This report covers:
- Air Venturi
- Hatsan
- Wow!
- Leapers
- Summary
Today we resume our look at the 2024 SHOT Show. Let’s get started.
Air Venturi
I saw the Springfield Armory Hellcat BB pistol. It is a semiautomatic BB pistol that’s powered by CO2. It is configured to accept an add-on optical sight.
Hellcat BB pistol.
The Avenge-X line continues to grow. We saw a carbine with a carbine stock and a 130 cc reservoir.. Because it’s an Avenge-X it will still get lots of shots per fill — even with the smaller reservoir. Then there is a mid-sized one with a Saber Tactical chassis stock and pistol grip. The cost for these will be higher than the Avenge-X rifles you’ve seen so far, but they offer options that some shooters want.
Avenge-X carbine, Saber Tactical stock with grip and exotic paint stock.
Next we looked at a new target pistol called the Comp10 from Air Venturi. Ian liked this one a lot!
Air Venturi Comp10 target pistol.
The last new product we saw at the Air Venturi booth was the BM8 Black Bunker folding air rifle. It is heavier than I imagined and has some interesting features that I will be reviewing for you soon. Would you believe a bayonet on a breakbarrel?
BM8 Bunker rifle.
This is a JTS Stonewolf underlever whose picture I took, but haven’t yet discussed.
Hatsan
I wandered over to Hatsan next and the first airgun I was shown was their new Velox repeating PCP pistol. Imagine shooting twelve .22-caliber pellets (14 in .177 and 10 in .25) with just a light pull of the trigger for each one! Why, it’s almost as though the Crosman 600 has come back, and this time with more features!
The Hatsan Velox is a repeating PCP air pistol that comes in .177, .22 and .25 calibers.
The Hatsan Hydra Arrow is a new arrow launcher this year. It shoots a 20-inch bolt at 225 f.p.s. for about 45 foot-pounds of energy.
Hatsan Hydra Arrow is a new arrow launcher.
For more energy try the new Hatsan Harpoon. It’s a bullpup that puts out a 20-inch bolt at 600 f.p.s.!
Hatsan’s Harpoon puts out a 20-inch bolt at 600 f.p.s. It features a bullpup design that hunters will like.
Rifle fans will want to check out Hatsan’s new Factor Sniper Long. It comes in .22, .25, .30 and .35 calibers. Hammer preload and regulator are externally adjustable. And the 700 cc bottle provides air for lots of shots.
Factor Sniper Long.
Wow!
Before I visit the last vendor for today’s report In want to say something. And that something is — WOW! I bet I said that more times at this 2024 show than in all 20+ SHOT Shows I’ve been to — combined. There are so many new products from the vendors who attended the show that I can’t finish reporting on them this week. So we will go into next week with it.
Leapers
Leapers is a company that listened to the market and then acted on what they heard. In the 1990s they were a small operation working on a kitchen table. Today they are a major corporation with impressive manufacturing clout that’s felt around the world.
I remember talking to Leapers owner David Ding in the 1990s about a small airgun scope that parallax adjusted down to ten yards. The next year he handed me a small scope that parallax adjusted down to three yards and the Bug Buster scope line was born. The rest is history!
I told other optics manufacturers that spring guns can break scopes. They looked at me and went, “Hmmm.” When I told Leapers they designed a scope system that could take the abuse, then they built a mil-spec shock table to break their scopes so they could build them even more rugged!
And what did I see at this show? How about an Accushot Pro (top of the line Bug Buster) with 3-12 magnification! I have tested the 3-9 Accushot Pro, but this one goes way beyond that!
Ian McKee looks through the new Accushot Pro 3-12 scope.
But the big deal was the new Integrix scopes we were shown. The field of view was astounding! We focused a 6-36X56 scope at TEN YARDS and a rifle flash hider that was five yards away and in line with the scope was in perfect focus at 16 power!
BB was astounded by he depth of field this Integrix scope offers!
Summary
There is so much more to tell you, but it’s getting late and I need to schedule this report!
2024 looks like it’s going to be expensive!
