This month’s brand focus takes a closer look at US blade and multitool makers, Gerber.
Gerber were founded in 1939 in Portland, Oregon, on America’s west coast. Here, the frontier spirit called for a range of knives that were capable of roughing it in the wild, and although that’s what Gerber eventually became, it started off as something entirely different.
Joe Gerber’s family owned an advertising company, and, as an offshoot of their promotional business, began giving away kitchen knives to potential clients. The knives were of such good quality and so well received, that demand for the knives grew faster than the advertising work. And so Gerber Legendary Blades was born.
Now just operating under the Gerber name, the company has grown from strength to strength, and is now one of the most recognisable names in the industry.
Gerber have some truly prestigious names working for them at one time or another, including the late great Bob Loveless, one of the most innovative modern knife designers, who designed and popularised many modern knife-making methods. Loveless is famed for saying that he would not pay $3,000 for a knife “if it were autographed by Jesus Christ himself”, and so worked closely with Gerber to create blades that were both effective and affordable.
The partnership between the two was a huge success, and, in 1966, the company had to relocate to a much bigger factory to help keep up with demand. The company is now owned by Fiskars of Finland, and supplies a variety of products – not just knives – to suppliers throughout the world.
Lets have a look at some of their products below :
Designed to be small and compact, but still extremely useful, the Zip Hex features five of the most common hex fittings used in all sorts of equipment. Bikes, boards, skis, ATV’s … they all need repairing from time to time; and when they do, the Zip Hex is your best friend.
What I really like about this little tool is the quick release clip that allows you to quickly grab the Hex when you need it. And when you don’t, you can just attach it back onto your belt loop or bag, and the tool is so light, you don’t notice it.
Gerber Paraframe II
The Gerber Paraframe II does not compromise
This is a slightly larger version of the classic Paraframe knife, and the name of the game here is lightness. Since the skeleton handle of the Gerber Paraframe II is made from steel, the lightness is not compromising strength.
The knife has a little stud on the blade, which is a fantastic little feature, as it means the knife can be opened and shut easily with one hand, even with thick winter gloves on. The knife is available in various sizes, and with either a straight edge or serrated/straight edge combo. I myself prefer the serrated version, because it’s more versatile, and with the larger knife, there’s more blade to fit in.
Gerber Gator Machete
The Gerber Gator Machete is an intimidating piece of kit that’s designed for clearing large swathes of land of any kind of vegetation. The Gator is well balanced in the hands, and features texturing on the handle that’s meant to be reminiscent of an alligator’s scales, hence the name; how much it does, I don’t know, but it does give a good grip in the hands for an assured swing.
The back of the blade is a serrated sawtooth, which means there is actually very little that the Gator can’t get through. Comes with a surprisingly nice sheath as well.
Gerber Fixed Blade DP – SE
One of my all-time favourite knives from Gerber, this little knife is just so tough. Again, it has the serrated/straight edge combo and features an incredible full tang construction; most of the knife is just one piece of metal. This makes it strong, rigid, and, most importantly, easily manoeuvrable.
The Gerber Fixed Blade DP – SE also has a large cut-out for the fore finger, aiding precision, whilst the yak hide texturing on the handle ensures a secure hold, even in wet conditions. The 3.3-inch blade is titanium nitride coated, which, after some Googling, is an extremely hard ceramic metal that’s over two-and-a-half times harder than steel itself, so you can expect that cutting edge to last.
This month’s Brand Focus is on Gamo, the hugely popular Spanish airgun maker. Gamo are probably the biggest air gun manufacturer in the world, and also one of the largest producers of pellets and BBs in the world. They started trading in 1955 as El Gamo.
The origins of this company started back in 1889 as company ACSA, who were founded to produce high quality lead based products, and then refined in 1950 to produce high precision air gun pellets, thanks to great success in the European markets.
The Beginnings of Gamo
In 1961 after continued growth and investment, El Gamo launched a range of airguns into Spanish market, which were received with great enthusiasm as they were simple, reliable and excellent quality. The aim for Gamo was always high production numbers and interchangeable parts at a medium price point to make it appeal to a wide range and number of shooters. This aim has definitely worked over the years and Gamo still stick to this principle to allow even more people to purchase a good quality, high quality air rifle at an affordable price. Our resident airgun expert Allan says, ‘They are an excellent entry level product, and provide some of the best value for money on the market today in their ranges of pistols and rifles’.
Expansion into UK, Europe & Americas
In 1963, the first of Gamo’s new products started to be imported into the UK, as well as other European countries, after a successful run at various trade fairs. This was then followed by a thorough distribution network in 1970 to products to enter markets in over 40 countries. 10 years later collaborations were formed with several similar manufacturers across USA, the UK, Germany and Brazil to permit new products and expansion in all markets.
In 1982 Gamo was going from strength to strength, and moved the pellet factory to a larger industrial estate for greater production, as well as their wood processing plant where all the rifle stocks were produced. In 1986 Gamo then acquired the assets and rights to British gunmaker BSA, who were being liquidated at the time. They have continued to run BSA’s Armoury Road factory in Birmingham operational ever since. Read our other Brand Focus article on BSA here.
