Editor’s pick from The 2025 British Shooting Show

The 2025 British Shooting Show (BSS) at the Birmingham NEC was another fantastic event, packed with incredible products and a great atmosphere. I had an amazing time exploring the latest gear, chatting with industry experts, and soaking up the passion that makes this show so special each year. With so much to see, it was impossible to take in everything, but I came across some standout products that really caught my eye. So, without further delay, let’s take a look at what I found.

• DAYSTATE BLACKWOLF

  

  Contact: Daystate – www.daystate.com

  I had the opportunity to see Daystate’s latest mechanical PCP, the Blackwolf, firsthand at the BSS, and it was undoubtedly one of the most exciting products to be launched there. This is because it is essentially a platform that can be adapted by the shooter themself to meet their specific requirements, and it has been designed from the ground up to achieve this. Several variations were on display, highlighting the Blackwolf’s adaptability, including the choice between an air cylinder or a carbon-wrapped buddy bottle, as well as stock options in walnut, carbon grey, and laminate. Interestingly, there is even an upcoming tactical chassis. Prices start at £1,795, and the sub-12ft/lbs version comes in .177 and .22. Alternatively, at FAC power levels, you can order it in .177, .22, .25, and .30. The 16 new and unique features include a 20-setting thumb-adjustable power wheel, a titanium firing valve system, an AR-style safety catch, and a new eight-point adjustable trigger that can be altered from 8oz to 3.5lbs. You can even change the barrel length and calibre in minutes. Anyway, unfortunately, I don’t have the space to list all the features, so I will get a full review in the magazine as soon as I can!

• TIPPMANN ARMS M4 MAGNUM ELITE

  

  Contact: Shooting Supplies - www.shootingsuppliesltd.co.uk

  When I reviewed the Tippmann Arms M4 Elite-L Fluted .22LR, distributed in the UK by Shooting Supplies, I concluded that it was one of the best AR-type semi-autos on the market at the time. So, you can imagine my excitement when I spotted the Magnum Elite, chambered in .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire (WMR). I’ve been fortunate enough to test other AR-type rifles in this calibre and found that the extra punch and noise really enhance the semi-auto experience, making this new Tippmann an attractive proposition. Unsurprisingly, the excellent controls are the same as the Elite-L I tested, and this rifle includes a lot of the same features, including an aluminium hand guard with M-LOK slots, a solid steel 16” barrel, aluminium upper and lower, a full-length Picatinny rail, an adjustable stock, a threaded muzzle with an A2 birdcage flash hider attached, and adjustable flip-up sights. Of course, due to the larger ammunition, this rifle comes with two 15-round magazines. It is priced at £1,499, and you can expect a review in Gun Mart as soon as one becomes available. Happy days!

• MAUSER 25

  

  Contact: Blaser Group - www.blaser-group.com

  › The Blaser/Sauer/Mauser stand was positioned right in front of the entrance to the hall, as usual, making it particularly easy for me to grab a handful of the new and very exciting Mauser 25. Now, it takes quite a lot to get me excited about a rifle these days, but this new bit of kit has a lot going for it. Firstly, it’s, well, a Mauser, and that name carries a lot of weight in the world of firearms. Secondly, the rifle boasts a brand-new, super-slick, straight-pull action, which just exudes quality. Thirdly, the price, as the synthetic version, called the ‘Extreme’, has an MSRP of just £1,638! Meanwhile, the ‘Max’ (thumbhole laminate) comes in at £1,831, and the ‘Pure’ (basic wooden stock) costs a mere £1,735. Now, given how expensive everything seems to be these days, I think those prices are something worth shouting about. Feature-wise, if we use the ‘Max’ as an example, the rifle shows a laminated beechwood stock, an adjustable polymer cheekpiece, a two-position safety catch, a thumbhole grip, a spacer-adjustable length of pull ranging from 13.7” (349mm) to 15.7” (399mm), an infinitely adjustable direct trigger for pull weights between 700 and 1,700g, a single-column polymer magazine with a 3+1 capacity, and an M15x1 screwcut muzzle! To top it off, there is a left-handed version at no extra cost, and the rifle will be available in .308, .243, 6.5CM, 6.5x55, 8x57, .30-06, 7mm RM, and .300 WM! Various mounting options are available, including Picatinny, and Chris Parkin will be writing a review for Gun Mart very soon!

• HAWKE ENDURANCE 30 FD 4.5-27X56 SF

  

  Contact: Hawke Optics - uk.hawkeoptics.com

  › As you would expect, Hawke had a huge stand displaying their extensive range of optics, and it didn’t take me long to find some new models in the Endurance range, all sporting a new illumination system. So, instead of a rotating rheostat that controls the brightness, there is a much sleeker push-button instead, reducing the overall width of the optics. You simply press it multiple times to adjust the brightness of the dot at the centre of the reticle. Looking more closely at the Hawke Endurance 30 FD 4.5-27x56 SF specifically, not only were the magnification range and objective lens size impressive, but I was also pleased to see a very nice push/pull locking elevation turret with a zero-stop mechanism up top to make the most of the spec. Priced at £749.00 and sporting a 30mm tube and side-focus system, I am looking forward to seeing how this scope stacks up against the competition.

• SVEMKO SOUND MODERATORS

  

  Contact: Edgar Brothers - www.edgarbrothers.com

  › I had a decent look around Edgar Brothers’ stand and saw a lot of very interesting things, including some new and very flashy sound moderators from a Norwegian company called Svemko. There was a sectioned model showing a very shiny, intricately machined, exposed titanium core, and I think it was this that attracted me to the stand in the first place! Now, the company offers a wide selection of premium moderators, ranging from £510 to a staggering £2,140, but I shall focus on the most relevant ones from the 1.0 series, which comprises six models, from the Nano (the smallest) to the Ultra (the largest). They use a 6082-T6 aluminium outer and a grade five titanium core construction that includes titanium blast baffles and a blast chamber. All the popular muzzle threads are catered for, and the moderators are calibre-specific for maximum sound reduction. Given the price, it is highly likely that customers will want to use the moderator on multiple rifles, and this is supported by the fact that you can purchase modules that allow you to change the calibre. Alternatively, you could purchase a .30 calibre moderator, for example, and use it on any smaller calibre rifle via Svemko’s Quick Mount System (QMS). This system is essentially a thread adapter that fits over your rifle’s existing muzzle thread. So, with a quick 90-degree turn, you can unscrew your moderator and attach it to any rifle fitted with the QMS. Nice! The fact that Svemko uses titanium makes these moderators very durable and lightweight, obviously, and the Hunter 1.0 Short over-barrel moderator, for example, measures just 183mm in length (103mm added length to your rifle), and it weighs a mere 245g! Still too heavy? Then look at the all-titanium ‘Pure’ series, where the similar-spec ‘Pure S’ weighs just 198g. Anyway, review inbound!