN Arthur is absolutely right. We must never forget any section of our readership, be they newcomers, long-termers, or anyone else. We all have our own needs, wants, resources and requirements, and this magazine has a duty to cater for as many of those as possible.

In order to do this, we need your help in identifying what you want to see within these pages. Please let us know; I promise we consider every letter, phone call, email, and conversation we have with you.

Finally, thanks again for all of your positive comments; they really do mean the world to us.

All the best. ■

The airgun interest was pleasingly high and covered all areas and age groups.

Editor

Reminder - The October issue is on sale on Wednesday the 27th of September! www.airgunshooting.co.uk

AIRGUN WORLD

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CONTENTS

THIS MONTH ...

Bullseye Bargains!

Reader Ads

P90

ED’S TEST Armex Varminter 03 Editor’s Welcome

28 Match This!

p18

55 Pellet Solution

Terry finds food for thought at the Game Fair, plus plenty of positive feedback

Can match-shooting techniques improve your accuracy? John Milewski finds out

Tim Finley recommends washing pellets to eliminate one aspect of zero shift

08 Points of You

31 Shooting for All

65 Home from Holmes

Here’s where you have your say and ask your questions about what matters to you

Primos shooting sticks give the disabled shooter an advantage, says Russ Douglas

Nigel Curtis has been helping to set up a new centre for airgunners,

13 Boys on Tour

38 Airgunning US

The Benefit Boys are at Richings Park AC, raising funds for Help for Heroes

Stephen Archer informs on ‘three position’ shooting, popular in the US

14 What’s Going On?

43 Umarex Boys Club

All the news, information, and dates for upcoming events in the airgun world

James Thornber shares his thoughts on the Umarex M&P40

16 Competition

47 Colt Figure

A second chance to win a brace of Weihrauchs worth £1,000, for £1.50!

John Milewski looks at variations on a theme - the Colt SAA from Umarex

23 Hardman’s Hunting

51 Gary Wain

Our Phil’s on a mission to find out where the pigeons are hiding, before it’s too late?

In his hunt for the perfect pellet, Gary tries out some unusual examples

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MICK GARVEY p60 ... in teaching mode

CONTENTS

NEWS & OPINIONS / KIT REVIEWS / FEATURES / TUTORIALS / TECHNICAL

Technical Airgun Lost Volume

TECHNICAL AIRGUN

SWEEPING GENERALISATION?

Jim Tyler explains how lost volume affects muzzle energy p74

Jim investigates lost volume - and short-strokes one of his TX200s at a cost of 50p

he term ‘lost volume’ is used to describe the difference between the total combined volume of the cylinder, transfer port, pellet skirt and piston seal face, and the displacement of the piston stroke. The volume that is not lost volume is compressed, and is known as the ‘swept volume’.

What lost volume does is lower the cylinder pressure and energy for any given point in the piston’s compression stroke, so there is less energy to accelerate the pellet. At a perhaps more fundamental level, lowering the cylinder pressure retards the point in the compression stroke that the pellet starts to move, reducing the ‘cylinder pulse’; the length of piston travel in which the piston and the pellet are moving in the same direction, which means that the pellet accelerates for a shorter period, to a lower velocity.

T

The rifle needs the same preload with an insert as it does with a longer rod or piston extension.

volume to spare, because they are designed with one eye on unrestricted markets with no ceiling on muzzle energy, such as North America, where high muzzle energy is a strong selling point. To accelerate a pellet to a high

BAD OR NOT? So lost volume is a bad thing? Well, not necessarily. Most spring airguns have swept

velocity takes a higher swept volume than is needed to accelerate a pellet to deliver under 12 ft.lbs., raising the question of whether increasing lost volume could be a viable way to reduce muzzle energy where desired, and it’s not just us in the UK who might wish to set our air rifles at less than their design maximum energy.

A recent trend amongst enthusiasts in the USA is reducing the muzzle energy of ‘magnum’ spring airguns to nearer or even within our 12 ft.lbs. limit or below, and the reason our American friends are doing this is that they believe it makes their rifles much more pleasant to shoot, and probably makes it easier to achieve desired accuracy.

In order to witness the effect of airgun modifications such as introducing lost volume, it is sometimes necessary to take them to extremes which, in the case of lost volume, I have already done.

GOING TO EXTREMES A couple of years ago, I deliberately introduced massive lost volume into my old HW77 by fitting a range of short cylinder inserts with axial holes inside the compression tube, which

The rifle is very well behaved with its polyurethane insert.

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Feel the Heat

TECHNICAL AIRGUN

HOT TOPIC

Is heat-related POI shift always down to your scope? Jim knows the answer p78

Can your telescopic sight cause pellet point of impact shift due to extremes of temperature? unday 25th June was blisteringly hot, and also the day of the second round of the excellent UKAHFT 2017 series at Buxted. A friend who attended the event told me that the temperature hit 33C in the afternoon, and that quite a few people had reported that their pellet’s point of impact (POI) had shifted due to the heat. It’s actually common to get pellet POI shifts with temperature changes, but the reason is usually the rifle.

With spring airguns, POI shifts can be an inch or more, and are mainly due to the piston seal swelling when hot, and shrinking when cold, altering the seal’s friction and the point in the recoil cycle when the pellet exits the muzzle, so it is pointing higher or lower than usual at pellet exit. With PCPs, POI changes are much smaller, and caused by the molecules of the air in the cylinder possessing higher kinetic energy, which raises muzzle velocity, (or vice versa) as discussed last month. The suspicion at the Buxted shoot was falling not on the rifle, but the scope. In theory, a scope could alter the POI with changes in temperature and to understand how, we need to take a look inside the scope.

S

I’ve never suffered temperature related POI shift with my PCP.

INSIDE THE SCOPE The mechanism that alters pellet POI when we zero comprises a tube containing lens elements and is called the ‘erector’ tube, which is free to pivot at the rear, and held at the front

by a triangular arrangement comprising the elevation and windage adjusters, and a spring.

To move the POI left, the windage adjuster is usually screwed in toward the axis of the scope, which pushes the front of the erector

The erector tube is free to pivot from the rear as the adjusters move the front.

The adjuster housing screws into the turret block, through a neoprene washer to keep water out.

78

AIRGUN WORLD

If a scope does not respond to small adjustments in windage or elevation, the erector tube is probably dragging on the leaf spring, visible here.

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67 Follow-up Test

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71 In a Spin

109 Can We Build It?

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83 Top Value Guns Tim Finley enjoys putting the Sig Sauer MPX through its paces

94 Airgun Student Naylor Ball turns to nature to help with his stalking

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98 Rosie’s Recipe Rosie uses up leftovers from the Game Fair bake to produce a avoursome treat

101 Syn City

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POINTS OF YOU

THE AIRGUN WORLD FORUM FOR YOUR RANTS, RAVES AND Q&As MORE IS LESS?

FAWCETT’S RE-FOUND

A few words, if I may, on the subject of FAC air rifles. I am 66 years of age and have hunted and fished since my school days, a long time ago. I have rimfire and shotguns, but sub-12 ft.lbs. air rifles are my first love. I have owned FAC guns, a Theoben .20 at 30 ft.lbs., and a Daystate .22 doing 40. I no longer own these rifles because I had endless problems with seals etc., although the guns were brand new.

If you do an article on FAC, I feel that you should point out the cost, paperwork, gun cabinet and licence fees, and I can say from experience that their resale value is the pits, and they gulp air like a surfacing whale.

To be honest ,I see no reason for them because a decent hunter can do as well with 12 ft.lbs. and I never read the columns of Mick Garvey – no disrespect to Mick – people like Phil Hardman, Charlie Portlock and the late, great John Darling, are real airgunners and hunters in my view.

If I’m hunting with 12 ft.lbs., I get far more satisfaction by cleanly dispatching a rabbit up to 40 yards with my AA S400, than at 80 yards with my rimfire, which I use for pest control, not hunting. No disrespect intended to anyone; it’s a great mag’ – been reading it for years.

BARRY ROONEY

I had been trying to track down a certain type of pellet that was recommended for my new Webley Raider 12 – Accupel FT. Not all dealers seem to stock them, but those who do vary the price by as much as 50% – from £8 to £12, so I’d resigned myself to saving up for a big mail-order delivery.

Our family has a caravan near Milnthorpe in Cumbria, and my father-in-law suggested a full-English breakfast at the Wellies Café, just down the road at Greenlands Farm Village, Carnforth. This was originally a working dairy farm, now converted into a number of units, such as wine and cheese merchants, and I noticed a large banner on one of the outbuildings – ‘Fawcett’s Country Sports’.

Curiosity got the better of me so my wife agreed that I could have a look around for a few minutes whilst the bacon and sausage was being prepared. The penny soon dropped; I had been calling into the Lancaster City Centre shop for years, but hadn’t realised they had moved in March. They are not a dedicated airgun shop – they cover other aspects of shooting and fishing too – but it’s still a family-run concern and the icing on the cake was to find the Accupells at a reasonable price, so I stocked up.

I was so engrossed in chatting to the staff that I realised half an hour had passed so I hot-footed it back to the café, and the price of breakfast was covered by what I saved on

Well, Barry, you have every right to your opinion, mate, and no doubt some will fully

Mick Garvey uses FAC and legal limit rifles – but is one more worthy than the other?

agree with you, but having used FAC-rated and sub-12 rifles for hunting, I can confirm that there are plenty of sporting challenges, and practical applications, out there for both. We’ll be doing that article, soon, and I promise it will contain all aspects of high-power airgunning.

– Ed

LETTER OF THE MONTH WIN THE JACK PYKE HUNTERS BOOTS I’d like to give my wonderful husband, Steve, the surprise of his life when he sees this letter in his favourite magazine. Steve is a fantastic husband and father and, his family apart, he absolutely lives for his shooting. Steve has been battling the same awful disease you had, Terry, and like you he has beaten that cowardly cancer and he’s getting stronger every day.

He’s often said that your battle inspired him to keep going when it would have been so much easier to just lie down and let his illness take over, and that Airgun World allowed him to stay in touch with his beloved sport when he was too ill to shoot. His shooting has been so important to him and his recovery and on

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

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behalf of Steve and our family I would like to thank you and everyone at Airgun World for helping him more than you could possibly believe.

Here’s to a great future.

Claire and the family Sharp What a wonderful letter, Claire, and how fantastic it is to know that Steve’s recovery is progressing so well. If Airgun World has helped in any way, then that’s truly uplifting for us all, here. May everything continue in this positive way and please email me with Steve’s boot size so I can sort out a pair of Jack Pyke boots for him.

As you say – here’s to a great future. - Terry

size and 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 terry.doe@archant.co.uk

postage. If you have kids to keep amused whilst you browse, they have an open farm/play barn, too.

So the moral of the story is, sometimes you find what you seek in the most unlikely of places, and by pure chance. I would be interested to hear if other readers have come across hidden gems on their travels, be it the shops themselves or the items they contain, or those that have relocated premises.

ANDREW EDWARDS

reveal more as the plans are finalised and I hope you’ll like it. – Ed

taken it up with our printers. – Ed

THAT CALIBRE QUESTION Rosie replies: I wrote Perils and Pitfalls in the early ‘90s, Stephen. Dave’s antics would be frowned upon under today’s health and safety guidelines, but some of the less controversial stories are within the Delicious Vermin!

MORE ABOUT THOSE MILBROS The answer to Adrian Harries question on page nine of your summer magazine is: Milbro Caledonian pellets are available presently from any SMK distributor. They are available in .177 and .22, on page 35 of the SMK catalogue.

CLIVE

Help, please. I want an air rifle to control vermin in my garden, mainly grey squirrels and rats. I live in a remote location and have a half-acre garden. I like the look of the Air Arms S410 carbine and it fits my budget, but I have no idea which calibre to choose – .22 or .177.

Can you advise, please?

RUSSELL BARLING Russell – the ‘calibre controversy’ has raged for as long as anyone can remember, but the simple fact is, either will do the job, provided you place the pellet correctly.

TOTALLY OUT OF LINE!

This is where Fawcett’s used to be, and now it’s at Greenland’s Farm Village, Carnforth, Lancashire.

If you’re in the area, pop in.

A BRACE OF BOOKS? Congratulations to you and all the team at Airgun World on your 40th birthday.

I think that now would be a good time for you to bring out a book on your airgunning life – you already have some material from last week’s Airgun World about WH Smith, and so on.

Would it also be possible for Rosie Barham to put her Perils and Pitfalls series all together into a book? I truly hope that this would be possible. All the best to Airgun World and another 40 years STEPHEN Thanks for the kind words, Stephen, and Rosie will read this so she can add her answer as she sees fit. As for me, yes, I will be doing a book one day, and believe me I do have more than enough material for it. I’ll

I was very disappointed on holiday, when I started to relax and read my Summer issue of Airgun World, to find that some of the pages were stapled together, out of line and with the edges trimmed off. This made it impossible to read some of the articles that were included in it. I should therefore be pleased if there is anything that you can do about it for me.

R.E. BURKILL There certainly is, Mr Burkill. Please forward your full address and we’ll send you a new magazine by return. Thanks for bringing this to our attention, and be assured we’ve already

Something definitely amiss, here. If any other readers see anything like this, please let us know.

It’s always more about proper placement than calibre, or even power.

ANOTHER CONVERT After reading your article in the current Airgun World on the bullpup conversion kit, I immediately rang the helpful gang at BAR to order a kit for my Air Arms S410. It duly arrived the next day, and contained everything as you described except any form of instruction leaflet.

However, your step-by-step information shown in the magazine was spot on, and the transformation from carbine to bullpup rifle was completed in under 15 minutes. I am delighted with result and it will make a fine ratting gun in confined spaces.

RON WINTER

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AIRGUN WORLD

9

»

POINTS OF YOU

The S410 bullpup means a ‘Winter’ of discontent for Ron’s rats!

I’m glad the feature helped you, Ron, and you’re right, that S410 bullpup will be a splendid piece of kit for ratting, and for many other applications. – Ed

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? I would like to congratulate you on a great magazine and everything you have done in the world of airguns. You are a true gent! I was wondering if you could tell me what happened to Jim Wyatt, and his cousin, Carl. I started with airguns in the mid-1990s and waited avidly for each issue of Airgun World, and Jim and Carl’s latest adventures, but having only recently got back into airguns after 20-odd years, it feels like I’m a novice all over again and I cannot believe how things have come on! Please keep on keeping on with the world of airguns, Terry. It was great picking up a new issue of Airgun World and seeing your familar face again.

PAUL HAM Hi Paul, and thanks for those too-kind words, mate. As far as I know, Jim and Carl are still doing their stuff, although it’s been a long time since I’ve seen them. Welcome back to the best sport on the planet! - Ed

SWEET SOLUTION After reading Mr Dean’s letter, I was most surprised by your comment. I’m sure many of your readers didn’t know that you are left-handed and trained yourself to shoot right-handed. I had to do the same because I learned to shoot in the army because when using a semi-auto weapon, the spent cartridge would hit you in the face should the weapon be used left-handed. Using a PCP, it’s not too difficult, but a springer requires more practice.

Now, to the point of me writing: I know you use the ‘both eyes open’ technique, and I’d never even heard of this until seeing American Sniper and then your teachings to Naylor, but how on

10

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earth do you stop your dominant eye from taking over? I can’t seem to do this. When I look through my scope with both eyes open, what I see through my left eye sort of takes over and the sight picture isn’t clear. So how do I get around this?

Also I came up with an idea recently; I was tucking into some Cadbury’s Roses, and thought that the plastic wrappers would make a good gun lamp filter – obviously, with the foil removed.

They work very well, although some need doubling up. I have tried them on my Tracer lamp and I hold them on with rubber bands.

Fantastic mag’, Terry. Thanks, mate.

DAN HOLME

BACK TO THE FUTURE 1 As I write, I’ve just finished re-reading your 40th anniversary special and all I can say is, wow! What a fantastic journey Airgun World has been on during its four decades! I’m a few years older than you, Terry, and although I didn’t get the magazine from the first issue like you did, I wasn’t far behind and I have been there ever since. I definitely remember the ‘cartoon’ issue and like you I wasn’t a fan, but thank goodness we’ve come a long way since then, in more ways than one.

One question if I may: If you could go back to the good old days before precharged pneumatics cost the same as a second-hand car, and scopes could be used without us needing a degree in physics, would you do it?

Honest answer now.

Thanks for a great magazine and here’s to the next 40 years.

GORDON MARSHALL Hand on heart, Gordon, while the ‘good old days’ were fantastic in their own way, I wouldn’t swap them for the advancement and progress of today. Besides, those older airguns are still there if that’s what you prefer, mate. –Ed

Gordon Marshall is pleased we’ve come a long way from that ‘cartoon’ issue, but would he still prefer the ‘good old days’?

BACK TO THE FUTURE 2 I have to say that the 40th anniversary issue is the best Airgun World I’ve ever seen. I’ve been reading the magazine for over 30 years, on and off, and the sight of those old covers features and contributors really took me back to my teenage years. My sons are keen airgun hunters, with all the modern kit, and I’m sure they think I’m kidding when I tell them I used to hunt very successfully with a Weihrauch HW35 and open sights. I was a better stalker in those days, but the fact is I brought home plenty of rabbits with that HW35. In fact, after reading last month’s issue I may well get another one. Keep up the good work and I’ll see you at the Midland Game Fair.

RON MERRIWEATHER As far as hunting with the HW35 goes, Ron, it’s a case of ‘you and me, both’, mate. I shot literally thousands of rats, rabbits and pigeons with my ’35, albeit from fairly close ranges. I’m glad of optical assistance these days, mind! Ed

Class is permanent, as they say, and the HW35 is one classy sporter.

FEELGOOD AIRGUNNING

BENEFITS FOR ALL! Everyone wins when good people do great things

he start of the summer and warmer weather heralds various shooting-based weekends being held around the country, and one of the biggest is the annual Benefit Boys weekend. The Benefit Boys is a community of like-minded shooters based across the United Kingdom, and the meet is held at Richings Park Airgun Club, to the west of London. Each year, a charity is chosen for whom to raise funds, and this year the charity of choice was Help for Heroes.

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It’s a fantastic weekend - guaranteed!

MIXED BAG At this year’s meet there were well-known faces from the HFT scene, bushcraft experts, tuners, hunters, plinkers and even those who just went to enjoy the weekend. The weekend involves two nights’ camping, barbecues, a full HFT course, cooked brekkies, various side-shooting comps, two free-to-use plinking ranges, and a fair amount of banter Banter is fierce at a Benefit Boys fundraiser! around the campfire, all for the princely sum of £20.

MEET AND GREET The Friday night was a meet and greet, a barbecue, and sharing drinks and stories around the campfire. Saturday was the day of Adam Domm with his fantastic raffle prize

the main HFT comp, where some clever range traps and a circulating breeze made for an interesting event that caught many a shooter out on the day. Some of the more trickier lanes were sponsored by businesses and groups, the sponsor money going toward the charity fund.

CHARITY RAFFLE Saturday night saw more tales, boasts and excuses around the barbecue and campfire.

Sunday was the day of the less serious side comps; the 100-yard competition is basically what it says – shots at three clays on a target set at a distance of 100 yards. Tom Croft won that, hitting all three clays with his three shots.

A mini HFT course with a difference was next in line. Twenty targets, but this time the only thing to hit was a micro-silhouette between 10 and 30mm. Imagine trying to see a 25mm-high metal rabbit at 40 yards, never mind shoot it. Somehow Mick Boswell and Jonathon Franklin both managed to hit 18 out of 20 to win that one.

The weekend closed with the charity raffle and an amazing first prize of a brand new Air Arms S510 from the Benefit Boys themselves was won by a grateful Adam Domm.

Further prizes donated by Air Arms, Advanced Targets, Richings Park Clay Club,

among others, helped to bring the total money raised for charity to a staggering £1900.

Over 100 like-minded airgunners attended and all were in agreement that the organisers Garry Brooks, Dan Smith, and Mark Ramsey had laid on a very special weekend that was a credit to the shooting community. ■

RESULTS The Open class was won by Mark Taylor, narrowly pipping Jon Oakey.

Last year’s Open winner, Pete Muir, moved up to .22 for this year’s meet, and took first place in what was termed ‘the macho calibre class’ and Dario Mitrovic kept his cool to win the Recoiling.

2016 ladies champion Rebecca Barnett showed that she’s at home on the RPAC course, with yet another impressive round to finish tied with Eileen Murray. After a tense shoot-off, it was Eileen who edged it for first place.

Young shooter, Liam Oakey, won the Junior class in which there were some fine up-and-coming shooters.

The group award an unusual trophy – The Challenge. The award more or less speaks for itself, but nobody expected someone who is six months pregnant to complete a full round of HFT. Not only that, but Becky Ilsley also managed a respectable score of 26, despite having to stand or kneel for her shots.

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WHAT’S GOING ON MTC’ING STARS

MTC Optics recently invited us, along with other journalists, to the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich to see their new range of rifle scopes. We’d seen pictures of some of them, but never had the chance to handle them, and more importantly look through them. They feature special new lenses with coatings that are compatible with all kinds of night-vision scopes and cameras that are so popular today. All

The superb new range of MTC scopes will be with us very soon.

the controls felt smooth and wellweighted, making them a pleasure to use. There were high-power, long-range models with geared turrets, models designed for competition use, and our favourite, the MambaLite, designed specifically for airgun hunting. We’ll bring you in-depth reviews of each model as they’re made available to us, so watch this space. www.mtcoptics.com

HAWKE CENTRAL Hawke Sport Optics has launched a new lifestyle hub for like-minded outdoor and wildlife enthusiasts that brings together knowledge from Hawke’s experts along with tips, news and updates from all over the world on Hawke Life.

This exciting new hub will be kept up to date with articles from experts from the US, well-known shooters from the UK and the rest of the world.

Current features include a Texan hog hunt film with a .45 calibre airgun, summer time rabbiting

FLY-POD

NOW IN STOCK!

In answer to the increased interest in military-style rifles with their Weaver accessory rails, Air Force One has released a new bipod designed to fit. It has adjustable-length legs that vary from 5 to 9” and have rubber feet to aid stability. The quick-release clamp has free movement that allows you to pan the scope 30°, and also compensate for cant, which is vital for long-range accuracy. It’s available in black, as you’d expect, and also the interestingly named ‘champagne sand’ which we’re looking forward to seeing. www.shootingparty.uk £59.95

SMK quietly told us recently that they’re planning to introduce a large number of new guns soon and the Victory CP2 is the first. It’s a CO2-powered pistol that has a shoulder stock extension to convert it into a mini carbine. The looks are pretty dramatic, and the compact dimensions and handy weight remind us of the Crosman ratter that has served the pest control world so well. It’s available in black and camouflage, and in the choice of

AIRGUN WORLD

Want to know what’s happening in Hawke’s world, then the Hawke Life hub is for you.

.177 and .22. On top of the rifled barrel there are adjustable open sights which can be removed to make space for a scope to be fitted to the dovetail machined into the action. The bolt-action operates a magazine, making quick reloads a breeze so you can get those plinking targets spinning! www.sportsmk.co.uk Tel 01206 795333 RRP £199.95

The CP2 is available in black and this camo pattern.

With the stock attached, the CP2 becomes a mini carbine.

Is that bipod ‘champagne sand’?

I believe it is!

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tips and much more. Visit life.hawkeoptics.com to find out more. Along with this new lifestyle hub Hawke has also launched Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages to keep you up to date with the latest from Hawke all over the world. facebook. com/hawkeoptics, twitter.com/hawkeoptics, Instagram.com/ hawke.life

www.airgunshooting.co.uk

Something you think airgunners should know about? Tell us about it and we’ll share your news with the readership.