Since then Gamo have grown and expanded across the world, and have a large presence in the USA to serve the American market, particularly with their high-powered spring and gas ram rifles, which they have continued to develop over the years. In around 2008, Gamo started to make a real push to introduce new technology to the airgun world, with new features such as ‘Whisper’ noise dampening technology and new gas ram systems to reduce recoil and increase power. The gas ram system is called IGT which stands for Inert Gas Technology and Gamo developed it themselves to work specifically with their rifles.
IGT Rifles
Gamo Whisper IGT
One of their best-selling IGT rifles available today is the Whisper IGT which is a break barrel rifle with a thumbhole synthetic stock. This synthetic stock also makes it very light so it’s the perfect choice for a lightweight hunter, or as a beginner rifle for younger shooters. The IGT action provides full power performance and can easily dispatch targets at ranges up to 45 meters and the Whisper technology on the end of the barrel helps reduce muzzle noise.
Another of Gamos leading edge technologies is the Smooth Action Trigger which is also fitted to this model, and ensures a smooth and precise trigger pull each shot. Here at Pellpax we offer the Whisper IGT either as the rifle on its own, or as a complete kit to get you shooting at a great price.
The IGT system has also been implemented into a lot of other rifles and pistols throughout Gamo’s range, such as the Gamo Camo Rocket IGT, and the Gamo P-900 IGT air pistol. The latter is a great choice as a pistol for airgun clubs and scouts, as the gas ram unit does not lose power over time as the spring equivalent would.
Spring Rifles
As well as the IGT rifles, Gamo offers a great range of spring powered air rifles, which start from junior rifles such as the Gamo Junior Hunter .177 – great for youngsters and clubs as a starting rifle. The next stage up from there is the Gamo Whisper Sting, which is a full power break barrel spring rifle and makes a great choice for hunting and target shooting. Just like the Whisper IGT, it is very lightweight, and so it’s great for all ages.
One of Gamo’s latest rifles to be released features a unique multi shot system on a break barrel rifle which has only been attempted a few times before. This rifle is called the Gamo Maxxim Elite and has a 10 shot magazine which fits into a special arm attached to the barrel. When the rifle is cocked, a small probe loads the next pellet and through our testing it is very reliable and just works! This makes it a great choice for hunters as to get multi shot functionality. Before it had to be a PCP, but this rifle really changes the game.
PCP Rifles
The Gamo Coyote
Speaking of PCP rifles, Gamo has a few PCP rifles in its offerings, namely the Gamo Coyote (see above), Gamo Coyote Tactical and Gamo Phox. These rifles are all based on the same 10 shot bolt action system, with the main differences being in the stocks and the barrels. The Gamo Coyotes have a threaded barrel with a muzzle break fitted as standard, although this can be removed to fit a silencer. The Gamo Phox comes complete with a moulded on Whisper silencer from the factory. Another bonus of the Gamo Phox is that is comes as a complete package with the rifle, scope, bag, pump, as well as pellets and targets when purchased from Pellpax!
Of course, PCP rifles offer the best in accuracy and consistency as their recoil-less actions are smooth and simple to shoot, so if you’re looking for the very best in Gamo’s range then I would consider one of the above choices.
Air Pistols
Gamo also produces a wide range of high quality Co2 pistol, which are great fun for casual target shooting and plinking. Their range of Co2 pistols starts from the lower end with the Gamo GP20 Combat, which is a 4.5mm BB firing pistol, with a double action trigger – perfect for getting started with pistol shooting. The next step up is the Gamo P-25 which is a .177 pellet firing pistol with a blowback action which increases the realism factor significantly. The bigger brother of the P-25 is the Gamo PT-85 which is very similar, just with a larger frame size which allows a bit extra power. They also produce the PT-85 as a tactical model called the Gamo PT-85 Tactical which comes complete with a longer barrel, red dot sight, torch and laser for a much more striking appearance.
If revolvers are more your thing when it comes to air pistols, the Gamo GR Stricker would be a great choiceas it comes with an 8 shot revolving cylinder which takes pellets. The frame of the pistol also differs from others in that it has weaver rails to the top and the bottom to permit accessories such as red dot sights and lasers to be added on for aid with accuracy.
All in all, Gamo offer a massive range of rifles and pistols, so there is something for everyone, as well as their range of accessories to compliment everything perfectly. If you’re looking for your first rifle or pistol, or are an experienced shooter needing a stable workhorse, then Gamo is definitely a brand to consider.
The Walther CP99 is an iconic and robust air pistol
This month, Steph Brooks takes a closer look at two very special air pistols…..
We have 2 new air pistols to test in the office today, the Gamo GF MP9 Carbine and the Wather CP99 Special Agent. Two 177 air pistols designed for target shooting and plinking. Both air pistols use 12g CO2 capsules for maximum effectiveness and to power their semi automatic action. Both pistols are also inexpensive, with the CP99 costing £129.99 and the Gamo costing £20 more, ideal for a practice gun and certainly not going to break the bank.
Looks
The Gamo pistol is made to a tactical, almost sub-machine gun design, whereas the Walther is more of a classic tactical side arm design. Both are modern and reminiscent of something an the bad guy would carry during the opening of an Arnie movie. The Gamo in particular comes with multiple rails, a folding skeleton sock and a silencer making this gun in particular perfect for crawling through the jungle.
