We preview a brand new air rifle from Air Arms, the Galahad….
Air Arms have a reputation for making sure that each of their products has been rigorously tested and designed so that it is absolutely perfect when it is released. Their premium models like the XTi-50 show how attention to detail can lead to air rifles that people love. Unfortunately, that can sometimes mean many months between new product launches. However, that makes it all the more exciting whena new item is announced, and today we heard of the latest announcement from them in the form of the Air Arms Galahad!
The Galahad Specs
The Galahad is multi-shot Bullpup rifle, which means that the action is seated right in the back of the stock, to minimise overall length and maximise manoeuvrability. The information that we received today hinted that it will be available in either Beech, Walnut and Black Soft Touch Rubber stocks, with a choice of lengths, either carbine or standard length, as most of the Air Arms rifles are. I’ve also read reports that it will be available with either a regulated or unregulated action, which I am surprised about as I have spoken with one of the engineers at Air Arms before, and he isn’t particularly keen on regulators, but I know many owners of Air Arms do aftermarket conversions on the current range of rifles.
Unique Handling
The cocking action is totally different to anything I have ever seen before, and it looks as though it’s a lever, which moves downwards, to cock the action back, and then returns to a horizontal position to load the pellet and arm the rifle. Air Arms claim that this ‘assists the shooter in staying on target as well as reducing overall movement’ which is essential when shooting targets, or attempting to be stealthy in the wilderness. This cocking lever can be moved to either side as well, to make the rifle fully ambidextrous.
Other features include a pressure gauge, options for either a 9-11mm dovetail rail, or a 22mm Weaver rail, and a fully adjustable rear butt pad.
An Air Arms Original
All in all I think this rifle does look totally different to anything on the market at the moment, which is a good thing as it can get to a stage where you struggle to tell rifles apart, and something like this really stands out from the rest. As with all Air Arms rifles you know the quality will be absolutely sublime and the accuracy spot on, so I’m quite looking forward to getting my hands on one!
Our resident archery expert James Hancock gives his verdict on the Buck Trail Blackhawk….
From personal experience of these bows, having shot both the 30# and 40# versions, it is clear to me that the Buck Trail Blackhawk represents true value for money, and I can highly recommend them to any archer who enjoys traditional shooting at a very affordable price.
Long & Fast
The Buck Trail Blackhawk is an American style Flatbow made by Raven Archery. The overall length of the bow is a huge 68 inches, and this provides the shooter with a very long and smooth draw, which delivers an arrow to the target with great speed, but little hand-shock.
It is designed to be shot off the shelf, using either a leather pad or hair rest, and constructed from multiple wooden laminations, with clear glass over the limbs. This is in keeping with the traditional look of the bow.
My personal opinion on shooting this bow would be to use a style of shooting called “canting the bow”. This is where the shooter leans the bow so that the arrow is sitting on an almost “v” shape. This is a great technique, used by many bare bow archers because it is a quick way of moving the bow out of the archers line of sight, so he may line up the shot, as well as adding stability to the arrow and making it a lot easier to shoot the arrows quickly (snap shooting).
Available in Different Configurations
Available in both left and right handed and with a draw weight range from 30-50# this is a versatile bow which can be used for everything from field archery competitions, to hunting (as appropriate according to the law in your country). I think the draw weights around the 50# mark are much better to use, providing you are able to draw these, since the arch of the arrow isn’t as much as the weaker powered bows. This is because the higher the power, the flatter the trajectory of the arrow, which will make your shooting a lot more accurate than a bow which you have to aim well above the target at longer ranges.
The Buck Trail Blackhawk, a versatile recurve bow
Arrow Selection
The best arrows to be shot with this style of bows to maintain its accuracy and smoothness would either be wooden or aluminium arrows. My personal preference would be wooden arrows with feathers on them rather than plastic vanes, but an aluminium arrow would shoot well from these as well. Carbon arrows can be quite unforgiving to shoot due to their lightness and speed which is why they are better suited to more precision shooting such as with a recurve or compound with sights.
Personally I would make my own wooden arrows because there is great satisfaction when you have put in the time and effort into making something which looks quite often better than those you can just buy, and they shoot great! At Pellpax we can supply all the materials you will need to build your arrows from the wooden shafts themselves to the arrow points and feathers.
