Budget Crisis? Some Alternatives for You

As the budget crisis becomes more pronounced in America, many shoppers are looking for quality guns without the high prices associated with many European models. To meet this need, Compasseco has long been an advocate of offering excellent replicas of some of Europe's most popular airguns.

Let's take a look at some of the "clones" that are offered by Compasseco. For instance, there is:

Tech Force Model 21 - Enjoy the features of the RWS 48 at an affordable price. The Tech Force 21 Air Rifle is almost an exact copy of the RWS 48. With great improvements since its first introduction, it's now a top quality air gun. Features include side lever cocking, spring piston power, adjustable sights, adjustable trigger, auto reset breech and trigger safety, and a fixed barrel for maximum accuracy. This is a great target and hunting air gun at an affordable price.

There is also this gun:

Tech Force B-26 - TFB26 is based on TFB20 which is almost cloned from Beeman R9 -- one of the world famous breaking barrel air rifle. The chamber is changed from 25mm to 26mm. With much improved inside quality and tightened QC, TFB26 now shoots 1,000 FPS with 6.2grs .177 caliber pellets. It is now equiped with TRUGLO Fiber Optic Sights.

TFB26 is a traditional high pressure, spring loaded, piston driven air rifle. It has been equiped soft buttplate, adjustable sights, dove tail scope mounting system and safty locks. The stock has a Monte Carlo cheekpiece and the REKORD TRIGGER has been equiped as standard feature.

For FT competitors, try this number on for size:

TF-B40 - The TF40 is the newest rifle out of China. It is a version of a highly popular European series gun. This is a good general-purpose rifle for field and target use and the most sought after spring rifle for the field target use. This new version takes spring-powered air rifles to a new dimension. In addition, the new model also has it own built in sound suppressor.

For a clone of a PCP, there is this model:

TF-B50:
The TF-50 is the first pre-charged pneumatic airgun from China. This powerful rifle also features semi-pistol grip Monte-Carlo wood stock with recoil pad, manual safety and muzzle break. Very popular gun. European version retails for $1,000 and more! Only limited quantities available. These guns sell very fast!

With these inexpensive, yet quality clones of well-established guns, shooters can enjoy the sport without taxing the budget during the harder economic times America is experiencing right now. But plinking and shooting can help relax us and provide an inexpensive way to enjoy family time without the more expensive entertainment options that tax our budgets so hard.

Check out Compasseco's inexpensive pellets as well. You'll need lots of ammo for your budget-minded shooting!

Parallax: A Video Explanation

Parallax can be a shooter's nightmare if you aren't aware of how it works and how it affects your shooting. Simply put, parallax is an optical issue, or phenomenon, that can mean the difference between hitting and missing our target. Just as water can bend the light rays and make underwater objects appear where they aren't, parallax can put your crosshairs off the target, even though it may appear that you are on target.

A quick test to see if you are experiencing parallax is to place your crosshairs on the target, then move your head side to side. If the image wavers, and the crosshairs travels, then you are experiencing parallax. Perhaps a better way of demonstrating this is to give you the following link that gives a brief video of parallax:

http://www.vimeo.com/2142332


Watch how the crosshairs travel, even though the gun isn't moving around. It's all an optical illusion that can cost you a bullseye, or a game animal if you are hunting! The best way to eliminate parallax issues is to have a consistent hold, with a consistent cheek-weld (where your face meets the rifle stock) that places your eye in the same position relative to the scope for each shot. That way you are repeating the same sighting procedures, and are less likely to experience parallax and its ill effects on your targeting.

The Tech Force scopes you find here at Compasseco all have adjustable objectives, which greatly aids in eliminating parallax. Check out the great scope selection and take advantage of the built-in aids for eliminating parallax.

Tech Force 6-24x40: Now in a Mil-dot!

Back in February of this year I did a review on the Tech Force 6-24x40 scope. Tech Force has since added another feature to this scope that is sure to please many shooters.....a mil-dot reticle.

Mil-dots are useful for compensation without adjusting the reticle by using the adjusting knobs. For hunters in windy conditions, simply compensate by using the mil-dots to the left and right for windage, or up and down for range adjustments. Practice with the scope helps the shooter determine how far away an animal is, and how to aim accordingly.



As you can see, the 6-24x40 MD scope is a long unit, well over 15" long. I mounted this sample on a TF-78 that I converted to PCP, and spent a portion of my afternoon sending Beeman Kodiaks downrange to my heart's content. The scope's reticle held firm, as I knew it would on this very light recoiling airgun. But if you refer to my February article, I mounted the previous model on my RX-2 for recoil evaluation, and after hundreds of shots, it held up just fine.

On high power, the light gathering capabilities were scaled back quite a bit, but remember that this scope is a budget scope, coming in at less than $100. It has the same features of the non-mildot version, in fact being listed as the same scope with an option for you to choose as to which reticle you want to receive.

The adjustment knobs are set at 1/8", not 1/4" @ 100 yards. This allows finer settings to be achieved for precise target work.