Write to: What’s Going On, Evolution House, 2-6 Easthampstead Road, Wokingham, Berks. RG40 2EG. Or email terry.doe@archant.co.uk

A FASTER PHOX Gamo took the airgun world by storm when it introduced the Phox package that offered the multi-shot pre-charged pneumatic rifle, a 3-9 x 40 scope, mounts, silencer, bag and a pump for £499. It was incredible value for money as well as being a top performer. They’ve just updated it with the Silenci version available in .177, and now features a removable silencer. We’ve used the older .22 model extensively and can attest to its accuracy and reliability in harsh field

conditions, but had wished for our preferred .177 calibre, so we’re delighted to see this new model. We’re told that they’ll be in the shops during September and that you can place an order with your local gun shop now. Even better, the price has been kept to £499 www.gamo.com

The Phox Silenci delivers .177 calibe and a new silencer.

RANGER OPTIONS

KNOCK-OUT PONCH

The Air Arms S400 series rifles have been immensely popular with more than 80,000 having been sold around the world. It’s no surprise then that accessory manufacturers want to offer products to suit them, which is why Rifleman Firearms has introduced a range of stocks to fit. These are made in the UK to the highest standards and are a drop-in part that takes just minutes to fit. They’re made from laminated wood in a choice of forest green, walnut, black, royal and silver, so there’s something for everybody’s taste, whether you’re a hunter or a competitor. Nice touches include a soft rubber butt pad, an aluminium collar around the gauge aperture and sling swivel studs, factory fitted. Priced at £325 they represent good value for money and even better – if you buy one with an Air Arms S400, S410 or S510, the price goes down to £225. www.riflemanfirearms.com

Getting caught in a huge rainstorm can ruin a good day in the field, so having an emergency waterproof in your rucksack makes sense. This lightweight poncho made by Helicon can quickly be pulled over whatever you’re wearing, and your rifle, so that you can sit out the rain completely dry and comfortable. It’s even big enough to go over your rucksack, keeping it and its contents dry, too.

Other uses include making it into a ground sheet, a sleeping bag cover, and even a makeshift basha at a push. The waterproof ripstop fabric is surprisingly tough and you can choose from plain green or from four camouflage patterns.

They’re also as cheap as chips at just £22.40 www.military1st.co.uk

If you own an Air Arms rifle this stock could enhance its handling no end.

MIDLAND MEET UP The 16th and 17th of September will see us in attendance at one of the best game fairs of the year for airgun sport. The ‘Midland’ as it’s known, has been host to the European Field Target Championships for years, and this year will be the same. The challenging course is up

on the hill just a short stroll from the Airgun Expo area that has everybody who is anybody in it, so that you can see and handle all the important guns and kit all in one place. As ever, there will be plenty of ranges where you can try out superb guns and even get some professional instruction. All this sits beside a

This lightweight poncho could save your day in unpredictable weather.

huge country fair that’s a pleasure to stroll around, enjoying the displays, shopping and of course all the great food and drink on offer. www.midland gamefair.co.uk

SUMMER’S SPOT-THE-DIFFERENCE COMBO WINNER! OUR SUMMER ISSUE SPOT-THE-DIFFERENCE WINNER WON HIMSELF A SUPERB WEIHRAUCH HW44 PISTOL OUTFIT WORTH A COOL £700 - FOR JUST £1.50 - AND YOU CAN BE THIS MONTH’S WINNER ON PAGE 16!

Our Summer edition spot-the-difference winner told us he can’t believe his luck, because he’s just been given permission on a new farm and industrial storage complex, and now he’s won a brand-new Weihrauch HW44 pistol, plus a scope, mounts and silencer. Chris Pine from Berkshire is the lucky man, and this superb new PCP pistol has already produced half-inch groups at 30 yards, so he has unlimited potential in his hands! There’s more Weihrauch quality ready and waiting to be won this month in the second part of our special, two-gun, 40th anniversary competition, so get those entries in and those fantastic rifles could be yours!

SEE P16

FOR ANOTHER GREAT PRIZE! www.airgunshooting.co.uk

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40TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL!

WIN! TOGETHER WORTH £1000!

A FANTASTIC WEIHRAUCH HW110 AND AN HW35E

PLEASE NOTE: A SCOPE AND MOUNTS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS MONTH’S PRIZE

It’s not just Airgun World that is celebrating its 40th birthday this August; there’s another four decades worth of success being commemorated at Hull Cartridge Company, marking its association with German maestros, Weihrauch. You can join the party, too, by winning this fantastic pair of Weihrauchs, an HW35E and the phenomenally successful HW110. This special competition has been run over two issues and this is your second chance to win. Don’t forget that the winner will have the opportunity to receive their prizes from the Airgun World editor at Bisley, plus they’ll get a full day’s coaching and the occasion will feature in our December issue. Good luck to all!

SO EASY TO ENTER!

Simply spot the differences and enter by post - like we did back in the good old days!

ES CHANG

POST FORM

✁

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FIND

Spot the six differences between the photos to the left and circle them with a pen. Then cut out the completed form and post it to us.

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!

Airgun World Competition, Evolution House, 2-6 Easthampstead Road, Wokingham, Berks RG40 2EG

✁

Your Name Address Postcode Daytime Tel Email.

Prize to be sent to: Name and address of your local gunshop Address Postcode If you are under 18, an adult must sign on your behalf and give his/her name and address Name Address Postcode Tick if you have a subscription to Airgun World Closing date: Wednesday the 13th of October 2017 What would you like to see in Airgun World?

Simply write your suggestions below, or list your comments on a seperate sheet of paper, and send it with your competition entry.

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. The winner will be drawn from all of the correct entries received before the closing date.

Terms and Conditions: Winner will be published in the November issue. Competition closes at midnight on the 13th of October 2017. Usual terms and conditions apply. 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. Please tick if you would prefer NOT to receive information by post. 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. Please tick if you would prefer to NOT receive such information by post.

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ED’S TEST: THE ARMEX VARMINTER KIT

‘MINTED! You don’t have to be, to own the Armex Walther Rotex RM8 Varminter Kit hat do we need to go hunting and stand a good chance of success? We require a rifle producing sufficient consistent accuracy and muzzle energy to despatch our quarry cleanly, a reliable sighting device and mount, a stock that promotes comfortable control, and preferably, a silencer to keep everything efficiently discreet. A protective case to keep it all in would be handy, and what about a bipod for those intensive zeroing and pellet-testing sessions, or for when you’re plotted up in the prone position to ambush rabbits? One last tick on many hunters’ wish lists would be an overall price tag that didn’t make their eyes water.

The big news, fresh in this month is, Armex have decided to offer all of that, plus their renowned care package, for a penny under £500. This has to be worth investigating, so that’s what I’ve been doing.

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mounting blocks for lamp, laser or infrared illuminator, and a fully-padded rifle case in dark green, rather than the black one I’ve been using.

It’s quite a package, then, especially for £499.99 all-in, but as we know, a bargain’s only a bargain if it does what we need it to do. There’s the next phase cued up nicely, then.

THE WALTHER ROTEX RM8 The rifle at the centre of the Varminter Kit is, not unnaturally, the Walther Rotex RM8 Varminter. This is the latest incarnation of Walther’s 8-shot, bolt-action sporter and features the familiar fixed, 200cc buddy bottle, fully-floating – fixed at the breech only – 19.7-

inch barrel, and an ambidextrous, black, synthetic, thumbhole stock. That stock is a pleasing thing to handle and to look at, blessed as it is with all manner of sympathetic curves, contours and moulded grip panels. Those panels are among the grippiest I’ve ever used, too, so full marks to the Walther designers.

The trigger is the tried-and-tested two-stage mechanism that offers an adjustable first stage and a factory set let-off pressure. Many airgunners would arch a cynical eyebrow at any modern PCP without a fully-adjustable trigger, but to them I’d say, see how you get on with it first. More of that later; for now I’ll finish the brief tour of the Varminter Kit.

SILENCER Along with the Varminter itself, the Armex kit contains a Backdraft reflex silencer that slides over the rifle’s ½-inch UNF threaded barrel a full 6.5 inches, leaving just 3 inches protruding. The Backdraft is equipped with internal baffles and has all the volume required to swallow the RM8’s muzzle noise. This moderator is big,

THE ARMEX VARMINTER KIT black and bold, but it somehow fits the whole package extremely well, and it works a treat, without messing up the rifle’s balance. I thought I wouldn’t like the Backdraft but it’s growing on me.

What we have here, is a Walther Rotex RM8 pre-charged pneumatic rifle, an Enfield 3-9 x 40 scope and mounts, a reflex Backdraft silencer, an adjustable bipod complete with Picatinny

BIPOD

The new Walther RM8 Varminter is an impressive rifle for an equally impressive price.

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AIRGUN WORLD

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On the subject of balance, the Varminter Kit’s supplied bipod will definitely change the handling characteristics if you leave it attached and folded during general shooting duties. A swift twist with either a Phillips or flathead screwdriver releases the bipod from its Weaver-style mount, and the Varminter’s excellent balance is restored.

As for the bipod itself, it sports height-adjustable, spring-loaded legs with squishy rubber feet and a couple of Weaver mount blocks for those attachments I mentioned earlier. This is a practical accessory that does its job extremely well, although I’d have preferred a quickrelease facility so I could snap it on and off as required.

THE ARMEX VARMINTER KIT

SCOPE AND MOUNTS The Enfield 3-9 x 40 scope is perfect for those who prefer to keep things simple, reliable and unobtrusive. A duplex cross hair maintains the simple/practical theme and this is carried through by the low-profile turrets. The test scope endured a quick turrets ‘walkabout’ to test its ability to retain zero, and this exercise involves cranking the adjusters in 20-click increments up, left, down and right, to make sure it returns to its original point of aim. It did, so that was lovely.

The 3-9 x 40 format has to be one of the most popular in the wide world of telescopic sights, and for good reason. It provides enough magnification at the top end to spot pellet holes in paper out to 40 yards, and the lower settings give the shooter the wide-angle view required to locate and shoot close range quarry. A set of two-piece, medium height mounts holds everything in place and the more I study this scope, and the kit to which it belongs, the more obvious it becomes that this Varminter outfit is all about practical use, rather than frills.

THE RIFLE CASE Everything comes contained in a full-size soft case, reinforced with webbing and sufficiently padded to protect what’s inside it. As stated, I believe the cases will be green, but

Charging, loading and basic instruction, all taken care of by Walther.

construction is identical, including the sturdy zip, which opens the rifle case fully to become a shooting mat. Again, it’s a sensible, practical product that does what it’s designed to do.

CHARGING AND SHOT CAPACITY The RM8’s buddy bottle is charged to 232 bar via its supplied probe adaptor, and for the .22 calibre rifle on test, that’s sufficient compression to supply 180 shots, or very near offer. My initial chrono’ tests returned a figure of 178 shots at 11.5 ft.lbs., using Air Arms Diabolo Field pellets, and the ‘best’ 100 of those shots came 20 shots in to a full charge.

This translates to filling just below the full 232

bar, and recharging after 12 magazines’ worth of pellets have been shot.

SWEET SPOT The RM8 is unregulated, so this ‘finding the sweet spot’ exercise is entirely worth doing, and having consulted my previous notes on other tests I’ve carried out on this rifle, I was interested to see that my findings have been consistent. The last two .22 RM8s I tested also preferred a charging pressure of slightly lower than 232 bar, and like this latest model, the average consistency throughout the 100-shot band was 14 f.p.s. I’ll shoot right through the charge for next month’s follow-up test, but as it

Leaving the bipod on does the rifle’s balance no favours, but I persevered with it.

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THE EDITOR’S TEST: THE ARMEX VARMINTER KIT

Grip panels that live up to their name and a thoroughly reliable bolt-action system also come as standard.

Nope - that bipod will come off for the follow-up test.

Here’s how far over the barrel the Backdraft silencer fits.

stands, having 100 reliable shots to my credit as I set foot in the hunting field is all the potential I need.

ACCURACY I think Walther may have introduced a refinement somewhere along the line, because the previous tests I mentioned told me to expect 14mm diameter groups at 35 yards.

This test rifle closed that down to 12mm, and sometimes smaller. This could be purely down to range conditions on the day, or the quality/ compatibility of the particular batch of pellets I used, or even my form at the time of testing, but I have to say that the Varminter on test felt a little ‘slicker’ than previous models. The shooting cycle of the RM8 is unlike most PCPs in that I can feel the rifle’s internal hammer striking the valve to release air for each shot. It’s always been like that and it’s no big deal, but that sensation on firing has been reduced with this test rifle, or at least that’s how it feels to me.

An adjustable bipod comes as part of the kit.

Loads of volume and a baffle system equals seriously quiet shooting.

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COCKING ACTION

VERDICT At £499, the Armex Varminter Kit has to represent a bargain. The rifle shoots accurately and handles efficiently. The trigger plays a positive role in overall accuracy and only true trigger freaks will find it wanting. This new stock is the best option yet and carries a genuinely credible mix of hardwearing practicality, good design and, yes, it’s fair share of style. Next month, I’ll concentrate on pushing the performance envelope to its maximum and see where that takes us, but for a penny under 500 quid, this kit is going to take some beating, no doubt about it. ■

TECH SPEC Model: Rotex RM8 Varminter Manufacturer: Walther Country of origin: Germany Price: £499 including scope, mounts, bipod, silencer and rifle case

Perception aside, the best way to cycle the bolt on this rifle, is to be smooth and direct with it. The rifle is cocked on the rearward travel of the bolt, and the magazine is indexed as the bolt is pushed forward to load the pellet and seal the system. Try to develop a ‘back-forth’ action, without hesitation, and you’ll have no problems cycling shot after shot.

Type: Pre-charged pneumatic, 8-shot sporter

TRIGGER

Length: 1015 (40 ins) including silencer

I waited for someone from those who tried the Varminter to mention the trigger. Only one did and he expressed a desire for a slightly lighter setting. A gunsmith could achieve this, but the user can’t because the let-off isn’t adjustable.

In all honesty, I’d leave it exactly how it is, with 12mm of first stage travel and a 1.5 pound let-off pressure. It’s a totally workable set-up and I predict the vast majority of airgunners will get along perfectly with it.

Calibre: 22 and .177 (.22 on test) Cocking: Bolt-action Loading: Via rotary, removable 8-shot magazine Trigger: 2-stage, adjustable for pull-length only Stock type: Ambidextrous, thumbhole synthetic Weight: 3.8 kg (8.4lbs) unscoped

Barrel: 500mm (19.7 ins) Variation over 100 shots: 15fps for rifle on test.

Average energy: 11.4 ft.lbs.

Average group at 35 yards: 12 mm Favoured pellet of test rifle: Air Arms Diabolo Field Contact: Armex on 0121 643 4900

RRP £499

THERE’S A NEW HERO IN TOWN – FROM Distributed to the trade by: ASI Alliance House, Snape, Saxmundham, Suffolk IP17 1SW TEL: 01728 688 555 EMAIL: info@a-s-i.co.uk WEB: www.a-s-i.co.uk

HARDMAN’S HUNTING

THE BEST LAID PLANS …

Phil Hardman faces frustration at his favourite part of the hunting year his month is the one I have been waiting for, the September issue. Every year I look forward to this one, more than any other. You see, it’s around now that the fields are finally harvested, and the long crops that have tempted woodpigeons to feed, but hidden them safely out of my reach for months, are no longer there. The safe haven they once offered is gone, and the grain that is spilled during the harvesting process, now sits out in the open, on the ground, waiting to be gobbled up by huge swathes of hungry birds. Usually, the next few weeks will see me bag hundreds of pigeons on the stubble fields – it’s the highlight of my hunting year. Having spent the past month or so watching, studying, and obsessing over where the pigeons are feeding, I have it all worked out. I know which fields they prefer, which trees they sit in, what time they arrive, and when they leave.

All I need to do is wait for the field to be cut, and then put out my plastic decoy birds in an effort to create a realistic feeding group to lure the incoming pigeons into a small kill zone, where I wait in ambush. I’m pretty sure I say it every year, but I will repeat it once again.

Decoying woodpigeons is my favorite hunting tactic, bar none! It hands down beats rat shooting for excitement; it requires more skill than rabbit stalking, and more knowledge and field craft than anything else I can think of; it encompasses everything you will ever have learned about hunting, and brings them all together into what can either be the greatest days hunting you have ever had, or the most frustrating. It is not simply a case of popping out a few plastic birds and waiting, and it can take years to master, but when you get it right, its beyond worth it.

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SOMETHING’S DIFFERENT This year was different from the very beginning, and I noticed around a month ago that I wasn’t seeing the usual build up I have come to expect. Sure, pigeons were sitting on the power lines and I could see them dropping down into

I was running out of ideas and starting to get desperate.

the crops as I drove past, but for a month straight their numbers usually steadily increase.

This year however, things were decidedly quiet – a few birds here and there, but nowhere near the numbers I am used to seeing. Still, I kept telling myself that they’d come as soon as the first field was cut, that they were just running late, that sort of thing.

The weather leading up to harvest was extremely unsettled. One day it was blazing sunshine, the next day torrential downpours, which meant that it was difficult to try to predict when they’d finally start to cut the fields. Despite my best efforts I was playing catch up from the get go this year, and the first sign I got of the fields being cut was when I drove past and saw the combine harvester cutting the outer edges of one of them.

In total, I have six decent crop fields that I have access to shoot over, which generally

means my harvest goes something like this: I see the first field being cut in the morning, and baled in the afternoon, so I get ready to hit it the next day, making sure I have all my kit in order and I am ready to go. I decoy the freshly cut stubble on the first field whilst the farmer works on the second, because it is the only field the birds have access to at the moment, which narrows down their options and makes it harder for them to resist my decoys.

Day one, I’d say I probably average 15 or so birds, which might sound a lot, but averaged over a full day’s shooting and given what I know can be achieved, it’s not really anything to write home about. It is a very important dress rehearsal for what’s to come next, though.

Day two sees the second, larger field harvested, and then on the following day, the combine moves on to the third, whilst the farm

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HARDMAN’S HUNTING hands bale the second field. This continues over the next few days, one field is baled, as the next is cut, and once they’re done they move on until they’re all harvested. As soon as the combine is finished on the final field, the driver takes it back to the farm and returns with a tractor pulling a plough, and starts to plough the first field, whilst the final one is being baled. This military precision means I have a very limited window of opportunity, but they can only cut dry crops, so any rain usually means a pause in the work whilst they wait for the crops to dry, and thankfully, we always seem to get at least one wet day during this process, which extends my time on the decoys by a couple of days.

Pigeons love to eat; find their food and they won’t be far behind.

SO IT BEGINS This year, as I have already mentioned, was different. The combine had done the first field and they baled it in the afternoon, but whilst they were doing that, they also cut and baled the second field, working quite late into the evening. The next day was raining heavily, but I still expected to find fresh stubble and woodpigeons aplenty, instead, as I approached the field, I saw seagulls in the sky, a lot of seagulls. Although confused, I knew from experience that could only mean one thing, they were ploughing the field already! I rushed to see what was going on, only to find a tractor ploughing the second field, the first was already completed. I guess with the rain forecast they decided to crack on with ploughing whilst they waited for the other fields to dry out enough to cut, but this had totally destroyed my plans. I have had some success decoying fresh plough in the past, but there hadn’t been enough time yet for the

With no birds to decoy I targeted them at the edge of the fields instead.

With things the way they were, I couldn t afford to miss any opportunity.

I spent hours studying the fields, trying to formulate a plan.

stubble to pull the birds in, so I knew I would be wasting my time trying to get any real numbers, and with the rain coming down hard, I decided to head back home, regroup, and make a new plan.

A CHANGE OF PLAN The next day I was back out, no decoys, just me and my Weihrauch HW110. Everything I had learned over the past month was with the first two fields in mind, and since they were now nothing more than bare muddy earth, I had to catch up with what the birds were going to do, and I had to catch up fast. It wasn’t going to rain forever, and I knew that the combine would be back, with the dreaded plough not far behind.

First task was to see if the fresh plough was actually attracting any pigeons so I set myself up overlooking a sitty tree so I could target any incoming birds that might choose to perch

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HUNTING

This looks quite promising.

Finally! This is what I have been searching for so desperately.

there, whilst I watched the skies above. After a frustrating and largely wasted afternoon, I’d only bagged a single bird from the tree, so I decided to study the fields that were yet to be harvested. It was clear that the ploughed fields were lost opportunities and no matter how much attention I gave them, the birds simply weren’t interested.

Speaking of birds, I still couldn’t actually find the pigeons, although I know at this time of year the local population largely acts as a flock, so they had to be somewhere, didn’t they? I must admit I was beginning to doubt myself slightly, but nature doesn’t change, not completely, and not in a year.

They’re always here; every year for as long as I can remember I have seen them arrive, the numbers steadily building over days and weeks until hundreds appear every day to feed. They had to be somewhere, and I would guess somewhere close, but if I was going to find them, it was going to take every bit of skill and knowledge I had gained over the years,

and maybe a fresh perspective.

I spent another couple of hours over the next few days walking the hedges and sitting under the trees, picking off what pigeons I could from the field boundaries, but I was filled with a sense of great disappointment.

us – just because we are magazine contributors, that doesn’t mean we have some magical powers that automatically guarantee us success. I’d spoken to the editor a few days before and explained the situation and he suggested simply making this a two-part article.

I’m not one to shy away from working under pressure, and there was still an outside chance that I could still pull something out of the bag and actually make a success of it, so I agreed.

That decision actually turned out to have other, rather unexpected benefits, too. I was out taking a few extra photographs, and decided I wanted to get a couple of shots of the furthest fields that I thought were untouched, before they got cut, but what I actually found was that a part of one of the fields had already been cut, which left half of it ploughed and the other half still standing. That was interesting enough, but I soon I noticed just how many pigeons were on it! I almost couldn’t believe my eyes – I had found them, finally!

Right there and then I decided that maybe

“I decided that maybe all hope wasn’t lost, and I might still get some decent decoying this year after all” Twelve months I had waited for this, and it was looking like I’d have to wait another 12 to get a chance at it.

DEADLINES, DEADLINES With the deadline for this very piece upon me, I was out of time and in serious trouble. I am contacted pretty regularly by readers who find themselves in similar situations, looking for advice, so I decided to run with this piece, to show you all that it doesn’t always go right for

all hope wasn’t lost, and I might still get some decent decoying this year after all, if I moved quickly while the birds were still using this area to feed. Because I need to know exactly where to set up, I will head out tomorrow to do a recce, finalise where I will be best positioned, and then shoot the following day.

Success or failure, either way, part two of this story will be in next month’s issue, featuring a picture of me smiling alongside a hefty bag of shot birds, I hope. Wish me luck! ■

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MILEWSKI

This Webley is balanced upon my middle finger. The fourth and little fingers are simply wrapped around the grip and apply no pressure.

THE HOLD

John Milewski gets to grips with another vital part of accurate pistol shooting atch air pistols are among the most specialised of all airguns and are capable of landing pellets on top of each other at a distance of 10 metres. As a former air pistol competitor myself, I can confirm that this happened to me on numerous occasions. I would fire five shots, but only see four holes in the card target. As the holes were centrally placed, I know that I did not miss the target, and handling such an accurate arm filled me with considerable confidence whenever I entered a competition.

Not everyone has a need for such an arm, and not many can justify a purchase around a thousand pounds unless they choose to enter the immensely challenging and rewarding sport of 10-metre match shooting. What you can do is apply some of the techniques used by match shooters to improve your own accuracy potential. So, if your target is a tin can in the back garden or an informal pellet tin lid on the range, read on and you will soon be hitting the mark more often.

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CONSISTENCY IS ALL Match shooting is all about consistency. That means doing exactly the same thing every time you raise your pistol and take aim. All a match pistol does is make it easier for you to

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The rear of the pistol should fit the web between thumb and index finger.