Essential Bow Accessories
A few more things to consider when purchasing this bow. There are certain accessories every archer will need to get at some point such as finger protection from the string, an arm guard again to protect you from the string, and a quiver to hold your arrows for you whilst you are shooting.
I would personally suggest that any beginner archer should use an arm guard until you have worked out a good enough technique to not need one (although the string can still catch you!). I don’t really like using arm guards, as I find if the string hits me then it’s a tough reminder that my technique is flawed, and I need to bend my arm more.
My personal equipment preference would be to keep with the traditional theme, and get a leather shooting glove rather than a tab. This is because they not only protect your fingers, but keep your hand warm when winter shooting, are easy to use, and they look great.
In terms of a quiver, I love to use a back quiver, much like you see in every Hollywood film where there is a bit of archery. Many people struggle to get their head around how to use one of these and end up chasing around after their arrows like a cat after their tail, so for beginners it may be better to go for a side quiver instead, which can simply click onto any belt.
In conclusion, found the Buck Trail Blackhawk to be excellent value, due to its sheer quality, and I would recommend it as great bow for entry level and intermediate archers.
If you would like to see our range arrows click here, and for arrow building materials click here. A lot more arrow-making supplies are available, so if you have anything in mind which you particularly need and cannot see on here, then please feel free to contact one of our staff and raise your enquiry.
We sell the Buck Trail Blackhawk, in a variety of configurations, at the low price of £112.99. They can be found here.
Crosman is a US manufacturer with a proud history.
In the first of a regular new feature, we zoom in to look at a particular manufacturer in the airguns, firearms, archery and outdoor space. This month we shine a light on Crosman, famous for their Rat Catcher airgun, and much more…
About Crosman Air Rifles
Crosman are an American airgun and outdoor equipment company, that design and manufacture a range of pistols, rifles, pellets, and scopes all in the USA. Their base is in East Bloomfield, Rochester which is near to the East coast in the State of New York. Crosman also have several other highly popular brands which they produce airguns under, including Benjamin, and Sheridan. The Benjamin range or airguns are of a higher quality, and more aimed towards the hunting / pest control side of the market.
Crosman first started production back in 1923, with the introduction of the ‘First Model’ rifle which was a pneumatic rifle. It used what was essentially a bike pump below the barrel, which pressurised the chamber, and this in turn fired the pellet along a rifled barrel. This weapon was of the first of its type, and Crosman has never forgotten this heritage, as a large percentage of their range today is pump up pneumatic rifles, although they no longer need to make use of a bike pump!
Crosman 2240 & 2250
Crosman are perhaps best known for their range of pest control rifles and pistols, such as the Crosman 2240 Rat Buster Co2 pistol, and their range of Ratcatcher rifles, namely the Crosman 2250 XL. These are all powered off the 12g Co2 capsules that Crosman began experimenting with back in the 1930s. In 1954 they introduced the standard 12 gram capsule as we know it today, and are now a standard in almost all airgun manufacturers of today.
Crosman also produce some ‘Big Bore’ airguns in calibres up to .357, making them immensely powerful and aimed primarily at the American market, although they are available in the UK with an FAC. One of their attempts was the Benjamin Rogue, which fired a .357 lead pellet at up to 1000 FPS making it immensely powerful. It also had an electronic controller for the firing mechanism which increased the shot count and consistency.
Crosman 2250 XL with 4×32 Scope
In my opinion though, you can’t really beat the Crosman 2250 Ratcatcher. The latest model, the 2250 XL, is a much improved model with a metal breech kit, and a longer barrel with a ½ inch UNF thread for fitting a silencer. The beauty of the 2250 is that it is so elegantly simple, with disassembly taking a few minutes, and a wealth of customizable parts available, which can be found on the internet. There are multi-shot kits, new bolt and probe assemblies, and you can replace literally everything on the rifle for a custom part! It really is the rifle if you like tinkering and improving, as the possibilities are almost endless.
Or, if you prefer something of a smaller size, the Crosman 2240 Rat Buster pistol is great, as it is almost exactly the same as the 2250, the only being difference being the inclusion of a smaller barrel. For instance, take a look at this Crosman 2240 (pictured) pistol where pretty much everything has been customised, apart from the Co2 tube!