OP,
Indeed. I might see some of this stuff as used stuff here at RRHFWA in a few years. Not likely this year though.
OP,
Yep. That’s how it looks.
BB
BB,
I think that the 3M8 Bunker might be perfect for hunting, the preferred game being Jackalope. The bayonet would be of critical importance if the quarry were only wounded, since the rifle is a single shot. I have it on good authority (a sergeant that I served in the Army with, who was originally from Montana) that they will fiercely charge, when wounded.
Bill
billj,
You would indeed be foolish to not install the bayonet when you hunt for Jackalope. Not only will they fiercely charge when wounded, but they are quite agile and fast. It is best to be ready at all times.
I’m not ready for that
Then I would strongly suggest you not hunt Jackalopes.
RidgeRunner,
Or snipes, for that matter. ;^)
Michael
Michael,
I thought snipe was both singular and plural. And you need a freshly laundered pillow case to hold them.
BB
B.B.,
I do not think it matters to the snipe(s)! ;^)
Michael
billj,
interestingly, so many hunters claim to be easily capable of-, and will only ever perform, a one shot, ethical kill and therefore reject the need for a follow up shot, or stab.
Maybe the beauty of the bayonet is the alternative it offers, including backyard friendly hunting of Jackalopes? They get everywhere, don’t they! 🙂
3hi,
It also saves time as you already have your knife out for skinning.
As you are aware, I am most interested in the 3M8 Bunker. I also have a great interest in the Accushot Pro 3-12. I adore the BugBuster line. It is a real shame the 4X and 6X went away before I had a chance to acquire a couple each. Ah well, such is life in the fast lane.
P.S. I noticed that the second picture of yours of the 3M8 Bunker is a different air rifle than the first picture of it.
RR,
Read the caption. That is what the rifle looks like when it is straightened for shooting. Same rifle in both pix.
BB
BB,
I did read the caption. The second picture is a different air rifle.
RR,
Yep, you’re right. I took the same pic of the 3M8 and they are colored similarly (remember I’m colorblind).
I’ll change the caption. Good call!
BB
BB,
I will not likely acquire one for RRHFWA, but I am certain there are many of our fellow airgunners who would be most interested in a JTS sproinger.
RR, don’t know how close it is to the BugBuster, but Gru-Bee sells a 6×32 AO that looks interesting.
OP,
The price is OK, but it looks to be a little longer than the BugBuster. The sad part of it all is that the price of the Leapers scopes have skyrocketed to higher than the Hawke line. It is looking like Hawke will end up at RRHFWA more than Leapers.
Keep this in mind ridgerunner, the DNA of the INTEGRIX (the technology behind the INTEGRIX scopes). Is trickling down to the ACCUSHOT PRO and the other UTG scopes.
Ian.
The DNA is trickling down and the price is trickling up. Like I said, Hawke scopes are not the top price scopes anymore. They are still nice though.
I looked read a review of the 4-12 Accushot and the parallax adjustment is 22.5 meters to infinity. No good for airgunners
Ton,
That is a real shame. I have a couple of SWAT Compacts that are great for close range. I guess David has decided to get into the more lucrative powder burner market. Ah well. So long Leapers.
B.B.
Well it looks like you will have lots of things to report on in 2024!
I wonder if the Hatsan Harpoon could be used to shoot fish? Any way to tie a line on the bolts?
-Yogi
Yogi,
In suppose it’s possible but the arrows are far too lightweight and they go too fast to be effective.
BB
BB,
The air gun industry has been busy! Thanks for making the trip to show us all these goodies! Looking forward to more.
I like the fighter plane paint scheme with the shark mouth on the stock of that Avenger-X! Neat idea!
Will
Will,
As I am sure that you are aware, it was similarly painted fighter planes that helped to save China. Now, by buyiing this air rifle you have the chance to do the same.
RidgeRunner,
P40B Warhawk flown by MG Claire Lee Chennault and boys.
