I spent a good half-hour looking around the place, then asked one of the workers for a ladder. I spent several more minutes climbing up and bringing down treasure after treasure that no one else wanted. I found a Crosman Town & Country, a Crosman 114, a Crosman 600, and several Benjamin rifles of various models that were very reasonable in price. I also found a Crosman 112 with a box and an original CO2 tank. Those are getting a little harder to find these days.

Imagine, finding a Crosman 600 in rough condition for $19.95! Even in rough condition, it was worth over $100 to an online bidder who bought it from me. And the Crosman 114 had a beautiful maple stock under the gunk, and you could see the tiger striping showing through. That one didn't last long either! It was snatched up by a collector soon after I offered it for sale.

The gun I kept, though, is one I still have today. It is a Crosman 101 Silent Model, made in 1939, in .22 caliber. I had Dave Gunter recondition it, and though it isn't the prettiest rifle in my collection, it is one of the most reliable. It is 70 years old this year, and it still takes squirrels with regularity. I pump it up, load it, and it does its job with an ease that is astonishing. No recoil, easy to pump, made of metal and wood with hard rubber forearm, and a brass barrel that won't rust....what's not to like?

The airguns from yesteryear have a time-honored place in our shooting history. I have heard that in WWII, many of our radio operators stationed on enemy-held islands were using airguns to kill food since the report was much quieter. Our anti-aircraft crews were often trained on bb-gun versions of the real thing. And there were even bigbore airguns developed by the resistance in occupied Europe that fired a healthy-sized slug, around .40 caliber, as they fought against the Nazis.

Lewis and Clark carried an airgun on their expedition, and some of their journal has references to its use with the Indians as a means of impressing the tribes they met along the way. The Austrian Army used airguns in the early days of the Napoleanic wars, though there isn't any evidence that they were used in actual combat. Lots of rumors have sprung up around the Austrian "Girandoni" rifle, and there are arguments that a copy of that rifle is the one that Lewis and Clark carried.

Enjoying the newest and best of airguns is a wonderful pastime, but don't overlook those classic rifles that paved the way for todays guns. And when you find a real gem of a classic, consider keeping it in good condition and letting its history become part of your love of airguns. You will find the workmanship every bit as good, and more often than not, better than today's offerings of airgun. The technology behind them may be old, but they don't seem to know it! 

As mentioned in the other post, the NPSS comes in two flavors....and being a hunter, I opted for the camo version since that suits my needs. The gun is handsome, handles well, and the synthetic stock feels different than just about any other synthetic stock I've sampled in the airgun world. It isn't hard plastic, but rather offers a subtler feel, one that is pleasing. I guess I would describe it as "softer" than the run-of-the-mill synthetic stock.

The NPSS comes in both .177 and .22, so I requested a .22 version. The claims of the manufacturer are valid in regards to the velocity it provides, and the accuracy is excellent. I've been quite pleased with the inexpensive Crosman Hollow Point pellets out of this gun, and they have proved accurate and deadly on small game like squirrel and rabbits.

Today's hunt was brief as I had just a few moments free in the afternoon. I headed out my door and didn't have to go far before I spied a fox squirrel going about his business in a large maple tree not too far from my house. I was able to get within 25 yards of him before he decided I was something to pay attention to and headed up higher before laying out on a branch to see what I was up to. My NPSS came with a Centerpoint scope that does an excellent job, and I settled the crosshairs on the squirrel's noggin before squeezing the trigger.

My shot was a little off, and I had to put another pellet into the squirrel before I had him in hand, but the performance of the NPSS was all I could ask for. An advantage it gives me is that I can cock it as I begin the hunt, and not worry about spring fatigue because it doesn't have one! The  power-plant  for this gun is a gas-filled (nitrogen) piston that compresses a column of gas when cocked. There is no spring to get kinked or to take a set over time, and the shot cycle is much more accomodating to the shooter than some of the buzz and twang that can come from a spring-piston gun that isn't worn in yet.

