Topic: New Air Rifles of SHOT Show 2023 (Read 58 times)
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Key Features
HatsanUSA will introduce a new rifle at SHOT based on the Factor RC, the Factor BP bullpup. This is a new design leveraging the technological advances of the Factor platform to provide a highly customizable and co*pact pre-charged pneumatic airgun. The Factor BP is available in .30 and .35 calibers, and I’ve used a prototype rifle in .35 to take feral hogs in Texas. The Factor BP can be fine-tuned and tailored to various co*petition and shooting styles as well. The Factor RC’s power output is adjustable, featuring an externally adjustable pressure regulator with an output pressure gauge and a hammer preload adjuster to fine-tune power output and cocking effort.
Key Features
The Jet is a new, pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) air pistol. Actually, this air-powered handgun has more to offer, the rig co*es with a removable buttstock that easily converts it into a handy little carbine as well. Available in 3 calibers: .177, .22, and .25, the JET is perfect for target practice, small game hunting, and plinking. The Jet is a side-lever action, multi-shot PCP equipped with a removable air cylinder and built-in pressure gauge. A variation is also available designated as the JET II, which is built with dual 40cc air cylinders. The jet generates plenty of power for small game hunting, and the removable air bottles will keep you shooting over a long weekend in the field.
Read Next: Best Air Rifles
Umarex is another major player in the airgun market that’s been elevating their game in recent years. When the co*pany released the Gauntlet PCP, it was one of a select group of airguns that offered the features and performance of premium hunting rifles at an affordable price. This was followed by their Hammer .50 caliber rifle, which was also loaded with innovative technology, features, performance, and delivered at a very reasonable price point. And based on this development history, I was very interested to see what Umarex will be offering at this SHOT Show.
Key Features
The Hammer .50 caliber rifle is a performance big game hunting rifle, that offers accuracy and power along with features such as a fully shrouded barrel, the innovative Lightspeed valve which produces outstanding shot-to-shot consistency over the four shot/fill string utilizing a patented two-shot shuttle magazine. The new carbine version generates significant power in a small footprint and reduces the overall length by almost 7 inches and is a pound lighter than the rifle version. This is carbine offers everything I want in a big game gun to be carried into the dense thickets after hogs, and I’m looking forward to running it through its paces.
Key Features
The NOTOS CRK is a co*pact and lightweight .22 caliber PCP carbine, that can serve as a quiet fun gun for backyard plinking or go into the woods with you for a day of squirrel hunting. With a retractable and light stock this is a gun that is well suited for just about any sized shooter, and is a gun that will grow with a young shooter. The NOTOS utilizes a quick cycling sidelever action, that auto indexes a rotary magazine for rapidly blasting reactive targets or a fast follow-up on game.
Key Features
The EMERGE is one of the next generation Gas Piston airguns that addresses a historical shortco*ing of the springer design: they are almost invariably single shot. The EMERGE incorporates an easy-to-load 12-shot rotary magazine on a proven break barrel platform, that generates quick and fumble-free cycling of the rifle. The result is a fully self-contained air rifle ideally suited for cold-weather hunters that don’t want to single load pellets with gloved hands or frozen fingers. And even if you live in warmer climes, the convenience of a magazine-fed gun will grow on you.
Air Venturi has been an importer, development partner, and a major provider of airguns and adjunct gear for the US market for many years. They have partnered with international manufacturers over the last several years to develop their own product portfolio and brought out some very popular rifles such as the Seneca PCP line up. At the SHOT Show this year, Air Venturi will introduce a new product line called the AVENGE-X Modular Rifle Series.
Key Features
The AVENGE-X modular rifles leverage a co*mon technology platform as the foundation for eight rifle variations that include classic, tactical, and bullpup designs with various calibers and air storage options. What is shared across all of these PCP air rifles is a regulated powerplant with full performance adjustability, smooth and ergonomic sidelever cocking, and an integrated shrouded barrel. These guns can be configured to provide an individual shooting experience that can be tuned for a specific projectile or application. I believe that if you are interested in PCP air rifles, this is one you’ll have to check out at the SHOT Show at the Air Venturi Booth.
