The best recurve bows can usually cost a fortune. In general, more expensive recurve bows tend to offer an advantage over less expensive counterparts. Especially when competing at a professional level. So, it makes sense if you are an advanced archer or an athlete looking for the most expensive recurve bow in the world.

There are quite a few really pricey bows out there. We are not talking about specialty bows but rather the most expensive recurve bow available to anyone.

The most expensive publicly available recurve bow is the Sanlida Archery Olympic Recurve Bow. This is a common bow used by Olympic athletes and offers one of the most accurate shots in the sport.

We review the Sanlida Archery Miracle Olympic Recurve Bow going over what makes it so special (and expensive).

Sanlida Archery Olympic ILF Recurve Bow Review

If you want to compete at the highest level of target shooting, let’s say the Olympics, Sanlida Archery Olympic ILF Recurve Bow is a deservingly good choice. But, you may ask, “why this recurve bow?” First, this recurve bow is designed by Sanlida Archery, a reputable brand known for making archery equipment that offers incredible performance at a great value. Only a few archery brands do it better than Sanlida Archery.

Second, it comes with a full kit. The recurve bow includes everything you need for your target shooting. The interesting thing is it’s a ready-to-shoot bow, meaning that you don’t have to set it all up from scratch. You could adjust it to suit your preference if need be. The bow comes in four separate versions – 66″, 68″, and 70″, with varying tension levels. The item’s weight is 1300g (about 48 lbs), which is quite heavy. The weight is okay since the bow is tailored towards advanced archers and competitive athletes.

Another good reason is the construction. Each accessory is designed with high-quality material, and the bow itself is CNC machined 6061-T6 aluminum to enhance its strength. The limbs are made of premium-quality carbon and foam materials, while the riser is metal to add to the overall strength of the bow.

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Pros

• Ultimate Performance – the ready-to-shoot bow is designed to offer the best performance, thanks to the included accessories and construction. Archers can attain advanced level shooting with high precision using this equipment and boost their chances of success in competitions.

• Great Design – with aluminum and carbon the main materials for the parts, you should expect the Sanlida Archery Olympic ILF Recurve Bow to last long enough. It’s strong and has an adjustable wooden grip, with a strong ILF recurve riser and limbs capable of seeing you through any target shooting competition.

• Powerful – shooting precision is essential in archery. This recurve bow helps you to achieve that. Typically, a heavy bow can hinder shooting efficiency, but not the Sanlida. Despite its 2.8 lbs weight, the bow feels light and powerful simultaneously when holding it. This gives you the confidence to shoot.

• Excellent Customer Support – if there’s one thing you should commend Sanlida for, it’s their customer service. The manufacturer ensures that customers are utterly satisfied with their products. The customer service is ultra-responsive and ever-ready to attend to your complaints.

• Good Value for Money – although the price is over $900, the bow still comes at an unbeatable value compared to its rivals. When you consider that it comes with all the accessories needed in the kit, you will be excited to cough out such an amount for the recurve bow. It comes at one of the lowest costs around.

Cons

• Expensive – this isn’t a con per se, considering that we are reviewing an expensive recurve bow. However, some archers with a limited budget may want to reconsider purchasing the bow.

Structure of the Bow – Riser, Limbs, and String

The ILF riser and limbs are solidly made, while the string is too robust to break. The beautiful anodizing ILF riser is aluminum, making it difficult to break easily even when used intensively. The riser comprises an adjustable wooden grip with bolt systems, sight, and stabilizers that are all durable. Overall, the bow doesn’t feel flimsy.

The lower and upper limbs are made of high-quality advanced carbon and foam materials that flex well. Thanks to these materials, the recurve limbs deliver a greater amount of kinetic energy more efficiently when the bowstring is released. This boosts the speed of the shot. The bowstring in the lowest version is 66”, which is normal for an archery athlete.

The bow’s string is also sturdy and holds power excellently. In addition, it stretches pretty well, which helps to exert more force on the shot for better output. You can’t fault this recurve bow.

Is an Expensive Recurve Bow Worth the Price?

The price of the Sanlida Archery Olympic Recurve Bow is fair, considering that the bow is for advanced target shooting. Beginners may question the price’s outrageousness, but it’s not typically for simple target shooting or practice. There are other bows available for such activities, and they come at a more affordable price than the Sanlida Archery Olympic ILF Recurve Bow.

The recurve bow’s advanced features make it ideal for Olympians. It can enhance the shooter’s precision, thanks to the sight and stabilizers. The wooden grip is also fully adjustable to match the riser, which improves shooting precision and balance. It gives the ultimate performance at an incredible value.

Apart from athletes, archers who need a bow with advanced features for the fun of shooting can also purchase this bow. The bow’s weight can be a hindrance if you aren’t a fit person. But, with all things being equal, you should enjoy recording those great shots with the bow. This bow is worth the price, and we recommend it.

