BLOOMFIELD, New York (APRIL 18, 2016) The groundbreaking Pioneer Airbow from Benjamin has been a hot topic among hunters since its unveiling in January and now it's about to get real: the Airbow begins shipping this week. Customers who placed orders through the Crosman website before February 3 will be among the first to receive the highly anticipated hybrid hunting product that combines the ease-of-use and safety of compressed air with the primitive weapon excitement of archery.

The Airbow embodies some of the major advancements in air gun technology that have occurred in recent years. A pneumatic weapon designed, developed, and built in the USA, the Airbow is based on a technology first utillized in a weapon in the 15th century. The projectile is an arrow that, other than the removal of the nock, is no different than that used by traditional bowhunters. And the platform incorporates a stock, just like a rifle or crossbow.

An integrated pressure regulator enables consistent shots up to 450 feet per second (FPS). This equates to 168 foot pounds of energy (FPE), placing the Airbow in the same sub-200 FPE category and sub-100 yard effective range of other archery products.

In contrast to a crossbow that pushes the projectile from the rear, the patent pending arrow rest of the Airbow enables the energy to be transferred to the arrow directly behind the broadhead or field tip. This results in an arrow that is stabilized immediately with none of the wobble or "archer's paradox" that occurs with a crossbow, compound, or recurve bow. The benefit is significantly greater accuracy and less chance of an errant shot or wounded game.

The Airbow presents a number of advantages particularly for crossbow users:

• With no cocking rope to lose or tangle, the Airbow is easily operated by an ambidextrous cocking bolt, making it especially safe for tree stand use. Those who can not, or are no longer able to use a crossbow or compound bow because of physical limitations, may find the Airbow particularly beneficial.
  
• The arrow rest of the Airbow is enclosed in a protective shroud and there is no string to endanger the user during the firing operation.
  
• The Airbow can be de-cocked without firing. Users no longer need to worry about firing an expensive arrow or bolt into the ground or potentially damaging the weapon.
  
  
• While dry firing a crossbow can destroy the weapon, dry firing an Airbow is no more consequential than reducing the shot count.

By summer consumers can expect to find the Pioneer Airbow at their favorite outdoor store including Cabela's, Bass Pro, Field & Stream and Gander Mountain. Cabela's will have the Airbow available for consumers to try before they buy in their indoor range.

Professional hunter Jim Shockey, host of two award-winning outdoor programs on Outdoor Channel, "Jim Shockey's UNCHARTED" and "Jim Shockey's Hunting Adventures" believes the Pioneer Airbow to be a natural progression of technological advancement and a viable option for anyone. "Today we have better hunting calibers, better bullets, better loads, better manufacturing, and better hunting optics than 100 years ago. Compound bows largely replaced longbows or recurves in the woods. Crossbows are much different than they were 100 years ago. Innovation. Progress. And each time we've gone through one of these revolutions, there have been improvements in performance and safety; and hunters have ended up with a better tool, an alternative tool."

Crosman has introduced an e-book on Apple's iBookstore that is written specifically for wildlife agencies and legislators that explains the product, its features and benefits, operation and a direct comparison to crossbows. Videos plus a personal message from Jim Shockey are part of the free download. The book is also available in PDF form.

For additional information on the Benjamin Pioneer Airbow, visit crosman.com or write to Chip Hunnicutt, Marketing Manager, Crosman Corporation, 7629 Routes 5 & 20, Bloomfield, NY 14469, email him at chip@crosman.com, follow him on Twitter (@chiphunnicutt) or call him at (800) 7–AIRGUN (724-7486).

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For over 90 years Crosman has led the world in the design and manufacture of airguns and airgun ammunition, along with airsoft, optics and shooting sports accessories. Headquartered in Bloomfield, N.Y., the company sells its products worldwide under the Crosman®, Benjamin®, CenterPoint®, and Game Face® brands. For more information about any of these brands or products, please contact Crosman Public Relations at (800) 7-AIRGUN or visit crosman.com.