Snowpeak Artemis / Snow Peak History?

[Airgun Al]

In the 1970's, I took a short tour, of the Benjamin factory in St. Louis, and soon thereafter, my first airgun was a Benjamin.
A few years later, and tempted with more power, I owned a few Daisy and Crosman products.
In the 1990's, I discovered pcp's, and it was Air Arms, FX, Evanix, and eventually .... another Benjamin (Discovery).

Somehow, I went full circle, without ever hearing about, seeing, or experiencing a Artemis or Snow Peak airgun.

Recently, I purchased my very first Snow Peak product, the (Umarex) Zelos, and absolutely love it!
So I began researching Snow Peaks history.

Apparently, they have been in business since 1958, and producing airguns since 1976.
48 years!
They also produce pellets, compressors, and a variety of camping equipment as well.
There seems to be very little information about the company, and the airguns that they have produced over the last 48 years.

The "Blue Book of Airguns" fails to even mention Artemis or Snow Peak.
The internet is not very telling either.
The few "Snow Peak Factory Tour" videos I found on YouTube, were not air gun related. and geared more toward the camping equipment that they produce,
I did find 1 decent article by Hard Air magazine, that states that Snow Peak manufactures over 1 million airguns a year!

Im courious if anyone has any additional information about the Snow Peak factory, long history, or the 1 million airguns per year, that they produce?

 

[ocpgunner95]

I have noticed that they (Snowpeak) are interchangeable with a few other rifles like the Stoeger XM1, bull shark and now the Zelos, I wondered myself if they were like a parent company that subbed out design ideas?

 

[keesbo]

Most Diana PCP and CO2 are also Snowpeak.
I like the Artemis/Snowpeak guns.
Own a PP700S-A, PP750, M25 and a M30. Also had a M22 and a P15, wich I did not like
They are very populair here in The Netherlands.
Krale sells them.

 

[JimD]

Snowpeak seems to prefer supplying guns to others to sell to the public. Umarex Zelos and Notos are SPA guns. The Zelos is pretty much the SPA M60 but I don't know of a SPA retailer in the U S. Airgun Archery Fun in Canada sells SPA guns and I got my P35s from Krale. As has been mentioned the Stoeger Bullshark is made by SPA and is a slight modification on the P35. I think it's a little better than my P35s (I have examined and shot both but only a little for the Bullshark). SPA guns seem to be creeping up a little in price but they are all, to my knowledge, easily under $1000. There are a couple Remington PCPs made by SPA too.

I would not bother trying pellets made by SPA. They sent a tin with each of my P35s and they were pretty bad. But like the guns, they may figure out how to make really good pellets some day. They used to be known for bad barrels and sloppy work. I think their barrels are now good to excellent and their machining while not really as good as the best in the industry is at least very functional and generally decent looking.

For those who've shot the 30 yard challenge my 3 P35s top targets are 194 (25 caliber), 197 (177) and 200 (22). I shot a 200 with my newer Caiman X this year but it took about as many targets as I shot with my P35-22 last year. The Caiman cost 3X what the P35s cost. SPA are not in my opinion high end guns but I think they deliver a lot for what they cost.

 

[Airgun Al]

Umarex Zelos and Notos are SPA guns.

When you say "Zelos and Notos are SPA guns" .....
What exactly does this mean?

Ive heard this before, but Im confused.
Educate me please...

Is "SPA" simply a distributer, , or ???

 

[Perle]

I have a Zelos and Notos as well as a BullShark and a Scout. I’m extremely pleased with each guns performance and build quality.
Between the 4 I don’t shoot much else of late.

I too would like to know more about Snowpeak.

Million guns per year !

 

[keesbo]

When you say "Zelos and Notos are SPA guns" .....
What exactly does this mean?

Ive heard this before, but Im confused.
Educate me please...

Is "SPA" simply a distributer, , or ???

SPA= Snowpeak Airguns, a Chinese manufacturer.

A Notos=PP750 with some changes
A Zelos=M60

 

[JimD]

Keesbo is right. Zelos has changes too, however, versus the M60. The barrel of the Zelos is 2 inches longer (more precisely the difference may be 40mm like the difference between the P35 and the Bullshark), the gauges are in psi instead of bar, and the Zellos has a foster fitting, at least some tube type M60s require a probe.