The Sanlida Archery Olympic ILF Recurve Bow includes the following accessories;

• Bow
• Instruction manual
• Sight
• Advanced string
• Weight
• Sight pin damper
• Arrow rest
• Carbon stabilizer long rod
• Riser
• Limbs damper
• Stabilizer and riser damper
• Clicker
• Cushion plunger
• Limbs.

Final Thoughts

With Salinda Archery Olympic ILF Recurve Bow, shooting targets has never been easier. It possesses the capabilities to make you a champion in any target shooting competition. Although it doesn’t come cheap, it’s one of the most accurate even when compared to others within its range.

This Sanlida recurve bow is the most expensive recurve bow in the world but that’s what Olympic accuracy takes. With all the accessories included, you don’t need to make extra purchases. You can kickstart your journey to being a champion with this powerful bow.

Undeniably one of the hottest topics in archery today is the subject of high FOC. Some see this is just another trend, while others firmly state that this information is long overdue, and it will never go away. Trendy or not, there is no denying that FOC has its place and is important for an archer to have at least a basic understanding of how it effects arrow flight, accuracy, and penetration. I have been a long standing member of the high FOC Club, but just like anything else, you can have too much of a good thing.

Let’s look at some of the pros and cons of a high FOC setup.

WHAT IS FOC?

Lets start with a quick review of what FOC is. It stands for “Front of Center”. It is a percentage equation of your hunting arrows total weight that is located at the front half of the arrow. It is important to note that this calculation is with your broadhead on the arrow. The more weight you have at the front of your arrow, the more forward your balance point will be. Below is a great video explaining some easy steps and instructions to calculate your FOC.

PROS OF HIGH FOC

There are many opinions on the actual percentage consideration for high FOC with above 15% generally being considered high. With Doctor Ashby’s conclusion that there is a substantial penetration gain with arrows having 18% FOC or higher, you don’t have to look far for hunters that are promoting over 20% and even into the 30+ percent FOC range!

Lets look at some of the pros of high FOC. The biggest benefit to me in shooting high FOC is PENETRATION. There is no denying that increasing your front of center gives you more weight, more momentum, and more “pulling power”. Literally, high FOC helps “pull” your arrow through your intended target. I really think that pulling power should be considered a factor in a new hunting arrow formula we could call pass through potential. Where FOC X Draw Weight was divided by Pulling Power (P2) to get a number we could associate with a high probability for a pass through…we will work on that. 😊 Anyway, you get the idea. Penetration favors high FOC.

Another benefit towards penetration is to consider that with most high FOC arrow setups, you will be using a stiffer spine arrow. This causes less flex in your arrow as it enters your target allowing for more penetration, considering that the more flex you have, the more drag you create and that will impede penetration. High FOC can also help QUIET your bow, and some will say it improves your ACCURACY. For me, I do not feel accuracy really gets a big boost from increasing your front of center, but you will certainly give your setup a boost in its performance, so inherently your accuracy could benefit.

One great side effect of spending time playing with your FOC is that you are spending more time with your bow, allowing for improvements to occur in several areas of tuning your entire setup.

CONS OF HIGH FOC

With every good thing, there is also a point of simply over doing it. Generally when I am on the over doing it subject, I am referring to ice cream, but FOC is definitely in the same category, as it is all good until you have too much. No mater what you do in archery you cannot escape the laws of physics, with the law of gravity being the big factor here. At some point, too much FOC is no longer an asset. Remember the lawn dart game? Think of continuously adding weight to the end of your lawn dart. Eventually you wont be able to toss it close to hoop, let alone in it. Even though the dart will make a bigger divot in the dirt with each weight increase, if you cant reach your target what good is it?

When you get your FOC too high you are going to be sacrificing something. That something is going to be TRAJECTORY and SPEED. To be clear, as you move up in FOC, you are going to loose a little of both of those things no matter what, but with the right balance the good exceeds the bad. Too high of an FOC and you could find that a weary whitetail at a long distance can easily jump the string because your arrow is slower, and dropping more rapidly.

Another common issue with high FOC is using the WRONG SPINE arrow. High FOC will naturally weaken the spine of your arrow, and thus it could take your arrow longer to recover off the riser causing potential accuracy problems. Since adding more weight to the front of your arrow weakens the spine, it is very important to make sure you have the right spined arrow out of the gate. Starting your FOC process with an under spined arrow could even be dangerous, so consult your bow and arrow manufacturer before you jump into high FOC.

The last con I would like to mention is COST. If you get serious about high FOC, you may also get serious about spending money. Stiff spine, specialty arrows, weighted inserts, and heavy weight broadheads all come with an increased price tag. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune to shoot high FOC, but you can get caught up in it all very easily and quickly wind up with a single arrow that is over $50.00.

I am a big fan of high FOC, but as you have read it is important find a happy medium. You must factor in your average shot distance and your target species into the equation when you decide to go heavy up front. Also, be sure and be aware of your arrow spine when moving towards high FOC. You do not want to have an important factor like accuracy suffer because you are under or over spined. Thankfully, this process is not difficult and can be fun getting everything tuned just right to suit your needs.

