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I wanted to start my SHOT Show 2018 Interviews with Crosman because in my books they had one of the most exciting new products this year at SHOT Show, the Crosman Remington DPMS SBR which is a duel 12 gram CO2 powered 4.5mm steel BB firing AR styled semi and full auto Machine gun.

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What I like about the Crosman Remington DPMS SBR is that it works a lot like an Airsoft Gas Blowback rifle with an internal bolt and buffer tube spring, working charging handle and dust cover, it even has a bolt release button. The Crosman Remington DPMS SBR can even be taken apart similarly to a real AR rifle.

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The next new interesting product from Crosman, and as I found out the design is not entirely exclusive to Crosman, was the CO2 Non-Blowback Pellet firing 1911. The Crosman Pellet 1911 has an interesting magazine design, it looks like a traditional full size drop out magazine, which as you would expect holds the CO2 but rather than an inline BB magazine the new Crosman Pellet firing 1911 has two built in 6 shot rotary magazines that can be flipped so you essentially end up with a 12 shot magazine.

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You will have to drop the full size magazine after the first 6 shots to flip the rotary magazines. The Crosman Pellet 1911 does not have blowback action but the double action only trigger is smooth and not too heavy. The slide is metal with a metal magazine and a polymer frame. The Crosman Pellet shooting 1911 comes in silver and black.

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The next new product from Crosman was the Mako. The Crosman Mako is a Beretta styled CO2 Blowback BB pistol. The Crosman Mako features Blowback action, fiber optic sights, tactical grips, a double action trigger and a stick magazine that holds the 4.5mm steel BB's.

Thanks to Phillip Guadalupe from Crosman for allowing me the Interview!

So it begins, I have been to this years SHOT Show in Las Vegas and checked out the new products from Umarex, Crosman, Sig Sauer and ASG. I have taken video and Interviewed the main Airgun companies. Now it's time to report back to everyone what I saw and learned. To start with here is a Teaser Video with some scenes from Vegas, inside SHOT Show and of course some of the highlight products from each airgun company.

This year at SHOT Show 2017 in Las Vegas, I found there wasn’t a lot of new Airgun products but as always there are some that stood out for me. If you want more info on each Airgun Company then make sure to watch my full interviews for this years SHOT Show 2017. So without prolonging this video any longer let’s get right into it…

Umarex Legends MP CO2 Full Auto German MP40 Replica Machine-gun:

What’s not to like about the Umarex Legends MP? It has lots of metal parts weighing in at 7.7 pounds, a 60 round steel BB magazine with a dual 12 gram CO2 system. You also get your choice of shooting either in semi auto or full auto at up to 400 fps. Personally the Umarex Legends MP was the most interesting Airgun at the show this year for me and I really think it is going to be a hit!

Umarex SA10 Blowback Pellet and BB CO2 Pistol:

Another interesting product from Umarex this year was the SA10, I am not really sure what it is exactly styled after, it’s more of a futuristic looking gun with slide venting and a thread barrel for adding a mock suppressor or compensator. What appealed to me most about the Umarex SA10 was the new magazine design that incorporates a full size drop out metal magazine with 4 rotary 8 round magazines that can be loaded with either pellets or BB’s. When you empty one 8 shot magazine you simply drop the entire mag out and swap your empty 8 shot rotary magazine for a full one. The SA10 has a nice weight of around 2 pounds and shoots up to 426 fps.

Sig Sauer ASP P320 CO2 Blowback Pellet Pistol:

Sig Sauer introduced their new Sig Sauer ASP P320 CO2 Pellet Pistol this year that will be replacing the P250. Like the P250 the Sig P320 has a metal slide and polymer frame but instead of a double sided 16 shot rotary magazine, the Sig ASP P320 has a newly designed and very unique 30 round belt fed magazine. That’s nearly double the capacity without having to flip the magazine around part way through shooting. It’s great to see innovations like this happening in the airgun market.

Crosman Remington 1875 Shell Loading CO2 Pellet and BB Revolver:

Crosman introduced their own Single Action Old West Revolver this year in the form of the Remington 1875. Like the super popular Umarex Single Action Army Revolvers, the Remington 1875 is also shell loading and uses 12 gram CO2. You have the option of shooting either Pellets or BB’s out of its smooth bore barrel. I expect the Crosman Remington 1875 Shell Loading Revolver to be another popular Old West Airgun Revolver.

Crosman PSM45 Single Shot Spring Powered BB Pistol:

The Crosman PSM45 at first glance may not seem that interesting, after all it’s all plastic on the outside and only shoots about 200 fps! On the plus side it kind of looks like a Glock and we all know how hard it is to find airguns these days that resemble a Glock. I also like the fact that there is no need for any CO2, and most springers out there look like springers while the Crosman PSM45 looks like a real semi auto pistol. The PSM45 even has pretty decent weight to it since there are lots of internal metal parts and a full size drop out metal magazine which was a real surprise in such an entry level low cost pistol. If you’re looking for a fun inexpensive replica plinker than the Crosman PSM45 should fit the bill. On a side not the PSM45 would also make a really great low cost prop since the slide does work and it has that full size drop out magazine!

ASG Dan Wesson 715 2.5 and 4 inch Shell Loading CO2 Revolvers:

The ASG Dan Wesson Revolver has always been a popular choice, and then the Dan Wesson 715 came out improving on the design by adding extra weight and smoothing out the mechanics. How do you top that? Well by giving us some more options like barrel lengths. You now have your choice of a 2.5, 4 or 6 inch barrel for the Dan Wesson 715 and of course you will be able to buy your 715 pick in 4.5mm Steel BB, 6mm Plastic Airsoft or .177 Caliber Pellet ammunition versions. My personal choice may be the 4 inch Dan Wesson 715 since it has the addition of an integrated accessory rail machined into the outer barrel for lasers or tach lights.

