If there has ever been a time to step away from media and the chaos, this summer has been it. Judging by sales of recreational items like fishing gear and airguns, it would seem like many of our fans and likeminded people are doing just that.
For myself, I’m still working, thanks to limited restrictions in my home state and our business being deemed “essential”—a term that is a bitter allusion to a much darker time. Oh, I’ve worked from home for a good deal of time, but even then working from home, even in this business, is still working from home. Stuff’s got to be done and more often than not that stuff involves sitting in front of a computer.
As Merle Haggard sang, “I’m not braggin’ or complaining, I’m just talking to myself man-to-man--” it’s just the way it is these days. But after the work gets worked and the chores get chore’d, it’s a good thing to step away from the electronic devices and pick up an airgun and step outside for some trigger time.
The AirJavelin Is Where It’s At
And here lately, I have to admit that my favorite go-to shoulder gun is the Umarex AirJavelin. In case you’ve already checked out of social medias you might not know that the AirJavelin is a CO2 powered air archery gun. But then again, you probably wouldn’t be reading this. What makes the AirJavelin such a blast (pun intended) is the blast of CO2 that launches a short arrow, much like a cross-bow bolt, at a quick 300 FPS. It’s not super powerful in terms of raw energy putting out about 34 ft-lbs at the muzzle, but the AirJavelin translates very well into an airgun that is just perfect for backyard target punching. There’s no real reason that you can’t hunt smaller game like coyotes or even feral hogs, and plenty of folks are doing just that with their AirJavelins tipped with light Blood Bug broadheads.
Shooting, getting trigger time, is a form of therapy for many people. I find it to be a prescription that helps shed off the troubles of the world and reset my mind. When you are concentrating on the front sight, concerns about the trembling world around you fall away. Not only that, when the AirJavelin is combined with a good target like Morrell’s Yellow Jacket and some Big Blast Caps, the trigger releases much more than just an arrow. Flinging that arrow unleashes a huge smile!
Yellow (Morrell) Punching Bag
Even when I run out of Big Blast Caps, hearing the thwack of the arrow into the target bag is exceptionally satisfying. Morrell’s big Yellow Jacket archery target is large enough that even a fairly wild shot will be caught and caught well. Once you’ve got your sigts or optic dialed in you’ll find plenty of aiming points on the target to hit, which is a very good strategy to employ when shooting the AirJavelin. That is to say, you do run a real risk of “Robin Hooding” an arrow if you insist on hammering the same spot.
All that is to say, what I’ve been doing more and more in my off work hours is laying down my phone and giving the social media and TV a rest and stepping outside with the AirJavelin for some trigger time. It’s really much preferred compared to what’s on the TV or social pages anyway. These past few months have made me think back fondly on what life was like in the 1980’s and 90’s. Cooking at home, driving less, spending more time with the family—these aren’t negatives. Likewise getting outside to enjoy nature and activities that are “active” as opposed to “passive” are also great options to occupy some free time. And with that, I’m out. It’s time to go home.
Mark Davis, avid outdoorsman, family man, and outdoors writer, is the social media specialist for Umarex USA.