Thank you for reading, and good luck in the field!

Chris Creed, Afflictor Broadheads

Have you ever gone to pick up your air gun, only to find that it no longer functions after a few hundred shots? Air guns are delicate machines, and even with the best care, they will eventually break down. But how long do air guns last on average? Keep reading to find out!

When an airgun’s life is over, it means that there are no longer any spare parts available to repair the gun. This could be because they have run out or been destroyed entirely so you will need a new one for your collection. Here is a breakdown of the common types:

BB guns

The durability of a BB gun is unparalleled. The U.S Army has documented that these guns shoot over 20 million shots before needing parts replacement. The barrel of a centerfire firearm wears rapidly and may get 1,000 to 5,000 proper shots in its lifetime. It is difficult to replace when needed. A BB gun shot tube, by contrast, is an inexpensive part that any owner can replace.

CO2 guns

This class of air guns contains all the single shots like the Crosman 180s and Sheridan 2260. These longer-lasting action-type CO2-powered guns can be entirely built from parts if needed with no effect on their life span! As long as those proprietary pieces exist, they’ll continue working indefinitely

Pneumatic airguns

It’s true that pneumatic air rifles (variable pumps and PCPs) have an indefinitely long life, but there are some known issues. For example, the guns with barrels soldered to their pump tubes can separate at this point and no one has yet devised a commercial method for resoldering them either.
The other major failure happens when too much stress builds up on your pivot pins–they break off inside where you cannot reach them without professional help; repairing these failures is a thankless task requiring lots more money than buying a brand new gun.

Spring piston airguns

You can expect your spring piston air gun to last for 10,000 – 75 thousand shots before it needs repairs. This all depends on which model you have and how well they were made!

With proper care and maintenance, a spring piston air gun can last hundreds of thousands of rounds without any signs of failure or wear. An overhaul (new spring, piston seal, and breech seals) can make your springers last for decades.

(For more on the best break barrel air rifle that hits like a champ, see this post)

It is a fair assumption that most people who shoot rarely consider shot string. Yes, they may think of the pattern and the speed at which it travels. But the pattern to most mind’s eyes is a plate-shaped circle, with hopefully not too many holes in it.

This is precisely what you see when you test a gun on a pattern plate. You get a pretty good idea of how your gun and cartridge combination are performing. But not entirely. For as the pellets fly through the air, they not only do so in the shape of an ever-widening plate but in a long string which extends in flight. In approximate terms it can be around 5 feet in length at 20 yards extending to 8 feet at 30 yards.

The variation is as a result of deformation of pellets as they pass along the barrel. Those at the bottom of the load in the cartridge will suffer most, as a consequence of which their flight will not be true, nor will they travel at quite the same speed as the front end of the load which will consist of still fairly perfectly spherical pellets.

In effect you are sending a column of pellets in front of the intended target. I’m not normally in favour of getting too bogged down in the technicalities of ballistics, I am more interested in getting the string to the right spot. But I do think that it is useful to understand the dynamics of shot string, as it can give you more confidence in placing your shot ahead of a crossing bird. Ideally you will connect with the centre of the string, where there will be a good concentration of pellets. But you can give a little more forward allowance than you might think is necessary, and the shot string will look after you. Not to mention a good spread of pellets across a 30” circle. Basically it’s a wonder we ever miss!

Of course we are talking about a shot charge travelling at 1100fps, so it’s not as simple as it sounds, but nevertheless an understanding of the dynamics of the content of your cartridge can only help.

The quality of the cartridge can also make a difference. It is worth trying a few different makes to find which one is the most compatible with your gun. Performance can vary. Generally, as with most things in life, the more expensive cartridges are better, but it may well be that the ‘own brand’ cheapies from your local farm shop will do the trick. Once you have found what suits you then stick with it.

Then provided your gun fits you properly, your confidence with your chosen cartridge will blossom. You will not be filled with doubt about your combination – you can just get on with your shooting. The odd misses will be inevitable – forget them. It’s the next shot that counts. Have confidence.

It’s behind you!

Many of you will enjoy some partridge shooting in the coming weeks. Footwork is crucial for all shooting, but for low ground partridge never more so.

We all know the shot. The guns are lined out about 30-40 yards back from a tall hedgerow. The birds appear as if from nowhere. Ideally you take your shot in front, but miss with your first barrel, then attempt to take a bird as it retreats into the distance behind you. Miss! And you end up practically tied up in knots.

Just why are those birds behind you so difficult? I am often asked this question and the answer is quite simple. Footwork.

The speed at which the birds approach induces a degree of panic, but in reality there is a lot more time than you think. We all know that when you shoot a bird in front, for a right hander your left leading foot will be pointing in the direction of where you intend to take the shot. The same applies to any shot. So you have to move your body to get into position. You simply need to be alert to what is happening.

