Airgun Depot's Airsenal News

There is a growing number of excellent guns coming from China that are very good clones of some European-made offerings. There are some advantages to these Chinese offerings in that you can have a similar-performing gun for a much reduced cost to you the consumer. In many cases, the performance is on par with the European equivalents.

Not all of these guns mentioned below are carried by Airgun Depot, but I thought a good list would be of assistance to you, the loyal reader of this blog provided by Airgun Depot. Even if the actual air gun in question is not carried by Airgun Depot, the ammunition for it certainly is, and you can keep your clone fed with quality ammo from Airgun Depot.

There are a number of Chinese factories offering similar guns, and this list is by no means exhaustive.  It's just a quick reference to some of the offerings out there that may help you make up your mind on just what to buy.

In the PCP arena, you have the following:

B-50/51  -  cloned from the Daystate Huntsman

In the spring-piston category, the number of offerings vastly increases:

B-25  -  cloned from the RWS/Diana 34

B-26 - cloned from the Beeman R9

B-28  -  clone from the RWS 350

B-30  -  clone from the   RWS/Diana 48

B-40  -  cloned from the Air Arms TX200

TF-21  -  cloned from the RWS/Diana 48

Pneumatic guns include:

Marksman 2004, 2005, 2006  -  cloned from the Beeman P3

CO2 Guns-

QB-78  -  a close copy of the Crosman 160

Some airguns you see from well-known makers are imported and subsequently re-branded for sale in the USA. There is no effort to deceive as the origin of each gun is clearly stamped on the gun somewhere. Several of the Beeman Sportsman series guns are of this type, while the "R" series are German-made.

There are some more extensive lists available on the internet of what model Chinese gun coincides with the European model is seeks to emulate. But the above list is a good place to start with some of the current models being offered for sale.

In addition to the Chinese clones, there are clones now coming from Turkey as well. Perhaps in the future, we'll take a look at some of these offerings to further broaden our airgun knowledge.

'Til next time.....

Posted by Randy Mitchell at 12:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Just a brief entry for this week on a great program well worth the time it takes to listen to it. Jim Chapman, the airgun columnist for Predator Xtreme Magazine recently finished a podcast that runs almost an hour. In the conversation about hunting with airguns, you'll hear Jim talk about the different types of airguns, powerplants, some advice on what gun is suited to what purpose, and some very good general knowledge concerning how to best use your airgun for hunting and pest control, and how to enjoy your airguns indoors in the basement!

PODCAST

Just click on the link above labeled "PODCAST" and it will take you to the website. Jim's a great guy who I count as a good friend, and we've hunted together for several years. Jim has a wealth of experience that many airgunners never get the opportunity to gain, and his advice will help you enjoy your airgunning experience even more as he shares some of his stories and experiences.

Posted by Randy Mitchell at 05:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Field Trial competitions are growing in popularity. Beginning in England, this sport has crossed the water to the states and has become a very popular pastime for American shooters as well. Shooters love competition, and this sport lends itself to some very serious equipment for the dedicated shooter.

If you've ever wondered about the appeal this sport holds, you need to give it a try yourself. The easiest way to get an idea of the level of fun you'll experience is to try out the Gamo Interchangeable Field Target. This economical version of the targets used in Field Trial is a load of fun, and kids and adults both will enjoy watching their target fall over when hit, then pop back up with a simple pull of the string.

Let's take a look at the specs on this target from Gamo:

Made of heavy steel - handles power levels up to 20 fpe

4 Bullseye Rings to increase level of diffculty

150 ft. string for resetting target

4 stakes to secure target to ground

Other animal shapes available that interchange with the target mechanism

First of all, let's address safety. Use lead pellets only when shooting at this target. Steel bb's will ricochet badly off of this item, so be sure you only shoot lead at it.

Next, the ease of setup. With just a few screws and wingnuts to tighten, you can have this target up and running in under 5 minutes. Secure it to the ground with the provided metal stakes, attach the ring to the provided reset knob, and run the 150 ft. string back to where you will be shooting from. Now, enjoy the bright yellow paddle of the new target, because once you shoot at it, you won't want to stop. And the yellow is going to disappear quickly as your accurately placed shots knock the target down again and again! It's a good idea to keep a can of spray paint handy to renew the paddle's killzone after a shooting session. 

I assembled the targets I had in very short order, placed them in my yard, and enjoyed an afternoon of shooting pleasure. And the ability to reset the target without having to run out there and manually reset it definitely increased the fun! (My kids enjoyed not having to be my runner, too!)

I took these targets to my church's 4th of July picnic. They were a hit, and kids and adults alike enjoyed shooting a variety of airguns at them all afternoon. Hundreds of pellets connected with the target, and they held up well under the repeated assault of lead. I did notice that my more powerful PCP airguns were leaving slight cavities in the paddle, so I caution new owners to keep the power level of their chosen gun under 20 fpe to not damage their target or paddle. This will also help you in practice for Field Trial as the upper limit is 20 fpe for your chosen competition gun in most matches.

Gamo also offers other animal shapes for this mechanism with the Gamo Metallic Animal Silhouettes package. You can get pigeon, pig, turkey, rooster, rabbit, and ram shaped targets that bolt on to the original squirrel paddle mechanism. This adds variety and challenge to your shooting fun, and it is very economical!

This kind of shooting is fun, plain and simple. And the targets are very economical and easy to use. You owe it to yourself to check into these great target offered by Gamo as a low-cost way to experience the fun of Field Trial.

The Gamo Squirrel Target is only $21.90, and the additional silhouettes can be purchased for $17.90. Get them at Airgun Depot!

Posted by Randy Mitchell at 05:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)