Air Gun Shooting

How to clean the barrel of your airgun

How To Clean an Air Rifle, Part.1 Springer

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Pete Wadeson tackles the ‘controversial’ subject of cleaning an air rifle barrel – here in Part 1 of 2 he cleans a springer’s tube…

Although ‘live-round’ shooters know the importance of keeping their gun barrels clean, it’s still quite a controversial subject amongst the air rifle fraternity. However, while generally many don’t bother, the Field Target boys certainly know the importance of having a clean tube – some cleaning theirs as frequently as after every 80 – 100 shots!

But the fact of the matter is no ‘gun’ barrel can ever achieve its full accuracy potential if dirty and as a hunter I clean my 12ft lb air rifles after I’ve fired approximately 1000 shots, my FAC rated more frequently. The reason being a pellet travels much faster up the barrel of a hi-powered air rifle and therefore can leave more by way of lead deposits in the rifling.

The First of Two

Before I begin detailing my cleaning regime, I must mention that this is the first of a two-part blog pertaining to barrel cleaning. Reason for this is I’m initially detailing the cleaning of a spring or gas-ram powered air rifle.

Reason for this is that some models of PCP’s have a breech seal just inside the barrel. So, using any brush, mop or a ‘bore snake’ (more on this later) may damage that seal. So, check with the manufacturer of the air rifle or call on a good gunsmith who specialises in airguns for advice. Also, never use the solvents intended for cleaning ‘bullet’ rifles because they’re very corrosive and if allowed to trickle inside a pneumatic air rifle valve or come into contact with any synthetic material will severely damage them.

So, it’s imperative you only ever use a cleaner intended for airgun barrels – please re-read that sentence again!

The Brush Off

Cleaning the barrel of an air rifle with a phosphor bronze brush

First, scrub the bore with a good quality phosphor bronze brush and rod to loosen up any fragments of lead in the rifling

Cleaning an air rifle barrel using a wool mop

A mop has a wool outer – spray sparingly with airgun barrel oil and insert to gather up all the loose particles of lead

For springers, I favour a combination of methods, the first is to scrub the bore with a good quality phosphor bronze brush and rod to loosen up any fragments of lead in the rifling. If possible (which is only the case with break-barrel action rifles), I do this from breech to muzzle, so the muck is being pushed outwards. Then before beginning pulling the bore through using the ‘patches ‘n’ pull through’ method I move on to the ‘mop.’

A mop is a head attachment for the cleaning rod that has a synthetic wool-like outer – this I spray sparingly with airgun barrel oil and insert (again from the breech if possible) to gather up all the loose particles of lead. Mops can also be used ‘un-treated’ (with oil) to remove any excess cleaning fluid in the barrel.

Cleaning an air rifle barrel with a pull through

The pull through cable is passed down the rifle until the end loop appears at the open breech

Then I go on to use the ‘patch ‘n’ pull through method. For this, I prefer to use Napier’s POWER pull through kit (Check out the company’s website as there’s a very useful instructional video that shows how best to use it.) It’s a simple procedure whereby you keep replacing the patches until when run through from breech to muzzle, new patches finally appear lead free. As you can see by the photos. The cable of the pull through is passed down the rifle until the end loop appears at the open breech. Then a cleaning patch is passed through the loop and folded over on itself.

An important factor to note is that great care needs to be taken not to allow the pull through cable to rub against the sides of the muzzle crown as you draw the cleaning patch up and out of the barrel. If you do – it can cause irreparable damage.

Cleaning an air rifle barrel with a pull through

Then a cleaning patch is passed through the loop and folded over on itself so you can start the process of drawing it back up the spout

Eye of a Needle

Now on certain rifles, getting the pull through cable down the tube can be tricky. Especially those with barrel shrouds containing baffles towards the end or full perma-fix moderator. Obviously, if it’s a screw on model, just remove it and clean the barrel, but if it’s a push fit silencer held in place with a grub screw, these can sometimes be quite difficult to remove particularly on older models. If it’s a rifle that has a silencer actually bonded onto the end of the tube, then it’s impossible to remove! So how can you overcome this problem?

Using the straw trick to clean an air rifle barrel

The ‘straw trick’ works wonders if you need to pass the cable down through and past the inner baffles of a bull barrel shroud or perma-fix silencer

Well, a simple little tip is to insert an ordinary plastic drinking straw into the front of the silencer until you feel it ‘bottom out’ (come up against resistance), as it touches the muzzle or ‘crown’ of the barrel. Then place the pull-through wire into the now protruding straws ‘hole’ and feed it in until it shows at the breech loading area. Then fit with a clean patch and pull through as per usual. On exiting the barrel, the patch catches on the drinking straw and hey presto – all come out of the silencer together.

