VALUE FOR MONEY

At a Street Price of $120  – less one cent – the SIG SAUER P320 M17 air pistol is priced a little above the average CO2-powered replica. However there are reasons for this which will be understood by most customers. HAM feels this price is right for such a realistic pellet-firing air pistol.

It’s clear that any pellet-firing air pistol will cost more to manufacture than a BB-shooting model. This is due to the additional complexity involved in the magazine and pellet-feed compared to a BB pistol, plus a rifled barrel. SIG’s BB-firing CO2-powered air pistols generally retail for about $100, so it’s not an unreasonable price premium.

SIG Air is one of the few manufacturers producing pellet-firing replicas and this capability will make it a “no-brainer” purchase for some. The fact that it’s such a CO2-powered version of the M17 will make it a must have for many more!

The 12-month warranty is strong positive, too, as many other replica pistols have just 3 months warranty coverage. A longer warranty has to be paid for somehow, too…

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SIG Sauer M17 P320 ASP, CO2 Pellet Pistol, Tan

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SIG SAUER M17 Pellet Pistol

REALISM – LOOK AND FEEL

Let’s be clear. The SIG Air P320 M17 air pistol is a remarkably realistic version of the US Army P320 M17 service pistol. Length, width, height and weight are all identical – or almost – to the centerfire original.

HAM Tester Doug Wall commented “Very realistic in size, looks and weight.” in his testing notes.

SIG sets high standards throughout the organization and its products. It’s clear that this is the most realistic pellet pistol that they have introduced to date. It’s thus ideally-suited for the training role that the company sees  as a key value proposition for its airgun products.

The overall appearance of the sights is very realistic. However, it’s true that that sights do not offer the night vision capability of the military firearm. However, that’s a very small difference and one that’s expected in a CO2 replica.

The P320 M17 air pistol features a fully-functional ambidextrous manual safety – a first for a SIG Air pistol and an exact match to the firearm.

There’s also a functioning takedown lever. Unlike previous SIG pellet pistols, the M17 can be field-stripped, which will please many people.

The drop-free magazine release is not ambidextrous. But, again, this is a relatively small difference from the centerfire M17.

ACCURACY AND POINT OF IMPACT

The P320 M17 air pistol tested by HAM showed very good accuracy. The gun was certainly “minute of soda can” accurate at 6 Yards.

However, there was a clear tendency for the pellets to strike slightly to the right of the bull. This was not an issue at 6 Yards, however the group dropped down and to the right on the 10 yard target, as we can see below.

Accuracy was quite consistent with all the standard HAM test pellets. The RWS Hobbys performed marginally best in the P320 M17 air pistol tested by HAM and so these were shot at the longer, 10 yards range.

Although to pellets struck low and right at 10 yards, they were still within the “minute of soda can” – just not exactly in the right place! Overall, this was a very creditable performance and the owner could clearly learn to aim off at 10 Yards range if required. The fixed sights – normal on CO2 replica pistols – do not allow for correction, of course.

One alternative would be to mount a small laser on the Picatinny rail and make aim corrections using that. This is a Leapers UTG LS200 Red Sub-Compact laser. As you can see, it fits onto the P320 M17 air pistol very conveniently.

COMPARISON TO MAKERS CLAIMS

SIG claims that the P320 M17 air pistol is a perfect tool for M17 firearm owners to practice with and stresses the similarity to the firearm. HAM agrees.

The manufacturer also claims a Muzzle Velocity of “up to 430 FPS” – depending on temperature and other environmental considerations. Unfortunately, the maximum FPS achieved by the P320 M17 air pistol tested by HAM was just 310 FPS, with 5.56 Grain alloy pellets.

Now it’s true that this was recorded in our cool – 62 degree F – test range. It’s also true that the Muzzle Velocity for CO2-powered airguns varies by about 2 FPS per degree F temperature change. However, even if the range temperature had been 92 degrees F, the test gun would have only achieved a maximum of 370 FPS. That’s the 310 FPS at 62 degrees + (30 degrees difference x 2 FPS) = 370 FPS.

Actually, a maximum of 370 FPS would still be a pretty good muzzle velocity for a CO2-powered air pistol. But it’s still 60 FPS short of the claim.

Is that a big deal? For most people who plan to use the P320 M17 air pistol for practice and punching holes in paper, the answer is “no”.

CONSISTENCY

The SIG P320 M17 air pistol tested by HAM was consistently accurate with all of our standard test pellets. Furthermore, trigger pull weight – although rather heavy – also demonstrated good consistency around its 9.5 Lb average.

Muzzle Velocity varied more with different pellets than we find with a BB-firing air pistol. However this is entirely understandable as the weight of the pellets used varies far more than the difference between various types of BB.

The point of impact on the target was also very consistent for all the pellet types.

The average Standard Deviation – the shot-to-shot variation in a string, was higher than average, however. The overall average SD was 21.92 FPS in HAM testing.

REALISM – TRIGGER AND ACTION

The SIG P320 M17 air pistol offers a very realistic-feeling blowback, particularly with a new, full, CO2 cartridge. Felt recoil is surprisingly strong, another big improvement over previous SIG non-blowback pellet pistols.

One complaint is that the slide does not hold back after the last pellet has been fired. This is not unknown among CO2-powered replica firearms, however.

The trigger is double-action only and has a rather long pull. The pull weight of the test gun was rather heavy at an average of 9 Lbs 8 Oz.

Both pull weight and length are clearly related to the pellet feed mechanism. It is the trigger pull which advances the next pellet into battery for firing, rather than the slide recoil. However, the pull itself felt consistent and predictable.

SHOT COUNT

In HAM testing, the SIG P320 M17 air pistol gave just over 60 shots before the Muzzle velocity fell below 200 FPS. This is around average for a CO2-powered air pistol with strong blowback.

However, HAM Tester kept firing and eventually achieved 80 shots before the gas was completely exhausted. That’s a very good count for a blowback air pistol, although the FPS for the final magazine’s contents was very low.

MUZZLE VELOCITY

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APPEARANCE AND FINISH

Overall appearance and quality of finish of the SIG P320 M17 air pistol tested by HAM were excellent!

The extended magazine allows for the high pellet capacity and matches the long magazines to be found on the SIG M17-Comemorative firearm.

Fit and finish are outstanding. The plastic-molded frame is very well done and the mold seam lines are close to invisible. The obligatory warning messages are molded into the frame, rather than being printed. This makes them less distracting than white-printed text and further adds to the overall realism of this air pistol.

BUYING AND OWNING

The SIG P320 M17 air pistol is widely available from online airgun dealers. It’s also carried by many big box sporting goods stores. So it’s easy to buy.

The CO2-loading system employed in the P320 M17 air pistol is – in the HAM Team’s opinion – the best there is at the present time.

SIG’s cam lever system is simple, easy and quick. There’s no screws to turn and no unsightly levers hanging down below the magazine. There’s no need for an Allen (hex) wrench either and no issues if that wrench were to become lost.

Incorporating the cam lever system into the magazine itself is also a significant operational improvement compared to having it located in the frame, as with some previous SIG models.

As with any replica air pistol – both BB- and pellet-firing, loading the ammo is actually the longest task of preparing the P320 M17 air pistol for shooting. But the new, 20-pellet magazine is really quite convenient to load. It also has no need for the owner to hold down a spring-loaded follower, as can become tedious with some BB pistols.

There’s a comprehensive and well-illustrated owner’s manual that’s provided in multiple different languages.

SAFETY FIRST. Due to the realistic appearance of this product, handle it as you would a firearm. Do not display it in public or in any place where it could be mistaken for a cartridge firearm.