One of the features that is becoming more scarce is the metal objective covers. This is a feature from years ago that is still available on many Tech Force scopes, and the added protection from dust and accidental damage to the lenses is a welcome addition in my book. Screw the covers on, place the gun in storage, and expect a dust-free lens the next time you pull the scope out to use it. Great for traveling or storage necessities.



So if you are looking for a budget scope with the features you desire, take a look at the the Tech Force 6-24x40 MD, or any of the other Tech Force scopes. They all deliver to the budget-minded shooter!

Airgunners are Funny Folks

Airgunners are funny folks. You just have to face the fact that anyone you see who is dedicated to shooting airguns is going to be an odd bird in some form or fashion!

Consider for a minute....an airgunner is someone who enjoys shooting, in one form or another, with a low-powered instrument that, compared to a firearm, is considered a toy by much of the American public. However, you will often find that the airgunner is someone who can do things with an airgun that many firearm owners wish they could do with their firearm!

For instance, airguns in competition have an enviable reputation for accuracy....so much so that micrometers are needed in order to determine the winners of some competitions! That's accuracy! And the guns they use easily outstrip the price and quality of construction of almost all firearms! Just go shopping for some Olympic-grade airguns if you don't believe me!

Another type of airgunner is the hunter, like me. Here you have a group of oddballs that purposely handicap themselves in the pursuit of their quarry. Instead of using a firearm that would allow them to shoot further, and with more power, they opt for lower-powered weapons and a limited range in comparison to firearms. It would be truthful to say that it is more about the hunt than the kill for the airgun hunter. We have a lot in common with bowhunters in that regards!

Then you have the airgun modders who fiddle and fuss with every variable you can find to improve the function and looks of their airgun! Those guys and girls will take a true sow's ear of a gun and polish on it, tweak the guts and hand-make parts in order to squeeze 15 more fps out of a given gun! And they love doing it! Airgun modders are a unique subset of the airgun fraternity, and some of them have come up with some really neat modifications that have been noticed by the airgun manufacturers themselves. It's amazing to see home-shop remedies making their way into the finished product of companies like Crosman, one of America's premiere airgun manufacturers.

There are home-based airgun makers, as well. They offer limited numbers of their products, but almost all of them are hard-sought after for their input, opinion, and quality of the product they make. Some are done by hand, others on ancient machinery, and still others in CNC lathes. But the common thread is the dedication they have to the products they make and offer. And they are some of the best stuff out there, trust me!

Many airgunners turn to airguns for logistical reasons. One can shoot in their backyard any time of day instead of having to load up and go to the local firing range. Others like the less-expensive of shooting airguns, as well as the lessened legal ramifications of shooting an airgun in some populated areas.

You'll also find airgunners who like to be "nerdy" in their approach to shooting.....graphs, power calculations, and extensive explanations as to why they do things the way they do. Hidden in all their testing is a lot of knowledge that many of us would do well to heed!

So if you know an airgunner, or perhaps are one yourself, enjoy your uniqueness. You are in good company, and you can find a lot more company on the web by hanging out at certain forums. Do a search sometime and begin to add your experience to the knowledge base of airgunners the world over!

To jump in and shoot more often with airguns and shooting supplies, check out Compasseco's website for guns, ammo, and all your airgun needs!

Squirrel Season in Full Swing

The Kentucky squirrel season is in full swing now. And the airguns I'm using are new to me in that I've not used them for squirrel hunting before. However, that said, they are both excellent candidates for the pursuit of small game.

The first airgun that I used this season is the Gamo Whisper in .22 caliber. In fact, the previous post on this blog is about the Gamo Whisper, so I will direct you to it for further info on the gun and its behavior. Shooting pellets from 600-750 fps, depending on the weight of the pellet, you get sufficient power for small game hunting out to 40 yards or so. My brief hunts with this gun so far haven't netted me any squirrels, but that is because I didn't see any or was not able to take a shot because of the still-thick leafy covering on the trees. However, as the season progresses, I will be able to tag one or two I'm sure.

The second gun I've used is the Walther Falcon Hunter in .22 caliber. This gun is also available in .25 caliber, but the perverse game laws in Kentucky have, for some reason, eliminated the .25 caliber as a small game caliber for airguns. I'm working on getting that changed, and hope to address the problem soon.

That said, I did receive a .22 caliber Walther Falcon Hunter, and find it a suitable gun for small game as well. It is a long gun, topping out at over 4' in length, just under 49". The spring is robust and delivers good energy for small game hunting. On a recent hunt, I was able to pop two grey squirrels, one at 25 yards, and the second at 40 yards. I was pleasantly surprised at finding out the pellets went through each of the squirrels with no problem, and the accuracy was quite good.

I will be doing a more in-depth review of the Falcon Hunter from Walther before long. I'm still using it during the squirrel season, and may fiddle with the powerplant on it by converting it to a gasram just for giggles to compare against the spring-piston version. I'll let you know how that comes out in the end.

So if you are hunting small game, take a look at these two candidates that I've been using. They work well, deliver adequate power and accuracy, and my frying pan is appreciative of the efforts these two guns put out to keep it filled with tender squirrel meat during this hunting season.