Let’s go back to the beginning. You arrive at your peg for the drive. From this moment you need to be focused. Forget about chatting to the guy at the next peg, or fiddling with your gunslip, sorting cartridges or talking to your dog. Get ready, look around you for any possible picker-ups or other hazards behind you. Get loaded and be fully tuned for what’s happening. Otherwise if an early covey bursts over the hedgerow, you may miss a chance of a good right & left, that might well be your only opportunity of the day. If you are chatting with your neighbouring Gun, this is also an insult to your host. So be ready.

Keep a sharp lookout from where you expect the first birds to appear. Your shot in front will be practically, move, mount shoot. There is no conscious effort to give lead. Your gun speed will do what’s needed providing you have the gun properly mounted and are looking at the bird’s beak.

But should you miss, don’t simply follow it. Turn, with your gun down but muzzles pointing safely upwards. Let your feet take the body round so that your leading leg is pointing towards the bird, your eyes fixed on it, then mount onto it and shoot.

If however there is gale blowing, and the bird is quartering between you and the next Gun, this really can be a tricky shot. It might well be 45 yards out before you are able to pull the trigger. On a grouse moor this can be exaggerated. I was out in a strong wind in September, and a quartering bird behind the line was at least 60 yards distant by the time you could safely pick it up. It was therefore paramount to shoot in front.

For most of these shots your body and feet need to be turned, so that you can pick up the bird with your gun muzzle at least 30 degrees past the line of the Guns.

If you are still standing with your body facing frontwards, and then turn and twist without moving your feet then you will be lucky indeed to connect with anything.

An easy analogy can be made with cricketers and tennis players. In order to make a good shot they get their feet and body into position before striking the ball. The really good players seem to have so much more time.

The same applies to shooting. Keep your cool and give yourself time. If you feel the shot must be taken behind, adjust your feet and turn round on your peg so that the point of taking the shot the body is completely comfortable.

Of course the same applies to high crossing pheasants, but the whole procedure is exaggerated with hedgerow partridges.

The Garmin Xero A1i Pro is the most technologically advanced bow sight ever created. It’s an uncanny leap in archery gear.

I’m always curious what new advancements are going to hit the hunting market and how they may or may not fit into my gear list, especially if it has to do with bowhunting.

For the most part, the progression in the archery/bowhunting space has really been minor year after year. That was until the Garmin Xero came out back in 2018. It was a massive leap in innovation and honestly something that many bowhunters dreamed about having for quite a long time. It’s the first reliable auto-ranging bow sight of our time and a sight that many have come to love.

While the original Xero A1 and A1i were good, the revamped Xero A1i Pro is great.

Garmin Xero A1i Pro: Overview

The new Garmin Xero A1i Pro is everything that the previous version was and more.

This is an auto-ranging digital bow sight made with the intention of delivering unparalleled accuracy when you need it most. It has a small readout at the top of the housing that displays the range to the target, degree of angle, and battery life.

This is also where one can navigate through the menu and customize settings as they see fit.

Inside the housing, LED pins (red or green) are visible in either fixed mode or single-pin mode. Your bubble level is located at the bottom of the housing and an on/off button — along with others for menu navigation — are located on the top of the sight itself.

From the sight, there is a cord that runs down to the grip of your bow. At the end of this cord is your ranging button. This is taped onto the front of the grip. With a simple press of this button, the A1i Pro will range whatever the reticle is pointed at and display the exact pin for that range inside of the housing.

It’s pretty amazing.

And for Hoyt users, there is also the A1i Pro Hoyt edition that is Picatinny rail compatible.

Features

Micro Adjust

One of the major differences in this new Garmin sight is the ability to micro-adjust everything. You can micro-adjust windage and elevation, of course, but you can also adjust the overall pitch of the sight. This ensures that the sight housing is perfectly set up for your eye.

Micro adjustability is a huge improvement and makes setting up the sight leaps and bounds easier than older models.

By the way, this sight walks you through the setup process step by step.

Auto Pin Calibration

Sighting in a Garmin Xero A1i Pro takes less than 10 minutes, and it’s all because of the Auto Pin Calibration feature. Based on your arrow speed, arrow diameter, draw length, and even distance from sight to grip, it will auto calculate your pins out to a personalized max yardage.

Basically, you’ll sight in your first pin followed by sighting in a pin for the farthest distance you’re comfortable shooting. After the sight walks you through that process — and it literally walks you through it — you’re done.

Time to go hunting.

Dynamic Level

If the Dynamic Level feature is turned on while at full draw, you’ll have two extra pins that will pop up if you’re canting (tilting) your bow too much. For a right-hand shooter, if they’re tilted too much to the right, the bottom dot will blink.

If tilted to the left, the top dot will blink. When you’re level, the dots will go away. This helps eliminate canting and, in turn, it improves consistency and accuracy.

Many of us are traveling bowhunters. Between the dovetail and the quick detach plug, a hunter can take off their sight, put their bow in a hard case for protection, and simply reattach it when in camp.

Everything will be as it was, and you’ll be ready to hunt.