The grip of a match pistol is designed to fit the hand like a glove and can be adjusted to do so.

do so. Take the grip as an example; on a match air pistol, you will see an adjustable palm shelf and a contoured grip that is designed to sit snugly in your hand and in the same way for every shot. Some grips come in different sizes and are designed to fit the right or left hand because a true match pistol is never ambidextrous. If you hold your pistol in the same way for every shot, that is one less worry and one more step toward consistency.

Consistent hold is not impossible with a standard air pistol. Having a thumb rest can help, but even an ambidextrous air pistol, such as a pre-war Webley can be held in the

same manner for every shot. Muscle memory plays a part and whenever I test a different design of airgun, I spend as much time as I can on the range, getting to know the gun. I won’t try for tight groups straight away, but I’ll look for the best way to hold the arm consistently, and in time, muscle memory enables me to do so.

PRESSURE The amount of pressure you apply when you hold an air pistol also plays a part, especially with recoiling spring guns. As with an air rifle, the tighter you grip a pistol, the

AIR PISTOL TARGET TECHNIQUES 2

Thumb rests such as those on this Hyscore help the hand to find the same position every time you pick up the pistol.

harder it is to apply the same amount of pressure consistently for every shot, and inconsistent hold equals inconsistent results downrange. So, my tip is to hold the pistol as loosely as you can and let it recoil naturally. A match pistol will sit in the hand almost like a glove, due to its hand-hugging grip, and competition shooters hold it firmly enough to keep it on aim with no additional gripping.

SOMETHING TO TRY Try this: Raise a pistol and apply a light grip with the middle finger only. Do not grip with the fourth and little fingers, and do not grip with the index finger, which should be used to press the trigger only. A vintage Webley pistol balances well enough for this technique to be successful and I have also used it with a CO2 powered Crosman

150. However, with a Weihrauch HW45, I add a light grip with the fourth and little fingers for added stability due to the pistol’s bulk and heavier recoil on full power.

MOST DIFFICULT SKILL Holding an air pistol steady with one hand is the most difficult of all airgun skills to learn.

Some FT and HFT shooters fear standing shots, but they can support their rifles with their skeletal frames. All a pistol shooter has is their outstretched arm! ‘Difficult’ does not mean ‘impossible’ though, and practice will eventually make perfect.

Holding a weight at the end of an

Whilst more basic, this vintage Abas Major can be held consistently if you train yourself to do so.

unloaded, by checking and checking again when you pick it up.

If you lean back toward the opposite side of the arm holding the pistol, this helps to counterbalance the aim. For a right-handed shooter, lean back with the left shoulder enough to stabilise the hold. Do not exaggerate the lean, and remember to stay comfortable because you will be using this hold a lot and will need to be consistent for it to be of any benefit.

KEEP AT IT

I shot these cards at 10 metres with a Walther LP53 using the techniques described.

outstretched arm is not natural and match shooters train themselves by holding their pistols as steady as they can for a set time every day. You do not need to fire any shots to become better at holding a pistol, but you do need to ensure that it is

Using the above techniques will help you to achieve consistent shooting results, whether you decide to shoot match cards at 10 metres, or more informally in the back garden. They may feel uncomfortable at first, but keep on with the practice and eventually, you will find that the position stabilises and your accuracy increases. There is a lot more to successful match shooting that can also be applied more informally, and I will share some of these techniques over the coming months. Until then, practise that hold. ■

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DISABILITY ADVICE

AIRGUNNING IS FOR

EVERYONE

Disabled shooter, Russ Douglas, revisits the benefits of the Primos Shooting Sticks

ood morning all, you find me happy from last night’s shoot at GARC’s Denwood range, but sore because I probably overdid it, yet again. I know I’ll be back on the paracetamol and Ibuprofen for the next few days and it serves me right for throwing my sensible hat away once I’m in the zone enjoying my shooting. What follows is last night’s result, warts and all, fresh from sleeping before any of it fades.

After hastily reviewing the Primos Trigger Sticks for last month’s article, it was no surprise when I decided to buy a set for myself, to help me long-term. I chose the Tripod Trigger Sticks because they offer the most stability, can still be used as a monopod or bipod – depending on how you place the legs – and they can double up as a stable camera tripod.

Re that last item: I’d wondered how the label described the thread as 3/8” and 1/4”, and yet I couldn’t see how the visible 3/8” thread detached, or was reversible. Closer inspection showed that the 3/8” threaded screw was hollow. You press down on it and,

G

I can see from this that my seated stance wasn’t relaxed enough; room for improvement again.

lo and behold, it sinks down into the trigger grip under spring pressure, and you have a standard (1/4” Whitworth) thread for camera mounting. I can see myself using that in future when out and about. Lloyd at BAR was chuffed when I messaged him about that feature, of which he wasn’t yet aware.

Above: Not obvious here, but by the end my legs were further apart and locked – much more stable, as the results showed.

Right: Off a bipod, tight (12mm) group ignoring the flier -which was the first shot fired in weeks.

SIGHT PICTURE My goal last night was simply to have a good shoot, especially using the

Trigger Sticks more, and also reacquainting myself with the awesome FX Wildcat, but more on that another time. Of course, I’ve now got articles for Airgun World on my mind too, so took my camera along, and a BAR chrono’, just in case. Sure enough, the first phase was spent helping fellow shooters out by lending them the chrono’ and converting their ten-shot average FPS results into FPE muzzle energy, so that they knew how their guns were performing.

Then it was down to ‘business’ – enjoying a relaxing, but testing, bench rest shoot, using the trusty adjustable 9”-13” Deben bipod. I settled into the sight picture, watched the cross hairs dance across the steel vermin

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DISABILITY ADVICE

targets, and the tank, and as I relaxed, my pulse settled. Despite being reasonably fit – resting heartrate is 48bpm – I have a strong pulse and the cross hairs can really ‘bounce’ once I settle into my shooting position. This effect can be reduced by finding a stable stance, the weight of the rifle taken more through bones and less through muscles, which naturally tire with use.

HFT POTENTIAL I’m hoping to try HFT sometime, or my own version of it, if my body prevents me shooting unaided, so I gave the Trigger Sticks and my dysfunctional body a proper test by comparing stable, bench-rest accuracy with my worst position – standing.

I shot an eight-shot group (12mm centre-to-centre) off the bipod at 25 metres, and I know that the Wildcat and I can do so much better than that, but I had an eye on the time, there were targets to change, and I was eager to see how I could perform with the sticks. Also, I decided there was no point in using the range’s full 50m capacity, because otherwise when standing, I’d probably need a tent-sized target.

SHOTGUN PATTERN Next, I dialled down the zoom to reduce the anticipated offputting movement, and then stood and shot another group offhand. This was a hell of a test, and the crosshairs were dancing all over the shop. It was more of a case of partly taking up the trigger pressure and then timing when to snatch a shot, rather than doing things very slowly and precisely off the bench. The resulting group was 97mm C-C, sadly more of a shotgun pattern than an aimed group, but the first standing group I’ve shot in many years, so it was to be expected.

Next I changed mag’s to shoot what I expected would be a much improved group, using the Wildcat’s fore end cradled in the Sticks’ rubberised V-notch. I zoomed the scope part-way back toward the maximum mag’ I’d used off the bench, assuming that the stability would be massively better– WRONG! This eight-shot group (54mm C-C) wasn’t much of an improvement over the initial one shot freehand. Hmm … need to think/work harder here.

Off-hand, as predicted, all over the shop (97mm group).

CREDITS

re-used to the demands I’m making of it.

How much they’ll improve is another question because it’s whether I’ll be of any use at HFT – time will tell.

Thanks to Bri and Nick for kindly taking the enclosed photos, and to Nick for changing the target cards in my TargetAir target holder/ pellet catcher. He admitted that he was partly doing me a favour, but also speeding up the process to reduce the range’s ‘cease fire’ time, which I already felt guilty about because I was disrupting everybody else’s steel vermin-bashing fun when hobbling downrange. I’ve got plans afoot for a multiple-target holder – watch this space.

Primos Trigger Sticks Blackpool Air Rifles (BAR): www.airgunbuyer.com

GET IN TOUCH

FURTHER INFO:

Thanks for reading, and I hope all this is useful to you. Enjoy your shooting and feel free to drop me a line with feedback, and especially with article suggestions (RussDouglasAGW@gmail.com). I’d especially love to hear from fellow disabled airgunners with any suggestions/requests for future articles.

For my new Flickr albums search under people for RussDouglasAGW. These galleries hold higher-res versions of the photos included in each of these articles, including images there wasn’t room to print. I prep’ and caption the galleries beforehand, and then make the images ‘public’ once each article goes to print in our monthly mag’. ■

Trigger sticks, but relying on tensed leg muscles (54mm group).

Much better – 24mm group with feet spread slightly and legs locked.

Shooting off-hand, even at 25m a shotgunscatter resulted!

DIFFERENT STANCE I reloaded, and this time tried a different stance; feet further apart and legs locked, to try to eliminate the wobble caused by relying upon my muscles to hold myself stable.

That’s more like it! You’ll see from the target cards that the group came down appreciably, to 24mm C-C. I’m sure all the above groups will improve with time and practice, as my body becomes

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DAVE BARHAM

TIME FOR CHANGE Dave Barham has been saving hard for his dream rifle, and now that dream has come true

ver since I got back into my shooting and hunting a couple of years ago, I’ve aspired to own a multi-shot PCP carbine sporter. In fact, I’ve had my sights set on a BSA R10 for well over a year, so I began to squirrel away

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£50 here, and £30 there into an old coffee jar as often as I could get away with it. I checked said pot last week, and to my amazement I’d managed to gather together exactly a grand in 12 months!

A trip to my local gun dealer was most definitely in order, and as luck would have it he had a shiny new BSA R10SE Super Carbine in stock with a beautiful walnut stock – my dream was about to come true.

BACK TO THE FUTURE - NEW RIFLE, NEW DREAMS

Dave has fallen in love with his new BSA R10se Super Carbine rifle – and if you’ve ever shot one you’ll understand why.

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT Do you believe in love at first sight? I do now! As soon as I picked up the rifle I knew she would be mine. Everything just felt ‘right’, the balance, the feel of the stock, the weight, everything.

The rifle was fitted with a BSA 3-9 x 50 scope already for display purposes, and with a touch of Barham bartering, I managed to pick the complete outfit up for a little over £800, including a good quality BSA gun slip thrown in for good measure. My friend at the shop also filled her up for me, to just under the recommended 232 bar.

I took her home in record time, eager to zero the scope and play with my new toy. I was so excited! I’d been waiting a whole 12 months for this moment, and it had finally come to fruition.

TOTALLY BLOWN AWAY I was rushing around my house like a man possessed. I couldn’t for the life of me find my targets, so I improvised with some white cardboard and a black marker pen. I just had to There were no rabbits in the field, but an old water butt took a few shots.

get this baby zeroed and then out into the field.

For the purpose of this first zeroing session, I set my pellet-catching target at 25-yards, which is pretty much the length of my garden. I also opted to shoot this first session from my bench, with a large cushion as a rest, like I always do when zeroing a rifle.

The way I see it, if I can get my rifle and scope performing in this situation, then anything that goes amiss in the field is down to user error – it’s best to have a good starting point, a ‘bench mark’ so to speak. What happened next blew me away, and it’s a moment that I shall never forget.

BANG ON MONEY The guys at the shop had told me that they had ‘near zeroed’ the scope when they had put it all together, so I shouldn’t have too much to do when I got her home – and they weren’t wrong.

As I settled down for my first shot, I hadn’t even removed the caps from the turrets on the scope, I just wanted to feel that trigger release and send my first pellet down the barrel.

The BSA let out a little ‘pffft’ and to my surprise the pellet hit my makeshift target just a few millimetres below left of the cross that I had drawn on the card.

“Well that was pretty good,” I said to myself.

With that first glorious shot out of my system,

I got down to business and removed the caps from the scope and guesstimated a few clicks right and a couple more up.

My next shot was almost perfect on the horizontal plane, but just a few millimetres high, so another couple of clicks were made and I was feeling pretty confident that I was almost there.

Well, the next four shots ended with me putting the rifle down on the bench and me jumping around the garden like a little kid!

You see, I like to shoot a ‘Heath Robinson’ cross target set-up when I don’t have ‘proper’ targets (or I lose them), because it allows me to aim for the four imaginary boxes that the cross produces. I like to try to shoot as close as I can in each quarter, then move on to the next one.

THE FABLED ONE-HOLER! As I sent the first pellet into the top right ‘box’ it hit exactly where I wanted it to. Rather than go for box two, to the left of it, I decided to put another shot into the same place, and then another and another. I placed three shots on top of each other, and as the fourth one hit the target I couldn’t actually see where it had entered – it had gone into the empty space cut out by the previous three shots!

That’s when I felt an immense surge of adrenalin coursing through my veins. My heart felt like it was going to thump out of my chest and I was sitting there with biggest grin you’ve ever seen stretching across my face.

I had to put the rifle down again and just sit there to take it all in. This rifle is by far the most accurate that I have ever shot, and she is mine!

Never have I felt so at one with an airgun, not in this way - it really felt like it was meant to be.

CONKERS BONKERS Once I had calmed down and stopped shaking, I decided to take my newly-beloved BSA over to a friend’s field to see if there were any rabbits about. Of course there weren’t, it was 2pm on a warm summer’s day. That didn’t matter though, I was out in the field with my new girl, and just being there and going through the motions was enough, for now.

Obviously, I had to make a few shots, just for fun, and those few turned into 50 or more. I spotted a huge tree full of conkers at the bottom end of the field, and oh what fun I had blatting them out of the sky.

In my mind, each and every one of them was a pigeon, and time after time I made headshot after headshot. It was one of the most fun ‘plinking’ sessions I think I’ve ever had. It didn’t matter that there were no rabbits, because I was nailing those conkers like there was no tomorrow.

CONFIDENCE IS KING Being confident in your abilities and ‘tools’ is 90 per cent of what makes you a good shooter

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35

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DAVE BARHAM This little switch helps to lock and secure the magazine in place.

With the bolt and locking switch open, the 10-shot magazine is easily removed.

The bolt is very easy to use, with a positive yet quiet ‘click’.

This trigger set-up is very impressive, and infinitely adjustable.

The quick-fill port and gauge are well situated, too.

The positive safety switch is well placed.

in my opinion. It’s the same with fishing.

It’s hard to explain, but I feel so confident when shooting the R10 already; I know that the rifle is the best I have ever owned, and now it’s just down to my stalking and waiting abilities to begin filling my freezer with free-range food again.

We’ve stayed in touch since I moved out of his old house, and every now and then we meet up and exchange venison for turbot I’d caught over a pint or two.

I rushed home and secured my new rifle away. The thought of a fresh venison loin sizzling in butter that evening overtook my conker-blatting hysteria, but only just.

I met Martin for our usual exchange of goods and a couple of pints, and during the conversation he told me about a new permission he had acquired via his girlfriend’s sister. He had been asked to deal with a muntjac deer problem in their

‘garden’, which turned out to be quite a few acres.

TWO TIMES LUCKY! As luck would have it, I received a phone call from my ex-landlord. Martin, whilst I was sitting in the field. He’d shot a deer a couple of nights previous and he had called to see if I wanted some.

Off huntin’ conkers …

ALL COMING TOGETHER As we began chatting, I told him about my new rifle and how impressed I am with it. He then told me that there was a serious rabbit problem at this permission, too, and that he really didn’t have time to deal with it.

“Are you free tomorrow night, Dave? I’ll take you over there and introduce you,” he said, before taking another sip of beer.

That was music to my ears, and I’m sitting here writing this piece with just a few hours to go until Martin picks me up and takes me rabbiting.

I can’t wait, and if I play my cards right I may well have just stumbled on to a permission that I have so longed for since I moved here.

At last, it all seems like it’s coming together for me, and now I can start bringing you some proper hunting features, with promises of even more permissions on the cards. Wish me luck! ■

TECH SPEC Model: R-10 SE Super Carbine Type: Pre-charged, multi-shot, sporter Calibres: .22, .177, .25 Cocking/loading: Bolt-action, via 10-shot, removable, rotary, 10-shot magazine.

Trigger: 2-stage, multi-adjustable Weight: 3.4kg (7.5lb) Length: 968mm (38in) Barrel: 300mm (12in) Fill pressure: Max 232 bar

RRP £799 36

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(WITHOUT SCOPE)

AIRGUNS US STYLE

AMERICANS

ON TARGET!

Stephen Archer crosses the pond to report on competitive airgun shooting in the USA

ompetitive airgun shooting in the USA takes a number of forms, and this month we’ll take a look at the most popular of them. It may not be quite what you would expect!

By far the largest structured, competitive airgun discipline is three-position, air rifle target shooting. This is way, way more popular than field target, silhouette or benchrest shooting in the US, although we’ll see these other disciplines in future stories.

There are no big-bore airguns and none of the ‘zillion FPS’ air rifles that fill the shelves of American stores, of both on-line and bricks and mortar varieties. In fact, the guns are low power, .177 calibre precision PCP air rifles producing little more than 6 ft.lbs of muzzle energy.

C

THREE POSITION TARGET SHOOTING Three position shooting is fired at 10 metres range. Those three positions are standing, kneeling and prone, as you might have guessed.

Three Position, or ‘3P’, one of the inevitable abbreviations that abound throughout the American-English language, is highly-organised

You can really see the concentration on the faces of the competitors during the standing event.

The shooting hall of the Gary Anderson Competition Center has 40 target lanes on each side. Spectators sit in the middle, together with the elevated ‘command centre’ for the Chief Range Officer and control over the scoring system.

and structured. It’s primarily based on clubs that are associated with the military, like the British Cadets, or Scouts, and even in some schools.

Just imagine that; airgun shooting can be on the curriculum in secondary schools in some states, and there are even a few universities that offer shooting scholarships to attract students.

For many youths, this can form their first introduction to shooting, particularly if they come from urban backgrounds. Multiple benefits are credited to 3P shooting, including responsibility, co-ordination, patience and self-control, all of which were exemplified in the competitors I saw, but missing in so many other young people. Yes, that certainly shows my age, doesn’t it?

Not only this, but it’s also about the safest

The day I visited, it was absolutely pouring with rain, so the CMP supplied this photograph of the Gary Anderson Competition Center building.

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sport that there is! No one has heard of an injury caused by target shooting. Compare that to the huge number of injuries sustained annually by those playing football – always called soccer here, for some reason – American football (called ‘football’), baseball, rugby and other more physical sports.

3P shooting is also open to both boys and girls on an equal basis. In fact, it seems like more girls than boys are getting interested in 3P shooting – and these girls really can shoot!

CAMP PERRY - THE AMERICAN BISLEY To see junior 3P shooting at the highest level, I visited Camp Perry. This, of course, is the home of US high-power rifle shooting. It’s military-run and, just like Bisley, there’s a huge number of long-distance ranges for shooting out to 1,000 yards. Anyone who knows Bisley would feel at home at Camp Perry. Just think of a ‘Bisley-onsea’ and you’ll be right there, although, to be fair, it’s rather bigger and smarter than I remember Bisley.

Camp Perry is in Ohio, about 300 miles west from my home. That’s pretty close by US standards. It’s right on the southern shore of Lake Erie, one of the Great Lakes. Camp Perry is home to the Civilian Marksmanship Program

US AIRGUNNING

Feinwerkbau was the predominant brand of air rifle being used in the Precision competition, but Anschutz and Walther were also well represented, along with a few Steyrs.

(abbreviated, of course, to CMP), a federally chartered, not-for-profit corporation, established in 1996 for the promotion of rife practice and firearms safety. As part of its federal charter, the CMP gives priority to activities that reach as many youth participants as possible.

The Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center is named after the outstanding multi-awardwinning Olympic shooter who has given much of his life to developing and coaching young rifle shooters. He still does!

What makes Camp Perry really different to Bisley is that they have a truly fantastic, state-of-the-art indoor airgun range. This opened in 2007 and is named the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center. It has 80 indoor, 10-metre target lanes. Yes, you read that right, EIGHTY! There’s state-of-the-art electronic scoring, with large screen repeaters throughout the building.

No paper targets, patches or manual scoring.

This makes it easy not only for competitors to see their own scores immediately, but also allows the audience to see what’s happening and enjoy it in real-time. This is the way to make shooting a spectator sport, for sure. Also, fans from home can log on to the CMP’s website and view the targets in real-time and watch shot-by-shot.

Shooting standing tests everyone’s abilities!

CMP NATIONAL AIR RIFLE CHAMPIONSHIPS I attended the national finals of the CMP National Air Rifle Championships in June. This had started with a postal competition back in Autumn of 2016. No less than 1,454 young shooters registered for the postal phase, and after regional finals in February and March, 399 young shooters reached the National Championships at Camp Perry.

To put that into perspective, major national field target competitions in the USA are doing well to secure 100 shooters, and most have considerably less; 238 competitors shot in the Precision category while 161 were in Sporter.

Basically, the courses of fire are the same, but the levels of equipment and investment are capped in the Sporter group. This makes it more accessible to shooters with limited finances, as we’ll read a little further on.

Mega-screen displays for spectators are located throughout the building so that they can see the shooting even without being in the shooting hall.

THE GIRLS ARE BEST In the National Championships, girls outnumbered boys by 228 to 171. All shot the same course of fire, climaxing in a ‘sudden death’ shoot-out by the top eight competitors in each category. This shoot-out was conducted standing, and the level of accuracy was incredible.

Out of these top eight competitors in Precision class, no less than six were girls. The winner was a girl - of course! Katie Zaun from North Dakota was just 14 years old and she outshot competitors up to 20 years old, with a score of 697.9. Yes, that’s 697.9 out of 700. Wow!

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Spectators crowd around the shooters during the Finals. The noise was deafening!

Fourteen-year-old Katie Zaun won the Precision competition.

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US AIRGUNNING

ROWDY CROWDS Although spectators generally watch shooting quietly and respectfully, the CMP National Air Rifle Championships final shoot-outs are completely different. Spectators surround the competitors and make as much noise as possible. They cheer their own favourite shooter and try to distract the others – all in good part, of course.

I was amazed at the maturity of the competitors and their incredible concentration as they zoned-out the noise and kept firing those pellets right through the centre of the target.

Again, this made the event much more spectator-friendly as family, team mates, coaches and chaperones – the shooters are all kids, remember – all became really engaged in the finals and let their hair down.

PRECISION AND SPORTER CLASSES In Precision 3P shooting, the competitors all wear shooting jackets, trousers and shoes. They shoot mainly Feinwerkbau, Walther and Anschutz target rifles. All of this is expensive kit.

To counteract the inevitable ‘equipment race’, Sporter class places a limit on the cost of the air rifle and is shot without the aid of dedicated shooting clothes. The maximum cost for a Sporter air rifle is limited to $600. This means that the Crosman Challenger has a near monopoly among competitors because it offers the best consistent accuracy for that price point.

Competitors shoot in ‘civilian clothes’, mainly jeans and T-shirts.

This separation of the same course of fire into Precision and Sporter Classes is very beneficial.

It reduces the barriers to entry and offers the chance to compete meaningfully without the

Spectators saw the Precision finals shot-by-shot on the target display.

need to spend huge amounts of money.

Sure, the scores in Sporter Class are lower than in Precision, but they are not THAT much lower. The highest score in the Sporter Class was still 668.3, and – you guessed it – the top scores were made by girls.

To be contentious, I feel this cost separation is something that could benefit field target shooting and encourage more to join the sport. This might even take FT back to its roots as an everyday form of competition that could be shot with almost any air rifle. That would encourage more airgunners to join without becoming discouraged by the expense of the kit required to become competitive.

Judy Legerski, the Chairman and CEO of the Civilian Marksmanship Program, talked to Stephen Archer after the finals.

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Every shooter has a small target repeater display at their firing point to check their own score.

MEETING THE HEAD HONCHO Whilst at Camp Perry, I met Judith Legerski, the Chairman and CEO of the Civilian Marksmanship Program. She had travelled from her home in Wyoming to watch the competition and present the prizes.