Gletcher M1944 Mosin Nogant CO2 BB Rifle:

The Gletcher M1944 Mosin Nogant CO2 BB Rifle is not a new replica gun this year but it has been a hard one to get your hands on. In fact up until SHOT Show 2017 I had never seen one in person and so the Gletcher M1944 is new to me. I was very impressed with the quality of the Gletcher M1944 Mosin Nogant, it has a lot of metal parts including the swing out bayonet and even the simulated wood stock looks like real wood. I even had to take a second look and ask before confirming that the stock is in fact plastic on the Gletcher M1944 Mosin Nogant. I am looking forward to reviewing this rifle in the future when I do finally get one!

Of course there where other interesting products at SHOT Show 2017 this year but those are the products that stood out the most for me. Again make sure to watch my full interview videos to find out more about all the new products at this years SHOT Show.

My last Interview for SHOT Show 2017 in Las Vegas, well at least till next year and I am already looking forward to going back and doing it all over again :) I met with Boris Shekhman from Gletcher and Boris showed me several of their Gletcher Airguns along with a new accessory introduced this year.

Probably the highlight at the Gletcher booth was the Gletcher M1944 Mosin Nagant CO2 4.5mm Steel BB Bolt Action full stock air rifle! I already reviewed the Gletcher M1891 short stock version but have been really looking forward to seeing the Gletcher M1944 Mosin Nagant in person. Interestingly, Boris was asked by the SHOT Show staff to remove the Gletcher M1944 Mosin Nagant from his display because the real metal swing out bayonet was a concern for them. Boris was kind enough to bring out the Gletcher M1944 for me to see and video for everyone. The full stock however is not real wood but you need to look super close to figure this out as the reproduction is incredible.

We took a look at another Gletcher Airgun I have reviewed in the past, the Gletcher NGT and Gletcher NGT R which are very acurate Steel BB and Pellet shooting reproductions of the Belgian Nagant Revolver. Both these BB and Pellet shooting NGT's are getting a slight make-over with the addition of a safety on them, the real steel versions do not have a safety but some dealers felt it was a concern so Gletcher moving forward will be including a safety on all new NGT's. So if you want a more original Gletcher NGT Nagant Revolver then hurry up and pickup the older non-safety versions while they are still available!

Last on the list of new products from Gletcher are some really great looking leather holsters that not only work for several Gletcher airgun products but can also be used for the same real steel versions. Some of the pistols these new leather holsters will accommodate are the Gletcher TT Tokarev, 1911, Grach, PM 1951 Makarov, and the Stechkin.

Another SHOT Show 2017 interview video, this interview is with Bob Li from ASG (Action Sport Games), Bob shares with me some updates to the super popular Dan Wesson 715 along with the reintroduced EVO Scorpion Inferno powered Airsoft Rifle. Bob finishes up with a new X9 Classic which is a Beretta M9 in 4.5mm Steel BB.

You may have thought the Dan Wesson 715 was already pretty much perfect as is so what could ASG to make it even better? How about different barrel lengths. ASG has introduce the Dan Wesson 715 in both a new 2.5 inch and 4 inch version. Both lengths will be hitting stores shortly and will come in .177 caliber pellet and 4.5mm steel BB options. 6mm Airsoft will be out later on. The 4 inch version also includes an integrated accessory rail machined into the outer barrel for those of you wanted to add items like lasers and tactical lights to your Dan Wesson 715.

Last year at SHOT Show ASG introduced the EVO CZ Scorpion 3 A1 Inferno powered Airsoft Rifle but is again reintroducing it this year since they decided to take their time and get it perfect before releasing it in stores this March. The EVO CZ Scorpion 3 A1 is Inferno powered using an HPA system with a custom chip set that allows for a three round burst option an empty magazine detection.

ASG has sourced out not just any 4.5mm Steel BB shooting M9, they are actually getting their new ASG X9 Classic built by KJWorks. KJWorks is known for their Airsoft guns and I have reviewed several of them to date. If you have been looking for a KJWorks M9 but would prefer it to be in 4.5mm Steel BB then the new X9 Classic 4.5mm Steel BB KJWorks M9 exclusive to ASG is where you can get one!

Next up from SHOT Show 2017 in Las vegas, I bring you my Umarex Interview with Bradley Burgin! Bradley showcases two new pistol from Umarex Airguns. First we take a look at the Umarex SA10 CO2 Blowback Pellet and BB Pistol. The Umarex SA10 has a unique full size drop our metal magazine that not only holds the CO2 but also houses 4 8 shot rotary magazines that can be pre loaded and then hot swapped as required. Each 8 shot rotary magazine can be loaded with either 4.5mm Steel BB's or .177 caliber pellets. The Umarex SA10 comes in at a hefty 2 pounds and can shoot up to 426 fps. The barrel is also threaded for attaching an optional mock silencer.

Next up Bradley showed me the ultra realistic and fully licensed Beretta APX which is a Blowback CO2 BB Pistol that like its real steel big brother has a locking metal slide and polymer frame. The Umarex Beretta APX has a 19 round stick magazine and shoots 4.5mm steel BB's at 400 fps.

Last but not least and perhaps the most exciting product from Umarex for me was the Umarex Legends MP. The Legends MP is a replica of the German MP40 submachine gun and even has semi and full auto selectability! The Umarex Legends MP is a mostly metal rifle and comes in at 7.7 pounds. The full size magazine holds two CO2 cartridges along with 60 4.5mm steel BB's for an almost endless supply of ammo :) The Umarex Legends MP like the real German MP40 has a metal folding stock and propels steel BB's at 400 fps.

My First SHOT Show 2017 Las Vegas Interview to kick things off! Dani Navickas from Sig Sauer ASP talks with me about three new CO2 blowback air pistols Sig Sauer ASP is introducing this year just in time for spring season.

The Sig Sauer ASP P320 will be replacing last years P250, don't worry the Sig Sauer ASP P226 is not going anywhere! The P320 is a CO2 Blowback Pellet pistol similar to the previous P250 but this new model has a 30 round belt fed magazine rather than a dual sided 16 round rotary magazine. I love that Sig Sauer ASP is coming out with new innovations like this for us Airgun enthusiasts! The Sig Sauer ASP P320 has a metal slide and polymer frame like it's big powder burning brother and throws pellets at around 430 fps average. Don't expect a ton of shots per CO2, you will be lucky to get two magazine out of a single 12 gram CO2 but I am sure the extra power is worth it.

Sig Sauer ASP also introduced this year two new full metal and full blowback CO2 BB firing 1911's that feature a working safety and grip safety along with a true single action trigger. You have your choice of the signatured Max Michel in two tone black and silver or the Spartan in a Gold Brown finish. Both of these guns are based on the same mechanical build but are cosmetically different. I can say they feel really good in the hand and are super solid. There is a bit of a trade off, you do get a bit higher fps (around 410 fps) than some other 1911's at out there but you will have to put up with a stick magazine.

Of course the Sig Sauer ASP MPX and MCX are still going strong alone with the Sig Sauer ASP P266. Make sure to watch my previous Review Video for the Sig Sauer APS MPX and Sig Sauer APS P226.

Enjoy some additional photos along with my Vimeo Sig Sauer SHOT Show 2017 Interview!

Last week I was in Las Vegas to attend this years 2017 SHOT Show. As always I look forward to this event since I not only get to look at all the new Airgun related products, but I also meet with the big Airgun companies and talk face to face with many of the good folks I have been emailing back and forth with.

This first video will hopefully get you excited to watch my upcoming Interview videos I will be making for companies like: Sig Sauer ASP, Umarex, ASG, Crosman and Gletcher. I also have some additional video of the KWA booth where they had a laser sighting system set up for people to test out their Airsoft guns on a simulated targeting system.

For now here are some photos and of course checkout my Preview Teaser Video of SHOT Show 2017 in Las Vegas.

Power Sources Covered in this review: CO2 - Spring Piston - Variable Pump -HPA (High Pressure Air)

Pro’s:

• CO2 Airguns allow for fast repeat shooting, great for action shooters, generally CO2 Airguns will supply a medium power range. No need to pump or cock your CO2 powered weapon in-between shots and a CO2 power source can allow for a very realistic action of the gun you are shooting.

• Spring Piston Airguns are best suited of single shot situations, they can provide low to high power output depending on the spring used. Spring Piston Airguns are very low cost to operate since you only need to buy the Pellets or BB’s. Spring Piston Airguns are not greatly effected by outside temperatures.

• Variable Pump Airguns allow you to decide how much power your gun will have and can offer very high power output depending on the Airgun. Variable Pump Airguns are very low cost to operate since you only need to buy the Pellets or BB’s. Variable Pump Airguns are not greatly effected by outside temperatures. Variable Pump Airguns generally have very low recoil and vibration.

• HPA (High Pressure Air) Airguns generally do not require pumping or cocking in-between shots and some even come in semi automatic or bolt action. HPA Airguns can have very high power output and even be used on larger game using large caliber ammunition. HPA Air Rifles have lower recoil and low vibration. HPA Airguns can be charged ahead off time so they are ready for use when you need them.

Con’s:

• CO2 Airguns require the additional cost to buy the CO2 as they do not function without it. CO2 Airguns have a limited power output and lose power as you shoot and use up the CO2. CO2 Airguns are effected by hot and cold temperatures and will have less power in colder temperatures and may not even work in super cold environments.

• Spring Piston Airguns require cocking before each shot. Spring Piston Airguns can have a lot of recoil and vibration, so much so that special optics must be considered when buying an optical sight. The action of the spring recoil can effect accuracy, especially if you are not use to the vibration and recoil or have spent some time practicing using a Spring Piston Airgun.

• Variable Pump Airguns will require multiple pumps to achieved maximum power output which can take some time in-between shots. So you are going to have to work for each shot.

• HPA (High Pressure Air) Airguns require the use of a manual pump to fill their built in air tank to maximum pressure and it does take a lot of time to manual fill an HPA tank. Alternatively you can have the air tank filled at a shop or buy a pressurization system similar to a scuba tank out paintball setup, the cost of this setup can be very high but will save you the castle of manually pumping air in to your HPA Airgun. HPA Airguns are generally a little more bulky then other Airgun systems since they have to accommodate fairly large air pressure tanks.

Power:
Generally speaking a longer barrel is going to allow for more power. If you compare most CO2 pellet pistols to CO2 Pellet Rifles, you will find that the CO2 Pellet Pistol will generally shoot about 300-400 fps using a standard lead Pellet. On the other hand many CO2 Pellet Rifles can get up to as high as 600 fps which is much better speed for humanly shooting some smaller pests.

If you are talking about Springer or Variable Pump Air Pistols versus their Air Rifle counterparts, again the Air rifles will generally shoot with much more power. I have seen some none CO2 Air Pistols shoot up into the 500-600 fps range but again compered to none CO2 Air Rifles, they can even double these numbers.

Some of you may ask about Steel BB Pistols and Rifles. I personally would never really sue this type of ammunition for pest control simply because most BB Rifles have much less raw power than Pellet Rifles and steel BB’s will not be as accurate at any type of longer distance.

Stability:
When holding any rifle from the shoulder, you have three point of contact with your body spread out in a much longer distance than a two handed pistol grip. Holding steady even without a rested position is much easier using a rifle. Even when using a rested position, the rifle will more stable.

Accuracy:
A big factor in accuracy is stability but there are also other factors to consider. Barrel length its self does not make the gun more accurate, you only need a few inches of barrel length to get constant accurate results from a gun. What makes longer barreled guns more accurate is the distance between the rear and front sight. The closer the sights are together, the more margin for error there is, the longer you spread out the sights from each other, the more accurate the sighting system becomes.