The Walther is more of a standard pistol shape with a textured finger grip that is finished in a Olive Drab military style colour, which looks suitably tough. The slide and front end of the gun look great and there is even an under mounted rail that is perfect for lasers and torches, although the gun lacks the serious customisation available on the Gamo pistol. The downside is the words “Special Agent” that are printed down the slide and would seem like a bad idea to have on your gun, especially if you are actually a special agent. Maybe it’s in case you forget? The large safety switch is also quite ugly and detracts from the likeness the gun has for the P99, the pistol’s live firing cousin. But having said that, I definitely prefer the classic pistol shape and with Gamo’s over use of plastic I’m going to have to give this one to the Walther.
Winner : Gamo GF MP9
Handling
When handling the guns the guns, it’s apparent that there is a difference in weight between them. The Gamo weighs in at around 1.3kg, quite a lot for a target air pistol, where as the Walther comes in just shy of the 750g mark, nearly half the weight. Both are a majority of polymer around a metal frame with the Walther also having a metal combo slide for added reliability.
Both are built around a metal frame, but the Gamo does have a lot of plastic on the outside, even when taking the price into account. The Gamo is also advertised as a blowback, but nothing actually moves on the outside of the gun when it is fired. You here the blowback and more importantly, you feel it, but it would have been nice to see something visual on the outside. The Walther has a split slide that is made of metal and feels chunky and robust in your hands, giving it the edge here.
Winner : Walther CP99
Shooting
Both are CO2 pistols and shoot hovering around the 2 ft/lb mark. The Gamo comes in at 2.11 ft/lbs, with the Walther maxing in at 1.99 ft/lbs. Not much difference in power at all, but it does limit the use of these pistol to strictly target shooting or plinking, neither are anywhere near powerful enough to be suitable for pest control. It would be excellent if they made a semi automatic capable of it, but to my knowledge one doesn’t exist yet. If you are listening SMK… there is a gap in the market.
The Walther exclusively shoots .177 pellets where as the Gamo is advertised as being able to shoot both .177 pellets and 4.5mm BBs. The Gamo is also advertised as having a rifled barrel though and I imagine firing 4.5mm BBs down a rifled barrel is not much of a good idea, it’s just going to blow the rifling straight out the end. Lead pellets are soft and made to fit the rifled barrels. A steel BB is going to be just as hard as the rifling inside the barrel and is going to wear it down further and further, so I would opt for using only lead pellets in either and the choice to include a BB firing option is somewhat confusing to me. Not much between them to be honest going for a draw here.
Winner : Draw
Conclusion
The winner has got to be the Gamo both are nice pistols and actually pretty similar in terms of power and accuracy. The main deciding difference from me comes from the extra customisability that the Gamo offers, but the better looks of the Walther and its smaller compact size give it the edge in this head to head.
The 59th Game Fair heads to Hatfield House in Hertfordshire between 28 and 30 July later this year.
With a wide itinerary of events that includes country pursuits, a focus on land and gardens, activities (including archery, 4×4 driving, helicopter flights, debating theatre and much more), it should prove to be a great summer weekend for families and those with a passion for hunting, the countryside and outdoor pursuits.
Gun and Accessories Brands In Attendance
Major gun and accessory brands will be in attendance including Croots, Elderkin & Son, Holland & Holland, Hull Cartridge, Sporting Shooter magazine, Airgun World magazine, Nitesite, and Weihrauch, as well as many others.
The event is sponsored by Subaru, who will be holding all wheel driving demonstrations during the weekend. Visitors will be able to jump aboard a Subaru Forester, Outback or XV, and experience the show’s specially designed off road course, which includes various obstacles and inclines.
The George Digweed Pigeon Challenge
Fieldsports Magazine will be launching the George Digweed Pigeon Challenge, where members of the public will be given the opportunity to beat shooting scores set by two of the best shots out there, on a grouse and pheasant range designed especially for the occasion. Top Gun will take away a special array of prizes, and to enter you simply have to head to their stand.
For animal lovers, there will be various other outdoor pursuits on display including falconry, gundogs, horse and hounds, pugs and fishing.
The event includes camping facilities and you can even enjoy premium eating and drinking facilities by upgrading to a Gold or Platinum package.
This year’s Northern Shooting Show 2017 will take place Sat 6th-Sun 7th May 2017, at the Yorkshire Event Centre, in Harrowgate.
In only its second year, the event comes with a host of exhibitors from world of airguns, shotguns, bushcraft, airsoft, gamekeeping and more. It promises to be one of the big events in the shooting and country calendar.
Wide Range of Exhibitors
Many major airgun brands will be at the show, including Airgun brands at the show – Air Arms, Bladetech, Brocock, BSA, Crossman, Daystate, Evanex, FX airguns, Gamo, Hatsan, Hawke, Pulsar, Stoeger, Tesro, Traser, Umarex, Walther, Weihrauch, Webley and more. Meanwhile, the shotgun world will be well-represented with ATA, Armsan, Benelli, Beretta, Browning, & Edmiston, Blaser, , Hatsan, Remington, Webley & Scott, Winchester and more.
