by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier
This report covers:
- Hatsan on the range
- Raffles
- Other goodies at the show
- Dealer sales
- The private dealers
- Grand prizes
- The end
I plan for this report to be the final one on the 2017 Texas airgun show.
Hatsan on the range
We have already seen AirForce Airguns, Crosman, Sig Sauer and Umarex USA. What I didn’t show you was the new Umarex Gauntlet being shot by the public. The rifle has not been released yet, but we expect it very soon. This was a rare chance for the public to test an airgun before release, just like I get to do at the SHOT Show sometimes. I also didn’t get any pictures of Crosman demonstrating their Pioneer airbow on the big bore range. But they were out there with it in the afternoon.
I did get to the Hatsan range, though, and saw the new Sortie pistol I’m now testing for you. I also got to shoot the Hercules big bore in .45 caliber. Hatsan sent one for me to test for you and that will start soon, so I wanted to try it out with a Hatsan tech person at my side.
The other gun they were shooting that I didn’t get to try was the new Hatsan Barrage semiautomatic rifle. I didn’t get to shoot it because the line to try it out was too long. But I also have a Hatsan Bullmaster semiauto to test after I finish with the Sortie, so we will get to see a Hatsan semiauto rifle in action, too.
The line to shoot the Hatsan Barrage was too long for me to wait!
Raffles
All day long there were raffles for fantastic prizes. Because of hurricane Harvey, attendance was down this year (we estimate 250 attendees, down from 400 last year), so the chances to win one of the prizes was greatly increased. Raffle prizes were donated by:
Airgun Depot
Crosman
Hatsan
Hawke Sport Optics
Pyramyd Air
Sig Sauer
Sun Optics
Umarex USA
The drawings were held inside the show hall every hour, beginning at 12:30. If there was no immediate claimant, they went out and announced the ticket numbers outside on the ranges, as well. Throughout the entire day I only saw one raffle prize that was not claimed when drawn.
Sig and Crosman also gave away the guns they shot on their respective ranges. The host club 4H members charged a dollar to shoot, and 2-part tickets were given with each purchase. Those tickets were then entered into a raffle drawing for the guns being shot on the range, as well as some additional guns that were donated, over and above those that were shot. These drawings were held right on the ranges.
Sig Sauer donated the guns they shot on the range that day. They also donated the P320 pistol I tested for you earlier this year.
Show organizer, Jeff Cloud, conducts the drawing for a Benjamin Wildfire — one of three given away!
What the public didn’t know was iraqveteran8888 also donated $400 cash to the 4H volunteers on the ranges. AirForce Airguns matched his donation with another $400. At the end of the show, the Arlington Sportsman Club 4H chapter had made their entire year’s budget from the work they did, ticket sales, the food they sold and these generous donations!
Other goodies at the show
Let’s go back inside now and look at some of the other nice airguns that were there.
Dealer sales
I read on a forum that there weren’t many dealers of modern airguns at this show, but that’s not the case. In fact there were more retailers at this show than at any other airgun show that has ever been held in the U.S. You just had to take the time to look for them. Airgun Depot, the show sponsor, was able to sell anything from their website right at their table! I have already shown AirForce Airguns and the mountain of guns they brought and Sun Optics, who was right next to them. My tables inside the show hall were next to Hawke Sport Optics, who was also selling directly.
The Hawke representative chats with Eric Henderson.
Sig had two sales tables in the show.
Airgun Depot, the show’s sponsor, had sales tables, too. They were also selling those large red cowboy hats. The kilt and sporran, however, were not part of the deal!
The private dealers
I haven’t shown all the private dealers yet, either. While the number of tables was down from last year, the quality of airguns on them was up.
That’s an Air Arms Shamal with 100 percent barred walnut — like curly maple only rarer! Above it is a Sharp Ace Target. Find another one for sale! Yes, this is my table.
That’s an engraved, gold-plated HW35 in a beautiful walnut stock above that Whiscombe!
I also saw something I have been needing ever since acquiring the 98 cubic foot carbon fiber tank from Pyramyd AIR. A carrier! It’s made by airguntailor.com and there is a wide spectrum of choices. I’ll show it to you when I get it.
This carrier will fit a 98-cubic foot air tank. It has saddlebags to carry tools, adaptors and stuff
Grand prizes
The day ended with two major drawings. One was for the grand prize in the raffle — an Air Arms RSN70 Limited Edition precharged rifle that was donated by Pyramyd AIR. This $4,000 air rifle was going to make somebody’s day, and people talked about it all day! In a finish that sounds like Hollywood wrote it, the winner was a young man who was celebrating his birthday that day!
This lucky young man won the $4,000 Air Arms RSN70 Limited PCP donated by Pyramyd AIR. And, it was his birthday!
Following the last raffle prize, the door prize was given. All it took was your stub from the admission ticket. This year AirForce Airguns donated a decked-out Texan .308, and I know a lot of people wanted it. In the end it was won by a woman
who is the mom of one lucky airgunner. I heard him telling people about it in the parking lot after the show.
Mom won the .308 Texan door prize. Perfect end to a great show!
The end
That was the end of this year’s show. There were more prizes than I have ever seen at one show, and more things for people to do, as well. We will be televised on iraqveteran8888’s You Tube channel in a few weeks, so you can watch it yourselves.
This year’s show suffered because of the weather, so I decided to let the club pick the date next year. I tried to avoid the other airgun shows this year and ran smack dab into the Pyramyd AIR Cup. Best-laid plans…
B.B.,
Maybe you should start talking to the organizers of these events as early as now so that there is some coordination/spacing between events.