SPA sells most of their guns with other companies label on them. They make a lot more than they sell under their name, in other words.

 

[Firewalker]

When you say "Zelos and Notos are SPA guns" .....
What exactly does this mean?

Ive heard this before, but Im confused.
Educate me please...

Is "SPA" simply a distributer, , or ???

SPA is the manufacturer, SnowPeak is said to be the distributor.

 

[Perle]

SPA is the manufacturer, SnowPeak is said to be the distributor.

China must be a very interesting and vastly different place …. Ambuigty seems to be their style

Nevertheless SPA is cranking out some good products. As stated before I’m very pleased with my examples

 

[Airgun Al]

So SPA is the one who manufactures these fine products.
Umarex, Snowpeak, (and many others) simply distribute the SPA made products.
Im very courious about SPA.
Google is not providing any information, about the manufacturer named "SPA".
Plenty of info on the distributers, but NOTHING about the SPA factory.
Perhaps "SPA" is an abriviation?

For a company that MANUFACTURES millions of airguns per year, I find it odd, that there is not more information available about SPA.
Reguardless, my Notos and Zelos are excellent rifles, and Id love to learn more about the SPA factory.
Suddenly, a SPA factory tour, is on my wish list of "Places Id like to visit"!
If anyone has any information on this mysterious company/factory that manufactures millions of airguns every year, please share!
An address, photos, or a factory tour video, would be great!

 

[Gramps]

So SPA is the one who manufactures these fine products.
Umarex, Snowpeak, (and many others) simply distribute the SPA made products.
Im very courious about SPA.
Google is not providing any information, about the manufacturer named "SPA".
Plenty of info on the distributers, but NOTHING about the SPA factory.
Perhaps "SPA" is an abriviation?

For a company that MANUFACTURES millions of airguns per year, I find it odd, that there is not more information available about SPA.
Reguardless, my Notos and Zelos are excellent rifles, and Id love to learn more about the SPA factory.
Suddenly, a SPA factory tour, is on my wish list of "Places Id like to visit"!
If anyone has any information on this mysterious company/factory that manufactures millions of airguns every year, please share!
An address, photos, or a factory tour video, would be great!

Might find some of the information your looking for here http://snowpeaksports.com/

 

[Hateful McNasty]

What's amazing is with there gun control in commie china this is there R&D department

 

[Airgun Al]

Might find some of the information your looking for here http://snowpeaksports.com/

Unfortunately, nothing is mentioned in that link, about the actual factory that MANUFACTURES millions of airguns per year!
Absolutely nothing!

 

[Airgun Al]

What's amazing is with there gun control in commie china this is there R&D department

I would say their R and D department are doing a great job!
Their public relations department on the other hand, are keeping a VERY LOW profile!
Perhaps its part of an agreement between manufacturing (SPA) vs. distribution (SNOW PEAK) ?
Perhaps its a governmental law that forbids reporters/cameras inside the factory?

Daystate factory tour on YouTube...No problem!

FX factory tour on YouTube...No problem!

SPA factory tour on YouTube...NEVER! No way! Top secret!

 

[Cody01]

I would say their R and D department are doing a great job!
Their public relations department on the other hand, are keeping a VERY LOW profile!
Perhaps its part of an agreement between manufacturing (SPA) vs. distribution (SNOW PEAK) ?
Perhaps its a governmental law that forbids reporters/cameras inside the factory?

Daystate factory tour on YouTube...No problem!

FX factory tour on YouTube...No problem!

SPA factory tour on YouTube...NEVER! No way! Top secret!

That is probably because there is some serious violations in their house. I doubt its because they are so high tech they don't want to reveal their best secrets.

 

[boscoebrea]

Facts,many of the products you buy are made by a few giant companies,could be tires,could be your TV ,rifle scope or air gun This is nothing new....The giant companies have the means,brains and equipment to make whatever you need,the product you buy is modified to suit the style of the smaller company wants......once you know what is what you can save money,also parts interchange,because the parts are the same in many different brand,just the looks are different. Also China has up to date means to make whatever you want,you tell them what you want and they work with you to make the product you want.Sorry fact.