Here's a pic of the single squirrel I got today:

For half the price of a European-made gas ram equipped rifle, you will get performance that serves by far the majority of shooters these days. The gun is handsome, tactile in feel, and delivers in performance. Give this one a look as you select your plinking and small game rifle. You will be pleased with Crosman's newest, and first, gas piston rifle.

Field Target is a growing sport, and you will have a wonderful time if you ever get the chance to compete in a match, no matter the size. However, the Nationals represent one of the best times that this sport has to offer.

Tony Inocentes recently posted a very well-written review of the competition, which he attended and participated in, ranking very well in the pistol competition. Here are some of the results of the competition:

Here you have the PCP class results:

 Next are the results from the Piston Class:

The Pistol Class also had several entries:

And the WFTF scores:

For a complete review of the match, please visit the following link and read up on the match, some of the characters and individuals that attend, and voice your thanks to Tony Inocentes for the great write-up he gave to those of us who couldn't attend! Thanks Tony!

AAFTA National Results and Review

Recently I've been doing some shooting with the RWS 350 Magnum, one of the more powerful spring-piston air rifles available today. It comes in a variety of setups, with the standard wood stock, a synthetic stock version that features fiber-optic sights, and a carbine version with a straight, truly ambidextrous stock (the Feuerkraft Pro version). For this blog entry, I'll focus on the brief hunt I did with the standard version.

The RWS 350 weighs just over 8 lbs. without a scope, but the length of the gun balances nicely. The bluing is rich and uniform, and the logo shows the Goddess of the Hunt, Diana, throwing her bow and arrow down to take up the airgun! The barrel is right at 19.5" long, giving you some leverage for cocking such a powerful spring-piston airgun.

The forearm and pistol grip area feature pressed checkering, and on the model I reviewed, the 350 Magnum logo was branded into the wood on the right side. The safety is re-settable, so if you don't shoot immediately, you can reset the safety. You can also uncock the gun by breaking the barrel like you are going to cock it once again and pulling the trigger while maintaining a firm grip on the barrel. Ease the barrel back to the firing position, and you've uncocked it!

The fit and finish of the buttpad is excellent, giving the entire package a quality feel. You have a sense of solidness when you heft this rifle, and it gives you confidence when aiming at your quarry. The standard model features all-metal sights, with a hood over the standard front sight blade. It's very easy to aim with this gun's open sights, but if you prefer a scope, an 11mm rail is provided on the gun, complete with double stop pin holes already installed.

In .22 caliber, I was able to easily take squirrels with no problems as the pellets were heading down range at over 840+ fps. The factory rating for velocity is 900+, and with certain lighter pellets, this is easily within the power range for this air gun. I was shooting mid-weight pellets of 14-16 grains, and accuracy proved excellent. with most velocities coming in from 815 fps up to 865 fps. This will vary from pellet to pellet, especially with the differences in the skirts of the pellets. I've noticed that lighter-skirted pellets that fit snugly actually give higher velocities, I think in part due to the "flaring" effect of the skirt when the pulse of air hits the rear of the pellet.In any event, you are generating over 20 fpe with standard pellets, and some of the heavier ones will raise that to the mid-to-high 20's.

Now, on to the hunt. I got out for a brief morning this past week, and was able to sneak up on a big Eastern fox squirrel. These squirrels are much larger than the Eastern grey squirrel, and they can soak up some pellets if you don't hit them correctly. So I was trying my best to get as close as possible, but the cover was sparse between my target and my shooting position. I had to quit trying to play super-sneak at nearly 40 yards, so when I did "drop the hammer" on this squirrel, I did so with a body-shot in mind. Aiming at the front left leg, I touched off my shot. A loud "whap" told me I had made contact, but with open sights I wasn't sure just where. The squirrel turned in place and tried a magnificent leap to a distant branch, but never made it.

