Coming out to SHOT each year has become a tradition now. It is THE place to see all the major, and most of the minor, players in the airgun industry. In this final article we’re going to cover as much as we can to try and wrap things up.
Bigger is ALWAYS better…
It’s one thing to see it in a catalog, but it’s another to see it up close and personal. The new line of Evanix tactical airguns is really something to behold. My first question was basically how big do they go? Until now, I thought the Evanix line topped out at 9mm. I was promptly handed a .50 cal magazine. Oh my.. that looks really impressive. The massive cavity of a .50 cal multi-shot magazine is really something to look at. It also comes in .45 which is what I’ve requested as soon as they hit the shelves. Looks like this year I’m going to be diving into the big bore airgun world!
Evanix .45 Cal SniperThere’s a reason that I’m so interested in big bore airguns. Many states are passing legislation that qualifies what can and can’t be hunted with airguns. Arizona recently set the mark at .38 caliber and above as suitable. We need to have them clarify if .357 is acceptable as it’s often considered a .38 caliber. In any case, .45 would certainly be well over the mark and that’s what I’ll be testing over the next several months.
Sticking with the big bore theme, I had the chance to chat with Gene at the AirVenturi booth and they have some great new updates to the Sam Yang line of big bore airguns. The dual chamber models are now 500cc which means more shots. You can now also remove the rear sight for easy scope installation. If you’ve been waiting for the right time to jump into big bore airguns, there’s no reason to wait any longer!
Sam Yam Big Bore AirgunsHawke Optics updates the Eclipse line of scopes…
The Eclipse line of scopes from Hawke Optics have been a mainstay with airgunners for a while now. The choice of reticles along with the overall features and clarity makes them well suited for extreme target shooting, hard core hunting, and of course, general shooting. Hawke will be replacing this line in 2014 with the Endurance line of scopes. All the same features will be there, they’ll just be updated and improved. I’m not sure when they will be available. Once I find out, I’ll be sure to update the blog. Definitely keep your eye out for this new line of scopes from Hawke. If you can’t see it, you can’t hit it. I love Hawke scopes and they have certainly improved my shooting experiences.
Meeting with Hawke Sport OpticsMake it go biggie boom…
If you’ve watched my videos, you’ve seen that I like to shoot those exploding targets. I had the privilege to hang out with the guys at Tannerite and talk to them about what’s new for 2014. They have a bunch of unique products starting with a new ¼ pound charge. It comes in a kit with 4 targets, mixing container and all the “good stuff” that makes them go boom. For you guys that like to shoot your high powered rifle when not shooting your airguns, this new kit from Tannerite is really cool. Retail should be around $12, which is a lot of “bang” for the buck. (pun intended!) If you want to have a little more fun with your airgun, and you have the space to do it safely, Tannerite has 2 products that are suitable for airguns, so long they can maintain sufficient velocity at a minimum safe distance. (Minimum safe distance is 50 yards for the airgun/rimfire charges.) The first is the White Lightning product. It consists of 15 mini charges each with its own plastic charge case. These can be placed on flat surfaces using the included cardboard holder. You ca also get creative and hang them, sick them, whatever suits your fancy. The other product, and one that I’m most familiar with, is their Goliath product. You get about 8 cardboard targets and all the “good stuff” to fill them. These are just way too much fun. As with anything, use common sense and ALWAYS follow the manufactures instructions with any product. We all know that you never take any gun, airgun or otherwise, for granted. The same principle applies here.
That a wrap!
There’s a LOT more to talk about from SHOT SHOW 2014. I’ve got a bunch of video interviews that I’ll be sharing over the next week or so, so keep your eyes peeled on the blog, YouTube channel, and Facebook!