There is also a 6,000 square foot airsoft ‘experience’ area, with lots of top airsoft manufacturers and companies including ASG, Airsoft Action, Airsoft Sniper Parts, Badgertac, Elite Shooting, Halo Mill, Nuprol, UKPSA, Stirling Airsoft & The Grange, with more to be announced.
New Deer Focus Area
This year, there will be a new area dedicated to deer, called Deer Focus, with a big focus on deer management, and educating visitors on the journey from ‘food to fork’. With members of the British Deer Society and BASC on hand, the importance of hunting, and showing people their food comes from will be emphasised. Mike Thornley of BASC will be offering a head & pluck deer gland check demo and Viking Arms will be offering a masterclass in how to shoot the perfect kill shot, with the assistance of a Simway simulator.
British Shooting Target Sprint
The Northern Heat of the British Shooting Target Sprint National Series will be held during the weekend, on site. This air rifle discipline combines target shooting intermittently with sprinting in three 400 meter bursts.
Gorgs Geikie, who is organising the events for the national body that runs the sport, said: “We feel this is an enticing way to get young people into the sport of shooting adding some much needed new blood, aswell as an open environment to welcome back shooting enthusiasts.” This Northern Heat at the show is open to Youths (11-15 years), Juniors (16-20 years) and Seniors (21 & over).
New Hall For 2017
A £12 million hall has been built by Yorkshire Agricultural Society, with 1,000m2 of space, and additional cafe & meeting rooms. This will provide the Show’s exhibitors with ample additional space, making the show considerably bigger.
Tickets for the event start from £10 for adults (under 8s go free) and you get them here. You can contact the show on 01472 809727 or email them at [email protected] for more information.
This month, we take a look a closer look at airgun pellets. If you’re pondering pellet selection, whether it’s target shooting or hunting on your airgun or air pistol, this is the post to help you choose the right buy…..
The correct airgun pellet selection is essential to a good day’s shooting
Pellet Size
The most important choice when it comes to selecting airgun pellets is their calibre. Now, obviously the pellets you choose have to match the calibre of the gun you are firing, but different sizes have different characteristics.
The two main sizes of pellet are .177 (4.5mm) or .22 (5.5mm). The legal limit in the UK for power on air guns is 12ft/lbs for rifles and 6ft/lbs for pistols, and due to the way the law works smaller pellets have to fly faster to meet this limit. This means that .177 pellets achieve much higher velocities than .22 pellets and as such provide flatter trajectories for increased accuracy. Pellets in the .22 calibre fly with more of a looped trajectory, and so they may require slight elevation adjustments, especially at range.
However, the benefit of the .22 pellet is its greater mass. This transfers more energy into the target, essentially increasing the force that the target is hit by. This is important for pest control as it ensures clean one hit kills, as opposed to .177 pellets that can pass straight through the animal due to their smaller size and faster speed.
What this essentially means is that .177 are more suited for target shooting. It is the calibre everyone uses in the Olympics, whilst the .22 is more suited to pest control. There is a calibre in between the two, .20 (5.0mm) which aims to combine the accuracy of a .177 with the power of a .22 and it does do this to some extent. The only downside to a .20 pellet is due to it being a less popular calibre, not as many different kinds are available and some gun shops may not even stock them.
There are also larger calibres available, such as .25 and .303, but in my opinion these are only really worth bothering with if you’re shooting an FAC rifle that is over 12ft/lbs, as the extra mass of the pellet requires more force to push it. These larger pellets are designed for hunting at long ranges and can provide devastating power at the 20-30ft/b range.
Weight plays a similar role as calibre, with heavier pellets being more powerful but sacrificing a little accuracy thanks to having more of a looped trajectory. The pellets weight is measured in grain with 8-10gr being about average for .177 and 15-18gr being about average for .22.
Pellet Shape
The shape of the pellet is almost as important as the size, and there are lots of different styles of pellet available that all perform vary different roles. Choosing the correct style of pellet can effect drastically improve the effectiveness of your shooting.
Flathead or Wadcutter
A varied selection of pellets, in different sizes
These pellets are designed for practice and target shooting and are so shaped to cut clean holes in the target for accurate scoring. The pellets are usually cheap and are available from many different brands. The downside of this shape is that they are less aerodynamic than some of the other types available and will start to tumble at long range. Also thanks to their flat headed shape they are not good for penetration and so not suitable for pest control at all.
Domed
Probably the most common type of pellet available, these pellets feature a domed head and are the jack of all trades in the pellet world combing accuracy and penetration for great all round performance. Suitable for both practice, target shooting and pest control, the domed shape allows air to flow around the pellet more effectively creating less turbulent air behind the fired pellet, for a flatter trajectory.
Because these pellets are some of the most popular designs available, there loads of different pellets to choose from by many different brands such as Air Arms, JSB and ProShot.
Pointed
These pellets feature a pointed tip that is designed to maximise penetration into targets and as such would seem to be the hunters logical choice, however, in practice this is often not the case. The problem with pointed pellets is that any slight damage to the point can drastically affect accuracy, as it greatly effects airflow around the pellet in flight. As pellets are often packed loose in tins, this can happen quite easily, and so, from my experience, most hunters much prefer domed pellets, as the penetration is not that different.
Hollowpoint
These pellets feature either a little gap in the nose or a plastic/metal tip. The idea behind this is when the pellet hits the target either plastic tip or air inside the hollowpoint drives back inside the pellets to aid expansion inside the target, and ensure one hit kills, by creating a much larger wound channel.
The plastic/metal tipped pellets suffer from similar problems to the pointed, in that any slight variation to the way the tip is seated can drastically effect accuracy. For this reason I would personally avoid them for anything other than close range dispatching. Hollow points are more useful for pest control, but you will still find the accuracy dropping off after around 25 metres in most guns. This is simply due to the fact that the shape of the hollowpoint affects the way the air flows around the pellet.
The ‘Skirt’
Some brands of pellets will let you choose what size of skirt the pellets have. This will be displayed as 0.01 differences in the calibre, for example .177 pellets will be marked as 4.51, 4.52, 4.53, etc. The idea behind this is the wider the skirt, the better the seal behind the pellet. This provides a greater pressure behind the pellet forcing it out at greater speed and therefore improving accuracy.
The only trouble that can arise when choosing a larger skirt is that some magazines can be very picky when it comes to accepting pellets. This seems to particularly affect semi automatic weapons such as CO2 powered pistols and Co2 air rifles. I would use 4.5s and 4.51s in these sort of weapons anyway, as they are not designed for pin point precision.
Some of the Best
From my experience shooting air rifles there area few kinds of pellet that stand above the rest in terms of performance, power and quality of manufacture. Bear in mind thatpellets will behave differently in different rifles, even those of the same brand and model. So this is just a guide to what works well in my experience, and for the people I have shot alongside.
The undisputed kind of domed pellets, the Air Arms pellets are supposedly carefully selected to to provide excellent shot to shot consistency, and even looking at the pellets in the tin, they look very uniform and free from imperfections on the surface. They also allow you to choose skirt size between .51 and .52, which is nice, with the .52 pellets coming out on top.
When it comes to shooting the Air Arms pellets, they really are the jack of all trades and are accurate enough for target shooting and provide significant penetration when it comes to stopping small birds and mammals.
The only downside to these pellets is they are quite pricey, costing between 10 and 13 pounds a tin, with their competitors costing up to 50% less. Also there is only one grain size available, 8.4gr in .177 and 16gr in .22. These are pretty average grain sizes for pellets of this type but it would be nice to have something to choose from, maybe something lighter for faster velocities and more accurate target shooting.
Other domed pellets to consider : JSB Exact Premium, ProShot Precision, Daystate Heavyweight FT
These are some of the cheapest pellets that money can. But don’t let that put you off, these practice pellets are made to a great standard and feature a classic wadcutter shape to cut clean holes in a paper target, allowing you to see exactly where you have shot. For this reason I think the Bisley practice pellets make a great choice for zeroing scopes in at short range and, well, practising.
These pellets are not going to be that suitable for pest control or anything at long range but for the money I think they make a welcome addition to anyone’s arsenal and save you wasting you more expensive pellets when zeroing up.
Other flatheads to consider : RWS Hobby,H&N Finale Match Light, RWS R10 Match
Based on the ever popular Crosman hollow point pellets, the Piranha features a star shaped cut out instead of a standard dome that improves the pellet in two ways. Firstly it enables the hollow point to open out easier and more uniformly upon penetration into the target. This provides quicker expansion and a larger wound channel for quicker and cleaner one shot kills.
The star shape also reduces turbulence around the nose of the pellet for better accuracy. These pellets are never going to be match target winners but when it comes to pest controlling these pellets are absolutely devastating at close to medium range, even at 12ft/lbs.
Other hollow points to consider : H&N Barracuda Hunter, Bisley Pest Control
The RM8 has been on the market for a couple of years now and is often a go to gun for people seeking precision grade accuracy at a reasonable price. The Compatto is very much the new kid on the block with Brocock designing it, and pricing it, to compete with the RM8 and Air Arms S400 range. Lets load up with some Diabolo pellets and compare.
Best Looking Airgun?
The RM8 is definitely the more traditional looking of the rifles, and combines a wood stock that has been expertly crafted by Minelli in Italy. It is a bit cliché to talk about passion and aesthetics when talking about Italian manufacturing, but the stock on this rifle really does look great, with flowing lines and rich staining for great texture. I would however like to see the stock being made from a walnut wood for some even nicer tiger striping.
If the RM8 is a classic Alfa Romeo, the Compatto is a Caterham kit car: instantly recognisable, functional, lightweight and also great looking if you like that sort of thing. Thestock is closer to a skeleton style, and has a couple of surprises waiting in store.
The first of which is a small weaver rail mounted under the air bottle, that is suitable for torches and lasers, and a welcome addition to this more tactical looking rifle. The second surprise is the one detraction I have from the stock and that is some pretty prominent mould lines along the stock. This would be something I think you would get over, but it is not something I would expect from a rifle of this price.
