It has been well written many times all about my love of the Air Arms guns I love them all. As I have said before it started off way bay back in the late 80s early 90s with a simply brilliant gun called the Air Arms Camague (I think that’s how it was spelt) and I did a lot of hunting with that gun.

So when I was asked by the magazine that is The Countryman’s Diary (www.countrymans-diary.co.uk) what my thoughts were on modern PCP (pre charged pneumatic) air rifles and in particular the Air Arms S510 and the Daystate Regal I thought ohhhhh I can see a review with a difference coming on here.

Some may look at this as I have a biased approach but NO, I always review everything impartial and give my honest and humble personal thoughts on everything I test or review. I must admit I could not wait to get out and have a bash with these two top Air Rifles from two top gun manufacturers. I knew what to expect from an Air Arms and I was not be disappointed as I know what I was getting quality made precision engineering with a style I was accustom too. But the Daystate I knew nothing about and this intrigued me and fired a passion in me like a mysterious lady in the desert at sun down in our camp at the oasis.

First I fitted a couple of scopes not good ones just a couple of spares that were knocking about the place as I was waiting on a delivery from Deben/Hawk of a couple of my favourite scopes available from www.hawkoptics.co.uk .  I just could not wait to get out hunting with these rifles so I gave it a go with the spare scopes I already had. I also fitted to both guns The simply brilliant Hugget sound moderators available from www.milbro.co.uk or www.huggettprecisionproducts.co.uk these really are the shizzle and now use them on all my rifles.

I did a pellet test up with my ole Mucker Air Gun Gear TV if you have not seen his channel I recommend you take a look on Youtube.  I laugh and enjoy every time I watch his channel his wicked sense of humour and the way he presents the show just keeps me entertained let alone all the amazing guns etc he reviews and oh so much more.

Well the pellet test after zeroing with Air Arms Field Diablo pellets (in my opinion the best pellet there is) I set up some of the Jack Pyke target cards at 25 yards and 50 yards with a left to right crossing wind.  Now I know this is not the perfect way to do it but I wanted to test it like out in the hunting field not like in range with no wind etc as out in the hunting fields you never get perfect conditions.  Also I don’t do a technical article I have said this before if you want all that technical stuff you can read it all elsewhere a thousand times over.

My reviews are from the hunting field where I am going to use it and does it do what it says on the tin for me.  I often find better results this way as what you do in a range etc often won’t work out in the field as everything can change in the blink of an eye and often does.  Targets don’t move but a pigeon or rabbits head does and how long will a tree rat hang about for a shot. not long I tell you.

The Air Arms S510 was in sub 12ft lb .177 and the Daystate Regal was in sub 12ft lb in .22.  I know you will say how is that equal well in some ways yes and some ways no but I wanted to see what the 2 calibres in each gun could do head to head? I will say I was not disappointed as both guns worked very well against each other.  I have also done this test the other way around and there was nothing in it at all. But for now I will write about the review in question as with the results from all the tests I could write a book about.

As you can see from the target cards there simply is nothing in it between the two guns. And if I was out hunting I would be happy with both guns as I know I would have a bunny or a pigeon or three in the bag and won’t be going hungry that night. Oh the pellet at the bottom of the Regal 25m card was a miss shaped pellet I thought it looked a bit funny when I loaded it but kept it in to show how you must keep your pellets in good order and that pellet drop proved the point so well. 

I then took the guns Verminating on a farm that was plagued all around its yards with woodpigeons/collard doves/ferals/rabbits/corvids and rats and put the guns to a hunting test on live quarry. The farm in particular was a haven for vermin and the poor farmers animal feeds were getting smashed and costing the farm thousands in lost yield etc.

I started off with the Daystate as this is a rifle I have never hunted with or knew much about.  So this was a learning curve for me too as both rifle feel and shoot ever so subtlety different.  I think of it like having two favourite pairs of slippers and putting one from each set on at the sometime even though they are comfy they feel just a little different and for me it’s the same with guns.

As I snook around the vast farm yard and outlying grain barns/mills and cattle sheds with the Daystate Regal at the ready I thought you know this is quite a long gun and needed a sling. My first target was a woodpigeon sat on the end of a silage trailer letting his breakfast settle so I lined up nice and slow using a gate post to steady my shot.  There was a light left to right wind and as the rifle was zeroed at 25m and the pigeon a good 30m or so away I had to give just a touch hold over (aim high) and wind age (aim into the wind) to be able to drop the pellet on the pigeons head.

As my Pappy (grandfather) always taught me “See the shot feel the shot” as I squeezed the trigger and the rifle made a very quiet pheeeewt. That’s one thing I will say about these Hugget Mods they really are quiet even on my FAC Air Arms S410 and they don’t disturb the entire area of quarry that is a massive bonus as a hunter. I can see the shot in slow motion now as I write this and remember seeing the pellet go out of scope and back in and strike the pigeon perfectly in the head.

