tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22059874498209793852024-03-06T04:17:13.490+00:00Nigel Allen's Airgun BlogA personal look at what's going on in Nigel Allen's busy airgun worldNIGEL ALLEN's Official Airgun Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12284395955772330907noreply@blogger.comBlogger72125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205987449820979385.post-45901704974972628742012-07-12T17:01:00.003+01:002012-07-13T09:25:36.249+01:00CLA Game Fair 2012 - CANCELLED<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sadly, I have to report that the countryside extravaganza that is the <a href="http://www.gamefair.co.uk/" target="_blank">CLA Game Fair</a> - this year taking place at Belvoir Castle, Grantham in Leicestershire - has been cancelled.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another major casualty of the inclement British summer we're experiencing, and a major loss not only for the show organisers, but also for the many traders who rely on the business they do both at, and subsequent to, the Fair.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A shame - I'm sure most show-goers (and exhibitors) would be more than happy to brave the weather with Barbours and wellies... but this is Britain, and all the red-tape that surrounds these public events was simply too much to cut through... even for the Country Land and Business Association.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">CLA Director General Helen Woolley said: "<i>I am
extremely sad to say the heavy rain in the run-up to this year's CLA Game Fair
has left us with no choice but to take the heartbreaking decision to cancel the
show. It is a devastating blow for the CLA team, contractors, exhibitors and
the hoards of visitors and guests who make the CLA Game Fair the world's
greatest country show.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"<i>I feel enormously sorry for all those who were so
looking forward to this year's event. The CLA Game Fair will return next
year.</i>"</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">More can be found on the Game Fair's website<a href="http://www.gamefair.co.uk/" target="_blank"> here</a>.</span>NIGEL ALLEN's Official Airgun Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12284395955772330907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205987449820979385.post-51068176304131495742012-07-03T09:52:00.001+01:002012-07-03T09:55:15.741+01:00AIR RIFLE or RIMFIRE?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ74wse-1Rx1k5BrRdpHXIbuRFG3t0_W5ATsJAY8m2d5mpiaxOTDnpDEH7aXuyc8K4noFEax_Y9tufrdcHGl0DjltMKlRpxcUrgMPSdkRws-oWPPh2DxTK1AMOqnaqhEr0DsimbvEGio8/s1600/AWv17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ74wse-1Rx1k5BrRdpHXIbuRFG3t0_W5ATsJAY8m2d5mpiaxOTDnpDEH7aXuyc8K4noFEax_Y9tufrdcHGl0DjltMKlRpxcUrgMPSdkRws-oWPPh2DxTK1AMOqnaqhEr0DsimbvEGio8/s1600/AWv17.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Shooting Show: sub-12ft/lb .177 Air Wolf v rimfire .17HMR </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>It's often a question I'm asked - which is best: rimfire or air rifle? It's usually followed by a further question, relating to the air rifle: sub-12ft/lb or FAC-rated?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There's probably no 'right' answer - each has their merits as explained in the video shot for TheShootingShow <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/theshootingshow" target="_blank">channel</a> on YouTube, where I was invited along to shoot rabbits with my 11ft/lb .177 calibre Air Wolf alongside a .17HMR pest controller on his patch of land.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the (fairly short) time we each had, the score was 2-2 - though I picked up both my bunnies, and Mark, the .17 shooter, only one as he unfortunately had a 'runner'.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The grass was very long, and there was a strong breeze, so even though I had a great vantage point on top of the 4x4, I chose to limit my range. As tempting as the bunnies were at 50 yards, off a bipod, the land was alien to me and the conditions just added that little bit too much of a risk. My rabbits were therefore taken at 38 and 43 yards (I used a laser rangefinder to mark points beforehand).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mark took his rabbits around 20 yards further on - and could easily have stretched that range further if it wasn't for the stems of the long grass blowing about in the breeze.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We shooters agreed that for out-and-out pest control, the rimfire probably had the advantage - but Mark (who hasn't shot an air rifle in years) was suitably impressed with the air rifle's capability... and the fact that it was so accurate even in the wind on 40 yarders. Plus, of course, this head-to-head finished even-stevens.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That said, we were both minced by the 'third' competitor in the challenge - long nets!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Watch the full video <a href="http://youtu.be/r2UPZ8fm4_I" target="_blank">here</a>.</span>NIGEL ALLEN's Official Airgun Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12284395955772330907noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205987449820979385.post-66499909157685333432012-03-17T11:25:00.000+00:002012-03-17T11:25:54.153+00:00AIR BOTTLE TESTING - IMPORTANT INFO<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>I took a couple of diver's scuba tanks - which I use for filling my precharged pneumatic air rifles - into the dive centre this morning... and found out something that I never knew. </b></span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One needed to be sent away for a full hydrostatic test; the other was still 'in date' and could be filled there and then. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As many PCP owners will know, if you fill up from an air bottle, for that scuba tank to be itself filled with breathing air by a diving centre, it must be 'in test'. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But this is where things get complicated. Surface-use-only valves only need to be tested every five years (a full, hydrostatic test). Those bottle with valves which could be used underwater for diving - regardless of whether they are or not - need to be tested every two-and-a-half years. The tests alternate between a visual and a hydrostatic test.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How to tell which type of valve you have? Well, if your tank has a gauge pre-fitted to the valve - like this <a href="http://www.midlanddiving.com/airgun-charging/jubilee-gun-valve" target="_blank">slow-flow 'Jubilee' valve from MDE</a> (below) - it's 'surface-use-only and requires a full hydrostatic test every five years. </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ujvWLtDgvdtCKylsJ0j0AvLWdXfRRu18TrDSsZL-3LDjcxXRs-DsOIwPM3Vtca6nldhZ6UrtvHHZ_OckfbwOZPidrWC6PfO0Ic-WKWAGdpp5IaSdfwxiL7Gcz2QE59swsYIb27-CaKA/s1600/Surface+Valve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ujvWLtDgvdtCKylsJ0j0AvLWdXfRRu18TrDSsZL-3LDjcxXRs-DsOIwPM3Vtca6nldhZ6UrtvHHZ_OckfbwOZPidrWC6PfO0Ic-WKWAGdpp5IaSdfwxiL7Gcz2QE59swsYIb27-CaKA/s400/Surface+Valve.jpg" width="293" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Surface-use-only valve (it's got an integral gauge)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However, if it has not got an integral gauge fitted, like the one below, then even if you tell the diving centre that you've never taken it underwater, they will still treat it as a below-surface valve and, as such, the bottle to which it's attached will need to be tested every two-and-a-half years - visual, hydro, visual, hydro... and so on.</span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB2oTk4wj5fHMGxMfkvILb1TtViqR8IywGFJ-AxmpG_ePvWK6NaEWN6GDkgsm62WyIueeuX5u-Q8cAB5FtbZ9gqgm7DFpwS0PPbUtVc8EsBLzKnnCd7lrr7slxgvi33POpa96PpOfEFes/s1600/Underwater+Valve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB2oTk4wj5fHMGxMfkvILb1TtViqR8IywGFJ-AxmpG_ePvWK6NaEWN6GDkgsm62WyIueeuX5u-Q8cAB5FtbZ9gqgm7DFpwS0PPbUtVc8EsBLzKnnCd7lrr7slxgvi33POpa96PpOfEFes/s400/Underwater+Valve.jpg" width="328" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Below-surface valve (no integral gauge)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: center;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: center;">But <i>here's</i> the thing I learned from my dive centre this morning. If you have a bottle with a below-surface valve, make sure you get it into the dive centre pretty close to its test date when it's due for the visual test - because if you leave it too long after, the dive centre will probably want to give it a full hydrostatic test. This, of course, costs around twice as much!