6 YARD TEST TARGETS

10 YARD TEST TARGET

The post SIG SAUER P320 M17 Air Pistol Test Review appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.

The SIG SAUER ASP20 air rifle is the subject of one of Airgun Depot’s recent Definitive Guides. It’s worth checking out!

Following the standard format for these Definitive Guides, the ASP guide has a written overview, together with a video review. Travis does a great job with his video reviews. They’re informative, contain some humor and are not too pushy.

Of course, Hard Air Magazine has tested the SIG SAUER ASP20 in .177 caliber – we loved it! But Airgun Depot tests the same model in .22 caliber, so it’s interesting to see their results too.

Interestingly, Travis and the Airgun Depot team found that the ASP20 gave good accuracy with alloy pellets. So did the HAM team – with different guns in different calibers.

That tends to indicate that the SIG SAUER ASP20 could be a good candidate for using high quality non-lead pellets. That’s not a common trait among break barrel air rifles in our experience, at least!

As with the HAM test gun, the ASP20 tested by Airgun Depot exceeded the manufacturer’s power claims.

As a reminder that environmental conditions can play a significant effect with any airgun, Airgun Depot reminds us that their testing was undertaken indoors at an elevation of nearly 5,000 Feet. This means that you can expect 10-15% more power at Sea Level, they say.

The HAM Team used the SIG SAUER ASP20 for some experiments with the effect of temperature on gas ram airguns. We found that there was a noticeable difference in Muzzle velocity when shooting at different temperatures.

So, to obtain maximum power from your break barrel air rifle – not just the ASP20 – shoot it at Sea Level on a warm day if possible! If elevation or temperature change significantly from the environment where you sighted-in the rifle, expect to make changes if you want the best accuracy.

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SIG Sauer ASP20, Beech

The post Check Out Airgun Depot’s SIG SAUER ASP20 Definitive Guide appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.

Spanish airgun manufacturer Norica is known for its break barrel airguns. But now they’ve gone “the whole hog” with the new Norica Dark Bull bullpup air rifle.

The Norica Dark Bull will be formally launched at the IWA Outdoor Classics show in March. But HAM can bring you some details of what is a completely new direction from this company.

This is – to the HAM Team’s knowledge – the first PCP air rifle to be offered by Norica. It’s been developed in-house, says the company and will be available in .177 caliber, .22 cal and .25 calibers.

Magazine capacity is 12 shots in .177 cal, 10 shots in .22 caliber and 8 shots in .25 cal. Norica also is introducing what they claim is an unique “multi shot tray”. This is intended to combine the benefits of a single shot tray with a magazine, says the company. We’ll be checking this at the IWA show!

The choked, 17 3/4-inch barrels are sourced from Lothar Walther and the pressure gauge from the specialist WIKA company. The barrel is shrouded and there’s the common 1/2 UNF male thread for attachment of a silencer where permitted.

Norica has developed the regulator in-house. Fill pressure for the 340 cc HPA tube is 3,6250 PSI and the regulator is set to 1,959 PSI, says the factory. Filling is undertaken using a fill probe with rotating cover, in the manner of many other European PCP air rifles.

The Norica Dark Bull has an adjustable trigger. Pull weight can be set between 7 Oz and 14 Oz, apparently. There’s a manual safety lever located ahead of the trigger blade.

There’s an European beech wood stock, together with vertically-adjustable butt plate.

The bolt action is located at the rear of the gun. Another interesting feature is the provision of a bubble level just ahead of the breech.

Finally, there’s a 8.25-inch Picatinny-style rail for mounting a scope.

Overall, the Norica Dark Bull sounds like a huge step for the company! It will be very interesting to find out more at the IWA show in just a few weeks. Maybe some further information will appear on the Norica website by that time, too!

The post New Norica Dark Bull Bullpup Air Rifle appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.

Steve Scialli from YouTube’s AEAC Channel, now has a new video user guide for the Air Venturi Nomad II HPA compressor.

We published HAM Tester Doug Wall’s review of this new HPA compressor in December. In fact, Doug liked it so much that he purchased the machine himself at the end of the review period. It continues to work well for him and he’s very happy with it.

It’s always the best recommendation when a reviewer spends his or her own hard-earned money on the product!

In this video, Steve runs through the set-up, maintenance and use of the Nomad II. Check out how he uses a grapefruit as part of the moisture bleed process. That’s one thing HAM didn’t think of!

He also gives examples of a number of air rifles being filled from the unit, together with the fill times.

And – as with the sample tested by HAM – we can see that the Nomad II in Steve’s video has a cracked plastic plate that serves a window for the underbody illumination. It’s not a big deal, but it probably means they’re all like that…

There’s no doubt that small, compact and (relatively) low cost HPA compressors like this one are the wave of the future for HPA supply. With increasing ease-of-use and lower prices, they make PCP air rifles ever more attractive to more airgunners. That has to be a very good thing!

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Air Venturi Nomad II 4500 PSI Portable PCP Compressor

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Air Venturi Nomad II Compressor

The post Air Venturi Nomad II HPA Compressor Video User Guide appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.

Thanks to the manufacturer, HAM can bring you further details on the new Norica Dark Bull BP. This includes performance specs and more…

This bullpup PCP air rifle will be officially launched at the IWA OutdoorClassics show in March. Until then, here’s some more information about this interesting new model from the long-established Spanish airgun maker.

The Norica Dark Bull BP has a length of 28.7 Inches and weighs 6.39 Lbs without a scope. Being a bullpup, the Lothar Walther barrel is long, in spite of the short overall length. Barrel length is actually 17.7 Inches, Norica tells us.

Performance specs for the Norica Dark Bull BP include a maximum Muzzle Energy of up to 44 Ft/Lbs in .25 caliber. Up to 47 consistent shots are available at that power level, the company informs us.

In .22 caliber, the claims are up to 60 shots at a maximum of 33 Ft/Lbs. While .177 caliber versions of the Norica Dark Bull BP are specified to deliver up to 70 consistent shots per fill at a maximum of 22 Ft/Lbs.

Norica is located in the city of Eibar, in the Basque area of northern Spain. It’s a center for the Spanish arms industry. The Norica Dark Bull BP is developed and manufactured there. The Norica company has been manufacturing airguns since 1917 and is very proud of that fact!

The Norica Dark Bull BP is supplied with a fill probe with standard “Foster” fitting for connectivity to a HPA air source. It ships with one magazine and the unique multishot tray.

Below is the magazine…

… and here is the multi shot tray. Looks like we’ll need to see this at the IWA Show to understand exactly how this works and is differentiated from the magazine.

No news yet about price, availability and pricing. Nor about any possible southpaw-friendly version. But again. that’s why HAM Publisher Stephen Archer will be attending IWA OutdoorClassics in March!

The post HAM Exclusive! More Norica Dark Bull BP PCP Air Rifle Details appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.

The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) is seeking qualified individuals to fill counselor positions for its 2019 Junior Rifle Camps program.

This premier program has a long established history of providing the highest quality three-position and international air rifle instruction in the country for high school athletes. This year will add smallbore camps to the program. The CMP intends that these will be a permanent addition to the curriculum.

CMP 2019 Junior Rifle Camps positions are open to college students who have completed at least one year of school and are members of an NCAA or college club rifle team.

Applicants must be available to work and travel throughout the 2019 summer for camps, though accommodations will be made for applicants competing in International Competition.

As these are highly competitive positions, selection will be based on a number of criteria. These are:
– Academic performance
– Shooting experience
– Coaching and youth leadership experience
– References.

In addition, all CMP 2019 Junior Rifle Camps Counselors who are selected for hire will be required to pass a background check and drug test before beginning employment.

Job duties will primarily consist of working with groups of five or more high school aged athletes of various skill levels at five-day camps, three-day clinics, and three-day advanced standing position camps.

