Dave Barham talks all things airgun industry with Mike Hurney from The Shooting Party
Dave Barham: How did you first get involved in the airgun industry, and what attracted you to this field?
Mike Hurney: I’ve been shooting for over 40 years – from shotguns to rimfire and centrefire rifles – as well as airguns. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, some colleagues and I invested in a business called “Boysstuff”. Its then owner, Richard North, also owned AGS scopes and Logun Rifles, which shared the same premises. There was a perceived conflict of interest, so we bought that business as well and I became more directly involved in the day-to-day management because of my interest in the sport. Subsequently, we also purchased Webley & Scott.
I established The Shooting Party in 2010 to develop novel products at an attractive price point to offer quality and value to the airgun community
DB: What are the most significant changes you’ve observed in the British airgun market over the past decade?
MH: Probably the two biggest trends have been the growing dominance of PCPs over spring-powered guns. They are now ubiquitous and available from under £400 to many thousands of pounds, offering specifications that we could hardly dream of 10 or 20 years ago, making it a very democratic sport in terms of cost and ownership.
The second trend has been the growth of online shopping. Even 10 years ago only a few pioneer retailers offered products online. I would hazard a guess that virtually every retailer now has some online presence, and products such as optics are now predominantly sold online. This gives retailers unrivalled reach geographically in the UK and beyond.
DB: Can you tell us about a particularly innovative airgun product you’ve worked on or encountered recently?
MH: We have been selling chronographs for the last 15 years – various models and specifications – but many had limitations, such as only working in doors, needing additional lighting, had flimsy “knitting needle” sensors, or required attaching to barrels with elastic bands or Blue Tac. Last year, we started working with one of our suppliers to produce the AirForceOne® MuzzleMount Chrono, the world’s first, self-contained chronograph that screws directly onto the ½” UNF thread found on 99% of all modern airguns. It provides readings in joules and ft/lbs; velocities in either mps or fps; stores up to 100 shot readings on the unit and will cater for all airgun types – spring, CO² or PCP and will handle all calibres from .177,.20,.22,.25 up to and including .30. And it will work in total darkness. I think it’s our proudest achievement.
DB: How has the growing emphasis on environmental concerns affected airgun manufacturing and design?
MH: Not as much as it should have. When we were facing the prospect of a ban on the use of lead pellets, the response of the ammunition manufacturers was glacial. I’m not sure that the threat has gone away completely, or forever. The manufacturers need to – hopefully collectively – put time and resources into developing viable and affordable alternatives to lead.
DB: What challenges does the British airgun industry face in terms of regulations and legislation?
MH: The pressures are relentless and ongoing. The direction of travel is for ever more legislation. The whole shooting community must work together to better educate the legislators and the public about the positives our sport has to offer.
DB: How do you see the role of social media and online communities in shaping the airgun market?
MH: It’s enormous and growing, though not all of it good. I think that as YouTube, Facebook and others continue to flip-flop over the representation of guns on their platforms, the airgun industry should look at developing its own platform, or platforms, that don’t run the risk of being ghosted.
DB: What trends do you foresee in airgun technology and design over the next five years?
MH: I think we will see more manufacturers introducing computer technologies into their guns. For a long time, Daystate was the only stand out user of chip-based technologies, but more recently the American company Skout has entered that space with some success.
DB: How does the British airgun industry compare to those in other countries, particularly in terms of quality and innovation?
MH: For a tiny island, we really punch above our weight. Companies such as Air Arms, Daystate and BSA are truly global brands, offering excellent quality, great functionality and value for money.
DB: What advice would you give to someone looking to start a career in the airgun industry?
MH: I would say that alongside a passion for the sport, anyone wishing to enter the gun trade should develop transferable skills, such as IT, accounting or sales training. Then maybe try and secure weekend work in a retailer and start to see whether the world of guns is really for you.
DB: What role do airguns play in introducing newcomers to shooting sports, and how can the industry encourage more participation?
MH: It’s vital. Just about every shooter I know started off shooting airguns. The cost of entry and participation is low, especially when compared with live firing alternatives, so the industry should run airgun taster days. I know you have gone out of your way to show youngsters enjoying our sport in Airgun World, so keep it up. Clubs should offer really low-cost membership and qualified tuition. Look at some of the initiatives that the US has in this space.
DB: Can you share an interesting or unusual anecdote from your time working in the airgun industry?
MH: I have got to meet some great people and many unusual characters. I’ve travelled to fascinating places. On my last trip to China, immediately prior to the coronavirus outbreak, I was visiting Xiamen, a city in the south east of the country, in the middle of a heat wave. It was 50C and the air conditioning couldn’t cope when I landed. By the time I had gotten through customs I was literally soaked from head to foot with sweat. My hosts explained that the heat and humidity was worse than anyone could remember and their circa 700 employees had been switched to working through the night, so there would only be a token presence in each section of the factory to show me the processes used to make our products. The first section they wanted to show me was the heat treatment plant.
Get in touch
The Shooting Party
01543 480 361
Mike Hurney: mike@shootingparty.uk
Peter Jackson: peter@shootingparty.uk
You can read the full February 2025 issue below:
