Air Gun Photos

This year was very interesting and I will try to give an overview as best as I can. I am sure I missed some new items. But this year it was much larger then any other year. The whole convention center was too small to house all the displays. So there was a huge tent set up outside, and I mean huge about 100 yards worth. Also please remember I did not have much time to spend with the airgun folks so I may have overlooked some items. And the manufacturers are not going to be in the order I seen them except for the first few.

The first manufacturer I did go see is Alfa Proj who make the Alfa CO2 pistol and the Alfa rifle. Both are carried by TGAG and the rifle also by Pyramid air. Not much new in this display but I did find out the rifle is somewhat limited in production since the company is known for revolvers. Firearms that is, and they are in demand in over 60 countries. So the air guns are new to the company and not run on a continues basis only as ordered. However, this company is the most receptive as to the ideas presented to them and implemented into production.

Second stop was Air Arms, in their corner was a new PCP pistol. As luck would have it is produced for them my Alfa Proj. The pistol looks similar to the CO2 cousin but has the air reservoir in the grip. When full production will start is still in the air. But I did find out it will have a velocity of 430 fps which will give about 80 shots. Price was not established at the time I was there but it should be very favorable. Also the S400/410 series were sporting the new furniture. Very nicely done with grip caps spacers and some striking walnut.

Rohm had an interesting entry in the form of an CO2 sniper rifle, called Desperado. It is in .177 caliber and looking at the spec. sheet it has energy of 7.5 Joules. That gives it about 11.25 foot pounds with velocity of 155 meters/sec or 496 feet per second. There is also a very nice guitar case it can be stored in but that is an extra. The mechanism is about the same as the pistol version of their pistols. There is a price of 399.00 Euro, but I will make the reader do the math on this one since it changes constantly.

Marksman and Beeman being one and the same had a nice display set up. Marksman catalog does not carry very many air guns as such few Beeman lower end rifles and couple of pistols. They seem to concentrate on slingshots and airsoft guns. Beeman on the other hand did have the HW100 on display however, the catalog does not have anything about it. I am only presuming they sell it. And since Beeman has an exclusive for Feinwerkbau the latest and greatest was there. Nothing new from last year that I could tell.

Diana, not sure why these people even show up in Vegas. Since anything they have is sold through RWS who sells Diana rifles and pistols. And to top it off a shop can not order from them they have to go to RWS. And I did not notice anything new in their corner either.

RWS, did have some new items in the form of Model 34 Panther in new synthetic furniture and boasting 1000 fps. Also the Mendoza line is represented by this company with some new sights added. A CO2 bolt action is also new comes in both .177 and .22 velocity is listed as 760 and 655 fps respectively. The rest of the line looking at the catalog is the same.

Benelli, is still in the game with a nice 10 meter air pistol. I seen it last year and it looked slightly different if I remember correctly. Loading is similar to Walther as far as a lever covering the top. But the similarity ends there, the frame is more rounded. The compensator looks too similar to Morini . The pistol is called Kite and comes in a smaller youth version as well as a regular lenght.

Daisy, did not have anything new that caught my eye. The Avanti line is gone and it looks like it was replaced by a 887 Co2 rifle. At least I am taking that from the catalogue I am looking through. I did notice a larger section in the catalogue reserved for airsoft guns.

Walther, had a large representation of the LG300 Dominator. There was the aluminum stock and laminate one version in 21 foot pounds/16 Jouls and 28.5 foot pounds/21 Jouls. I am taking this from the catalogue. I also seen a carbon fiber barrel on one of the displayed Dominators. The LP 300 was also changed slightly. The compensator was changed to a much simpler version. And the nice laminate stock was changed to a plastic non slip kind. Stock is very similar as to material to a Hammerli. I think I am keeping my original LP300, this new version looked much cheaper. Also I did not see the new version in the catalogue only on display.

Baikal was there with a single stoke pneumatic 10meter rifle I believe it has 582 as a numerical designation. The pistols and the rest could be seen in EAA display. They did not have any handouts about the rifle so I can’t pass on any data.

EAA, you guessed it the IZH 46M has half a page dedicated to it as does a break barrel MP-513. As usual it is marketed for the power hungry crowd by advertising 1000 fps interestingly for both calibers .177 and .22. Interesting! The Drozd is still available according to the catalogue as is the IZH-61 a strange looking plinker type listing 490 fps. Strange as my did not do anywhere near that when I owned it. But it is interesting looking I give them that.

