http://www.airgunshooting.co.uk AIRGUN WORLD 35»
AIRGUNS IN THE U.S.
for propulsion, and BBs as projectiles, makes
sound engineering sense. It allows the design
and production of fast-firing, even fully
automatic airguns without resorting to undue
complication or cost. In particular, there’s no
need to handle the wide variety of pellet profiles
that would be required for a pellet-firing gun.
However, the latest trend in the replica BB
gun market is a move toward long guns.
Full-auto BB guns in sub-machinegun format
have proved immensely popular. The Umarex
Legends MP40 and Crosman DPMS SBR are
standout examples of this and I’ve written
about them here in the past.
... AND NOW FOR SOMETHING
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!
The Umarex Legends Cowboy air rifle is the first
long gun replica to hit the big time. It’s not
actually the first CO2-powered, BB-firing long gun
replica. There was a replica of the Mosin Nagant
M1944 rifle in the market a few years ago.
Complete with a (probably) military surplus
folding bayonet, the Mosin was an excellent
replica of this bolt-action Soviet battle rifle, well
actually carbine. It was field-strippable and the
bolt itself was a dead ringer for the firearm
original. I loved it, but it was never widely sold
and soon faded from the US market.
The Winchester Model 1894 is a different
kettle of fish. Everyone recognises it from
starring roles in innumerable Westerns. The
side-loading tube magazine and underlever
action is instantly familiar. That’s a huge head
start for marketing awareness!
Yes, the Umarex Legends Cowboy is an
incredibly realistic replica of the Model 1894.
Its success in the market shows that there is
an alternative approach to full auto, ‘spray and
pray’ BB guns that people want to buy.IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCEED ...
As most people know, Umarex has tried the
‘lever-action cowboy gun’ approach before with
the Walther Lever Action air rifle, but this never
quite hit the mark somehow. Maybe it was the
rotary pellet magazine, maybe the oversized
butt. Or maybe price played its part.
In spite of trying two different versions of the
Walther Lever Action – one powered by a single
88 gramme CO2 cartridge, the other by two, 12
gramme capsules – it never really made it to the
big time, at least in the USA, but this time it’s
different, really different! Let’s give Umarex a lot
of credit for persisting with what they obviously
believed could be a winning product idea.NOW IT’S A REAL COWBOY
The key benefit of the Legends Cowboy air rifle
is the extreme realism of both appearance and
action, particularly the action. Now, for the firstAll you need for fun. Legends Cowboy
rifle, BBs, CO2 capsules and cartridges.