If you look at the latest news in airgunning you’d think the world has gone mad. Many airguns are now hitting 4 digits left of the old decimal point in price. Ouch. Where did the regular old BB guns go?
The good news is that while they might not be making headlines like the uber-expensive PCP airguns, the CO2 and spring powered air guns are still out there and people are still buying them. Which ones would that be? I’m glad you asked.
I thought a Broad Axe was Supposed to be Bigger?
Not that Broad Axe, but the Umarex Brodax. Pronounce it how you want, but evidently you folks don’t get tired of the Brodax 10-shot BB revolver. For all of its non-traditional looks, the Brodax is a heavy hitter when it comes to sales. To start with, it is very affordable. The retail price of this CO2 powered BB pistol is under $50. These days, $50 is barely a tank of gas. But it’s not the fact that this is “just” an affordable BB gun. It comes with 3 magazines and additional magazines are sold in a 3-pack as well. And we aren’t trying to get rich off of selling Brodax magazines, either. Those are also very affordable. What we see a lot of Brodax owners doing is outfitting it with optic and light accessories. This is a cinch to do since both the top strap and the underlug of the barrel are both formed with picatinny rail. What a cool set-up! Slap a micro reflex sight on top, a laser/light combo on the bottom and you have a rat hunting machine… that is if you are into that sort of thing. For less than $50, the Brodax gives you the foundation to build your air pistol up the way you want it.
Blowback, Pellets, and Bling
The SA10 was an immediate hit with our replica and BB gun fans. While not a true replica of any one firearm, the SA10 certainly looks amazing and provides excellent form and function. The SA10 is a blowback pellet pistol that uses an 8 shot rotary magazine to fire .177 caliber pellets at around 400 FPS. You will want to steer clear of pointed pellets with this one. We recommend flat-tipped pellets 7 grains or less for best function. Install your favorite laser or light accessory on the under barrel rail and stock up on pellets and CO2. For less than $100, you can get all three and get on your way to pellet plinking the way you want to.
Pump It Up!
If you need something to do more than just plink, then you might want to see what the Strike Point pump pneumatic is all about. Available in both .177 can .22 caliber, this pellet pistol can get business taken care of when you need business taken care of. Garden and house pests (the four legged variety…) can discreetly be dealt with using the Strike Point. SInce it is a single load bolt action design, you can use nearly any pellet on the market with the Strike Point. If pesting is your goal, we recommend a pellet like the RWS Superfield Heavy in .177 caliber and RWS Superdome in .22. If you are plinking or target shooting, find the most accurate pellet you can shoot through it and stick with it. It just might be the one of the two I mentioned already!
Bonus Gun
I didn’t include a rifle on this list and I really should have. The one rifle that is constantly in people’s carts at check out (besides the Notos) is the CO2 powered Fusion 2. The Fusion 2 is a .177 caliber multi-shot bolt action design that is powered by twin 12g CO2 cartridges. Neither heavy or overly large, the Fusion is a wonderful tool for taking care of furry pests around the house. Oh, and did I mention that it is really quiet? If you are not a big fan of spring powered pellet rifles and don’t shoot enough to justify investing in a PCP set up, the Fusion 2 might just be the air rifle for you.