The pigeon lifting off in slow motion flapping at the pellet strike with a puff of feathers and that shock wave running right through it. If I had a camera rolling that would of made some impressive footage. Also how quite all this was a magpie popped up on a tyre on the muck pit to see what was going on and some fast shooting from me quickly re loading the Regal and getting on target put a magpie in the bag too.  Alas I could not retrieve it as it was floating un retrievably out in the muck after me knocking it back a few feet off of the tyre deep into the muck pit.

I thought to myself this Daystate regal packs a mighty punch and is very sweet to hunt and I was satisfied with it so far.  Now it was the turn of The Air Arms S510 so I stalked stealthily back to my truck to get the other gun. On the way back a rat presented itself to the Regal and well let’s just say that big sow rat sat feeding on my farmers grain never knew what hit it.

Back at the truck I boxed up the Regal and got the Air Arms out but not before the farm workers all came over to have a look at what I was using today and loved the look of both guns. Right time for another stalk about and well it was like stalking with an old familiar friend as the Air Arms just felt at home in my hands and this was for no more reason than spending a long time using them.

I first saw a magpie sat high up on the end of the barn some 50m away. Using a metal rail going over a drinking trough to steady my aim I had to allow for a reasonable wind coming from right to left and about a mill dot and a half hold over and squeezed off the trigger. The distinct phweeeeet of the Air Arms through the Hugget sound mod was like music to my ears with the pellet sailing true and striking the magpie at the base of the neck as it dropped like a stone off of the barn roof.

I went over to retrieve it but it had fallen deep inside a massive bramble bush so I could not retrieve it. I decided I needed a coffee so I went back to the truck and sat in there with the Air Arms out of the truck window covering a silage pit some 30m away while I drank my coffee and had a breakfast bar.  As always I call this playing my joker how often to you open you flask or lunch box whilst out shooting and everything comes out to play?

This time was no exception as a flock of Collard Doves descended upon the pit right in front of me, so I put my coffee down and sat forward and watched for the best shot? The first on sat perfect right at the bottom of the silage lined up straight at it and squeezed the trigger. It folded on the spot and gave a little twitch the others just looked at it so I lined up another target 2m to the right squeezed off the shot phweeeeet and this gave a back flip spooking all the other doves and they flew of startled.  I retrieved the birds and took some pics of both rifle and my kills that I could retrieve.

A phew days later Chris a shooting buddy of mine came over and I fitted the Hawk Scopes on both rifles and that coupled with The Hugget Sound Moderators also fitted to both guns.  I actually think I may have found the perfect hunting combo of a life time, Either Air Arms S510 Hugget Hawk combo or Daystate Hugget Hawk combo is quite simply awesome.

My final words on these two amazing guns from two brilliant gun makers are they are both as sweet on the eye as they are to shoot.  Both smooth as silk and deadly accurate and if I had never owned a PCP air rifle I would not be disappointed to have either of them in my Cabinet.  However My love for the Air Arms is still as strong so for my own personal preference and nothing else I would choose and Air Arms first as they fit me like my favourite slippers.

I have not been paid to say any of this and this review is just my personal humble opinion of two brilliant, no awesome air rifle combos that I put together, If you would like The Ole Hedge Creeper to review your product please drop me a line either through www.theolehedgecreeper.co.uk or www.countrymans-diary.co.uk and I will be only too happy to give it the ole once over country boy style.

Please keep the sea of wonderful emails and letters coming in as we try our very best to get back to you all personally.

By The Ole Hedge Creeper
Aka: Rob Collins.

A fantastic Idea that I support fully.

"There is nothing better, than being out in the great outdoors, enjoying mother nature at her best.
So we started this site after a friend suffered a heart attack whilst out shooting, He managed to phone for an ambulance but by the time they got to him, he was nearly passed out and could not answer all the questions they ask, he also had his hunting rifle with him, so there was more of a delay as the police where then called to take care of the rifle.
I.C.E, Stands for In Case Of Emergency.

So Was born this new concept for UK, shooters , hunters and country folk.

It is an ID card with your details on it, including: Name, Address, contact number, Blood group,Date of Birth, Allergic to,And there is even a space to allow whether you hold FAC,SGC or use air rifles.

They come on an orange lanyard to be worn around the neck. Orange is fast becoming the accepted safety colour of shooters."

Click here to find out more

Well when I first heard there was going to be a new gun shop opening in Bristol, I thought to myself I have seen this before so nothing to get excited about!? Oh how wrong could one man be? It opened in a part of South Bristol I knew very well as I grew up there and was born there as many of my family were before me. My first thoughts were blimey this is going to be a rough and ready sort of place, put together on the back of a beer mat sort of shop! I was so pleased when I was proven wrong. I will say the place has really grown on me as The Dan's as they are known always make you feel so welcome. They are simply known as The Dan's because both of their names are Dan if you catch my drift.