 

Cleaning an air rifle barrel with a hoppes boresnake

If you feel the need of a quick clean in the field use a Bore Snake made by Hoppe’s

Fancy A Quickie?

If you feel the need of a quick clean in the field a handy piece of kit to use especially for a mechanical action rifle is a Bore Snake made by Hoppe’s. It consists of a long nylon cord with phosphor bronze bristles impregnated along most of its length and a ‘wick’ directly behind it thus cleaning the muck out of the barrel as it’s pulled through. And when it’s dirty you simply throw it in some soapy water to clean.

 

Walther Rotex RM8 Varmint UC Ultra Compact Carbine

The Walther Rotex RM8 Varmint Family, by Pete Wadeson

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Airgun Hunter Pete Wadeson gives his views on the standard and UC (Ultra Compact) versions of the Walther Rotex RM8 Varmint by Umarex…

Walther Rotex RM8 Varmint UC ReviewThe Walther Rotex RM8 first came to the shooting public’s attention in a wood stock and immediately became a popular and much talked about multi-shot PCP. This wasn’t only due to its level of performance but also its very reasonable price tag. Encouraged by this, Walther released a synthetic variant, however this boasts a far different stock design which also now has a close ‘shorter’ Ultra-Carbine relative – the Rotex RM8 Varmint UC.

After testing all models – it’s the Varmint and Varmint RM8 UC models that have grabbed my attention so what follows are my views on both.

Stock Check

Walther Rotex RM8 Varmint UC Review Pistol GripBoth boast the same highly individual looking ambidextrous all-weather black synthetic stock with a high and very well defined cheekpiece plus ventilated rubber butt pad. This gives a comfortable shoulder and head position while the elongated thumbhole, slim and quite narrow neck give full access to the steep drop-down pistol grip. The generous palm swell nicely rounded and contoured forward-face of the grip make the ideal platform for hold, feel and fit plus precise operation of the trigger.

To The Front

The forend is equally if not more distinctive as it swells out in a quite bulbous fashion with a thickset overall feel, plus has a well-rounded and gently curving underside. It’s here you find the fill point and neat button size air gauge set adjacent to each other – while at the front there’s a useful Weaver/Picatinny accessory rail which doubles up as a natural hand stop.

Walther Rotex RM8 Varmint UC StockThe stock is also adorned with very decorative patterning that consists of small raised ridges set in panels at key areas – this being the forend, underside and on either side of the grip.

The 200cc buddy-bottle takes a recommended charge of 232bar which gives approximately 160 shots in .177 calibre and nigh on 180 in .22. The UC offers the same and after much use, I’ve no reason to argue that.

Smooth Operator

The side-bolt is practical and easy to operate but there are a few particular nuances of particular note. Obviously, to remove the 8-shot alloy magazine, the generously sized ‘blacked’ steel, ball end cocking bolt (teardrop shape on the UC) needs to be lifted from its original forward position and pulled Walther Rotex RM8 UC Ultra Compact Operation Reviewback until it locks fully rearward. Then to remove the magazine from the action, you need to slide back the slim, lengthy oblong shape serrated outer edged release catch positioned directly behind the housing on the right. Once slid back you can then lift the drum shape magazine out from the left-hand side of the action.

To fill, you just place a pellet into all the empty chambers with the centre boss facing you. Then slot the mag back into its housing and push the cocking bolt forward and turn down to its original position. Incidentally, the forward operation of the bolt also takes the retaining catch with it to ensure the magazine is held securely.

Trigger & Safety

The 2-stage adjustable trigger unit has an auto safety positioned at the rear of the action which engages every time the action is cocked. Also, it uses what is known as a ‘double safety system.’ This Walther Rotex RM8 UC Ultra Compact Review Safetyrequires the slim vertical slide catch positioned on the safety’s outer edge needs pushing downwards and inwards before you can push the main safety button in to fully disengage.

A trait some will like or loathe but after use, you soon adapt to this – a bonus is it can also be manually re-set at any time by simply pulling it back.