I had apparently hit the boiler room with my one shot, and the pellet made its way through the vitals to lodge near the rear of the squirrel. The power of this RWS 350 made the difference on this squirrel, as I have lost squirrels before to better-placed shots such as the head. But when a .22 pellet hits with the force generated by this airgun,  unless you totally missed the vitals, the target is going down!

There are some very fine rifles available for today's air gun hunter, but the RWS 350 ranks near the top of the selection in my book. Reasonably priced for the quality of package you receive, this gun will give years of satisfaction in the field and woods, and the RWS warranty is second-to-none on their merchandise. You can feel certain of the quality rifle you will receive when choosing the Model 350, and the service that comes with it will keep you happy for years to come!

Check out the RWS Model 350 at Airgun Depot today!

The Walther Talon Magnum is one of the newer offerings from Umarex USA, and this gun is a powerhouse. It has several nice features, so let's take a look at it.

First, the gun I'm testing is a .22 caliber version, though at the moment only the .177 caliber versions are available from Airgun Depot. That will probably change in the future, but I'm not sure of the availability of the .22 version right now.

Spring-piston airguns trade off power for ease of use due to the physics of involved with using a spring as a powerplant. It isn't always easy to get near 1000 fps with a .22 caliber springer unless you are using very light pelets. And if you do that, accuracy often suffers. However, using a quality pellet such as the RWS Superdome, I registered 980 fps in .22 caliber over my chronograph. From a spring-piston airgun, that is pretty fast! It is even faster than the advertised velocity, and we all know THAT doesn't happen very often! Now add in the inherent faster velocity that .177 caliber airguns give us, and the velocity will supercede the advertised number. Just remember that accuracy is more important than speed, and use a heavier pellet to keep the shot manageable for greater accuracy.

With that level of power comes the trade-off of a heavy cocking effort. The spring in this gun is stout, and the gun is a long one. This isn't a gun for children or shooters on the small side. You really have to reach out there to grab the end of the barrel in order to cock it! The recoil is stout, but not unmanageable.

One advantage this gun offers is an adjustable length of pull. You can change the inserts in the buttpad to lengthen or reduce the length of pull, giving you some amount of control in this area.



The front sight offer a TruGlo fiber-optic post that lines up well with the rear sight, which also features the TruGlo fiber-optics. This really helps in dim light if you are shooting early or late in the day, or in an area with less-than-perfect lighting.





The Walther Talon Magnum comes with a scope and mounts, but I found that you will need a good, stout mount to really hold the scope in place. There is an included scope-stop on the scope rail, and it helps some, but I would recommend a steel set of rings with some serious bite, not some of the cheaper aluminum mounts.



The safety is handily located at the rear of the action, just above the wrist grip of the trigger hand, similar to the RWS Model 34. I like that you can reset the safety without having to cock the gun again, a very useful feature in the woods if your target decides to be difficult and not hold still!



The firing behavior of this gun was, in a word, robust. Shooters who enjoy a really good hard "smack" on the target from their airgun will like this one. It is powerful, and that translates into recoil until the insides are massaged by constant shooting or a tuning session with someone who knows their way around the inside of one of these guns. Factories just don't take the time to hone and fit every part to the degree that some shooters demand, and to do so increases the cost for the consumer. So if you've been shooting a very sedate, 500-600 fps plinker, hold on to this gun the first time you shoot it, for it is definitely a different animal!

The stock on the Walther Talon Magnum is a synthetic stock, great for all-weather applications and much more able to withstand some of the knocks and scratches that some airguns get put through. For wandering around the field or woods, or for storage in the trunk, this stock will hold up better and be less prone to damage.

Squirrel season is open now here in Kentucky, and I hope to get out with this gun for a brief hunt before long. This will make a very good small game rifle, as it has the needed power for animals up to the size of a raccoon or fox.