Counselors follow a camp curriculum originally designed by DCM Emeritus Gary Anderson, which has been modified by current National Coach Dan Durben, former director Sommer Wood, and current director Chance Cover.

Additional duties include range set-up, break down, general cleanup, various range activities, assisting with camper registrations and check-in, and working various CMP events outside the camps. This is to include 4-H Nationals, American Legion, CMP 3-P Nationals, and may include others.

Counselors will not be responsible for campers outside of work hours, however.

The staff will have downtime factored into the summer, but may work extended weeks and are not held to a 5 day week.

CMP 2019 Junior Rifle Camps Counselors will represent the CMP at all times during the summer. Therefore, they MUST adhere to a code of conduct for the duration of their employment.

Employment will begin with a training session at CMP in Anniston. This training is mandatory for everyone hired. All counselors will have the option to shoot in the USAS National Championships at Ft. Benning, GA.

Housing and per diem will be provided for staff during the USAS events, though this will be unpaid time off. If needed, additional unpaid time off will be granted for USAS National or Junior Team training and competitions like World Junior Championships.

If you choose not to shoot USA Shooting Nationals, other camp related work options are available for that time period. The CMP 2019 Junior Rifle Camps schedule has been posted on the main camp web page, at www.thecmp.org/camps, and includes a major event timeline to follow.

The pay scale begins at $400 a week for first year counselors; $450 for second year counselors, and $500 for third year counselors and beyond. A per diem is also provided.

All travel and lodging is covered by CMP once the camps begin. However Counselors are responsible for providing their own transportation to the training location at the beginning of the summer, and back to their homes at the end of the summer.

Any additional travel Counselors wish to make during their time off is their responsibility. They are expected to clear departure and return times with the Camp Director to make sure it does not conflict with their job duties.

Counselors applying this year should take note of additional resources they are asked to fill out. Those should be submitted at the same time as your application.

Applications are available on the CMP website at http://thecmp.org/air/junior-camp-counselors/. To be considered, applications must be received by 26 March 2019.

Hard Air Magazine wishes all applicants good luck!

The post Apply Now To Be A CMP 2019 Junior Rifle Camps Counselor appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.

The Diana Skyhawk bullpup PCP air rifle has been featured several times in HAM from its appearances at the SHOT Show and IWA Outdoor Classics.

It’s a very interesting new model that promises to offer a lot of value for the price. And now it’s available and shipping to US customers!

There’s multiple different versions of the Diana Skyhawk bullpup PCP air rifle available. These offer a choice of calibers and wood stocks.

The calibers are – of course – .177 cal, .22 and .25 caliber. The manufacturer’s power specifications are up to maximum of around 38Ft/Lbs in .25 cal. This makes the Diana Skyhawk bullpup PCP air rifle a potent hunting tool in this caliber.

Diana’s specs for Muzzle Velocity with lead pellets are 985 FPS for the .177 cal version. The .22 cal Diana Skyhawk bullpup PCP air rifle has a maximum of 950 FPS. 850 FPS is the spec for .25 caliber guns.

All calibers have the same basic action – regulated, of course, and with side lever cocking. The fill pressure is 3620 PSI. That’s 250 Bar if you prefer SI measurement units.

There’s a choice of stocks available. These are manufactured by the famous Italian rifle stock specialists Minelli.

The lowest cost model has a black-covered beech stock. Then there’s a traditional walnut version and a high-end laminated stock with green, brown and black laminations. That laminated stock looks really good to the HAM team!

Overall length is just 29-inches, making the Diana Skyhawk bullpup a compact air rifle. Barrel length is 22 Inches for all models.

Magazine capacities are 11 in .177 cal, 9 for .22 caliber and 8 shots in .25 cal.

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Diana Skyhawk Bullpup PCP Airgun – Black

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Diana Air Rifle Skyhawk PCP Air Rifle, Laminate

The post Diana Skyhawk Bullpup PCA Air Rifle Now Shipping! appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.

HAM reader Manual Morales kindly send details of the 2019 Puerto Rico Field Target Grand Prix. It’s happening right now! That’s Manuel, third from left in the front row of the photograph above.

This event is being held this weekend at the Aguadilla Field Target and Archery Club, located in the North East of the island. Manuel reports a temperature of 80 degrees F for the first day and a constant wind of 15 MPH.

Manuel says that they have been joined by a good contingent of shooters from mainland USA. That’s great, because Manuel and other members of the club visit and compete in many Field Target competitions across the USA. HAM Publisher Stephen Archer has met them on several occasions at the Pyramyd Air Cup and the Crosman All American Field Target Competition. They’re a great group of guys!!!

Today is the pistol FT competition together with the first part of the rifle event. The second part of the rifle Field Target event follows tomorrow, Sunday 24 February.

Thanks to Manuel for sending this information and photographs. The 2019 Puerto Rico Field Target Grand Prix looks like a great competition in a wonderful location. Good luck to all the competitors!

The post Breaking News! The 2019 Puerto Rico Field Target Grand Prix appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.

VALUE FOR MONEY

At a Street Price of $1,179 (with moderator), the FX Dreamlite air rifle is not exactly cheap. However, it is priced considerably lower than many other FX models such as the Wildcat, Crown and Impact.

Its price is actually much closer to that of the FX Streamline. Compared to that model, the Dreamlite offers much more versatility. Rather than being “just one gun”, the Dreamline range – including the Dreamlite – really provides the entry into a complete shooting system.

Ownership of any Dreamline air rifle gives you a potential future choice of stocks (wood and synthetic), configurations (takedown, regular and bullpup), calibers, power levels, barrel liners and more. This “system” approach can provide huge value for the airgunner interested to explore its possibilities.

Yes, making changes and upgrades costs money – of course – but it gives the enthusiastic owner many opportunities to customize his/her airgun. More importantly, Dreamline ownership allows the gun to change and evolve in line with the shooter’s interests.

This .22 caliber FX Dreamlite air rifle tested by HAM could be converted by the user in future into a .30 caliber bullpup, if required. That’s just one example of the flexibility on offer from the Dreamline platform. For many owners, that’s huge value – not to mention the quality, accuracy and overall performance…

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FX Dreamline, DreamLite, w/ Moderator

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FX Dreamlite, DonnyFL Moderator

SPEED AND ACCURACY

As always in a HAM air rifle test review, we have used the standard suite of .22 caliber HAM test pellets to test the FX Dreamlite air rifle. However, on this occasion, we have added one more pellet to the range. This is the 18.13 Grain JSB Exact Jumbo Heavy.

Why? That’s because FX has specifically designed .22 caliber Dreamline air rifles to be used with these pellets. The SmoothTwist X barrels are designed to suit. And US-specification guns are specifically set-up for use with these pellets.

This is an unusual – and explicit – pairing of pellet with air rifle and so the HAM team added the 18.13 Grain JSBs for that reason.

Of course, the standard HAM 10-Yard test targets (at the foot of this review) show the expected spread of accuracies, with mid-weight and heavier lead pellets being the most accurate.

But the test targets for the 18.13 Grain JSBs give accuracy of a completely different order!

Here’s the 10 Yard target…

… and here’s the 25 Yard target. Yes, it was shot from a bipod, but that’s still pretty impressive accuracy for a 10-shot group!

The highest Muzzle Velocity recorded by HAM when testing the FX Dreamlite air rifle was 1035 FPS with the ultra-light Gamo Platinum alloy pellets. The highest speed for lead was using the 7.0 Grain RWS Hobby pellets, at 966 FPS.

But, of course, owners of the FX Dreamlite air rifle will be aware that maximum Muzzle Velocity is unlikely to be accompanied by maximum hitting power or accuracy. That’s certainly the case here!

