We've seen posts on various models of airbows over the years. They seem to take two separate paths of development.
There are specialty arrows like the Air Venturi Air bolts designed for use in air rifles of different calibers .357 to .50 cal. with barrels over 21". The main selling point there is the obvious convenience of using a regular large bore airgun that can also shoot arrows, current price ~$20US each.
Then there are the high-power Airbows that are designed and marketed primarily for hunting. And they keep on coming. I just noticed that Airforce is offering a new arrow shooter called a Talonbolt ~145fpe max. The Umarex AirSaber airbows ~165fpe max aren't very expensive and not very difficult to learn to use either. That would be substantial power for an airgun hunting slug at modest ranges, but it is truly exceptional power for an arrow.
This old FPE hunting chart below from Easton Archery is interesting. There are many pellet/slug airguns available today with shot power >65fpe, but I wouldn't want to hunt anything really large and dangerous with even a 75fpe airgun. This chart assumes broadhead razor tip arrows. An arrow with a target point might still go all the way through and out the other side but the hole would be too small to bleed enough.
Arrow power needed (at the point of impact) for -->
<25 ....... Small game.
25-41 .. Medium game, deer, antelope.
42-65 .. Large game, elk, black bear, boar.
>65 ..... Toughest game, cape buffalo, grizzle bears.
So modern airbows seem to offer a lot more shot power than is needed for hunting. Even the short and lightweight Umarex AirJavelin (CO2 and AirJavelin Pro (PCP) arrow carbines produced over 30fpe and could easily robinhood arrows from a rest at 20 yards.
All of this crossed my mind recently when I noticed that there are two different versions of the FX Redback 8-shot repeating gatling style airbow for sale. It reminds me of a similar development in the breakbarrel airgun market when Gamo finally began to offer multishot magazines in some of their models. Finally, after over 100 years. I can only think of one model of 1 crossbow and 1 model of airbow which have a double shot capacity. A sudden advance to an adjustable power, 8-shot repeating airbow from a major vendor is a major technical advance in an admittedly small segment of the market.
The large commercial vendors offer it as the FX Redback Standard, specs 41.5" long, 7lb 6oz, max ~145fpe using 375 grain 23" Air Venturi Air bolts. The price is ~$1,730 and air bolts are extra at ~$20 each.
The Gogun site has their own branded variation of the FX Redback. It appears to be a Standard Redback with about 10 inches taken off of the barrels to make it into a carbine, at $1,550 or $180 less than the Standard model. And add a 10-pack of 12" vaneless arrows at $90 per pack (~$9/arrow).
So the Gogun version is about 10 inches shorter than the Standard, weighs about 9 ounces less, with max power ~80fpe using plain 12" hollow carbon fiber arrows weighing about 250 grains. And it costs (without arrows) ~$180 less than the Standard model.
I've had so much enjoyment watching Jörg Sprave's Slingshot Channel on YouTube and his early development of the Redback prototype that I like to support his shop when I can. This time around Gogun appears to be the only one offering a compact version of a truly unique commercial FX product.
There aren't many reviews of the Redbacks yet and I'm curious about any recent experiences that other people may have had with them. Gogun only had one Redback in stock this morning ... and before I had finished my coffee, there were none.
JP
There are specialty arrows like the Air Venturi Air bolts designed for use in air rifles of different calibers .357 to .50 cal. with barrels over 21". The main selling point there is the obvious convenience of using a regular large bore airgun that can also shoot arrows, current price ~$20US each.
Then there are the high-power Airbows that are designed and marketed primarily for hunting. And they keep on coming. I just noticed that Airforce is offering a new arrow shooter called a Talonbolt ~145fpe max. The Umarex AirSaber airbows ~165fpe max aren't very expensive and not very difficult to learn to use either. That would be substantial power for an airgun hunting slug at modest ranges, but it is truly exceptional power for an arrow.
This old FPE hunting chart below from Easton Archery is interesting. There are many pellet/slug airguns available today with shot power >65fpe, but I wouldn't want to hunt anything really large and dangerous with even a 75fpe airgun. This chart assumes broadhead razor tip arrows. An arrow with a target point might still go all the way through and out the other side but the hole would be too small to bleed enough.
Arrow power needed (at the point of impact) for -->
<25 ....... Small game.
25-41 .. Medium game, deer, antelope.
42-65 .. Large game, elk, black bear, boar.
>65 ..... Toughest game, cape buffalo, grizzle bears.
So modern airbows seem to offer a lot more shot power than is needed for hunting. Even the short and lightweight Umarex AirJavelin (CO2 and AirJavelin Pro (PCP) arrow carbines produced over 30fpe and could easily robinhood arrows from a rest at 20 yards.
All of this crossed my mind recently when I noticed that there are two different versions of the FX Redback 8-shot repeating gatling style airbow for sale. It reminds me of a similar development in the breakbarrel airgun market when Gamo finally began to offer multishot magazines in some of their models. Finally, after over 100 years. I can only think of one model of 1 crossbow and 1 model of airbow which have a double shot capacity. A sudden advance to an adjustable power, 8-shot repeating airbow from a major vendor is a major technical advance in an admittedly small segment of the market.
The large commercial vendors offer it as the FX Redback Standard, specs 41.5" long, 7lb 6oz, max ~145fpe using 375 grain 23" Air Venturi Air bolts. The price is ~$1,730 and air bolts are extra at ~$20 each.
The Gogun site has their own branded variation of the FX Redback. It appears to be a Standard Redback with about 10 inches taken off of the barrels to make it into a carbine, at $1,550 or $180 less than the Standard model. And add a 10-pack of 12" vaneless arrows at $90 per pack (~$9/arrow).
So the Gogun version is about 10 inches shorter than the Standard, weighs about 9 ounces less, with max power ~80fpe using plain 12" hollow carbon fiber arrows weighing about 250 grains. And it costs (without arrows) ~$180 less than the Standard model.
I've had so much enjoyment watching Jörg Sprave's Slingshot Channel on YouTube and his early development of the Redback prototype that I like to support his shop when I can. This time around Gogun appears to be the only one offering a compact version of a truly unique commercial FX product.
There aren't many reviews of the Redbacks yet and I'm curious about any recent experiences that other people may have had with them. Gogun only had one Redback in stock this morning ... and before I had finished my coffee, there were none.
JP
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