Each year I attend the Archery Trade Association’s annual trade show to get a first look at all the new products. There’s always a plethora labeled as new and improved, and handful touted as revolutionary, but seldom do any of the latter truly live up to the literal meaning of that word. This year I found one that does.

Most folks are familiar with the Crosman name. For almost a century they’ve been producing air-powered rifles and handguns, and few among the hunting fraternity have not owned or at least shot a Crosman BB gun or air rifle. Air guns are a great way for youngsters to get started in shooting sports, including hunting.

Crosman also has some experience on the archery side. Nine years ago it branched out and began producing crossbows, which it more recently relaunched under its Center Point brand. It also has a line of youth recurve and compound bows. This year Crosman combined both technologies to produce something that truly is revolutionary.

The Benjamin Pioneer Airbow is the first in a new category of hunting weapons. It looks a lot like some of the modern military-style centerfire rifles that have been adopted into the sporting world, or modern crossbows, but without the limbs. It also functions quite like conventional pre-charged pneumatic air rifles, with one very distinct difference. Rather than loading a BB or pellet into the barrel, you load a custom arrow. It’s also different in that this air gun and arrow combo is designed for large game.

The arrows are not unlike those you would use in a compound bow, 26 inches long and weighing 375 grains. In fact, they’re only slightly modified in that they have a plug rather than a nock on the rear end. Just as you would with a compound bow, you add a field point or broadhead to the business end and it’s ready to be shot.

The gun is powered by 3,000 PSI of compressed air, which you fill from an external tank, and will provide a minimum of eight shots before it needs to be refilled. That air-arrow combination is rated to propel an arrow at 450 feet per second – faster than the fastest compound or crossbow – and will impart an estimated 168 foot pounds of kinetic energy on impact. Even the most powerful crossbows only produce around 135 so it’s certainly capable of taking down even bigger big game like moose, elk and bear.

It’s an intriguing piece of equipment in and of itself, but the real head scratching begins when you try to determine where it fits into the realm of legal hunting weapons. It’s not a bow for it has no limbs and the arrow is propelled by air rather than a bowstring. But it’s also not a firearm as there is no gunpowder or combustion. And it propels an arrow rather than a small round or conical projectile. It is, indeed, in a category by itself.

Fortunately, it’s not so revolutionary that it’s entirely excluded as a legal hunting weapon. Several states already allow air rifles for some hunting and, provided the Airbow meets their specific definition of an air gun, it would be legal there. According to Crosman’s website, the airbow is legal for predator and varmint hunting in 28 states, deer in five states, bear and turkeys in three.

Where it fits in will ultimately be determined by each state wildlife agency, with input from the hunting population. While it may not be widely accepted by archery hunters, it could help fill a niche, like the crossbow, in areas with firearms discharge ordinances and deer overpopulation problems. And as it provides no discernable advantage, it should certainly be allowed in areas and seasons where firearms are already legal. Crosman is merely putting it out there for us to decide where and when it should be permitted. Time will tell whether it remains a curious exception or becomes an attractive alternative, but it sure will be interesting to see.

Bob Humphrey is a freelance writer and registered Maine guide who lives in Pownal. He can be reached at:

bhunt@maine.rr.com

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