Free to Float & Quiet

While the free-floating barrel on the standard model has a very stylish ported muzzle break to protect the screw cut muzzle, the UC comes with a Umarex K3 Neo Silencer already spun onto the ½” UNF threads.

Walther Rotex RM8 UC Review Silencer Umarex K3 NeoA superb can, it measures 140mm x 32mm in diameter, weighs 151 grams and the matte black anodised finish means no quarry alerting shine. The sensible dimensions and low weight make it unobtrusive, doesn’t add an unnecessary forward weighting and therefore doesn’t affect balance or handling. It suits the UC to a T and makes this fast handling, ultra-compact carbine even more appealing.

Incidentally, I’ve used the K3 on the original Std length Varmint, and although that rifle has a full-length barrel – even in this instance it reduced muzzle report to a very low level.

Final Thoughts

To sum up, both standard-length and UC Walther Rotex RM8 Varmints prove to be robustly built, highly reliable and are very accurate. They handle and balance well, feel solid on aim and prove highly desirable for hunting and pest control duties.

Walther Rotex RM8 UC Ultra Compact Carbine Review

How to remove rust from an airgun

How To Remove Rust From Your Air Rifle

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Written by our special guest blogger, Norman Bobby of Gun & Shooter

Removing Rust from Your Air Gun Rifle

Your air rifle should last you a long time, but there are steps to make it last longer that you have to take. You may find that it develops rust over time and you need to remove this. It will reduce the lifespan of your air rifle if you allow the rust to grow as it will only get worse over time. Here is how to remove rust buildup on your gun.

Supplies

You may or may not need all of these supplies but have them on hand anyway as they make cleaning your air rifle easier.

Damage Assessment

The first step is to assess the damage to your air rifle. You should examine the rust spots and make note of their locations. Before the inspection, make sure the rifle is unloaded and de-cocked. In the case of Pre-Charged PCP and Co2 airguns, also ensure cylinders are empty or removed. Be sure to follow all safety instructions supplied with your air rifle.

You also have to know the finish of the gun as different chemicals can impact the finish. The most common type of rust will be light surface rust. This can usually be removed with fine steel wool and a light oil, such as the Bisley Gun Oil. You will need a specialized product to remove deeper rust that has accumulated on your air rifle. Many people use turtle wax for this purpose as it seems to work well. You want to avoid corrosive chemicals if you can as these increase the risk that you’ll damage your gun. Occasionally the rust may be so deep that it has penetrated any blueing to the barrel. In this case, Birchwood Casey offers a wide range of chemicals for removing rust and blueing and re-blueing small marks or large areas if required.

If you have rust in the barrel, you’ll need a brush to get down inside of it. Make sure you get one that will fit inside of the barrel so it can be cleaned effectively. You can buy products that are designed to clean air rifles so you might want to pick one of those up as it will make the task easier. Many gunsmiths use a product called Blue Wonder Gun as it’s an effective cleaner for your air rifle.

Cleaning Surface Rust

Once you have done your assessment and have your cleaning tools, you’re all set to remove surface rust. Most surface rust is easy to remove and you can replace a finish that has suffered damage by rust if you want. You want to ensure the cleaner is not abrasive and that you’re using oil lubricant while you clean the finish.

Bisley Airgun Cleaning Kit for .177 and .22

Bisley Airgun Cleaning Kit

You need to use oil with fine steel wool or a fine brass brush to help you remove the rust accumulations on the finish. The oil lubricant you use is up to you but a standard oil for cleaning will be suitable here. You want to liberally apply the oil and then use the steel wool to gently scrub away the rust. You want to do this in a slow fashion and work your way through each section of the finish where you see rust.

If the rifle has a special finish use an air gun cleaning product on the finish. The manufacturer of your air gun can let you know how the finish should be cleaned. You don’t want to use any product on a specialized finish as you’ll ruin it if you use the wrong cleaning product. The key point is to take your time as you clean the rifle.

Deep Surface Rust Cleaning

Turtle wax is the recommended product for deeper surface rust. You will want to remove the parts of your air rifle and coat these with the turtle wax. The parts should be placed in the sun so they can dry out. You want all the parts and the wax dry before you move on.

You want to use a rag and wipe everything down and this should remove the surface rust. If there are still accumulations use the oil and steel wool to remove any rust you still see. If you have a large, deep rust spot you should apply plenty of oil to this area. Take a copper penny (made before 1981) and use this to scrape the rust once the area has been saturated with the oil. Once this is done, saturate the area again with oil and use your steel wool to remove any remaining rust areas.

