Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2022 i Airgun Shooter

John Moses Browning has no fewer than 128 gun patents to his name, but is probably best known for designing one of the most iconic handguns of the 20th century – the 1911. This gun entered service with the US armed forces before the outbreak of the First World War, by that time now being known in military parlance as the Model 1911. As a result of the soldiers’ experience it was subjected to a number of improvements, resulting in the M1911 A1, and it’s this version that’s been brought to us in blowback BB-firing form from Lee Enfield (Guns). John Browning’s masterpiece, reimagined in full metal with plastic chequered grips, is the first handgun to be added to the company’s Brothers in Arms sub-series, which includes the Mosin-Nagant Model…

If you have a technical question about your Brocock airgun that’s begging to be answered – or just want to chat to fellow Brocock enthusiasts – then the British gunmaker has just what you need, as it’s announced the formation of an official Brocock Owners’ Club. The club should prove popular with owners as members can get technical questions answered directly from the factory. And running alongside the club is a newly named Facebook group – Brocock Owners’ Group (Official). Here, airgun shooters can interact on social media with like-minded fans. Formerly known as the Brocock Compatto, Bantam, Concept Lite & Commander Owners Group and overseen by shooter Matt Fletcher, the group has strong links with the factory to provide technical help and support as well as servicing information. The…

As many of you have guessed by now, I mainly hunt and stay clear of competitions. It’s not that I don’t like events like these, it’s just that my heart belongs in the woodlands. With that in mind, I received a call from Daystate’s Tony Belas asking me what my plans were for the next weekend. If I’d known his intentions, I would have immediately responded with “I’m washing my hair”, but to my stupidity I said nothing! Tony went on to explain that there was a low-key event for an HFT series that Daystate sponsors every year. The ­ rst match was happening in Lincoln, so would I like to attend? He gave me organiser Greg Henson’s number and asked me to get in touch. I wasn’t encouraged by…

A bipod is a fantastic piece of equipment. Early examples of two-legged props date back to the mid-19th century where they were used to support heavy guns. Later on, bipods were pressed into military service with guns that were expected to deliver sustained levels of fire. One other helpful benefit – and something that’s especially useful to us airgun shooters – is the fact that a stable and supported rifle allows us to take far more accurate shots. So if you are happy to go prone to bolster support, stability and accuracy then it’s time to splash out on a bipod. But buying one of these is a little bit like buying a telescopic sight as you’ll need to make a number of important decisions in order to get one…

Those readers who have followed my airgun journey will be aware that for the past few years I mainly shoot informal competition from the bench. Rather than the “normal” 25-yard distance that is shot by most airgunners indoors, and outside for that matter, a few friends and I within my own Rivington club have adopted a set of rules produced by our club secretary, Ian Jones. Ian is also a member of Rochdale Airgun Club, who have also taken on board the specialist set of rules that are to be followed when we shoot our 55-yard (50-metre) competition at the Rochdale indoor range. You may well remember details of previous visits that I have penned for inclusion within these pages, both before and following the various lockdown events. Up until…

Winter is well and truly here, and without doubt it is my favourite and most productive time of the year for hunting rabbits and rats. Thousands of years of evolution has given pest species superpowers to help avoid predators at night and although our senses become heightened in the dark thanks to our ancient DNA, we are still woefully under-equipped – unless you are fortunate enough to be able to bridge the gap with technology of course. Last month we looked at a range of infrared scopes that work as well during the day as they do at night. In this issue, we’ve put some of the best thermal scopes through their paces. And whilst they can be used during the day, it’s at night when they really come into…

From the very first moment I saw a tin can jump up into the air after being struck by a pellet back in 1978 I became fascinated with air rifles. I didn’t understand the mechanisms, but was enthralled by the invisible connection that caused that pellet to speed through the air and move the tin can. That same weekend I saw a balloon disappear with the bang of a .410 shotgun. Again, I didn’t fully understand what I was seeing, but it intrigued me on so many levels. As I grew up I had friends who had dads and older brothers with air and BB guns who occasionally allowed me to handle and shoot them. With my father in the forces, watching war/crime films and reading illustrated books, I started…

WIN! THE BEST LETTER GETS A SET OF SPORTSMATCH MOUNTS LETTER OF THE MONTH LET THERE BE LIGHT The hunting and fieldcraft article in issue 153 prompted me to add some of my own experiences of night shooting, which has always been on a limited budget. If my numbers come up on Saturday night I might invest £1,000-plus in the latest gear, but until then I’ll stick with my 2010 Deben Tracer Stinger lamp. I use a BSA Scorpion until the light goes, then switch to my Brocock Hunter in .22 as I can track the flight of the bigger, slower-moving illuminated pellet. Batteries last a season (with limited use) that cost about the price of a pint. It’s still on the original bulb, (though I might have blown it…