Crosman 1077
The Crosman 1077 RepeatAir is a fun, fast and easy to use air rifle. Powered by Co2 capsules, it’s as easy and loading the magazine, loading it into the rifle, and firing to your heart’s content. With a velocity of 6ft/lb, it has enough power for youngsters to play with, and for the learner. A rail is included for optics and other additions.
760 Pumpmaster
Crosman 2240 air pistol. Credit: Carl, Lancs, England.
Other Crosman air rifles which are particularly popular are the 760 Pumpmaster which, as the name suggests, it is a pump air rifle which fires either pellets or BBs. The small frame size is ideal for juniors and female shooters, but can quite easily be used by adults as well, and is an excellent choice for teaching marksmanship skills as well as safe firearm handling.
A firm favourite of pistol target shooters over here in the UK is the Crosman 2300T, which is a CO2 powered pistol, based on the 2240, but with a longer competition barrel, and high quality sights, making it ideal for those wanting to start in target shooting, or teach it to beginners.
Just recently Crosman have released a new product under their Benjamin line called the Pioneer Airbow, and instead of a barrel that fires pellets, it fires arrows from a tube from an airgun based platform. The idea behind this is that you can use a scope, and finely adjust the trigger just like you can on a normal air rifle, to achieve the same high level of accuracy. Unfortunately it’s not available in the UK, but I think it’s pretty cool and shows the innovation that Crosman have.
One of our staff, and up and coming reviewer, Steph, takes us through a comparison of two leading rim fire rifles, going head to head. Read on to learn much more….
There are a few things to consider when it comes to buying a rifle. The first is whether or not you want a rimfire or a centrefire and whilst there maybe slight differences in performance between the two, this choice will largely come down to what you are using the rifle for. Rimfires chamber smaller calibres and are generally used for target shooting or hunting vermin or other small animals whereas centrefires are used to tackle much larger game such as deer.
Not being a big game hunter myself, despite my love for venison, I have opted to compare two rimfires in this blog post, as they are more readily available, chamber a smaller variety of calibres and, perhaps more importantly, are quite a bit cheaper to both buy and maintain. Because of this, the two rifles I have chosen to compare are the Marlin XT chambered in .17 HMR and the CZ 455 Varmint chambered in the larger .22 WMR round. Both of these rifles are moderately priced with the Marlin coming in around £400 and the CZ at £550, and are perfect for anyone looking for their first rimfire.
Best Looking Rifle?
This is perhaps the most divisive of topics as a lot is down to personal taste, and most serious shooters would consider this topic to be secondary to almost any other. However the aesthetics of a rifle are important when it comes to creating a first impression and make all the difference between someone asking: “oooh what is that?” to “what is that!?”
Both of these rifles follow a similar shape and design, and imitate classic bolt action designs of the past, with the Marlin being slightly more angular and the CZ more curved, the Marlin also features a synthetic stock as opposed to the walnut wood of the CZ.
This, for me, makes the CZ a clear winner in looks department as the graining and quality of the wood used in its stock is simply fantastic with subtle pattern variations and a varnished finish that gives the colour real depth and, in my mind, is far more attractive than plastic will ever be. This is one of, perhaps the main, reason for the price difference between the rifles as polymer stocks are far easier to produce.
Winner : CZ 455
Comfort
CZ 455
Despite the quality of its walnut stock, this feature does make the CZ almost half a kilo heavier than the Marlin,. This is even though it is significantly shorter, and with neither of them weighing in at more than 3.2kg, it is a very noticeable difference, and something to bear in mind when taking on long hunting trips. A heavier rifle makes shoulder firing more fatiguing and will lead to less accurate shooting as the hunt progresses.
The CZ also fires a larger round than the Marlin which requires more force to propel it the same distance. This will start to wear on your shoulder as shooting progresses and, despite the thicker rubber recoil pad on the CZ, is still a noticeable difference. Now this is somewhat negated by the fact that these rifles are rimfire and not centrefire, but the increase in recoil is still surprisingly apparent and something to bear in mind. Despite the more ergonomic stock design of the CZ, the Marlin would be marginally more comfortable for me, especially on long shooting trips.