Other Cool Features

A few other features to mention are XD mode and the ability to pair this sight with your Garmin GPS. XD mode is basically long-range mode. This is what enables you to shoot out to 100 yards plus. You do have to adjust the elevation of the whole sight, but it literally tells you exactly how many clicks to go, which means you can put things back to normal after the fact.

Along with that, this sight can be paired with a GPS. Your GPS will pinpoint exactly where you ranged with the Xero. This means that if you shot a deer, you’d have a waypoint for right where you ranged.

This is a nifty feature and one that could be beneficial in recovering an animal.

My Experience With the Garmin Xero A1i Pro

Overall, my personal experience with the A1i Pro has been largely positive. There was a slight learning curve, but that’s to be expected. Once it was set up, I’ve gotta admit, this thing was fun to use and wicked accurate. Like, scary accurate.

It didn’t matter what distance I was standing. As long as I was within my max yardage, which was 87 yards, I almost didn’t even have to look at the range reading. I’d just anchor in and focus on making a good shot.

I was in fact able to take this sight out on a bear hunt with me in Arizona for a few days. One of my main worries was battery life. This hunt was one that I spent an immense time sitting in ground blinds. With that being said, I didn’t want to have to turn the sight on should a bear appear. So, I left it on. In 5 days of hunting, the battery level didn’t drop an ounce. That was impressive.

I wasn’t able to shoot a bear on this trip, but with the accuracy this sight provided, I walked into the field with ultimate confidence. I knew I was going to hit the exact hair I’d be aiming at.

So, that was another positive for me. Confidence is everything in bowhunting.

What’s Wrong

We’ve gotta touch on the snowy side of the hill here a bit. While the A1i Pro is an incredible feat in archery technology, it does have its downfalls.

The biggest for me was the worry that it all of a sudden wouldn’t work. This is a computer, after all. There was one time at the range when it decided it didn’t want to range for me. With bowhunting opportunities so hard to come by, this presents some worry.

And because of the absence of pins, if this decides to not work, you’re 100% out of the game. This is cause for concern, especially when talking about things like backpack hunting where what you’ve got is what you’ve got.

Lastly, another thing many are going to lose their minds over is the price. The Garmin A1i Pro is gonna set you back $1299. That number is enough to make one choke on their breakfast and will 100% limit the number of bowhunters that will use the sight.

Another thing to keep in mind is that these sights aren’t legal everywhere. In the majority of the U.S., it’s perfectly fine, but it’s your responsibility to make sure the Xero is legal where you plan to hunt.

Garmin Xero A1i Pro: End Note

When the rubber meets the road, there is no denying that Garmin has done something outstanding here. The sight is just plain cool technology. And while it’s not for everyone, I don’t think it’s going anywhere anytime soon, because it will undoubtedly appeal to a lot of people.

I expect Garmin to keep building on this innovative platform they’ve created and in turn, it will make bowhunters more accurate than ever. Who knows, in 30 years, this very well may be the standard in bow sights. Time will tell.

While I don’t know what the future holds, I do know this. The Garmin Xero A1i Pro is going to destroy many X’s and fill many freezers. You can bank on that.

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Over the last few years, prices on just about everything in the hunting industry have been gradually increasing, with muzzleloaders being no exception to this trend. With those price increases, we have seen many new and exciting products introduced, such as the Traditions NitroFire™ and the CVA™ Paramount.

However, the majority of hunters have a hard time justifying the purchase of a muzzleloader that is in the $600 to $2000 range, especially the hunters that live in regions with limited muzzleloading opportunities. Knowing this, we want to ensure that we offer highly effective muzzleloaders for a price that can be easily afforded by anyone who would like to give muzzleloader hunting a shot.

Our team set out to determine which muzzleloader is the best for hunters on a budget. Both of the muzzleloaders that were considered by our team are available with a scope for under $400. Below are our top two picks for the best budget muzzleloaders, with the winner listed at the end of this article.

CVA™ Wolf V2

The CVA Wolf™ V2 has been one of the most popular muzzleloaders in the US for almost a decade. With the compact design and affordable price point, the Wolf V2 is an excellent choice for someone looking to get into muzzleloading at an affordable level. The ability to get this muzzleloader with open sights for around $300 and with a scope and case for under $400 makes the CVA Wolf V2 an extremely attractive gun for many hunters. With a weight of only 6.25 pounds, its compact and lightweight design makes it perfect for all hunting applications. It also features the CVA Quick Release Breech Plug, which allows for tool-free removal of the breech plug and a hassle-free cleaning process. When it comes to budget muzzleloaders, the CVA Wolf V2 is leading the pack as one of the best.

Traditions™ Buckstalker XT

The Traditions™ Buckstalker XT™ offers all of the same great features of the original Buckstalker design, yet for 2024, Traditions has added the Elite XT™ trigger. This is the same premium trigger that is offered in the Traditions Pursuit VAPR™ XT and it provides a crisp and clean trigger pull.

