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On Air
THE 'ON AIR' AIRGUN HIGHLIGHTS OF 2023 Mat Manning takes a look back on some of his favourite new airguns and accessories released in the past year
FX King Swedish gunmaker FX is a world leader when it comes to pioneering airgun design, and the new ing air rifle, launched towards the end of 2023, will only serve to strengthen that reputation. It costs over , , but that price tag is ustified by its specification Although it is an awesome pelletshooter in its own right, the FX King has really been designed to excel as a slugfiring machine ailable in calibres up to .35, it is capable over producing phenomenal power levels well in excess of 100ft/lb.
Reximex Lyra This PCP builds on the acclaimed Panthera action and shares its innovative barrel plenum system. Other high-end features include the FX macro and micro power adjusters and interchangeable Smooth Twist X barrel. A slick sidelever action drives a multi-shot magazine, and the King’s dual Wika pressure gauges are even angled backwards to make them easier to read. The King sits inside a fully-adjustable GRS laminate stock, which is available in natural brown, Nordic Wolf and Green Mountain Camo.
e ime brought se eral new air rifles to the market in 2023, and all of them delivered a remarkable combination of affordability and performance. The one that impressed me most was the Lyra, an elegant-looking PCP which retails for under £400. Tipping the scales at 3.5kg and measuring 101cm from muzzle to butt, the Lyra is a very manageable full-power air rifle t has a reliable sidele er action which runs a 12-shot magazine in .22 or 14-shot in .177, and comes supplied with two magazines and a single-shot tray.
The Lyra returns around 100 shots from a full bar fill and is equipped with some handy features, including an adjustable two-stage trigger and a power adjuster, which could be useful if, for example, you wanted to wind down the muzzle energy to simply enjoy a spot of backyard plinking. I was lucky enough to get my hands on the Lyra back in the autumn, and the test gun was comfortably printing ragged single-hole groups at 30m. You don’t always get accuracy like that at this price bracket.
Air Arms XTi-50 BSA R-12 SLX irmingham based S uns’ flagship R-12 was launched a while ago now, but last year’s SLX model gave it a new twist. This recoilless PCP comes in walnut, Black Pepper Laminate and Softtouch Black stock options and prices start at £1,249. Thanks to BSA’s renowned cold hammer forged barrel, consistent regulated power output and a crisp, fully adjustable, two-stage trigger, the R-12 is a ery accurate rifle single hole groups
at 40m are standard with the right pellet. t’s also quick it runs a tried and tested 12-shot magazine which is driven by an extremely reliable sidelever cocking and loading mechanism. The Super Carbine version of the R-12 SLX is just 95cm long, with the very effecti e supplied silencer fitted, and weighs kg rom a full fill, it will return 130 shots in .177 calibre and 205 in .22. The R-12 SLX doesn’t just perform well, it also looks great.
It was a long time coming but the Air Arms XTi-50 was worth the wait. Improving on this British gunmaker’s benchmark for fine target rifles was ne er going to be easy, but this offering truly does set a new standard. The Air Arms mantra for the XTi-50 project was “No Compromise”, and it shows. The R&D process included ongoing input from a team of expert consultants from around the world, and the result is arguably the greatest FT and air rifle e er made Capable of match-winning perfor-
mance straight out of the box, this regulated air rifle boasts an infinitely ad ustable laminate stock and a breathtaking level of componentry. eatures include fully floating match grade barrel, micro-adjustable air stripper, mechanical energy absorption device, folding spirit level and wind indicator, button-operated one-touch swingarm hamster and that’s ust a few of them. The butt hook, cheekpiece and pistol grip facilitate a huge degree of adjustment, and this incredible airgun even comes supplied with a Negrini case.