Barrel Rust

Surface rust is a cosmetic issue but internal rust can cause more problems. If the inside of the barrel has a lot of rust, the gun can become dangerous and it should not be used again until it is cleaned. The gun pieces can seize and malfunction if they are impacted by a lot of rust. Use a torchlight and sight down the barrel. If you see rust when doing this, stop using the gun and remove the rust accumulation.

Nylon or a bronze brush should be used here. A stainless steel brush may damage the barrel rifling as they are harder than metal products. This could impact the accuracy of your air rifle to a large degree. You want to lubricate with oil and then use the right brush size to begin to remove the rust.

Use a bronze brush as they are stiff but should only be used once if the rifle bore has a lot of rust accumulation. You should only use them a couple of times for even regular maintenance as they don’t last long. A nylon brush will last longer but are harder to reach tight areas since the material is softer when compared to bronze. You may want to use a combination of nylon and bronze to clean the entire barrel in an effective way. Get some stiff nylon pipe cleaners as well to help you reach the entire barrel. Once you are done you want to lubricate the barrel again as this completes the cleaning process.

Bisley Phosphor Bronze PB Brush

Bisley Phosphor Bronze Brush

Summary

Take your time when cleaning your air rifle. This is a process you need to perform on a regular basis to ensure the smooth operation of your air rifle and to ensure safety when using the rifle. You will prolong the life of the gun when you clean it in the right way. If you buy an older gun, take the time to clean it first before you use it. Make sure you see a gun technician or gunsmith if you have trouble cleaning your own firearm or taking it apart.

How to mount a scope to a rifle, feature image

How to Fit and Zero a Scope on an Air Rifle

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So, you have your air rifle, pellets, targets and backstop set up. But how do you get the best from your shooting experience? To make any airgun the most accurate and most fun it can be, fitting a scope is almost essential. The below is designed to be a simple guide for beginners, to get the most of their shooting experience.

Gardne Airgun Target Range

Garden Airgun Target Range

Sportsmatch Rifle Scope Mounts

The first thing to decide on is a suitable set of scope mounts to attach it to your rifle. This depends on what options you have on the rifle, and the size of the scope tube. The most common fitting type for the UK is a standard (9.5-11.5mm) Dovetail rail or groove on the rifle, with a one-inch scope tube. Sportsmatch mounts are renowned for being the most stable and reliable mounts available, and you should always use a one-piece mount if possible. Most spring and piston (break barrel or underlever) airguns will allow a one-piece mount. However, some pre-charged PCP airguns will have an open recess allowing for a multi-shot magazine, and so two-piece mounts are the only suitable option. Regarding the height of the scope, you should try to purchase the mounts that get the scope as low and as close to the rifle as possible, taking care to ensure no part of the scope actually makes contact with anything other than the mounts. Some scopes can have large diameter lenses, these must not touch the barrel or any other part of the rifle.

Now you have your rifle, scope and suitable mounts. It’s time to connect them all together! Firstly the scope must be attached to the mounts, ideally with equal clearance between each mounting point and either end of the scope. This is simple with a one-piece mount but can become tricky with a set of two-piece mounts and other obstacles that may be in the way. Don’t over-tighten any screws at this stage, as adjustments may be necessary.

Once the scope is in the mounts, it’s time to attach the mounts to the rifle. Place the mounted scope onto the rail on the rifle and very loosely tighten the screws. Then, with the rifle comfortably in the shoulder, you can move the scope forwards or backwards closer or further away from your eye to give the best sight picture through the scope. Once you are comfortable and happy with the distance (known as eye relief), you can tighten down the screws attaching the mounts to the rifle.

Now you can secure the scope into place in the mounts, ensuring there is no canter in the scope and the horizontal axis on the reticle in your scope is perfectly parallel with the horizon. This can be achieved by using a surface you know to be completely horizontal and matching the reticle up to that surface or line.

Shot paper airgun target

Shooting slightly low

Your rifle and scope are attached, it’s in a comfortable position, so now I’m going to hit the bullseye right? Unfortunately not. Every scope and rifle is different, and the two need to be matched up together so that the pellet hits the centre of the crosshairs, exactly where you aim to. To achieve this, you must first decide a suitable distance to “set your zero”. If you are using your rifle to shoot targets in your garden then this is simple, as you will know exactly which distance you are going to shoot at with every shot.

