A very common question I get asked is "How Long Can I Leave CO2 in My Airgun?" So what do I do when I get asked a question over and over again... Well I make a video and give you my answer to the question.

Some CO2 Related Questions I seem to get over and over again are:

1. Can I leave an unused CO2 in my Airgun and for how long is it safe?

2. Can I reuse a C2 once it is empty?

3. Can I use my gun without CO2?

In this YouTube video I address questions 1 and 2, I kind of forgot about question number 3 since it is not as often but it does come up from time to time believe it or not and the answer to being able to use a CO2 airgunwith out CO2 is "NO", It's kind of like trying to drive a car without gas, or turn on a light without electricity or stay alive without food...

So anyways, watch my below Vimeo video for answers to questions one and two:

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.

Two of our most popular single shot target/hunting pellet shooters are back in stock again after what has been a rather long delay. The truth of the matter is we just didn't have a supplier for them anymore here in Canada until now. Webley as a company has been through some pretty big changes over the past several years and now hopefully it has all been worked out and supply will be steady.

Don't worry about the quality, that is still top notch! We now have the Turkish made Webley Alecto and Webley Tempest (both available in .177 and .22 caliber pellets) back in stock and I am happy to say the Alecto has even been improved with an upgraded Air Reservoir and even higher fps than before which means the Webley Alecto and the Webley Tempest now shoot right up to our maximum fps here in Canada before becoming restricted firearms so no need for an R-PAL which means happy shooting in places other than a gun range!

I would even rcomend both these Webley pistols for small pest control especially in the .22 caliber versions as they have the power and accuracy to get the job done.

Buy Webley Airguns in our Canada Store - Buy Webley Airguns in our US Store

In this Comparison Video I go through the benefits and shortcomings of CO2, Spring Piston and Pump Airguns. I focus mainly on Airguns but there is a bit of a crossover with Airsoft guns.

All three systems (CO2, Spring, Pump) create pressure that forces the ammunition with a high force out of the barrel. Similar to how gun powder is the source of energy for a bullet.

Here are some basic statements that best describe CO2, Spring Piston and Pump Airguns.

CO2 Airguns:

• CO2 Airguns use the expansion of CO2 gas to create the pressure required for the ammo.

• CO2 Airguns generally store enough CO2 for multiple shots per cartridge.

• CO2 Airguns have a limit as to how much power they can produce since CO2 has a set vapor pressure of 850 psi, or about 56 bar at room temperature which is around 25 C or 77 F. CO2 Gas also requires a warm environment to expand so warmer temperature and longer barrels help with power.

• Some CO2 guns can also use pressurized air tanks in place of CO2.

Spring Piston Airguns:

• Spring Airguns use the release of a pre-cocked spring and plunger system to compress air to power the ammo.

• Spring Piston Airguns require the cocking of the spring between each shot so they are single shot only.

• Spring Airguns are limited to how much effort is humanly possible to cock the spring into position. If you make the spring to strong then not everyone will be able to use the Airgun effectively. Too week of a spring and the Airgun will lack power.

• Spring Piston Airguns are known for having a fair amount of recoil and vibration when the spring moves both forward and backwards quickly inside the Airgun.

• Spring Airguns can use either a mechanical spring or a gas spring.

Pump Airguns:

• Pump Airguns (either Single or Multi-Pump) store air pressure in a chamber that when released, powers the ammo.

• Most Pump Airguns require at least 1 or more pumps, often up to 10 pumps for each shot and you generally only get one shot per set of pumps. Not to be confused with PCP Airguns (Pre Charged Pneumatic) which have large pressure tanks that are recharged with a high volume of pressurized air that is capable of shooting multiple shots per charge.

• Pump Airguns are also somewhat limited to how much effort is humanly possible since the higher the chamber pressure, the harder it will be to pump the Airgun. 

Misc Airguns:

• Generally speaking both Spring and Multi-Pump Airguns have more potential power than a CO2 guns since CO2 has a set peek pressure limit.

• Pump and CO2 Airguns are know to have very little recoil since the pressure is stored in a chamber and then released by a valve. No slapping back and forth of a large internal spring.

Pros:

CO2 Airguns:

• CO2 Airguns allow for multiple shots per CO2 cartridge for more realistic action shooting.

• CO2 Airguns do not require any human effort to charge the gun other than loading the CO2 and Ammo into the Airgun.

• CO2 Airguns allow for true semi auto shooting ability. 

Spring Piston Airguns:

• Spring Airguns have the potential for high velocity since the larger and stiffer the spring, the greater the output force.

• Spring Airguns do not require anything other than your ammunition, typically either a Pellet or BB.