Looks are not the most important factor when it it comes to making a decision – It’s all about personality, but you can’t fall in love with personality at first sight. If I was to choose between them I would personally go for the Rotex, as I prefer the traditional style over tactical designs and Brocock’s designs of late have not been to my personal taste. The Compatto does however looks miles better than its ugly sister the Bantam.
Winner : RM8
Gun Handling
Despite losing the looks battle, the Compatto handles absolutely fantastically, and weighs a shade under 3 kilos for exceptional control when shooting, something that is often underestimated by shooters. People often think accuracy is solely down to the barrel and pellet choice, but how the rifle sits in your hands is almost as important as these factors.
The Compatto also features a generous thumbhole shape that provides exceptional control over over grip, and the textured stock is super sticky in the hands, making this rifle perfect for outdoor use, even in the driving rain. Another great thing about the Compatto is that the weight of the rifle is concentrated towards the back of the stock, allowing you put that weight into your shoulder so your lead hand can focus on aiming, rather than holding the gun up.
The RM8 is much more front heavy than the Compatto and despite being of similar weight, it actually feels heavier, because your lead arm is trying to carry the rifle and aim at the same time. Neither are as heavy as the Weihrauch and neither are hard to handle, but after a day’s shooting, the Compatto is going to be easier to handle and more precise to aim with.
The bolt and magazine on the Brocock are outstanding, truly some of the best features on the gun. The bolt is both easy to cock and feels robust, with no hesitation in the mechanism. The Compatto also features a 10 round magazine that is primarily metal, and feels strong and robust – it never faltered during testing. The magazine also features a red dot that will tell you when you are empty. The bolt action on the RM8 also features a smooth action, although the bolt is not as nice as the Brocock, and the magazine holds just 8 shots instead of 10.
Clear winner this one, the Walther is no slouch but the Compatto is one of the nicest shooting rifles I’ve ever tested under £1000, and it is way under. The action is slick and the great weight distribution makes this rifle a real joy to shoot.
Winner : Compatto
The Important Bit
Both rifles were in .177 calibre and were tested using Air Arms 4.52 pellets. Both rifles are advertised as full power, but the Rotex was pulling around 11.5ft/lbs with an average fps of 786 exactly. The Compatto shot at an average of 788fps for a ft/lbs of 11.58. Not much difference between them to be honest and both are about as powerful as I expected.
Side Note : Although the legal limit is 12ft/lbs, no manufacturer will push this with mid sized pellets because if I was then to put in some heavier grain pellets the rifle would be shooting over the legal limit, so 11ft/lbs with Air Arms field is not bad.
It’s worth noting that the Compatto had a difference of around 16fps between its fastest and slowest shots, which is more than I would expect, especially with pellets as consistent as this. The Rotex shot with a maximum difference of 7 fps, which is much more in line with what I was expecting. Reports online state that Compatto doesn’t like taking light pellets, soI decided to move up to heavier Daystate Field Target pellets that weigh 10.25 grains and the deviation between shots dropped to around 4fps. Interesting…
It was brought to my attention that because the Compatto is unregulated that this may be because the Compatto was getting into its so called “sweet spot” where the amount of air being let through is perfect for the pellet being used. However, the Rotex is also unregulated and didn’t produce the same level of deviation between shots. After some experimentation I found that filling the bottle at around 150 bar lead to me to get off around 45 shots that were right on the button, more than enough for a day’s hunting. Having spoken to Brocock, the good news is that a regulated version of the Compatto is on the way.
The RM8 also has a sweet spot of between 180 – 120 bar, with very little deviation between shots. This offers a similar number of optimal shots to the Compatto.
The Compatto comes with a Hugget silencer in the complete kit, which reduces the noise levels drastically. The RM8 doesn’t come with a silencer but is fitted with a 1/2” UNF thread and features a thicker wooden stock that actually does a good job of muffling the sound of the shot. Both would be more than serviceable for hunting but the fact that the Brocock can come fitted with a silencer gives it the edge in noise reduction.
Winner : Compatto
Ownership
There is a difference in the price of these air weapons with the RM8 coming in at £430, and the Compatto weighing in at the best part of £600. This is a significant difference between the rifles and although the performance from the Compatto is undoubtedly ahead, whether is that far ahead is a matter of debate. Part of this maybe due to the fact that the Compatto is a relatively new rifle where as the RM8 is a few years old at this point.
I have hear some reports of RM8s also leaking occasionally. Now the one I tested had no problems, and I know a couple of people who own the .22 version, who also confirmed they had no complaints. The Compatto has a fairly good reputation amongst air gunners, with very few problems, but again this might be down to it being a new rifle, with any problems in the manufacturing yet to surface due to there simply being less of them around.
I honestly think the RM8s are better value for money, but which would I rather own? Taking everything into consideration I would choose the Compatto, as the rifle I’d have but I might wait and hold out for the possible regulated version in the future depending on price, and depending on whether it ever reaches production.
In this month’s Brand Focus, Joe Meakin takes a closer look at German manufacturers, Umarex, whose produce a wide range of highly prized airguns under a variety of big name brands.
Umarex is a fairly new company in the world of airguns. The company formed in 1972, after a new weapons act in Germany was passed that same year. At first Umarex produced a range of blank firers and airguns which could be freely purchased over the counter, a proposition which appealed to the 10 million strong fanbase of recreational shooters in the country at that time.
