This is the big bore I wanted, since the 1980s

The FIRST modern big bore air rifle for big game hunting, to the best of my knowledge, was not developed by Gary Barnes, or by Dennis Quackenbush, but was designed, developed, and made by an Arizona gunsmith/machinist named Allen Dicke, in the 1970s, or earlier, throughout the 1980s, in .44, .458, and .510 calibers, for killing deer sized animals of 200+ lbs; capable of passing through such deer at up to 80 or more yards range. He developed a series of five progressively improved, rifles, until he finally got the best design he could create (See the online article I wrote in the 1980s, on Allen Dicke and his air rifles, with pictures of rifles he made, and animals he killed, by doing a google search of Allen Dicke, air rifle). At that time, I bought the complete construction plans for his rifle design, and built two of them myself. In the 1980s, I also wrote another article on big bore airgun projectiles for air rifle big game hunting, based on extensive testing of various cast and sized bullet designs used by Allen Dicke and me (google it, to find it). So, with the aforementioned in mind, since the 1980s, I have wanted a modern, up to date, improved, (over Mr Allen Dicke’s design) air rifle for true big game hunting, and I now think that AirForce finally has it in 2015. Dennis Quackenbush, along with all the other makers of big bore air rifles, didn’t fully meet my requirements, but the AirForce does— (NO, I am not being pair by AirForce or anyone else to say this). The AirFoce .458 does meet my requirements; here is why (with the first two factors being paramount): 1. Using a premium 34 inch long barrel made by Lothar Walther, supported most of its length, for structural rigidity, all but 9 5/8 inches at muzzle end. The structural support of such a long barrel prevents barrel sag, or droop, slight bending. Such a long top quality, structurally supported barrel provides great accuracy; added velocity, for better trajectory. 2. Using a seldom seen “balanced valve,” not used by any other big bore air rifle maker I am aware of , and far superior to the more common “knock open” valve used by other big bore makers. A “balanced valve” allows for use of a much lighter hammer mainspring, so far less cocking energy is needed, and, more importantly, it allows for better control, use of, air for each shot, allowing more consistency shot to shot, more shots per charge (6 good shots using 215 grain bullets, for example). However, the “balanced valve” in the Texan rifle functions well only to 3000 psi charge; over that, and performance falls off, but overall, the positive characteristics of a “balanced valve” far exceed the negative characteristics of such a valve. 3. Air reservoir is close to 500 cc capacity (490 cc) located at rear (butt end) of rifle, a straight line air feed, no corners to go around, to the base of bullet in barrel. 4. This is a true 500 ft. lbs Energy capable rifle; only Quackenbush and “knock offs” are other ones. 5. Sidelever cocking. 6. lightest big bore trigger available, 7. This, Is a .458 caliber air rifle, a true big bore caliber, for REAL BIG GAME air rifle hunting. A minimum of .40 caliber, in an air rifle, is preferred for real big game hunting, but .44 to .458 is much more desirable, and a .510 is even more desirable. Medium calibers such as .30, (for example .308, .303, 9 mm, etc), and smaller are simply too small in caliber; not suitable for big game hunting with air rifles. These medium bores are suitable only for medium sized animal hunting, such as coyote sized animals. Why is this? Unlike powder burning firearms where high velocity killing power exists, with air rifles, no high velocity killing power exists; killing power with air rifles relates to simply punching big holes in animals for bleed out, so the larger the bullet hole through an animal, especially one that penetrates completely through an animal, which often happens with animals shot with big bore air rifles, gives maximum quickest bleed out—not counting shots to brain or spine. Medium bore bullets, small bullet holes in big game, potentially result in wounded animals getting away to suffer a slow miserable death, as such animals shot with small bullets don’t bleed out quickly or well; often giving an inadequate blood trail, when a follow up is needed, resulting in a lost animal. No .30 caliber bullet hole will equal the size of a .458 or .510 bullet hole in an animal; anything smaller than .30 caliber is pathetic, when it comes to killing power with air rifles, which is unlike killing power with firearms, so many guys simply don’t understand air rifle killing power, while clinging to their firearms understanding, thinking it translates to air rifles.