BSA Guns has a long and deservedly proud history of making guns right here in the UK, or more specifically in Birmingham. In recent years some of its production was moved overseas, but the good news is that much of it is coming home, which makes me happy. BSA recently told me that the next…

Daystate is a company that loves to create and innovate. It’s now known the world over for its electronic rifles, most recently the Red Wolf, Delta Wolf and Alpha Wolf. Now the pack has expanded yet again with the addition of the Alpha Wolf Safari Edition. Readers will probably be familiar with the regular Alpha…

Amazingly, the standard Weihrauch HW45 has been around for 37 years, but still remains the benchmark by which other spring pistols are judged. The Black Star version that I’m talking about here emerged rather later. But we may never have been blessed with this impressive pistol from the Weihrauch stable in the first place. Its…

I was once a dedicated spring-powered airgun user and believed them to be the very last word in airgun technology. So when pre-charged pneumatics came along, I dismissed them as a fad and not something a serious shooter like me would touch. However, as they gained popularity my curiosity was piqued, so I asked a…

It’s hard to believe, but the Weihrauch HW100 is celebrating its 20th birthday this year, and it’s probably fair to say that while not all airgun shooters will have owned one of these exemplary rifles, almost all airgun shooters will at least have heard of it. It’s testament to the original design that the more…

It’s the climax of The Man With The Golden Gun. Francisco Scaramanga challenges James Bond to “a duel between titans – my golden gun against your Walther PPK”. As we all know, Roger Moore’s character emerged victorious, thanks to his trusty handgun. And thanks to Umarex, airgun shooters can get into Bond mode themselves. Sort…

I think it’s only fair to start this review of the Walther Reign M2 by saying that bullpups are not my cup of tea. I understood why people thought they would be a good idea and why many of the military forces of the world use them. A soldier deploying from an armoured personnel carrier…

How old does something need to be considered historic? In some cases not very, as proved by the very special air rifle, the Sportsmatch GC2,  pictured here. Some readers who have been involved in the field target (FT) scene over the past 30 years may even recognise it, because this rifle won more than 200…

I’m often asked to give my recommendation for the best air rifle to people who are shopping for a hunting gun and I always tell them to buy a mid-weight, sporting pre-charged pneumatic (PCP). Why sporting? The answer is simple. They’re not perfect for any one thing, but they’re very good for everything. A well-designed…

Having been away from the industry, I’ve missed out on all the new releases, so I’m having fun catching up on what’s come along. I had never heard of Effecto airguns, which are made by the huge Turkish gunmaker Huglu. This company has been making shotguns and firearms for over 100 years, and it’s decided…

We love to categorise things don’t we? A pigeonhole for everything. When it comes to air rifles, some come from a premium brand, some are mid-priced, others are affordable, but good, and a few are cheap for a reason. But a select few, like the AirMaks Krait, fall into a classification best described as ‘exotic’. …