It’s already one week on since the Daystate Blackwolf launch! So I phoned Greg Glover – the General Manager of Airguns of Arizona – to find out his take on how things are going.
Here’s how the discussion went…
Stephen Archer: Greg, thanks for taking a moment to talk!
Greg Glover: You’re lucky to catch me. It’s been a whirlwind for all of us – both at Daystate and AoA – for the past few months, working on this project. Trust me, we’re all exhausted. But I do think that this Daystate Blackwolf launch is one of the best the industry has seen for some time!
Stephen Archer: It’s already looking as if the Daystate Blackwolf could be one of the most significant new air rifle introductions in recent years. Can you tell me how it came about?
Greg Glover: Well, the Blackwolf project kicked-off with a meeting of the Daystate Wolf Pack Team shooters here in Arizona. It was in 2021, so far as I remember. The Wolf Pack includes the top US Daystate shooters, as you know.
So Daystate came to the table and asked the team what they truly wanted in a new air rifle. Nothing was off limits. It was a hugely refreshing approach!
Needless to say, there was an incredible response to this from the Wolf Pack. They generated a TON of suggestions. But what is even more incredible is that the Blackwolf we have now ticks all the boxes for the team – every one of them!
The Daystate folk listened to what our top shooters actually want and then incorporated it all into this design.
Below. Wolf Pack Team members with Mauro Marocchi – the owner of Daystate (center rear) – at Extreme Benchrest, 2023.
Stephen Archer: So the Blackwolf is truly a “clean sheet”design?
Greg Glover: Absolutely! It’s a complete, ground-up air rifle. There’s no – well make that almost no – existing parts used in this design. It’s not a “bolt on” for the Wolverine, Red Wolf or any other existing model. Daystate went all-out and started from scratch!
Stephen Archer: You are a top-class shooter yourself and have been in the airgun industry for many years. How would you describe the Blackwolf?
Greg Glover: Steve, there’s no doubt in my mind. It’s glowingly good! And I don’t say that lightly…
Stephen Archer: “Glowingly good”. WOW! That’s a HUGE endorsement. Why?
Greg Glover: You know me, I’m not going to give you bs!
It’s important to understand that the Blackwolf is not just an air rifle. It’s a full system. A complete platform. It’s completely modular.
This is a multi-use air rifle that be customized to any number of configurations, as required by the owner. It can start out in .177 caliber at sub-12 Ft/Lbs for Field Target use and – the next day – be a .30 caliber chassis rifle throwing .30 caliber pellets – or slugs – downrange in Benchrest competition.
And the owner can make all these changes easily himself. Oops, or herself, too!
Stephen Archer: That sounds great. But can’t other air rifles do this?
Greg Glover: True. But the Blackwolf really does it better. It’s better engineered: I truly believe that. And it does so more elegantly too. You know, with that English style they have back in your homeland!
And Daystate is making pretty well all of the options available, right from the start. This is not a “dribble out” sort of program. The Daystate Blackwolf launch is bringing most all of the options to market straight away.
Stephen Archer: I’ve heard there’s a lot of excitement among serious airgunners about the Blackwolf. Do you see that at AoA?
Greg Glover: He** yes!!! (Oh, don’t print that!) We’re seeing huge demand. We already have a lot – really a lot – of pre-orders for the gun. That started immediately at the launch party we ran here at AoA a week ago.
And it’s not just AoA direct customers who are excited! I know that many Precision Airgun Distribution dealers are placing advanced orders for their customers too.
Stephen Archer: So what’s your advice for anyone who wants their own Blackwolf?
Greg Glover: It’s clear that demand is going to be strong for a long time. So my advice to HAM readers is to not wait for inventory to appear on the AoA website. Contact us and get on the list for the Blackwolf you want – right now.
Daystate ships to us very frequently – pallets of airguns every time. You know Steve, you’ve seen that when you have been here at AoA.
Below. Just like this…
But I know already that much of the inventory we have pre-ordered is going to go straight out of the door to customers and PAD dealers – almost without touching the ground!
Stephen Archer: Greg, thanks for the update. I’ll let you go, but do you have any last thoughts for HAM readers?
Greg Glover: Steve, the key is for people to understand what a truly amazing new airgun this is.
Our Daystate Blackwolf launch has majored on the fact that this is a complete platform that’s an outstanding “ground up” new design.
I hope that your independent HAM review will endorse that position – you’ll be getting a gun to test as soon as we can. I’m sure that you will think the Blackwolf is glowingly good too!
Oh, and the snowstorm photos are great! Your wife did an outstanding job with them. Did you know that it’s over 80 degrees here in Arizona today? LOL…
The post Daystate Blackwolf Launch – One Week On… appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.