Some of the finest PCP guns that have been produced have co*e out of the UK, which is arguably the birthplace of the modern PCP air rifle. Daystate and Brocock are sister co*panies out of the UK that consistently produce rifles that stand out, even in the rarified air of the premium market segment. Both the Daystate and Brocock are built in a consolidated factory, and the branding of the Brocock is in the process of shifting to the BRK badge. I have selected a new gun from each of these brands that I believe will impact the premium segment of the market.
Key Features
The new Alpha Wolf is a user-programmable, electronic air rifle, that stands as a technological showcase for Daystate. It is a bullpup configuration with a beautifully designed laminate skeleton stock, incorporating an adjustable cheek and butt pad that provides an ergonomic platform for almost any shooting discipline. The Alpha Wolf is regulated and can be finetuned for a specific projectile or application, and features an on-board chronograph, quick and easy barrel changes, and touch-screen programming for electronic air regulation. Another breakthrough feature is the double-magazine loading system that provides a high shot capacity without the need for a reload. In keeping to the Daystate tradition, this rifle has an excellent adjustable trigger with a very tactile blade design. I think that this would be the perfect rig for the serious co*petitive shooter to look at.
Key Features
The BRK Ghost leverages innovative technology to maximize the strength, rigidity, and accuracy of the platform, which is offered in three model configurations. The Ghost is available in the standard calibers of .177, .22, and .25, but what I was excited to hear was that they will be offering the .30 caliber as well. This is the co*pany’s first .30 caliber, and it will generate up to 95 fpe. Besides the selection of calibers, there are a number of interchangeable barrels and carbon fiber air bottles (480cc or 300cc) available depending on the shooters needs. The power output is adjustable in more than 20 discreet steps, and the higher-power models have an additional finger-adjustable dial to fine-tune the regulator pressure, which is monitored on a separate gauge. The BRK’s sidelever action is a field proven design and can be set up for either right- or left-hand operation. In general, this is a co*pact hunting gun that is ergonomic, built to be rugged and reliable, and designed for hunting.
AirForce is one of the true success stories in the US airgun industry, and has beco*e one of the leaders in the big bore airgun market. The co*pany, based in Ft. Worth Texas, was one of the first manufacturers of PCP air rifles in the States. Their tactical look Talon and Condor rifles represented an early mover towards high power rifles in the standard calibers. But it was the release of their Texan Model in calibers from .308 – .50 caliber, that proved a game changer for big game airgun hunters. AirForce carries the Rapid Air Worx (RAW) airgun line and will be showing the HM 1000 MicroHunter at SHOT this year.
Key Features
The HM 1000 MicroHunter is a very co*pact carbine that will offer big performance in the field. The barrel is 8.5 inches with a 27-inch length overall, and weighs in at approximately 5.6 pounds. This carbine is based on the proven RAW HM1000 platform, a gun that has been a great long range shooter in my experience. But whereas the standard rifle has fairly substantial dimensions, the MicroHunter is a dream for hunters like me that want to carry as little extraneous weight into the field as possible. The multishot magazine is actuated by a sidelever cocking mechanism, and is available in .177, .22, and .25. It has a collapsible tactical stock configuration with a well-proportioned pistol grip, a 210CC tank, and incorporates the proprietary BarkStripper sound suppression system. This is a rig I look forward to getting my hands on when it rolls out after SHOT.
In this article, I’ve touched on a few of the exciting products that are either being released or have been recently released onto the market. I have selected airguns that provide new features or make existing features more accessible to the shooting co*munity, which will generate excitement at the SHOT Show. While there is arguably more innovation and focus being placed on pre-charged pneumatics, there are still new developments in spring/gas piston and multi-pump airguns to look at, and believe these will continue to be the gateway to airgunning for most shooters in North America.
But this is just the tip of the iceberg, this overview was written in advance of the SHOT Show kick off, and I am sure there will be several products I didn’t have a chance to look at or review beforehand. Following the SHOT Show this year I will be updating our series on the Best Air Rifles, the Most Powerful Airguns, and the Best Airgun Scopes (of 2023), and will be doing a number of single product reviews, so keep an eye out.
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