Jefklak - Air Rifle & Pellet Gun Club

A Few of My Favorite Things

Posted on July 28, 2016 by Nick

As my wife and I sat around the living room last night, surfing TV channels, she stopped on a rerun of Oprah’s Favorite Things. I’m usually not one for Oprah entertainment but this was different. For those of you who don’t know – Oprah hosts one episode per year dedicated to her favorite things 87 things o be exact – she introduces each item and every member of the audience gets one! It’s incredible – her favorite things range from a Faux-Fur jacket for your dog ($39) to the Apple iPhone 6S($749).

You may be thinking to yourself: “Nick – why are you talking about Oprah here at the air rifle club?” Well – in celebration of Oprah I give you – Jefklak’s Favorite Things! We will be listing some of our favorite things here at the Air Rifle Club. Unfortunately we won’t be giving them away but enjoy them anyway!

The Hatsan 95 Air Rifle – as many of you know this is my all time favorite air rifle. You must get it!
Crosman Destroyer Pellets – .177 Caliber – the best pellets on the market!
LOOGU Net Camouflage – perfect for hunting small game!
Personal Hydration Camouflage Water Bottle – Stay hydrated.
IRONMAN Gravity – this is the inversion table reviews website around – great for stretching out after a long air rifle session.
Gamo Whisper Silent Cat Air Rifle – this is quickly becoming my favorite tactical style air rifle – and it comes with a great silencer!
New York Times – this is my favorite newspaper to read still – especially the restaurant reviews.
JetBlue – my favorite airline – especially good for booking vacation packages.
Chattanooga Rifle Club – the best rifle club in all of Chattanooga.

As you can see – not all of the items here are directly air rifle related – but most are close enough. We can enjoy things outside of just air rifles though – right? Travel is nice and so are restaurants! Also – if you’re ever in Chattanooga -check out that rifle club. Nice guys and gals over there.

Check back as I’ll be adding more stuff to this list as I come across things. Have something you think we should add? Use the contact us form to get in touch – we would love to hear what you have to say.

UPDATE – 08/03/2016

After a couple emails – we’ve decided to follow up with a second post later this year outlining favorite reader submitted things. Thanks you for the feedback!

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Buying a New Air Rifle? Why Your Choice of Scope Matters

Posted on June 24, 2016 by Nick

Pellet guns (also known as air guns or air rifles) are hugely popular among shooting enthusiasts and newbies alike. If you’re thinking of purchasing one, you’re likely doing research on the best pellet gun. Which gun you’ll choose will depend on what you’d like to use it for. Will you take part in competition shooting or hunting? Perhaps you’re interested in plinking (informal target shooting) and just want to have fun shooting at cans and bottles in your down time. Will you be shooting long or short range? No matter what gun you choose, it’s important to be sure you’re also getting the best air rifle scope.

Is There Really a Difference?

After finally choosing the best pellet gun, it can be a confusing task to sort out the best air rifle scope. With dozens of choices (all with different features), you’ll have to consider the kind of pellet gun you’re purchasing and the kind of shooting you’d like to do. All scopes are not the same. Note: you should never use a firearm scope on an air rifle; the recoil from the air rifle is more powerful than that of a firearm and will damage the scope. Do your research. It’s worth it, as there are some very real differences between air rifle scopes and you don’t want to end up with one that’s more (or way less) than what you need. Here are the basics to get you started in finding the best air rifle scope.

Fixed Scopes

Among your less expensive choices will be scopes that have fixed magnification. This means that the magnification on them is always the same; you can’t change it to zoom in closer. The magnification level on the lens will be indicated by numbers such as 4×32. This means that when you look through the scope, the image you see will be magnified 4 times.

A fixed scope lens (in addition to being less expensive) is quick and easy. The downside to this type of lens is that you can’t increase the magnification. Fixed scopes are great for hunting small game (like rodents) at close distances.

Variable Scopes

Unlike fixed scopes, variable scopes can be zoomed in to a variety of magnifications. You’ll see more numbers on the side of a variable scope; for instance, 3-9×32. This means that the scope is able to magnify from 3 to 9 times. The increased magnification on variable scopes make them great for hunting at longer distances, but they tend to be pricier than fixed scopes.