Siraniko
Siraniko,
We do talk this early. But circumstances overcame our planning this year.
B.B.
B.B.,
Nice re-cap. It looks like it was quite a show. Thanks for taking the time to go and giving us all a peek. At least this one was closer than the Findlay show in Ohio.
Chris
BB,
It definitely sounds like THE event to attend. I hope the Hickory show will continue and begin to attract the retailers. Joe Brancato attended last year.
B.B.,
Your Sharp Ace Target is interesting. I know little about Sharps. Are they side-pumping multipumps?
High-end table you had there!
Michael
Michael,
Yes, it pumps to the side.
I tested it for you here:
/blog//?s=Sharp+Ace+Target&btnGo=
B.B.
BB—-Gun shows at the Westchester County center draw customers from the New York City, New Jersey and lower Hudson valley. The Middletown gun show also attracts people from the same areas. When you talk to the promoter(s) of the airgun shows that you go to, could you ask them to consider promoting airgun shows in these areas ? —–Thank you, Ed
Ede,
What? Baldwinsville is too far? I used to drive up there from Baltimore.
B.B.
Sig-Sauer looks to be going head-over-heels tactical with their product line. But I suppose they always were, and you can’t blame them after winning the new army pistol contract. I can’t believe the young kid who won the $4000 air rifle! I didn’t even know they got that expensive. Olympic rimfire and airguns seem to be around $3000.
Gunfun1, it has been my impression that one of the virtues of the TX200, besides its accuracy, is that it is not sensitive to holds and can be held like a firearm. There isn’t as much of a body of knowledge about the HW30, but I doubt it would be as hold-insensitive. As for the origin of the word “movie,” I’ve never thought of it, but I would guess that it is some kind of abbreviation of the term “moving picture” or “motion picture” which was the innovation of that technology.
Matt61
Matt61
Was busy yesterday. Had a wind and thunder storm come through and knocked a bunch of small branches down and some bigger limbs. Was cutting stuff up for firewood. So didn’t get a chance to reply back.
And I have to say both the .177 and .22 Tx that I owned do have a bit of a noticeable bump to the shot cycle as they came out of the box. And they still need to be held a certain way to get good group’s. The .177 Tx I ended up tunning it and it was extremely smooth to shoot. Basically just point aim and shoot. The .22 Tx I have now I tuned it up bit in velocity. So it for sure has a noticeable shot cycle. And is definitely hold sensitive. I knew that would happen but wanted a little more power. But the thing is it’s still accurate if held right.
Now the HW30s is smooth as can be shot cycle wise. But still needs to be held a certain way to stay accurate.
And yep that’s kind of what I figured with movies about how they came up with calling it that.
Matt61,
I am happy for the kid. I personally had hard time finding any enthusiasm for the rifle. I just could not get past the look’s of the thing. It just left me scratching my head and asking,.. “Why?” Maybe some people really like it? I would have launched into immediate trade/barter/discount sale mode myself. No doubt the kid was ecstatic with joy though.
Chris
B.B.,
Given your recent 5 Part series on collecting, I wonder just where the $4,000 Grand Prize would fit into the realm of collecting? It (was) a 71 unit limited run. It (is) by a reputable maker. For an (investment), how quickly would that pay-off? Non-shot, still boxed? Buy for 4, wait a year, sell it for 2 over (6)? My gut tells me no. What you say? No answer would be fine too, and understood. This offering has to set the “high bar” for offerings, at least from P.A.. Just curious, as usual.
Thanks,..Chris
Chris,
Not everything has to be an investment. I would say this one isn’t.
B.B.
B.B.,
I do agree that not everything has to be an investment. I have a rather expensive cache of air guns that would directly support that theory. The inquiry was an honest one, and one that has “bugged” me given your recent series. Thank you very much.
I am always happy to turn 4 into 6, but given my propensity for shooting and modifying,.. I think that I will steer clear of collecting air guns for profit.
Thanks again,… Chris
How about the Katana, could that be an airgun to keep an eye out for as a future collectible.
Coduece,
I don’t think so. It’s another airgun in a different stock. Sort of the Beeman R9.HW95 thing.
B.B.
Never make fun of a guy in a kilt, especially when he has a dirk tucked into his boot!
Coduece,
“Sargent-Major, the regiment voted to have it repaired!” 😉
B.B.
Coduece,
I had to look twice as I thought that you said “duck”. 😉 I do see that it has a horn handle,.. I like. I will say though that the keys and the drink jug?, does distract somewhat from the whole outfit. I will say “hat’s off” to the fellow for giving it a go.
B.B. and Coduece,
I had to do some research to get that joke. Funny though. I can just imagine how it would be repaired by being sent to a garage for proper vulcanizing. 😎
Siraniko
B.B.
Right, I think it makes a better punch line than we’ve voted toget a new one.
Coduece,
Isn’t it cool that we can discuss this and not offend anyone? I thought you would know the joke, since you noticed the dirk.
B.B.
I wonder if they still teach that skill set in pharmacology school?
Coduece,
I had to look that joke up too.
I sent a copy of the joke to my daughter, the pharmacist, and asked if she learned that skill. The short answer was no. I don’t believe she got the joke.
Jim
BB
think I am registered finally. You should I should post to get a line on possible sights for the new to me Beeman C1, great show as always.
thanks
Jason
Jason,
Welcome to the blog.
Everybody, this is the man who got the C1 at the Texas show. He needs open sights for it. Can anyone help?
B.B.