Bob Dylan wrote a song, alluded to in the title, in the midst of a decade of radical change. Funny thing is, that decade has come back to haunt us in ways that the sleepy majority did not foresee. Be that as it may, where we stand now is at a crossroads. If, God forbid, the wheels come off the wagon you might want to hedge your bets and secure some hardware to leverage your efforts in securing security for you and your family. So without further ado, let’s take a look at a few of our heavy hitters.
Hammer Down!
The .50 caliber Hammer is the big daddy of all our air guns. It’s not a pea-shooter. It’s not a pellet gun. Think of it as a two-shot muzzle loader sans thick cloud of smoke. The Hammer throws a serious hunk of lead (250-500 grain slugs!) downrange with serious energy behind it. Expect, depending on projectile, 600 to 700+ ft. lbs. of energy at the muzzle. In case you are wondering, yes, it can take a deer, hog, or bear. Easily. Professional hunter Steve Scott has taken a cape buffalo with it, so, be assured the Hammer makes legit hunting power. And expect to get 3 full power shots and even a fourth follow-up before you need to recharge the tank.
Air Archery is a Thing
Yes, air archery is a thing that didn’t exist just a short few years ago. We’ve cooked up a hard hitting air archery device that won’t break the bank and hits harder than any vertical bow on the market. The AirSaber is powered by high pressure air, 3,625 PSI to be precise, to launch a 376 grain arrow at over 400 FPS. That’s smoking fast. Once calculated, the energy available at the muzzle is over 125 ft. lbs. The fastest vertical bow that we can find is only breaking the century mark in power by a few ft. lbs. The AirSaber is accurate, capable, and easy to use. This is really good news for hunters and outdoors inclined people who just can’t draw a bow back anymore. And even if you can, why? Air technology, while not new, is being applied to this new frontier with amazing success. You’ve got to see what this thing can do. But do use a proper high speed target to catch those arrows! The Morrell Yellow Jacket bag target is a good place to start looking if you don’t already have a target bag.
Air Archery, Jr is a Thing
In terms of pure shooting joy and utility, the AirSaber’s little brother, the AirJavelin, is the air archery device to get if you are on the fence and need something effective. The AirJavelin is powered by CO2 which means that no special pumps or equipment is needed to recharge it. Just screw in a fresh 88 gram cartridge or the two by 12 gram CO2 adapter and you are ready to fling arrows. CO2 pressurizes at a much lower pressure than air, so don’t expect to lay out an elephant with it, but your run of the mill zombie will be done for this world-- again. Even if you aren’t slaying zombies, the real beauty of the Umarex AirJavelin is how fun it is to send arrows into an archery bag. Virtually no recoil, super easy interface and really good accuracy (like don’t-aim-for-the-same-spot-on-the-bag accurate) makes the AJ a huge hit with the whole family.
On the positive side, you can keep up with the changing times, even if the wheels manage to stay on this wagon. With these big bore and air archery guns you’ll be set up for good hunting and great fun anyway no matter what happens.
Mark Davis, avid outdoorsman, family man, and outdoor writer is the social media specialist for Umarex USA.