Give a bipod to someone who’s never used one before, and the chances are that they’ll instantly appreciate its benefits, but may not use it in an optimal way. Of all the bipod tips and tricks that a shooter can employ, knowing what to do with the leading or “spare” hand is the one that will have the greatest effect – as long as it’s done correctly. Many new shooters will instinctively try to use their leading hand as they would with a rifle that does not have a bipod fitted. Because they can’t naturally lay the belly of the forend in the palm of their leading hand they’ll do what seems to be the next best thing – grab one of the legs instead. Although this won’t really have…

KEY SPECS MAKER: BSA Guns, Birmingham (bsaguns.co.uk) MODEL: BSA Ultra CLX 160 Commemorative Edition PRICE: £999 TYPE: Limited edition multi-shot PCP CALIBRE: .177 (tested) and .22 OVERALL LENGTH: 800mm LENGTH OF PULL: 355mm BARREL LENGTH: 318mm WEIGHT: 2.7kg (without scope) TRIGGER: Two-stage fully adjustable POWER: 11.4ft-lb on model tested FEATURES: Limited edition airgun supplied with scope, mounts, pellets, hard case and signed certificate of authenticity Getting the formula right with limited edition airguns is no easy task. Some end up looking like gaudy versions of a proven favourite, some are beautiful to look at but don’t cut it in the practicality stakes and others are little more than a dressed-up excuse for an inflated price tag. The Ultra CLX 160 Commemorative Edition from BSA Guns, produced to mark the 160th…

KEY SPECS PELLET: Domed 9.56gr MANUFACTURER: Qiang Yuan Sports (qiang-yuan.eu) SUPPLIED BY: The Shooting Party (shootingparty.uk) TYPE: Domehead diabolo CALIBRE TESTED: .177 HEAD SIZE: 4.50mm SUPPLIED IN: Tin of 500 PRICE: £15.99 ADVERTISED WEIGHT: 9.56 grains MEASURED WEIGHT: 9.80 grains PELLET LENGTH: 6.69mm SUGGESTED USES: Target shooting, hunting, plinking Finding the right pellet can be a little intimidating for the new shooter, with brand, type and head size all to consider. Then there’s weight to take into account. But while a wide choice may inded be intimidating, it also means there’s a greater chance of finding the perfect pellet for your particular air rifle or pistol. QYS has a history of making international medal-winning 10 Metre airgun pellets, and has concentrated on making pellets in .177 calibre, although larger calibres…

If you need a professional-quality torch then you’re in luck, as a new range from TFX has been announced by distributor John Rothery that looks ideal for the airgun hunter, offering extreme durability in the field. All five torches in the TFX range are water- and dust-protected to IP68, the highest level of protection available. Each model features a tactical strobe light function, low/medium/high power levels, a protective glass shield, roll protection and rechargeable batteries, and comes with a pouch, an adjustable wrist strap and a USB charging cable. One torch from the TFX range is the Propus 3500, which features a power indicator and a robust clip, and as the name suggests generates a light output of 3,500 lumens. It also features a silent front switch as opposed to…

Original artworks by painter Ben Hoskyns and printmaker Sarah Cemmick are now available to buy from the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, with 25% of the proceeds going to the conservation organisation. The GWCT supports vital research to enhance the British countryside and boost biodiversity, and Ben and Sarah are joining the GWCT online gallery as guest artists, alongside the resident artists. “Science-based research is the only effective way of showing the benefit of shoot management to all forms of wildlife,” explained Ben. “I have always been passionate about conservation and have supported the GWCT throughout my 33 years as a wildlife artist with exhibitions, donations and illustration work, so I was delighted to be asked to exhibit in the gallery.” Ben’s works are in oil paint, while Sarah uses…