What Does the Last Number Mean?

The last number on a scope is the objective lens size. The side of the lens you look through is the ocular lens, while the opposite side is the objective lens. The larger the magnification, the bigger your objective lens will be. A bigger objective lens lets in more light, which makes the picture clearer and brighter. If you’re shooting in low light or at dusk, a larger objective lens is ideal.

The Bottom Line: Do Your Homework!
As you can see, the scope you choose matters just as much as the air rifle. If you’re first starting out, don’t want to spend a lot of money, and won’t be shooting at long distances, a fixed scope should work well for you – do not use the fixed scope for deer hunting. If you’re a more experienced shooter or one who wants to shoot at a longer range, don’t waste your money on a fixed scope. Instead, spring for a variable scope. As with all things, keep in mind that you get what you pay for; cheaper scopes may denote a lack of quality. It’s worth investing in one that will last.

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5 Reasons Your Family Should Own a Pellet Gun

Posted on May 27, 2016 by Nick

When thinking of family bonding, most people think of game night or eating dinner together. Few people will think of pellet guns as a safe and fun way for families to spend time together. However, they can be extremely useful for bonding while learning a new skill together, providing confidence to children and teaching children about gun safety.

What is a pellet gun?

A pellet projectile is non-spherical, unlike a BB, and is designed to fire from an air gun. Pellet guns differ from other firearms in that they “operate at pressures as low as 50 atmospheres, while firearms operate at thousands of atmospheres.”1 Pellet guns are good for hunting small game like rabbit, dove, quail or duck. They are easy to use with practice and proper safety training.

Why get a pellet gun for your family?

Low Cost

Ammunition for pellet guns is extremely cheap. A few dollars will get you hundreds of pellets. Traditional ammunition is typically much more expensive, which makes it precious and more painful if you spend them up practicing with your family. If you adopt pellet guns as a hobby, you’ll want ample pellets at your disposal. Find our selections for the best air rifle.

Quiet

Pellet guns are great to use while teaching children about gun safety for many reasons, one of which being that they’re silent. You don’t have to worry about their small ears or intimidating shy kids with a huge booming gun. Not only that, but silence allows for privacy while practicing and shooting.

Open Carry

Laws concerning firearms are serious and should not be bent. “Open carrying or storing of firearms in a vehicle or in public is prohibited in most areas, but there is no such restriction regarding pellet guns in most areas.”2 This means if you want to take a camping trip or travel with the family and bring your pellet guns along, you should be good to go. (Although you should always check with your local law enforcement agency to be sure.)

Benefit for Children

Over the last decade or so, a staggering number of people – adult and child – have lost their lives due to children improperly handling guns. Many people want to teach their children about guns and gun safety, but choose the wrong weapon. However, properly learning to shoot can help children on many levels.

“Lining up the sights on a distant target takes deep concentration. Children must slow their breathing and tune into the beat of their hearts to be able to squeeze the trigger at precisely the right moment. […] touching the trigger correctly takes small motor skills; doing both at once engages the whole brain. Marksmanship is an exercise in a high order of body-hand-eye-mind coordination.”3

Given the size of pellet guns and smaller degree of possible damage than a rifle or handgun, for example, they make great tools with which to teach your children about gun safety.

Confidence and Bonding

Learning a new skill as a family and creating a unique tradition in your home can have lasting effects on the relationship between you and your children. Learning new skills imbues children with confidence and gun safety has the added benefit of teaching them respect for the weapon and the lives of others. Carrying this skill with them as they grow older can provide them with a unique degree of confidence. Spending time together as a family, no matter how you do it, is beneficial. Why not choose something fun and interesting that can help your child learn to be safe?

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Choosing the Proper Air Rifle Scope to Improve Shooting Accuracy

Posted on March 25, 2016 by Nick

Scopes for air rifles are often a confusing subject for both seasoned hobbyists and newbies alike. However, there are some terms and basic considerations that can help make the process of choosing the best air rifle scope much simpler. Choosing the right scope can take your shooting accuracy to the next level.

