Where does the RAW name come from?
David Stapley: Martin was making airguns in England from the age of 15 and was an apprentice to the legendary Ben Taylor and Dave Theobald – the creators of a brand that needs no introduction, Theoben. When Ben and Dave retired, Martin bought the Theoben brand and took all that knowledge, along with the design drawings, with him. He was already competing in the States and soon decided he wanted to live and work there, and that saw the birth of Rapid Air Worx (RAW). He is British and he used the British designs he was so familiar with to engineer new products, so despite the guns being manufactured in the US, the DNA was firmly British – and is to this day.
I think that still means a lot, particularly when it comes to Theoben, because there is still an enormous amount of goodwill towards the brand.
Why is Theoben back, and why now?
Our company, International Sports Brands, was looking for a quality airgun brand to distribute in the UK. Our research led us to Auto-Numatic Corporation in Texas, the new owner of the RAW and Theoben brands. RAW was already a huge success in the US thanks to the brand’s unrivalled reputation for long-range accuracy, and it was becoming well known over here too – but it was the Theoben connection that really excited us, because of that enormous legacy reputation in the UK. In the US the brand is pretty much unknown, so all efforts were being focused on developing RAW. We saw a huge opportunity to bring a much-loved name back to the spiritual home of Theoben.
But yes, it came with considerable pressure. The brand was revered, held in almost cult-like status, so we had to do something special and worthy of that reputation – it had to stand out and shout quality. We used our experience in premium shotgun making to re-enter the market with a statement piece: 100 Ben Taylor Rapids, sequentially numbered, signed and endorsed by the legend that is Ben Taylor, complete with a certificate of authenticity and finished with high-grade, hand-oiled Turkish walnut stocks. I don’t think anybody in the airgun world had ever done anything like that before.
How does a US-built RAW become a UK sub-12ft/lb gun?
It’s a different world in the US, where it is quite normal to shoot 90ft/lb or more at targets at 100 yards and beyond, and to have a .50 calibre slug gun in the arsenal. That does not translate well to the UK market – but power creates its own problems, so it isn’t always the answer, whatever Jeremy Clarkson would have you believe. In fact, there is a growing contingent of US shooters choosing sub-12 disciplines, and I am proud to say they increasingly request UK-specification guns after seeing what we have been doing over here.
It is easier to reduce power levels to under 12ft/lb than to increase them to infinite levels, and we often have to use different component parts, so the US and UK guns look the same but are quite different inside.
Although he is no longer the owner, Martin Rutterford is still very much involved in product development on a consultancy basis, and his opinion is sought before anything moves forward.
What makes a RAW or Theoben worth a closer look?
Good question, because there is plenty of choice out there at lower prices. But people who know their onions know what goes into making RAW and Theoben air rifles. They are still built to a similar design to the legendary classic models of the 1980s and ’90s, when the company was one of the great innovators of the industry and had a price tag to match. I have had people tell me: “I couldn’t afford one back then, but I can now – and I’m going to get one!”
We also hand-build and regulate every gun, normally to order, and each one is despatched to the customer with its own chronograph report and test target. It is unbelievably time-consuming, but we believe a RAW or Theoben customer deserves a product worthy of the badge.
We are also very proud of our British heritage, and we try to build as much of the finished gun as we can from UK-made components. The stocks come from our good friends at Form Rifle Stocks, Rowan Engineering makes our air strippers and Huggett makes our moderators. These are all premium components.
Which models can you see, and how is one built for you?
If you look at the model choice, it is very simple. Under RAW we have the Micro-Hunter and the TM1000; under Theoben we have the Rapid.
We then look at stock types and colours. You are never going to be able to have every combination, but that is the beauty of making guns to order – the consumer decides what they want and we build it for them in around 12 weeks.
We suggest stocking at least one of each of the three models to display, then building a new gun specification from there, much like ordering a new car.
What happens after you buy one?
Any brand is only as good as its after-sales. Let’s face it, every mechanical product can go wrong; it’s the way you fix it that makes the difference. We are lucky in that respect, because the design is tried and tested and – dare I say it – simple. It’s a bit like a Porsche 911: the basic design has been around for decades, and it is reliable and well understood.
We try to educate dealers to fix the simplest things, such as leaking seals, so the customer doesn’t have to be parted from their gun. But if the worst happens and it has to come back to us, we can turn it around in a matter of days.
Does RAW’s US competition pedigree matter over here?
I don’t think any UK customer would be buying a 12ft/lb gun to go extreme shooting, but that is certainly where the RAW name first became well received on these shores. What UK consumers are interested in is build quality, consistency and accuracy, and I think that is particularly true in benchrest, where they have seen the RAW TM1000 at the top of the leaderboards within a couple of seasons. Word is out that the TM1000 is the rifle of choice for some very well-known shooters.
We are gaining traction in HFT too, and that is an area we will be looking to develop into 2027.
Which rifle in the range is being overlooked?
Our superstar product is obviously the RAW TM1000, because it performs extremely well but also because it has more options than any other model. There are three stock choices – Thumbhole, CR2 and World Bench Rest – all with multiple colours, butt pad options and add-ons. Close behind is the Theoben Rapid, with two stock options in the Classic fixed stock or the Adjustable, again with the full range of colours.
But the other RAW-branded product I think is outstanding is the Micro-Hunter. It has a 12in shrouded barrel with an internal air stripper, and it is superb for shooting from a parked vehicle on your permission or around buildings where access is tight. It is also much quieter than our other products, even without the optional RAW moderator. The standard gun comes with a chassis AR-type stock and multiple accessory mounting points, and the laminate stock option, in my opinion, looks and feels superb. I shot my sample gun extensively at a range a few weeks ago and could not get over how accurate it was.
The Micro-Hunter retails at £1,699 in chassis form and £1,799 with the laminate stock.
Frequently asked questions
Who makes RAW and Theoben air rifles?
Auto-Numatic Corporation in Texas owns both brands. International Sports Brands distributes them in the UK, and RAW founder Martin Rutterford still advises on new products.
How long does a RAW or Theoben take to build?
Around 12 weeks: each is hand-built and regulated to order and leaves with its own chronograph report and test target.
How much is the RAW Micro-Hunter?
£1,699 in chassis form and £1,799 with the laminate stock, the RRPs at the time of publication.
Which parts of a RAW or Theoben are made in Britain?
The stocks by Form Rifle Stocks, the air strippers by Rowan Engineering and the moderators by Huggett.