Definitive Guide to Seneca Wing Shot

The Wing Shot PCP Shotgun is based on the same frame and design as other rifles in the Sam Yang family, with some features exclusive to the shotgun. The stock features a straight shotgun style grip with an ambidextrous cheek riser. We found the length of pull to be a bit short for some longer armed shooters however the Wing Shot is very quick to the shoulder. The Air Venturi Wing Shot also features a brass bead sight as well as removable choke that attaches to the threaded barrel. We found the Wing Shot to be a little bit front heavy but not enough to slow down its pointing ability. The Wing Shot comes up on target quick and tracks very well. The air tube on the Wing Shot fills to 200 BAR (2,900 psi) and features a Foster style quick connect making filling easy. When not in use the included cap snaps securely in place to make sure that no debris or dust gets in the fill port. The built in gauge is located underneath the stock. The cocking mechanism of the Wing Shot is a straight pull bolt action that features a high and low power setting. Straight out of the box cocking the Wing Shot airgun took a bit of effort but as we shot it more and more the action wore in nicely. The trigger pull on the Wing Shot is acceptable, not the greatest airgun trigger but certainly not even close to bad. It's a single stage with a little bit of take up and breaks at just under 6 lbs. Perfect for a gun meant to be in the field. The trigger feel is a little soft with a bit of overtravel but again, nothing to complain about (unless you're being picky like us!)

Shot Performance, Loudness & Hunting

Initial tests of the Air Venturi Wing Shot Shotgun yielded FPS readings just over 1000 using the prototype 3D printed shells with #8 shot. Patterning the gun at different distances showed a spread of about 5 inches at 10 yards and about 12 inches at 30 yards, the wideness of the pattern was also directly affected by the pressures in the air reservoir as we saw patterns get wider as pressures in the gun dropped off. In testing we got about 3-4 full power shots before the tank needed to be topped off. Firing slugs out of the .50 caliber smoothbore barrel proved to be more accurate than expected. Testing at 20 yards with Air Venturi 200 grain slugs gave us about a 3 inch group, perfectly acceptable for a smooth bore and adequate for taking close range shots on game. Just for fun we did launch a few slugs out to 100 yards firing at a 12 inch steel gong, we managed to connect 2 out of 5 shots taken from a standing offhand position, with a bit more practice we managed to connect 4 more times. Shooting at that distance with a smooth bore is only a novelty and we do not recommend taking distance shots like that on game, however, watching the big .50 slug arcing on its way to the target at longer range was fairly entertaining.
Shooting aerial targets like clay pigeons or birds on the wing with the Wing Shot takes just a little getting used to. If you have shot aerial targets before you are used to leading the target just a little bit as it moves, however, with the wing shot we found that increasing your lead just a bit to compensate for the slower velocities was necessary, don't be surprised if your first few shots are behind your target. However, the adjustment came quickly and before long we were making passing as well as incoming and outgoing shots no problem. As far as for sound suppression, the Wing Shot has none. The shotgun gives off quite a pop when firing but nothing compared to that of a powder burner. The Air Venturi Wing Shot PCP Shotgun really fills a great need for airgunners who love bird hunting. The comparatively low noise level, the lower velocity of an air gun and the lack of recoil mean that you can shoot all day long without a sore shoulder and you don't have to worry as much about errant shot damaging unintended targets.

Shot Shells

In the past, manufacturers have attempted to create an effective air powered shotgun, but one of the biggest hurdles to overcome was how to deliver the right amount of shot fast enough to be lethal, while still maintaining a tight enough pattern. On top of that is what kind of casing to put it in. The Air Venturi Wing Shot air shotgun features an innovative way to tackle this obstacle. The shells feature a thin plastic outer hull that upon leaving the barrel breaks apart delivering either #6 or #8 shot skywards. The Wing Shot is a single shot air gun with shells loaded individually through the loading port. Simply slide the port cover back, load your shell, then slide the port cover forward to seal the chamber. As mentioned previously, you can also fire .50 cal slugs. The shells are made by Air Venturi and sold in packs of 50. You can purchase them pre-loaded with either #6 or #8 shot. Or you can purchase empty shells to fill with your own shot loads. With the Wing Shot being the first of its kind. We expect that there will be lots of curiosity and questions. We have a full production Wing Shot in house so ask us a question below and we'll be happy to find an answer for you.