British Shooting Show 2023 – the new airgun products on display
Phill Price reports on some of the innovative new products that will be coming our way after their grand unveiling at the British Shooting Show 2023
It doesn't get much more tacti-cool that the Webley Nemesis-X, which offers pre-charged performance for a penny under £370
For three days in February, the great and good of the shooting industry descended on the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham for the biggest and best shooting show of the year to date. The super-successful British Shooting Show was on, everybody was there and of course we were there too to have a look round and see what was new.
BSA
First stop was at the huge and impressive BSA stand, where I was shown the brand new Scorpion TS pre-charged rifle that is the firm’s new entry-level gun. It will be selling for just £569, which is fantastic value for money. It has the superb cold hammer-forged barrel for top accuracy, and BSA proudly told me that the entire gun is made right here in Britain, including the stylish synthetic stock. I have my name down for a test gun as soon as they become available.
BSA’s new Scorpion TS looks great and will represent excellent value for money when it hits the shops
Daystate
Daystate revealed a Safari edition of its Alpha Wolf electronic super-gun. It’s already a superb-looking rifle in the standard stock, and the unique Safari finish adds further to its good looks, while its great functionality is unchanged from the earlier models.
Adding the unique Safari finish to Daystate’s Alpha Wolf gives you a visually stunning rifle
H&N
H&N had flown in staff from Germany to answer our questions about the company’s massive pellet range. When I asked what was new, I was given a small sample of the new .177 Baracuda 8, an 8.44gr domehead that looks a great deal like the most successful pellet today, the JSB Exact. This design is clearly intended to take on the Exact head-to-head, and is an exciting prospect that I can’t wait to get testing.
The Baracuda 8 from H&N is ready to take on the mighty JSB Exact, and we’re wondering whether a clear winner will emerge
Weihrauch
Weihrauch had a nice upgrade to the HW100, with a stock that has an adjustable-height cheekpiece. You’ll no longer need any tools to alter the height, as there’s now a press button that unlocks the mechanism. It not only works well, it looks just that bit more finished too.
A push button makes adjusting the height of the cheekpiece on the HW100 quick and easy
Webley
It is very clear that the tactical-style rifle craze is still going strong, and Webley has a new offering in the shape of the Nemesis PCP. It’s a dramatic-looking gun, with the buddy bottle air reservoir forming the stock, while the action is literally covered in sections of Picatinny and M-Lok rails to add any accessories you choose. The Nemesis comes complete with an innovative forend grip-cum-bipod that deploys with the press of a button.
It doesn’t get much more tacti-cool that the Webley Nemesis-X, which offers pre-charged performance for a penny under £370
Hull Cartridge
Hull Cartridge Company was celebrating the 20 years that Weihrauch has been making the HW100. The boss, Hans Weihrauch, had been due to appear at the show, but problems with his flight prevented him from travelling from Germany – a great shame, as he is a charming man and I was looking forward to catching up with him. David Bontoft from Hull Cartridge proudly showed us his dad’s gold-plated HW35E that he was given by Weihrauch to celebrate the two companies’ relationship back in 1981, a treasured possession if ever there was one.
This gold-plated Weihrauch HW35 is a treasured possession of the Bontoft family
Air Arms
Air Arms had three new models on show. The most eye-catching was the competition-grade XTi-50 designed for Field Target competitions, and interestingly Air Arms will also offer a version designed specifically for Hunter Field Target as well.
New competition guns don’t come along too often, so say hello to the all-new XTi-50 Field Target rifle from Air Arms
It has huge adjustability and every accessory a competitor could ever want, making it comp-ready straight from the box. Besides this, I saw two handsome versions of the all-time great TX200 sitting in new stocks with adjustable-height cheekpieces. One was in laminate called the Ultimate Springer and the other in walnut with a soft-touch cheekpiece, and very tempting they looked.
New stocks adorn these TX200s, which not only look great but offer adjustable-height cheekpieces as well
The final new model from Air Arms was a 40th anniversary special called the Kymira, of which only 400 will ever be built. It’s based on the S510 action with many specially made parts that offer a nod to old models that have created the Air Arms history. A new stock with an adjustable-height cheekpiece adds to the very stylish looks, and a laser-etched ‘40’ in the side panels of the pistol grip adds a celebratory touch. And as if that wasn’t enough, Air Arms also won Airgun of the Year at the Great British Shooting Awards to top off a great show.
To celebrate the company’s 40th anniversary year, Air Arms has launched the impressive Kymira you see here
Hawke
The Hawke Sport Optics team were smiling because they won not one, but two classes at the Great British Shooting Awards. One was for Optics Product of the Year under £1,000 and the other for Optics Product of the Year over £1,000, which I guess covers everything then! Hawke has been one of the most important optics suppliers to airgunners for decades, so it’s no surprise that the company’s products are so popular.
Winner! Hawke Sport Optics won two awards at the show and the staff were rightly proud of their achievement
Accumax
ASI was displaying break-barrel springers from a manufacturer called Accumax. Targeted at the affordable end of the market, they looked very interesting. The stocks showed some nice touches and the sights were innovative. There’s even a camouflaged version for the up-and-coming hunter. We’ve asked for a test gun, so watch this space.
Look out for a test of these new rifles from Accumax in this very magazine
The dates for the British Shooting Show 2024 have been announced, with the event being held from 16 to 18 February at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham.