For this task, you will need a sturdy and secure rest to shoot from. Our most popular item for this purpose would be the MTM Predator Shooting Rest. It is adjustable to fit any rifle, and with holding points at both the front and rear it holds any rifle securely and in the same position. If needed, you can attach a small piece of masking tape to the two points on the rifle where it sits in the rest, ensuring it sits in the exact same position each shot.

Now you are set up, you will need to shoot at a paper target to see where the centre of the crosshairs are in relation to where the pellet hits the target. For example, you aim the crosshairs at the centre of the bullseye, but the pellet hits high or low or to the left or right. So you know you have to aim off right? Nope, every scope allows you to adjust the position of the centre of the crosshairs. To do this, you may need to remove a turret cover on the scope to adjust left/right (windage) and up/down (elevation) with a coin, or some scopes allow you to simply twist the turret to move the centre of the crosshairs. This will take a few adjustments and a few shots, but eventually, you can adjust the crosshairs enough so that the pellet hits the target dead-on centre of the crosshairs, or “hits zero”. Don’t forget, if you are shooting outside there will be other factors to consider, including the wind. Also, the quality and type of pellets used can make a difference, as well as the air pressure in the cylinder if shooting a PCP or pre-charged rifle.

One last thing to remember, every time you take the rifle and scope out of its case or storage, it’s always a good idea to check the zero again before shooting. Also, if you are shooting over different distances then there are other adjustments you can make by using your aim or your scope, but that’s a whole other subject for another day…

Walther EPS3 Red Dot Sight with Magnifier

The Walther EPS3 Sight for Airsoft

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Written and reviewed by Dave Sizer, our Warehouse Supervisor:

I’m going to get this out the way right now. I’m an airsofter. For those who are unsure of this, I run around a woodland along with 200 other people dressed as pretend soldiers playing with toy guns!

At this time I am running a Tippmann M4 (HPA) which I had bought from a boneyard sale and lovingly restored as a single shot DMR. This thing can shoot a 0.20g, 6mm BB at 400fps or if my maths are correct, 1.1 Ft LBS.

Walther EPS3 Sight Mounted

Over the years, I have gone through a lot of optics to try and find a good fit for my gameplay. I have tried reflex sights and found it hard to range well when playing woodland, scopes are great if you can get them to zero well for an airsoft rifle but leave your field of view limited.

The market is flooded with loads of high and low-quality dot sights. I have always got my sights from Amazon as they have a ready market for cheap Chinese imitations of high-end sights, going with the thought process of “it’s only for airsoft” why spend a lot of money on an optic?

My latest buy was an imitation Eotec 551 optic. Looked lovely and great in CQB, not very good in medium to long range engagements. I then spent a small fortune trying to get a flip to side magnifying monocular to fit it. I found that the quality wasn’t there for any of them. They would fog up, the mount was loose so wouldn’t line up, it was offset to the dot sight, the list is endless of all the issues I had.

I have had the chance to use the Walther EPS3 Dot sight with 3x magnifying scope over a few weekends last year during my regular airsofting trips.

On opening the box, the first thing that I noticed was the weight difference. This thing is heavy in comparison to my other sights. The build quality is noticeably greater. Mounting the optic on the rifle is straight forward, use a 13mm spanner to tighten the mounting nuts to the rail and you’re away.

Lining up the monocular is a doddle, same as the optic. Once on, the next thing I noticed was how tough the spring tensioner was that held the flip to side monocular in place. I was afraid I was going to break it as it took some force to pull it towards you to then flip it out. Don’t worry too much about this, throughout the day I found this stiffness eased up and it became second nature to easily flip the scope to the side and back over, but I’m getting ahead of myself here.

Walther EPS3 Sight Mounted to Airsoft Rifle

I arrive on site in woodland at 07:30, ambient temperature is at 2*C so perfect time to see if this thing will fog up. Nope, nothing. I even held the optics over boiling water to see if the steam would muck it up, nothing!

Time to set up the sights so off the shooting range. The dot sight has the typical windage and elevation adjustments that all good optics run. After a couple of minutes of playing around with trial and error, I now have the sight zeroed at 50 meters with 8/10 shots landing on a dinner plate sized target. Flip the monocular over and with a little extra tweak we are now at 75 meters with the same results (Could get 10/10 but I’m blaming the wind!).

Game on. During the day’s trials, I found the optic to handle itself very well in darkened woodland, giving me crisp clear image of my targets with little issue. With all the abuse I gave this scope during the 7 hours of gameplay, it held the zero all day.