Judy is a lovely lady who holds the responsibility under federal law for fulfilling the CMP’s mission: ‘To promote firearm safety and marksmanship training with an emphasis on youth’. Just imagine a similar position in the UK; the leader of a quasi-governmental organisation with the mandate to promote shooting! I hope you’re sitting down as you read this.

Judy is clear and eloquent about the benefits that shooting offers young people. The discipline improves their academic grades, she explains; it gives them the opportunity to become part of a team and compete together. This gives them a direction and focus in life – and it obviously works. Judy explained how gratified she has been to see scores in air-rifle shooting improve year-over-year and the qualities that she sees in the young competitors. Judy, thanks to you and the CMP for doing such a great job!

Stephen Archer is the Publisher of Hard Air Magazine, www.hardairmagazine.com ■

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UMAREX BOYS CLUB

SOLID SMITH & WESSON

James Thornber brings us his view on the Umarex M&P40 hen I sit and write reviews, I always start by getting to know the product and taking it out before even thinking about flashing up the laptop. When I’m reviewing a pistol, I try to research the real steel version, so that I can establish its heritage, and find out for whom it was actually intended. I have to say that I’m really pleased I did this for the Umarex Smith and Wesson M&P40, because after only a few minutes of research, a rather large elephant walked into the room.

The M&P is often referred to as Smith and

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Chamber indicator is the same as the real deal.

“I walked out with one because after handling it, I was sold” Wesson’s attempt to create a ‘Glock killer’, and over the years it’s been marketed at everyone from the military and police forces (M&P) to

your everyday shooter. It’s available in a variety of calibres, and frame configurations, that all follow a similar trend of a polymer lower, metal

slide, and easy-to-use controls. I can certainly see the appeal to anyone looking for an alternative to something like a Glock 23, for example.

When I picked up the M&P40 for the first time, out of the box, I was pleasantly surprised. Umarex have been running various M&P pistols over the years, and until they released this blow-back model, they just hadn’t caught my eye enough to go out and buy one, but after a quick visit to the Sportsman’s Gun Centre, in Exeter. I walked out with one because after handling, it I was sold. Compared to their previous attempts, this really is worlds apart.

CONTROLS It seems to fit me like a glove straight out the box, but for those of you with slightly manlier hands than mine, there is a selection of

M&P locked back and magazine ready to go.

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UMAREX BOYS CLUB

Under-rail for torches and lasers.

Full trades on this Umarex model.

Magazine release functions as it should.

I’m really impressed with my new edition.

replaceable backstraps included, so that you can swap out the stock ones for something a bit more profiled, without the use of any tools.

Along with some free steel BBs to get you started, this is a nice addition and something that seems to be lacking with some of the other manufacturers out there.

The controls are all exactly where you’d expect to find them on a pistol such as the M&P; the magazine-release catch can be found on the left-hand side, along with the Ambi-safety like on the .22 version.

Standard 3 white-dot sights - quick and easy.

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steel M&P, such as the chamber indicator.

Essentially, it’s just small cut-outs on the slide and breech block, so you don’t have to pull the slide as far back when doing chamber checks.

SAFETY CATCH Going back to that elephant; some of you might have noticed that I haven’t yet mentioned the safety catch, which for the record, is ambidextrous and really easy to use, with a positive engagement in both ‘safe’ and

“you might have noticed that I haven’t yet mentioned the safety catch” slide release and take-down lever, all functioning exactly as they should.

It’s also worth noting that the slide-release catch can also be found on the right-hand side of the frame. The sights on this pistol are just your average painted dots, which are easy to pick up and get on target, but are nothing too out of the ordinary, but they have included some neat features that are found on the real

‘fire’ positions. I haven’t mentioned the fact that the M&P40 is a fully-licensed gun with all the trademarks you would expect to find on an M&P40, either – and there’s the problem.

The Smith and Wesson M&P40 shouldn’t have a safety catch such as the one found on this Umarex replica. The M&P22 should, which coincidentally was made in Germany by Walther, rather than S&W in the States. So,

UMAREX BOYS CLUB

TECH SPEC Type: BB air pistol Manufacturer: Umarex Importer: Armex Model: Smith & Wesson M&P 40 Materials: Metal and polymer build Weight: 1.61 pounds (730 grams) My M&P fits like a glove.

Umarex have used and produced the design of the .22, and wrapped it up as a 40, which isn’t really an issue, but if you are a diehard collector after a 100% accurate reproduction of the M&P40, this might be something that you’d want to take into consideration – it’s an M&P, yes, but not a true 40.

Barrel: 3.5 inches brass, non-rifled Propulsion: CO2 x1 Action: Blow-back, double-action only Pellet Type: 4.5mm steel BBs Pellet Capacity: 15 rounds Velocity: 310 fps

WHAT’S IT LIKE? With the geeky bit to one side, though, what’s the M&P like to shoot? ‘Absolutely spot on’, is the answer! The strong recoil gives the user a really satisfying kick, and the snappy recoil return springs send the slide forward just as quickly as it recoiled, resulting in one fast-firing pistol. The low bore axis makes the strong blow-back action very controllable, though, resulting in reasonable plinking accuracy. I cannot get over how quickly it seems to empty its 15-round, full-size, drop-out magazine.

It’s no surprise that with the amount of rapid firing you’ll find yourself doing, you will need to replace the CO2 fairly often, and using the fairly standard Allen key/retaining bolt in the bottom of the magazine, it’s a really simple task Umarex M&P40.

RRP £169 to complete in a very short amount of time.

Handily, Umarex are also selling spare magazines so it might be an idea to pick up a spare or two, so that you can rest the CO2 between magazines, and this should help to stretch the life of the capsules a bit.

VERDICT Overall, I have to say that the Smith and Wesson M&P40 is a solid replica and a worthy addition to anyone’s collection. It’s a shame that companies such as Glock won’t entertain the airgun market, but for those that do, such as Smith and Wesson, the results are often impressive and pistols such as this one are proving themselves at clubs and in back gardens across the country. I would say that this is one of the best BB pistols Umarex have put to market for a while, and it’s nice to see something fresh and new, rather than another rebranded 1911.

Depending on where you pick this pistol up from, the prices seem to vary from £128-£170 and although we have the black version, there is also a flat, dark-earth option. As I said earlier, I’ve never really been a fan of M&Ps, but this one has me sold. If your local RFD has one in stock and you’re after something different, be sure to go and have a look – it will surprise you! ■

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The “Armada” is coming Are you ready?

Crosman’s new Hi-tech Hi-spec PCP rifle is simply stacked with features! Check these out: Reversible bolt

Full length picatinny top rail

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Fully sound-suppressing barrel shroud

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MILEWSKI This Custom Shop Edition is based on a film prop from The Expendables. It is an interesting ‘hideaway’ gun but has no front sight!

COLTS ROUND UP!

John Milewski corrals a select herd of SAAs not stood still since 2015 and have since added a plethora of variations to satisfy shooters, collectors and western fans. I’m going to look at some of the variations of the SAA this month and I suspect more of them will follow in the near future.

The Umarex SAA has been held in such high esteem because it is so realistic. It is Place the revolver on half cock and rotate the cylinder slightly lighter than the original, but handles to load and unload in the manner of an original. identically. The only external differences visible at a glance are the ‘at rest’ hammer position, which is further back than on the original, and the slightly less angled grip. There is also a safety catch under the frame, which is unobtrusive.

The revolvers require the loading of 6 pellet carriers that resemble .38 sized cartridges, and these are then loaded through a gate on

he Umarex Colt Single Action Army (SAA) was among the most eagerly anticipated airguns of 2015 and its popularity has not waned since. Originally introduced as a 6-shot, BB-firing, CO2-powered replica of the famous Colt revolver, buyers could choose from either a blued, nickel, or antique finish. Umarex have

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the right side of the pistol’s frame in the manner of an original. Sights are fixed, but luckily, my examples shoot close enough to the point of aim that I don’t have to aim off.

Within months of the UK launch, Umarex announced that a pellet-firing variant would be available, and for many collectors who also shoot, this version soon became popular due to the potential for greater accuracy. I have tested pellet-firing versions against BB-firing SAAs, and the pellet variants group their shots a lot closer. For instance, I’ll place most shots through a 40mm bell target aperture at 8 yards with pellets, but maybe half as many with ball, which is fired from a smoothbore barrel as opposed to a rifled barrel on pellet firers. Incidentally, the ‘shells’ for BB firers are brass coloured, whereas pellet firers are silver in colour.

LONGER BARREL Earlier this year, longer 7½-inch barrelled versions came along and, ironically, these were the earliest of the Colts made in 1873. All initially went to the US Army with follow-up sales to civilians. After a couple of years, shorter 5½ inch barrelled revolvers were introduced and these are the standard length that Umarex initially chose. The longer barrelled air pistols add around 40 FPS to the muzzle velocity and the longer length helps to align sights more accurately. The actual barrels are around an inch shorter because the muzzle incorporates faux rifling to imitate a

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MILEWSKI

This US Marshall’s limited edition was still for sale as I wrote this review.

The 7½ inch SAA has greater velocity than the 5½ inch variant, and I found it more accurate, too.

Each NRA commemorative model is marked accordingly on the backstrap.

.45 calibre revolver. I added a US Army issue holster to house mine when not in use.

These longer barrelled SAAs are available in NRA commemorative models, which have been endorsed by the American NRA. They come in an attractive, antique ‘worn’ finish and are as pretty to look at as they are to shoot.

US MARSHALL AND US RANGER The US Marshall’s museum endorsed a limited edition of 1000 antique finish revolvers, which are marked as such on the frame. The museum saw the limited run as an ideal way to promote the nation’s oldest federal law enforcement agency. Protek Supplies in Bognor Regis had a boxed model on display the last time I visited the shop.

A similar model has just reached the UK,

“A lovely, fully engraved version has also been made for the US market” being sold as the Ranger in commemoration of the Texas Rangers. Rather than a US Marshall badge pressed into each grip, the badge depicts the Texas Rangers. US versions of the BB-firing Ranger came with a neat leather holster, but the versions I have seen so far in the UK seem to have omitted this interesting accessory.

THE DUKE To many, John Wayne was the iconic all-American cowboy, and both blued and nickel-plated commemorative models have been sold in the USA. The grips are adorned

with badges depicting the Duke’s image and the backstrap carries the great man’s etched signature. Both pellet and BB-firing variants have been made. A lovely, fully engraved version has also been made for the US market.

SOMETHING SPECIAL For those after a unique piece, Pyramyd Air in the USA have commissioned a number of hand-engraved models by Adams & Adams in the USA. This is a company that specialises in hand engraving and have worked with the Colt Custom Shop. The revolvers have been scroll engraved in the 19th century Nimschke style, Cowboys used to carry their money in cartridge/ money belts. This is a fine reproductiom by John Beattie Pistol Leather.

The most popular finish seems to be the blued version. You can see various shades of blue up close.

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MILEWSKI MEETS THE COLTS

AD Contrary to early Hollywood influence, genuine gun leather did not hang half way down the leg!

Pyramyd Air in the States have commissioned limited edition, hand-engraved SAAs such as this exquisite example. Image courtesy of Pyramyd Air.

which would have been used on original Colts over 130 years ago.

These airguns are sold for between $550 and $600, and are undoubtedly an investment for the future.

I have fired 108 shots out of a standard 5½ inch barrelled version in 18 – 22 degree heat during July, and around 120 out of the 7½ inch barrelled version I tested. The final shots of these strings were still capable of hitting a soft drinks can 8 yards away, albeit without much punch. The

revolvers are therefore economic with CO2 as well as accurate.

After the shooting’s done, they make great display pieces, too, as long as they are stored safely afterwards in accordance with the law.

Maybe Umarex will make a case hardened, 4¾ inch barrelled ‘Gunfighter’ model in antique finish next. I'm sure we haven't 'herd' the last of these Colts. ■

The nickel is probably my favourite finish because the markings are subdued.

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D E SIGN ED TO BE ACCURATE AN D P OW ERFUL !

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GARY WAIN

THE ODD ONES Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s Gary ‘Pelletman’ Wain, with more ammo answers f you’ve been a regular reader of my ballistic bumblings you’ll know that I’ve been steadily making my way through the whole gamut of pellets that the air rifle industry has to offer. Having looked at domed head, hollowpoint, spire-tipped and wadcutters, it’s now time to look at a few of the more unusual pellets on the market.

Basically, the sort you might look at in the gun shop or on line and think, ‘I wonder if they’re any good’. Well, like some bearded and waxed-moustachioed superhero, I’m here to save the day – or at least answer the question posed.

I

Can you spot the ‘not so deliberate’ mistake?

POLY RHINO As with my previous testing, I’ve availed myself of the services offered by Tim over at Pellet Perfect, but rather than wade through the thousands of pellets he has to offer, I chose to chat with him and pick his brain to tease out the extensive knowledge he has about the more unusual pellets in his inventory. I have to say, I wasn’t disappointed. Well, I was a bit, but it wasn’t Tim’s fault and I’ll come to why in a moment.

A few days after our chat, I opened up a well-packaged selection of five pellets. First up, was the 3.4gr Skenco Poly Rhino. Yes, you read that correctly, 3.4gr! How have

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Just the right consistency.

Conditions could be better, but at least it was nice and warm.

The wind played mischievously across the garden range.

Not bad for a morning’s hunting.

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GARY WAIN

The wind made it hard to land the pellets in the wax.

Skenco achieved this ridiculously light pellet?

Well, as the name suggests, the Poly Rhino is a polymer pellet; it does have a metal core, but exactly what this metal is remains unclear. First impression of the Poly Rhino, aside from its insanely light weight, is that it’s about twice as long as your average pellet of the same calibre. This additional length makes it unsuitable for modern magazines, but is still fine for airguns that have a single-load mechanism. It’s perhaps a little unfair to include the Rhino in this test because it’s primarily intended for use in low-power air pistols, and some low-power air rifles, but hey, as we’ve got it, it’d be rude not to see how it gets on in our tests.

GAMO RAPTOR Next up, we took a look at the Gamo Raptor.

Now, if you cast your minds back, you’ll remember that we touched on this particular

Both the Dynamic Triple P1 and the H&N Rab’ Mag’ went all the way through the wax.

pellet, and the necessary security arrangements, way back when we were comparing the ballistic characteristics of differentially weighted, domed-head pellets.

Tim and I did though think it was worth a revisit. At a mere 5gr, it is very probably the lightest domed pellet that money can buy, and it’s gold plated so – grain for grain – it’s likely the most expensive.

DYNAMIC TRIPLE P1 Moving on up, we now have the lead-free DYNAMIC triple P1.Please excuse the capitalisation, this how the company describes it in its promotional material. This relatively long, hollow-pointed chap weighs in at 6.9gr, which is a few grains down on the average 8gr for a .177 pellet, but is perhaps heavy for a lead-free. Although ‘lead-free’, the DYNAMIC is most definitely metallic, although it remains unclear which metallic

elements from the periodic table are used, and if it shoots well, who cares!

H&N RABBIT MAGNUM The next pellet in the test group is the H&N Rabbit Magnum. As the name implies, at nearly twice the weight of your average lead pellet, this 16.05gr coated pellet is intended for hunting. Visually, the Rabbit Magnum is very similar to a .22LR copper-coated bullet, having a semi-pointed nose, an almost imperceptible waist, and a shallow depression as the skirt.

I mentioned earlier that I was a little disappointed when the pellets arrived. The reason for this is simple; I was really looking forward to testing the Sussex Sabo round.

Now, take a look at the image showing the five bags of pellets on test, and then remember that I’ve only detailed four that I will be testing – you’ll see that the Sussex Sabos are actually in .22 calibre. I remember Tim saying that he had some and that they were in .22 as opposed to .177, but in my excitement I didn’t think about not being able to use them in this test, so they will live to fight another day.

RESULTS

Which of the four performed the best?

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It was time to test, and as the sun warmed the terracotta wax, I moved outside to set up the test range. Unfortunately, aside from being warm it was also very windy, which made it difficult to get even some of the heavier pellets on target. As usual, I started with the lightest first – the feather-like 3.4gr of the Skenko Poly Rhino, and I was keen to see if its ultra-light weight would cause deep cavitation. I have to say that the results were quite startling.

So far, we’ve seen that the lighter pellets tend to give up their ballistic energy more readily when they hit the target. They leave wider and more devastating wound tracks

GARY WAIN’S PELLET PERAMBULATIONS

than the heavier pellets, which have a tendency to pass straight through owing to their greater kinetic energy and higher ballistic coefficient. The Skenco only made it about 22mm into the test material before coming to a complete halt because it is simply too light; it has a low BC and so little energy left to surrender when it hits the target.

TOO LIGHT? So how would the 5gr Gamo Raptor perform?

Would it also be too light? The answer was ‘no’, but like the Skenco it was massively affected by the wind. The Gamo pellet moves very fast because it’s so light, and although it’s not soft like lead pellets, which tend to deform on impact, the non-lead, gold-coated Gamo does not produce the wide wound tracks that we’ve seen from lightweight lead pellets. That said, we did see a 22mm wide version that tapered only in the last 25mm of the whole track.

The 6.9gr Dynamic Triple P1 also produced an interesting result. This is a non-lead pellet, and again, it’s harder than lead. Although the packet describes it as a ‘dome head’, it is very much a hollow-point, so much so that I had to examine it closely to work out which way to load it. It did produce a 20mm-wide wound track, which isn’t bad, but not as good as some lead hollow-points we’ve seen. I wonder if the hardness of the non-lead material stops it deforming as much as it could – still, not bad.

The Gamo Raptor shows minimal deformation, and nearly makes it through the wax.

MAGNUM Lastly, we have the H&N Rabbit Magnum. At 16.05gr this is the heaviest pellet in the test, and one of the heaviest .177 pellets we’ve seen. Thankfully, the results garnered from the ballistic material on this occasion were pretty close to what I expected, although with the wind speed picking up, it did prove hard to get one on target first time, as the hole in my bread board shows. When I did get one straight into the clay, I found that the entry hole was very small at just 9mm, the wound track expanding only slightly to 16mm as the pellet made its way through and out the other side, which is what I expected of this heavy-pointed pellet.

The results varied greatly.

WHAT DID WE LEARN? So aside from having fun, what have we learned? It would appear that at least some of the more obscure or lead-free pellets are worth looking at. I’m nearing the end of my .177 pellet testing now, so if there’s anything you think I haven’t tested, or would like to see examined in more detail do let me know.

I’ve got some ideas on what sort of pellet is going to come out on top. What are your thoughts? ■

Which would you choose?

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DR FINLEY

LEAD ASTRAY? Tim Finley gets to the business end of zero shift hen you find that you still have problems zeroing after looking at the rifle and the scope and are sure that there is not a fault with either, then the last option is to look more deeply at the pellets you are using.

You will never be able to zero a gun with poor pellets, so check the skirts and heads for damage, and I don’t mean to sound patronising, but always use the same tin of pellets.

Don’t chop and change tins, or even types of pellets, when you are attempting to set up a gun. If in doubt, weigh some pellets beforehand and sort into batches to ensure that they are out of the equation, and not a factor if you do have any problems getting the gun to shoot in the same place. Pellet damage will cause a loss of zero, something that we tend to overlook in this day and age of magazine-fed rifles.

W

WEIGH A SELECTION Loading pellets singly allows the shooter to inspect the heads and skirts of the pellets before they are anywhere near the gun, but magazines tend to be filled back at home, and as quickly as possible, so you can get out shooting. Slow down this process to ensure that each pellet is okay before you put it in the magazine – and when you are fitting the magazine to the gun watch that there isn’t any misalignment which can damage the pellets.

If you are having problem with groups opening up, or you’re not being able to zero, it may be a bad batch of pellets, so weigh a good selection of them – I always do a minimum of 50 – to see if there are any major changes in the weight.

Manufacturers do sometimes have Pellets go in the tub. production problems, and we have seen

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The kit you need for washing.

pellets in the same tin varying by as much as 3 grains. They often also change the specification of a pellet without telling the customer, altering the skirt thickness or head profile in the same make of pellet. I keep a reference batch of pellets so that I can see if there have been any changes to the latest ones.

WASH YOUR PELLETS Do you shoot your pellets straight from the tin or box? Top FT and HFT shooters don’t do this; they wash pellets, as a bare minimum, and then re-lubricate. Pellets come with a coating because the manufacturing process requires some form of lubrication, but they come with tiny flecks of lead or alloy on them

This pellet weighs 7.9 grains.

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ZERO SHIFT PART 3 PELLETS

Rinse off the detergent in a metal sieve.

Tip into a pile of kitchen towels.

Back into the box.

Add a little oil.

as well, and this all needs to be removed.

Think about it – if you weigh the pellets without washing them, you won’t get their true weight because of all the surplus material and lubricant.

You need a sealable plastic food container with a lid and preferably a rounded bottom.

The pellets go in the bottom with a dash of washing-up detergent to remove the factoryapplied lubrication. This is not designed to make the pellet more accurate when fired through a barrel; primarily, it has been designed to facilitate the actual manufacturing process of the pellets. Cover the pellets with some hot water from the tap – not boiling – then put the lid on, and swirl the container around gently for a few minutes. Pour the contents into a sieve, and run clean, cold water over the pellets as they are swirled around inside the sieve.

SIEVE TIPS I have found that a metal mesh sieve is better at removing the loose particles so you don’t want too fine a sieve mesh. Do not to go through this process over the kitchen sink; lead is a toxic substance and it should never be allowed to contaminate food preparation surfaces. Once washed, it’s time to dry them,

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so I tip the pellets out onto a pile of disposable kitchen towel, envelop it in my cupped hands, and give it a shake to remove excess water. I then tip the pellets out onto a fresh pile of kitchen roll placed on a tray, and then spread them out. The tray is placed next to a radiator to air-dry the pellets, and then, once dry, the next part of the process is sorting and grading.

However, if the pellets are not the issue, then it must be the gun/ scope. Please do not forget to blame yourself; sometimes you just can’t hit a barn door from inside the barn! If you feel off it, then stop, pack up, clean the gun, lock it up and try again tomorrow.

Finally, there are also environmental factors throughout the year that can affect your zero shifting; the colder, denser air in winter will cause your pellets to drop lower than in

summer. There is always a solution to zero problems. It’s just a case of working through all aspects of the gun/scope/pellets scenario ¬– and indeed yourself – until you find it. ■ You need to re-lubricate after washing.

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MICK GARVEY

LIKE FATHER

LIKE SON

Mick Garvey helps to introduce a young lad to the wonderful world of airgun hunting My two protégées for the day.

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HUNTING AND FIELDCRAFT

stubble.

An old friend and ex-neighbour, Mark, wants to get into airgunning with his young son, so he contacted me and asked if I could help him with introducing Elliott to the world of airgun hunting, and general outdoorsman activities. I told him that this would not be a problem. I actually relished the opportunity to bring new blood to our sport, and as it happened, they were not the only two.

A bit of time on the range will pay dividends.

BUDGET

have to say, the last few weeks have been incredibly frustrating because of the terrible weather we have been experiencing. I have spoken to a few shooters, including our very own Phil Hardman, and the persistent rain has delayed the harvest and subsequent decoying over the stubble fields for just about all of us.

I

Working to a budget when finding a good multi-shot PCP set-up was going to be difficult, and the top-of-the-range guns, such as the FX Wildcat and Impact, were out of the question, although once the airgun fever sets in I wouldn’t rule them out for the future.

We decided on the Artemis P15, the latest offering from SMK. It has seen some great reviews recently on the beloved Facebook, and for the price who can argue? The set-up was completed with a Leapers scope, and finally a dive bottle from SDS in Sheffield who must be working at a loss when you look at the price of their complete kits.

