BSA rifles will no longer be sold by us!

Let me just put this out there before we begin... I am a huge BSA fan and still own a Supersport and a Meteor. Both are brilliant rifles. So it is with a bit of regret that we had to make the call not to recommend or sell any BSA rifles to our customers.

We will post a full article sometime, explaining exactly why we decided to remove BSA rifles from our list of products.

NB: BSA Optics has nothing to do with BSA Guns, so we will still be selling the awsome BSA Air Rifle scopes.

Change in regulations re Air Rifles

We received a nasty shock this past week when it was discovered that IATA, the body governing airlines & their carriage of cargo, has changed it's attitude towards airguns completely. Their new regulations will affect shipping of air rifles etc as they now consider an air rifle to be hazardous cargo, believe it or not! It's a bizarre attitude, especially since any air rifle in cargo would be securely packed and locked deep in the hold.

What this does though is affect delivery time. Shipping of air rifles within SA will now have to be by road freight, which means that we cannot offer a "Next Day" service any longer.

Regulations change from time to time, so this will hopefully corrected.

Your understanding and patience in this regard will be highly appreciated.

The most underrated rifles in South Africa.

Most people don’t want to spend loads of money when they buy their first rifle, effectively ruling out brands like Weihrauch, BSA and Air Arms. Most of them prefer to go for brands like Gamo and Hatsan because it is well known and much cheaper. The problem with most of these cheaper brands is that you end up paying more in the long run due to frequent repairs (mostly broken springs and worn seals) and the fact that you soon want to upgrade to something better.

This brings us to the most underrated brand of all, Norica. Most airgunners know the famous BSA Supersport. Well, the Norica is right up there with the same good quality and reliability. The big difference however is the price. The Norica Storm is almost R1000 cheaper than the Supersport!!!

No matter what you are looking for, there is a Norica for everyone.

If you prefer under-lever rifles, go for the Quick (1000ft/s).

If you prefer break barrel rifles, you simply must have the Storm (1000ft/s).

Maybe you want something with a different look. Well, the Dragon Special with its silver finish and synthetic magic-wood stock may be just the rifle for you (1000ft/s).

Some dads who want to teach their kids to shoot. The Titan is the right rifle for the job an probably the best rifle in its class and price range. Costing under R1000, it still delivers the accuracy of rifles that cost a lot more. It may not be a high power rifle, but it is still good enough so everyone in the family can have some fun with it (600ft/s).

So why is it such a neglected brand? Well, I suppose you can blame the Chinese for that… They flooded the market with cheap, bad quality rifles called the B2, B3 etc. and trade under the name Norinco (sometimes also called Airtech). When people hear the name Norica, most of then just assume that pronounced it wrong and that you are talking about a Norinco. So now that you know, don’t be the idiot that gets confused and miss an opportunity to own a great rifle.

Budget Hunting PCP

The questions we get the most is “What is the best PCP for hunting…” and “What is the cheapest PCP…”

So typically they are looking for a rifle at entry-level price with top-level quality. This sums up the FX Typhoon pretty well!



Designed by FX of Sweden, the Typhoon was built to provide the essential requirements for shooters without breaking the bank. In .177 caliber, the FX Typhoon makes an excellent target rifle and a great competition airgun for field target. The bolt action cocking is traditional and convenient. The breech is cut out with plenty of room for loading. Included with the Typhoon is a single-shot loading tray to place below the bolt probe for added convenience. At almost 25ft/lbs it has the power to satisfy hunters and plinkers alike.

The barrel is threaded for a silencer should you require it. For added support to the floating barrel, a band that supports the barrel shroud to the air cylinder is included with the rifle.
The FX Typhoon is available with a stylish, synthetic sporter stock or with an ambidextrous walnut stock for the traditional shooter.

See what specials we have on offer.

READ FX REVIEWS

Winchester 1894 BB gun

Winchester® has licensed Daisy to make a limited amount of air guns marked Winchester®, adding luster and income to the Winchester® name. Appropriately, the first is the model 1894, the biggest selling Winchester of all time.