I pulled my rifle out of storage after Christmas and checked the zero as all my other dot sights seem to creep. To my surprise, it held firm and was constant to how it was left after my last gaming session.

Overall, my rating on this will be;

Looks: 8/10

Ease of setting up: 9/10

Price: 9/10

Usability/practicality: 10/10

Walther EPS3 Library Image

Talk to your local supplier about getting your hands on one of these. You will not be disappointed!

To find your closest supplier, click here and punch in your postcode. Easy as that.

Dave.

Cullen Rothery Claire Haskett

Going for Glory! Marketing vs Purchasing

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To test some of the Umarex air rifles we had a little shoot off between Purchasing and Marketing. Would the Perfecta Model 32 match the Browning M-Blade? Bring on the competition, myself, Cullen from the Purchasing Department vs Claire our lady in Marketing.

Before we get to the all-important results, let’s talk about the kit used in this challenge.Perfecta Mod 32 and Browning M-Blade

The Perfecta Model 32 is an affordable springer rifle, valued at around £75 RRP. It comes with a wooden stock and open sights, in .177 only. At under 6ftlbs it is perfect for what we had in mind, some fun back-yard shooting.

The second gun we got our hands on was the Browning M-Blade, another reasonable sub 6ftlbs springer rifle with a synthetic stock and open sights. Like the Perfecta Model 32, it is also available in .177. This is a little pricier than the Perfecta Model 32, coming in with a retail price of around £130.

Before we started, we each had 6 practice shots to get used to the guns that we were using. I started on the Perfecta Model 32 and Claire on the Browning M-Blade. For the competition we were using the .177 Wasp red pellets, Bisley Target Holders and Bisley Grade 2 Paper targets. Once we had tested our guns we were ready for our competition! After 6 shots each, we compared the results and with a final score of 58-42 to Claire for the first round, things were not looking good for me. With the results from the first round in, it was time to switch rifles and take our practice shots. Once this was done we got ready for our second round of shots. This ended with a score of 52–51 to me bringing our final scores to 109-94 and making Claire our champion for this round.

Final impressions on both guns

Bisley Target

Cullen’s results with the Perfecta Mod 32

Bisley Target

Claire’s results with the Browning M-Blade

My final impressions after using these two guns are that they were both a lot of fun and were enjoyable to shoot. In my opinion, the Browning M-Blade was the more enjoyable rifle, and the one that performed quite a bit better on the day, rounded off with the synthetic stock that felt good in the hand and a much smoother break in the barrel, without the need of a catch at the side of the breech to open it.

However, the Perfecta Model 32, being a sub £100 gun in its basic form and the added value of also being available in a kit with a scope, mounts and other accessories for a little bit extra, more than held up to the task at hand and was also an enjoyable gun to shoot. However, it is safe to say your thumbs got a good work out on the release catch when opening the barrel.

Claire quotes “My preference was the Browning M-Blade. I particularly like the fact it has the automatic safety which is a key feature for those learning to shoot. I also found the stock of the Browning M-Blade more comfortable in the shoulder and to grip. Having said that, the price of the Perfecta Model 32 gives it an extra appeal and I found both guns to be accurate enough at our short range.”

Coming up in round 2 for our Marketing vs Purchasing Competition, we have pistols with the NEW Beretta M9 A3 vs the Beretta M92 A1. Can I pull it back for the Purchasing Team, or will Claire run away with the competition?

Hills Pumps

Pump It!

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As featured in Gun Mart Magazine:

Hills Pump Mk4Clever PCP technology comes at a price, as we all know, and any purchase obviously requires associated charging gear. I became a convert of the dedicated airgun pump as opposed to a divers  bottle, since it’s free of safety tests and periodic fills at the diving shop, and is a liberating experience as a result.

Ernest H. Hill is a British company, based in Sheffield, and with a history of designing and manufacturing pumps for all manner of applications, it was inevitable that they would not only enter the airgun market, but have such an impact.

I was a fan of their first designs, and have used one ever since, but what we have here is their very latest MK4 model, and it can’t fail to impress. A hallmark of Hill’s pumps is the solid build, and the new model has lost none of the ultra-robust design so synonymous with the brand. The MK4 will also pump to a maximum pressure of 275-bar, which is impressive. Supplied in a colourful carton, the Dry-pac specified pump is still available at the old price of £185, included Silicone grease and the Dry-pac medium, but one big change is the new pump’s hose- and it’s a massive improvement over the old. It’s six-inches longer for a start, and can take 420-bar, which is comforting to know, but by having thinner walls than the previous spec, it means it’s much more flexible, allowing for easier access around awkward angles and fiddly valve configurations.