AIRGUN OF THE YEAR ■ Air Arms S510T Tactical■ Anschutz 9015■ FX Impact M3■ Walther Rotex RM8 UC Ultra Compact■ Weihrauch HW110 Grey Laminate GAMEKEEPER OF THE YEAR ■ Alan Edwards – Bywell■ Garry Whitfield – Northumberland Estate■ John Queen – Linhope Estate■ Mark Fitzer – Holkham■ Scott Mackenzie – Isle of Skye NIGHT VISION PRODUCT OF THE YEAR (OVER £1,500) ■ ATN Mars LT Ultra Light Thermal Rifle Scope■ Pard SA45 LRF Thermal Rifle Scope■ Pulsar Helion 2 XP50 Pro Thermal Monocular■ Steiner H35 Steiner Nighthunter Thermal HandHeld■ ZEISS DTI 3/35 NIGHT VISION PRODUCT OF THE YEAR (UNDER £1,500) ■ ATN X-Sight LTV Smart Day/Night Digital Hunting Rifle Scope■ Liemke Keiler-13 Pro Thermal Monocular■ NiteVizor HUD-X150 Heads-up-display Rifle Scope■ Pard NV007A■ Sightmark Wraith HD 4-32x Day Night vision Rifle…

WORTH £342 Let’s say you’re starting out. Buying a rifle is one thing, but what about all the extra paraphernalia you’ll need to get up and running? Most of us need to be careful with our money, and that’s where rifles like the Gamo Whisper X Swarm come into their own. This rifle will put the newcomer on the road to hundreds of hours of shooting pleasure as it comes with a scope and mounts already included. And the Whisper X Swarm has a special trick up its sleeve – it’s magazine-fed. If you mention the term “multi-shot air rifle”, most people will naturally think of a pre-charged pneumatic, but this break-barrel gas-ram uses a 10-shot magazine. It’s available in .177 and .22 calibres, with the one up for grabs…

WHY WE SHOOT • Crows, rooks and jackdaws are destructive agricultural pests and cause serious crop damage.• Scavenging crows prey on vulnerable lambs causing pain, distress and ultimately their death.• Damage caused by corvids can affect farmers’ livelihoods, so controlling them helps the rural economy.• Time spent ambushing corvids from a hide is a great way to unwind and enjoy the countryside. THE QUARRY CARRION CROW Corvus corone PEST STATUS: A major problem for farmers, especially in the spring, crows peck the eyes from newborn lambs. They also feed on the eggs and chicks of other birds. HABITAT: Crows have a wide range of habitat, but feed mostly around farmyards, in woodland and on crops. They favour nesting sites in tall trees either in woods or along hedgerows. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:…

Rat shooting under the cover of darkness is a form of airgun shooting that I have been doing for well over 30 years. During that time, I have adapted my approach to ensure that I get real results when it comes to driving down the numbers of these disease-spreading rodents. Having the right gear can make a big difference, but don’t be discouraged if you are on a tight budget – you can still make decent tallies of rats with a spring-powered airgun and a scope-mounted lamp if you get the groundwork right. For those who can splurge on hi-tech equipment, it certainly will improve your results, and you don’t need to buy it all at once. Whether you’re planning to pick off problematic rats in the garden or dealing…

KEY SPECS MANUFACTURER: Immersive Optics (immersive-scopes.co.uk) SUPPLIED BY: Thomas Jacks (thomasjacks.co.uk) MODEL: 10x40 MD MAGNIFICATION: 10x OBJECTIVE LENS: 40mm EYE RELIEF: 17mm FIELD OF VIEW: 11.4m @ 100m MINIMUM FOCUS DISTANCE: 6m CLICK VALUE: 0.1 mil CLICKS PER REVOLUTION: 50 TRAVEL PER ROTATION: 5 mil MAX ELEVATION ADJUSTMENT: 28 mil MAX WINDAGE ADJUSTMENT: 28 mil SIGHT DIMENSIONS: 80mm x 60mm x 135mm WEIGHT WITH MOUNTS: 485g RETICLE: Mildot or Mildot Extended ILLUMINATED RETICLE: Six levels of brightness SRP: £292.95 Are you the sort of shooter who appreciates the benefits technology has to offer, but likes to keep things simple when it comes to a sight? If so, the fixed-magnification 10x40 prismatic scope from Immersive Optics is one for you. This optic is side-parallax-adjustable down to six metres. It has a…

“What’s past is prologue.” So wrote our William Shakespeare in The Tempest. Or put less poetically, the end of one thing is the beginning of another. Tesro’s beginnings happened in 2002, following the departure of design engineer Peter Romer from world-famous gunmaker Walther. The story goes that Herr Romer soon became bored with retirement, and so set about making guns for himself under the name of Tesro. A bold enterprise indeed, but the family venture now makes an astonishing range of target arms including .22 rimfire rifles and pistols, match air rifles and match air pistols of remarkable manufacturing quality and aesthetic excellence. The RS100 Junior Basic is one of a genus of match air rifles built around a chassis designed to accommodate numerous configurations and attachments, employing a light…