</span></span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I learned the hard way. Although my bottle was technically due a two-and-a-half year visual, because I'd left it almost a year - as it was full at 'clockover' date, and because it's only my 3-litre 'emergency' bottle which I rarely use, I'd had no cause to take it in to the dive centre - I got thumped with a £42 bill instead of a £25 bill!</span></span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So... I just thought I'd pass this info on. Check your scuba bottle's test expiry date - either etched in the bottle, or on a sticker - and don't leave it too long afterwards before you decide to take it to your dive centre for its scheduled test! </span></span>NIGEL ALLEN's Official Airgun Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12284395955772330907noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205987449820979385.post-50473807925679399242012-03-15T08:52:00.004+00:002012-03-15T08:57:51.316+00:00Diana 280 - tune-up<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPG_iXMtPZqlVuOYeZImWz2AwWR6frDM5VmZykXSQV39XHQES2lXAf8hmS4gLMq7W4H28xfJWLXmEePQB-qhqxOtlt2hX3OYYZnWvsCyNW_jvytocCp6uIya0LKnIlxrK6-a5d8Ch0-bw/s1600/DianaMod280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPG_iXMtPZqlVuOYeZImWz2AwWR6frDM5VmZykXSQV39XHQES2lXAf8hmS4gLMq7W4H28xfJWLXmEePQB-qhqxOtlt2hX3OYYZnWvsCyNW_jvytocCp6uIya0LKnIlxrK6-a5d8Ch0-bw/s400/DianaMod280.jpg" width="366" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The standard length Diana 280 - a rifle which responds well to a tune-up</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>While I tend to do the majority of my hunting with a PCP these days, I'm still very much a committed springer fan. One of the new rifles that's really tempted me into parting with my cash is the <a href="http://www.diana-airguns.de/index.php?id=274&L=1&width=1920&height=1200" target="_blank"><span id="goog_1131201391"></span>Diana Mod 280 break-barrel<span id="goog_1131201392"></span></a>; it's very reminiscent of my old Feinwerkbau Sport, being lightweight, well balanced, sleek and with quite a snappy firing cycle. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Actually, a little too 'snappy' in my favourite, shorter-barrelled 'K' configuration - which, I believe, is a UK-only model. Anyway, that's why I didn't succumb to adding one to my armoury.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then I met up with keen airgunner, Tony Leach, at this year's <a href="http://www.shootingshow.co.uk/" target="_blank">British Shooting Show</a> who'd just bought a UK-specced Diana 280K with the intention to tune it up. I know him to be pretty much a dab-hand at getting the best out of springers, so I asked him if he'd let me know how it turned out - which he's now done courtesy of his AirgunTech blog, <a href="http://www.airguntech.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Having read it, I think I'm probably going to treat myself to a Diana 280 - the 'K', I reckon - and then give it to Tony to work his magic on. Just as I thought when I tested the original Mod. 280 (<i>pictured</i>), it's a lovely little air rifle with a massively huge potential if worked upon. </span>NIGEL ALLEN's Official Airgun Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12284395955772330907noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205987449820979385.post-6522655959732198872012-03-07T10:34:00.003+00:002012-03-07T10:37:24.973+00:00BSA resumes spring gun production in Birmingham - UPDATE<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdDo4BGI7xGG0jCcoiFb6zN8y3TMUVsAdel9koEFmcgpI6hstxJLH4UggEPaFOs-6ME5MqpFOcE-wo4_0vdt-8bBs3MlyEPPRPFD0OvtB1Gb-LXkWKtQUv11z-2WTPYf633aSAio8-6Hc/s1600/BSA-UK-Spain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdDo4BGI7xGG0jCcoiFb6zN8y3TMUVsAdel9koEFmcgpI6hstxJLH4UggEPaFOs-6ME5MqpFOcE-wo4_0vdt-8bBs3MlyEPPRPFD0OvtB1Gb-LXkWKtQUv11z-2WTPYf633aSAio8-6Hc/s400/BSA-UK-Spain.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BSA springers - UK production now not confirmed after all...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Well, BSA are certainly springing us some surprises. No sooner does Martin Lowe, MD of BSA Guns, ring me with the news of spring gun production resuming at their Birmingham factory... than he's replaced as MD by Simon Moore, BSA's former General Manager!</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The shock change of personnel at the top was accompanied with a press release from Britain's iconic gunmaker which says, I quote:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">'Simon also commented upon the recent communication that BSA Spring Guns are imminently returning to Birmingham.<i> "I rule nothing in nor out at this stage. However, the strategic direction of BSA as a brand is under review. Manufacturing location is not important, technical expertise, and heritage is the key. No decision has been made on the issue at this time."</i>'</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've since spoken with Simon, who refused to be drawn either way regarding the information that the previous incumbent had informed myself (and others within the airgun industry) - but one thing I can confirm is that PCP manufacture looks set to remain in Birmingham. Indeed, Simon says so in the press release:</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"<i>Birmingham is the group's 'Centre of Excellence' for PCP design and manufacture, (and will remain so!), as well as a major design authority and provider of engineering knowledge on the group's Spring Guns.</i>"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But whatever, I guess it means it's most unlikely that I'll be visiting the BSA factory this month to grab a UK-made Lightning XL after all! </span><br />
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</span>NIGEL ALLEN's Official Airgun Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12284395955772330907noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205987449820979385.post-32515839115087142042012-02-23T16:29:00.002+00:002012-02-23T16:35:43.900+00:00BSA resumes spring gun production in Birmingham<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>I've just got off the phone with Martin Lowe, the MD of the Birmingham Small Arms Company, aka BSA Guns - with fantastic, breaking news.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He tells me that, from next month, production of BSA spring guns will be returning to their historic Birmingham factory from Spain, starting with the BSA Lightning XL... and he's even invited me up there to take one of the very first guns off the UK production line to test it for myself in <a href="http://www.airgun.tv/" target="_blank">Airgun Shooter</a> magazine.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I can't wait - and I'm sure I speak on behalf of all UK airgunners when I say: "Welcome back to Britain, BSA!"</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2-j9XxgpTTasYx9NDxHFBP-6Cg0fbH3vfv47oum461eiUbeWSp7eidYX0Rv66iVZ2MKevUs6f4Sg-WrbnBNv4xICGfUWEVOrVumz7cPIR6McoTtDfh7bWMBUybhZdB0ojXyTWlJKBFk/s1600/BSA+Lightning+XL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2-j9XxgpTTasYx9NDxHFBP-6Cg0fbH3vfv47oum461eiUbeWSp7eidYX0Rv66iVZ2MKevUs6f4Sg-WrbnBNv4xICGfUWEVOrVumz7cPIR6McoTtDfh7bWMBUybhZdB0ojXyTWlJKBFk/s1600/BSA+Lightning+XL.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BSA Lightning XL - soon to be made back at BSA's Armoury Road, Birmingham factory </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="MsoPlainText"><o:p></o:p></div>NIGEL ALLEN's Official Airgun Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12284395955772330907noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205987449820979385.post-54792289163253505652012-02-14T19:32:00.000+00:002012-02-14T19:32:00.210+00:00First Look - Diana P1000 PCP<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Well, it's taken them over 25 years... but the great airgunmaking name of Diana has <i>finally </i>joined the ranks and delivered us a precharged pneumatic air rifle! And the great thing is, their new P1000 14-shot PCP is anything <i>but </i>behind the times!</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's supplied with both a 14-shot, rotary magazine and a single-shot loading system, and it looks quite radical, with a two-piece stock design that's available in either sporter or thumbhole guises. Supplied in either .177 (4.5mm) or .22 (5.5mm), Diana are producing the P1000 in three power formats to suit various markets, from 7.5J to a full-fat version that can kick out around 1,150fps in .177, or 950fps in .22. You can also buy the P1000 with or without a silencer to screw on the 1/2in UNF threaded muzzle.