Some would say it was C-46, C-47, and other transport aircraft that saved Nationalist China from the Japanese. Thy lost 500-600 aircraft and 1,300+ pilots and aircrew flying the Hump.
shootski
Seems you two are having a great time at the show – keep packing in the fun. Glad you will be reviewing the 3M8, though don’t know about that bayonet feature. Could come in handy if one had to deal with charging iguanas, FM supposes. FM will spare you all the puns/bad humor that went thru his mind regarding the idea of “charging iguanas.”
Iguanas are as bad or worse that rabbits for consuming my vegetable patch.
So please bring on the puns for “charging iguanas”.
Fortunately they are easy to shoot….
-Y
Depends, Yogi – when they’re on “high alert,” the slightest thing spooks them and they take off running at high speed, making a humane hit nearly impossible. They have quite sensitive hearing as well.
FM,
Please do not spare us! Mrs. RR was on that Facebook thing the other day and there was a notification from the Wildlife folks down there that because of the severe cold, iguanas were falling out of the trees. People should not worry as they were not dead, just cold.
The next day there was a post by some fellow down there of a light up highway sign that said “LIZZARD WARNING: PLEASE DRIVE CAREFULLY” or some such. The fellow posted the comment “Not the lizards now!”
You might want to watch out for those “charging iguanas”. They are almost as vicious as the Jackalopes.
Two things to watch out for when it comes to charging iguanas…
1) ensure their credit cards have not expired and/or
2-determine whether they’re 110 or 220 volt-rated before charging them using a compatible plug.
Perhaps the ones dropping from trees simply ran out of charge.
Honestly, I would like to go on an iguana hunt.
I know they have them, I just have not had the time.
I think I have heard them called “the chicken of the trees”.
And some restaurants are actually serving them now.
Ian.
There are organized hunts offered in Dade County, Florida – Miami area. They have them in Puerto Rico as well because the “iggys” cause havoc for the fruit growers there. If you ever have the notion of signing up for one, FM be glad to come along. 🙂
FawltyManuel,
Is that AC or DC?
I would love to GROUND a bunch!
shootski
Something tells FM it is probably a DC system; FM definitely understands the importance of proper GROUNDING.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4406946/
FawltyManuel,
To your groundings of many more!
shootski has ben accused of operating on his reptilian brain! I never thought that a bad thing.
” Reptiles express a number of complex behaviors normally attributed to mammals. They can, for example, learn to navigate mazes as well as birds or mammals do and likely use a hippocampal structure to do so. Remarkably, sea turtles navigate across the ocean to their home beach, possibly using magnetic, olfactory, and visual cues. Reptiles also express interesting social behaviors…”
All to the good for a Naval Aviator.
shootski
Interesting stuff, for all of us that can’t attend, thanks for posting!
Looks like 2024 is going to be a busy year for sorting out the new offerings.
Cheers!
B.B.
Oh wow on the Hatsan Velox. I sure like the looks of her. It reminds me also but of the Crosman 451.
Can’t wait to see some reviews and pricing.
Doc
I personally hope that at some time in the near future that there is a blog on the AV Comp 10. If someone wants to report on the Hatsan Velox, that will be alright also.
When they will put them in our hands, it will happen.
Ian
Oh, I am certain of that. Yesterday I shot my Izzy and my Luznik. These things will have far to go to replace them.
I hope to test the Umarex Zelos.
It seems to have a lot of promise.
You all know I am big on how a gun FEELS.
If you don’t like the feel, you probably won’t shoot it much.
Mark this date, you heard here first,
I have admitted in the past that I am not much of a springer guy.
I can shoot them, they are just not my “first choice” in an Airgun.
Mostly due to the heavy cocking effort, and harsh shot cycle associated with many springers.
On this trip I handled many springers, and actually found them to feel great in the hand. And look forward to reviewing some of them.
Ian.
Great report! I have to say that I am easily most interested in the Velox. An actual handgun sized air pistol powerful enough to take or finish off small game. Been waiting a while for that! It will be very interesting to see how many FPE it produces and the price. Comp 10 looks cool too, hopefully it is more accurate than the V10
Bob
Bob,
I think they told me it’s about 8 foot-pounds in .22 caliber.
BB