As you can see, the Sumatra 2500 has the lever action that is so reminiscent of the Western-style guns like Winchester and Marlin, guns that are iconic in the world of firearms. This feature translates well into the Sumatra, allowing quick follow-up shots that would otherwise be slower to load and shoot.

When you purchase a Sumatra 2500, you'll get two 6-shot magazines. The magazines are metal, fit snugly in place, and allow the shooter to chamber different sized pellets without having to do any adjusting for the feed mechanism. They are deep enough that they handle the vast majority of pellets available for each caliber.

Another nice feature is the power-adjustment wheel that raises and lowers the power level to the desired setting. In the larger calibers of .22 and .25, a high-power setting is perfectly capable of taking coyotes and small hogs with correct bullet placement. Some airgun fans may disagree with that comment, but I know from personal experience just how deadly the Sumatra can be, and have also held conversations with other airgun hunters who have taken coyotes, bobcats, and hogs with this gun.

For small game hunting, you would be hard-pressed to find a more suitable gun. Both the front and rear sight are adjustable, but to really shine, place a scope on the 11mm rail and be amazed at the groups you can get, as well as the distance at which you can achieve them. When a killzone is 1" in diameter, such as on a squirrel or rabbit, then this airgun will settle all the problems that particular squirrel will ever have.....permanently!

The rifle version of the 2500 also provides a large reservoir of 380cc of air at a recommended pressure of 3000 psi. Depending on your power setting, you can get from 15 to 25 very good shots for hunting purposes, and for shorter range plinking sessions, you'll have even more available. With 13 positions on the power wheel, you have a lot of room for adjustment and fine-tuning of your shot count for the shooting you are doing that day.

I have done some hunting with this model in years past, and I can say from personal experience that I feel very confident when using this particular airgun. It's a solid gun, metal and wood, and the fine steel barrel provides very good accuracy. I tend to use heavier pellets when hunting, but have found that a little experimenting allows you to use several different kinds of pellets so that you aren't stuck with just the more expensive ones when all you want to do is plink.

Still selling for less than $500.00, the Sumatra deserves your attention for the uses described above. Available in .177 through .25 caliber, it has so many great features that you are bound to be pleased with your purchase.

The Gamo Extreme CO2

As you can see, the Gamo Extreme CO2 is very reminiscent of some of the Remington pump-action centerfires that hunters and shooters have used over the years. This airgun will allow you to enjoy the memories of the past as you enjoy the shooting sports without spending all the money you used to on centerfire cartridges! Let's take a look at some of the features of Gamo's newest CO2 offering.

First, let's put some gas in our gun so we can shoot! Press in on the circular tabs you see on the forearm of the gun, and pull out towards the muzzle. The forearm cover will slide right off the gun. Now insert the 88 gram CO2 container (there's one included with the gun, you'll need to buy extras online or at your local stores), screwing it in carefully so as not to mess up the threads. If it doesn't screw in easily, stop and back it out, then try again, being careful to align the threads correctly.

Once the CO2 cartridge is installed, you can slide the forearm back onto the gun. Now let's load the gun.

Work the pump-action as if you just fired a shot, and leave the forearm in the rear position. Now slide back the tab you see on the right side of the gun, releasing the 10-shot magazine. Once remover, place 10 pellets in the magazine from the rear, nose first. After it is full, insert it back into the cutout area, push the tab forward to lock in in place, and work the forearm back towards the muzzle. It will automatically feed a pellet into the barrel. The safety is just in front of the trigger, just outside the trigger guard. Push it from right to left and you are ready to shoot!

 Magazine release, magazine, trigger and safety

One of the nice features of the Gamo Extreme CO2 is that is won't allow you to double-load a pellet. There is some kind of mechanism that inhibits the forearm from closing if there is already a pellet in the barrel. That should serve well in keeping jammed pellets in the barrel to a minimum.