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's cocked via a sidelever action and has a screw-off cylinder as its powerplant, which is filled to 300BAR for a return of up to 280 shots (.22; 240 in .177) from the specially regulated action - each of them recoilless.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Although I'm currently testing the rifle for a detailed test report in <a href="http://www.pocketmags.com/" target="_blank">Airgun Shooter magazine</a>, you can get a brief insight into what I think is a very nice rifle indeed on <a href="http://www.airgun.tv/" target="_blank">AirgunTV</a>.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://0.gvt0.com/vi/7LqCv62k_zA/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7LqCv62k_zA&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7LqCv62k_zA&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div>NIGEL ALLEN's Official Airgun Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12284395955772330907noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205987449820979385.post-17886986707512305962012-01-23T08:58:00.000+00:002012-01-23T08:58:26.923+00:00AIRGUN TV hits 1 million views<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicxM63qOKtXq_FLq-qBew0d143RwWwXLDXmdykuWWHNTbKRoRKljo9E_JDZTsvcrWKcM6pt4czAkgRxa9WSWVowCa2lzuw4vrsBYDDrgKtuAJedUFEvsslUdxThj6d4thp9Hj_6fSzJOg/s1600/1million.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="68" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicxM63qOKtXq_FLq-qBew0d143RwWwXLDXmdykuWWHNTbKRoRKljo9E_JDZTsvcrWKcM6pt4czAkgRxa9WSWVowCa2lzuw4vrsBYDDrgKtuAJedUFEvsslUdxThj6d4thp9Hj_6fSzJOg/s400/1million.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>A great way to start the week - someone emailed me to say that my <a href="http://www.youtube.com/AirgunTV" target="_blank">AirgunTV channel</a> on YouTube has now clocked over the 1,000,000 views mark!</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm very proud, and would like to send out a warm, personal 'thank you' to everyone who has supported the channel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you haven't yet subscribed, please do so. You'll find the channel <a href="http://www.youtube.com/AirgunTV" target="_blank">here</a>. </span>NIGEL ALLEN's Official Airgun Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12284395955772330907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205987449820979385.post-38414176760934324582012-01-12T16:15:00.000+00:002012-01-12T16:15:22.987+00:00Derbyshire Police Statement on Airguns<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>It saddens me to read <a href="http://tinyurl.com/6tsbcom" target="_blank">this</a> on the website of the regional paper, the <i>Burton Mail</i>. For two reasons.</b> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One - that there are still a handful of mindless morons out there who tarnish the responsible reputation of the vast majority of airgunners with their utter disrespect of the law.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And two - that the ever-increasing number of laws this Government keeps introducing to impose further restrictions on young airgunners clearly isn't working. The 43 offences involving airguns - and we don't know, exactly, what those offences were, but that they involved 'air rifles and BB guns' - spiked between 15:00 and 18:00 which, the report suggests, implies a high proportion of young offenders.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When will they learn that the real issue is not about introducing a constant barrage of legislation, but effective education? Stopping youngsters being involved with airguns (in a responsible, controlled environment) is actually not conducive to teaching them the good rudiments of safe gun handling and a responsible attitude toward shooting? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was taught how to handle a gun at a very early age, and I can actually clearly remember reprimanding my peers when they ever contemplated misusing the airguns we had access to as teenagers! Many kids 'want a go' with an airgun; why on earth don't we give them that go... but with all the expert guidance that will ultimately stop them misusing airguns?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However, I was heartened to read the end paragraph: "<i>Officers are now regularly visiting schools to educate youngsters about the risks, dangers and consequences of using air weapons.</i>" Bravo! That's exactly what's needed - and I don't mind betting that, this time next year, the number of offences involving airguns will, actually, have fallen in the Derbyshire area!</span>NIGEL ALLEN's Official Airgun Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12284395955772330907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205987449820979385.post-25653954597914361572012-01-11T09:56:00.000+00:002012-01-11T09:56:50.503+00:00Electric Airguns - the way forward?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnXH-eYmEjeBcIzJiocDAX5-3nmMfnYQM-SQGFqh-9KHuxkj3R6hfTvQdUheRZAFPqCWlW5rxxQcdyQQs6TwQUAqXuTBsyyQM7NKOTv9vZbO8VpSpI8K4iWmYQbBtypCGFrx17DOypNa4/s1600/CDT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnXH-eYmEjeBcIzJiocDAX5-3nmMfnYQM-SQGFqh-9KHuxkj3R6hfTvQdUheRZAFPqCWlW5rxxQcdyQQs6TwQUAqXuTBsyyQM7NKOTv9vZbO8VpSpI8K4iWmYQbBtypCGFrx17DOypNa4/s1600/CDT.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The heart of Daystate's electronic air rifles - this is an 'MCT' motherboard</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>It's always baffled me: how come we don't see more electrically-powered airguns? After all, in the world of airsofting, they're the bee's knees!</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of course, soft airguns are a totally different kettle of fish to airguns - but the question still stands. And I ask it as a long-standing user of Daystate's electronically-powered models. Since the launch of the MK3 at the very end of 2002, actually; after I'd finished testing that rifle, I ended up buying it, ultimately trading it in for an Air Wolf once I got my hands on that buddy-bottle model to do a review a few years later!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the late 1980s, Feinwerkbau released a match-oriented air pistol - the Model 90 - which featured an electronic trigger, and Steve Harper (the airgun designer/engineer who's had a hand in the Daystate electrics) produced a pistol - also called the Wolf - which used a solenoid-operated trigger to release the shot. And back in the very early Nineties, Browning imported an electrically-cocked rifle made by the Belgian firm Rutten (The Air Star) which used a battery-powered gear system to wind back the piston. It was seen as a useful option for disabled shooters - although when I was invited over to their workshops to view its production for myself, I recall I was far more interested in what I saw when I was taken for a surprise visit to the nearby workshops of FN!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With the exception of the Daystate(s), all the aforementioned electric guns lasted but a short time. So why is it that the Daystate version - which is now seen on the MK4 derivatives and the Air Wolf - is still with us <i>and</i> pretty much seen as the ultimate air rifle to own by many an airgunner? Perhaps it's because it's not just the trigger that's electronic, but the entire action which uses an on-board computer system to regulate the valve opening and air release.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But as a long-time user of this highly innovative airgun system, I'm still baffled as to why it's only Daystate who market such a rifle. The fact that they continue to persevere with the system (though I'm not sure 'persevere' is the right word here), suggests to me that they're clearly on to a winner.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I recently compared the latest version of their Air Wolf - far more up-to-date than my own gun - with its conventional, mechanically-driven equivalent (the Air Ranger). You can read my in-depth review in the January 2012 edition of Airgun Shooter magazine - a digital copy of which is available from <a href="http://bit.ly/y36A50" target="_blank">PocketMags</a> - and watch a detailed video test on <a href="http://bit.ly/AFeTGo" target="_blank">AirgunTV</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Make up your own minds: do electronic airguns have a future? (I certainly think they do...) </span>NIGEL ALLEN's Official Airgun Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12284395955772330907noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205987449820979385.post-91633651886129818502012-01-04T17:00:00.000+00:002012-01-04T17:00:20.514+00:00Hunting with David James<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Well, with the rotten weather we're having here in the UK at the start of 2012, I'm glad I know this particular airgunner - David James of YouTube (HuntersVermin) and <i>Airgun Shooter</i> fame! </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Why? Well, while I'm couped-up inside, I've got plenty to do watching his brand new hunting DVD, "<i>Corvid Chaos</i>", and following his step-by-step film on how to make a cheap Ghillie Suit from nothing more than some old camouflage netting.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxT-pG-zQrbQa2OfdkzTOh7mqv86J3TA09XgpkDOYhUxofvf05vMVAwyF-otplhwbzkNXJD3dnIY7xAvD3nVC78u3ukzcuq3ixAItr_Aaevt1AwSRV0ufrlqYx3EHFbrylZqlHe2v1IAw/s1600/Corvid+Chaos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxT-pG-zQrbQa2OfdkzTOh7mqv86J3TA09XgpkDOYhUxofvf05vMVAwyF-otplhwbzkNXJD3dnIY7xAvD3nVC78u3ukzcuq3ixAItr_Aaevt1AwSRV0ufrlqYx3EHFbrylZqlHe2v1IAw/s320/Corvid+Chaos.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can watch the Ghillie Suit film over on <b><a href="http://bit.ly/AfENZX" target="_blank">AirgunTV</a></b> - and/or read about it in February's issue of <b style="font-style: italic;">Airgun Shooter </b>magazine, which is in UK newsagents from 5th January and available as a digital edition for computers and mobile devices from <a href="http://www.pocketmags.com/" target="_blank"><b>PocketMags</b></a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, his feature-length, double-disc <b><a href="http://bit.ly/zKqi8k" target="_blank">Corvid Chaos</a></b> hunting DVD is available for the special price of just £14.99 - and having watched it countless times over the festive holiday period, I can tell you its worth every single penny.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The film took David almost two years to put together the two, one-hour-long DVDs, but they're crammed with top-dog pest control footage of crows and magpies, including the crafty 'grey-back' crows native to his Northern Ireland hunting grounds.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But there are also scenes devoted to rabbit stalking, woody decoying and hide-building, all very professionally presented with on-gun film footage of the forays and accompanied by David's 'director's cut' narrative. (I just love his accent!) The hunts divulge numerous tips and advice from this very experienced hunter - and although he uses air rifles rated at 15ft/lb and above, the methods he uses rarely require long-range shots to be made, this making the twin-disc DVD set very valuable to any sub-12ft/lb hunter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Actually, for the money, it's got to be the bargain of 2012. Get it <b><a href="http://bit.ly/zKqi8k" target="_blank">here</a> </b>- or order by phone on 01926 339 808.</span><br />
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</span>NIGEL ALLEN's Official Airgun Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12284395955772330907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205987449820979385.post-33679732607126869572011-12-02T08:54:00.001+00:002011-12-02T09:01:33.929+00:0012 Days of Christmas Gift Giveaways<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH_hmSTa6zig_iyRthDJmIBiGZzXqFfGm12Z3VnToS0FpI6x7AsyBbwd4PYL8UVhZlJ94jlNm0LcTjrKB4EAP7Ub7xZuagZrhtVzDOD6JUq7R3EM6NSiKU-4fLZUsmTBNEVe9Cqh2hrrM/s1600/12DAYS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH_hmSTa6zig_iyRthDJmIBiGZzXqFfGm12Z3VnToS0FpI6x7AsyBbwd4PYL8UVhZlJ94jlNm0LcTjrKB4EAP7Ub7xZuagZrhtVzDOD6JUq7R3EM6NSiKU-4fLZUsmTBNEVe9Cqh2hrrM/s320/12DAYS.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All these prizes can be won from Airgun Shooter Magazine</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>So, Christmas is a-coming... and it could be your stocking that's getting fat, thanks to the Airgun Shooter 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways!</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's already started (sorry - I'm late on this one) - and with a total prize pot of over £595, it's well worth getting involved with. How? Simple - just make sure you've 'liked' Airgun Shooter's Facebook Page (click <a href="http://www.facebook.com/AirgunShooterMagazine" target="_blank">here</a> to go to it)... and then your name automatically goes into the hat ready for the random prize draws taking place every day from 1st to 12th December 2011.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At the moment, the odds are looking good - with 16 prizes being shared among (at current count) 365 'likers'.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It doesn't cost anything to enter - just a click of that 'Like' button - and, as you can see from the image above, there's a wide range of cool airgun stuff up for grabs.</span>NIGEL ALLEN's Official Airgun Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12284395955772330907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205987449820979385.post-36861024027963093892011-11-24T08:44:00.000+00:002011-11-24T08:44:46.171+00:00WEIHRAUCH HW101 - VIDEO<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>I'm currently testing the brand new HW101 sidelever-operated PCP from German gunmaking maestros, Weihrauch. UK importers, <a href="http://www.hullcartridge.co.uk/" target="_blank">Hull Cartridge Co.</a>, have sent me the first unit to arrive in the UK - and though I've got plenty more testing to do before I feel qualified enough to print a thorough report in <i><a href="http://free.yudu.com/search?query=Airgun+Shooter" target="_blank">Airgun Shooter</a> </i>magazine, my early impressions are most favourable.</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The HW101 is the production version of the HW100X 'prototype' which I was first shown at this year's <a href="http://www.shootingshow.co.uk/" target="_blank">British Shooting Show</a>; it was intended as a single-shot derivative of the 14-shot-magazine'd HW100. Thankfully, Weihrauch took on board my (and others') suggestion that 101 would be a more appropriate name - because although it's clearly a stablemate of the HW100, the HW101 <i>is</i> different enough to warrant a standalone moniker.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's coming into the UK in only the one guise - 'KT' format, meaning Karbine (short barrel) and a thumbhole stock... which, in the case of the HW101, is in beech. I guess Weihrauch are trying to keep the pricepoint down, given the current flat-state of the more expensive precharged pneumatic market.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The HW101 is very compact rifle, with a barrel just 310mm long! It'll rival the BSA Ultra and I've already been in conversation with BSA's new MD, Martin Lowe, to set up a head-to-head in early 2012. It should be a good battle, because I already know the Ultra's no mean performer - and, as I alluded to earlier, the HW101 has got all the hallmarks that made the HW100 (Weihrauch's inaugural PCP model) such a success in the UK.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I suppose you have to ask the question 'why?' - because multi-shots are much more fun, right? Well, there's actually quite a following for single-shot pneumatics. Competition shooters prefer them, and many hunters prefer to 'feel in' each shot. I do, only running the magazines on my Daystate Air Wolf and Theoben Elan if I'm out lamping (where it does away with fumbling for pellets in the dark), or ratting (where a quick second shot is often needed).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And I've got to say that single-shot versions of PCPs designed as multi-shot guns are often just that little more accurate, by virtue of the fact that the pellet doesn't have to 'jump' between the magazine and the breech proper. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the HW101's case, my groups at 40 yards certainly appear to be holding tighter than those I shot with the HW100 FSB test model just over a year ago. This may just be because the barrel likes the ammo I'm using - Daystate RangeMaster Li - but, whatever, it's certainly confidence-inspiring. For such a little gun, it's capable of a really big performance.