A farmer, who I shoot for, also contacted me with the same request for his wife, who wanted to turn her attention to the rat population that had taken residence in the chicken coops, so I

“I spent the next 60 minutes explaining the dos and don’ts of airgunshooting” My fields in particular haven’t come close to being cut and although it will happen it is still disheartening, especially when you see hoards of woodpigeons sitting statue-like on telephone lines, and tree lines, as if gathering for the feast, but I’m hoping that soon the crops will be cut and we’ll all have bumper bags off the

recommended the same dive bottle, along with a Photon XT from Scott Country International, and once set up, I handed another P15 to the second pair of happy customers. I will be keeping you informed on how the ratting goes because I will be joining them on a few sessions very soon.

The natural hazel nuts are hard to beat.

IMPRESSIVE Mark, Elliott and I had zeroed the new set-up at the local SDS range the day before our planned outing, and they were really impressed; £1 coin-sized groups at 23 yards is good for first-time shooters, and they went home excited about the following day.

When I got back, my neighbour popped her head over the fence and told me that her two grandsons had been watching from the bedroom window when I’d been setting up the Photon, and Connor – the eldest – just kept saying over and over, “I wish … I wish …”

“Send them round.” I told her, and before I had even set up the target, the doorbell was ringing.

Connor, along with his younger brother, Callum, stood there all wide-eyed and excited. I was impressed with their enthusiasm and led them to the back garden where I spent the next 60 minutes explaining the dos and don’ts of airgun shooting. They listened intently and I

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MICK GARVEY knew that they’d taken everything in, as had Mark and Elliott earlier. The next hour saw them rattling off a few mags through the sub-12 .177 Impact, with some pretty impressive results, and this reminded me of how good the Impact was compared to the new kid on the block, the P15, and how it was going to take something very special to replace it. To be honest, I don’t see anything on the horizon.

FORMALITY I took the opportunity to visit my woods that afternoon, and fill a few feeders in the hope of luring in a squirrel or two. Now, I have said before that rabbits are at a premium on my permission, but they have been making a bit of a welcome comeback recently, and as I crested a slight rise, I spotted two hares with what I thought was a young hare, a leveret, but no – it was a decent-sized rabbit and sitting perfectly sideways on at 40 yards. I had the .177 Impact, and once I had loaded the magazine it was a formality for the 8.4 grain Air Arms pellet, and with the slightest of kicks, a beauty of a rabbit was down. Within five minutes I had another in the Sidewinder’s crosshairs, and the Impact didn’t disappoint, making it two from two in five, and a happy hunter. I filled the feeders, and with no sign of any grey menaces I headed home to prep the rabbits.

HEAVY FOLIAGE Sunday saw me up at silly o’clock and with the Hilux loaded I set off to pick up my two guests.

Kung fu ninja.

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Elliott certainly looked the part.

I had already made the landowners aware that I wouldn’t be alone; they are very particular about who shoots on the land because there have been few people shooting hares, which is a big no-no here and rightly so, in my book, they’re magnificent animals that create little damage to this land.

After running though the boundary lines and safe backdrops with my pupils, I led them through the woodland to my new hide overlooking my favourite feeder area. I sat with the guys for a few minutes and explained where to expect the squirrels to appear. Mark really wanted to bag a rabbit and Elliott was just happy to be out with his father and me, and maybe get the chance for a shot or two at some vermin. Elliott was eager to tell me that he was a black belt in karate and his mum was one of the instructors at his club; this was quite interesting because I used to do a bit myself back in the day, but that was a while ago and not to be revisited any time soon – if at all. I left the duo to it, happy in the knowledge that they were 100% safe, and trekked between two other feed areas at both extremes of the wood, hoping to pick off a tree rat or two.

I was to be disappointed because nothing

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showed itself. The trees were full of pigeons, but with the heavy foliage it was virtually impossible to spot them unless you saw one come in. I did manage to drop a jay that had been calling for a while and landed on my feeder once it thought the coast was clear – you have to be very sparing with movement when waiting on jays because they are alert at all times.

UNSUSPECTING I was on my way to the next area when I heard a shot from the hide, but I could tell that it was a miss. As I approached the hide as stealthily as possible, I could see that Mark still had the scope to his eye, which I took as him still having the target in his sight. He briefly looked sideways to me, nodded, and I returned the gesture and checked the area in front of him. I could just make out a grey sitting on the trunk of a fallen tree and then I heard the shot and witnessed the tree rat fall stone dead to the ground.

They were both eager to check out the kill, but I had to hold them back until I could guarantee it was indeed dead. Too many times, I’ve seen an assumed lifeless squirrel take a bite at an unsuspecting hunter,

HUNTING AND FIELDCRAFT

been feeding on the hazels and preferred these to my bait. Maybe, I’ll increase the amount of peanuts in the mix to get them coming, this might be a while, though, because the harvest shooting will keep me occupied soon, I hope.

HICCOUGH

Two for the sub-12 Impact/Sidewinder in .177.

resulting in vicious damage to one of their pinkies. Once death had been confirmed, they couldn’t wait for a few pictures and it was whilst we were doing this that a pigeon landed plainly in view around 20 yards away in a hazel tree. As quietly as possible, we set up

Elliott with a straightforward shot between the shoulder blades, and the pigeon never knew what hit it, obviously preoccupied with the newly sprouted hazel nuts scattered on the floor below. It now occurred to me why the squirrels hadn’t shown in numbers – they had

Mark was beaming with his first kill and explained that the reason he had missed the first shot was that Elliott had hiccoughed, so the grey had bolted from right to left and then stopped to check out the noise. It sounded like a typical F1 driver’s excuse to me, but at least he hadn’t wounded it – a miss is better than wounding, any day. Once his squirrel had been stashed in his bag to show to his wife and daughter, we set off happy with the couple of hours spent in the woods. The company had been great, and I felt like I was helping a young lad to grow towards becoming a hunter. We crested the same rise as I had the day before and I spotted a couple of ears poking above the long grass. “Rabbit,” I called, and pointed it out. We had the P15 single-loaded and the cross hairs on our quarry in double-quick time.

The 16 grain Air Arms Diablo that I had also recommended hit home, and Mark’s dream came true. He had got his rabbit and I had introduced six people to our sport ... doesn’t get much better than that! ■

It’s not all about the shooting, there’s prepping too. If you shoot it you have to be prepared to prep it.

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PRACTICE RANGE

NO PLACE LIKE HOLMES Airgunning stalwart, Nigel Curtis, discovers a fantastic new club right on his doorstep met David Hurstfield last September when I was looking for somewhere close to home to practise my field target shooting. At that time, I wasn’t aware of the Holmes Chapel Shooting Ground – and it is only seven minutes from my house!

Holmes Chapel Shooting Ground is located in Crewe, Lancashire, and it’s a dedicated down-the-line shotgun range run

by David, and is quickly gaining status as a quality facility. In pursuit of a broader range of quality shooting options, I have since been helping David to set up a comprehensive air rifle practice facility for air-rifle shooters of all ages and abilities to enjoy. The new facility provides a comprehensive practice/plinking range out to 55 yards, and a 30-shot field target course, set in woodland will put all your practice to the test.

I

SETTING UP YOUR AIR RIFLE This new air rifle facility has a comprehensive practice range with boards at measured five-yard increments, from 10 yards to 55 yards. This allows you to set up your zero at a preferred range, and to check your trajectory before tackling the field-target course. There are also a good number of reactive targets on the practice range to improve your shooting skills.

Plenty of practice under realistic conditions - and everyone's friendly.

SHOOTING THE FIELD TARGET COURSE The course consists of 15 target lanes with two targets per lane. You are welcome to shoot the FT course more than once, and HCSG request that you take no more than two shots at any one target when progressing through it. This will give you a maximum of 60 shots per course completed, and ensure good progress.

SUITS ALL STYLES

So, how did we do today, guys?

The course is set up with a good blend of target positions and ranges so that all shooters will be challenged. All targets with front-mounted reducer plates suit the hunter field target discipline. The average range to target is just over 35 yards; a range at which many people choose to zero their air rifle.

The shortest target is just 11 yards away.

‘Advisory’ positional lanes on the course are set to suit the standing and kneeling positions, but shooters may choose to shoot all targets from any regular position; prone,

sitting, kneeling or standing. On your first visit to Holmes Chapel Shooting Ground, you will be informed of the range rules and course management procedures. This information will be available at all times.

IT’S ALL ABOUT PRACTICE AND IMPROVEMENT. The whole ethos for air riflers at Holmes Chapel is to practise and improve. The FT course allows you to practise against a realistic, quality woodland course and the practice range aids accurate set-up for your rifle.

If you are within reach of Holmes Chapel – just five minutes off junction 18 of the M6 – this is an excellent, new facility that everyone enjoys, and return visits are increasing. ■ More details and location directions can be found on the HCSG website, where you can also see the air rifle page: www.holmeschapelsg.com/air-rifle

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FOLLOW-UP TEST

HIT OR MYTH? The editor’s follow-up test on the B.A.R. bullpup kit morphs into an examination of the whole bullpup deal

ormally, the follow-up test is my chance to assess how an airgun performs during the month following my initial test. It’s the nearest practical means of seeing how something will handle extended use, varied weather conditions and more extensive testing.

That was the whole point of introducing the follow-up test, but my experience has shown that mostly, little changes on the ‘mechanical’ front and the most significant alterations come through handling and ergonomics, specifically with regard to the available adjustments offered by the rifle.

We are looking at a better format at the moment, with a view to revisiting rifles after a longer period of time. Ideally, we’d like input from our readers on this subject and that can happen, too, but for this month I’m going to broaden the brief and examine the whole bullpup deal. As a vocal admirer of bullpups, I need to ask myself if my liking of these rifles is properly grounded in their efficiency and advantage, or if it’s a product of novelty, even change for change’s sake.

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IDEAL CANDIDATE The B.A.R. bullpup conversion kit is the ideal candidate for this inquisition, because the Weihrauch HW100 action it carries has absolutely nothing to prove in terms of accuracy, reliability and overall performance, so that leaves its transformation into a bullpup as the test model’s main feature. Let’s see what this offers for its £320 asking price, and the 15 minutes or so it takes to convert a standard rifle into a bullpup.

Also, one of my go-to rifles these days is the HW110, which allows me to compare it fairly directly to the converted HW100. Remember, I’m looking for real-world benefit from the bullpup format, rather than forensic comparison between the standard model and its B.A.R. conversion.

ON-AIM STABILITY There’s not a doubt in my mind that, in certain situations, my bullpups come to the point of aim more ‘directly’ than my standard rifles. I’m equally certain that, if I were shooting rats or feral pigeon at close range, where faster target acquisition is a definite advantage, then I’d perform better with a bullpup. Add the need to

Do bullpups offer worthwhile advantages? Only one way to find out.

shoot in confined spaces, such as barns, outbuildings, from vehicles and hides, and the bullpup is significantly ahead, for me at least.

Yet, airgun shooting is all about precision placement of a single pellet, and that means pinpoint accuracy. It’s no good getting generally ‘on target’, if the final, pre-shot refinement of the aim isn’t smooth and efficient. Olympic target shooters don’t use

bullpups, they use rifles that assist this final refinement. These rifles are far heavier than our sporters, too, so the comparison isn’t a direct one.

CAN A BULLPUP DO IT? The real question, here, is, ‘can a bullpup format provide sufficient stability to produce the accuracy required in the hunting field?’ and my

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FOLLOW-UP TEST: B.A.R. BULLPUP KIT

When correct fit and alignment is acheived, you can explore the bullpup benefits, but not before.

I rely totally on precision shooting and there’s no way that would be sacrificed for speed of handling.

answer to that is a simple ‘yes’. I’ll qualify that by confirming that bullpups work for me, but that doesn’t mean they’ll do so for everyone. A further qualification must be, if using a bullpup for convenience or speed of handling meant a reduction in downrange accuracy, I wouldn’t use one for hunting. Accuracy and that all-important pellet placement that comes from it, is the one unbreakable requirement of anyone who calls himself a hunter. No compromise is available, ever.

HOW BULLPUPS WORK FOR ME Here’s how it works in the real world, and has done since I first tested a bullpup a couple of decades ago.

First, I stand slightly more side-on to address the target, and once the bullpup is in my shoulder, I use the remaining three seconds or so of my ideal five-second routine to refine my aim. Nothing new there, then, but that refinement definitely begins slightly earlier in the sequence with a bullpup compared to a standard rifle. This makes me feel I have more time, plus the felt weight of the bullpup is less, which, for me is an advantage these days.

Again, I need to stress that this is my own way of shooting and that others may not experience this as I do.

Every shooter that tried the B.A.R. conversion was seriously impressed by its trigger set-up.

The standard sporting hold is familiar but in many situations a bullpup can offer improvement.

HOW THEY CAN WORK FOR YOU

VERDICT

Bullpups work for me mainly because I’ve learned how to set them up to my best advantage, and I can’t stress too strongly the need to do this. Of course this applies to any rifle, but the unique geometry of the bullpup, especially its requirement for perfect head/eye alignment, demands another no-compromise approach. Use riser blocks, different-height mounts, cheekpiece padding, whatever it takes, but get that alignment perfect. When the rifle is mounted, your eye must fall naturally behind the scope, with no ‘finding’ of the eyepiece at all. If you have to ‘search’ to align your eye with the scope, make the necessary adjustments to your hardware, rather than accepting compromise.

Well, the first thing I can confirm is that this subject needs further exploration, and more input from other bullpup enthusiasts, and detractors. We need to know far more about why, and how, these compact rifles work for their fans and don’t for their critics. I’ll be getting on with that as soon as I can, but for now I’ll conclude this feature with my take on bullpups.

These guns can work extremely well for us, provided we don’t mess up their potential.

Bullpups aren’t some magical fix for bad technique and we need to work with their characteristics, rather than expecting them to do the work for us. When the requirements are met, though, I’m convinced that a good bullpup is a fine addition to any hunter’s armoury, and this B.A.R. conversion kit really can open the door to something special. ■

WINNING CHANGES Getting back to the B.A.R. kit for a moment, if I had to make a change to the supplied product, it would be to fit an adjustable butt pad. That’s it; nothing else needs doing. I wouldn’t go for anything complex, or with a butt hook attached, just a simple pad with the ability to shift around to assist that allimportant gun fit. You’re looking for something that enhances fit and precision, without reducing the bullpup’s fast, easy handling.

Bullpups aren’t built for benches, but their accuracy can’t be questioned, either.

TECH SPEC Product: BAR Bullpup Conversion Kit Manufacturer: Daystate Country of origin: Ukraine Price: £320 Description: Stock and fitments for converting various PCPs into bullpup format Stock type: Walnut, bullpup, ambidextrous sporter Weight: 4.5.8 kg (9.9.lbs) unscoped Length: 787mm (31ins) Pull length: 330 (13ins) Options: Synthetic cheekpiece £40. Biathlon bolt handle £27.

Contact: BAR on 01253 627720

RRP £320 68

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CO2 REVOLVER

GIVE IT A WHIRL!

Phill Price finds a bargain revolver with performance well above its price

I really liked the balance and feel of the Tornado.

like revolvers, but it seems that most CO2 replicas these days are based on semiautomatic guns. It’s true that most of the world’s military and police forces carry semi-automatic handguns, but in some specialist situations revolvers still have their place. The most common reason that they’re chosen is that they’re more reliable and less likely to jam at a life-threatening moment.

Their handling is very different to a semi-automatic and often takes a little time to find the best grip. This is especially true for your weak hand, the left in my case, as I’m a right-handed shooter. You also notice quickly that the sights are very high above your trigger hand, which can take a little getting used to.

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WHAT IS IT? When I saw the UX Tornado I was intrigued because I cannot find the revolver that it’s based on. It’s a composite of different guns brought together to make something that looks good and handles well. It reminds me of the Smith & Wesson M&P series of heavy-duty

revolvers designed for front-line house entry teams used when every shot can be a life or death decision.

The barrel wears a huge shroud that’s almost full length, on top of which is a Weaver rail to carry a scope or red-dot sight. Beneath is another section of rail to accept a ‘flashlight’

for my hold, which of course aids a quick first shot. The sooner you can get your sight picture, the sooner you can press the trigger.

The sights are very basic with no adjustability or colour enhancement, but I found them well proportioned and clear.

Loading the CO2 capsule is the same as the

“Despite the front-heavy appearance, I found that the Tornado balanced nicely” or a laser for aiming duties. This adds up to a very chunky, bulky appearance, but because the revolver is almost completely made from a synthetic material it’s not overly heavy. Despite the front-heavy appearance, I found that the Tornado balanced nicely in my hands.

GOOD GRIP The grip is very contemporary, being cleverly moulded into a hand-fitting design that’s much more sophisticated than it appears at first. It also brought the sights very naturally onto aim

majority of BB pistols, in that you remove the left grip half and drop in a 12-gramme capsule with the neck upwards. Then you use the hex driver that’s built into the grip to tighten the screw in the base of the grip. This drives the capsule up into the frame and onto the piercing probe that punctures the capsule.

The CO2 is now freed to flow into the action ready to propel the BBs. In a step away from other CO2 revolvers, the Tornado’s magazine sits behind the dummy cylinder and carries 10-shots. I was deeply

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CO2 REVOLVER I like revolvers and this one’s a winner.

impressed to see that Umarex supplies three of them in the box, which I think is superb. With each of the chambers filled, the mag’ is slid into the frame from the left and then the pivot rod is pushed through by releasing in from its keep position in the barrel shroud. Sounds complicated; takes seconds, once you’re used to it.

LET’S GO!

Flipping the left grip off reveals the CO2 capsule chamber.

Gassed up and loaded we come to the good part, which is getting some trigger time.

I’m very pleased to report that the trigger is indeed very good. It can operate in double- or single-action modes, and the feel and movement in both is good. In fact, I think I should say ‘very good’, when you see just how little this revolver costs. Deliberately aimed shots in single-action mode were a pleasure and rapid fire sequences in double-action felt well controlled.

At six yards the sights shot a little high for me, but once I knew that adjusting my aim was no problem and I was soon shooting to the centre of the target. Interestingly, flat-out, double-action strings also shot high and a little to the right, saying something about my

Above: Getting three magazines is quite superb!

Left: Each mag’ takes 10 4.5mm BBs.

technique. I rarely shoot doubleaction revolvers at speed these days but again once I was aware a quick adjustment of my aim point brought me right back to centre.

With the world going litigation mad as it has, Umarex now fits safety devices to all its handguns which can be rather ugly when done crudely. The one fitted to the Tornado is quite the opposite, being subtle in appearance and ergonomically spot-on. The serrated tang sits discreetly in the top on the grips under the hammer spur, from where it can be easily activated with your thumb. This position also makes it ambidextrous. It blocks the trigger completely so you’ll know immediately if you’ve failed to disengage it before attempting a shot.

I’m sure you’ll have understood by now that I like this revolver a great deal. It’s smooth, handles well and delivers ten BBs as fast as you can pull the excellent trigger. As if that wasn’t enough you can buy one for just £59.95, which makes it an absolute bargain as well. ■

TECH SPEC Manufacturer: Umarex Importer: www.bisley-uk.com Model: UX Tornado Type: CO2 Action: Revolver Trigger: Double- and single-action Magazine: 10-shot Length: 260mm Weight: 687g The heavy barrel shroud has a Weaver rail moulded in.

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RRP £59.95

TECHNICAL AIRGUN

SWEEPING GENERALISATION? Jim investigates lost volume - and short-strokes one of his TX200s at a cost of 50p

he term ‘lost volume’ is used to describe the difference between the total combined volume of the cylinder, transfer port, pellet skirt and piston seal face, and the displacement of the piston stroke. The volume that is not lost volume is compressed, and is known as the ‘swept volume’.

What lost volume does is lower the cylinder pressure and energy for any given point in the piston’s compression stroke, so there is less energy to accelerate the pellet. At a perhaps more fundamental level, lowering the cylinder pressure retards the point in the compression stroke that the pellet starts to move, reducing the ‘cylinder pulse’; the length of piston travel in which the piston and the pellet are moving in the same direction, which means that the pellet accelerates for a shorter period, to a lower velocity.

T

BAD OR NOT? So lost volume is a bad thing? Well, not necessarily. Most spring airguns have swept

The rifle needs the same preload with an insert as it does with a longer rod or piston extension.

volume to spare, because they are designed with one eye on unrestricted markets with no ceiling on muzzle energy, such as North America, where high muzzle energy is a strong selling point. To accelerate a pellet to a high

The rifle is very well behaved with its polyurethane insert.

velocity takes a higher swept volume than is needed to accelerate a pellet to deliver under 12 ft.lbs., raising the question of whether increasing lost volume could be a viable way to reduce muzzle energy where desired, and it’s not just us in the UK who might wish to set our air rifles at less than their design maximum energy.

A recent trend amongst enthusiasts in the USA is reducing the muzzle energy of ‘magnum’ spring airguns to nearer or even within our 12 ft.lbs. limit or below, and the reason our American friends are doing this is that they believe it makes their rifles much more pleasant to shoot, and probably makes it easier to achieve desired accuracy.

In order to witness the effect of airgun modifications such as introducing lost volume, it is sometimes necessary to take them to extremes which, in the case of lost volume, I have already done.

GOING TO EXTREMES A couple of years ago, I deliberately introduced massive lost volume into my old HW77 by fitting a range of short cylinder inserts with axial holes inside the compression tube, which

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MUZZLE ENERGY

Make sure that the end plug is screwed fully home; even a small gap will cause problems.

It’s quite easy to cross thread the end cap, so fit it by hand, and carefully.

abruptly halted the piston part way through its usual stroke as it hit the insert, and fixed the peak cylinder pressure. By varying the length of the inserts, or altering their internal diameter, I was able to set peak cylinder pressure to practically any level I wanted, so I tested each set-up with a range of pellets to see which started to move, and which remained in the breech, to find each pellet’s start pressure.

One of the interesting findings from the experiment was that lightweight pellets with low start pressures were not only starting to move, but exiting the muzzle with peak air pressure at between 150-200psi, when the peak pressure was only a little higher than their start pressures, which ranged between 120psi (Falcon Accuracy Plus) and 150psi (Air Arms Express). The thought struck me that there must be a certain much lesser level of lost volume that would allow the muzzle energy for such pellets to be viable. Before considering whether tweaking the lost volume could be a viable way to regulate maximum muzzle energy, let’s consider the alternatives.

SETTING MUZZLE ENERGY To reduce the muzzle energy of spring airguns that were designed to deliver muzzle energies in excess of our 12 ft.lbs. limit, there is a range of options. The obvious way is to fit a softer and perhaps less pre-loaded spring, which has the drawback of a more sluggish shot cycle, and necessitates finding a different mainspring. It is not easy to find a spring that

The end plug is fitted with thread lock compound, which has to be softened by applying heat here.

following through more of a challenge.

Another way to reduce muzzle energy is to reduce piston mass, which on its own will also increase piston bounce, with the same drawbacks as reducing the transfer port diameter. People do reduce piston mass because it reduces primary recoil but, for me, the jury is out on whether the accompanying increase in surge is too great a price to pay.

SWEPT VOLUME When machining soft polyurethane, use sharp tools and low speeds.

is exactly what you want, because suppliers of aftermarket springs do not want to manufacture a spring that’s optimal for every airgun in every calibre, and so make up a small range of springs, and list the airguns that those springs will physically fit – sometimes they get it wrong, and a spring has to be cropped just to get it in the gun. Even when the springs fit with no alteration, the chance of them being anywhere near optimal for that airgun are small.

An alternative is to reduce the transfer port diameter, which on its own will increase piston bounce. The problem there is that increased piston bounce increases forward recoil surge, which starts whilst the pellet is still in the barrel, and is accelerating as the pellet exits the barrel. This can increase hold sensitivity, and make it more difficult to achieve accuracy, and it degrades the sight picture, making

The currently fashionable way to reduce muzzle energy is to reduce the swept volume, which can be achieved in two ways; shortening the piston stroke, or sleeving the cylinder and fitting a narrower, lighter piston.