Winner : Marlin XT
Performance
Here we go! This is the big one. A rifle can be gorgeous and comfortable but if you can’t hit a barn door with it, you may as well use it as a very expensive walking stick. Yes, I’m looking at you Mini-14… The majority of shooters will tell you that the biggest deciding factor in whether a gun is accurate or not is the the big fleshy attachment on the end of it, and whilst I tend to agree with this statement, there are some factors that can make one gun inherently more accurate than another.
A Comparison Of The 2 Rounds
The first of these factors is the ammunition used. Now I’m not going to go into great detail about the advantages and disadvantages about different brands of ammunition, but suffice to say when it comes to picking you ammunition, like anything, you get what you pay for.
When it comes to calibre however there are some generalisations that can be made. The larger .22 round of the CZ will drop off more rapidly than the lighter round of the Marlin although a good scope will be able to compensate for this. However, this weight can have it’s advantages and due to the heaviness of the round it is moved far less by a crosswind and as such is more suitable for hunting conditions where the conditions are changeable.
A comparison of the 2 rounds.
The second factor when judging accuracy is the barrel of the rifle itself. The Marlin features iron sights for better out of the box accuracy but I’m going to assume that no one reading this is Chris Kyle and will be fitting a high powered scope to assist their aiming.
The barrel of the Marlin is 2 inches longer than the CZ which gives the bullet more time before it is ejected into the turbulent open air which should improve accuracy.
However, in my experience this was not the case, as the CZ features a far heavier varmint grade barrel, which more rigid than the Marlin’s standard grade design and makes the bullet more stable when it leaves the barrel leading to less movement in the air.
The CZ shot so well, in fact, that it left one hole in the target with an entire 5 round clip shot at 50 yards – impressive stats indeed. The Marlin was not far behind but certainly is not the tack driver that CZ is.
Winner : CZ 455
Reliability
The stock of the CZ is a thing of beauty. Now, I was not really given enough time to properly assess this attribute of the rifles in question, as reliability can only truly be measured after years of use, and thousands of rounds. However, what I will say is that with rimfire bolt action rifles, there is not a lot that can really go wrong. Both rifles feed and eject reliably, with the bolt of the Marlin perhaps being a little more clunky to operate, but this may be due to out of the box stiffness, something that should clear up after a couple of shooting sessions.
CZ rifles have been some of the most consistently reliable rifles on the market and are noted for their workhorse nature, round after round. Marlin rifles are not as well renowned for their reliability but have improved vastly in recent years thanks to their acknowledgement that their lack of quality control allowed bands such as Rossi and Henry into the market. The rifles that they produce now, having been effectively bought out by Remington, are simply of far better build quality than a few years ago.
Winner : Draw
Conclusions
In conclusion I would say that the CZ is marginally the superior rifle. Whether it is £150 better is debatable, as Marlin really seemed to up their game since the acquisition by Remington was completed. Those accuracy tests don’t lie however, and I myself am inherently drawn to a walnut stock, especially one as finely crafted as the CZ. Overall the CZ might be a heavier, more expensive rifle with a firmer recoil, but the level of trust I have for their brand for making quality products is something that tips the balance in the CZ’s favour.
Overall Winner : CZ 455
You can find links to both the rifles here : CZ 455 + Marlin XT
Here at Pellpax, you may be an airgun or outdoor enthusiast, and noticed our Airsoft store. We have a range of airsoft pistols, and airsoft rifles for sale, as well as accessories. So it seems only fitting that we provide you with this introduction to airsoft, which could turn out to be your favourite new sport.
What is Airsoft?
You may have heard of airsoft, seen the guns and name of the sport around online, and wonder what’s all about. It’s essentially a team sport between two groups where they do battle with specially designed guns which fire non metallic, spherical ball bearings / pellets. Unlike paintball, for example, these projectiles do not leave a mark, and so the sport of airsoft relies on the honesty of the participants to self report when they have been struck.
Origins
The sport of Airsoft hails originally from Japan, where manufacturers Tokyo Marui famously produced the AEG (automatic electric gun), which they sell to this day. They would vend the gun in parts, and leave it to the customer to assemble them, with a focus on creating weapons with an ultra-realistic look which is still central to airsoft today. The majority of airsoft rifles and airsoft pistols are today made in Asia, and their true-to-life look means they are often used by police officers to assist with training.