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ahead of the comprehensive report I'll be filing in an imminent issue of <i><a href="http://free.yudu.com/search?query=Airgun+Shooter" target="_blank">Airgun Shooter</a></i> magazine, here's a brief snap shot of Weihrauch's new sidelever from <a href="http://www.youtube.com/AirgunTV" target="_blank">AirgunTV</a>, with the emphasis on that all-new breech set-up:</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ds9mcKspn6Q?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>NIGEL ALLEN's Official Airgun Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12284395955772330907noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205987449820979385.post-14125494262623152011-11-16T09:21:00.003+00:002011-11-16T09:46:27.769+00:00CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAYS!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>You may remember that, last Christmas, I was able to give away <i>Airgun Shooter</i> mugs to readers of the magazine - and I'm feeling no less generous this year!</b></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-WCFw7lWlz7ICVSgGNvopg0PQGnPJNN4flY7hYVWaV2HjGUyDv9NoNs3XvRrnW5hpkNEDq5P7GbL_S4qNOmFEIoqQD6ZNDWDFwFUDqUYI1KsEaHllVFWkAO9pWZoqSJI8cIYnI0GYPCE/s1600/AS12-11cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-WCFw7lWlz7ICVSgGNvopg0PQGnPJNN4flY7hYVWaV2HjGUyDv9NoNs3XvRrnW5hpkNEDq5P7GbL_S4qNOmFEIoqQD6ZNDWDFwFUDqUYI1KsEaHllVFWkAO9pWZoqSJI8cIYnI0GYPCE/s400/AS12-11cover.jpg" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Airgun Shooter Xmas Edition - NOW ON SALE!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Christmas Special edition of the UK's only award-winning airgun magazine is now on sale in newsagents (<b><a href="http://www.airgun.tv/subscribe/" target="_blank">subscribe here</a></b>, or get a virtual copy sent to your computer by searching '<b>Airgun Shooter</b>' in either iTunes or <b><a href="http://bit.ly/tEJycV" target="_blank">here</a></b>) - and there's lots of goodies up for grabs.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Two free-to-enter competitions to win over £1,100 worth of prizes - a pair of Stoeger rifle/scope combos with special silencers on, and a Daystate Huntsman PCP.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can claim a <b>free Airgun Shooter mug</b> when you spend over £30 in the magazine's Media Store - where there's a great selection of airgun books and DVDs to tempt you in time for Christmas.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And many of the items in the <i>Airgun Shooter Gift Guide Bonanza</i> have been donated by the suppliers - and the mag can give them away in the run up to Christmas!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, <i>Airgun Shooter</i>'s <b>12 Days of Christmas Giveaways</b> starts on 1st December, and to be in with a chance of winning one of these donated gifts, simply visit the <b>Airgun Shooter Facebook Page</b> (<a href="http://www.facebook.com/AirgunShooterMagazine" target="_blank"><b>here</b></a>) and 'Like' it. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All of those who have done will go into a random draw that takes place daily between the 1st and 12th of December - and more than a dozen lucky people will get a freebie Christmas gift courtesy of <i>Airgun Shooter</i> magazine and those advertisers who have filled the stocking.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Remember - you must like the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/AirgunShooterMagazine" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Airgun Shooter Facebook Page</a> to be eligible for the free draw. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(And while you're about it, don't forget to follow the magazine on <b><a href="http://www.twitter.com/AirgunShooter" target="_blank">Twitter</a></b>, too: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/AirgunShooter" target="_blank"><b>@AirgunShooter</b></a>)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Good luck... </span>NIGEL ALLEN's Official Airgun Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12284395955772330907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205987449820979385.post-29013862707365754582011-11-16T08:31:00.000+00:002011-11-16T08:31:00.243+00:00CHARITY HUNTING DVD<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The new charity airgun hunting DVD - Rise of the Verminators</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Si Pittaway - YouTube tag 'Zinaroon' - has told me that he's been able to release his charity airgun hunting DVD, <i>Rise of the Verminators</i>, ahead of schedule.</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Available now, it's a riveting, 128-minute long hunting film that's been put together by Si and many of his hunting buddies who regularly post their airgun stuff onto YouTube - but the best news is that all the money goes to charity.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Si is a warrant officer currently serving in the British Forces, so it's no surprise that he's putting all the proceeds from his movie project into services-related charities - primarily <a href="http://treats4troops.net/about" target="_blank">Treats4BritishTroops</a> and, also, the more well-known charity <a href="http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/" target="_blank">Help for Heroes</a>.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've put Si's <i>Rise of the Verminators</i> trailor up on <a href="http://www.airgun.tv/" target="_blank">AirgunTV</a> some time ago, so if you haven't already seen it, go check it out; it gives you a good indication of its diversity of content.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you'd like to buy this DVD and support a worthwhile cause, then send a minimum donation of £10.99 to his charity PayPal account - <b>Treats4BritishTroops@yahoo.com</b>. To pay by conventional means, contact Si directly via email <a href="mailto:simonpittaway@yahoo.com" target="_blank">here</a>.</span>NIGEL ALLEN's Official Airgun Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12284395955772330907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205987449820979385.post-64912191925904829612011-11-09T19:17:00.001+00:002011-11-12T13:01:38.751+00:00Ultimate AirSoft Experience<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Now, I've enjoyed plinking with 'soft' airguns since the early 1990s, but it's really only in recent years that I've become aware of the sport of airsoft - a version of paintballing where plastic BB-firing soft airguns are used instead of CO2-powered paintball chuckers. I say 'aware of' loosely, because I'd not really taken part in a fully-fledged airsoft event. Until last weekend, that is...</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I went along to a local 'skirmish' run by <a href="http://www.ultimateairsoft.co.uk/" target="_blank">Ultimate AirSoft</a> - though it was more a recce trip for me, as I didn't want to take part, just have a look-see what it's all about. Personally, I struggle at pointing any guns in the direction of people - although airsoft guns are, effectively, very low-powered toys which shoot 6mm BBs weighing just 0.2grams, so they're quite harmless.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Run under the well-organised umbrella of UKARA - the United Kingdom Airsoft Retailers' Association - airsofting is a booming business in the UK, as it is in the rest of the world. The event I rolled up at was a regular one (at least twice a month) and was attended by over 120 re-enactors who are keen on the tactical side of the sport, not to mention its historic side. Some of the costume and weaponry was incredibly realistic, right down to the last detail.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm still not sure it's something I'd be so keen on taking part in, but I left the event in no doubt that the shooters who participate in games of this type are very serious about what they do - and if it's helping keep the gun industry going in these austere times, then it's certainly no bad thing.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Airsofting is a very well organised sport, and business - and if you've never done it before, or want to know more, the AirgunTV team took along a camera and dared to get right into the heart of the day-long sorties. You can watch it on AirgunTV's YouTube channel here:</span><br />