The sighting system on the Gamo Exteme CO2 is a little different. The rear sight is a ramp with a yellow band that easily guides the eye to the Tru-Glo style bead on the front sight. All of the adjustments for windage and elevation are done from the front sight. You'll find more than one screw on the front sight, as well as instructions in the manual to guide you through this process. Once you are used to the system, it works very well.

Gamo includes 1 tin of 22 grain pellets in the package. These are very heavy pellets for the average CO2-powered gun, and this .22 caliber airgun put them out the end of the barrel in the mid-to-high 500's. This equates to 14-16 fpe, not bad for a CO2 gun. JSB Exacts came out of the barrel near 600 fps as they are a lighter pellet.

I tested the accuracy of the Gamo Extreme CO2 on an old bathtub that lives in my backyard. It is a handy test platform for pellets, as the lead smears on the side are readily visible when I'm sighting in a gun. Included with the rifle is a 3-9x40 scope from Gamo, complete with a mounting base and needed hardware. I slipped the scope on the gun, and in a matter of minutes was zeroing the crosshairs in. 

The Gamo pellets gave decent groups at 18 yards, but the JSB pellets really shined. Here are a couple of pics of the patterns I derived while shooting offhand from my back porch. These groups are not from a rest, but rather from me propping the gun on my knees and using a porch rail to steady my aim somewhat. 

Gamo pellet pattern above

JSB pellet pattern above

This gun is suitable for some serious backyard plinking sessions, and will also serve as a light hunting rifle for small game and pests. The classic lines and features will appeal to many shooters who have shot similar centerfires, and the 10-shot magazine allows you the target-shredding fun of a fast-shooting repeater.

Airgun Depot has a helpful info video when you click on this gun's page. Be sure to drop by and take a look at it for some video target action featuring the Gamo Extreme CO2.

Check it out at Airgun Depot! Currently $299 and change!

Unfortunately, many folks mount a centerfire scope on their airgun and fail to realize that the parallax for that type of scope is normally set at 100 yards or even further. Now, translate the actual range you are likely to be shooting with your airgun, and the problem becomes a little more evident.

For a quickie definition of parallax, complete with a simple demonstration, look at the following links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallax

http://www.arld1.com/parallax.html

The first link defines it, the second link narrows in on the effects of parallax through a rifle scope.

I've cut and pasted some additional explanations of parallax for you in this next section. It will hopefully explain parallax to you in a way that makes better sense than my humble attempt at explaining parallax!

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Parallax problems result from the image from the objective not being coincident with the reticle. If the image is not coplanar with the reticle (that is the image of the objective is either in front of or behind the reticle), then putting your eye at different points behind the ocular causes the reticle crosshairs to appear to be at different points on the target. This optical effect causes parallax induced aiming errors that can make a telescopic sight user miss a small target at a distance for which the telescopic sight was not parallax adjusted.

To eliminate parallax induced aiming errors, telescopic sights can be equipped with a parallax compensation mechanism which basically consists of a movable optical element that enables the optical system to project the picture of objects at varying distances and the reticle crosshairs pictures together in exactly the same optical plane. There are two main methods to achieve this.

• By making the objective lens of the telescopic sight adjustable so the telescopic sight can compensate parallax errors. These models are often called AO or A/O models, for adjustable objective.
• By making an internal lens in the internal optical groups mounted somewhere in front of the reticle plane adjustable so the telescopic sight can compensate parallax errors. This method is technically more complicated to build, but generally more liked by parallax adjustable telescopic sight users—unlike AO models, which are read from the top, the sidewheel's setting can be read with minimal movement of the head. These models are often called side focus or sidewheel models^[7].

