Help and Power Tests

Unless I test it myself

Please don’t make a mistake that lots of my new customers make, that is reading reports about a gun called X or whatever. The gun test/report shows that this gun is extremely good at everything (the best thing since sliced bread). Just bear in mind that the magazine you may be reading, may never have shown a bad gun (I have never read them testing a bad gun). Independent reports are slightly better, but again some owners are more forgiving in guns that they own. But at least they are not obliged to advertisers.

Have you ever read a report in any gun magazine that the gun tested is not the best thing since sliced bread? I have had most magazines since they started and have not ever read a bad report on any airgun. If you don’t believe me then find me a bad report on any gun no matter how bad you know it is.

If you have not, then do not put too much faith in it.

I have read reports on guns that appear to be fantastic! But are well known to be totally useless, in every way.

That is why I wrote the Airgun Buyers Guide, so air-gunners would see a true Idea of what guns can do off the shelf and also what they can do if tuned. The trouble then was that most magazines would not let me advertise it in their magazines.

We have noticed that there has been a drop in power of the new guns over recent years.  Some have been very low. Always check the power independent from the shop where you bought the gun. If the shopkeeper says it is doing 11.9 foot pounds bear in mind that if he said it was doing 7 foot pounds you might not buy it.

The lowest power hunting rifle that we have tested so far was doing 3 ft lb. (March 2008) before that we found a poor ones would be around 6 ft lb. These are so called full power guns, so don’t believe everything you read.

I have had some customers that have sent a gun back to the manufacturer for a service because the gun was only doing 11 ft lb. and they used it for field target, so they wanted it serviced so it would be a bit closer to 12. Only to find that after the service, the gun is now only doing 10 ft lb and they are over £100 worse off.

It is obviously cruel to shoot any vermin with a low power gun. You should always ensure a clean humane kill if you do go hunting. So check power every so often to make sure the power has not fallen too low or risen too much (UK limit).

It is important to check your new (or old) air rifle before you go hunting to make sure it is up to the job. It should be between 11 ft. lbs and 12 ft. lbs. The nearer 12 the better for humane hunting.

I do not recommend *Carbine pre charge rifles because the shorter barrel means you have to use more air to get the same power as a longer barrel. A lot of pre charge also have a shorter reservoir which makes the power curve worse because they may have only half of the air capacity. A regulated gun should not have a power curve because it runs at a lower pressure than the main reservoir. That means so long as the main reservoir has more than the secondary reservoir, then the power should be the same.  * Carbine means short barrel.

Power curve is the power delivery after a gun has been filled to its maximum working pressure, this is given in the handbook that comes with all new pre charge guns. Make sure you have one for your gun, or get one from the makers. Pre charge can explode if not treated with respect.

Weihrauch Air Rifles

Nearly all the Weihrauch or HW Spring air rifles are good, the only two I do not recommend, is the HW 90 and the HW 35.  The HW 35 is a very old design and the 90 is a gas ram.

Also bear in mind that if you buy a poor gun then you are less likely to want to use it. Imagine if you had a ropey old car, then you are less likely to want to go for a ride than if you had a Ferrari.