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NIGEL ALLEN's Official Airgun Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12284395955772330907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205987449820979385.post-58173264143449607662011-11-07T18:45:00.001+00:002011-11-07T18:49:54.942+00:00Cammo... and the FULL MONTY!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Jahti-Jakt Membrane Suit in Hardwood - blending in with autumn nicely</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>I've written about the latest camouflage clothing I've been testing this year in the December 2011 'Xmas Special' issue of <i>Airgun Shooter</i> magazine (virtual copies available <a href="http://www.yudu.com/" target="_blank">here</a>) - so I'm not going to go into too much detail in this Blog post. This is more an update on what I've written in the mag and, of course, there's the promised pic of me in ma undies...</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The suit is by Jahti-Jakt, pronounced <i>yark-tee-yart</i>, and is distributed in the UK by <a href="http://www.arcticoutdoor.co.uk/" target="_blank">Arctic Outdoor</a>. It's a combination of Finnish and Swedish words for 'hunter' and the camouflage has been designed by the accomplished Finnish artist, Kimmo Takarautio, to match the patterns seen in European habitats. J-J call their pattern Hardwood (not to be confused with Realtree's Hardwood<i>s</i> - plural - which is a different pattern altogether).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm wearing the suit - jacket and trousers - on just about every hunting trip, and many other field outings to boot. Recent rains have made the ground particularly sodden and, therefore, muddy, but the Membrane Suit (as Arctic Outdoor call it) has remained extremely water tight. I've sat and knelt in the water-laden long grass, and crawled over terrain that's so soft your elbow dig into the mud underneath, but I've emerged dry and clean... even if the outside of my suit hasn't.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">From a practical perspective, both the jacket and trousers have got everything a fieldsman needs - see the printed review I referred to earlier for a more detailed lookaround - but now that a few weeks have passed since press day, I'd like to add how well the clothing is coping as colder spells arrive in the UK. We haven't yet had the 'Siberian winter' that's been forecast - and have had a lot more sunny days than we'd normally expect at this time of year - but I've been kept nice and warm on my outings so far, without getting either too cold or too hot. Mind you, I have been making full use of the underarm vents that easily unzip for extra ventilation.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What I'm particularly enjoying is that I can hunt so freely in the J-J Membrane Suit - its lightweight <a href="http://www.arcticoutdoor.co.uk/shop/Products/airtex2.html" target="_blank">Air-Tex2 material</a> is terrific at insulating you from the outside while letting the inside 'breathe' that you really don't need to 'bulk up' when you go out and about. Typically, I'm wearing a T-shirt and/or the J-J fleece (which comes as part of a special package deal when you buy the suit right now) - and when the thermometer really dips, or I'm out later in the day, I don the MicroDry underwear (that's also included in that deal).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'll come clean and say that the underwear - which I can't for the life of me fathom out why is camouflaged, because you'd never go hunting in the nuddy! - is being worn on many occasions: going to the football, when I'm out walking with the kids/camera/wife and, more recently, on bonfire night. It's brilliant. It keeps me warm, dry and by transferring the humidity caused by perspiration to the outer side, smell-free - and its long cuffs and polo-style neck keep they heat in where you're most susceptible to the cold. It's worth every penny of the no-money-whatsoever it costs when you buy the Membrane Suit!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF_Oru5gMJD5f9VS3j-aPao9o2V1EujM8hK7IjBoYbp-JIGV3sL4wlnTVq2Oil33qhQ9SQbeDvr5iAdwt1YBd5uSYrePYrk-ayFstaV7095PEKts7fPlucl6sRKHZ0tUerSzHUi4bsnUY/s1600/wwwJJ3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF_Oru5gMJD5f9VS3j-aPao9o2V1EujM8hK7IjBoYbp-JIGV3sL4wlnTVq2Oil33qhQ9SQbeDvr5iAdwt1YBd5uSYrePYrk-ayFstaV7095PEKts7fPlucl6sRKHZ0tUerSzHUi4bsnUY/s640/wwwJJ3.jpg" width="446" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The full monty! Caught with his pants down and Hardwood (oo-er missus!)</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And because this inner 'skin' is so lightweight and thin, I've been afforded a degree of mobility that doesn't hinder me at all when I'm out in the field. So clambering over stiles, gates and through narrow gaps in hedges really isn't a problem - and you can't often say that when you go out in your normal thermals and 10 layers of clothing.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As to the camouflage itself, I'm getting great results - even better now we're in to the autumn colours. Static hunting - a common tactic among airgunners - with the in-collar hood up (and a face net and gloves) works brilliantly, especially as the outfit keeps out the cold while you're waiting around for the action to begin.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If I'm totally honest, I'm not convinced that the <a href="http://www.arcticoutdoor.co.uk/shop/Products/scentech.html" target="_blank">ScenTech</a> feature - which is supposed to mask the human scent - actually works (nor how it might work), but the cammo <i>has</i> proven itself on many an occasion. While I know many quarry species don't see colours in the same way as we humans do, there's something about J-J's Hardwood that's working - I guess when you look at it mono-chromatically, you can see that it breaks up the human outline extremely effectively. (Doesn't my FWB's barrel stick out like the proverbial sore thumb, though?) </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJujedvMtKcbyUufpe7XhLBkYP8hhfZEYSCJWP9tdGt03UgJwSH_rA4Zjl3fZR5f4g4qaWuvGf9lI4SQK7ISdYxGAv-6JERmPct0uH6MnJTgpSEIV0Fff6mVR5jck9V1iD7v8ZenESDYo/s1600/wwwJJ2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJujedvMtKcbyUufpe7XhLBkYP8hhfZEYSCJWP9tdGt03UgJwSH_rA4Zjl3fZR5f4g4qaWuvGf9lI4SQK7ISdYxGAv-6JERmPct0uH6MnJTgpSEIV0Fff6mVR5jck9V1iD7v8ZenESDYo/s1600/wwwJJ2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking at it mono-chromatically - perhaps through quarry eyes</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've also snagged the jacket and trousers on brambles and barbed wire a fair bit, but my outfit is still hanging up in my wardrobe devoid of any rips and tears. And, actually, there isn't even a pulled thread to be found - not that I should be surprised mind you. I got the Jahti-Jakt because I know the brand's become a firm favourite among many outdoor professionals - and there's one thing you can be assured of: professionals whose livelihoods depend on them being able to carry out their duties in the worst the weather can throw at them <i>always</i> choose stuff that works.</span><br />
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</span>NIGEL ALLEN's Official Airgun Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12284395955772330907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205987449820979385.post-12397892676583575602011-10-25T18:18:00.000+01:002011-10-25T18:18:40.329+01:00AIRGUN CRIME - Down by 45% in Scotland<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The latest official figures released by the Government show that the number of offences in Scotland involving airguns has dropped by 45 per cent - down from 427 offences in 2009/10 to 233 in 2010/11. And this following a strong downward trend over the past five years - the figures actually show a 66% fall since 2006/07.</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is further evidence to demonstrate recent postings I've made in this Blog - that the extensive legislative powers already available to the authorities are more than adequate; there is simply no need for any more rules and regulations, and to impose any more is simply unfair on the vast majority of law-abiding airgun shooters.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The news will come as a significant blow to the Scottish authorities who have such an inane appetite to treat airguns differently, despite offering poor reasoning as to why. Exactly two years ago, the Scottish Justice Minister, Kenny MacAskill, tried to dismiss the then-dropping firearms crime figures by saying: "<i>There is still more than one air weapon offence recorded each day... we are pressing the UK Government time and time again to let us take action on air weapons.</i>"</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, this newest Government data shows that crimes involving airguns in Scotland are now significantly <b><i>less</i></b> than one a day - and, once again, the findings add further weight to the argument that the power to outlaw airguns should most certainly <b><i>not </i></b>be devolved to the Scottish Parliament (currently proposed as part of the Scotland Bill).