• Spring Airguns are mechanically very simple which makes them very reliable and less expensive to produce than other types of Airguns. 

Pump Airguns:

• Pump Airguns have the potential for high velocity since more pumps equals greater output force, only limited by the users strength and the pressure rating of the Airgun.

• Pump Airguns do not require anything other than your ammunition, typically either a Pellet or BB.

• Pump Airguns have next to no recoil which makes them very easy to shoot and highly accurate.

Cons:

CO2 Airguns:

• CO2 Airguns require the purchase and use of CO2 or they simple do not work.

• CO2 Airguns are very susceptible to temperature changes, especially cold temperature since CO2 needs a warm environment in order to expand. Cool down effect also plays a role in power output.

• CO2 Airguns have a maximum set amount of power output.

Spring Piston Airguns:

• Spring Airguns require the pre-cocking of the spring for each shot.

• Spring Airguns can take some getting used to since the spring recoil/vibration requires a very lose grip (Military Grip) to shoot accurately with them.

• Spring Airguns should not be stored pre-cocked since this can damage the spring, less so with gas spring versions. 

Pump Airguns:

• Pump Airguns require pre-pumping to pressurize the air chamber for each shot.

• Pump Airguns, especially Multi-Pump Airguns take the most amount of human effort for each shot.

• Pump Airguns need to stored with at least one pump in them or the seals can get damaged over time.

In this Comparison video I go through the benefits and shortcomings of both Blowback and Non-Blowback Airguns. I focus mainly on Airguns but there is a definite crossover with Airsoft guns.

Here are some basic statements that best describe both Blowback and Non-Blowback Airguns.

Blowback Airguns:

• Blowback Airguns usually have a movable slide that moves back and forth with each shot.

• Sometimes the blowback operation is internal (Internal bolt) so there may not be an external moveable slide.

• Some CO2 is used to move the slide rearwards in a Blowback Airgun.

• The Blowback motion of the slide with some blowback airguns can also cock the hammer or internal striker allowing for true single action trigger pull. But not always!

• Some Blowback airguns have the potential for full auto capabilities since they can have a true semi auto action.

• There is some noticeable recoil from the Blowback action simulating the recoil of a real gun.

Non-Blowback Airguns:

• Non-Blowback Airguns can have fixed or movable slides but they will not cycle back and forth with each shot.

• Non-Blowback Airguns tend to have less working parts since no Blowback valves are required or even a moveable slide.

• There are some Blowback and Non-Blowback Airguns that field strip similarly to their real steel counterparts but this is most commonly found in Blowback Airguns.

• Non-Blowback Airguns require the shooter to cock the hammer for single action shooting or use a double action trigger pull for semi auto like performance.

Pros:

Blowback Airguns:

• Blowback Action causes a noticeable recoil which makes the airgun feel more realistic.

• Blowback Airguns in some cases have true semi auto action with true single action triggers which mimic the authenticity of the real steel versions of the guns they replicate much better making them better training tools.

• Having some recoil makes blowback Airguns potentially better training tools.

• Blowback Airguns look really cool when shooting them  and are great action prop guns.

Non-Blowback Airguns:

• Non-Blowback Airguns tend to have less working parts so less to go wrong and more reliability.

• Non-Blowback Airguns can be more accurate since the recoil from the blowback is not a factor.

• Non-Blowback Airguns have more potential power and more shots per CO2 since no CO2 is robbed for the blowback operation.

Cons:

Blowback Airguns:

• Blowback operation can rob some of the power and will also rob how many shots you get from the Airgun.

• Blowback Airguns are effected even more by cold weather and the cool down effect.

• The recoil from Blowback Airguns can effect accuracy for some shooters.

Non-Blowback Airguns:

• Non-Blowback airguns are generally double action when shooting semi auto and so the trigger pull will be longer and heavier.

• Non-Blowback Airguns do not replicate the recoil action of a real gun.

• Non-Blowback Airguns do not look as cool to shoot and are not as good of an action prop gun.

Is an Airgun Good for Self Defense? Another one of those questions I get asked fairly often that's a bit hard to answer in a few sentences... Not all of us have easy access to a 9mm pistol or even a rifle but many of us can get our hands on an airgun fairly easily and they look real enough, I guess that is one thing they have going for them.

But what if the mere sight of what looks like a gun does not scare an intruder off? If you where hoping that would be enough, you may just be out of luck and what if you just brought an Airgun to a "real" gun fight? You are going to be drastically "outgunned" pun intended and here's why. A 4.5mm Steel BB weighs about 5.1 grains and generally you are looking at about 2-3 foot pounds of energy from a CO2 BB gun. Even a .177 caliber lead pellet is only marginally heavier at around 7-8 grains and if you're really lucky you might just get 4 foot pounds of energy out of a CO2 pellet pistol.

So let's take a look at a fairly conservative "real pistol" rounds, the 9mm. The 9mm rounds come in different bullet weighs but you can get a 120 grain 9mm in a plus p ammo with as much as 400 foot pounds of energy and even with that much raw power, many people claim that a 9mm round does not always have enough stopping power to put down a person even when shot multiple times center mass. It just depends what vital organs or arteries you hit that determines if he gets lucky or you get lucky.

Your 5.1 grain 4.5mm Steel BB is not going to do anything if it hits any type of clothing and even if you find some flesh it's just going to piss off the intruder.

My suggestion is to consider a bat or a golf club or a really big knife or just about anything other than an airgun because if the sight of the airgun replica does not scare an intrude away then you are really buggered.

Keep in mind that you need to abide by any laws regarding the use of self defense in your areas. Even just physical force could be considered a crime and at the end of the day you are ultimately accountable for your actions.

I finally answer the question... Which Airgun is the Best? There has to be a best airgun out there right? So let's cut to the chase and stop waisting everyones time and money buying the third Best Airgun or even the second best Airgun! Why would you even want anything other than the very best Airgun available to mankind!

I really hope you weren't one of the gullible ones that actually bought something other than the Best Airgun, well I guess you're going to have to watch my YouTube video to find out which Airgun is the Best Airgun of all time...

In many of my reviews I show the loading process of each gun but sometimes I either skim over this part or assume most people already know how to load an Air Pistol and skip it entirely. Well as it turns out not everybody does know how to load up an Airgun or they are unclear on certain areas, like do you actually need the CO2 and how long can you leave CO2 in an airgun?

So I made a video specifically to cover how to load CO2, BB's and/or Pellets into your Air Pistol.

Now even though this video is targeted at 4.5mm Steel BB and Lead Pellet Pistols, there is a crossover with 6mm Airsoft Pistols so this video may also help an Airsoft shooter.

Our Family Bearded Dragon (Dijon) was looking rather sad and lonely today so I figured he could hang out while I made the video, he really doesn't do much of anything most of the time so why not give him a special appearance in one of the Replica Airguns Videos ;)

Two questions that come up over and over again and to be honest I just hate answering, mainly because both of these questions to me are kind of common sense questions. I feel if someone where to stop and actually think about teh question, the answers would become obvious.

That said, common sense has to be learned somewhere and not all of us are exposed to the same life experiences so here goes...

The two questions are:

• Will this Ammunition Work in my Gun?

• Can I Convert a Blank Gun to a Real Gun?

The answer for both of these question is actually the same! Use the ammo made for your gun and do not try to use anything other than the ammo that was made for your gun. Do not try to modify your gun to shoot anything other than the ammo that was made for it, if you do, you may be breaking the law and could land yourself in jail. If you can follow these rules then your ammo and gun will work as intended :)

So that's pretty much it in a nutshell, watch my YouTube video below as I show you examples of ammo types with visuals on exactly why you need to use the ammo made for your gun. I also talk about the dangers of attempting to modify a blank gun to shoot some sort of real bullet and why it is a very bad idea in so many ways to try and convert a blank gun into a real gun.

Buy the ROHM RG-88 9mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol in the Canada Store

Buy the ROHM RG-88 9mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol in the US Store

This video should go "Hand in Hand" (pun intended) with my Best Two Handed Pistol Grip Tutorial Video that I did last year back in August. After that video I had several people ask me to talk about how to aim a gun. I guess if you have been shooting guns for a while you kind of take it all for granted but after teaching my kids the proper way to aim a gun at a target, this info is not naturally born into us ;)

This video demonstrate how and where to place your open gun sights on a target and also how you can compensate for a gun that may not be perfectly sighted in.

This is take 2 of my Modification to my F1 Chrony Chronograph. The purpose of this modification is to improve the low light FPS readings. In my first attempt I used LED Puck Lights but they where the kind that used flat panel LED's and they only had 4 panels per LED Puck which made each LED panel kind of bright. I did get OK with my first mod using LED Puck Lights but not as good as I would like to see.

So here we are with take 2 of F1 Chrony Chronograph LED Puck Light modification and this time around I am using standard bulb styled LED lights and to improve my chances of this working I went with and LED Puck that contained 24 LED bulb lights per puck, this way each light on it's own is a bit dimmer which I feel will give a more diffused lighting effect and hopeful consistent fps readings.

By the way I got these LED Puck Lights at my local dollar store for $2.50 each so not a very expensive modification, especially if they work.

Well... Watch the video and see how they perform...

