Where the XS19, .22 and Wasp reign Supreme.

04:45 on a cloudless morning, I found myself gazing out across green fields and blue skies. I'd like to report that I was stalking the hedgerows, but alas I was in the cab of a Fiat Ducato Maxi being whisked up the M6 to Carlisle. The main purpose was to collect a family member and his kit, but being the industrious chap I am, I also managed to arrange an air rifle sale with a buyer from Penrith on the same day, most fortuitous, though I was rather put out he attempted to knock me down a tenner! Ordinarily, I enjoy a good haggle, but not so much after 256 mile jaunt, saving the fellow £16 in postage.

Still grumbling to my companion, we journeyed on to our destination. It took minutes to load up, so with time to spare I convinced the chaps to take me to the local Registered Firearms Dealer. That turned out to be Geoff Wilsons Guns and Tackle in Carlisle City Centre.

My conversation with the young man behind the counter was, to me, very interesting indeed and most educational. I won't go too in depth so here are some main points I learned;

• Northern buyers prefer the .22 calibre so much so that .177 is a special order!
• The popularity and demand for shotguns in Carlisle has declined greatly whilst airguns has increased.
• Geoff Wilsons most popular selling gun was the BSA Lightning XL when BSA were selling the scope package, but since that deal was terminated and BSA increased their prices, the top spot has been snatched by the SMK XS19. I was further shown how the XS19 action is apparently shared across the Crosman Phantom and Benjamin Trail actions, the differences being barrels, stocks, and in the case of the latter, a gas ram power plant. But all essentially the same gun.
• The Webley Raider has been changed since I owned my Raider 10XS. It appears that since Highland Outdoors purchased the name, the Stock has been made less appealing (to my tastes), now more square, chunky and less comfortable. With an £80 price hike from £300-£380 and sales have dropped.
• Geoff Wilson did stock the Webley ValueMax, when the carbon fibre stock option was available. The assistant reported that due to the thin side pieces on the fore-end of all the stocks and their brittleness, many snapped. Customers returned the guns after finding that despite repeated re-greasing, the spring twang was returning and was unacceptable. (This I duly noted!) Not an issue they have had with their best-selling SMK XS19.

The two side pieces of The ValueMax's stock are reportedly prone to snapping.

I also got to handle a Weihrauch HW99s, a most impressive and point-able gun that has had a stock update which now includes an impression of 'Weihrauch' along the sides above the chequering on the fore-stock. A far better choice in my view if the funds are available, if not, according to Geoff Wilsons sales figures, then the SMK XS19 will suffice. As I pointed out, Woodfield GCP aka 'Welsh Willy' offers a plethora of after market products for the XS19 which currently do not exist for the ValueMax.

I tried to resist, but once I spotted it, I melted at the sight and had to have a hold of the TX200HC. Ohhh boy it felt good. I was slightly disconcerted to note that certainly on the model I held, the gorgeous fish scaled stock looked rather, unfinished. It may have been a trick of the eye, but the detail seemed rougher than I remember on my old full length. Perhaps hurried. I do hope I am mistaken, though my resolve to procure one in the future remains unshaken.

As a signal of my gratitude for the assistants time, I did as I imagine many browsers do and bought a couple of tins of pellets. I remembered that my .177 range lacked RWS Superdomes, and took a punt on a tin of Wasps (unsurprisingly another best seller in Carlisle at only £4.20 a tin).

 .177 Wasp pellets.

Close up of the .177 Wasp Pellet

The inferior quality of these pellets is so clear to me that I don't feel the need to photograph a Superdome for comparison.
I hope readers are getting the recurring message here. Just because it's cheaper, it doesn't mean its a better deal in most case. We all want to get our money's worth, and that's fine, but always buy the best you can afford and perhaps be prepared to save up if needs be. Just as you would be foolish to put poor quality oil in your car, I would always strongly advise buying good quality pellets to get the very best from your airgun.
To my eye, these Wasps look strikingly similar to SMK Spitfires, I have used them before and found them good only for 'plinking'. It is my opinion that if hunting, no animal deserves to be smacked by such an ill formed lump of lead as pictured.

But all is not lost for the ValueMax. As has been suggested by readers, the next step is to crack her open and spend the time and money on her that I would have saved if I had bought a quality rifle in the first instance!