Overall More Humain:
When you consider Air Rifles tend to have higher power, better accuracy and overall more consistency than shorter barreled Air Pistols. The logical choice for humanly shooting a Pest is to use the Air Rifle. The last thing you want to do is make any animal suffer, even if it has been causing a lot of havoc around your home or farm or place of business.

In this 2016 SHOT Show Interview I talk with Chip Hunnucutt from Crosman Corporation. Chip was eager to show off Crosman's new Airbow which is a essentially a hybrid PCP Air Rifles combined with a Crossbow. SO take away the bow and replace the power source with a 3000 PSI compressed air system that is capable of shooting standard archery arrows at 450 fps with 160 foot pounds of energy using 375 grain arrows.

The Crosman Airbow on a full 3000 PSI charge can deliver 8 consecutive shots @ the regulated 450 fps. The Airbow also weighs in at 7 pounds and being that it is a Bullpup design it is only 33.5 inches long so nice and compact for an arrow shooter.

Since the power is generated by the PCP compressed air system there is no heavy cocking rope so a simple lift of the ambidextrous cocking bolt is all that is needed to charge the Crosman Airbow. The Airbow also comes standard with a CenterPoint® 6x40 mm scope specially designed with the Airbow in mind.

Since the Crosman Airbow is technically an under 500 fps airgun, it should be considered an uncontrolled firearm here in Canada which means no PAL license will be required to buy and own the Crosman Airbow in Canada. In terms of using the Airbow for hunting as it is not a bow but rather an Airgun, that is yet to be determined here in Canada.

In this 2016 SHOT Show Interview I talk with Bob Li from Action Sport Games. Bob shows me some of the new products this year from ASG. Some of ASG's newer pistols are the Dan Wesson 715, the CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow, the CZ P-09. New to the rifle line is the CZ Bren 80, also a couple of sniper rifles, the M40A5 and M40A3. ASG is also coming out with a an Inferno HPA version of their CZ Scorpion EVO 3A1.

The ASG Dan Wesson 715 has ot me my favorite product from ASG, you need to hold it in your hand to really understand how solid this pistol really is at close to 3 pounds. Everything about it is an improvement over previous Dan Wesson models including the trigger and hammer action, crane setup and the more actuate frame length with the new more compact internal CO2 valve. The ASG Dan Wesson 715 will be shipping in 4.5mm Steel BB, 6mm Plastic Airsoft and .177 caliber pellet versions.

ASG's two new Full blowback CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow, the CZ P-09 pistols should be coming out shortly, both will be available in 4.5mm Steel BB and 6mm Plastic Airsoft. Both pistols feature a metal slide and frame with full size drop out metal magazines and will have CO2 and Green Gas magazine configurations. The CZ P-09 will have a threaded barrel and barrel protector.

In this 2016 SHOT Show Interview I talk with Dani Navickas from the Airgun division of Sig Sauer. Dani and I discuss Sig's new line of CO2 Blowback Pellet rifles and pistols. Dani talks about some of the behind the scenes information that went into the development and manufacturing of Sig's new line of CO2 Airguns.

Sig CO2 P226 and P250 Air Pistols along with their Sig MPX and MCX Air Rifles have been developed in house by Sig.Sig has been working very closely with a Japanese manufacturer to make sure that every stage of development is to Sig's high standards. The new Sig CO2 Blowback rifles and pistols are made to match the real steal version in almost every way including dimension, weight, functionality, materials used and even trigger pull.

Sig's new Sig MPX and Sig MCX Pellet Rifles have a brand new patented belt fed 30 round pellet magazine that is indexed via the internal blowback action of these rifles smoothing out the trigger action. The Sig P226 and Sig P250 pistols use a double ended 16 round pellet magazine similar to what you would find on Umarex's PX4 Strom blowback pellet pistol.

Look for Sig's new line of CO2 Blowback Pellet Airguns coming out shortly.

This is my SHOT Show 2016 Teaser Video! You will get to see some new gun highlights from companies like Umarex, ASG, Crosman, Sig Sauer, KWA and ISC. I will be following up this video with some interview videos very soon so do make sure to check back for those uploads. All I can say about the show is it’s huge! So much to see, so much walking and too much to take in…

ASG:

As always, ASG had some new products this year. The all new Dan Wesson 715 357 Magnum shell loading Revolver! This gun feels absolutely amazing in the hand and will be available in Steel BB, Airsfot and even Pellet shooting versions. Also new are the CZ P-09 and CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow Full Blowback BB and Airsoft Pistols.

Crosman:

Big at Crosman this year was their PCP Airbow, Crosman put a lot of focus on this product and even had a lot of crossbows on display to go with their new PCP Airbow. Crosman also introduced their low cost entry level Benjamin Maximus PCP rifle in .177 and .22 calibers offerings. Not really much in the way of replica pistols from Crosman this year, but then again last year was kind of the same?

Sig Sauer:

I finally made it to the Sig Sauer Booth this year to checkout their new CO2 Pellet gun line. All new Sig Airguns are made true to size and weight with similar trigger actions as their real steel versions. The Sig MPX is their more compact (shorter barreled) pellet shooting CO2 rifle with internal blowback and belt fed 30 round magazine. The Sig MCX is the longer barreled rifle version but built much the same as the MPX. Sig also introduced two new pellet shooting CO2 Blowback Pistols, the P226 and the P250. Both use similar double ended rotary magazines as the Umarex PX4.