Anshcutz, had their airguns with the fancy stocks especially on the rifles. Seems to me if there was something new I would never know. Those stocks are just amazing as to the infinite amount of adjustments it has. If they added a new adjustment and did not place a “new” sticker on it I have no clue. I did note the side lever cocking level on the rifles was very similar to the EV2 from Air Arms, neat and efficient. Their 10m pistol was there, looking much like a Styer, and why not since they own part of the company. The compensator was changed somewhat.

Gamo, had a huge display as usual. This year they do have a bunch of new items. One that struck me as unique was the shotgun/rifle. Called Viper shoots and shotgun shell insert that is pre loaded with #9 shot. Looking at the test target in the catalog the spread is about 12" at 10 yards and I counted 25 holes. Then the shooter places a pellet in a metal (looks like brass) insert and shoots pellets. The rifle is spring powered and is a break barrel. The rest of the rifles are the normal faster is better mentality that seems to prevail. One rifle is also advertised as 1600 fps with the new pellet. The pellet is non lead and as I understand is about 5 grains. The quality I seen at the stand and that seem running around the pellet I am questioning the accuracy. But I am sure someone will test it out sooner then later. The catalogue has the first 12 pages listed as new rifles. Looks to me some are just restocked rifles. But it is obvious that faster is better to Gamo. I wonder where they got that idea?

Norica, from Spain was showing their line of break barrel rifles. They have couple of rifles that are in the magnum category and they list the velocity at 305 m/s (976 fps). One is a break barrel and the other is reminiscent of the HW77, with the loading port being a swing out type. The catalog also has a bunch of Walther pistols and the lever action rifle. Also are shown some pellets, Gamo I bet.

Crossman, and interesting visit with these folks. New is a Nightstalker a CO2 revolving magazine type a rifle. It reminded me of a Beretta 9mm rifle or a short carbine with a Airforce look to it. Hard to describe but it would be appealing to the shooter who likes the military look to their airguns. But I am sure the .20 cal shooter is waiting for some news. This is hard since I spoke with several of the representatives and they seemed confused as to the .20 pellet. One did not even know they were discontinued for a while. While another said they will make it if you order a huge amount. While another rep. had to ask the other about it who did not know much either. I am presuming from the dealings they are making the pellet. If they are not marketing it under the Premier label they are available in Benjamin tins. The rest of the catalog is listing a lot of airsoft type guns.

Shanghai air gun factory, their catalog looks very similar to the Compasaco catalog. Only as far as the rifles and pistols that is. First page is featuring the copy of the FWB65 a SS2 and a copy of FWB300 as BS4. A bit of a surprise with the catalog is that the new items were listed in the middle of the catalog. There is a copy of the HW77 but not listed as new. What did cough my eye is a PCP model that is not a copy of anything. I did not see it displayed at the stand or I just missed it. But it looks interesting, there is a picture of one side and the write up is that it is a side cocker. Unfortunately the picture is of the left side. The stats go like this; 900 fps/.177 and 704/.22.

Bam, this is the Chinese manufacturer of a Dastate copy and the Tx 200 copy. Their catalog is showing three new rifles , two break barrel and one side cocking spring rifles. The stats have the barrel cockers with the same velocity only the stock looks different. The side cocking rifle is reminiscent of the RWS 48 with the same velocity listed at 1000 fps. Almost forgot to mention the copy of the Daystate comes in a thumb hole stock.

Falcon, is back with some very nice additions in the form of Prairie-B. One is a carbine bull barrel version and the other a full size rifle in a thumb hole stock. Both in .177 cal and .22.. There are two models listed in the catalogs. One has the FN prefix and the newer models a PF prefix. Also is available or I should write still is available the FN 8 pistol. I did notice there is a lot of solid brass fittings that any of the rifles and/or pistols can be improved on. I am not sure if the performance improves but I know the aesthetics improve quite a bit. And to top it off dealing with Van is always a pleasure.

CZ, this year did not have any air guns in their display. Last year they at least had the 631 but this year not a thing. I did not get a chance to talk to anyone about them but then again last year since they sold the machinery to Slovakia they did not want to discuss it too much. Maybe things will improve in the future.

There was also a company from Turkey marketing Norico rifles and some firearms. Nothing new there. I did notice that a lot of the airguns are leaning toward fiber optics for their iron sights if you will. BSA, also had a huge inventory of scopes of all types. Looked to me most are usable on airguns since the AO does go down to 10 meters. This year to give me time for the airguns and business I had to take care of I did not go to hardly any optic manufacturers. So the report will be missing those news. The only reason bo BSA is that they were in the same stand as Gamo.
And that is the report for this year.