There are more airgun brands at The Game Fair this year than ever before. Numerous manufacturers from around the world will descend on Ragley Hall in Warwickshire from Friday 28 to Sunday 30 July, making the three-day event a one-stop-shop for airgun shooting enthusiasts.
A is for airguns - visitors of all ages can have-a-go at shooting .177 BSA airguns under the watchful eye of instructors from Walton Lions Air Rifle Club. Test your accuracy by shooting a paper target from 10m and a vintage bell target which rings if you hit a bull’s eye. BASC will also have five seated have-a-go lanes for all ages with qualified instructors using BSA .177 airguns aiming at paper targets placed at 15m. ‘A’ is also for Accumax – the Turkish airgun manufacturer will be showcased on the ASI stand. They will be displaying their range an entry level break-barrel airguns – the S1 Black Synthetic, W1 Wood Finish and the C1 Camo.
B is for British Association for Shooting & Conservation whose 150,000 members receive complimentary entry to The Game Fair as well as guest discounts on advance bookings.
C is for Cometa – the Spanish airgun manufacturer will be showcased on the ASI stand. One of the world’s oldest airgun brands, their range includes break barrels like the Fenix 400 and PCPs such as the Lynx.
D is for Declan Boyle, captain of the Irish gundog team. Will they be able to defend their title as Home International champions this year? Held every year since 1969, the Home International sees England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales compete against one another in a series of demanding tests designed to test each of the dog’s abilities.
E is for eating and drinking your way along the Totally Food aisles where more than 100 small-scale artisan producers will be selling home-produced delights such as brownies from Gower Cottage, scrumpy from Chucklehead Cider and venison from Warwickshire Wild Game.
F is for FX Airguns - the Swedish airgun manufacturer will be showcased on their UK distributor’s stand – Sportsman Gun Centre. They will be displaying everything from the entry level Biathlon to the Crown MKII that’s ideal for long distance shooting.
G is for Gunmakers’ Row – here you’ll find retailers selling everything an airgunner desires. To top up on essential supplies, head to Cheshire Gun Room, Oxford Gun Company, Northallerton Shooting and Countrywear and J. Hogan & Son
H is for Hatsan - the Turkish airgun manufacturer will be showcased on their UK distributor’s stand – Sportsman Gun Centre. They will be displaying everything from the entry level 900X Breaker Wood to the Novastar.
I is for Investec Enclosure where TV chef James Martin will be overseeing the restaurant. By upgrading to one of three VIP packages available in silver, gold or platinum, visitors will have exclusive access, food and drinks plus a chance to chat to James and possibly even take a selfie. Packages start from £99 per person.
J is for Jim Murray who will be appearing in the Carter Jonas Game Fair Theatre on Sunday 30 July. The actor, who is best known for his role as Prince Andrew in Netflix drama The Crown, is a mad keen fisherman and river conservationist. He will be chatting about his ambitious new initiative Activist Anglers, that encourages anglers to to hold polluters to account and effect real change.
K is for kids - The Game Fair is the ideal event for families wanting to get kids off screens and doing something wholesome outdoors. Kids can have-a-go at numerous activities including airgun shooting. Remember - kids under seven get free entry to The Game Fair.
L is for lamping – find all the kit you’ll ever need for a successful night of predator control at The Game Fair.
M is for Main Arena where there’s a jam-packed itinerary to ensure there’s always something to keep visitors entertained. The action will include educational demonstrations and thrilling displays.
N is for night vision from Pulsar - the Lithuanian brand is once again sponsoring Gunmakers’ Row. Their huge stand will offer visitors to see their full range of products for 2023 which includes monoculars, binoculars, riflescopes and clip-ons.
O is for optics – a huge range of scopes, rangefinders and binoculars will be available to buy via several exhibitors – most notably Optics Warehouse, Pulsar and Binocular Outlet.
P is for Pugs & Drummers which is hosted by Britain’s best-known rabbiter Simon Whitehead who is set to bring his highly popular team of ferrets and lurchers to The Game Fair once again.
Q is for queue – save time when you arrive at Ragley Hall by buying tickets online and taking advantage of the early bird discount which ends at midnight on Thursday 27 July. On the gate prices will be 20% more expensive at £35 for an adult, one-day ticket.
R is for Rainson Armory - the Turkish airgun manufacturer will be showcased on the ASI stand. The brand operates as a subsidiary of Armakon Defence and aims to bring innovative and unique products to the world market. They employ an experienced engineering team together with state-of-the-art machinery to develop products in line with their British shooters’ needs. The ‘Edge’ range of PCP airguns is the result of painstaking R&D in collaboration with ASI, their UK distributor.
S is for Skout Airguns - the American airgun manufacturer will be showcased on their UK distributor’s stand, ASI. New to the UK, their EPOCH high-end bullpup PCP air rifle will be available for visitors to handle for the first time. Developed and manufactured in Pennsylvania – this modular PCP is competition-ready straight out of the box. ‘S’ is also for American airgun brand Stoeger, which will be exhibiting on their UK distributor’s stand, GMK. Look out for the new RX3-TAC and RX5-TAC, plus the new XM1 bullpup!
T is for the theatre – the Carter Jonas Game Fair Theatre where effervescent host of Fieldsports Channel, Charlie Jacoby, will compère three days of lively discussions and TV-style chat shows, which will include some meaty political debate plus a smattering of talks and book signings.
U is for uniform – Warwickshire Police will be on hand to answer questions about shotgun and firearm certificates as well as make variations.
V is for Vaynol Gunroom which will be exhibiting at The Game Fair for the first time this year. Based in Gwynedd, proprietor Keith Jones will be showcasing an enormous range of second hand shotguns.
W is for wardrobe – this year there are numerous apparel manufacturers exhibiting that will excite Airgun World readers. Popular New Zealand brands Ridgeline and Stoney Creek will have their own huge stands, selling outdoor clothing in a range of green and camo.
X is for X Sight Sport, a clay shooting and archery eyewear brand that’s back exhibiting after a successful event last year.
Y is for Sussex Yeomanry who will be delighting visitors with impressive displays of equestrian skill with an historical twist.
Z is for ZooBells glamping which is located just a short walk (or hop on the tractor trailer) from the main event. There’s a canvas bell tent for every budget - from an unfurnished classic tent sleeping up to six people, moving up to a traditional tent with some glamping essentials, and then a luxury tent which comes with everything you need for a perfect night’s sleep.