Since there are so many types of air rifle scopes from which to choose and each has its own special features, the first thing to do is consider the basics. Simply put, a scope will magnify the image that is being targeted and will put you and the object on the same visual plane. It works by using lenses set inside the scope that bend the light that enters in order to make the image bigger.

Air rifle scopes are special because they are designed to be able to withstand the recoil and vibrations of an air rifle. A firearm scope should not be used on an air rifle.

Types of Air Rifle Scopes

There are two main types of air rifle scopes, a fixed scope and a variable scope. The fixed scope is set to one magnification and no adjustments can be made to it. A fixed scope will be denoted similar to this: 4×15 or 4×32. This means that the object is magnified four times. One of the advantages of a fixed scope is that once it is sighted in there is little adjustment needed. The obvious disadvantage of this type of scope is that the image cannot be magnified any more than the set magnification.

Variable scopes allow images to be magnified at different settings, typically between 3 to 15 times. The number will be denoted similar to 3-9×32. This means that the images can be magnified between 3 to 9 times and the 32 refers to the objective lens.

Objective Sizes

When looking at scopes the last number specified refers to the objective size. For example, if the scope states that it is 4-16×50, the 50 refers to the 50 mm objective lens or the opening of the lens. Objective size is important for a couple of reasons. First, the bigger the lens size the stronger the magnification is going to be. Secondly, larger objectives allow more light into the scope, which provides a picture that is brighter and clearer.

Choosing the Right Scope for your Needs

Now that the basics are out of the way there are a few things that should be considered when picking out a scope. First, decide the type of hunting that you do most. For hunting small rodents at close ranges a fixed scope of 4×32 is ideal. For hunting larger varmints, a variable scope will be best.

Next, decide on the quality of scope that you want and then buy one that is a bit better. It is always better to get something that is a bit nicer so that you do not regret your purchase.

Overall, choosing the right air rifle scope may seem daunting at first, but if you take the time to choose the right one to meet your needs you will find that your aim will improve greatly over time.

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A Quick History on Air Rifles

Posted on March 13, 2016 by Nick

The History of Air Rifles

Some might think that the air gun (which includes air rifles, pellet guns, air pistols and any other weapon that uses gas or compressed air to force a projectile at high speeds) is a recent invention but the truth is, air guns have been around for centuries. In fact, the blow pipe, which is used to send sharp darts usually tipped with poison, has been around for much longer than that and uses the same basic technology.

Also, most modern day air rifle owners don’t realize that the preferred form of weaponry in the 16^th century was the air gun. Although they had guns in the 16^th century, they were loud, smelly and required the manual lighting of gunpowder. Most nobles and other folks with money used air guns for hunting. They were expensive then, but they were also quiet and could be used in wet conditions, unlike the arquebus, which was the firearm of choice until the musket came along.

In the 18^th and 19^th centuries the air gun became quite popular among soldiers. They had a number of advantages over the musket when it came to combat. For one thing, they were quiet and didn’t have a muzzle flash, so you wouldn’t give away your position when you fired. They also would work in the rain and were easier to load, which resulted in faster shooting.

The air rifle got a big boost in the 50’s and 60’s, as they were advertised heavily as toys for kids. At the time, kids idolized frontiersmen like Davy Crockett and nearly every kid wanted one, as shown in movies like A Christmas Story and books like The Great Brain Series. Today, air guns compete with paintball guns, but both are used widely, mostly for sport or group competitions, but occasionally for hunting as well.

Clearly air rifles have come along way in the past centuries. Never before have we seen such a great selection of rifles and air rifle scopes avaliable. Some of the big names like Hatsan, Benjamin and Gamo provide rifles that would make previous generations very jealous. I have also seen a tremendous amount of new enthusiasts starting to purchase air rifle accessories online. Be cleaning kits, targets or anything else the air rifle industry is alive and well. I can’t wait to see what new innovation we can expect to see. My favorite would be the joining or air rifle scopes and night vision goggles.

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