This is the gun that almost 110 years after it first came on the market is probably still the most used gun in the deer camps of this country.

This replica has a 15 shot magazine and shoots bbs at 300 feet per second. Equipped with a blade front sight and adjustable open rear sights just like the original. Solid wood stock and forearm. Measures 38" tip to tip. Weighs less than half the real thing, only 3.4 lbs.

These are the only 2 avialable in South Africa that we know of ... a real collecters item for R980

Want to be a better pistol shot?

Most shooters do, yet surprisingly few of us shoot nearly as well as we're capable of. That's a pity, because pistol shooting is really a simple process.

There are only four critical steps to sending bullet after bullet through the X-ring. They are:

1) Correctly align the sights.

2) Shift the focus to the front sight.

3) Depress the trigger without disturbing that alignment.

4) Keep the pistol aligned until the bullet exits the barrel.

We all know this, but the difficulty arises in executing the process perfectly time after time. What's the secret to improving our game? Practice of course. But not just sending a lot of bullets down range. What we need are short daily sessions of very methodical and careful practice.

The very best way to achieve that is at home with an accurate, quiet, inexpensive-to-shoot air pistol. For our uses we don't require a pricey Olympic-grade instrument. but we do need a pistol that shoots extremely well, with adjustable sights and a good trigger, and that describes Gamo's Compact Target Pistol.



Made in Spain, the Gamo Compact has every feature we need for improving our shooting. Sights consist of a patridge front and a unique rear sight adjustable for windage, elevation and, interestingly, an adjustable sighting notch width. Sight radius is a generous 9.25 inches. The trigger is also adjustable..

The hand-filling target stocks are of European walnut, stippled for a sure grip and with an adjustable heel shelf. The 8-inch barrel is of steel and rifled for .177 pellets.

Operation couldn't be simpler. Press the release button below the rear sight and the top portion of the pistol pivots up and forward. Insert your pellet directly into the barrel then close the action. Cocking effort is light, the report is mild, and the recoilless discharge produces roughly 400 fps. That, by the way, is more than adequate for pest elimination, such as rats.

Accuracy is good, really good. From across the room if you don't string your shot holes together it's your own darn fault.

Features

* Caliber: .177 Pellet Velocity: 400 fps
* Weight: 1.94 lbs
* Barrel Length: 6.75" / Overall Length: 12.6"
* Number of Pumps: 1
* Trigger Pull: Adjustable
* Action: Single Stroke Pneumatic
* Over-lever cocking / Single Shot
* Barrel: Precision Rifled Steel / Finish: Blued
* Sights: Front Post,
* Rear sight notch can be adjusted to open or close
* Scope Rail: No
* Trigger: Finely Adjustable Match
* Safety: No
* Grips: RH Ergonomic Walnut Target Grip (LH available, waiting for confirmation)
* with Adjustable Heel Plate
* Usage: Target Practice / Ten-Meter Competition

10 Competitions

Do you have a kid who is interested in 10 competition shooting with a spring powered rifle?

Unfortunately SAARA rules force you to use diopter sights. Unless you have a BIG budget to afford the up market rifles, you are in for a lot of misery. First of all you need to find a front and rear diopter for your newly acquired rifle. Then you have to get someone who can do the modifications to your rifle to fit these sights. If you bought a rifle for about R1500, you’ll probably find that the sights cost more than the rifle. In the end you have an over R3000 shooting rig that have a crappy trigger and average performance. Well, that is what usually happens…

With all the attention on high powered rifles, we only recently discovered this little gem… the HW30S ( on special now).

If you are looking for a 10 springer it doesn’t come any better than this. One of our clients bought this for his 15 year old daughter, and she won her first 10 3P competition.

Here is some more info:

HW30 front sight

Overall Length	38.8"
Barrel Length	15.55"
Length of Pull	14"
Rifling	12 grooves
Calibers Available	.177,
Weight	6 lb 0.6 oz
Rear Sight	adjustable for elevation and windage
Sight Radius	15.25" between sight inserts
Scope Groove	5.75" of usable length
Stock	stained beech
Velocity Ratings	625 ft/s
Safety	automatic button type

The following velocity numbers were recorded after a .177 caliber HW30S had been lubricated with moly paste and Macarri black tar. This rifle still has all unaltered Weihrauch factory parts.