The best accuracy was achieved with the 18.13 Grain JSBs shooting at 859 FPS with a Muzzle Energy of 29.73 Ft/Lbs. That’s what the FX Dreamlite air rifle is designed to do and that’s what it does best.

As HAM Tester Doug Rogers wrote in his testing notes “Speed is plenty fast enough”.

If required, FPS and power can be controlled by using the hammer spring adjustment wheel above the pistol grip. This can be seen in the photograph below.

TRIGGER AND COCKING EFFORT

Everyone has very high expectations for the trigger on any FX airgun. Certainly the FX Dreamlite air rifle tested by HAM did not disappoint!

Straight from the box, the two-stage trigger felt light, yet easy to control. It was easy to know when the sear would be released and consistency was outstanding.

The average trigger pull on the Dreamlite tested by HAM was just 1 Lb 1.8 Ounces. As always, there’s multiple adjustments available with the FX trigger but – again as always – HAM testers find that trigger to be just about perfect just as it ships from the factory!

The side lever cocking mechanism is buttery smooth too. It feels sublime to operate!

One thing to be aware of is that the cocking handle is very close to the installed magazine, as can be seen in the photograph below. Both Doug and Stephen knocked their fingers against the magazine when reaching for the cocking lever handle at first.

But muscle memory then set-in. After a few shots, that ceased to be an issue and we were able to enjoy operating the cocking lever without any issues.

COMPARISON TO MAKERS CLAIMS

As with most manufacturers of high end air rifles, FX makes few specific performance claims for the Dreamlite.

In .22 caliber, the FX Dreamlite air rifle is specified to achieve Muzzle Energies of up to 32 Ft/Lbs. HAM achieved over 30 Ft/Lbs with 21.14 Grain H&N Baracuda Match pellets. As power increases with pellet weight in PCP air rifles, it’s pretty clear that a heavier pellet will reach the claimed 32 Ft/Lbs Muzzle Energy level.

FX says that the Dreamlite can achieve “up to 80 shots per fill”. Based on the HAM shootdown test below, it’s also clear that this is a true statement. However, it’s achieved only with a very significant drop in Muzzle Velocity – and therefore stringing vertically down the target.

What most shooters actually want to know is the number of consistent shots per fill. That is, before the regulator set pressure is reached.

We can see the answer to that question below. The FX Dreamlite air rifle tested by HAM achieved 52 consistent shots per fill from its 250 cc HPA tank.

CONSISTENCY

As always with airguns from this manufacturer, the FX Dreamlite air rifle provided extremely consistent performance.

Trigger pull weight varied by a maximum of just one Ounce in HAM testing. That’s outstanding consistency!

Standard Deviation – the statistical expression of variation between shots in a string – was also extremely low at an overall average of just 3.76 FPS. Again, exceptional performance.

The FX Dreamlite air rifle tested by HAM gave us 52 very consistent shots from one fill of its HPA tank. This performance was achieved using 16 Grain FX pellets. After falling below the regulator pressure, the Muzzle velocity fell away in a very consistent manner – as can be seen from the chart below.

All the results in this FX Dreamlite air rifle HAM test review were obtained with the hammer spring adjuster set to full power. The transfer port adjuster was set to the “.177 .22” setting also. Obviously more shots per fill can be obtained by selecting low power settings on either adjuster – or both!

NOISE LEVEL

The FX Dreamlite air rifle is supplied with a shrouded barrel. This mutes the report to a fairly backyard-friendly level. However, it’s still subjectively louder than the Benjamin Marauder – HAM’s Gold Standard for noise levels.

However, FX Dreamline air rifles are available with the option of a Donny FL moderator. This will undoubtedly provide a significant further reduction in noise levels, should you choose to purchase this option.

SIGHTS AND SCOPE

As with all high-end PCPs, the FX Dreamlite air rifle is supplied without a scope. We installed an MTC Mamba Lite 4-16 x 42 scope for this test review. But whatever scope you use, it’s essential to mount it using high rings on the FX Dreamlite air rifle. Otherwise the large-capacity magazine will not fit under the scope when inserted.

This need for high rings, combined with the low comb of the buttstock, gave the HAM Testers cause for concern about consistent cheek weld when shooting.

Yet surprisingly – and in spite of the lack of an adjustable buttpad – both Doug and Stephen found the FX Dreamlite air rifle easy to shoot. Both of us found a good cheek weld, instead of the “chin weld” which we were expecting!

Of course, the bullpup version of the Dreamline – the Dreampup – will benefit from high rings. And as the Dreamlite can be converted into a DreamPup configuration (and vice versa) the high rings requirement makes a lot of sense.

SHOOTABILITY

As anticipated, the FX Dreamlite air rifle was a pleasure to shoot! Balance is good and weight is light.

The Dreamlite  weighs just 5 Lbs 8 Oz “bare”. The HAM test gun still weighed-in at just 7 Lbs 0 Ozs with scope and magazine, ready to shoot. That’s amazingly light for a PCP air rifle of this power. Hence the name, obviously…

Given the perfect trigger and cocking action, the FX Dreamlite air rifle tested by HAM was a delight to shoot. We installed a UTG rubber armored bipod  to the rail ahead of the trigger. Stephen Archer shot the gun in that configuration for the 25-yard test, with the impressive results seen above.

Although the HAM testers wanted an adjustable buttpad, neither of us actually needed it. The gun shot just fine for us as it is. But there may be some folk out there who would need that buttpad adjustment capability…

APPEARANCE AND FINISH

As expected, the FX Dreamlite air rifle tested by HAM was beautifully finished. All visible metal parts had been lovingly machined and treated to an uniform matt black finish.

The buttstock showed a few machining and finish marks, but these were very minor and unobjectionable.

Appearance is – as ever – a personal opinion.

The HAM Team’s conclusion is that the FX Dreamlite air rifle looks rather long and gangly. Actually just like the two guys who tested it for this review!

There’s no denying the practicality of the Dreamlite’s design, complete with detachable buttstock using that rather obtrusive knob. It’s probably the lest attractive of the Dreamline family. At least in our opinion…

To us, the DreamPup looks chunkier, the DreamClassic more stylish. But then that’s why FX gives us so many choices with the Dreamline range!

BUYING AND OWNING

The FX Dreamlite air rifle is readily available online and from specialist airgun retail stores around the country. The new 3-year warranty provided by FX Airguns USA gives assurance to the owner and brings FX into line with the majority of other airgun manufacturers.

The modular design makes it easy to install modifications and upgrades. We fitted a flat dark earth UTG Pro AR15 grip, for example.

However, there are a couple design aspects that we would prefer to see implemented differently…

First is the location of the pressure gauge. This is located – in common with many other PCP air rifles – at the end of the HPA cylinder. This makes it close to impossible to read without looking down the barrel of the gun.

Given that an air rifle should NEVER be pointed at any person, it’s remarkable that it’s necessary to do this to yourself simply to read the pressure gauge. This is something that really needs to change throughout the PCP airgun industry!

We’d also like to see the fill probe machined with a 1/8-inch NPT standard male quick disconnect on the end. This is done by several – mainly Chinese – PCP air rifle manufacturers and is a very good idea. Otherwise it’s necessary to purchase and fit a separate adapter to the fill probe just to connect to the female quick disconnect of a HPA tank or compressor. (This adapter is not included with the gun).

Back on the positive side, the whole FX Dreamline platform provides unprecedented flexibility in changing stock configurations, looks and calibers. It’s clearly supremely adaptable and we can expect to see more upgrade kits and options become available from the manufacturer in future.