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There is clearly no need whatsoever for Scotland to deal with airguns any differently from the rest of the UK - the Firearms Acts (and the many other statutes which indirectly impinge on airgun ownership and use) are more than enough to ensure the police and courts can deal adequately with the tiny minority of airgunners who choose to break the law.</span>NIGEL ALLEN's Official Airgun Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12284395955772330907noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205987449820979385.post-28608387843437098032011-10-11T15:16:00.001+01:002011-11-16T09:43:18.140+00:00Airgun Shooter Awards 2011<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Got a favourite air rifle or pistol? Whether it be an old-timer or new-release, why not nominate it for an honour in the inaugural <a href="http://bit.ly/qfyF1K" target="_blank">Airgun Shooter Awards</a>?</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Run in conjunction with the UK's best airgun magazine, <i><b>Airgun Shooter</b></i> (itself an award-winner!), everyone is eligible to vote in these awards, which include no fewer than 10 categories, from sub-£300 springers to CO2 rifles... to your ultimate No. 1 gun of 2011.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Full details and a guide to help you cast your votes are in the November 2011 edition of the magazine (available at thousands of UK newsagents from 13 October, and online at <a href="http://free.yudu.com/" target="_blank">YUDUfree</a>) - or you can shoot straight to the polling station by clicking <a href="http://bit.ly/qfyF1K" target="_blank">here</a>!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Voting closes on 14 December 2011</span>NIGEL ALLEN's Official Airgun Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12284395955772330907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205987449820979385.post-52397525448155893582011-10-10T09:24:00.001+01:002011-10-10T12:38:39.480+01:00OFFICIAL: Government has no plans to licence, nor ban, airguns in the UK<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Prompted by the tragic events last year in Cumbria, the Home Affairs Committee (HAC) of the House of Commons announced its intention to hold an inquiry into controls on firearms.</b> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Their ultimate aim was to examine whether there was a need to change any parts of the current shooting legislation as a means of preventing gun violence and protecting public safety. And even though a whole raft of new laws - </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003, Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 and Crime and Security Act 2010 - have indirectly imposed new measures on the control of airguns, they were </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>still</i> to be included in the inquiry.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The HAC inquiry was submitted to the Government in December 2010, and I've now got hold of their responses to the recommendations proposed therein. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’m pleased to report that the Government considers the misuse of airguns to be by a minority, and that the aforementioned Acts <i>have</i> made in-roads into reducing the airgun problems they perceived were there. (Note my use of the word 'perceived'!)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’m even more pleased that they have finally put into writing that <b>they have no plans to ban, nor licence airguns</b>. In short, they accept that there <i>is</i> enough existing legislation to combat any problem.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However, we airgunners must not let that be an excuse to become lax – we must all still act with the utmost responsibility when we're undertaking our favourite pastime, and consider shooting airguns as a privilege, not a right. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As you can see from the following key elements of the Government’s response to the question whether low-powered airguns should be incorporated into the firearms licensing regime, we must <b>never</b> take our airgunning for granted in this day and age.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“<i>The Government has no plans to ban or licence air weapons, the vast majority of which are used safely and responsibly, and prefers to tackle the minority who misuse air weapons. The Government agrees that enforcement of the wide range of existing controls referred to in the Committee’s report and which appear to have secured significant reductions in air weapon misuse since 2003-4, might usefully form part of police activity to deal with anti-social behaviour.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Government will continue to monitor the misuse of air weapons and will not hesitate to take further action should this prove necessary.”</span><o:p></o:p></i></div>NIGEL ALLEN's Official Airgun Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12284395955772330907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205987449820979385.post-66125894467113756932011-10-07T10:46:00.000+01:002011-10-07T10:46:54.069+01:00BBC PROMOTES AIRGUN SHOOTING!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Yes! You read the header correctly - the BBC (regional Midlands channel) has aired a two-and-a-half-minute segment on their prime-time news show about airgunning... and it makes for an incredibly good piece of TV viewing.</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It centres around Bell Target Shooting - the historic airgun sport that's been practised in the Midlands area of the UK for over 100 years (and which was once more popular than football).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I must tip my shooting hat to <a href="http://www.waltonlions.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Walton Lions Bell Target Shooting Club</a> who invited the news channel to their excellently-run annual open evening. Their persistent attempts to get media coverage really paid off - because the news bulletin painted airguns more positively than I can ever recall the BBC doing in the past 30 years. No sensationalism, no digs, no criticisms (even though Bell Target's practised within pubs!) - just good, honest reporting to show how enjoyable air rifle shooting really is.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well done the BBC - and The Walton Lions. Have a gander...</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/AHsNYSmpteg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>NIGEL ALLEN's Official Airgun Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12284395955772330907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205987449820979385.post-61909050813345166652011-09-07T10:08:00.001+01:002011-09-07T10:17:31.226+01:00ULTIMATE PELLET TIN<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Well... this has to be the ultimate possession for the airgunner who has everything. Everything, that is, except the most over-engineered, beautifully finished, luxurious pellet tin! And if you think I'm being a bit sarcastic, you're wrong - I think this is an absolute must-have...</b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Tt4-DMoHgOeG_NRKgxov_vvCeyl4zafv3_WwDgTzPcLnVmMLy_cJKHRFm0wUlCWMJ_MjGgLLwwrj_xqrMp-PerRrebI2nUcgCwt62LamejGfo0UJ2xS0PsU-kKTLEMpjCZCyCXkglt8/s1600/Pellcan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Tt4-DMoHgOeG_NRKgxov_vvCeyl4zafv3_WwDgTzPcLnVmMLy_cJKHRFm0wUlCWMJ_MjGgLLwwrj_xqrMp-PerRrebI2nUcgCwt62LamejGfo0UJ2xS0PsU-kKTLEMpjCZCyCXkglt8/s320/Pellcan.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's called the Pellcan - and it holds your ammo in such style that you'll be the envy of all your shooting mates... who will probably end up buying one anyway!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Machined from high-quality aluminium, the Pellcan is available in various anodised finishes and features a screw-top lid that's sealed against the elements with an internal O-ring - though there are two external O-rings fitted, purely for decorative purposes.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It comes in two sizes - 2.9in or 3.9in diameters. The latter's best for holding .22 ammo - but so you know exactly what's inside, the Pellcan features a neat magnetic 'medallion' roundel on which is engraved the shape and calibre of a pellet to signify the contents.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Two are supplied - .177 and .22 - with a roundhead inscribed on one face, and a flat-head on the other. (Bit tricky if you shoot points or hollow-points in .20 calibre, I know - but hey, even the ultimate pellet tin can't have <i>everything</i>!)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Price? Well... let's just say it ain't cheap, so I'll let you go and look it up. Go on, you know you want to...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For the record: Pellcan's US website is <a href="http://www.pellcan.com/" target="_blank">here</a> - while you can obtain them in the UK from <a href="http://www.intershoot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Intershoot</a>, tel. +44 (0) 8443 180000.</span><br />