Both reduce primary recoil, which is why they are popular.

I have shortened piston strokes by fitting longer piston rods, and by making piston extensions, and shortening the stroke was what I was effectively doing with the cylinder inserts in my pellet start pressure tests, so what if I shortened the stroke by fitting a cylinder insert, but with a much smaller hole than in the pellet start pressure tests, to give much higher peak air pressure? Could that offer a simpler, cheaper, way to reduce the piston stroke? Only one way to find out.

DYNAMIC LOST VOLUME The pellet starts to move before piston bounce, and as it progresses up the barrel, the increasing volume of the barrel behind the pellet is effectively dynamic lost volume, which

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To fit a piston rod, you need a tool to keep it centred whilst the thread lock compound cures.

makes it very difficult to predict what the peak cylinder pressure will be, because we don’t know how far up the barrel the pellet will be at piston bounce and, as my recent experiment with my TX200 and TX200 HC proved, each pellet accelerates at a different rate. In the absence of barrel lost volume data, we cannot calculate the effects of varying cylinder lost volume, so the only way to find out what the effects are is to test it and see what happens.

I decided to use my TX200 for the lost volume test, partly because it is such an easy rifle to strip and rebuild, partly because its central transfer port would maintain alignment with the hole in the insert even if the latter rotated.

Three methods of short-stroking. The cylinder insert is by far the cheapest, and seems just as good.

I made the inserts from the 25mm diameter 90A SHORE polyurethane rod I have used to make piston seals. This is a soft material to machine, but since machining an insert consists of drilling a central hole and parting off to length, it’s not in the least bit difficult, and the cost of each insert is around 50p. I could have used a harder plastic such as Delrin, but the soft polyurethane held the promise of a cushioned piston landing at the end of the second forward stroke.

DIFFERENT STROKES I started off with an insert 11mm long, to give a piston stroke of 85mm, and with a 10mm diameter hole, giving 864 cu mm of lost

I used a mini-drill and stone to put a slight taper into the insert, which may or may not aid air flow.

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volume, equivalent to the barrel volume when a .177 pellet has travelled a couple of inches, and this gave 640fps with 8.4 grain pellets.

After the first couple of test shots, I was aware of a tingling sensation in the pad of my trigger finger, which told me that the piston was colliding with the insert at some speed, pushing the whole rifle violently forward. Due to the combination of piston ‘slam’ and low muzzle energy, I terminated the test without bothering to record the recoil cycle.

The next insert was 10mm long, with a 6mm axial hole, giving a much reduced 282 cu mm of lost volume. With 7.87 grain pellets, and the same standard Air Arms spring and 42mm preload as I use in my conventionally (longer piston rod) short-stroked TX200, this gave velocities a little under 790fps – just under 11 ft.lbs. – close to what I get with my conventionally short-stroked TX200.

I decided to reduce the lost volume by fitting a 10mm long insert with an 3.8mm hole, giving 113 cu mm of lost volume or, thought of in another way, effectively a 19.8mm long transfer port, which will result in a slight loss of energy efficiency, having said which, after a few shots to settle the action, the velocity had increased to 800fps, for 11.1 ft.lbs. That’s just 10fps down from what I get with the ‘conventionally’ short-stroked rifle – partly due to lesser energy efficiency, partly

I tried different lengths and various axial hole sizes.

MUZZLE ENERGY

My pellet start pressure experiments proved that massive lost volume was disastrous to muzzle energy, and caused piston slam.

due to the lower piston weight – at a fraction of the expense and trouble.

To short stroke using a longer piston rod, you have to buy the rod, then remove the piston and seal, heat the piston to loosen the thread locking compound, unscrew the rod, run a tap through the threaded hole in the piston to clean it, make a tool, for which you need a lathe, to keep the new rod central when you refit it, apply thread lock compound, screw in the new rod, and leave it for the thread lock compound to harden.

To short stroke using a cylinder insert, you remove the piston, push the insert up the cylinder – it will be a tight fit – and put the rifle back together. Job done.

THE SHOT CYCLE The lost volume in the 3.8mm cylinder insert bore retards the point in the compression stroke that the 7.87 grain pellet starts to move, which in this case is around 70mm into the stroke, but by no more than the tiniest fraction of a millimetre, lowering the air pressure at the 70mm, 150psi mark by just 2 psi, so that has no measurable effect on muzzle velocity.

In use, the shot cycle of the rifle with the insert feels indistinguishable from that of the same rifle with a lengthened piston rod, with the total time to pellet exit, and piston velocities being virtually identical. In a blind test, I very much doubt that anyone could discern whether the stroke was shortened using a longer rod, a piston extension, or a 50p polyurethane cylinder insert.

LESS IS MORE In fact, when I measured the shot cycle, the rifle with the cylinder insert recoiled less, and had less surge than the rifle with the same piston stroke and an extended piston rod or a piston extension. The lower recoil I can understand, because the shorter piston rod weighs less, but the lower surge is less easily explained; all I can think is that more of the compressed air is following the pellet out of the muzzle instead of driving piston bounce.

I am not commending this modification just yet, because at the time of writing. it has only been tested with a couple of hundred pellets, and it really needs in the region of 10,000 shot cycles to show up any snags. All looking good so far, though.

With the scope back on, the rifle proved to be at least as accurate with the cylinder insert as with an extended piston rod.

VERDICT With most production spring airguns, a modest amount of lost volume seems not in itself a huge problem, because it represents such a small percentage of the swept volume. With spring airguns that have been modified to reduce swept volume to a bare minimum, as well as airguns with low swept volumes to begin with, even modest lost volume will undoubtedly be undesirable. ■

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HOT TOPIC

Can your telescopic sight cause pellet point of impact shift due to extremes of temperature? unday 25th June was blisteringly hot, and also the day of the second round of the excellent UKAHFT 2017 series at Buxted. A friend who attended the event told me that the temperature hit 33C in the afternoon, and that quite a few people had reported that their pellet’s point of impact (POI) had shifted due to the heat. It’s actually common to get pellet POI shifts with temperature changes, but the reason is usually the rifle.

With spring airguns, POI shifts can be an inch or more, and are mainly due to the piston seal swelling when hot, and shrinking when cold, altering the seal’s friction and the point in the recoil cycle when the pellet exits the muzzle, so it is pointing higher or lower than usual at pellet exit. With PCPs, POI changes are much smaller, and caused by the molecules of the air in the cylinder possessing higher kinetic energy, which raises muzzle velocity, (or vice versa) as discussed last month. The suspicion at the Buxted shoot was falling not on the rifle, but the scope. In theory, a scope could alter the POI with changes in temperature and to understand how, we need to take a look inside the scope.

S

I’ve never suffered temperature related POI shift with my PCP.

INSIDE THE SCOPE The mechanism that alters pellet POI when we zero comprises a tube containing lens elements and is called the ‘erector’ tube, which is free to pivot at the rear, and held at the front

by a triangular arrangement comprising the elevation and windage adjusters, and a spring.

To move the POI left, the windage adjuster is usually screwed in toward the axis of the scope, which pushes the front of the erector

The erector tube is free to pivot from the rear as the adjusters move the front.

The adjuster housing screws into the turret block, through a neoprene washer to keep water out.

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If a scope does not respond to small adjustments in windage or elevation, the erector tube is probably dragging on the leaf spring, visible here.

POI SHIFT

One click with most scopes equates to less than half a pellet width at 30 yards.

“The suspicion at the Buxted shoot was falling not on the rifle, but the scope” tube left, and to move the POI down, the top adjuster is screwed in, pushing the erector tube down toward the axis of the scope, and vice versa.

So how could temperature move the erector tube to change the POI? It’s all down to materials swelling in heat and shrinking in cold, which means that the length of the adjusters increases or decreases, moving the erector tube. That is complicated by the fact that the adjusters are held in the turret blocks, themselves secured on the scope body tube, and the expansion or contraction of these acts in the opposite direction to the adjusters. If an adjuster increases in length because it’s hot, the body tube also expands, pulling the adjuster back with it, and potentially cancelling out, or mitigating any effect on the erector tube.

The only way to address a matter like this is to get measuring the effect of heat on the

individual components, and as luck would have it, I had kept an old scope that I’d opened up some years ago to photograph the internals.

CALIBRATION The reported POI shift ranged between 5mm and 25mm at 30 yards, so I first needed to know how many clicks of the adjusters those figures equated to. A click is ¼” at 100 yards, and that’s 1.9mm at 30 yards, so a 5mm to 25mm POI shift would equate to 2.5 to 13.15 clicks of the adjuster, respectively.

Next, I needed to know how much the adjuster moved the erector tube per click, so I removed the adjuster assembly from the scope and measured it at 0.009mm. So, a 5mm POI shift at 30 yards would need the adjuster to increase in length by 0.01mm, a 25mm POI shift by 0.05mm. The question was whether or not the adjusters could expand quite that much.

The adjuster and its housing.

THE MEASUREMENTS In an ambient temperature of 27C, I measured the length of the (brass) adjuster at 12.985mm, then popped it into a deep freeze to chill to -7C, giving a temperature range of 34C, which I felt should surely be enough to replicate the range between typical British summer and winter averages.

After an hour, I removed it and re-measured; the adjuster was now 12.977mm, so the adjuster had shortened by 0.008mm, just under one click of adjustment and equal to a POI shift of 1.69mm at 30 yards. To check my

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POI SHIFT

measurements, I then needed to do some calculations based on widely published coefficient of linear expansion figures.

The coefficient of linear expansion is given as a number; for brass it would be 19, multiplied by 10 raised to the power of minus six, which gives the expansion per millimetre per degree C, so the adjuster should have expanded by 0.00839mm. practically one click of adjustment, which would shift the 30 yard POI by 2mm or thereabouts. The slight discrepancy between my measured and calculated figures could be due to the ‘brass’ adjuster actually being an alloy, or perhaps one of my temperature measurements was out. but in both cases, the potential POI shift attributable to the scope is a fraction of the shift reported at Buxted.

Whilst the adjuster is expanding toward the axis of the scope as it gains temperature, it is being pulled back out by the expansion of the tube on which it is mounted. The scope tube

I measured the length of the adjuster at a range of temperatures from -7c to 27C.

With the adjuster in its housing, I was able to measure easily how much one click moved the erector tube.

would be difficult to measure precisely because it is almost certainly not perfectly round, so I decided to stick with calculation of linear expansion. Aluminium has a coefficient of thermal expansion of 22 X 10 to the minus 6 mm per mm per degree, so the 25.4mm body tube diameter between -7 and 27C would increase by 0.018mm. This would pull the adjuster back by half that amount, which is 0.0095mm.

The net movement of the erector tube of the scope body and adjuster expanding would be in the order of 0.0011mm, about one eighth of a click of the adjuster. If there is POI shift, it would be far too little to measure at the target.

ANYTHING ELSE? In order to move the POI, you have to alter the course of the light travelling through the scope relative to the reticle, which is what the erector tube does. If we discount the erector tube mechanism, the only other possibility would be for a lens element to tilt away from the axis of the scope, which I don’t believe is possible.

HEAT AND US Heat affects not only your rifle – and, to a tiny degree, your scope – but it can also have a huge effect on us. The Buxted shoot came during a period of five consecutive days with temperatures at or above 30C, and for those five days, I struggled to complete Sudoko puzzles that I would normally finish in very short order, which I think was due to difficulty in concentrating as a direct result of the heat. In HFT, concentration on the range, wind and the target is crucial; if your concentration isn’t 100%, your scores will plummet.

Physiologically, heat is draining, sapping your energy, so everything becomes more of an effort, even moving from peg to peg on an HFT course, or getting up off the mat after a shot, which does nothing to help your marksmanship, and of course, the heat makes us sweat, which is a problem when trying to replicate spring airgun hold with clammy hands. On the day of the Buxted shoot, some who stayed back to shoot at Nomads were complaining about sweat running down into their eyes, which is hardly conducive to accurate shooting.

THE CONCLUSION PCPS AND TEMPERATURE PCPs are affected by ambient temperature, as I found when I acclimatised a rifle to 20C and 39C, charged it at each temperature to 170 BAR, and shot a string of ten pellets at each temperature. The result can be seen in the illustration ‘PCPs and temperature’.

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With a 30-yard zero, the extra 17fps of the pellets shot at 39C would raise the pellet POI at 45 yards by just 3mm, so whilst PCPs are affected by temperature, the effect on POI is the merest fraction of that of spring/ piston airguns.

If the scope used for my measurements was representative of other scopes, and there is no reason to believe otherwise, then a shift of 34C in temperature could potentially move the POI by about a quarter of a millimetre (one hundredth of an inch) at 30 yards, so not only were the scopes at the Buxted shoot innocent, but it is looking fairly unlikely that any significant heat related POI shift is ever due to the scope. ■

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TOP VALUE GUNS

X MARKS THE SPOT! Tim Finley would definitely vote for this ‘MP’

The Sig MPX is an all-action plinker with all sorts of appealing features.

he month’s top value gun already has a mountain of fans and probably does not need the extra publicity of my humble review, but I’d still like to share my thoughts on the redoubtable Sig Sauer MPX. It caused a massive stir when it was launched, as did its bigger brother, the MCX. The MPX is a heavy gun, and it feels hefty in the hands at 3kg, making it only 0.3kg heavier than the real 9mm MPX, which weighs in at 2.7kg, and the overall length is exactly the same at 654mm.

It is CO2-powered, and uses the biggest CO2 power-plant that you can get into a gun – the massive 88-gram screw-in bulb.

T

Although the instruction book states that it uses a 90-gram bulb. On the MPX the big bulb fits nicely in the butt stock, just as if it was designed for a 88/90 gram bulb, even as a firearm. The synthetic butt is held on the action by a push-in, spring-loaded button on the right-hand side of the butt tube, and at the end of the removable butt is a rubber butt pad with the Sig Sauer logo SIG.

BELT-FED The biggest issue with a multi-shot CO2 gun that wants to shoot lead pellets and have a removable magazine, is how you feed the pellets into the barrel, so Sig Sauer cleverly

came up with a belt-fed system within the removable magazine. Both the MCX and MPX use the RPM system – RPM stands of course for ‘Rapid Pellet Magazine’ – and I’ve always been sceptical when it comes to pellet magazines like these. In the past, such things have been great ideas, but not so much in practice – not so the RPM, which uses a 30-section chain of alloy and synthetic links that travel around in the magazine. The chain has to be taken out in order to load it up, but in the owner’s manual there is a page of clear instructions on how to do this, starting with how to remove it without damaging the internals.

The trap door on the right-hand side of the

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TOP VALUE GUNS: SIG SAUER MPX The 88 gram, CO2 bulb is housed in the removable butt stock.

The chain pellet holding system.

The safety catch fire to safe on the left-hand side; note the red dot.

The pellets in the chain system.

Closing up the magazine.

The cocking handle.

magazine opens so that the bottom part of the chain can be taken out, and it has to be taken out clockwise as shown in the illustrations.

The pellets can then be loaded into the chain, and of course, there is a right way and a wrong way. The main thing is to ensure that they are pressed quite firmly into the synthetic tubes so that they don’t fall out. Running around the chain is a raised block, and this runs in a key way inside the magazine, which inserts just like the real one, and the magazine release catch is on the right-hand side, above the trigger guard.

five 30-shot magazines’ worth of useable shots – that’s 150 pellets downrange.

The power output ranged from1.5 to 3.9 ft. lbs. and as this is a short-range plinking gun, this is perfectly acceptable. Also, with the length of 200mm rifled steel barrel, it has to be set to sub 6ft.lbs. to stay within the UK gun laws, and the MCX has the longer barrel so you can possibly convert into a pre-charged power-plant. You can get an adaptor to use 12 gram CO2 bulbs if you just want a quick plinking session, and don’t want to leave the expensive 88 gram bulb in the gun, or waste money by removing it for storage.

The handling of the MPX is superb, either left- or right-handed, and the build quality is very good – they are made in Japan. It comes fitted with an open-sight system, which folds down to enable a red-dot sight to be fitted if required. In fact, they sell the MPX with a Sig Sauer 20R red-dot sight as a package. I fitted the red-dot sight and found it to be top quality.

The height of the mount is such that the flip-up sights index to the red dot, and this makes them back-up sights; should the red dot fail, the open sights can be flipped up and away you go. The front is a simple post, but this can be adjusted up and down by a clever spring-loaded plunger locking system, another nod to the real MPX. The rear sight has two flip-up dioptre elements, a small and large aperture, and is adjustable for windage. It proved very accurate at 6 yards with all shots falling within 20mm. Yes, it’s expensive for a low-powered plinker, but it truly is worth the money – and then some. ■

SUPERB HANDLING To cock the rifle, you pull back on the cocking slide. Again, just like the real thing, the slide is pulled back by hooking two fingers, simple.

The safety catch is right above the trigger – ambidextrous, of course, as is the grip.

Chronograph testing was a long job, especially with one magazine, but in the end it gave me It’s a Sig, Tim, but not as we know it.

TECH SPEC Distributor: Highland Outdoors Ltd Model: Sig Sauer MPX Action: Carbine Type: C02 Capacity: 30 lead pellets Weight: 3kg Barrel length: 200mm Overall length: 658mm Pull length: 334mm Calibre: .177 (4.5mm) Sights: Open adjustable (293mm sight base) or Sig Sauer 20R red-dot airgun MRD Trigger weight: 4.8kg double-action Price: £296.99 (rrp) £410.99 with Sig Sauer 20R red-dot sight £56.99 for additional 30-round magazine

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CLUB FOCUS

GO MAD IN PRESTON! Lee Maddon tells us about something truly special custom built for airgunners of all kinds

We studied other indoor and outdoor ranges, up and down the country, and looked at their best elements and their shortfalls, and we talked with dozens of air rifle enthusiasts to find out what they wanted and expected from an ideal air rifle

range. We collated all this information to create the MadAir Experience.

I built the range at weekends, over a two-month period, with help from friends and family members and a very large excavator, and we opened for business on Saturday, May the 6th 2016. We’ve seen month-on-month growth ever since; we welcome air rifle enthusiasts of all ages, and we’ve hosted corporate events for the likes of Universal Pictures, hen and stag parties, and Scout and Wolf Pack groups of youngsters, most of whom had never held an air rifle before.

Our gun hire facility has proved to be very popular – we currently have around ten guns available for hire at any one time – and the hire package includes pellets, targets, training and as much tea as you can drink. We have a strict health and safety policy and all newcomers are subjected to a strict induction process prior to shooting.

Right from the start, we have had the support and encouragement of Blackpool Air Rifles (BAR) and their effervescent proprietor, Lloyd Schober, who has promoted our venture and whose staff all wear our regalia in the shop – their advertising banner is proudly displayed at MadAir.

Firing points under construction.

The local sheep looked on in admiration as we built the main range.

t all started when a few friends and I came down to my parents’ rural smallholding to practise shooting targets in the field behind my father’s Asbo Exhausts workshop. We soon recognised that there was huge potential for an outdoor air rifle range in the one- acre plot, due to its ease of access, and the fact that no similar facilities exist within a 30-mile radius, so my parents and I formed a partnership to create MadAir. We employed the services of a highly respected planning consultant to work with Wyre Borough Council and obtain the necessary planning permission to develop the green-field site, and erect a building alongside the existing Asbo Exhausts unit. There were many hoops to jump through, including obtaining environmental and ecological reports from various agencies, but we worked tirelessly with Wyre Council to meet and exceed their criteria, and eventually, we were granted planning permission.

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ENTHUSIASTS

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TARGETS Our range is over 70 yards long and 35 yards wide, and is north-facing, so visitors are sheltered from the prevailing south-westerly wind. Our building is 25 metres long, 2.5 metres wide, and it has 24 seats and placemats.

We have over 200 targets of all types, including knock-down, spinners, electronic and reactive targets, plus paper target holders at various distances. The targets are repainted twice weekly, and broken or damaged targets repaired or replaced. They are moved around occasionally, as well, to keep our regular clients on their toes. The grass is mown and rolled two or three times a week during the summer months to keep it under control because appearance and image is important to us.

The range is run and maintained by me, with help from Geoff, Shirley and Emily Madden, during the week. They are a massive asset to MadAir because they are able to help when I cannot be there – I still have a day job.

At one side, we have a 10-yard pistol range that has proved very popular, and we also have facilities for prone shooting for competitions etc.

Our Thursday ‘Gun Club’ competition is also well supported, and we have great prizes, fabulous banter and anyone is welcome to come along and join in – it is a big conversation point on our popular Facebook page.

One of the appealing features of MadAir is its rural location, and its closeness to nature. When people visit us from the towns and cities, they love to listen to the birds singing in the trees, and enjoy the sight of an owl or buzzard flying high overhead. We are purely a target range, and support wildlife conservation, and occasionally, shooting will stop for a few minutes

CLUB FOCUS

Plenty of targets - and we re-shuffle them, too!

to allow a family of partridges or a mother duck and her brood to waddle across to the adjacent watercourse.

CAMARADERIE Our facilities include tea, coffee, soft drinks and snacks. We have ample car parking and toilet facilities for visitors. We have regular visitors from Yorkshire, Cumbria, Scotland and Wales, and we had regular and welcome visits from a family from South Africa, now living in the Lancaster/Morecambe area. Everyone who visits says that we are the by far the best air rifle range they have ever visited, with great facilities and friendly staff.

We are constantly amazed at the huge spectrum of people who have airguns. They range from youngsters to retired people, male and female. The camaraderie between airgun

enthusiasts here is remarkable. One young chap who had travelled some distance to MadAir recently, found that his gun had broken after about 10 minutes of shooting. He was about to pack up and go home when the elderly chap shooting next to him asked him what was the matter. When the young lad explained, the elderly chap pulled out his spare rifle from its case and said, “Here, use this one, son.’ A true sportsman!

PLANS AND LOCATION Our plans for the immediate future involve building a new toilet block, developing a website, and promoting ourselves to an even bigger audience via advertising and social media. A massive thank you from everyone at MadAir to Airgun World, for publishing this feature.

MadAir is located on the main A588, ten miles

Come and see us - you'll be made very welcome, I promise.

Target variety is a feature at MadAir!

south of Lancaster, M6 Junction 33.

We are open every day of the year, except Christmas Day, from 9am until 6pm Shooting sessions £5.00 for 3 hours £10.00 for all day Gun hire (please pre-book to avoid disappointment) From £25.00 for 3 hours all-inclusive For further information please call or contact us at:MadAir Outdoor Rifle Range Oak Lea, Head Dyke Lane, Pilling, Preston, PR36SJ Tel:- Lee Madden 07825 321665 Email:- lee_madden@btinternet.com Or find us on Facebook – MadAir Outdoor Air Rifle Range

Lloyd from Blackpool Air Rifles has supported us from the start.

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DEBEN 10-50 X 60 NITE TECH SCOPE. Illuminated mil-dot reticle, two side wheels, one large,sunshade, c/w mounts.

Excellent condition, boxed £325 ono. Tel: 01288 321351, 07807 311646 (Cornwall).

REPLICA WINCHESTER RIFLE FROM THE FAMOUS WEST. Exceptionally good, all metal £100.

Tel: 07790 796844 (Watford).

AIR ARMS S200 .177 SPORTSMAN PCP.

SIX VARIOUS SCOPE MOUNTS including American-made, high-quality, B-Square 30mm rifle mount. Prices from £5 - £15. Also 1” mount to take mini-Maglite torch, one new laser kit.

Postage not included.

Tel: 0795 6989882 (Swansea).

BSA METEOR MK1 .22 + SCOPE, working order £55, BSA Scorpion pistol .22 + Single Point sight, 1980s, serviced £95.

Record pistol .177, 1980s worn but working, £10. Daisy BB pump rifle, not working £5.