TEST TARGETS

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FX Dreamline, DreamLite, w/ Moderator

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FX Dreamlite, DonnyFL Moderator

This entire article including scoring, test targets etc is Copyright Hard Air Magazine and may NOT in part or in whole be reproduced in any electronic or printed medium without prior permission from the publisher.

The post FX Dreamlite Air Rifle Test Review .22 Caliber appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.

The Civilian Marksmanship Program’s CMP Monthly Matches are back for 2019! They feature a series of air rifle and air pistol events for all ages and experience levels and are scheduled to return in March for another season of safe, fun and thrilling competition.

CMP Monthly Matches will be held at the South CMP Competition Center in Anniston, Ala., and at the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center at Camp Perry, Ohio, which both feature 80-point ranges filled with CMP’s own electronic targets.

Monthly Matches for 2019 are scheduled for the following dates:
– March 16, 2019
– April 13, 2019
– May 18, 2019
– Sept. 14, 2019
– Oct. 12, 2019
– Nov. 16, 2019

CMP Monthly Matches are held simultaneously at our ranges in Alabama and Ohio. This means competitors have the opportunity to be ranked amongst other match participants from across the country.

Staple events fired include a Junior 3×20, Junior 3×10, 60 Shot Air Rifle Standing and 60 Shot Air Pistol.

The Monthly Match League combines the scores of frequent competitors for an overall aggregate competition. This adds even more fun to the mix.

Prizes are awarded to the overall winners from both North and South during the 2019 season. Eligible events for the Monthly Match League include: Pistol 60 Shots (No PPP), Rifle 60 Shots, Sporter 3×20 and Precision 3×20.

Along with cash prizes based on League participation, the first three places in each category will receive a CMP plaque.

Additional prizes will be given to fourth and fifth place overall winners. Awards will also be presented to the High Junior in Pistol and Rifle and the Most Improved competitor.

For more on the 2019 CMP Monthly Matches and registration info, visit http://thecmp.org/air/cmp-competition-center-event-matches/monthly-air-rifle-and-air-pistol-matches/.

Have fun!!!

The post Sign Up Now for the CMP Monthly Matches For Air Rifle and Air Pistol appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.

The latest video from Airguns of Arizona features Jared Clark reviewing the Brocock Commander PCP air rifle.

The Brocock Commander is a tactical-style air rifle from the British manufacturer. It features an AK47-style pistol grip and adjustable, foldable AR15-style buttstock.

The Lothar Walther barrel is fitted with a muzzle brake and shroud.

Jared mounts an MTC Optics 5 – 30X Tactical scope on the .22 caliber Brocock Commander and test fires it for both power and accuracy.

With H&N 21.14 Grain Baracuda Match pellets, the Brocock Commander PCP delivers 100 consistent shots per fill. That’s at an average of 802 FPS and a Muzzle Energy of 29.8 Ft/Lbs per shot.

The combination of this power level with the portability offered by the folding stock could make this a great gun for airgun hunting.

The High Pressure Air is provided by a 480 cc carbon fiber bottle. The great consistency comes from the Huma regulator built-in to the Brocock Commander.

Of course, .177 and .25 caliber versions are also available.

Take a look at the video for plenty of close-up detail shots and Jared’s accuracy testing.

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Brocock Cammander HP

The post New Brocock Commander PCP Video Review appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.

German pellet-manufacturer H&N has announced a sneak preview of the new H&N pellets that will be introduced for 2019. These include a new addition to the Baracuda range, the H&N Baracuda Light in .177 caliber.

H&N Baracuda Light

The company tells us that the H&N Baracuda Light is a lighter counterpart to the extremely-popular Baracuda Match pellets. The reduction in weight ensures a higher speed and flatter trajectory. They’re recommended for airguns with a Muzzle energy of around 12 Ft/Lbs.

There’s also a special lead alloy used for these pellets which H&N claims gives consistent shot groups and the lowest barrel fouling. H&N Baracuda Light pellets will be available in 4.50 and 4.51 head sizes.

H&N Finale Maxx

For precision 10 Meter target shooting, there’s the new H&N Finale Maxx!

H&N claims that these wadcutters set new standards in terms of accuracy in ISSF shooting competition use. They are individually foam-packed in a plastic box for safe transport.

Samples from each batch are tested in a 10 M indoor range, says the company. In that test, 40 pellets have to achieve a shot group of 7 mm (0.276 inches) diameter or less, with an average score of 10.7 or better.

H&N Finale Maxx pellets are hand sorted and carefully inspected before packing. Weight tolerances are reduced to +/- 0.25%, H&N tells us. HAM pellet testing confirms that this is – indeed – an outstanding specification for manufacturing consistency!

H&N Hunting Sampler Pack In .25 Cal

To help airgun shooters decide on the best pellet to use with their .25 caliber air rifle, H&N has also announced this new sampler pack.

This provides a fast and economical way to discover the best-performing pellet, without the need to buy a complete tin of each pellet type.

The H&N Hunting Sampler Pack contains the following pellets:
Baracuda Hunter Extreme ~ 40 pellets
Hornet ~ 40 pellets
Baracuda ~ 40 pellets
Silver Point ~ 40 pellets
Crow Magnum ~ 35 pellets

H&N Pioneer

Recognizing the increasing numbers of big bore airgun hunters, H&N is introducing the Pioneer range of premium round balls.

The company tells HAM that Pioneer round balls will be available in the following calibers:
.305
.358
.454
.457

H&N Pioneers are cold swaged from pure lead. They have exceptional uniformity with no air pockets or voids. H&N also says that the surface of Pioneer balls is graphetized to allow for better rotation in the barrel and improved accuracy.

H&N Excite Econ II

Finally, there’s a new version of the .177 caliber Econ wadcutter pellets – the Econ II.

These wadcutter pellets are described as having a new head design for improved performance, yet retaining a low price.

Phew! That’s a lot of new products to launch at one time. No news yet on availability dates for these new products. However HAM will keep you updated as we find out more. Also check-up for updates on the H&N company website.

In addition, US shooters can meet H&N factory representatives at the H&N booth at the NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits in Indianapolis from April 26 – 28, 2019. You’ll be able to find out more about the new H&N Baracuda Light pellets and the others there…

The post New H&N Baracuda Light Pellets And More – IWA 2019 Sneak Preview appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.

The British Shooting Show is a consumer show that’s held in Britain every year. It takes place at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham – the heart of England.

The UK is a big airgun-shooting country, and there’s a surprisingly large amount of shooting activity of all types. Giles has the news…

This show slots in between the trade-only SHOT Show and IWA Outdoor Classics shows. So it’s a “hybrid” show that brings together some new airgun products that we’ve already seen in Las Vegas in January, together with some that we’ll discover at IWA in early March.

But remember – as this show is in the UK – legal restrictions limit unregistered air rifles to 12 Ft/Lbs Muzzle Energy and pistols to 6 Ft/Lbs. Most models are available in higher (or, lower) versions in other countries, however.

Airgungearshow’s Giles – of course – brings us his inimitable take on the proceedings in this video.

In this British Shooting Show 2019 video, we see new products from FX, BSA, Gamo, Umarex and Weihrauch. And there’s some scopes from Discovery, too.

Some of these are familiar – like the FX Dreamline. Others are completely new – like the Umarex Reign bullpup PCP.

There’s even an interview with Terry Doe, the Editor of Airgun World, the British “hard copy” airgun magazine. HAM Publisher Stephen Archer is the US correspondent for Airgun World. He writes a monthly story about airgunning from a trans-Atlantic perspective.

So take a look at this video on the British Shooting Show 2019. You’ll see Giles, some new airguns and lots of enthusiastic Brits who love shooting and visited the show in Birmingham.

The post British Shooting Show 2019 Video Report From Giles appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.