Advanced features
The pump can be used, and indeed purchased, without the Dry-pac, but the idea is that the pod acts as a moisture filter; and as such, is highly recommended. Unlike totally dry air from a divers bottle, pumps are prone to some moisture content, as it takes air from the atmosphere; and that’s where Hill’s Dry-pac comes in. Several rival makes have supposed on-board filters of sorts, but they appear a token gesture when seen alongside the Hill design. As air is drawn in, it is passed, firstly through the sintered cap (removing dirt), then through the medium (similar in appearance to mustard seeds), which absorbs around 90% of the moisture present, according to Hill’s own research. The effectiveness of the Dry-pac does rely on the medium being replaced periodically (generally after three- to six-months), which should ensure the pump continues to operate at maximum efficiency. Replacement medium is less than £3 a sachet however, so this route has to make sense.

As for effort required, the new pump reveals an easier valving arrangement, (due to pumping ratio revisions incorporated into the new design) with a totally slack upwards stroke (as the pump draws in air), and an easier downwards (compression) stroke, the result. On a stroke count, my tests showed slightly in favour of the old model; but that’s largely irrelevant, given the ease of use of the new version.

Conclusion
I’m no athlete, but I find these pumps very manageable in use, solidly made, and very reliable. The old Hill pump was good, but this MK4 is just that bit slicker, deserving its place at the top of the pack, and still setting the bar for other makes on the market.

Hills Pump Assembly

Umarex UX SA9 Operator Edition

Smooth Operator!

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Taken from Air Gunner Magazine:

Just when I thought that I’d shot all the pistols in the Umarex catalogue, I noticed the SA9 Operator. It looks like a very modern 9mm service arm with some tasty upgrades to make it stand out from the crowd. It’s fed power from the ubiquitous 12-gramme CO2 capsule, which lives inside the grip, and a 20-shot magazine to carry 4.5mm steel BBs, just like loads of other CO2
pistols out there.

This one differs in the ‘ports’ machined into the slide that show gold plating on the barrel sleeve. This ‘porting’ idea began life in the world of competition semi-automatic handguns where speed is everything, and lightening the slide made it cycle faster. This model is a blow-back, which means that the metal slide cycles back and forth throwing the weight around as the pistol fires. This simulates the recoil of a firearm very well and adds realism to the CO2 experience.

Umarex UX SA9 Operator Edition LoadingDAO
The action is what Umarex calls a ‘DAO’, which stands for ‘double-action only’. There is no exposed hammer so you cannot cock it manually to offer a single-action option for ultimate accuracy. This gun is based on the kind of pistol that special forces soldiers use in the most extreme conditions when speed and reliability of fire outweigh accuracy.

The synthetic blade simulates the trigger of the superb Glock service pistol with its innovative safety. On the Glock, there’s a slim metal blade that must be depressed before the trigger can be pulled. This adds an extra level of safety so that the pistol can only fire when correctly handled and cannot go off in an accident, such as being dropped. The one on the Operator is only there for looks and has no function, but I liked it all the same.

Fake safety
The safety of the Operator is mounted on the right side of the frame above the trigger and can be operated by the right-handed shooter whilst on aim. When engaged, it disengages the trigger making it very good indeed. I particularly like the ‘last shot slide lock’ feature, which is just the same as a real firearm. As you fire the last shot, the follower in the magazine interrupts the slide
from going forward, clearly signalling to you that you need to reload.

The fixed sights were spot on for me at 6 yards and I got good accuracy straight from the box, both with slow, deliberate shots and rapid fire. I found the trigger a little heavy, but I have some tendon damage in my right arm at the moment, so I might not be best placed to judge.

If you’re looking at something a little different to the rest, or would like to add a little style to your range time, then the SA9 Operator is well worth a look.

Umarex UX SA9 Operator Edition Co2 BB Pistol Specification

Birchwood Casey Off Eye Filters

Off-Eye for Dominant Eye

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Birchwood Casey Off Eye Sticker on GlassesMany people Aren’t aware that everybody has a dominant eye. This is not something that would usually come up, unless you try to shoot a bow or a shotgun with your hand that is the opposite to your eye. This is called “cross dominance” and it affects around 1 in 3 adults. A simple test to see if you are cross dominant is to hold your finger up directly in front of you and in line with an object. For example look at the picture below. Now looking at the top of my finger, I have used the barrel of an Air Arms S510. Now close your left eye and open your right, if you are left eye dominant, your finger will no longer be lined up with the object.

