The British Shooting Show is an airgunner’s delight

Airgunners flock to the NEC

Shooting enthusiasts descended on the NEC Birmingham from 13 to 15 February, with airgunners enjoying an embarrassment of riches across three days of product launches, interviews and hands-on opportunities.

The Great British Shooting Show drew a 20% increase in attendance, according to new owners Time Well Spent Group, which also owns Airgun World.

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Product launches and awards

Product launches and awards dominated the three-day event. FX Airguns’ DRS Classic claimed Airgun of the Year at the Great British Shooting Awards, which formed part of the show. The Swedish manufacturer also launched its Pocket Chronograph D1, drawing steady interest from shooters seeking portable chronograph solutions.

HIKMICRO swept the optics categories, taking Night Vision Optic of the Year with the Alpex 4K A50E and Thermal Scope of the Year with the Stellar 3.0 SQ50L. The company also displayed its new Alpex Pro day and night vision scope, which could be available as early as April by current estimates. NocPix secured Thermal Attachment of the Year for its Mate Ultra S60R.

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New rifles and kit on display

Daystate mounted its largest-ever show presence with a 140m² stand and used the event to launch two stripped-back models – the Blackwolf Zero and BRK Ghost Zero – aimed at shooters wanting baseline platforms they can customise. The manufacturer ran a popular safari experience where visitors were able to test four rifles selected from a line-up of eight of its latest releases on a dedicated 25m range.

AirMaks Arms announced its Krait Pro would soon launch in pink, while Tom’s Targets introduced reactive targets, including pigeon, cowboy and zombie designs, that reset through shooting alone, eliminating pullstrings and magnets. Weihrauch’s recently released HW100X was on display, alongside DNT’s Zulus 4K day and night vision scope and the NateChrony Extreme Ballistic chronograph with LED shot indicator.

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Arena interviews and demonstrations

The main arena programme ran throughout the three days, featuring interviews with HFT competitor Gary Chillingworth, Terry Doe, representatives from Donny FL, Sabre Tactical and FX Airguns, and farmer and airgun enthusiast Gareth Wyn Jones.

Airgun World’s technical editor Dave Barham said: “There were loads of bespoke products for airgunners, plus the plethora of thermal, night vision and glass scope innovations for 2026. It was great catching up with old friends in the trade, and bumping into many Airgun World readers for a chat. The BSS has been and will continue to be the pinnacle of shows for air gunners in the UK.”

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A strong airgun market

The show reflected the UK market’s strong airgun focus, with Daystate noting the discipline was arguably better represented than at any other shooting exhibition worldwide. Daystate, MTC Optics and BRK-Brocock have already confirmed they will return next year.

For more information, visit shootingshow.co.uk.