VALUE FOR MONEY

Crosman Premier Hollow Point 7.9 Grain pellets are among the cheapest on the market. A tin of 500 is selling for just $6.28 at our local Walmart. That makes an outstandingly low price per pellet of just 1.25 cents each!

Now, of course, price is not everything. Cheap junk is no good at all. However – although these pellets cannot match the manufacturing consistency of many more expensive airgun pellets – they are actually very good for the price.

As you can see from numerous HAM airgun test reviews, Crosman Premier Hollow Point 7.9 Grain pellets often shoot well – or better – in a wide range of different airguns.

The fact that they are so widely available in big box stores means that, in case of a temporary pellet shortage, you’ll always be able to buy some of these pellets locally. And, very often, they will actually do a good job for you. In the HAM Team’s opinion, this makes them great value for money.

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Crosman Premier .177 Cal, 7.9 Grains, Hollowpoint, 500ct

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Crosman Premier Hollowpoint Pellets 7.9 Gr 500 Ct

TEST DATA SUMMARY

COMPARISON TO MAKERS CLAIMS

The manufacturer claims that Crosman Premier Hollow Point 7.9 Grain pellets have a weight of – er – 7.9 Grains. The pellets tested by HAM came-in 6.3% higher at an average of 7.95 Grains.

The tin is specified to contain 500 pellets. There were actually 505 pellets in the tin tested by HAM. Thanks Crosman!

Crosman claims that these Premier Hollow Point pellets give “maximum power and expansion”. It’s there on the packaging. They also claim on the company website that these pellets are “perfect for small game hunting”.

As we can see from the Hunting Use section below, the Crosman Premier Hollow Point 7.9 Grain pellets certainly do expand in contact with the target. This makes them a good choice for small game hunting.

However, given the weight of 7.9 Grains, it’s difficult to see how the claim for “maximum power” can be justified. At this weight, they’re too heavy to generate maximum Muzzle Energy (power) in a spring/piston or gas ram air rifle. On the other hand, they’re far too light to pack the maximum power for a PCP airgun.

CONSISTENCY

The average head diameter of the Crosman Premier Hollow Point 7.9 Grain .177 Caliber pellets tested by HAM was 4.52 mm. This was also the most common diameter, with 40% of the tested pellets having this head diameter. This is somewhat less than average manufacturing consistency.

With the smallest head diameter being 4.47 mm and the largest 4.55 mm, the variation between extremes is 1.79%. This is a very wide spread of head diameters.

With most pellet manufacturers, head diameter is the most tightly-controlled parameter. This is not the case with either these Crosman Premier Hollow Point 7.9 Grain pellets. Nor has it been so with other Crosman pellets tested by HAM.

The average weight of the Crosman Premier Hollow Point 7.9 Grain pellets tested by HAM was 7.95 Grains. A total of 36% of the pellets tested by HAM had a weight of either 7.95 or 7.96 Grains.

In fact, weight consistency was quite good for the pellets tested by HAM. With the exception of the one light pellet shown in the chart below, it actually could have been very good. The variation between the lightest and heaviest pellets tested by HAM was 4.13%.

Overall length was poorly controlled in the sample Crosman Premier Hollow Point 7.9 Grain pellets tested by HAM. Instead of the typical “bell curve” shape – as with the heights and head diameter charts above, the spread showed two separate peaks: at 5.37 mm and 5.55 mm long.

This is similar to the three peaks shown in the .22 caliber version of these pellets when tested by HAM previously.

The average length of the pellets tested by HAM was 5.48 mm. At 5.32 mm, the shortest pellet had a length 6.20% less than the longest at 5.65 mm. Although most pellet manufacturers have relatively poor length control, this is a wide spread of pellet lengths.

DIRTINESS

The tin of Crosman Premier Hollow Point 7.9 Grain pellets tested by HAM contained a total of 1.296 Grains of lead dust and junk. Of course, such lead waste is an unavoidable result of manufacturing lead pellets.

However, for a tin containing (nominally) 500 pellets, this is a very good result at just 0.259 Grains of lead dust per 100 pellets. This low dirt level may be due to the relatively hard lead that Crosman pellets are manufactured from.

DOWNRANGE PERFORMANCE

As this Chairgun chart shows, the Crosman Premier Hollow Point 7.9 Grain pellets gave effectively “flat” shooting between 11 and 35 Yards using HAM’s standard “1,000 FPS” Beeman 1074 air rifle. Sight-in range was 35 Yards.

But the low Ballistic Coefficient of 0.012 does mean that these pellets do loose FPS quite rapidly downrange. Therefore they have a strongly elliptical flight path.

HUNTING USE

In the HAM “ballistic soap” test, a representative Crosman Premier Hollow Point 7.9 Grain pellet shed its energy very rapidly on contact with the target. Penetration was just 31 mm when fired from the Beeman 1074 test gun.

When retrieved from the soap, it could be seen that the pellet had expanded from an unfired diameter of 4.53 mm to 6.22 mm. The length had collapsed from 5.52 mm before firing to just 4.02 mm.

All this means that these pellets would be suitable for small game hunting – as recommended by Crosman – but at relatively short ranges. As the Chairgun chart shows, 30% of the original Muzzle Energy has already been lost within 17 Yards. It’s down to 50% after 35 Yards.

BUYING AND OWNING

As mentioned above, Crosman Premier Hollow Point 7.9 Grain pellets are available just about everywhere, both online and in physical stores. This makes them very easy to buy.

But having purchased the pellets, you may sometimes find that it’s incredibly difficult to remove the screw-top lid. Some Crosman pellet tins open relatively easily, while others require the assistance of a strap wrench!

However, although these pellets have no foam padding disk and rattle around in the tin, the hard lead alloy used by Crosman means that they are very resistant to shipping damage. There were no damaged pellets in the tin tested by HAM – and this is quite normal in our experience.

TEST DATA

BUY FROM PYRAMYD AIR

Crosman Premier .177 Cal, 7.9 Grains, Hollowpoint, 500ct

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Crosman Premier Hollowpoint Pellets 7.9 Gr 500 Ct

For background details on HAM’s Pellet Test Review methodology, check out this link.

Chairgun is a product of Hawke Sports Optics LLC and is used with permission. Check out http://www.hawkeoptics.com

Understanding HAM Pellet Awards

HAM Pellet Awards come from the most rigorous, professional and comprehensive pellet testing by any independent publication. They are the result of much precise measurement and analysis using high precision measuring devices and highly-experienced testers.

Note that accuracy is a product of the complete “system” of airgun, scope, atmospheric conditions and shooter ability – not the pellet alone.

This means that no pellet test review can predict the accuracy of a particular pellet with YOUR individual air rifle. That’s why we do not measure accuracy in these pellet tests.

What HAM Pellet Awards do recognize is manufacturing consistency. Inconsistent pellets definitely will be inaccurate, consistent pellets are much more likely to be accurate.

HAM Awards also recognize value. There’s considerable variation in the price of airgun pellets. This means that an 8 cent pellet needs to score higher than a 2 cent pellet to achieve an award.

For full details of the HAM Pellet Award scoring methodology, please check out our Pellet Testing page.

For a full listing of HAM-tested Ballistic Coefficients, please see our Ballistic Coefficients page.

This entire article including scoring, data etc is Copyright Hard Air Magazine and may NOT in part or in whole be reproduced in any electronic or printed medium without prior permission from the publisher.

The post Crosman Premier Hollow Point 7.9 Grain .177 Caliber Pellet Test Review appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.

There’s a steadily- increasing number of First Focal Plane (FFP) riflescopes becoming available. But which is better, First or Second Focal Plane (SFP)?