Gamo Whisper - $224.95
Walther Falcon Hunter - $249.95

Two guns that will get the job done for you.....available here at Compasseco.com!

Gamo Whisper: The .22 Caliber Version

Gamo has made the Gamo Whisper available to the market in .177 for a season now, and the .22 caliber version shares the exact same look and powerplant. Of course, with the heavier and larger pellet, the .22 version delivers more FPE with less velocity, a simple matter of a larger projectile making the difference.



Sporting the same features as its .177 caliber little brother, the .22 is well-suited for small game hunting and pesting. I consider it a better choice for larger small game such as the groundhog and possum. I shot one of the last pears that was hanging in my tree out back with a JSB Predator pellet. The result was dramatic, the hollow-point, polymer-tipped pellet making shambles of the pear, blowing out the back side with malice afore-thought! This kind of performance from a well-designed pellet is exceptional for taking small game. The JSB Predators were also humming along at an average pace of 667 fps from a 5-shot sampling. Below is a pic of one of the JSB chrony test shots.



The other pellets used in the velocity and accuracy testing were: Crosman Premiers, RWS Superdomes, Gamo Hunters, and Beeman Kodiaks. Each was adequate for aluminum can blasting, but I received the best accuracy from the RWS Superdomes, followed by the Gamo Hunters and CP's. The Kodiaks were also accurate, but were edged out by a small margin.



The velocity results were as follows:

Crosman Premiers : 714 fps
RWS Superdomes: 725 fps
Gamo Hunters: 696 fps
Beeman Kodiaks: 547 fps
JSB Predators: 667 fps

The Whisper, true to its name, sports the same sound-reduction muzzle that has been reported to reduce the sound produced during firing by up to 52% or so. This is hard to tell from the shooter's perspective since the action of the gun is still right beside the ear, and the perceived noise, for the shooter, remains the same as most other spring-piston airguns. However, a decibel meter placed at the muzzle during firing will show a sound reduction, according to some published and viewed testing procedures on some noted hunting shows on the outdoor channels that are available on my cable subscription. I am unable to reproduce this test at my humble testing facility (my backyard), so will accept the results given.

The gun I was sent came with a Gamo scope and single-piece mount that remained snug during the testing session. The scope works well, and I was able to reliably swing the ram, goat, pig and chicken that serve as metal test-subjects in my backyard without any problem with the more accurate pellets.



If you elect not to use a scope with this gun, you will find a very nice fiber-optic rear sight, and a hooded front sight that works just fine for those of you who still have vision up to the task!





The trigger and safety of the .22 caliber Gamo Whisper are the usual Gamo setup, with the safety in front of the trigger, both inside the trigger guard. This is a simple but effective setup that works well and allows the shooter to work the safety and trigger with one finger.



For $224.95 you get a weather resistant stock, fiber-optic sights, and a scope and one-piece mount. Couple this with the accuracy I achieved in the testing procedure, and you have an economical pest control and small game rifle. Or, if you don't hunt, a more neighbor-friendly, backyard plinking gun that will roll a can for all it is worth!

Compasseco's Video and Book Resources

Hopefully by now you've noticed the re-vamped and updated website that Compasseco has put together. The new look and navigation is eye-pleasing and easy to use. Compasseco is constantly striving to make your purchase a pleasant and rewarding experience, one that you will tell your friends about.

If your friends ever ask you about airgun hunting, a certain airgun for plinking, or for reviews of airguns, you can point them to Compasseco's video resource. There you will find videos in YouTube format from American Rifleman and Airgunweb.com. One of the biggest names in airguns, Gamo, has several spots as well on the site.

It is all well and good to give personal experience about an airgun that you like and have used, but seeing it in a well-produced video adds to the potential buyer's experience like no other. Your experience added to the informational videos can help sway a friend in the right direction when purchasing their airgun.

In addition to the informational nature of the YouTube-style videos, Compasseco also carries one of the first airgun hunting videos ever produced, Bigbore Airgun Hunting by Eric Henderson. I actually got to help in this video, and was able to bag my first wild hog with a .50 caliber airgun.....all on film! It was fun to make, and I think you'll enjoy the video. Eric has been at the forefront of bigbore airgun hunting for many years now, having hunted with myself and Jim Chapman of American Airgun Hunter, both here in the USA and in South Africa as well.

As you get more and more into airguns, it isn't long before you start collecting hard-to-find airguns. When that happens, you'll want to know the approximate value of the item you are purchasing, and the research for this kind of collecting begins with the Bluebook of Airgun Values, now in its 7th Edition. This useful tool gives the collector and interested parties a good idea of what to expect when purchasing or selling an airgun that is no longer manufactured, hard to find, or highly sought after. There are some folks who make a living at buying and re-selling old airguns, and they all have this book in their reference library. You'll also find informational articles on historic pieces in the pages of this book.

Compasseco strives to meet as many of your airgun needs as possible. Great airguns, ammunition, reference works, enjoyable and entertaining videos, targets, backstops....and the list goes on. With a re-vamped website and a renewed commitment to the airgun enthusiast, Compasseco is now an even better place to shop for you supplies and arsenal. So take another close look at the offerings here....you'll be glad you did.