THE RIGHT DIRECTION

Dave Barham asks the owner of one of the UK’s premier importers and distributors for his opinions on the trade, and finds out how it all began for Range Right

Dave Barham (DB): How did you first get involved in the airgun industry, and how long have you been working in this field?

Jake Peters (JP): Our managing director, Gill Peters, has worked in the gun trade since 1985, having joined the trade completely by chance and never expecting to make a career of it. She formed Range Right along with Keith Taylor and the company’s first day of trading was 1 July, 1996. Gill bought Keith out in 2008 and the business has gone from strength to strength with her at the helm. That said, with nearly 40 years in total in the trade under her belt she’s winding down (well, just a little bit) and leaves the day-today running of the business to me and my colleague, Rob Saville. I look after all things sales related and Rob runs operations and logistics. We have very happy staff and value all members of the team greatly. We’re like one big family really, all pulling together for the common good.

DB: Range Right stocks a huge array of air gunning hardware – can you tell us what brands you distribute in the UK?

JP: We have been Kral’s exclusive distributor for 18 years and have developed a great range of springers and PCPs with them. The NP-02 has been a very popular model, it is packed full of features with an affordable price tag. Reximex has been a great addition to our portfolio, the Pretensis and Myth rifles along with the Mito PCP pistol have been very well received. We also distribute Crosman, which is a very important brand for us as they offer a great range of springers such as the Summit which comes complete with a 3-9x40 centre point scope. Crosman’s offering of CO2 pistols and rifles are some of the best in the industry, such as the famous 2240 single shot pistol and the SBR, which is great fun for garden plinking. We are also very happy and excited to now be the Valiant Optics and Taipan Airguns’ exclusive distributor. These brands offer highly innovative PCPs at the highest quality and we can’t wait to make them available to UK airgunners.

DB: I know you work very closely with some of your major brands, especially when it comes to quality control, can you explain what this entails?

JP: We certainly do. Quality and reliability are a big part of choosing a new product, and of course it has to look good. We always get samples first, which allows us to put all products through extreme testing before we make a decision to stock it. We also look at the company we are possibly going to build a relationship with and see if they hold the same business ethics as us. We also have a few visits a year out to the factories to keep an eye on the production for our products and discuss new ideas for future launches.

DB: What are the most significant changes you’ve observed in the British airgun market over the past decade?

JP: We have seen demand climb enormously over recent years, particularly since the start of the pandemic, and we have worked extremely hard with our suppliers Kral, Reximex and Crosman to bring products to the UK market that represent the best value for money possible, be it a back garden plinker or a regulated PCP. In particular, it’s nice hearing reports of our products being purchased by newbies getting into our sport on account of us having something to suit all budgets. It encourages those who’d like to have a go without throwing a fortune at it.

DB: Can you tell us about a particularly innovative airgun product you’ve encountered recently?

JP: We have designed an under-lever PCP with Reximex, which should be available in the middle of 2025 and we are very excited about this. There have been a few YouTube videos showing this product at the recent Shot Show and IWA, and the interest has been phenomenal. Taipan is our newest exclusive brand and this comes with a brilliant portfolio of PCP airguns which are very modern. We are really looking forward to bringing these into the UK and should have stock available by the time readers see this.

DB: How has the growing emphasis on environmental concerns affected airgun/pellet manufacturing?

JP: Some pellet manufactures are making lead-free pellets for the industry, but the performance of these have had mixed reviews and some can be expensive. I visit a good number of ranges through the year all of which are working on ways to contain their lead and a few I know collect the lead and sell it on.

DB: What challenges do you think the British airgun industry faces in terms of regulations and legislation?

JP: When airgun licensing was introduced in Scotland it had a massive impact. I really hope this doesn’t make its way down to the rest of the UK as it would be catastrophic to the industry. It’s a real shame when wrongdoers give our sport a bad name, it affects the genuine enthusiast who does everything by the book and is a law-abiding citizen. It’s frustrating that we get penalised for someone else’s stupidity.

DB: What trends do you foresee in airgun technology and design in the future?

JP: There are a lot more tactical looking air rifles coming out these days, and the weight of the air rifle plays a big factor, too. We don’t sell any electronic PCP rifles, but this appears to be a growing trend. Who knows what the future holds?

DB: How do you think the Turkish airgun industry compares to other countries, particularly in terms of quality and innovation?

JP: Turkey seems to be one step ahead with ideas, concepts and designs of PCPs. We enjoy working with our Turkish manufacturers, as they are happy to embrace and develop new ideas. Their quality has gone from strength to strength over the years whilst offering the buyer a lot of rifle for their money.

DB: What advice would you give to someone looking to start a career in the airgun industry?

JP: It’s a great industry to work in, but you need to be prepared to work hard and smart in order to prosper, especially in today’s financial climate. A lot of folks start their career in the industry in warehouse or administrative roles, getting a foot in the door so to speak, then progressing as time goes on should they want to.