VELOCITY TESTS

Pellet	Grain	Feet per second	Average
JSB Exact	8.4	622, 623, 623, 619, 621, 619, 621, 623, 620, 620	621
JSB Match	7.3	672, 671, 672, 675, 673, 676, 673, 672, 673, 675	673
Cros Premier	7.9	629, 628, 633, 634, 632, 633, 634, 628, 631, 629	631
H&N Match	7.7	655, 651, 654, 660, 651, 658, 661, 656, 654, 655	656

ACCURACY TESTS

5 shot groups @10 metres
JSB Exact	.13, .10, .24, .13, .17, .19, .09, .20, .18, .20	Ave = .16" ctc

5 shot groups @20 yards
Cros Premier	.27, .32, .43, .43, .32, .41, .33, .48, .41, .40	Ave = .38" ctc
JSB Exact	.36, .29, .36, .32, .39, .42, .37, .38, .38, .35	Ave = .36" ctc

Crosman 1077: The perfect plinker

When we first got stock of the Crosman 1077, we were surprised at how small and light it actually is. The fact that you get over 50 shots with a single CO2 canister also came as a surprise.



First of all, this is not a high power gun. Remember back in the days when you learned to shoot with an old BSA Meteor? Well the power is about the same. It is accurate, and it can shoot fast... almost like having a long pistol with a the accuracy of a rifle.

I am used to the type of bad accuracy you get from shooting fast with a CO2 pistol, so I was pleasantly surprised when I managed to shoot a decent grouping while shooting as fast as I could pull the trigger. The rear sight is adjustable for both windage and elevation, so some pretty good shooting is possible with what comes on the gun. However, many owners will upgrade to red-dot sights or a scope. My advice for a scope is to use one with low magnification, like 4x. That will give you a wide viewing area for faster target acquisition. Of course, a dot sight can be even faster under some circumstances, but there is seldom any magnification at all. Remember - this is a fast-shooting airgun, and you can rapidly move from target to target. I mounted a RedFox red dot sight on my rifle (I decided to keep one for myself). Its small size and light weight compliment the gun and the cost is very reasonable.

If you are looking for something to shoot rats, starlings or mynahs, at no more than 20m this rifle will work perfect, and if you just want a rifle for plinking, there is nothing better.

Weihrauch, pure shooting pleasure.

The HW97K is our best selling spring powered rifle and is available in .177 and .20 caliber.

Whether you are looking for a hunting rifle or a competitive target shooting rifle, the HW97K is probably the one we are most likely to recommend.

(1) The quality and metal finish is superb. No bad points there. The first time I used the HW97 I was amazed at how smooth the action of the rifle is.

(2) It comes with a factory fitted silencer, so there is no need for an aftermarket silencer.

(3) It is powerful. Ok, there are rifles in the same price range that have more power, like the Diana, but the power at hand is still enough for hunting pigeons, rabbits and rats with ease.

(4) The Rekord trigger is the one all other air gun triggers are compared to. It is the all-time classic spring rifle trigger. Only on PCPs will you find a crisper, lighter trigger, and they only hold back about 10 lbs. of force - this one restrains over 100 lbs.! The trigger is adjustable from outside the gun and can be set to release with a very crisp pull. It's a good reason to buy a Weihrauch.

(5) It looks great. We already said that the finish is superb, but the checkered Beech wood stock with as well as the blue laminated stock must be seen to be fully appreciated.

These rifles are accurate!!!
Just have look at this grouping shot with a .20 HW97K from a sitting position (without a bench rest), 6mm center to center.



This is what the grouping looks like at 50m!

It's probably too heavy for smaller person, but the weight helps to reduce the spring’s recoil.

Hunting and the over 1000 ft/s hype

Muzzle energy is something new airgunners should become familiar with, because it is far more significant than muzzle velocity. Greater muzzle velocity can be obtained by using lighter pellets. Does that make your rifle better suited for hunting? Probably not. A 8.4gr pellet @ 810 ft/s is much more effective than a 6gr pellet @ 950 ft/s.

During the Civil War, soldiers were sometimes fascinated that they could see enemy cannonballs bounding along the ground toward them. The speeds at which the balls were traveling were slow compared to rifle bullets, and their great size made them visible. Field commanders warned soldiers that these cannonballs were dangerous; nevertheless, some soldiers did stick out their arms to touch the balls as they bounded past. If they touched one, it usually ripped off their arm at the shoulder, thus imparting a valuable lesson in ballistics and energy transfer to a dying man.

Over penetration
If a pellet penetrates well and the energy level is too high for the target, the pellet may zip through without much effect. It is possible for a pellet to transit the body of an animal without hitting anything vital and exit without imparting a fatal wound - at least not at that moment, leaving the animal to die a slow and painfull death.
That's why we always recommend heavier or larger-caliber pellets for hunting. The greater surface area of a .20, compared to a.177 means it has to impart more energy to the target it hits.
If you're shooting a powerful .20-caliber deep-penetration pellet, it can also go too far, so you may want to select a pellet that doesn't penetrate as far.

Controlled energy release
This discussion of over-penetration leads us to the world of hollowpoints and wadcutters. Both are great at releasing energy in a target, but neither has a very good record for long-range accuracy. However, the farther you go from the muzzle, the less energy a pellet retains, so the over-penetration problem might take care of itself.

After all the theories have been evaluated, we must remember that only the pellets that hit the target count, so accuracy has to be at the top of every list. But, accuracy can be relative, too. All that matters is that the pellet you select is accurate enough for the job you want it to do at the range you intend using it - not whether it's the most accurate round in a particular airgun.

The bottom line is that accuracy, pellet performance on target, range and caliber all play a part when hunting. An airgun hunter who doesn't consider these factors will not be as successful as he could be.

FAQ's

* What does F.A.C. mean?

F.A.C. stands for Fire Arms Certificate. A F.A.C. (usually printed as FAC) is required in the UK for airguns over the 12 ft. lbs. of energy since anything over that limit is considered a firearm. FAC in the South Africa is only relevant in that you know that a FAC airgun is not limited to 12 ft. lbs. or energy.

* What's better - precharged pneumatic (PCP) or spring guns?

Spring gun versus PCP, well I think one thing to point out is there are spring guns and spring guns. If you buy a cheap and cheerful springer do not expect it to be some magnificent piece of kit. If you want a decent spring gun then you need to look at the likes of Weihrauch, Air Arms, RWS, BSA and Theoben (gas ram rather than metallic spring, but they recoil when you fire them). These are pretty much the best of the current factory spring guns.

If you get a good quality spring gun and learn how to shoot it properly then you will shoot a pcp far better, spring guns demand a precise and consistent technique and will not tolerate any sloppiness, something that pcp's will do (which can actually lead to a deterioration in your technique).

In terms of quietness, yes the spring gun will be slightly noisier, it has a lot going on at the point of firing, and all the mechanics are right next to your ear. Tune the action and add a good silencer and the spring gun can be made a lot quieter.

If you try and force high power out of a spring gun causing harsh recoil or use cheap rubbish scopes then a scope failure is a possibility. Put a decent quality scope on a good springer and they are fine.

PCP's because of the lack of needing to compress the air at the moment of firing don't feature the recoil of a spring gun, all they have is a striker hitting a valve stem to release air from the reservoir as a result there is less mechanical noise but much more muzzle blast. Use a decent silencer and they are very quiet

PCP's are capable of going to higher power than spring guns, and in a much lighter and compact package.

PCP'sare easier to shoot and you can get away with using cheap crap scopes if you feel the need to.

The only downside to PCP is the need for charging kit, which increase the initial financial outlay when purchasing them.

* Is a fixed barrel airgun more accurate than a break barrel?