Traditions prides themselves on producing some of the safest muzzleloaders on the market and with its trigger safety and internal block safety, the Buckstalker XT is no exception. This rifle also features the Traditions Accelerator Breech Plug, which is removed in only three turns, making the cleaning and unloading process incredibly quick and easy.

The Buckstalker XT is available with a scope for under $400 and can be purchased with a CeraKote™ finish for a small increase in price. The Traditions Buckstalker XT is a feature-rich muzzleloader that is sure to be effective in the woods and on the range.

Conclusion

Both CVA™ Wolf and Traditions™ Buckstalker XT muzzleloaders are excellent choices for anyone on a budget and wanting to experience muzzleloading, however, our choice for the best budget muzzleloader goes to the Traditions Buckstalker XT.

Though it is not quite as affordable as the CVA Wolf, we believe that the additional safety features, the Elite XT trigger, and the ability to upgrade to a CeraKote finish, give this muzzleloader an edge over the CVA Wolf.

We hope that this makes your decision a little bit easier and if you have any questions then feel free to contact our knowledgeable customer service at [email protected] or 1-855-236-5000.

The most common question people tend to ask when they first experience a CO2 air gun, is how many shots they can get from one cylinder. I would like to be as specific as I possibly can drawing my experience from the use of air guns. However, there is no single answer to this question. It varies depending on the air gun and the size of the CO2 cartridge you are using.

There are also so many other reasons that may lead to a long-winded answer. In this article, we will highlight everything you need to know about CO2 cartridges so that we can understand how CO2 air guns work and how to get the most from a single cartridge.

How Many Shots Can I Get from a CO2 Vessel?

The number of shots one expects from a CO2 vessel ultimately depends on the amount of gas used to create the velocity in each shot. The general rule that follows is that a CO2 canister powered pistol will give anywhere between 50 to 100 if all parts are functioning at top levels. However, you should expect far fewer shots when using a CO2 powered rifle as it takes more power hence more CO2 to give greater velocity and range. A rifle powered with CO2 gas will deliver between 40 to 50 shots per canister.

When considering CO2 powered air guns, you should note that it is a refrigerant gas and will therefore cool as it expands. What this implies is that when you fire your air gun in quick succession the canister will become cooler and hence lose velocity on subsequent shots. The gas in the cylinder loses its pressure as it becomes cooler.

As a rule, air gunners avoid rapid shooting when using CO2 powered air guns. Once pressure decreases and velocity falls it becomes more challenging to hit the same targets at the same distances which make target training almost impossible.

However, when using CO2 powered air guns, the ability for it to get back to its normal temperature is not long. Some take between 11-15 seconds while others may take an even shorter time if the temperature is ambient enough. But do not let temperature dissuade you from getting a CO2 powered rifle. Besides these minor setbacks, CO2 powered air guns have consistent velocities if you can keep the CO2 in its liquid state.

How Long Will my 12-gram CO2 Cartridge Last?

Again, the answer varies and you will see why later in the article. But the answer is not a fixed number and one 12-gram CO2 cartridge can, therefore, deliver around 30 to 200 shots from an air gun. The reason there is so much variation has everything to do with the nature of the CO2 gas and how other factors influence the outcome of your shots.

Factors That Determine How Much Co2 Used While Shooting a Co2 Air Gun.

Temperature

Temperature affects the number of shots a Co2 canister can deliver. The reason is simple, for Co2 gas to expand, there must be heat. Therefore, the more heat there is available the more shots you will get from your air gun. The reverse is also true. When shooting your air gun in extremely cold weather there are chances that the CO2 will freeze up and your air gun fails to fire.

The warm temperature will give you more power and also probably more shots from your CO2 canister. Therefore, it is advisable to consider the area you live in before investing in a CO2 air gun.

CO2 Canister Size:

When using a CO2 air gun, the more shots you take consistently the cooler the canister and the CO2 inside the canister become. As already discussed, each time you fire your CO2 powered air gun the canister becomes cooler as it gets used up.

What this implies is that when you have a smaller canister it will cool much faster than that with a higher capacity. So, when using a smaller canister like the 12-gram CO2 cartridge, always take rest between shots to make the air gun more efficient and achieve consistent velocities. A 12-gram CO2 cartridge may only give you between 20-30 good shots before you must let it warm up a bit and then take other shots.

Some CO2 air guns in the market can deliver more shots and probably take longer to cool down. An example is the 88-90-gram CO2 tanks that allow users to enjoy a rapid-fire in target shooting before having to wait for it to warm up again. Some manufacturers still maintain the 12-gram size tanks but offer a dual canister. The result is that you will fire better and probably more than a single 12-gram cartridge would. Also, there will be more shots between each warm-up time because of the dual capacity.

Semi and Full Auto

The market has both semi and full auto CO2 powered air guns. It sometimes beats logic as one might wonder how effective a full-auto CO2 powered air gun would be if rapid-fire affects the velocity leading to poor performance.

It is tempting to shoot fast anytime you have a semi or full auto air gun and this is a great dilemma for rapid shooters. One reason that makes full auto air guns ineffective is when they use CO2 to power the shots. It gets worse if you consider a full auto air gun that uses a 12-gram Co2 canister to power its shots.