Tel: 07925 525062 (Buckinghamshire).

Chronographed at 11ft.lbs.

Adjustable butt plate.

Nikko Sterling 3-9 x 50 Mountmaster AO, Weihrauch silencer. 10-shot conversion and 2 magazines, hard case. Dioptre sight set if you fancy paper targets, 4 litre air bottle and carrier, less than one set of pellets used, sale due to hand problems £575.

Tel: 01622 681633 (Kent).

telescopic sight, Zeadio extendable bipod and deluxe padded case. All new and unused. Wish to sell as a package. Pellets and targets also included. Only £125.

Tel: 01788 817600 (Warwickshire).

HATSAN GLADIUS BULLPUP .22, 4 mags, scope,

WEBLEY & SCOTT XOCET AIR RIFLE, virtually as new, only fired

sling, hard case. Hatsan 85 XTM .22 scope and silencer both mint condition £500 for both.

Tel: 01623 612046 (Sutton in Ashfield).

3 times. Stored the last 5 years in bubble wrap. Pictures available.

No timewasters, serious offers above £200. Buyer collects.

Tel: 07768 752295 (Borehamwood, Herts).

WALTHER LGU .177, Hawke Vantage 4-16 x 50 IR AO scope and BSA padded carry bag which fully unzips into shooting mat £450 ono.

Tel: 07875 162099 (Walsall).

Hatsan 900X breaker .22 air rifle with Optimate 3-9 x 40

BSA R10 MKII, SCOPE, walnut stock. Used just a handful of times, in excellent condition.

10-shot magazine and good leather strap. Nikkon Stirling

Mountmaster 3-9 x 40 AO scope.

Price reflects condition, includes canvas gun case, collection, £675.

Tel: 07802 724915 (Blackburn).

condition, includes padded bag.

Health reason forces sale £250 ono. Pistol scope £20.

Tel: 07890 781668 (Leicester).

AIR ARMS S400F CLASSIC CARBINE SPORTER .177. R/H

WEIHRAUCH HW99 .22 with

beech stock with Hawke Eclipse 4-16 x 50 AO IR scope. Lightly used, mint condition. Promax 1511 Pillarlock case. £390. Air Arms MPR S400 10-metre match rifle, .177 with adjustable cheek piece and butt pad.

Dioptre sights, lightly used, mint condition in Plano Gun Guard Case, £420.

Tel: 01753 654055 (Bucks).

BROCOCK COMPATTO .177, Daystate Airstream Reflex Suppressor, 2 10-shot magazines, Bushnell sights, adjustable tilting bipod, Butler Creek Rhino sling, Blackline rifle hard case, used ½ tin of pellets. Very accurate air rifle, ill health forces sale, only 8 months old, £650 ono. Tel: 07818 040180 (Bucks).

ROSSI EB79 VERY NEAR MINT AND COMPLETE. Best offer secures. Weihrauch HW80K .22 6 x 40 one-piece mount, sling. Very near mint £250, no offers. Wanted 410 mags.

Tel: 07816 064073 after 5pm (Gwent).

HATSAN AT44-10 P.C.P. RIFLE with tactical stock, 3 mags and 3-9 x 50 scope, bipod with tilt feature and silencer, as new

Nikko Sterling telescopic sight and carry case. As new, less than 50 pellets fired £160. Proof of age required and buyer collects. Tel: 01789 414052 (Stratford upon Avon).

WEIHRAUCH HW100K .22 R/ HAND STOCK. Hawke 3-12 x 50 IR dot scope, leather sling, QR mounts, Airgun Centre padded bag, pellets included. Photos available £725 ono.

Tel: 07714 465525 (Andover).

REGRETFUL SALE OF .177 HW98 latest stock. Rifle and Venom work on action and trigger, nearly £800 from new.

With AGS 4-16 x 50 PA scope, Anshtuz bag (NSRA). As good as a springer gets, £530 ono, collection only.

Tel: 01582 715584, 075387 20290 (Herts).

GAMO PHOX INCLUDING HIGH-QUALITY PUMP AND GUNSLIP, selling due to illness, only used on four shooting sessions, in mint condition. Cost £500 new, will accept best cash offer over £410.

Tel: 01295 711076 (Banbury).

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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READERS’ RIFLES

RARE BREED PUP Stalwart springer fan, Tony Lembo, recalls a special friendship and an equally special rifle t was 1984 when I spotted an advert in the airgun press for a company called ‘Kestock Conversions’ and the picture of a compact, Weihrauch HW80 ‘bullpup’ jumped out at me.

In addition to this rifle, the company sold new Weihrauch and Sharp rifles, offered customising services on them, and retailed the HR Universal one-piece mount. The company was located near Rotherham, South Yorkshire, 35 miles from my home, so within easy striking distance.

I made the telephone call to arrange collection of the mount, and to view this bullpup rifle, ‘The Predator’. Steve Thornley, the proprietor, recommended that rather than driving to his home, from where he ran the business, it would be easier to find his local pub, meet there and then we could go on to his home. I arrived at The Rockingham Arms in Wentworth to be met by a tall, slender fellow. The friendliness and warm-hearted nature of this man was immediately apparent; a contagious laugh and genuine, from the

I

Silky-smooth cocking, thanks to the genius of V-Mach.

The balance and handling is right up there with modern rifles.

This rifle means far more to me than steel and walnut.

heart, smile. A people’s person, of that there was no doubt. We had a drink and then I followed him to his house - a beautifully quaint and rustic gamekeeper’s cottage in idyllic surroundings.

QUICK–HANDLING Steve made me a cuppa and we went through to his lounge and that’s where I first cast eyes on the Predator. Compact and purposeful, and bearing the hallmarks of a true working gun, this wasn’t conceived as a ‘What can I invent to make me some money?’ get-rich scheme.

Rather, as a gamekeeper, Steve wanted to use the sturdy and proven HW80 platform, but to improve its handling and portability, mainly with standing shots in mind whilst controlling squirrels and corvids. Its shorter dimensions and more rear-biased weight distribution made for a quick-handling gun, especially useful for walking the woods, with the solid heft of the ‘80 also providing stability on aim. Remember, this was back in the days before the rise of the modern PCP, and the ‘80 was regarded – maybe incorrectly – as one of the few guns that could reliably and consistently provide ‘full power’.

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»

READERS’ RIFLES PROTOTYPE The rifle I saw that day was the prototype and differs to the one that I own, pictured. The stock was darker and wasn’t quite as curvaceous in its lines, but I was instantly smitten. Steve had received healthy interest in the rifle, with many offers of deposits, even from overseas shooters, and he refused to take money from interested people unless he knew he could deliver the finished product, but he didn’t have the resources to get the Predator project up and running, and the rifle offered for sale. I got to know Steve very well and a strong, long-lasting friendship was forged. We shared many a night drinking in his local pub, the highlights being Thursday nights, when the pub hosted many excellent, live blues bands, and in the early, formative days of FT shooting, when springers were the main weapons of choice, we gave the gun a few outings at local events.

FUNDING Over the next few years, Steve found it frustratingly more difficult to get the project funded. Money was tight for him. I helped to find him a job in the retail motor trade to get

It’s a genuine pleasure to shoot, and performs extremely well.

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some regular income, but it seemed that the Predator would never break cover. Then, finally, a gun shop local to Steve said that they would help to fund the project. These funds allowed Steve to commission Custom Stocks of Sheffield to make five walnut stocks and for a local precision engineering company to make five sets of linkages/joints to locate the trigger forwards. This relocation of the trigger blade further required the adoption of a hinged cocking lever. The accuracy and tolerances involved with the linkages were crucial to the trigger retaining the original, crisp feel of the standard Rekord unit. I cannot recall what then went wrong with this joint-funding project, but a disagreement ensued, ending the venture. So Steve had five stocks and linkage kits but was still not in a position to be able to launch the gun.

MAKE ME AN OFFER Fast forward a year or two and, one evening, I received a call from Steve. “Do you want a Predator?” Of course I wanted one, but I could not afford one. Back in 1984, Steve had received offers of pre-orders at around the

£600 mark, which I simply couldn’t stretch to.

I had to decline, but he said that, as a close friend, he wanted me to have one. He needed some money; he knew I loved the rifle and asked me to make him an offer. I explained that I didn’t wish to offend, so would rather not insult him with an offer. The result was that I ended up buying the gun you see here at a price which was much lower than its worth, but with the proviso that if I were ever to sell it, Steve would get first refusal. The gun would be a keeper unless Steve wanted it back.

VENOM I had a few Venom-tuned guns, two of which were HW80s. I had read many positive reports about the Lazaglide conversion so, once funds allowed, The Predator was dropped in at Venom Arms’ Gun Barrel Industrial Estate premises for the Lazaglide treatment. This involved sleeving the cylinder to 25mm inside diameter, allowing the use of a lighter piston, speeding up the firing cycle and greatly reducing the recoil. Swept volume was, of course, reduced with this conversion. The 80’s huge credentials in this area were more suited

THE KESTOCK PREDATOR

to markets without power limits; indeed, a certain Mr Beeman from the US, contributed hugely towards the development of the R1/ HW80. The internals also ran on synthetic bearings - no metal to metal contact and smoother, quieter operation. When I collected the rifle from Venom, I was truly amazed by the ease of cocking, the smoothness and the utterly benign firing cycle of this heavily revised powerplant.

PRODUCTION GUN So, the rifle you see here is one of five ‘production Predators’. I don’t know the whereabouts of the other four, nor of the original prototype, other than hearing two unconfirmed rumours that three live in Scandinavia and that (the same?) three were once owned by a spring-gun tuner from Yorkshire who has since ceased trading.

Sadly, Steve passed away in 2009, but this endears the gun to me even more and it now holds sentimental as well as rarity value.

SPECS The gun, as pictured, weighs in at 10lbs and 12 ounces. A not inconsiderable mass, but the heft seemingly evaporates once on aim. Total length of the rifle is 38½ inches (98cm), including the Slimtech silencer. Pull length is 16½ inches (42cm), a full two inches longer than the generally accepted ideal of 14½ inches. The trigger is located 7½ inches (19cm) forward of the original position of the standard HW80. That long pull length is often questioned when people first handle the rifle, but then most people seem to gel quickly with it and then declare it a non-issue.

A little bit of airgun history in my hands.

The compact Simmons was the perfect scope.

The mark of top tuning.

COMPACT SCOPE

compact dimensions, its easy pointability, the stability, the smooth, easy cocking action and its super-smooth firing cycle. Although it has always performed faultlessly, in recent times I thought it would be prudent to have it serviced. After all, it is now 17 years since it first received the Lazaglide treatment.

Although I work on many of my own guns, I wanted to preserve the Venom provenance, so the gun was duly booked in with Steve Pope of V-Mach for a service/refresh.

standing shots.

Shooting the rifle, with these super-refined internals, remains a divine experience.

Discharge movement is smooth, soft, and barely perceptible; the trigger crisp and precise. Follow-through is easy and natural, facilitating repeatable accuracy.

Mounting optics could have been an issue, due to the rearward shuffle of the action, but I found that, with the compact 4x42 scope that it previously wore, doubling up two Sportsmatch two-piece mounts behind the turret saddle worked remarkably well. The scope was well anchored and no zero shift was experienced after many years of use.

These days, it sports the compact Simmons scope pictured, and I am extremely grateful to Neil180 of the Airgunbbs for this addition, which I feel enhances the lines of the ‘pup.

SUPER-REFINED I have not hunted for many years now and just enjoy shooting for the sake of it; its therapeutic benefits, the appreciation of fine engineering and enjoying my chosen sport with likeminded people. The Predator often accompanies me to the Boinger Bash events hosted by Mr Furniss of the Airgunbbs forum.

Many springer enthusiasts there have had a go with it and most seem to really like its

WOW! I collected it in late March this year, just before the first of this year’s Bash events, and the gun always goes down well with the people there. One of the comments received was, “Wow, it’s almost like a PCP. It’s so easy. You take aim, squeeze the trigger and the target just goes down”. The ‘easy’ comment not referring to any dead, clinical feeling, but its ability to take down targets at various ranges effortlessly. One shooter, in particular, an extremely good and knowledgeable shot, was very impressed with its ease for unsupported,

COME AND TRY IT I have been in contact with Robert, Steve’s son, a handful of times. He is the one person to whom I would willingly give this rifle. Robert is more than happy for me to parade the Predator at our Boinger Bash events and give as many people as possible the opportunity to see and try his dad’s unique creation, and I extend this offer to all the readers. So, if anyone would like to experience the rifle for themselves, come and find me at a Bash or any other event that I might attend and you are more than welcome.

Steve, your dream lives on in The Predator.

It is, and will remain, in good, safe, loving hands.

Rest in peace, my friend. ■

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AIRGUN STUDENT

NATURAL ADVANTAGE

Our student is determined to learn how to exploit his surroundings fter studying shooting technique for the past few months, I decided I needed a change of subject. I seem to do most of my best thinking when I’m wandering around my shoot with an air rifle, so that’s what I did while I waited for inspiration to reach out and grab me. I didn’t have to wait long.

I had no intention of hunting ‘seriously’ but I put a little purpose in my walkabout and headed for a known rabbit hotspot. Sure enough, there were two rabbits visible and one was so busy feeding that I thought it was a prime candidate for stalking. Without really thinking about it, I dropped into the familiar low crouch and began a slow-motion approach. I was doing well until, about 45 yards from the feeding rabbit, I ran out of cover to hide behind. There was nothing but well-cropped grass between me and my quarry. Now what?

A

BETTER CHOICES By now, I was prone and studying my options, and from what I could see, there weren’t any.

Then I did what I should have done in the first place and looked behind me to study an alternative stalking route. Had I taken just a few seconds to plot a better approach, I could have crept to within 35 yards, using clumps of grass, thistles, nettles and ragwort. At 35 yards on a still day like this, with my rifle rested, I could guarantee the shot, but not at 45 yards from where I was now. I tried to belly-crawl but the rabbit either saw me, scented me, or felt my approach through vibrations on the ground, and with two hops and a trot it was gone. Still at least I had a lesson to work on.

NATURAL CONCEALMENT In fact, I got two lessons from that failed stalk.

The first was ‘think before you make the approach’, and the second was to plot my stalks to take in every bit of natural concealment available to me. I have to admit that I was more excited than disappointed at

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Staying low, moving slowly, with the breeze in my face.

It’s the way forward.

AIRGUN STUDENT-CONCEALMENT

the prospect of learning what I needed to know, so I was keen to get started. Here’s what I’ve learned so far.

A walkabout’s OK, but it won’t teach you much.

Check the wind, and keep yourself regularly updated on its direction.

Footfalls on hard ground beat a warning drum to nearby rabbits.

Rabbit scrapings, droppings and cropped grass give away hotspots that could be worth exploiting.

sighted will usually guarantee a failed stalk, so I know I have to do my utmost to prevent my being seen. This means keeping natural cover between me and whatever I’m stalking. A stroll around my shoot, taking note of anything that would come in handy as cover. I did this in relation to the known quarry hotspots, such as warrens, feeding and drinking places, sitty trees and rabbit middens.

While I was logging all of this, taking photos on my mobile phone for reference, I noted wind direction and what was underfoot as I moved.

Rabbits can ‘feel’ the vibration of our footsteps through their hindquarters and as they’re permanently connected to the ground, it’s as well to avoid crunchy gravel, snapping twigs and anything else that will give away your approach.

FOREWARNED IS FOREARMED The first thing I learned is that it’s a massive advantage to know my hunting territory. In really basic terms, if I know the direction of the prevailing wind and I’ve learned all about where my quarry is likely to be and what there is to hide behind between me and that quarry, I have to be in with a far better chance of successfully stalking it. That really is basic stuff, but when I spoke to my mates about it, only a couple of them said they apply any sort of planning to their hunts. Most of them told me they just turn up and see what’s about, and right away I could see that there has to be a better way than that.

WIND AND DIRECTION My first job then became obvious. I had to find out the direction of the wind and plan my stalk to keep it in my face as much as possible.

Before I started actually studying shooting I all but disregarded the wind, but the more I learn, the more the importance of wind-direction, and specifically how my scent will be carried by it, has been driven home to me.

You know those days when you expect to see rabbits in the usual hotspots, and there are none? Often, that won’t be down to a fox having been through just before you, or that the rabbits don’t fancy a feed, but the wind announcing your presence, sometimes a couple of fields away. One thing’s for certain; having the wind taking away your scent, and some of the noise of your approach, must be better than having that breeze giving your quarry the heads-up that you’re on the land. I always do my best to have the wind working for me.

NATURAL COVER Scent is vitally important, then, but being

STATIC ADVANTAGES I noted that some of these natural screens were large enough and in the right position to act as ambush points. This lends itself to what’s known as static hunting and this has to be one of the easiest ways to make a decent bag of quarry. It requires no building of hides and involved minimal disturbance, so it’s well worth doing some groundwork on any potential static locations. The success of these relies on your quarry coming to you, rather than the other way round, and I think it’s all going to be about timing it right, but that’s yet another lesson for me to learn.

CONCLUSIONS

Don’t look back in anger - look forward and plan your stalk.

With screens to hide us, our chances of success are greatly increased.

As all experienced hunters have known for years, making full use of natural screens and taking advantage of the wind is a crucial part of successful hunting. I already know it will take me years to get anything like an expert grasp of this, but the lessons have begun and I’ll turn up for my classes whenever I can. The course isn’t complicated and the rules couldn’t be more simple; I need to use everything I can to keep my intentions hidden. Here’s to the next chance to learn! ■

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ROSIE’S RECIPE

FAIR GAME PIE Never one to waste good ingredients, Rosie Barham treats us to a pukka pie recipe henever I cook for a book signing, I always have some cooked quarry meat left, and because I hate wasting food I usually freeze it for a later recipe, or knock it up into something else straight away. This time I chose to make a couple of ‘Fair Game’ pies, since the meat was left over from cooking pasties and pies for the three-day stint at Hatfield House for this year’s Game Fair. Thank you so much to everyone who came to say hello, by the way. I was miles away from the airgun department, and speaking to readers who had taken the trouble to find me really did enhance my day.

These hot-water crust pies are so easy to do, and for me, they’re much better than your

W

Autumn picnic lunch

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average pork pie bought from a supermarket because I know exactly what’s in them, and I can add whatever meat I happen to have knocking about. If you prefer, you can also bake one larger pie in a loaf tin, and place hard-boiled eggs in a row, in the middle of the meat mixture, but I didn’t have room for the eggs in the smaller tins. If you use cooked meat – not the traditional way, I know – they are much quicker to cook, too, and really handy for a late summer picnic.

I served mine with homemade rhubarb chutney, and a Pink Lady – a delicious autumn lunch, and I reckon it was free because the meat was just leftovers, and I already had the

lard and flour in the cupboard.

Oh, and if anyone is recoiling in horror at the word ‘lard’, remember that I made two good-sized pies, so each portion only contains a small amount – plus there’s very little fat in the meat. ■

INGREDIENTS Mixed, cooked airgun quarry meat Rabbit, squirrel, pigeon Belly of pork – small cubes Salt and pepper to taste.

Two gelatin leaves, stock cube, a quarter pint of hot water

ROSIE’S RECIPE

PASTRY 300 ml semi-skimmed milk 250gm plain flour 125gm lard A level tsp salt Melt half the lard into the milk, over low heat Remove from the heat Rub the rest of the lard into the flour to resemble breadcrumbs Add salt and pepper to taste Pour in the milk mixture, and stir until you get a soft dough Cooked meats; rabbit, squirrel, pigeon and pork belly.

Plain flour, milk, lard.

Melt half the lard into the milk.

Combine …

A dollop in each tin.

Pull up the sides.

METHOD ■ Fry pork belly in a little oil for a few minutes, until cooked through.

■ Leave to cool.

■ Make pastry.

■ Place dollops of the pastry into loose-bottomed pie tins.

■ Pull up the sides.

■ Layer your cold meats into the pastry.

■ Add a lid, make a hole in the top.

■ Bake for about 45 minutes on a medium heat -180C

■ If you want to add jelly: Dissolve two gelatin leaves into hot stock and pour into the cold pie, using a funnel. Refrigerate until set.

… to make a soft dough.

Layer meat.

Add a lid, and make a hole in the top.

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SYN WHILE YOU’RE WINNING Phill Price tries the very latest CO2-powered multi-shot from SMK rom where I sit, there are two fast-growing trends in the lower end of the airgun market at the moment. The first is the ‘tactical’ trend, which seems to mean that if you can paint it black and add some visual suggestion of a military connection, you’ve made it tactical. I joked with a friend recently that it’s only a matter of time until we see tactical underpants when he laughed and said, “Too late. They’re already on sale from some American clothing manufacturers.”

The other trend is for complete packages that deliver the rifle, scope and mounts, plus a few desirable accessories such as a bipod or a silencer. Shop owners tell me that these are popular because they take away lots of uncertainty for the new buyer. The one box contains everything they need, so they can buy without unnecessary stress.

Sportsmarketing clearly sees the same trends as I do because the snappily-named ‘SYN XS78 Tactical Multishot CO2 Rifle’ encompasses all the aforementioned characteristics in one neat bundle. At its heart is a simple bolt-action, CO2-powered rifle, enhanced by a clamp-on, 9-shot (in .22) magazine. On top, SMK provides a basic 4 x 32 scope with a duplex reticle. This has no parallax adjustment or illumination, which helps to keep the costs down. It’s held in single-bolt rings that have thumb wheel fixings rather than socket head bolts. I think this is done to add to the tactical appeal.

F

This is a dramatic-looking rifle from any angle.

It’s a small, light gun, best suited to youngsters.

SYNTHETIC STOCK The SYN part of the name refers to the synthetic thumbhole stock that has more swoops, curves, lumps and bumps than I’ve ever seen on one stock. There are even vent slots in the fore end that you’d have on a firearm to help the barrel cool from long strings of fire. Underneath the fore end there’s a section of Weaver rail bolted on to accept accessories such as the folding aluminium

bipod supplied with the kit. This has legs that extend from 8” to 10” with a rather sudden action as you loosen the locking collars.

On top of the single-shot action there’s a clamp-on magazine holder that’s like none I’ve ever see before. It’s made from a flexible synthetic material and clamps around the upper action and overlaps the loading port. It holds 9-shots in the .22 calibre that I was sent.

Unlike most magazine systems I’ve seen, it’s manually indexed so you need to lift the bolt and withdraw it, turn the magazine drum and then close the bolt. This is clearly much quicker and easier than single-loading pellets, but not as slick as auto-loading systems.

Perhaps the must unusual feature of this rifle is the extraordinary

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The magazine system clamps around the action.

Is that the biggest ‘silencer’ you’ve ever seen?

A short sectIon of Weaver rail accepts the bipod supplied.

‘silencer’ which is truly huge. It measures 11” long and 1¾” in diameter and has long deep cut-outs all around the muzzle end. It’s moulded onto the barrel so I was unable to look inside to see how it works. The part that I thought would be the expansion chamber is 4” long, but I looked back from the muzzle and could see no ports that might allow high pressure gas to enter voids to decelerate the flow.

POWER Power is supplied by two 12-gramme CO2 capsules loaded back-to-back in the cylinder beneath the barrel. This set-up should extend the number of shots per fill greatly, although not increase the power – as the chronograph showed me.

I tested the rifle on a pleasantly warm day so the power readings I got were probably as close to maximum as we’re like to see from any Interestingly, the bolt cocks on the forward stroke.

CO2-powered gun. I chose to use the Remington Thunder Field Target Trophy pellet which weighs 14.6 grains in the tin I have.

Average velocity was 420 feet per second, which calculates to just over 5.7ft.lbs. – plenty of power for tin-can bashing in your back garden.

It was also accurate enough for casual target shooting and plinking at modest ranges. I was able to get 1” groups at 20 yards with the occasional flyer, shooting off a bench with the tripod supplied.