A fixed barrel airgun will give slightly better groups than a break barrel gun. This is because the relationship between the barrel and scope doesn't change with each shot. A break barrel moves the barrel with each shot so it isn't in the exact same place with each shot. However, todays modern break barrels rifles are typically so well made that the differences are very small. With a high quality airgun, the average shooter will never see a difference between the two types.

* How do you rangefind with a scope??

Range finding with a scope consists of adjusting the objective on the scope until the target is in perfect focus. The distance is then read from the objective bell. Most shooters don't rely on the factory yardage marking on the scopes. They calibrate their scopes by actually focusing on targets at fixed intervals, say every 5 yards, then mark that distance on the scope objective bell.

* How do you determine which pellet is right for an airgun?

The only way to determine which pellet is right for an airgun is to shoot a variety of pellets through it and see which one shoots the best. Ten meter match shooters typically use wadcutter pellets while most Field Target shooter use domed pellets and hunters will used either domed, pointed or hollow point pellets. Most pellets can be bought on the web for a better price than directly from the manufacturer.

* Which pellet weight is best?

The is no definite answer here. A lot has to do with personal preference and what you plan to use the pellet for; hunting, plinking or formal target shooting. It also has a lot to do with the velocity of the airgun you shoot. Lower power airguns may want a lighter pellet so that the downrange trajectory is less. However with a lighter pellet you will have to deal with more wind drift. Heavier pellets will lessen the wind effect but will have more drop at longer ranges than a light pellet shot at a given velocity. Another factor is energy retention. A light pellet won't retain as much energy as a heavy pellet at a given distance and velocity. If the pellet is used for target shooting this doesn't matter much but for pest control or hunting energy at the target makes a big difference. This also is a factor in what caliber of pellet you choose.

* What caliber of airgun is best?

The is no definite answer here. A lot has to do with personal preference and what you plan to use the airgun for; hunting, pest control, plinking or formal target shooting. Generally, most target shooters and plinkers opt for the .177 caliber. A lot of shooters select .20 for pest control and hunting. However .177 can be used for hunting and pest control as well. Generally speaking, larger calibers retain downrange energy better so they impart more energy onto the target.

* How do I focus the scope reticle to my eye?

The focus adjustment on a scope is much like the adjustment an eye doctor uses when they test your eyes for glasses. Turning the eye piece will strengthen or weaken the "prescription".
Follow the steps below to adjust your scope.

1. Loosen the eyepiece lock ring (if applicable).
2. Rotate the eyepiece in the negative direction (check your scopes owners manual, typically counter clockwise).
3. Look Through the scope toward the sky, or at a white wall about 10' away. Rotate the eyepiece clockwise until the reticle appears sharp and black at a quick glance . Do not look through the scope as you turn the eyepiece, as your eye will adjust to the out-of-focus condition. Glancing through the scope will immediately reveal the reticle as distinctive and black when it is properly focused.
4. Lock the eyepiece in place by tightening the lock ring.

* What's the differences between an airgun scope and firearm rifle scope?

Spring-Piston airguns generate heavy recoil and vibration in both the forward and rearward directions. Most rimfire and centerfire riflescopes are made to withstand only the rearward recoil of these types of rifles. Airgun scopes are made to withstand heavy bi-direction recoil and vibration. They typically also have parallax adjustment that allow closer focus. Typically these adjustments will allow focusing down to 10 yards. Recoil is typically not a problem with pnuematic airguns.

* What causes accuracy problems in an airgun?

1. Loose stock screws (particularly on spring guns). Clean all screws with alcohol and use a bit of Threadlocker Loctite on the threads before reinstalling. Periodically check for tightness.
2. Loose barrel pivot bolt. Periodically check for tightness.
3. Loose iron sights or scope. Periodically check for tightness.
4. A dirty barrel. Clean the bore periodically.
5. Incorrect pellet type. Test several pellet types for accuracy. Use the most accurate pellet in your gun.
6. Poor shooting technique. Practice, Practice, Practice!
7. Inconsistant hold of the airgun. Practice, Practice, Practice!