The History Of Umarex
The company started off as Mayer & Riem, with its founding members Franz Wonisch and Karl Mayer Senior. They were joined by Wulf-Heinz Pflaumer and together they set off to create what would since become one of the largest companies in the firearms and shooting business today.
In 1972 the company’s product range was rather limited, with only one gun being produced, which was the Perfecta Model G1, a blank firing pistol. The company quickly expanded, as they became one of the largest importers of airguns from China, taking in brands such as Daisy, Norica, Milbro and Marksman. These made a huge impact internationally in 1974/75 and they even managed to secure the exclusive rights for Marksman and Daisy at this time, heightening their success even more.
Although Umarex were growing as a company, a lot of the wholesalers were ignoring them, and the only path at the time for products was from wholesalers to retailers with no direct link to the manufacturer. Umarex decided to take the innovative step of bypassing the wholesalers, and go direct to the shops to sell their goods. By 1976 they had six sales representatives visiting gun dealers around Germany. In total, there were around 1000 gun shops in total selling Umarex products and this meant that the growth rates for Umarex averaged 30 – 50%, which set them up for the future ahead.
Walther, Colt, Browning And More: Iconic Big Brand Replicas
Since then Umarex has gone on to seal deals with some of the biggest names in the business such as Beretta, Browning, Colt, Magnum Research, Smith & Wesson, to produce licensed versions of their most famous firearms in all sorts of airgun variants. This brings much loved icons to the realms of recreational shooters that usually wouldn’t be able to own them, due to licensing restrictions in different countries and regions.
One of the most popular pistols in this category is the Beretta M92FS Co2 pistol which comes in Black and Nickel models, complete with the authentic markings just like the real thing. These pistols are made to very high standards, in full metal which provides a heavy weight feel, and great quality. The hammer, trigger and safety work just like the real model, and the pistol fires pellets from an 8-shot magazine for excellent reliability, accuracy and precision. Another popular model is the Smith & Wesson 586 which come in a 4inch and 6inch variants. Again, this is made from full metal, fires .177 pellets from a different 10 shot magazine and is very high quality. If you’re looking for a top notch co2 pistol, then look no further than the offerings from Umarex.
Hammerli & Walther: Sporting Prowess
Some of the other names that the Umarex group own are Walther, Hammerli and Rohm, which have been acquired over the years to extend their product range further. The products produced under the Walther & Hammerli names are high quality and extremely accurate target rifles and pistols which have been used by competitive shooters at Olympic levels for years.
The base model is the Hammerli AP20 which uses a great deal of components from the AP20, but isn’t to quite the same standard as the Walther range. The AP20 is a compressed air pistol, which provides excellent accuracy, and is perfect for an introduction into target shooting, allowing the user to get comfortable with this type of weapon, are they are quite different to standard pistols.
Moving up from the Hammerli into the Walther range of pistols is the Walther LP400, which comes in several different styles with a carbon barrel shroud or aluminium, but the components behind these are all the same. The LP400s are a firm favourite for Olympic level target shooting and if you have any doubts about the accuracy, each pistol comes with a paper test target with just one hole in, but 5 shots fired at it showing just how well made these pistols are. A range of grips are available in both left and right hands, with different sizes as well for all types of shooters today.
Quality PCP Rifles
Umarex also produce air rifles under the Walther name in both PCP and Spring power plants, with PCP offerings ranging from the top selling Walther Rotex RM8 with an 8-shot magazine system, to Spring powered rifle such as the Walther LGV, Walther LGU and Walther Terrus which are all fine rifles.
The range of Walther LGV and LGU rifles are technically very impressive with the internals running on synthetic bearings for low friction, which ultimately requires a less powerful spring so recoil is dramatically reduced. This also makes it very quiet, so when fitted with a silencer it is almost near silent. This all adds up to very accurate and quiet rifles, ideal for hunting, pest control and target shooting with many field target shooters turning to a Walther LGU or LGV for their first choice.
Umarex are always at the forefront of new designs for airguns, and are very good with releasing new products at a large trade show in March, so if you’re a Umarex fan, keep an eye out each year around that time for the latest in new products from Umarex!
Our resident weapons enthusiast Steph Brooks gives us the lowdown on everything you need to know about crossbows. from different types such as compound and recurve, to bolts and other accessories, and more. Read on to find out…..
So you’ve been watching The Walking Dead, have you? Daryl Dixon’s nifty crossbow skills may be new to you, but they have a very long provenance, going back thousands of years. Crossbows have been weapons of choice since their invention in rural China around the 6th century BC. Sun Tzu’s influential book “The Art of War”, which is dated around 500 BC, mentions the crossbow specifically in several chapters.
The Crossbow did not see widespread use until the battle of Hastings (1066) where crossbows were used by the French to successfully invade Britain. These crossbows used a recurve design, essentially a hunting bow laid sidewards and mounted onto a stock. The advantages of this design were that because the crossbow could be drawn with both hands it could be much more powerful than a standard bow allowing them to punch through conventional armour.