Umarex:

Umarex always seems to have some new exciting Airguns products to offer at SHOT Show. The PPK is back with a few updates including no more ugly CO2 tab sticking out of the bottom! And yes the Beretta Model 92A1 will finally be shipping soon, I believe in February! My favorite product this year from Umarex would have to be the Full Blowback, Full size drop out magazine S&W M&P 40 CO2 BB Pistol. Umarex released yet another 1911 on the market, this version does come with a stick mag and sports pretty high fps and more shots per CO2 then the KWC based 1911’s. The super popular Colt SAA Revolver is now available in a pellet shooting version with a rifled barrel :) Umarex had on display another low cost revolver, the ultra futuristic looking Brodax CO2 BB Revolver.

KWA:

KWA always has really nice high quality products to showoff at there booth each year, we may even start carrying some of KWA's products this year, fingers crossed on that one… New to the KWA line are some AEG rifles with simulated blowback action, I really liked the Blowback AEG AK they had on display. KWA also released a new Airsoft shell loading revolvers that had some of the nicest looking brass and aluminum shells. On display under a glass cover was a very solid Gas Blowback Thompson Machine-gun with real wood stock, it was absolutely gorgeous!

ISC:

ISC known for their top quality AEG internals, had their full line of high quality Airsoft rifles on display. And new this year to ICS was their first ever Airsoft pistol, the blowback BLE Alpha. The BLE should be out mid year and looked and felt really nice. The trigger on it was super short and light.

I have some really awesome Interview videos I’m working on, I will be uploading them shortly so stay tuned for those…

When I say Airguns, I am referring to pretty much all BB, Airsoft, Pellet, Paintball and even Blank guns for most of the topics listed here.

Do’s:

1. Treat your Airgun just like you would a real gun. If something goes wrong, perhaps the outcome will not be as severe but do you really want to take a trip down to your local emergency ward to get a BB or Pellet removed?

2. Always assume your airgun is loaded, for some reason it always seems those empty guns are the ones that do the most damage.

3. Be discrete, If it looks like a gun other people will think it is a gun so don’t flash your airguns around in public. Keep it in a case when transporting and shoot it in an area that will not alarm other people.

4. Always wear eye protection when shooting your Airgun. Do you really want to shoot your eye out? No Joke!

5. Be aware of your surroundings like windows, hard objects that could make your ammo bounce back at you. Make sure you are shooting your Airgun in a safe direction at all times, know your target and beyond.

6. Use Airguns to teach others and learn how to safely and effectively shoot a gun. Airguns can be less intimidating then a real gun (Not so loud and very little recoil) and make for great start out and transitions guns.

7. Use Airguns to get more inexpensive trigger time and become a more experienced shooter. Airguns cosy only pennies per round to shoot and can be shot in way more areas than a real gun can, practice makes perfect so get shooting!

8. Use Airguns in areas where real guns may not be allowed or safe to use. Again, Airguns can be shot in all kinds of places, in your back yard or even in a properly setup indoor home range.

9. Use Airguns with adequate power for safe and humane pest control where real guns may be prohibited.Airguns are quiet and less likely for the bullet to travel long ranges which makes them ideal for close range pest control in areas where real guns are too loud and to powerful.

Don’ts:

1. Do not assume because it is an airgun it is not dangerous or simply a toy. Many Deaths have been caused by Airguns along with a lot of pain and suffering so treat your Airgun with respect. It is not a toy or you would find them in the toy department at your local store along with yo-yos and stuffed animals.

2. Do not point or shoot at people unless of course you are using an Airsoft gun in an Airsoft field or facility. Yes Airsoft guns are meant to shoot at each other (with appropriate attire like eye protection and full body clothing), but steel BB and Pellet can cause serious injury especially at close range and on direct skin contact.

3. Do not leave your Airgun loaded, you never know who is going to come across it and accidentally discharge it. Remember, a loaded gun is a dangerous gun in the wrong hands. You may know better than to assume the gun is undulated but children and even adults without any gun training will most definitely handle the airgun without consideration of the danger it poses.

4. Do not use an Airgun for self protection. See my related video. Simply put, Airguns are not practical for self defense because they rarely have enough Stopping Power. The ones that do have enough power need to be pre-charged and in most cases are only single shot meaning if you miss or don’t get the job done no the first shot then you are done.

5. Do not use an underpowered Airgun for pest control. See related video. Using a low powered BB pistol for pest control is cruel, you will only injure the animal making it suffer unnecessarily. Use a high powered pellet rifle to get the job done.

6. Do not take your gun apart, in most cases this will void the warranty and the reality is that airguns rarely need to be cleaned since no dirty gun powder is used. lead pellet rifles may require occasional barrel cleaning to keep the rifled barrel free of debris.

7. Do not over oil your Airgun, a little goes a long way and too much oil will just attracted dirt, use the right airgun oil and just enough to keep part functioning smoothly.

8. Do not over pump an Airgun. Over pumping an Airgun can cause damage to valves and seals and in a worse case situation a rupture the air pressure reservoir or even cause the airgun to explode!

Not Airsoft:

First off we are not talking about 6mm Plastic Airsoft Guns but rather 4.5mm Steel BB versus .177 caliber Pellet.

Same but Different:

Generally speaking a BB CO2 Pistol and a Pellet CO2 Pistol are very similar, they just shoot a bit different types of ammo, that will determine a couple mechanical differences in both guns. You may come across a CO2 Pistol that can shoot both Pellets and BB's but these are not as common.

Magazine Types:

The fist main difference is usually the magazine design, since lead pellets don’t stack on top of each other very well compared to steel BB’s, action CO2 BB and Pellet pistols will have a very different types of magazine designs. Pellet CO2 Pistols will generally use a rotary type magazine while BB Pistols will use a stick or stacked ammo magazine. In terms of realism, a stick or stacked magazine is better suited than a rotary magazine. Some Action Pellet Pistols will have what looks like a stick magazine, but the stick will actually have two rotary magazine on either side. You will often find higher capacity magazines in BB CO2 Pistols since Rotary magazines usually only offer around 8 rounds (16 on a double sided stick style).