For instance, let’s consider the KWC Mini UZI that can fire both in the semi-auto and full-auto mode yet it uses only a single 12-gram CO2 canister. When using the KWC Mini Uzi in semi-auto mode, you should expect at least two rounds of 25 shots only if you allow it to warm up between reloads.

The same KWC Mini Uzi when shooting in full auto mode you should only expect one magazine of shots before it cools down. After the reload then you should consider switching back to semi-auto mode. Well, this is if only you want to get half a magazine of shots before the canister becomes depleted.

Shooting Pace

When shooting in semi-auto or full auto mode, you can decide to take time and fire single shots to become more precise. The more pace you have in between shots the lesser shots you will get from a single canister.

You should take time between shots if you want more power from your air gun. The only way to avoid getting fewer shots is to also avoid the temptation of blasting shots regardless of the air gun you are using. An alternative is enjoying your blast from your semi or full auto air gun but stocking up more CO2 cartridges.

CO2 Valve Settings

On almost all CO2 air guns there must be a valve that regulates how much CO2 will be used. The valve setup is a simple one that opens up once the hammer is dropped for only a brief period to allow CO2 to escape the canister and into the barrel and breech area. What follows is that the gun propels the air pellet, BB, or Airsoft round in the chamber.

The power of the shot is determined by how long the valve stays open and the amount of CO2 used. The higher the CO2 the valve releases, the higher the velocity but also fewer shots from a single cartridge.

How Exactly Does the CO2 Work?

Understanding CO2 Cartridge Pressure

There are many air gun enthusiasts that feel the pressure concerning how a CO2 powered rifle works. Even though many understand that they need pressure some do not think beyond loading the cartridge and taking shots.

Now that we already know how to maximize your CO2 cartridge to get more shots, we must understand how the process begins.

When CO2 gas is compressed in a canister it can power an air gun to fire pellets at significant velocities. CO2 is a gas that can turn to liquid when mechanically compressed. Because of this unique nature, the CO2 gas can achieve higher pressure of up to 852.8 psi especially if it combines with an ideal temperature of about 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you have an air gun, the ideal pressure should be a minimum of 850 to 900 psi. Therefore, the CO2 powered air gun can reach these pressures comfortably. The pressure is also affected by temperature and the state of the CO2 when fired. You will get higher pressures from your cartridge if the CO2 is mostly liquid compared to gas when you fire.

CO2 is a complex substance that can form solid to a gas without necessarily passing through the liquid state. What this means is that the pressure inside the canister is a result of the temperature of the gas. Therefore, when you mechanically compress the CO2 in its gas state it turns to liquid when the right pressure is attained. It explains why the pressure will remain constant in the canister until all the liquid is finished. Hence no CO2 air gun will lose its velocity because there is little liquid CO2 left in the canister.

CO2, Pressure, and Temperature

The general principle of CO2 and temperature is that when it reaches around 70 degrees Fahrenheit the gas will obtain a pressure equivalent to 852.8 psi and this can be contained in a vessel. If the canister still has more CO2 it is converted into a liquid state.

Hence inside the canister is a pressurized gas that sits above the liquid when at room temperature. The process that follows each shot means that some gas is released and immediately converts the remaining liquid into gas for subsequent shots. All this time, ensuring that the pressure is equalized for the right temperature.

What this means, is that pressure inside a CO2 canister is directly dependent on the temperature. Warmer temperatures are the best, and cooler temperatures affect velocity as well.

Understanding CO2 and Velocity

As mentioned at the beginning of the article, velocity and CO2 are related. You can see this as you reach near the end of your CO2 in the canister. You will notice that the pressure slightly drops and the velocity becomes compromised as well.

To adjust the velocity of your CO2 air gun when it is almost finished, consider taking shots in warmer temperatures. As a general rule, never fire your CO2 air gun below 60 degrees Fahrenheit as this jams the projectile.

Conclusion

CO2 is among the simplest ways you can power your air gun. It requires little expertise to operate, and enjoy lots of years of target shooting with fewer hassle in between.

If you’re looking for a comprehensive guide to Georgia hog hunting, you’ve come to the right place! In this article, I break down when and where you can hunt feral hogs in Georgia, what licenses you need, what weapons are legal, and which wildlife management areas (WMAs) offer you the best chance of putting fresh pork in the freezer.

The first thing you need to know about Georgia hog hunting is that the season dates and regulations are much different on public lands than they are on private. So much so, that for each section of this article, I break down the information separately. If you still have questions after reading the article, feel free to drop them in the comments section and I’ll do my best to answer them.

RELATED: Guide to Georgia’s 2022-2024 Hunting Seasons

License Requirements

Despite their nuisance status, Georgia hog hunters are still required to purchase a hunting license. That’s going to set you back $15 if you’re a resident or $100 if you’re a nonresident. If you’re a nonresident but only plan on hunting for a short period of time, you can purchase a one-day hunting license for $20 and add additional days for $6 each.