Ballistics & Safety
Different weapons powered by different power plants (AEG, gas powered, spring powered, etc), will cause airsoft pellets to travel at different velocities. In a typical airsoft game, you can expect a velocity of 150 metres per second for sniper rifles, 140 ms for semi automatic ‘AEG’ machine guns, 120 ms for outdoor play with fully automatic AEGs, and 110 ms for Close Quarters Battle.
It’s worth noting that Airsoft pellets should not be underestimated, and can cause small marks on skin. They can of course damage eyesight, and that is why it’s essential to protect your eyes when participating in the sport. Good footwear, particularly with strong ankle support, is essential. Many practitioners advise treating the airsoft guns as real weapons, in order to maximise safety, and avoid confusion and misunderstandings. One particular source of concern with realistic airsoft weapons is that they can be mistaken for real weapons, causing concern and even raising alarm, police attendance, etc. Many manufacturers place an orange tip on their guns in order to distinguish them, and users are strongly advised not to remove this.
Pellets & BBs
Most airsoft bbs / pellets vary between 0.12 to 0.48g. and come in a variety of colours, including white, green, and yellow. The most popular weight for AEG and GBB guns is around 0.20g up to 0.25g, as the heavier rounds are more suited to sniper and long range uses. They come in minimum quantities of 1,000, and most come in 6mm diameter. A loader can be used to insert them into magazines for the various weapon configurations that exist.
Military Training Applications
The realism of airsoft weapons means that they are used for training by military and police, to prepare them for a variety of situations. Indeed, various airsoft accessories and technologies have been developed out of this application. For example, BBs that release paint on impact have been developed in order to help soldiers improve their aim, and prepare them for the real world of combat. Grenades that release paint or BBs, and heavier weapons that feel more like their real world counterparts are used to give greater feeling of authenticity.
Muzzles that amplify weapon fire to a level recognisable as equivalent to live weaponry give even greater combat simulation, allowing trainers to achieve a high level of realism, without the great cost and safety risks that come with using real machine guns and pistols.
If you want to get your fix of airsoft excitement, head on over to our range of airsoft rifles, pistols and accessories for sale today. We’ve got major brands like Tokyo Marui, and many more.
Here at Pellpax, a significant part of our range is given over to outdoor, wildness and bushcraft goods. Stuff to help you eat, sleep, and survive in the great outdoors. This area has developed over time, but has become a source of fascination here in the UK thanks to TV survivalists like Ray Mears and Bear Grylls.
Here at Pellpax, a significant part of our range is given over to outdoor wildness in our UK bushcraft supplies store. Stuff to help you eat, sleep, and survive in the great outdoors.
Bushcraft has developed as a movement and hobby over quite a time – arguably it goes back to the beginning of man’s earliest origins. However, in recent times, it’s become a source of fascination here in the UK, thanks to TV survivalists like Ray Mears and Bear Grylls.
This has led to the development of blogs, outdoor survival courses, festivals, and shows across the UK. There are several broad disciplines within bushcraft. What follows is a quick overview of each of these, with some products to illustrate what you’ll need to survive your next outdoor adventure.
Water is one of your essential bodily needs, and you won’t last long without hydrating, particularly when exposed to the elements and weather. It’s also important for hygiene, without which you’ll find yourself becoming ill and unable to survive. You can bring your own water with the appropriate storage, or collect it, or even dig a well.
You can bring your own with the appropriate storage, or collect or even dig a well. We’ve got some great water reservoirs like this one by Geigerrig (£39.95).
A pressurized hydration engine, with a capacity of 3 litres, it’s great for those early morning showers, if you’ve got the storage capacity.
SteriPEN Classic £66.99 Code: PSPPF-RP-EF
Alternatively, if you’ve decided to travel light and go for water capture and collection, then you’ll need to purify your water in order to drink it.
You could invest in this purification kit by Steripen (below).
The Steripen Classic uses UV light to kill bacteria. It’s just one of the range of Steripen water purifiers and accessories that we sell. Check out this section for more.