Another downside to a rotary magazine is knowing when you are out of ammo, a rotary magazine does not allow for this, it will just keep turning around and around no matter if there is ammo in it or not, so you need to listen to the the sound of the CO2 gun to determine when a rotary type magazine is empty. BB Action shooters do not have this problem since in most cases the magazine BB spring follower acts exactly the same as real steel gun follower locking back the slide on the last shot, stopping any follow up shots from happening.

Ammo Size:

Steel BB’s traditionally only come in 4.5mm which is the same as .177 caliber. Lead pellets can come in a myriad of sizes, the most comma being .177, .20 and .22 caliber but they can go as large as 50 caliber for PCP air rifles used to hunt even large game.

Barrel Rifling:

Another common difference between BB and Pellet CO2 Pistols is the rifling inside the barrels. Lead pellets need to spin in order for them to shoot straight. Steel BB’s on the other hand fly pretty true thought the air weather they spin or not. Rifling is most often not used in steel BB pistols because the hardened steel can damage the rifling and since there is little to no benefit in adding rifling to a BB guns barrel in terms of accuracy, then why even have it. Pellet pistols with their softer lead ammunition need to have the rifling in order to create the spin that keeps the pellet true and straight while in flight.

Accuracy:

Even though many BB CO2 Pistols can shoot accurately at close to medium ranges, they are not as accurate as a Pellet CO2 Pistol, especially as the distance become greater to your target. Not only does the spinning of the pellet help accuracy, but also the added mass of the lead pellet keeps them from being as effected by cross winds and airborne debris.

Hunting and/or Pest Control:

In most cases I do not recommend using a pistol for pest control because, plain and simple they are harder to shoot accurately. This is because there is no stock on a pistol to help steady the gun, and the front and rear sight are much closer together on a pistol than compared to rifle sights which means there is more margin for error when signing in a target. Pistols are generally lower powered than rifles which also plays a roll when considering a pistol for pest control since it may not have enough power to get the job done humanly. That said, there are pellet pistols deigned with power in mind, usually these are spring piston, or pressurized air powered air guns which can have a lot more power than a standard CO2 BB or Pellet Pistol.

Pistols versus Rifles:

This is not the forum for a full pistol versus rifle comparison. I can tell you that you will find a lot more pellet rifles than your will find BB rifles, they both exist but for the most part rifles are geared more towards target shooting and hunting. Most of the BB rifles available would be styled after replicas so the focus is not necessarily on power and or accuracy in these models.

Abundance:

In terms of Replica Action Shooters, BB Pistols outweigh the Pellet pistols by a land-slide. BB’s just work better in action pistols because the round hard steel ammo operates much easier and more reliably than the softer lead pellets, at least for action shooters. And the point of Replica Action Shooters is not so much power and accuracy but more so towards rapid fire good old back yard fun shooting.

Which is Best?

Well… Neither one is best, it just depends what you are looking for. 

• Do you want accuracy at longer ranges - if so maybe get a Pellet CO2 Pistol.

• Do you want more realism in terms of magazine loading and your slide locking back on the last shot - then you may be in the market for a BB CO2 Pistol.

• Do you want more power down range - heavy pellets are going to hit harder and truer than lighter Steel BB’s.

• Do you want trouble free shooting - hard steel BB’s rarely miss-feed or misfire compared to softer Lead Pellets especially in action shooters.

The best is what’s best for you and not always what's best for me…

I again had the opportunity to attend this years SHOT Show in Las Vegas, it has pretty much become a tradition for me now. First of all it's a great excuse to go to Las Vegas! And then there is the SHOT Show with all the big Airgun companies to go and checkout their products and of course meet some of the folks that I have been emailing. It also give my wife and I nice break from the kids, Vegas is almost like a second home to us now we have been so many times, we have our favorite eating places, of course there is the Fat Tuesdays we make sure to stop in most days for our troff of slushy boozy drink. We generally hit a show of some sort and if you like shopping, there is plenty of that to do in Las Vegas.

OK, so back to the 2015 SHOT Show, I have to say every year is a lot like the years before, most of the booths are even in the same locations so it is making it easier for me to find them, SHOT Show is a big show with lots of area to covers! Generally most companies will have all there old guns on display along with a few new ones, for me I am there to see what's new and I am sure most of you are interested in the upcoming products as well.

I know many of my American viewers have been wanting a Single Action Army 45 Revolvers and I too have been asking for this classic Cowboy revolver, I have even mentioned this to the big companies the past several years. Well I guess they finally got the message! Umarex is releasing their Colt Single Action Army 45 in a few different configurations. Their run of 500 Limited edition US Marshal revolvers sold out within the first few hours but I got my name on one this time so look forward to that review when I get mine :) Don't worry if you don't manage to get your hands on one of the US Marshal Single Action Army's, there will be two other none limited edition versions, one in silver and one in blued, both with bone handles. Like the Dan Wesson and Colt 357 shell loading BB revolvers, the Colt Single Action Army pistols will be mostly metal and also have removable shells that you place the BB's into. You will have to load each shell one at a time into the Colts, just like the old cowboy versions. The 12 gram CO2 is located in the pistol grip as expected and all version shoot in single action only as the name indicates.

Another noteworthy Umarex new product is the Umarex Pietro Beretta 92 A1 which is a pretty much full metal licensed Beretta with full blowback and a full size drop out metal magazine that holds the BB's and CO2. Umarex also added the KWC Luger and Mauser to their line off classic Blowback BB pistols this year.

ASG had some interesting offerings, they showed me a new styled Dan Wesson that will be able to accept a sight rail, it will come in Steel 4.5mm BB, 6mm Airsoft and .177 caliber Pellet. The new style Dan Wesson will not include the sight rail but you will be able to purchase it separately.