TRIGGER PERFORMANCE As with most guns in this price range, the trigger was a controlling factor in accurate shooting.

Although it was quite light for a gun in this class, it was long and difficult to predict, making consistent release challenging. The safety lever is on the front of the trigger guard on the right of the action. It appeals to me in that it disconnects the

I was impressed by how the safety disconnects the trigger.

trigger blade from the action completely, which is more secure than just blocking a lever element.

This is certainly a dramatic-looking gun and with its modest price and light weight, I can see it appealing to youngsters with a yearning to be a sniper when they grow up. They could practise all the skills of shooting prone off a bipod, through a scope, and the recoilless nature of a CO2-powered action helps shot placement without needing to consider the complications of managing a spring-powered action. As a ‘tactical package’ there are few to compare. ■

TECH SPEC Manufacturer: Sportsmarketing Web: www.sportsmk.co.uk Tel: 01206 795333 Model: SYN XS78 Type: 12-gramme CO2 Action: Bolt-action Length: 40” Weight: 7.6lbs Trigger: Two-stage Kit includes scope, mounts, silencer, magazine and bipod

RRP £299.95 102

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www.airgunshooting.co.uk | AIRGUN WORLD | 103

AIRGUN DIY: PELLET CATCHER

THINK OUTSIDE

THE BOX

Russ Douglas piles in with a neat pellet-catcher that anyone can make

ust a couple of pages along, you’ll find my article on building recycled pellet tin targets.

I’ve also just built a home/portable, carpet tile backstop and if you can’t use the tin target idea in your back garden, you can definitely use this one. These proved necessary during recent pellet testing for the SIG follow-up article, to avoid repeated ‘cease fire’ at the range to allow me to replace target cards.

A PC monitor box is ideal for this because they’re A3 or larger so can hold multiple paper targets. They often have either a plastic handle or a ‘handle’ cut-out from the box itself – and can slide neatly out of the way when not in use. Obviously, any reasonably large box will do the job, though. Carpet tiles are ideal as filling, in addition to layers of cardboard, as you’ll see.

My first thoughts were to fill the box with pre-trimmed sheets of carpet or carpet tiles, and maybe add some dividing layers of cardboard sheets as packing, shock absorption and pellet retainers. I’d popped into a local carpet store to request a visit to fix my loose stair carpet, so enquired about some spare carpet tiles and a day or two, and £10, later, here were 12, 50cm2 office-style carpet tiles, with a fairly hard rubber backing. So far, so great.

J

TRIM TO FIT The screen box was 60cm x 40cm, so I opted to trim 10cm off one edge of each tile, and add that strip (shortened by 10cm) onto the side with Gaffer tape. The trimming was relatively easy with a carpet knife – score the back of the tile, bend it over carpet-to-carpet, then slit along that knuckle. I then ‘borrowed’ some of my wife’s cardboard stash (sorry Sam), and filled the backstop: tile, cardboard, five tiles, cardboard, five tiles, cardboard, one tile. The fill was symmetrical so that I could swap sides once one outer side of the cardboard box was suffering from multiple pellet strikes. My thinking was that an air pistol pellet/BB would perhaps penetrate one tile and be retained within the dividing cardboard, and the centre sections of tiles would stop pellets from an air rifle.

The ‘ingredients’ – plus ‘borrowed’ cardboard, sorry Sam.

PROBLEM SOLVED! The first problem was that the box weighed 12kg with all 12 tiles inside; the plastic handle held, but my back didn’t appreciate me lugging it about. Also, whilst firing various pistols into the new backstop during the chrono checks for my recent BAR chronos article, I discovered that the BBs at 340 fps wouldn’t fully penetrate the first carpet tile, and were retained at the surface of

the box. My wife, Sam, just asked me this week what all the small golden balls are from, that she’s been finding on the loft carpet – my bad.

So, I took out half the tiles, and put a few sheets of cardboard at the outsides, so that any BBs or slower pellets will now be retained within the box.

I later happened upon two 50cm x 40cm screen boxes being discarded by the friendly IT bods at my office. Guess where I’ve

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AIRGUN DIY: PELLET CATCHER

First attempt, stops the pellets but way too heavy.

BBs wouldn’t penetrate or be retained.

12kg, just portable, but not back-friendly.

repurposed the six spare tiles, having duly trimmed them down further, as before. Once again, I’ve layered the cardboard and tiles, with cardboard outermost, as well as separating the inner portions of tiles.

one tile/cardboard and stopped at the first of the next two carpet tiles. The .177” pellets penetrated just that next tile, but no further.

Just what I needed for total peace of mind.

So I’m very happy that the backstops will safely retain all shots, and that the carpet tile/ cardboard sandwich seems very effective indeed. Of course, I will open-up the

PENETRATION TESTING & CONCLUSIONS I prepped the leftover tile offcuts with cardboard dividers, as a mock-up of a section through the backstops themselves. I fired a few shots from my full-power .177 and .22 rifles into the test backstop at point-blank range. The .22” pellets penetrated cardboard/

FURTHER INFO/BIGGER PHOTOS Feel free to contact me with feedback/article suggestions, especially for disabled-related articles and reviews that you’d like to see.

backstops periodically, to see how well the tiles are lasting.

One great bonus of the sandwich construction is that both backstops soak up pellets like sponges, no chance of a ricochet here. The other golden rule, as always, is not to fire too close to the edges of the boxes, you’ve got to catch the tiles within. ■

RussDouglasAGW@gmail.com Or on Flickr (RussDouglasAGW: https://www. flickr.com/photos/150760461@N07/albums)

Backstop behind test box, just in case; .22” then .177” left-right.

Leftover tiles resized for second backstop.

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(from bottom) .22” shots were stopped by the second tile; .177” stopped by the third.

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AIRGUN DIY

CAN-DO ATTITUDE Disabled shooter, Russ Douglas, shows us how to construct some pleasing reactive targets

What it’s all about - ready to shoot!

f you’ve seen my first few articles, you’ll have noticed some curious Heath Robinson-style targets downrange, involving T-shaped frames and multiple pellet tin targets suspended from them on chains.

I started making these last year, for use as plinking targets outdoors at GARC (Grampian Air Rifle Club). We can’t use BB-firing guns on the 25m indoor range, for fear of ricochets and the hazard they’d leave underfoot for anyone walking downrange to change targets. The targets are at fixed (10m/25m) ranges, so having multiple targets at different ranges/ heights outdoors seemed an ideal solution.

This does mean you can’t use them in a confined garden or range, in case of occasional pellet ricochets. For these locations, I’d use the portable carpet tile box backstop you can find a couple of pages back.

I’m also a general fan of recycling, and

I

devised a way to recycle empty pellet tins.

Many thanks to my fellow members for all the tins donated thus far – none are wasted. One problem straight off is that pellet tin lids are often push-fit, so they’d fly off when hit. Plus, with lids intact the tins produce a more satisfying noise.

SHREDDED An ongoing problem is that such tin targets get shredded in no time if shot by full-power 12 ft.lbs. rifles. That’s only solved by fellow shooters observing the courtesy of leaving tin targets for air pistols, or sub-6 ft.lbs. rifles, e.g. the SIG MPX. Even then, I thought that if the tin targets were suspended on chains, the free movement would help to dissipate some of the impact, reduce ricochets, and provide more of a fun target/visual hit indication, as they swing

or flip around energetically when hit.

Cue some online searches and a trip or two to B&Q, to gather raw materials.

I should say now that if I’d planned from the start to make so many of these targets, I’d have sourced the materials online in bulk.

That would mean paying around £7.50 per six-tin target, or less. As it is, some of the early ones cost me nearer £10 each, lesson learned there.

On early versions of the target, I drilled two holes in the side of each tin, large enough to thread the chain right through. This may have negated the need to use wires, but proved laborious when it came to change shredded tins due for replacement.

SHOPPING LIST

1. Medium reel of baling wire.

2. 4cm x 4cm 90cm hardwood banister per

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AIRGUN DIY

nine or ten target frames.

3. 1m lengths of M8 threaded rods (three 0.5m lengths per target, or two 0.5m lengths and a 1m length for a longer ground stake).

4. Galvanised or chrome-plated chain, chunky enough not to be damaged by a pellet, but thin enough to be easily threaded with a 20mm split ring.

5. 15mm & 20mm split rings (cheaply available in bulk online, e.g. Amazon).

6. M8 threaded inserts and an 8mm Allen key (Amazon again).

7. M8 Nuts, Nyloc nuts and washers – to keep the chain where you want it on the studding (guess where from).

This is your shopping list.

studding (50cm-1m, as required), to act as a ground stake for the target. If using multiple tin targets these can be set at varying heights, to spread out the targets and add variety. A hazard in soft ground is the T-shaped target holder rotating away from you, but just shoot at the opposite end’s targets to rotate it back.

14. Lastly – periodically remind your fellow shooters that these targets are only for pistols or sub-6FPE rifles, despite the satisfaction of shooting holes right through them.

TIPS

1. Empty the tins of foam padding which otherwise snarls-up the drill bit, and replace lids as tightly as possible.

2. Clamp the lidded tins down to a sheet of waste wood and drill four holes, equally spaced right through the edge of lid/tin. The burred holes can be sharp.

3. Cut the baling wire into 4” lengths, bend each in the centre into a U-shape, thread through the drilled tins and twist tightly to wire on the lids; snip off the leftover wire with pliers, and bend over the sharp stubs.

4. Thread two 20mm split rings onto adjacent wires, from which the tins will attach to the chain.

5. Cut the chain into 50cm lengths, add a 15mm split ring to each end and space two more equally along the chain, one third and

two thirds of the way along – the chains hang from these rings.

6. Cut one 1m M8 threaded bar in half.

7. Attach the chain to the threaded bar, using M8 nuts at the ends to retain the chain, as required.

8. Cut the 90cm banister into nine or ten equal lengths.

9. Drill two 10mm holes through, 20mm apart as shown, 25mm from one end; drill another hole into the centre of the opposite end.

10. Screw-in threaded inserts flush into all three holes, using an 8mm Allen key.

11. This can be fiddly, but now you hold the wooden block vertical and in turn each M8 threaded bar horizontal, screwing them in turn into the threaded M8 inserts, taking care to keep the chain hanging freely and untangled.

12. Once both bars are threaded onto the block the pre-wired tins can be hung from the chain, spaced as required, attached via the 20mm split rings.

13. At the range, screw in a vertical length of

Insert for the upstanding rod.

Don’t drill too far.

Four holes aligned through lid/base.

Pellet tin securely held and hand well clear.

Two chains ready to hang and fresh tins to replace shredded ones at the range.

M8 nuts/split rings/M8 Nyloc nut are essentials.

BUILDING A SIX-TIN TARGET

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1. Be careful handling the tins once drilled, and the wires once twisted-together; burred holes and snipped wire ends can be sharp.

2. Unscrew the ground stake to store the targets more easily, they should last a long time if not left out to the elements.

3. Wall-mounted L-brackets are ideal for storing targets when not on the range, keeps the floor clear and prevents the chains from getting tangled. ■

FURTHER INFO / CONTACTS Feel free to contact me with feedback / article suggestions, especially for disabled-related articles & reviews you’d like to see - via RussDouglasAGW@gmail. com Or on Flickr (RussDouglasAGW: https:// www.flickr.com/photos/150760461@N07/ albums)

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DEALERS DIRECTORY 1

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BROM SPORTS

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Hereford Airgun Specialist. A large range of Air guns and accessories available including: Air Arms, BSA, Daystate, Webley, Crossman, SMK, Hawke and many more. Also available: air cylinder charging, archery, crossbows, soft air, repairs & servicing and much more. A family friendly outlet, with help and advice always available. Open 9’till 5 Tuesday to Saturday.

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This is the home of the Grand European 80 Varmint air rifle.

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

Bradford Road, Melksham, Wiltshire SN12 8LQ. Other stores located in Bearley, Bourton on the Water, Chepstow, Chipping Norton, Gloucester, Ledbury, Melton Mowbray, Salisbury and Thornbury.

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Visit our store 7 days a week. Mon - Sat 9.30-17.30.

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Tel: 01384 265151 www.daileisure.co.uk

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Tel: 01723 865039 info@daveyandson.co.uk www.daveyandson.co.uk

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9 DRAGON FIELD SPORTS 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 www.dragonfieldsports.co.uk

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DRAPERS AIRGUN CENTRE

FIELD SPORTS EQUIPE

FIELD SPORTS

The Midlands largest Airgun Showroom and Sales Experts. Selling everything from spare parts to accessories to the most sought after rifles and collectors pieces! We supply everything from new and used airguns and their accessories through to clothing, hunting knives and binoculars, and we offer a great service at the shop itself along with competitive prices. Opening Times Tuesday – Saturday 9am-5.30pm. Closed Sundays and Mondays.

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20a Elwy Street, Rhyl LL18 1BP. 10am-5pm Tuesday to Friday Saturday 10am to 4pm. Rifles/Pistols, Optics, Ammunition, arms, Clothing, Gun Cabinets, Quality Knives, Lamps & Torches & Archery, Full Service, Spring Rifles, PCP Rifles, Air Pistols, Shotguns, Rifles for £35.

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13

Tel: Glasgow 0141 212 8880 Edinburgh 0131 202 6351

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GREENFIELDS AIRGUN CENTRE

HENLEY COUNTRY SPORTS

HENRY KRANK

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Open Tues-Sat 8.30-5.00. Sun 9-1. Closed Mon. Canterbury airgun club on site.

Offering a range of accessories, airguns, rifles, shotguns and ammunition for the country sports enthusiast.. Visit our shop at: Friar Park Stables, Gravel Hill, Henley-on-Thames, Oxon RG9 4NR. Opening Times: Tuesday – Saturday 9:00-5:30pm

We stock Air Arms, BSA, Weihrauch, Hatsan, Walther, Gamo, Crosman and Umarex air guns both new and second hand. Extensive range of antique air guns also in stock. Visit our shop at: 100-104 Lowtown, Pudsey, West Yorkshire LS28 9AY

Tel: 01227 713222 sales@greenfieldsshooting.co.uk www.greenfieldsshooting.co.uk

Tel: 01491 576689 info@henleycountrysports.co.uk www.henleycountrysports.co.uk

Tel: 01132 569163 sales@henrykrank.com www.henrykrank.com

AIRGUN WORLD

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IAN HODGE SHOOTING & FIELD SPORTS Penbarn, Burlawn, Wadebridge, Cornwall PL27 7LA. Cornwall’s premier gun shop.

New and used guns and accessories.

Tel: 01208 813651 sales@ianhodgefieldsports.co.uk www.ianhodgefieldsports.co.uk

Red numbers are on the next page, turn over for more details

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JUST FIELD SPORTS

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“The county’s friendliest gun shop!”

New and used guns always in stock, and if we haven’t got it, we can get it. Ammunition, optics and accessories. Full servicing and repair centre.

12 North Street, Leighton Buzzard LU7 1EN. Tue-Fri 11-5.30 Sat 9-5

Scottish Government approved 30m and 10m indoor shooting ranges. We cater for .22 rimfire and air guns.

We also hire guns to use on our ranges. No licenses required! Fully stocked shop & gun room. New & used rifles/shotguns/airguns. 5-6 Laverockhall Farm Road, Lochmaben, DG11 1RE Tues-Fri 10-6pm, Sat 9-4pm

Tel: 01525 851700 sales@justfieldsports.com www.justfieldsports.com

Tel: 01387 811079 info@ukshootingsupplies.com www.lochmabenshootingsupplies.co.uk

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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

64 Church Street, Melbourne, Derbyshire.

Large selection of new and second hand Sporting rifles, Shotguns and Air Rifles.

Outdoor, Waterproof Clothing & Footwear.

Barbour, Aigle & Seeland stockist.

Tel: 0208 504 5946 trueshot@btinternet.com www.mayoflondon.com

Tel: 01332 862091 www.melbournegun.com

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Tel: 01323 846883 www.mfcoutdoorstores.co.uk

Tel: 01405 741706 www.mooredges.com

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3 PARK STREET GUNS

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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: 01727 872646 parkstreetguns@talk21.com www.gunshot.co.uk

Tel: 01751 476904 info@pickeringairguns.co.uk www.pickeringairguns.co.uk

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PNEUMATIC BALLISTICS

STAFFORDSHIRE CUSTOM RIFLES

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

Clochemerle, 45a Station Road, Ormesby St. Margaret, Norfolk NR29 3NH An innovative developer and retailer of revolutionary technology for Air Rifles. We sell new and used rifles and shooting accessories including pellet magazines which we manufacture ourselves. We offer repairs and servicing for most makes of firearms which is carried out by our experienced gunmaker. Go to our website to find out more.

Sales, repairs and servicing to spring and pre-charged airguns. Specialist in the fitting of Airmasters88 Air Arms FTP900/EV2 regulators.

Air cylinder filling Studio 12, Townhouse Farm, Alsager Road, Audley, Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire ST7 8JQ

Tel: 01493 733462 enquiries@pneumaticballistics.com www.pneumaticballistics.com

Tel: 01782 720250 staffscustomrifles@gmail.com www.scr-airguns.co.uk

(Listed in alphabetical order)

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Registered Firearms Dealer.

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

PORTSMOUTH GUN CENTRE

Tel: 02392 660 574 sales@portsmouthguncentre.com www.portsmouthguncentre.com

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The Chantreys, Mooredges Road, Thorne, Doncaster DN8 5RY. Extensive range of all leading airguns, scopes and accessories. Mail order available. pen 6 days a week 9.30-5.30pm Mon-Sat Sunday 10-4pm.

Closed Tuesday.

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MOOREDGES AIRGUNS

9 Station Road, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 2BE. New and Secondhand Airguns Bought and Sold, Pneumatic Service Centre. Also spares, repairs, scopes, Soft Air, Sling Shots, Decoys, Cartridges, Huge Stocks of Army Surplus, Camo Clothing & Gortex, Invisible Clothing, Combat Boots, Ammo Boxes, Camo Netting plus lots more.

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Tel: 0161 681 7947 info@manchesterairguns.com www.manchesterairguns.com

MAY OF LONDON LTD

MFC OUTDOOR STORES

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Britain’s first Airgun Only Gunshop (since 1977).

Large stocks of airguns, scopes and pellets.

Servicing, repairs and re-blueing. Free advice!

470 Oldham Road, Failsworth, Manchester M35 0FH 10-5 Mon-Sat. Open most bank holidays until 2

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MANCHESTER AIR GUNS

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PHOENIX FIELD SPORTS SUPPLIES

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Shot guns ranging across Sabatti, Revo, Investarm, Baikal, SMK and more (new and second hand). Air rifles ranging from Weihrauch, Diana, Remington (spring, gasram or PCP). Phoenix Field Sports is family run business, set in the historic Old Town of Bridlington. We aim to provide a high standard of product and friendly service to all our customers past and new at very competitive prices.

Unit 3, 37-41, High St, Bridlington, North Humberside, YO16 4PR

Tel: 01262 605512 | Mob: 07778 342464

AIRGUN WORLD

DEALERS DIRECTORY 42

To advertise here phone Tom Richardson: 01189 742 514

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SUNDERLAND SCUBA CENTRE

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

Tel: 01915 670147 contact@sunderlandairguns.com www.sunderlandairguns.com

TONY’S CAMO & AIRGUN CENTRE

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Tel: 01244 681191 tonyscamo@yahoo.co.uk www.tonyscamo.co.uk

AIRGUN WORLD

316 High Road, South Benfleet, Essex SS7 5HB Full range of Air Rifles, Pistols and Telescopic Sights. Tuning. Servicing Kits.

Airguns Bought and Sold.

Tel: 01268 752888 www.trrobb.com

THE SHOOTING PARTY

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WIGHILL PARK GUNS Visit one of Britain‘s best stocked Airgun Shops in the heart of the Yorkshire countryside. Try before you buy on our indoor airgun range. Part exchange a specialty. Wighill Park, Nr Tadcaster, North Yorkshire LS24 8BW.

Tel: 01937 833757 www.wighillparkguns.co.uk

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Established in 1892 we supply a large selection of airguns, pellets, optics, clothing & shotguns.

Open Monday-Saturday 8am-5.30pm. Sunday 10am-3.00pm Closed bank holidays.

28 - 30 South Street, Dorking, Surrey RH4 2HQ

Tel: 01869 338558 www.otmoors.co.uk otmoors@hotmail.co.uk

Tel: 01306 882177 enquiries@scfuller.co.uk www.scfuller.co.uk

THE GUN ROOM IVYBRIDGE

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Tel: 01752 893344 sales@thegunroom.co.uk www.thegunroom.co.uk

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S.C FULLER

Otmoors specialises in the supply, repair and tuning of legal limit / license-free air rifles and pistols. Run by airgun enthusiasts, our goal is to provide a level of knowledge and service that exceeds that often encountered in more “general” gun shops, many of which rarely have any interest in airguns. Opening Hours Monday Friday 10:00 - 17:30, Saturday 10:00 - 17:00 Sunday & BH Closed.

4 Western Road, Ivybridge, Devon PL21 9AN. Probably the best selection of Airguns in the South West. Daystate, Weihrauch, BSA, Air Arms, Webeley, Logun.

New and Secondhand – Quality Service.

Tel: 01543 480 361 www.shootingparty.uk

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 sales@warringtonguns.com www.warringtonguns.com

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We are the exclusive importer and Distributor of PAO Rifle & Pistol scopes, sights, lasers and Range Finders and the AirForceOne range of Airguns & Accessories, including the MOSIN-NAGANT Steel BB Rifle, the Trophy & Taichi Pistols and Panther pellets. 100 + Airguns always in stock. Used airguns always wanted – cash paid. Try before you buy in our indoor range.

A Huge Range of Guns, Accessories and Clothing. Open 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM Tues - Sat, Tony’s Camo & Airgun Centre, Moorcroft Mews, High Street, Saltney, Chester, Flintshire CH4 8SH.

WARRINGTON GUNS

T.R. ROBB AIRGUN SPECIALIST

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OTMOORS

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THE OXFORD GUN CO

Air Gun Centre Air Rifles by Air Arms, BSA, Gamo & Webley etc. Air Pistols by Beretta, Walther, Umarex, Smith & Wesson etc. New & Second Hand available. Full range of accessories: from pellets to slips & all in between. Part Exchange welcome. Oxford Gun Company. Jericho Farm, Oxford Road, Oakley, Bucks HP18 9RG. Opening Hours- Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri & Sat 9.00-5.30. Closed Wed & Sun & Bank Holidays. Est. 1982. Members of the GTA.

Tel: 01844 238308 www.oxfordguncompany.co.uk

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TRACKSIDE GUNS & ARCHERY LTD

WALKERS OF TROWELL

Trackside Guns and Archery 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.

Nottingham Road, Trowell, Nottingham NG9 3PA. Stockists of: Daystate, BSA, Weichrauch, Air Arms, Umarex, Hawke.

Large range of Pellets & Accessories.

Fishing Tackle & Outdoor Clothing.

Tel: 01652 678895 tracksidegunsandarchery@gmail.com www.tracksidegunsandarchery.com

Tel: 0115 930 7798 www.walkersoftrowell.com

WIRRAL GUNS

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2F Whitby Rd, Ellesmere Port, South Wirral CH65 8AD. Air rifles, Air pistols & Accessories from all manufacturers. Air fills for PCP & Paintball, Air gun repairs. Airguns to suit everyone’s budget £££.

Monday – Friday 10am-5pm - Saturday 10am-3pm Closed Wednesdays & Sundays. Finance available.

Tel 0151 355 6666 shop@wirralguns.co.uk www.wirralguns.co.uk

WONDERLAND AIRGUNS

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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.

97 Lothian Road, Edinburgh EH3 9AN. Members of the Gun Trade Association.

Tel: 0131 229 6428 www.wonderlandairguns.com