Left Eye Dominance Example

Now we have explained the problem, let’s get onto the solution. The “OFF EYE” filters from Birchwood Casey have been designed to combat cross dominance, without having to close one of your eyes. They do this by restricting your dominant eye and causing your less dominant eye to work harder. This, in turn, allows you to correctly sight down your gun or bow, without double vision or your shots going off to the side. Whilst retaining your peripherals, this will also cause your perception of a moving target to be greatly increased. This is particularly useful and safe when shooting “in the wild” as anything can, and often will come bounding in towards your area of aim.

The Birchwood Casey Off-Eye filters can also be used when shooting with a rifle and scope. They allow you to shoot with both eyes open, but also restrict your sight in your non-shooting eye enough that you can still focus through the scope. This allows you to not only keep focused on your target, but allow you to spot anything else coming into or towards your sight picture.

There is one criticism that I have with this product, and that is if you’re like me and you over fill your pockets you can crease the card that the filters are on. They are re-usable, but this can damage them. Luckily with a retail price of around £10.60 these are a very affordable item and replacements can be bought fairly painlessly.

Birchwood Casey Off Eye Selection

how to fill an airgun

How To Fill An Air Gun Using a Cylinder

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How to fill an airgun

If you haven’t charged a PCP air rifle before do not worry, charging a PCP rifle with air is not difficult but you do need to be careful if using a valve not fitted with a restrictor. Most modern valves now come with these but if they do not, it’s pretty easy to overfill a rifle which could cause it to break the receiver. This is something you don’t want to happen as it’ll go off with a bang. Now I’ve got your attention, hopefully you’ll take care. Ideally get someone to show you how to do it until you’re confident, but when the time comes that you need to charge it yourself, here’s what you need to do.

  1. When you first get your bottle you’ll need to attach the adaptor that came with the rifle to the end of the hose. It needs to be airtight but generally they only need to be tightened a bit more than hand tight. Be careful though as they’re fine threads, often in brass and if you overdo it, you could damage the thread. Once it’s on, leave it there. If you do have different guns, with various adaptors you can purchase a Best Fittings quick snap connector that can be used to quickly change the adaptor.
  2. Ensure the adaptor is on the bottle and is hand tight. There’s an ‘O’ ring on the bottle end that only needs to be hand tight to seal.
  3. Tighten the bleed valve.
  4. Check what pressure your rifle is designed to take and don’t exceed it (on non-regulated rifles it’s better to under fill by about 10 bar just to be safe).
  5. Attach the adaptor to the rifle making sure that both the adaptor and rifle valve are clean and dry. Make sure it’s fully engaged and never use oil or grease on any part of the filler or adaptor.
  6. You’re now ready to start filling. Make sure that the rifle is somewhere it can’t fall over and use both hands to open the valve. As soon as it opens, close it off again quickly but gently. This stops you from venting 300 bar into a rifle designed to hold 180. It should now be much easier to open the valve and control the flow of air, once you’ve broken the initial seal and open it just enough for the needle to start moving on the adaptor gauge. Try not to rely on the one in the rifle, they’re not very accurate and are very slow to move, lagging a bit behind the actual pressure. Aim to fill slowly, the process should take between 30 seconds and a minute. Don’t be tempted to give it a quick blast at full pressure. You’ll notice that the pressure rises quite quickly until it equalises with the air inside the rifle and then it slows as the rifle valve opens to receive air. Keep it going nice and slow until you reach your intended pressure.
  7. If you fill too quickly the compressed tends to air warm up as it transfers through the smallbore fill-hose.  This warmer air occupies a greater volume, indicating a higher pressure, making the gun temporarily appear more full than it actually is.  Once it’s allowed to cool for a few minutes from a rapid fill, the pressure will drop, leaving you less of an available shot-count before your next fill is due.
  8. Close the bottle valve firmly.
  9. Unscrew the vent valve and it will expel a blast of air. This allows the pressure to escape from the hose, so that when you remove the adaptor, it doesn’t fly off at speed.
  10. Uncouple the adaptor
  11. Take care and have fun shooting your charged air rifle

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