While visiting ASG I played around with their new Airsoft CZ P-09 full blowback semi auto pistol, wow the slide felt good, I am pretty sure the ASG Airsoft CZ P-09 is going to be a lot of fun to shoot!

Crosman didn't have a lot in terms of Replica guns which is not all that unusual for them, I did get my hands on their new P15B Blowback BB Pistol, I am not sure if it is the final version or a prototype at this point? The Crosman P15B has blowback action but no slide catch or slide lock, it sports a drop out full metal stick styled magazine and kind of looks like a cross between a Sig Sauer and a Desert Eagle.

Gamo, again, not known for their huge selection of replica guns did have an interesting new revolver, the PR-776 which is based on the shell loading Win Gun Frame but instead of incorporating removable shells, you load .177 caliber pellets directly into the cylinder of the PR-776.

I got to take a close up look at the Gletcher .177 caliber brass shells for their 357 series CO2 revolvers and they are a lot different than the Dan Wesson version of pellet loading brass shells. Instead of screwing together they press together and have a rubber O-ring system to help them seal tightly.

Even though I don't sell many KWA branded pistols, I do occasionally bump into them when companies like Umarex or ASG use them in their licensed lines. I did like their Scorpion KZ61, hopefully I will get to try one out sooner than later...

Well that's about it for this years SHOT Show Las Vegas 2015, until I return again in 2016 :)

Here is a Press Release taken from the NFA website, I have also made a YouTube Video going over all of this in my own words and what it really means for us law abiding airgun owners in Canada so make sure to watch my video below for further explanation...

"On Wednesday, November 5, the Supreme Court of Canada issued its ruling R. v. Dunn, finding that most air guns are considered “firearms” for all purposes in the Criminal Code except for licensing and registration.

The Court affirmed the previous decision of the Ontario Court of Appeal, which itself had overruled a decade of its own jurisprudence in finding that air guns are “firearms”. Prior to this case, the courts had held that air guns are not treated as “firearms” unless they are used for some offensive or unlawful purpose.

This decision applies to all air guns that are capable of causing serious bodily injury or death. Most courts have found that any air gun with a velocity of more than 214 feet-per-second meets this threshold. The vast majority of air guns sold across the country are capable of such a velocity.

This decision will have numerous significant impacts on those who buy and use air guns lawfully in Canada.

First of all, the Criminal Code provisions regarding careless storage, use and transportation of firearms now apply to air guns. Therefore, it is an offence to store or transport an air gun in a “careless” manner. However, because the ordinary firearms Storage Regulations do not apply to air guns, air gun owners are left with absolutely no guidance as to what precisely constitutes careless storage of an air gun.

It will be left up to police, prosecutors and courts to determine what charges will be laid, which will be prosecuted and ultimately who will be found guilty of this nebulous and ambiguous offence.

Moreover, as air gun owners do not require a license or a firearms safety course to possess these items, law-abiding Canadians will not be put on notice of the new legal requirements for air gun use, storage, transportation, etc.

Secondly, the offence of “carrying a concealed weapon” now applies to air guns, regardless of whether or not the air gun owner acts in an otherwise lawful manner. Placing an air gun in a backpack, a pocket or other concealed place will now be a criminal offence.

As the Supreme Court has ruled on this issue, the only route forward is through legislative amendment. Canada’s National Firearms Association has been extremely active on this front and will continue to pressure the government and provide all assistance in order to see that this decision be responded to by Parliament."

Canada’s National Firearms Association is this country’s largest and most effective advocacy organization representing the interests of firearms owners and users.

My big concern with this new Supreme Court of Canada ruling is that it really only effects law abiding Canadians. The criminals are not going to be worrying about how they store, transport and handle an airgun and since this new "airgun rule" does not change how an airgun can be purchased, or the fact that a criminal can still be charged with a gun crime while using an airgun in a crime, nothing has really changed by this new law from a criminals perspective.

Even more disturbing is the fact that the vast majority of airgun owners are now criminals since most will not be storing their airguns in the same way a firearm needs to be stored. Most Airgun owners do not have a PAL Firearms license, so they will have no idea of this new airgun ruling or even be educated on firearms handling and regulations, making most airgun owners criminals because for the most part, they will be storing, transporting and handling airguns in an unlawful manner now according to this new airgun ruling.

Links:

• RCMP on Airguns
• Safe Storage and Handling of Firearms
• NFA Press Release

This YouTube video was made to touch upon the tragic shooting and death of a young man at the Beavercreek Walmart in the US. The tragedy was the result of poor judgment and misunderstanding of the situation that started with John Crawford (22) deciding to walk around a Walmart store with a very realistic looking replica Air Rifle. Subsequently in the midst of all the excitement as customers ran out of the store, Angela Williams (37) had a medical emergency that also cost her her life. 

Below is an outline of YouTube video that follows:

John Crawford 22 Years old was shot  by police in a Beavercreek Walmart while holding a Crosman MK-177 Pellet BB gun.

Another death as a result: Angela Williams, 37, was with her 9-year-old daughter and suffered a medical emergency and died as a result as people attempted to flee the store amongst the panic.

John Crawford is Survived by: LeeCee Johnson, 22 Mother of Crawford's children (Believe he had 2 children)

NOTES: 

• Walmart US keeps these guns on shelf in the box generally, but not locked up or behind glass.
• In Canada Most places keep even Airguns behind locked glass. 

The weapon (Crosman MK-177), which can shoot both pellets and BBs, had been removed from its original packaging, was this done by John Crawford or was it already unpackaged when he picked it up?

Ronald Ritchie made the original 911 call, I listened to two of the police 911 phone call recording and he seemed to be talking level headed and not making it out to be anything more than what he saw which was a black man walking around a Walmart with what looked like a real rifle. John Crawford was holding the rifle while he had his phone between his shoulder and ear, John was fiddling with the rifle and looked to be trying to load it. Ronald Ritchie said John was periodically pointing it at people (which may or may not have been intentional).