Today, crossbows are used mainly for target shooting and archery competitions where their power and accuracy allows for longer effective ranges when competing. Crossbows are also used for hunting in several parts of the world, but not in the UK where bow hunting has been illegal since 1965. The most up to date version of this law, the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 did nothing to change this and crossbow hunting looks to remain illegal for the foreseeable future.
Recurve or Compound Crossbow?
There are essentially two different designs of crossbow, the recurve crossbow design, detailed above, andcompound crossbows which use a series of cams to allow for more power compared to recurve bows, with shorter and sturdier limbs. Compounds use their system of cams to allow for much easier cocking and don’t require the same level of physical fitness to draw as a recurve bow of similar draw weight.
Another advantage of compound bows is that the trigger box doesn’t hold the peak tension of the bow string reducing wear on the trigger sears over time. Compound crossbows also shoot the bolt much faster for the same draw weight leading to flatter trajectories. The compound crossbow also features slimmer and sturdier designs which maintain great balance between the hands while shooting.
When it comes to recurve bows, their more traditional design is simple and effective and has been an useful tool for many centuries. Compared to the compound bow there is much less that can go wrong and when something does go wrong a bow press is not required to re-string it. If you like the idea of doing all the maintenance work yourself then recurve crossbows are the way to go.
Recurve crossbows are also cheaper than their equivalent in compound and also tend to be lighter and easier to aim. The compound bow is much easier to re-string with no special tools such a bow press required. Recurve crossbows are also more silent to shoot although the difference is not that significant, and since hunting is illegal this is not much of a consideration.
Crossbow Bolts
Instead of using traditional arrows that are used in archery, crossbows use bolts, which differ from arrows as they do not feature stabilising vanes at the back and also tend to be shorter. In conversation the words bolt and arrow are interchangeable so be aware when purchasing, particularly online.
The main body or “shaft” of the bolt can be made from a variety different materials which used to be wood but are now usually made from carbon or aluminium. Wood and plastic have a habit of splintering when striking a hard surface where as aluminium and carbon are just as lightweight, but far more resilient. Wood and plastic bolts are only really suitable for casual shooting withpistol crossbows. Carbon bolts are stronger than their equivalent in aluminium but do tend to be more expensive.
There are also two types of knocks available, half moon, which feature a concave indentation at the end, or flat. Different crossbow manufacturers recommend different knocks but the majority seem to prefer the half moon. The reason for this is that the indentation helps the bolt sit better on the string, increasing accuracy.
When it comes to the other end of the crossbow, there are several points available with the majority being variations of the broadhead designed for hunting. Here in the UK, the only points available are field points which are just sharp enough to get stuck in a target without passing all the way through or destroying it. These field points generally weigh between 125 – 150 grain with each crossbow preferring a different weight. When selecting a different bolt make sure that the bolts you buy are either the same weight or heavier than your crossbows recommended weight. Shooting lighter bolts can be very dangerous as it can cause the crossbow to dry fire which can break the limbs and will also void your warranty.
Crossbow Accessories: Scopes, Sights & More
There are many accessories that can be attached to a crossbow with the majority of crossbows, particularly compound models featuring rails that allow for the fitting of scopes, laser sights and red dot optics. With some of these crossbows shooting further than conventional air weapons, a set of optics might be the right choice.
You can either go for a conventional rifle scope with ring mounts and seeing as crossbows are capable of shooting at great range a scope such as the Hawke Vantage 4-12×40 that offers a little more zoom than standard 3-9×40s. Another option is ared dot or reflex sight that projects a red, or green, laser dot onto a glass screen allowing for easy aiming that is perfect for mid powered crossbows. For shorter range crossbows, a laser sightmight be of use. These sights project lasers onto the target allowing you to see precisely where you are aiming but are only useful at short to mid range and are better suited to night time shooting where the laser is more visible.
Another accessory that is essential for any serious crossbow owner is lubrication, since the string needs this on a fairly regular basis. How often the string needs lubing depends on a variety of things, such as how often you shoot and how high the draw string is on your crossbow. Make sure to apply the wax using your fingers right along the length for the string except for the part that is above the arrow rail as it will gum up the trigger box. The best waxes are madespecifically for crossbows but beeswaxalso does a great job.
Conclusions
Crossbows can be very effective tools in the right hands and combine the fun of a bow and arrow with the customisability and precision of a rifle, leading to a hobby that many people enjoy all over the country, with several ranges and clubs springing up to cater to everyone from beginners to experienced shooters.
A screen grab from the brand new Pellpax Shooting Diary App: Keep track of your shooting progress.
Here at Pellpax, we love to go the extra mile to make our customers happy.
To that end, we’ve produced a very special special shooting app that allows users to keep a track of their progress with shooting.
It contains a multitude of features, including the a timer, a diary / score keeping system, and integrates with your camera, so you can take a picture of your shooting target, after you’ve been practising.
The diary contains a host of different target types (ISSF Air Rifle 10m, 25m, Soft Air, Pistol, etc), and allows you to make a note of which weapon you have used. This comprehensive app will allow you to monitor your development and help you to get your shooting the next level.
On top of all that, the app allows you to access the Pellpax mobile store, making it super convenient to top up on ammo and treat yourself to a new weapon.