2. Bring, find or make shelter
Military Wire Saw £4.99 Code: p158
Any stay in the elements is going to require shelter, the most basic of human requirements. If you are going to be adventurous and go beyond the modern method of using a collapsible tent, then you may choose to make your own shelter from wood and undergrowth that you’ve been able to cut or claim from the forest or nature itself.
You could use one of our huge range of machetes for this purpose, or our range of axes to help you hack off a branch or two.If you’re taking your bushcraft seriously and travelling light, you might want to pack this light, versatile chain saw.
A tarp may be a lightweight alternative to carrying a full tent. You could take this one (below), and even use your bushcraft skills to make it into a tent.
Base All Weather Tarp £27.95 Code: P20-5010-01
3. Camping Lanterns
When you’re in the outback, countryside, or your backyard, you’re going to need to be able to see when the sun goes down. Our range of Ultimate Survival lanterns (£27.99) will let you do this in style, coming in a range of four colours, with two variants that are longer lasting, for 10 and 30 day periods respectively. They are water resistant, and have 3 modes: low, high and SOS flash.
The entry model offers a whopping 91 hours of continuous with 4 AA batteries, which should be enough for most campaign trips, or tricky corners of your house like attic or garage, where some extra light could come in handy.
So, there you have it. The range of goods and products for sale in our bushcraft range is growing all the time. We deliver across Great Britain, and our staff are on call to give you all the help, advice and assistance you need with loading up for your next adventure. Check out the Pellpax UK bushcraft store, and, if you need help, call us today!
It’s a legal requirement of British Law that shotgun owners have a firearms certificate. Home Office guidelines go into detail, and suggest that owners keep their weapon stored in a safe. This keeps them away from children, and, potentially, from criminals would could break into your home.
Whether you’re an avid shotgun enthusiast or a beginner, there are some key accessories that are either vital, or a very useful addition to your weekends outdoors.
1. Gun Cabinets
It’s a legal requirement of British Law that shotgun owners have a shotgun certificate. Home Office guidelines go into detail, which insist that owners keep their weapon stored in a safe which is then secured to the floor or wall. This keeps them away from children, and, potentially, from criminals who might break into your home.
The standard to look out for is BS7558/92, as this means the cabinet has been tested rigorously, and weapons could not be removed within a set period of time. Thankfully, all of the cabinets we supply come from either Biometric, or Brattonsound, and both manufacturers conform to this high standard.
2. Bags
Bags can be both a status symbol, and a highly desirable accessory when out on a highland shoot with friends during hunting season. They’re also a practical way to keep your cartridges safe, clean and dry.
Shotgun cases and slips come in a range of colours, designs and prices. They’re an essential piece of kit to keep your shotgun in peak condition, particularly if you’ve spent a considerable amount of money purchasing it. Here in the UK, it is also a legal requirement to keep your gun under cover when in public.
At the budget end of the market, you can purchase covers like Bisley’s Economy Rifle Cover. It’s black, robust and features a strap to help you carry your pride and joy.
If you’re in the mid range price bracket, in terms of what you can spend, then Uncle Mike’s Shotector II Cover is an example of a good quality weapon case which is waterproof, and floats, and has an LED Safe light to make it easy to find if dropped.
The breech, butt and muzzle have been reinforced to ensure your weapon is absolutely safe inside. The carry handle allows you to conveniently grip the bag, and there are pockets for storing shotgun accessories conveniently with the weapon.
Croots Malton Bridle Leather Slip £329.99
At the very top premium end of our range is the Malton Bridle Leather Slip by Croots, which is a thing of beauty. Tanned using traditional methods, processes, and materials, it is a great accessory for the hunting season, and comes in 30 and 32 inch lengths. Bags of this quality are rare, and while the price point reflects the quality of workmanship and materials, it’s also a once in a lifetime purchase that will give the careful owner years of pleasure alongside a quality weapon.
4. Recoil Pads
Microcell Recoil Pads £24.99
Shotguns deliver a kick upon firing which can cause flinching, sore shoulders and bruised cheeks. A recoil pad made from rubber and similar materials can be slipped on or attached to your weapon to mitigate this effect, and we sell a range of these in different types, colours and sizes.
These Microcell Recoil Pads by Cervalatti srl are a great example:
