Why don't Air Arms make break barrels?

[lensman57]

They could easily take up the vaccum left by Rapid/Impact if they wanted. Webely and the BSA are no longer thought of as highly as used to and are not really English anymore. A factory tuned bearkbarrel with a decent walnut stock, fit for purpose, about the £450.00 mark will have a viable market.

A.G

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

AA seem to prefer small changes.

They stick with what works.

Look at the S400/410 series for example. How long have they been around? And even the HFT500 and Ultimate Sporter look like derivatives of that design.

[Blackrider]

The short answer is that their first offering was a failure. They are a very profit-orientated company and bearing in mind they don't even make a left handed Pro Sport because of limited demand says it all. They have concentrated their resources in making high value rifles and that I suspect is where they will stay.

And "high value" PCP's at that Nick !

[oneseven]

The short answer is that their first offering was a failure. They are a very profit-orientated company and bearing in mind they don't even make a left handed Pro Sport because of limited demand says it all. They have concentrated their resources in making high value rifles and that I suspect is where they will stay.

I'd be willing to pay for it. Why would they not make money on a British made premium BB if they can turn a profit on the TX and PS?

Their PCPs do nothing for me.

[Rapidnick]

I'd be willing to pay for it. Why would they not make money on a British made premium BB if they can turn a profit on the TX and PS?

Their PCPs do nothing for me.

You are speaking purely personally. You may well be prepared to buy one but that doesn't make it a viable business proposition. The market is crowded AND their history with the PE will make them extra cautious.
AA have limited production space and choose to use that in making higher added value PCPs'.
Don't get me wrong-if they made a break barrel I'd certainly look to buy one too but I won't be holding my breath.

[mikehill]

If I was them I'd cease making the Pro-Sport and replace it with a break barrel around the same quality and price

[Geezer]

The UK isn't the biggest market for airguns.

The US is. The Pro Elite was designed for the US market. It had potential to take lots of sales off the HW80 and put a big dent in sales of the Diana 48/52. And the TX/PS.

For whatever reason, it just didn't catch on. Americans just didn't seem to want a more expensive more powerful HW80 class rifle, despite the fact that they love TXs. So I understand AA's caution.

I think the chances of them making a UK/Germany 12 ft/lbs (16J) level break-barrel are about zero. The market is already crowded and it would have to be very special to persuade enough people to pay a premium over an HW or Diana. It would risk ending up like the recent FWB Sport.

[TonyL]

Geezer, Muskett and Rapidnick - all excellent, valid points.

[oneseven]

You are speaking purely personally. You may well be prepared to buy one but that doesn't make it a viable business proposition. The market is crowded AND their history with the PE will make them extra cautious.
AA have limited production space and choose to use that in making higher added value PCPs'.
Don't get me wrong-if they made a break barrel I'd certainly look to buy one too but I won't be holding my breath.

Sure, but you'd agree that if they start to hear more demand for a particular gun they will be more likely to produce one. I still think it's a huge gap in their product range, a break barrel should be a staple for them. If people start emailing they might wake up to it.

[Clanchief]

It's possible they could do a run of 100 modded by them from a first company spec. A bit like when SFS bought 50 Longbows from Venom to turn into a SFS Phantom, even back then the run finished at thirty purchased as interest faded, thankfully I have one of the left twenty.

Perhaps AA or a custom tuning house could purchase 100 95's from Hans and re spec them in house and re stock them to a one off run of a tidy spec' d break barrel.

The custom house or AA would still be shelling out 40k for a gamble of what kind of mark up and turn around on your outlay, marketing and investment ?

Perhaps a pipe dream but what about a pay up front bbs boinger special, if you want one sign up and pay up to a custom house 100% of the estimated final cost, they will then source the suggested spec items and assemble to the design spec, only once the final true cost has been established and final payments made would the new one off rifles be able to be owned by the new individual of the collective.

There may be a minimal run that the first supplier Hans could do so maybe 30 to make it worthwhile for the U.K. gunmaker to assemble and turn out, kinda like MG of days gone by.

This may be the only way to see a limited run of a Break Barrel anytime soon.

[Rapidnick]

Sure, but you'd agree that if they start to hear more demand for a particular gun they will be more likely to produce one. I still think it's a huge gap in their product range, a break barrel should be a staple for them. If people start emailing they might wake up to it.

Certainly but they would probably resist. My experience with AA involving the non availability of a left handed Pro Sport leads me to remain sceptical. Bear in mind that the PE was a failure whereas the TX and Pro Sport have been good sellers.

[Telephonepete]

i have bought 2 custom stocks for the 99. on the subject of quality once fettled and i have heard all the arguments about "should not need to". i think the 97/77 is probably a better gun. certainly the cocking stroke is better. mind you i love my tx,s carbine and full length. i had the pro sport and got rid very quickly. i really dont know where all this anti weihrauch stuff comes from. regards pete