Most telescopic sights lack parallax compensation because they can perform very acceptably without this refinement. Telescopic sights manufacturers adjust these scopes at a distance that best suits their intended usage. Typical standard factory parallax adjustment distances for hunting telescopic sights are 100 yd or 100 m to make them suited for hunting shots that rarely exceed 300 yd/m. Some target and military style telescopic sights without parallax compensation may be adjusted to be parallax free at ranges up to 300 yd/m to make them better suited for aiming at longer ranges^[8]. Scopes for rimfires, shotguns, and muzzleloaders will have shorter parallax settings, commonly 50 yd/m^[9] for rimfire scopes and 100 yd/m^[10] for shotguns and muzzleloaders. Scopes for airguns are very often found with adjustable parallax, usually in the form of an adjustable objective, or AO. These may adjust down as far as 3 yards (2.74 m)^[11].

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Ray and Hans Apelles from the "A Team" shoot for and represent Crosman at FT shoots and competitions. They have some very good free information that will help you, the shooter, figure out and fix the annoying little issues that come from using scopes, air guns, different pellets.....they simply have a wealth of knowledge and freely share it with the rest of us as a contribution to the airgunning sport. Granted, the information is for powerful scopes of 18x or higher, but for competition shooters and others who want to enter the field of competition, this is a useful tool.

Check out the following link for assistance in fixing the parallax, or even determining if you have a parallax issue, with your scope. 

http://ateam.100free.com/ateamh/A_Team_Parallax_adj.htm

We'll be reviewing some new guns in the next few weeks and hope to offer you a review or two to help you in your buying decisions. Thanks for dropping in and reading along with us!

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.....

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.

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!

NPSS stands for Nitro Piston Short Stroke. Instead of a coiled spring, the powerplant of this new offering from Crosman is a nitrogen-filled gas piston. There are some advantages to this platform, so let's take a look at it, even though we don't have it in hand.

Gas-piston rifles aren't new to the market. Theoben has been offering several gas-piston guns for some time now. I've owned a few of them, and currently have one in my stable of airguns at the time of this writing. Having shot gas-piston rifles against factory-condition spring-piston rifles, I always enjoy shooting the gas-piston gun more. The recoil is different, and as a hunter, I really enjoy the ability to cock my gun and leave it cocked for extended periods of time without fear of inducing any spring fatigue to my gun's powerplant.

Gas-piston guns feature a shorter, more linear recoil in my opinion. There is no double-bounce that one experiences in a spring-piston gun, and straight from the factory, there is no comparison in the two types of guns. Sure, if you have the spring-piston gun tuned to the max, you'll have very similar firing behaviors. But the vast majority of spring-piston guns do not come from the factory in this condition, costing the owner additional funds to get the smoothness and performance that a gas-piston offers from the outset.

Looking at the new Crosman NPSS above, one can see some of the features mentioned in the product description.  There is the cut-away view of the gas-piston as the powerplant, a bull barrel, the carbon fiber stock, and an all-metal trigger group. The action is held in place with three screws, two in the forearm and one in the trigger guard area. Here is the product description for you to more closely view: (note...the NPSS will be available in both .177 and .22 caliber).

Features:
Carbon Fiber body
Nitrogen gas system
%25 quieter than other Crosman spring rifles
Centerpoint 3-9X40 Scope and one piece mount included ($85 Value)

Specifications:
Caliber: .177
Ammo Type: Pellets
Body Components: Carbon Fiber
Power Supply: Nitro Piston (Nitrogen Gas)
Overall Length: 43.875
Barrel Length:
Fire Mode: Single-Shot
Gun Weight: 6lbs 15oz
Muzzle Velocity: 1000 with Lead 1200 with Alloy
Front Sight: N/A
Rear Sight: N/A
Scope: Centerpoint 3-9x40 AO with one piece mount

Package includes:
Crosman NPSS .177 in Carbon Fiber with Nitrogen Piston, Centerpoint 3-9x40 AO and one piece mount.

A lucky few have been able to try out the new NPSS, and I read through a first-hand review of a camo-dipped NPSS. The new owner was very happy with it, and gave a very nice review of their initial impressions of the gun. I'm looking forward to getting my hands on one so I can update this blog entry with an additional one after I've had the chance to play with the actual gun myself. The one I want looks like this:

Please note that these guns as they come from Airgun Depot will also feature a Centerpoint 3-9x40 scope and a one-piece mount. This is added value to a new airgun that has already garnered plenty of interest from airgunners everywhere. The current price on these guns is $324.90. I'm looking forward to getting mine....aren't you?

At the time of this article, I have a couple of guns that I plan on keeping. Here is a list of them and why I have them. Hopefully, you will find a useful nugget of information or thought as to why you chose the airguns you did, other than "that was what was available."

Benjamin Marauder

I own serial #77 of the new Benjamin Marauder. I opted for the .22 version of this gun so that I have a wider possibility of prey that I can hunt with it. I bought if specifically for hunting, and the power level of this gun allows me to take every small game animal from rabbits and squirrels up to possum, raccoon, and groundhog-sized animals.  The adjustability of the gun helps me "tune" it for the level of power I want.....for instance, if I go on a rat hunt in an enclosed barn at night, I can turn the power down, get lots more shots, and not have to worry about filling up with air as often. But for squirrel hunting, I turn up the power a little, since I don't need as many shots available to take the limit of 6 squirrels.

Beeman R10

I like having a good, quality spring-piston gun available at all times. This one is a .177 caliber gun that I bought used on the classified adds on the internet off one of the forums. The quality and craftsmanship that went into this gun makes it a joy to shoot. It is my plinker and fun gun, doing double duty for pest control and small game hunting when I'm in the mood to use something besides a PCP. For a quiet walk through the woods, shooting at targets of opportunity like sparrows, starlings, twigs and dirt clods, and small game, there's nothing like a self-contained air gun and a pocket full of pellets. And in the event I ever get to try Field Trial competition, I feel confident this airgun would be a good candidate for the Hunter Class.

Crosman 101

Everybody needs a good pump-up gun.....and my 70-year old Crosman 101 has been refurbished and meets all the demands I have of a pump gun. Accurate with its peep sight, classic in appearance and function, it makes a great hunter/plinker/backup gun for nearly every occasion. And the history behind the gun just adds to the enjoyment for me as a shooter. My particular model was only made for one year, 1939, and is hard to find. 

QB-78

A good CO2 gun is a wonderful tool for teaching youngsters how to shoot. The power level is lower than a PCP, and the classic bolt-action method of loading and shooting that this gun features lends itself to teachable moments of gun safety and general shooting skills. A very accurate gun, this little gem has quite a following among airgun enthusiasts, and comes in several variations such as a sporter-style stock, a target stock, a thumbhole version, and various levels of trigger and barrel configuration. There are several "tuners" on the web who take this gun to some serious levels of power and reliability, and you'll find quite a few custom versions of this gun floating around out there!

Crosman 760

If you have kids, you need one of these guns. It has been made by the millions, and has brought generations of shooters into the fold. A simple, easy-to-use pump-up gun that so many kids have received as their first gun, it bring asmile to the face of a youngster who knocks over that aluminum can for the first time. Shooting BB's or pellets, it is a must have for the serious airgun owner, even if it is one of the most economical airguns to buy these days.

Diana 34

Perhaps the best selling model that RWS currently has in their selection, this classic spring-piston gun meets so many needs of the shooter that nearly everyone who shoots airguns recognizes the contributions of this gem. It features a power level that is just right for pest control, small game hunting, and plinking. It comes in the two most popular calibers, .177 and .22, and has been used for decades by airgun shooters around the world. My local police department even has one they use for pigeon control!

Now I have other guns, such as a custom .50 caliber muzzleloader that I use for big game hunting, but not everyone uses airguns to the extent I do. But for the average airgun owner/shooter, the above list is what I currently own and use often in my enjoyment of this sport of ours. If you are new to the airgun scene, take a minute or two and consider just why you are buying your airgun, and enjoy making your purchase here at Airgun Depot. They have a great selection, good service, and will strive to meet your airgun needs.