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</span>NIGEL ALLEN's Official Airgun Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12284395955772330907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205987449820979385.post-7804712717837808742011-09-03T19:29:00.000+01:002011-09-03T19:29:49.522+01:00Me on the Airgun Gear Show<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was recently invited onto Giles Barry's <b>Airgun Gear</b> show - and I have to admit that I thoroughly enjoyed myself. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A nice easy-going interview with the big man himself, followed by a bit of a surprise; I was collared into taking the <i>Airgun Gear Balloon Shoot Challenge</i> - and you can see how I did in the video below (courtesy of <a href="http://www.airgun.tv/">AirgunTV</a>).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By the way, I think Giles' show is the best airgun entertainment on the web! If you want to watch the whole of Episode 5, you can do so <a href="http://bit.ly/nVtvSu">here</a>.</span>NIGEL ALLEN's Official Airgun Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12284395955772330907noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205987449820979385.post-35292358858333035672011-07-26T16:06:00.001+01:002011-07-27T11:20:14.825+01:00DAYSTATE VIP DAY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2XWEPfoN9NCqJ3ju9cMGCJKlbTk2mpClxrOm4Qz4anXJRhyphenhyphenBvnD0vhII-sHlLE6aA47jqZ5E3r-lmGYRGZPKV3awK90hzbveM-ca1MdA65cHBAfqTZVK1mIP6WtkdXEvlhk5P8jcQfvo/s1600/DAYSTATE+VIP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2XWEPfoN9NCqJ3ju9cMGCJKlbTk2mpClxrOm4Qz4anXJRhyphenhyphenBvnD0vhII-sHlLE6aA47jqZ5E3r-lmGYRGZPKV3awK90hzbveM-ca1MdA65cHBAfqTZVK1mIP6WtkdXEvlhk5P8jcQfvo/s1600/DAYSTATE+VIP.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>As many of you will know, I'm a big fan of Daystate's PCP air rifles - and even use their computerised AirWolf as my main hunting tool when I'm not testing. </b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, you'll understand whey I'm about to highly recommend the special VIP Day they've got on offer in conjunction with this year's <a href="http://www.countrymanfairs.co.uk/midland-game-fair" target="_blank">Midland Game Fair</a> at Weston Park, Shropshire - an airgunning Mecca which takes place on the weekend of 17/18 September 2011.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can get yourself on Daystate's VIP Day for just £60 (£30 for under-14s accompanied by an adult) - and that's even refundable if you buy one of their rifles from the Fair! Even if you don't, it's great value - here's what you get:</span><br />
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<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>A guided tour of their Staffordshire airgun factory</b> (fascinating - I've been there many a time)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Free entry to the Game Fair</b></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>A courtesy coach from factory to Fair </b>(fast-track entry)<b>, and then back again</b></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Lunch at Weston Park</b></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Daystate Seminar, including demonstrations</b></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>A chance to shoot Daystate's current range of PCPs </b>(including a preview of a new one!)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>One-to-one coaching by airgun experts</b></span></li>
</ul><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Interested? Then ensure your ticket from either Daystate's website <a href="http://www.daystate.com/" target="_blank"><b>here</b></a>, or call Hannah on +44 (0)1782 791755. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The VIP day commences at 09:00 on Saturday, 17 September (at the Daystate factory), after which you'll get the red carpet treatment all day until Daystate drop you back at the factory for 18:00.</span>NIGEL ALLEN's Official Airgun Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12284395955772330907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205987449820979385.post-91722069828056670282011-07-18T13:13:00.003+01:002011-07-18T13:35:35.012+01:00Heads up on a new night sight<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigy5MJAsdXJ3aUO7w_taiBEI8HqF0lsgrAFad68FrULjj2PwklOxCHKCTwyXo6fwlYJqew4xIBp1zm2rHNn9hFRLgONc31X-eHhrb36H6Jfagb-t22KvJtr-jyZpNbEZtHV3-QD9uVyS0/s1600/003_NiteSite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigy5MJAsdXJ3aUO7w_taiBEI8HqF0lsgrAFad68FrULjj2PwklOxCHKCTwyXo6fwlYJqew4xIBp1zm2rHNn9hFRLgONc31X-eHhrb36H6Jfagb-t22KvJtr-jyZpNbEZtHV3-QD9uVyS0/s1600/003_NiteSite.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The infra-red sight picture as seen through the 3-inch monitor of the NiteSite</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Every now and then, something comes along in the airgun world that makes you sit up and think '<i>wow - what a great idea</i>'! Well, the latest gadget I've had on top of my rifle is just that - the new NS50 night-hunting device from NiteSite.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'll be filing my full report in the September 2011 issue of <i><b><a href="http://www.airgun.tv/" target="_blank">Airgun Shooter</a></b></i> magazine, but I'm impressed enough with its performance to give you a sneak preview. In fact, because the NS50 comes with a video-out socket, I hope to post some night-action recordings of rat and rabbit hunts pretty soon. Meantime, though, you can watch the manufacturer's sneak preview trailer that they've put together prior to their unveiling of it at this year's CLA Game Fair on <b>AirgunTV</b>, <a href="http://bit.ly/ogDrh9" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The NiteSite ingeniously bridges the gap between conventional lamping and night vision (NV) - and it allows you to shoot after hours with your daytime combo. It takes just seconds to change over to NS-vision... so you can shoot in the day, twilight and after sundown without any hassle whatsoever.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoo9y2qEF9Rb-yrEDoTUuzheXetVYBbsDIhvkFUSWQlBlIx3GvMNx9M-CPbRTjDLESXQ3ytz6df7tNCHBHOdr-8vMhYeZBuz_vMpMeboxSswySZXl3gR7p7pdYbsRugM6IAQ4k992rSik/s1600/209_NiteSite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoo9y2qEF9Rb-yrEDoTUuzheXetVYBbsDIhvkFUSWQlBlIx3GvMNx9M-CPbRTjDLESXQ3ytz6df7tNCHBHOdr-8vMhYeZBuz_vMpMeboxSswySZXl3gR7p7pdYbsRugM6IAQ4k992rSik/s1600/209_NiteSite.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heads-up: using the NS50 NiteSite on a Daystate AirWolf</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How? Open up the NS50's custom case, push the camera module onto the eye-piece of your scope and mount the TV monitor (which incorporates a variable infra-red illuminator) above it... and with the cables all pushed in to place, you're ready to see in the dark without the aid of any white light at all.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Because you can't rest your head on the stock with the NS50 in place, I was initially sceptical, but I've been out with it a few times now, and it's really not a problem. You simply rest the rifle and look 'at' the monitor, rather than 'through' your scope. It takes all of five minutes for getting used to, after which the sheer brilliance of the NS system shines through.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My pre-production prototype sees much further than the 50 yards the NS50 is meant to - and the NS200 (which is good for 200 yards) would be fantastic for fox shooters, especially if they shoot from a vehicle.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A big round of applause to the English inventors, <a href="http://www.nitesite.co.uk/" target="_blank">NiteSite</a>.</span>NIGEL ALLEN's Official Airgun Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12284395955772330907noreply@blogger.com8