LeeCee Johnson, 22, who identified herself as the mother of Crawford’s children, said she was talking to Crawford on her cell phone at the time of the shooting:

“We was just talking. He (John) said he was at the video games playing videos and he went over there by the toy section where the toy guns were. And the next thing I know, he said ‘It’s not real,’ and the police start shooting and they said ‘Get on the ground,’ but he was already on the ground because they had shot him,” she said. She added she “could hear him just crying and screaming” and said officers “shot him down like he was not even human.”

First and Foremost, this event is very tragic and my condolences go out to the families and friends of John Crawford and Angela Williams.

Questions we need to ask ourselves:

• Why was John Crawford walking around the Walmart with what looked like an "assault rifle" in a very public location?
• With all the public shootings these days, why would you walk around a public Walmart with what looks like a very real and threatening rifle, similar to the kinds used in these types of shootings in the past?
• Why did the police seem so quick to shoot John down? Where they a bit eager or hyped up? It would be very interesting to see the surveillance video for this tragedy?
• Why are very realistic Airguns on open display and so easy to attain? Keep in mind even a regular break barrel Airgun looks like a real rifle to most people.

What is so damaging about all this:

• This will add "ammunition so to speak" for bureaucrats and authorities to question if Airguns should look realistic, or if they now need to have bright colored markings all over them so people will assume they are not reel? Or perhaps outlaw them completely or make them very hard to attain for the average person.
• Now the general public will have yet another reason to have a negative view on Airguns. I fear that putting more restrictions on airguns is just a stepping stone to more restrictions on real guns and more restrictions on our rights overall.

What ever happened to common sense? It has become uncommon these days…

 Based on how easy it is for a person to get their hands on very realistic looking Airguns in most US based retail stores, I am surprised this tragedy has not happened already, or more often.

Would you walk around your neighborhood with what looks like an Assault rifle? So why walk around a Walmart with one?

Unfortunately we can not protect everyone from themselves, the more failsafes we put in place, the less reasonability people have for themselves and the more responsibility it seems is placed on businesses, government, organizations, parks and events…

We even need warning labels on our coffee telling us it's hot, or to not put poison in our mouths, there are railing and barriers around any bit of water or slight ledge.

Society is programing people to think less fore themselves and trust that everything is going to be OK.

Well it's not true, there is still something called survival of the fittest no matter how many safety nest are in place.

We need to spend more time teaching our kids how to act and behave and how to think for themselves and not be so dependent on everyone else to protect them from themselves. Don't  leave it up to the TV, movies, video games or even their just as oblivious friends. 

This may be a bit controversial for some people who don't like the thought of using an gun for hunting or extermination of unwanted pests. But weather or not it is accepted by all, it is a practice that many people still embrace including myself when done in a humane way.

Let's start off by addressing this topic by asking some questions and filling in some of the answers. Keep in mind I go into much more detail in my Vimeo video below.

What is the reason that you need to Shoot or Hunt an Animal?

Are you shooting an animal out of need or just for fun, sure there is a thrill in the sport of hunting but after taking down your prey, the animal should not be killed in vain as the meat should be eaten. There are also times when pesky critters get into your gardens, tree farms, feeding stations garbages and who knows what else? I personally think shooting an animal that has not done you any harm or that you don't plan on eating is not ethical. So question your motives wisely?

Can you use an Airgun for Hunting and or Pest Control?

The short answer is yes! As long as you choose the correct Airgun for the job, one that has enough power and accuracy to get the job done in a humane manner. Using an underpowered or inaccurate gun of any type for the chosen target will lead to the animal being wounded and possibly getting away to suffer unnecessarily.

What about Pistols versus Rifles?

Given the choice, a rifle will always be your best bet, rifles tend to be more accurate since they are more stable to hold and the fact that the sights are further apart which improves the guns accuracy. Most rifles also allow for enhanced sighting systems like red dots or magnified scopes for even further accuracy improvements. There are some pistols made specifically for hunting and target shooting that can be accurate but I would limit their use to shorter ranges.

What about Pellet guns versus BB guns?

BB guns in general are not meant for hunting or pest control, and in most cases they are underpowered and not as accurate as their pellet shooting counterparts, especially out at longer ranges where most pests keep their distances to. If you plan on doing some hunting and or pest control, please invest in an adequate pellet rifle to get the job done humanly.

What type of Ammo is best for Hunting and Pest Control?

There are lots of types of pellets available, pointed, rounded, flat, hollow-point and even pellets that have nylon tips. At the end of the day, use the pellet that is the most accurate in your Airgun because shot placement will win over pellet shape any day of the week. The reality is that as long as that pellet hits the target with adequate velocity, it doesn't matter what shape it is, it's more than likely going to pass right through the animal.

What is the lowest FPS that I can use?

I would rather ask the question, what is the highest fps I can get away with since more fps will give you more margin for error, since it will have a flatter trajectory and will do more damage even if your shot is off a bit. An experienced shooter could make a kill shot on a small pest even with a 400 fps airgun but the shot would have to be perfect and the range would have to be close. Of course when shooting larger game, you will need larger caliber pellets with higher velocities. Also when using a high velocity airgun you need to consider what is beyond your target, if you miss, where is that pellet or bullet going to end up? You need to make sure you do not injure anyone by mistake as pellets/bullets can travel a long distance.

How large of an Animal can an Airguns Kill?

This is really dependent on the Airgun being used, Airguns come in many different calibers, from .177 right up to .50 caliber, some PCP Airguns can even take down a deer! You need to do your research and make sure the Airgun you choose has both the power and accuracy you need for the intend prey.

Where can I use an Airgun for Hunting and or Pest Control?

This is a question you need to ask your local authorities as laws and hunting regulations are different just about everywhere. Even shooting pests on your property may require a permit so be careful to obey your local laws.