The good news is a hunting license is all you need to hunt hogs in Georgia, regardless of whether you’re hunting public or private land. There is no separate permit required for hunting on WMAs or national forests.

To get your Georgia hunting license, head over to the Georgia DNR’s website.

Georgia Feral Hog Season Dates

Private Land

On private land, there is no closed season on hogs. You can hunt them year-round.

Public Land

Georgia public land hog hunting is much more restrictive. Aside from a short hog/coyote season on many WMAs that runs May 16-31, hogs can only be hunted on public land when something else is in season. And you can only use weapons legal for whatever is in season at that time. For example, if squirrel season is open on a WMA, you can hunt hogs on that WMA using small game legal weapons. If archery deer season is open on a WMA, then you can hog hunt on that WMA using archery equipment. The same holds true on Georgia’s national forests as well.

It’s also worth noting that no night hunting or baiting is allowed on WMAs or national forests. Electronic calls may be used. Hunter orange is required when hog hunting during firearms and primitive weapons deer and bear hunts.

Ossabaw Island WMA offers two unique quota hog hunts on one of Georgia’s beautiful barrier islands. This is a great opportunity with high odds of killing several feral hogs in a really cool island setting. Each hunt is limited to 100 hunters, and it currently takes around 6 preference points to draw the January hunt and at least 4 preference points to draw the February hunt. Drawn hunters must provide their own boat transportation to and from the island. There is no public ferry.

Legal Hog Hunting Hours

Private Land

On private land, hogs can be hunted any time, 24 hours a day. Hunting at night with night vision optics is very popular on private land, especially in South Georgia where the terrain is flat, and the hogs often congregate in agricultural fields to feed.

Public Land

On Georgia’s public lands, hog hunting can only be done during daylight hours from one half-hour before sunrise until one half-hour after sunset.

How to Hunt Wild Hogs

Private Land

On private lands, most hog hunting is done with the aid of bait. Corn piles or feeders are put out with stands placed in close proximity. A trail camera on the bait will give you excellent intel about if and when the hogs are using it. Once the hogs are feeding on a regular pattern, it’s time to get in there and shoot some.

Another popular method of hunting hogs on private land is with the use of night vision equipment. This can be done over bait as described above, or on some of the large agricultural fields of South Georgia.

Public Land

Hunting over bait or night hunting are not options for Georgia public land hog hunters. On public land, most hog hunters simply get out in areas where hogs are likely to be — along waterways and in thick cutovers — and simply ease their way through the area looking for fresh sign along the way. You’ll often hear hogs well before you see them, so staying alert and keeping a constant lookout for fresh sign and movement is key.

Another option on public land is to hunt them like deer. That means scouting for the freshest sign and, once you find it, hanging a stand or setting up on the ground and waiting for the hogs to come to you.

Obviously the spot and stalk or set up over fresh sign methods will work on private lands to, but most hog hunters forgo that for the ease of using bait.

Best Places to Hunt Hogs in Georgia

According to the USDA, feral hogs exist in all but a few counties in Georgia. It’s no surprise that those counties make up the metro Atlanta area. What that means is there are hog hunting opportunities across the entire state. However, that doesn’t mean that every county is overrun with feral hogs.

Feral hogs are often pretty spotty across the landscape, with an affinity for traveling major waterways, like the Chattahoochee, Oconee, Flint and Ocmulgee rivers. Keep in mind that while one landowner may not have a hog on his property, another one two miles down the road may be covered up with them. And the guy that’s covered up with them today may not have any a few weeks from now. Feral hogs cover a lot of ground and respond quickly to hunting pressure.

If you’re planning on hunting private land, the best thing to do is scout for recent sign – rooting in particular – and hang trail cameras when you find it. If there are hogs in the area, then you can put out a corn pile or a feeder to see if you can get them coming in regularly.

Best Public Lands for Hog Hunting

If you’re looking to hunt hogs on public land in Georgia, then you have plenty of options. There are probably more WMAs that have hogs than those that don’t. But there are certainly WMAs that will provide you with a much higher chance of hog hunting success than others. Here are a few of the better known WMAs for finding hogs:

• Cohutta WMA (northwest)
• Pine Log WMA (northwest)
• Swallow Creek WMA (northeast)
• Tuckahoe WMA (east-central)
• Di-Lane WMA (east-central)
• Oaky Woods WMA (central)
• Ocmulgee WMA (central)
• Chickasawhatchee WMA (southwest)
• Flint River WMA (southwest)
• Beaverdam WMA (south-central)
• Big Hammock WMA (south-central)
• Altamaha WMA (southeast)
• Townsend WMA (southeast)

Summary

Georgia hog hunting can be challenging, but very fun and rewarding as well. It’s a great way to spend time during the off-season, as well as a great way to sharpen your spot-and-stalk skills.

With a little research and scouting, you should be able to locate some areas that hold feral hogs that will provide you excellent odds of success.