My first visit to the shop was by way of picking up sponsored guns that the amazing Air Arms gun company  had sent us for Pass It On Young sports. Needing them to be delivered to a Registered Fire Arms Dealer (RFD) Braces kindly agreed to take them in for us. I must admit I was wondering what sort of place I would find when on my way to the shop to pick the guns up! From the outside it looked pretty good but were looks going to be deceiving?

I pressed the buzzer to be let in the security door and walked in to meet Dan (the boss) with a firm handshake a smile and impeccably dressed, this impressed me right from the start talk about great first impressions. I have been all over the world in all sorts of gun shops and well quite frankly many English gun shops are unwelcoming and to say the least stuck up and stuffy. Not here at Braces they treat every customer with the very same hospitality whether you are browsing or buying a tin of pellets, or spending an obscene sum of money on one of their fine English or outstanding quality guns from other countries, Quite simply I loved this new modern gun shop with the old world traditions and they really have done a fine job on the shop too if I did not know better I would swear I was in the Holland & Holland or Purdy shop with all its finery.

I have held off doing this review until I had been to their pre Christmas 2013 open evening, I was kindly invited along for the grand official opening of their new gun room. So donning my tweeds and Sunday best I went along with another friend from the field sports industry Giles (Airgun Gear TV) who was also invited along to this suaray. Right from getting there we were made to feel welcome with nibbles and champagne and well not one to refuse a glass or several of champers I tucked right in.

Looking around the shop and newly built gun room the cream of the field sports community were there with many old faces I knew from either working with over the years or shooting with and beyond.

WOW what a place this shop is, It literally screams class and culture and traditional elegance with a modern twist, I simply cannot do this place justice with mere words. The wooden style of luxury with leather and purple felt backed gun displays make the amazing quality of the guns they have on show stand out to the eye, with all the elegance of dare I say royalty and sheer beauty. The wooden floors and walls and elegant lighting really does make this place sweet on the eye and for you to feel this you must visit this gem of a gun shop that is hidden in a sea of rough that is Bristol.

Even the budget shot gun section that is well stocked with quality second hand guns just simply jumps out at you, as for the rifle and air rifle section I don't think I have enough space to do it justice. I will say that there is something to fit any ones purse and above all quality you will be hard pressed to find else where. The shop is so well stocked with everything a shooting, hunting, fishing or countryman could ever dream of at reasonable prices too. Ammunition from rifles to shot gun to air rifle pellets the choice is so vast you will struggle to choose what you would like. If they have not got what you are looking for they can order it in or advise of an alternative, this shop and the owners really go above and beyond to service all their customers needs.

I will say this is a shop where you will only ever get quality whether its clothing or anything else field sports related, you wont find any rubbish in this shop! Whilst at the Official Open evening of the gun room and shop I had a chat with Dan and he had this to say about how it all started.

Braces Shooting is a family business opened in 2010 by Daniel Pool, Daniels father John is an international standard shot, travelling worldwide to compete and shoot for Great Britain in FITASC competition. Daniel has been around shooting all his life and has keen interest in All areas of shooting from air rifles through shotguns to centre fire rifles.

Braces Shooting School is based just fifteen minutes from the centre of Bristol and is fully equipped with top of the range traps that can be adjusted to suit the needs of any shooter. John Pool is head coach and can take groups or individuals for private lessons.

Braces have a clay shooting club that operates a 50 bird sporting shoot with a barbecue on a bi weekly basis, all welcome  enquire for details.

As Dan mentions they also have their own shooting ground approx 15 Min's from the shop. I took a trip up there to see the ground and my ole mucker Robert Eaton a top shooting coach and resident coach for Shooting UK was ground giving lessons/advice etc. Robert is an amazing coach and what I will say he is brilliant with the ladies and young sports, anyone who knows Robert or had lessons with him will confirm that he really is an out standing coach and all round good egg with it. The ground is as exquisite as the shop and you will always be made to feel most welcome.

If you want to find out about lessons with John or Robert or just go along to the ground or indeed the shop then here are their details (shop). 

427 Wells Road, 
Bristol, 
BS42QW 
Tel: 01173009956 
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.bracesofbristol.com

My Final words on Braces Shooting And Country Supplies and Shooting Ground are you will always find a professional, friendly, amazing shop that balances old world refinery and tradition with a modern world approach. The whole place from the welcoming and friendly greeting that awaits you, to the shop that literally oozes grandeur of the finest quality no matter what the size of your purse or field sport discipline. You will not be disappointed with a visit to Braces and I guarantee you will come out carrying something with a lighter purse smiling like a Cheshire Cat.

I hope you have enjoyed this review I have not been paid to say any of this and it is my honest humble opinion written from the heart as always. If you would like The Ole Hedge Creeper to review your field sports product/shops etc then drop us a line and we will only be to glad help if we can. Or see us over on The Countryman's Diary  and please keep the amazing and positive emails and letters coming to the Countryman's Diary Offices.

By The Ole Hedge Creeper,
Aka Rob Collins