Most riflescopes used on air rifles have the reticle in what’s called the Second Focal Plane. But new technological developments are seeing the introduction of affordable First Focal Plane scopes for airgun use.

So should you choose a First or Second Focal Plane scope?

In the end, it’s down to a matter of personal choice. But – as many airgun shooters are not yet over-familiar with FFP scopes – it’s interesting to compare the effect of reticle placement inside the scope.

To make the comparison, we’re looking at two scopes from Aztec Optics. Apart from the reticle placement, they’re extremely similar. They have the same zoom range – 5.5 to 25 x – the same objective size – 50mm – and the same size tube, 30mm.

Moreover, they both have the same reticle pattern – called the DYND-1. The only really significant difference between the two models is the positioning of the reticle. This makes them ideal to compare that positioning – first or second focal plane.

To make the comparison clear, we took photographs through both FFP and SFP versions of the Aztec Optics 5.5-25 x 50 scopes. Deliberately, we conducted this comparison under poor lighting conditions.

The light was dull and overcast. We also aimed at some almost monochromatic tree trunks to make the challenge greater.

Here’s what we found…

1. Second Focal Plane Scope

Here’s the view through the SFP scope at 8x magnification.

And here it is at 25 x magnification.

As you can see, increasing the magnification magnifies the target. But the reticle stays the same size.

2. First Focal Plane Scope

Now, let’s see the difference between First or Second Focal Plane reticle positioning…

This is the view through the SFP scope at 8x. The reticle is somewhat smaller in size to the the SFP version at this magnification.

Now we have the FFP scope at 25x. Wow, what a difference! The reticle has increased in size in proportion to the target. It’s clear that this makes aiming MUCH easier in these dull conditions.

Now if we switch on the illuminated reticle capability of the Aztec FFP scope, it’s even easier! (Red illumination is also available, should you prefer).

Most of us know how many reticle graduations (Mil Dot or MOA) to hold over – or under – to achieve a hit at a specific range when sighting through a scope.

But not so many of us have really thought seriously about how the value of those graduations can change when a Second Focal Plane scope is zoomed. Because they do…

With a conventional SFP scope, this means that a mil dot graduation at 9x, for example, will have a much different value from that same mil dot in the same scope when at – say – 16 x zoom. That difference likely will cause a miss unless you are aware of that change.

The Aztec SFP scope has red marks on the zoom ring at 9x and 18x because these are the magnifications at which the reticle graduations can be used for holdover using Minutes of Angle (MOA).

In a first focal plane scope, the effect of a mil dot holdover is the same, whatever magnification is chosen in the zoom range. As we can see below, there’s no red marks on the zoom ring because the MOA graduations work for holdover at any magnification.

This makes the probability of a hit much higher if you use variable magnifications on your zoom scope.

The main benefit of FFP scopes will be found by hunters. In hunting, it’s often valuable to glass the area at low magnification and then zoom-in for the shot.

That advantage is a huge one where you use varying magnifications in your zoom scope and need to take quick shots.

If you always use use your scope at a fixed magnification, there’s no benefit however. That’s why first focal plane scopes are of little value to Field Target shooters, for example, who always use the same magnification, even though the distance to their target is unknown.

And, if you’re used to Second Focal Plane scopes – as most of us are – it’s a little disconcerting to see how large – and thick – the reticle grows on a first focal plane scope when it’s zoomed-in.

There’s a concern that the thicker apparent reticle till obscure the target or somehow “hide” it.

But these concerns are likely to fade with time and when they’re considered alongside the massive benefit of consistent effective mil dot holdover at any point in the zoom range.

So do you prefer the First or Second Focal Plane reticle?

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Aztec Optics

The post First Or Second Focal Plane Riflescope. Which Do You Prefer? appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.

In his latest video, Rick Rehm – YouTube’s Shooter 1721 – brings us his review of the 25 Caliber Umarex Gauntlet.

Rick describes the 25 Caliber Umarex Gauntlet as “Super, super impressive”. He feels it’s an outstanding PCP air rifle for hunting and for a first-time PCP owner. Particularly as a first-time PCP for an avid airgun hunter.

Of course, Hard Air Magazine tested the 25 Caliber Umarex Gauntlet a few months ago. We gave it a coveted HAM Gold Award for it’s combination of price and performance. That’s much the same overall view as Rick gives us in this video review.

Rick fits the Gauntlet with a Leapers UTG scope and tests the gun with a variety of JSB, GTO and Predator Polymag pellets.

Shooting at 50 Yards, Rick has four hits on target all through the same hole! That’s using 25.39 Grain JSB Exact King lead pellets. Yes, he can really shoot, but this is a testimony to the complete “shooting system” of gun, pellets, scope and shooter!

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Umarex Gauntlet PCP Air Rifle, Synthetic Stock

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Umarex Gauntlet Regulated PCP Air Rifle

The post Rick Rehm 25 Caliber Umarex Gauntlet Video Review appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.

One of the more important features of any riflescope is its eye relief. This is the distance from the scope’s eyepiece to your eye.

At least it is when you have the scope positioned correctly on the air rifle so that you see the whole image through the scope!

Eye relief is a significant feature in scope specifications. And – unlike some other specifications – it’s the same for airgun scopes as for riflescopes intended for firearms use.

But how do you find the actual eye relief for your scope?

The way we do it at Hard Air Magazine is shown here.

We have an optical bench baseplate, to which the scope is attached by a system of posts and rings. The baseplate is very sturdy and precise. It provides a solid way of supporting the scope and – being long – is easy to set horizontally.

Set behind the scope eyepiece is a white card mounted on a rack and pinion stage (as it’s known). This holds the card at right angles to the axis of the scope. It also allows the card to be moved back and forward precisely and under control.

Then a bright light is shone through the objective (front) lens of the scope. The card is moved back-and forward using the rack and pinion stage until the disk of light from the eyepiece is sharp on the card.

When the disk of light is sharpest, the distance between the scope eyepiece and the card is the eye relief for the riflescope. Because everything’s held securely in place by the baseplate, it’s easy to measure the eye relief for that scope precisely.

Oh, and by the way, the diameter of the disk on the card at that point can also be measured. That’s the exit pupil diameter. It’s another typical part of a scope’s specification.

Of course, you don’t need high precision professional equipment like this to get a rough idea of the eye relief and exit pupil diameter of your own scope. You could set your gun on a rest and – with the help of a friend – hold a piece of paper behind the scope to achieve an approximate measurement.

You’ll also notice that both eye relief and exit pupil scope numbers are gives as a range in scope specifications. For example: eye relief 4.3 inches to 3.3 inches. That’s because both eye relief and exit pupil diameter are different at various magnifications of a zoom scope.

Generally, the larger eye relief and exit pupil numbers relate to the lowest magnification for that scope. The smaller numbers are those for maximum magnification.

Understanding scope specifications can help when you make a purchase decision. For example…

A longer eye relief will be useful if you plan to mount the scope on a spring-piston or gas ram-powered air rifle, so that the scope doesn’t hit you when the gun recoils. Most PCPs have next to no recoil and so you often can use a scope with shorter eye relief.

There’s more airgun scope stuff coming in future issues of Hard Air Magazine. We hope you find it interesting!

The post How Do You Find The Eye Relief For A Riflescope? appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.

For our first HAM report from the IWA 2019 show here in Germany, let’s look at the exciting new products from Daystate, Brocock and Weihrauch.

In our heading photograph above, we see Robert Buchanan from Airguns of Arizona with the new Daystate Red Wolf Safari that’s being launched at IWA 2019. This version of the Red Wolf is distinguished externally by a new brown wood stock with unusually strong surface texture – you have to handle this yourself to understand what I mean!

