Anyone know a reputable personal shopping concierge? I’m stumped for an appropriate gift idea for a 50th-anniversary celebration. I think that’s the one where you’re supposed to give gold, but as much as I like the folks at Crosman, I don’t foresee Fed-Ex-ing ingots anytime soon. What’s the occasion, you ask? Well, the air rifle […]
Airguns
Benjamin’s Muscular and Hefty Bulldog
Bulldogs have a storied history even if they do look like they lost a game of chicken with a parked mail truck. According to Wikipedia, they’re “a muscular, hefty dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose.” That’s a much kinder way of describing that unfortunate postal vehicle accident, but I digress. Bulldogs were also associated with Winston Churchill’s heroic posturing back in the big war. Described by BBC, “to many, the Bulldog is a national icon, symbolising pluck and determination.” You know it’s a legit British quote because they spelled “symbolising” with an “s”.
A while back, I got my hands on a Benjamin Bulldog and its fraternal twin, the Benjamin Pioneer Airbow. While the Airbow is a nifty tool for hunting applications and perforating trees with arrows, the Bulldog has many practical applications too. While, like the Airbow, its looks are non-traditional, it’s got everything you’d expect in a big bore air rifle, even if it shares that flattened nose with our iconic English canine.
A Sneak Peak at New Airguns from Sig Sauer
Last week we endured modern air travel and hit the road to Exeter, New Hampshire to check out Sig Sauer’s U.S. headquarters – the home of the company’s air gun manufacturing. That’s now branded as SIG Air and no longer the Sig Sauer ASP (Advanced Sport Pellet) Division. The idea is to support the company’s product strategy of disrupting the air market in many different arenas, not just in the sporting and competition fields. For example, the new M17 Air Pistol plants a flag firmly in the serious training market space.
The Benjamin Pioneer Airbow: When You Absolutely, Positively Have to Shoot an Arrow Through a Tree
Imagine a sound exactly halfway between a resounding “thunk” and an authoritative “whack” – kind of like that of a White Ash Louisville Slugger meeting horsehide at the Home Run Derby. That’s the sound of a Benjamin Pioneer Airbow arrow striking (and impaling) a ¾-inch sheet of sturdy plywood. Why would we do that? In […]
Sig Sauer BB Pistols with Attitude: Come and Take Them
When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to resort to serious “tough guy” language that will live on for generations to come, a couple of phrases of grit and defiance stand out. One such maxim starts with the immortal phrase, “We the people…” As the first words of the […]
Backyard Plinking on a Budget with the Browning Buck Mark URX by Umarex
Last week we took an up-close and personal look at the Gamo Urban 22 PCP air rifle. While it offers greatly expanded safe shooting opportunities over those presented by centerfire guns, it still packs some punch by flinging .22 caliber pellets at velocities up to 900 feet per second. This week, let’s consider a pistol that […]
Getting Started in PCP – The Umarex Gauntlet Entry-Level PCP Airgun
It’s looking like 2018 is shaping up to be the year of the entry-level PCP airgun. If you’re new to airgunning, PCP (pre-charged pneumatic) guns are those that carry a supply of highly-compressed air ready to go. No cocking or pumping required, at least until your tank runs out. Why now for PCP? First, the […]
Product Look: Hatsan Sortie Air Pistol
Model Sortie Pistol Caliber .177 & .22 Max Velocity*(Lead-Free Pellets) .177 – 900 FPS.22 -750 FPS Max Velocity*(Lead Pellets) .177 – 850 FPS.22 – 700 FPS Max Energy* .177 – 16 FPE.22 -18 FPE Shots At Optimal Velocity** .177 – 28.22 – 36 Stock Advanced polymer, ergonomic pistol grip. Key Features Semi-Automatic Action!!!Fully shrouded barrel62cc […]
Sig Sauer P320 ASP Air Pistol: Training or Fun?
I happen to have a Sig Sauer P320 of the significantly louder variety. It’s louder because it’s chambered in .357 Sig. If you’re not familiar with that caliber, think of a 9mm juiced up on steroids and Red Bull. I love the ergonomics of the pistol, primarily the rounded grip profile compared to the Glock […]
We Check Out the GAMO Swarm Maxxim Air Rifle
Here’s an interesting thought. How about designing a break-barrel repeater? At first glance, it may seem a little strange to stick a 10-pellet magazine on a break-barrel rifle like the Gamo Swarm Maxxim air rifle does. After all, you’ve got to cock the thing between shots anyway, so what’s the big deal about dropping a pellet […]