But the real interest of the lies inside. For this is the first Daystate model to feature the new technologies that the company is developing as building-blocks for future designs. There’s a new  Daystate ART barrel and Version 2 of the internal GCU – Gun Control Unit – circuit board.

The GCU 2.0 system is an electronic control board, battery and other components. It provides infinitely variable control over the opening and closing of the air rifle’s firing valve. This makes multiple power level adjustments available, for example.

Daystate has been making electronically-controlled air rifles since 2003. The GCU 2.0 system shown at IWA 2019 is the latest iteration of their expertise in digital air rifle control.

Alongside this new control system is the Daystate ART barrel. ART is an abbreviation for Accuracy Research Team. It’s a new barrel system with outstanding claimed accuracy that’s been developed through a collaboration between Lothar Walther, together with shooters from Italy, the UK and USA.

The ART barrel features a polygonal bore and slow-twist rifling. Daystate tells us that this reduces friction and optimizes pellet spin for improved downrange in-flight stability.

The designer of Daystate air rifles is the Italian Adriano Nodari. Here he is showing us the beautiful, limited edition Daystate Genus at the 2019 IWA show.

More new products from the Daystate group to be seen at IWA 2019 include the Brocock Concept Lite, with collapsible stock below…

… and the Brocock Bantam Sniper HR in a new laminated stock colorway. Robert Buchanan is delighted with both of them, as you can see!

MTC Optics is, of course, another part of the Daystate group. Sales Director Terence Logan showed me two new – and interesting scopes – that were being launched at IWA 2019.

First was the MTC SWAT Prismatic. This is a fixed 12X riflescope with an extraordinarily wide field of view. In fact, Terence told me that it has the same field of view as a typical 4 x power scope.

With a large 50mm diameter objective (front) lens, the MTC SWAT Prismatic also promises to offer outstanding light-gathering capabilities. With that huge diameter tube, it also requires a very special mount, as you can see from the photograph above.

The second new scope MTC Optics was showing at IWA 2019 was the 6-24×50 King Cobra F1. This has a first focal plane reticle and side focus parallax adjustment. It’s part of a clear trend towards first focal plane (FFP) scopes that is currently being seen in the airgun optics industry.

The Daystate/Brocock/MTC booth was also completely redesigned for IWA 2019. It had a stylish, minimalist look that focused attention on the new airguns.

The booth itself is located in the bright, airy and modern Hall 3A at IWA OutdoorClassics, along with a number of other top-tier players in the outdoor industry, as you can see from the overview below.

Meanwhile, over at Weihrauch-Sport, Thilo Schallenkammer was pleased to show off the new Weihrauch HW100 BP bullpup air rifle. This was first shown very recently at the British Shooting Show, but it still counts as new news at IWA 2019!

Here’s a close-up of the cocking lever mechanism. Both left-and right-handed versions are offered, although this has to be specified at the time of purchase, Thilo tells me that it’s not a user upgrade that can be made later.

Weihrauch was also showing the new HW110K. This is a low power version of the HW110 with outstanding handling characteristics that would be ideal for use as a “truck gun” or in training young shooters.

“Small is Good” is another trend that’s being seen among PCP air rifles at the 2019 IWA show. The HW110k is part of that trend and shows that Weihrauch Sport may be celebrating 120 years as a family business, but that they are still very much up with the times!

The post IWA 2019 – New Products From Daystate, Brocock and Weihrauch appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.

Big airgun news at the 2019 IWA Show was the celebration of FX 20th anniversary! Although we always anticipate multiple new products from FX Airguns, this year there was an absolute tsunami of new products…

The company was claiming 20 new products to celebrate the FX 20th anniversary. But there may have been even more than that shown on the new, expanded FX booth.

With so many new products, it’s tough to know where to begin. But let’s start with the Dreamline family as this has now bloomed into full maturity as a complete product line. In fact it’s a real family with a family tree, as we can see below.

FX 20th anniversary sees the new Dream-Tac Compact, with the stock folded, below.

“Bottle” versions of the Dreamlite range are now available to provide greater HPA capacity and more shots per fill, as we can see with the Dream-Pup Bottle below.

Also for FX 20th anniversary, the Dream-Base is now launched as the ultimate starter-point for a customer to start the Dreamlite system. This is the bottle version, of course.

The FX 20th anniversary is also being celebrated with new versions of some existing FX favorites. These include the Crown Yellowjacket…

… and the FX Crown Compact. See, there’s many new compact PCP air rifles being shown at the 2019 IWA OutdoorClassics show!

We can also see that the new Crown models include a new barrel-fixing system featuring additional setscrews locked into the breech.

More FX 20th anniversary goodies are a Mark II version of the Impact.

There’s also a twin-tank version of the Impact Mark II that’s dedicated to benchrest competition. It’s called the FX Bench. (We’ve seen Team FX use guns like this is previous Extreme Benchrest competitions).

There’s also a new FX IMpact in .35 caliber.

And if that’s not enough for the FX 20th anniversary, there’s even a new pocket chronograph with cellphone app!

Phew!

It’s true that the 2019 SHOT Show was not awash with new airgun products, but the 2019 IWA show certainly is. Many manufacturers clearly held their fire to make their launches in Germany.

There’s plenty more 2019 IWA Show news to come in Hard Air Magazine…

The post FX 20th Anniversary -20 New Items At 2019 IWA Show! appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.

One of the great things about the 2019 IWA show is being able to find products and manufacturers that do not have a high profile in the USA. We’ll start this 2019 IWA show report with some PCPs from companies which fit that mold…

Airgun Technology is a company based in the Czech Republic. They manufacture a range of PCP air rifles. Our heading photograph above shows the company’s Maria Cruz with the Airgun Technology Vulcan 2 model.

The Vulcan 2 is available in calibers from .177 to .30. It’s regulated and has a sidelever action that’s said to be easily changed from right- to left-handed operation. The barrel is cold hammer forged in the Czech republic.

Airgun Technology also has bottle-fed version called the Uragan…

… and a compact version of the same gun. The Uragan Compact.

Don’t ask me for too many details on the Uragan, somehow I got distracted.  Maybe you can check-out the company website.

Hey, this is a tough job reporting from IWA. But somebody’s got to do it!

Well-established Turkish shotgun and rifle manufacturer ATA Arms has a small range of PCP air rifles available. To me, the Prado bullpup looked an attractive model. It has a bolt action and is available in .177 cal, .22 and .25 calibers.

Bilal Arabaci shows us the ATA Prado below.

And here’s another view of the same gun with different-colored laminated stock.

Another Czech manufacturer – KalibrGun – launched their new Capybara bullpup PCP air rifle at the 2018 IWA Show. Now it’s in production and this one has a special show stock finish.

And while we’re concentrating on Czech products, JSB had some prototype pellets with a galvanized finish. JSB’s main Man Pavel Kolabec told me that these samples are galvanized Jumbo Heavies and Exact Kings.

He also shared some photographs of the results of initial testing at JSB. Here’s one below. That looks pretty good!

Finally for today, Scandinavian Airguns is a new company that just launched itself at the 2019 IWA Show.  CEO Oscar Gyllenhammar showed me the company’s innovative initial product range.

These include the Jet Air Chassis – a highly-adjustable chassis for the FX Dreamline…

… there’s also a range of clothing, bags and soft cases for airgun use. Scandinavian Airguns has a range of HPA tanks, too together with carrying cases for them.

In addition, there’s an innovative HPA air tank valve called the Adjutant. This bleeds pressure out of a line conveniently when you press the orange button in the center.

Scandinavian Airguns has plans for world-wide distribution. You can find out more on their website at scandinavianairguns.com

There will be more airgun news from the 2019 IWA show coming soon. Keep checking HAM for details!

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