This video was made to show you the results I got by mounting LED puck lights to the top of my F1 Chrony Chronograph defuser panel in order to improve the low light Feet Per Second readings when using 4.5mm Steel BB's.

I have been struggling with my F1 Chrony Chronograph during the fall and winter months as tit becomes overcast and dark where I live. There have been days where I have gone out to shoot my field test shooting video and not been able to get any Chronograph fps results which is very frustrating because much time and effort goes into the planning setup of each video.

I was given advice from several of my viewers to mount an LED puck style light on the back side of my Chronograph defuser panel and that this helps the Chronograph to read much better in low light situations.

I bought a multipack of the LED puck lights from my local Costco but they did not work as well as I expected them to as they had a panel style of LED rather than the bulb shaped LED which I think may diffuse the light a bit more. My next experiments will be done using LED Puck lights but with the bulb styled LED.

You can watch my video to see how my first attempt using an LED Puck light with my F1 Chrony Chronograph worked out.

So it's 2014 but I still needed to make my 2013 Airgun, Airsoft Gun and Blank Gun Collection Favorites for 2013. It's become a tradition I guess you could say. No I do not show all the guns in my collection but I do cover most of my favorites and also some new guns I picked up in 2013.

Here's a peek but make sure to watch the YouTube video bellow where I go over all my top picks for 2013. You can also buy many of the guns I show in this YouTube video over in our Canada and US Replica Airguns Store!

2013 BB Pistols

2013 Pellet Pistols

2013 Airsoft Pistols

2013 Blank Pistols

2013 Rifles

In this informative video I go over the very basics of gun "handling" safety. I don't talk about gun storage or even shooting of the gun, I strictly go over the main aspects of handling a gun in a safe manor.

These are the four main points I demonstrate in this video:

• Fingers off the trigger till you are ready to shoot.

• Keep the gun unloaded till you are ready to shoot it.

• Assume your gun is loaded at ALL times.

• Always point your gun in a safe direction.

Hopefully this video will prevent some unfortunate accidents, even airgun related accidents can cause serious injuries which in most cases can be prevented with the correct gun handling information.

I have made a

similar safety video

where I talk about general gun safety and speak more about storing and also some gun shooting safety tips.

You really need to watch my Vimeo Video to see how easy it is to take a brand new out of the box gun and give it that weathered, old, worn and used look that you would find in a classic vintage gun like a Luger P.08, Colt 45 1911 or any other classic firearm. Of course this is something you would do to a new gun that you want to make look old :)

This is a great way to take a gun that already has some wear marks on it and really give it the full worn in look, kind of an alternative to having to touch it up or refinish it.

Here is a hint... I use something magical to do it!

Buy the Umarex Luger P.08

One of the most important keys to shooting accurately is how you grip the gun! In this video I show you the two handed grip that I use and that I have learned from watching other accurate shooters. I also talk about arm and shoulder placement which is more important when shooting large caliber pistols but even when shooting airguns that have virtually no recoil you may as well practice the correct hand arm and shoulder placement for when and if you do start shooting heavy recoil guns.

The main hand grip points I talk about in this video are how to overlap your finders and thumbs and also the pressure used by each hand that will make all the difference down range when shooting at targets.

Watch my Vimeo Tutorial Video on the Best Two Handed Pistol Grip:

I wanted to cover some basic Airgun, Airsoft Gun, Blank Gun and Paintball Gun information on what do they all shoot, what makes them shoot and some other miscellaneous info thrown in along the way...

Your should also watch the video attached at the bottom of this post as it goes into a fair amount of detail.

Let's begin with the types of ammo used:

Airgun Ammo

• Airgun ammo for the most part is broken down into BBs and Pellets, the most standard size BB and Pellet is the 4.5mm or .177 caliber Steel BB and Lead Pellet. You can also get Pellets in other calibers and even other materials other than lead such as steel or aluminum, some can have plastic skirting around a metal interior.

• Pellets also come in a variety of caliber's like .177, .20. 22. 25 and even larger but then I would start considering them to be bullets as they will take on the shape of a bullet when they get into the larger sizes.

• Airgun Ammo is not be fired at people, it is primarily used for target and hunting small game.

• Airguns can use Spring Pistons, CO2, Compressed Air and Multi-pump propulsion systems.

Airsoft Gun Ammo

• Airsoft Guns for the most part shoot round 6mm (.22 caliber) plastic BBs which come in a variety of weights ranging from .12 grams up to .48 grams. There are larger Airsoft BBs such as 8mm and even larger.

• There are biodegradable and even tracer florescent Airsoft BBs available.

• Airsoft Ammo is traditionally used for Airsoft battles and can be fired at people using protective gear. Airsoft Ammo can also be used for target shooting.

• Airsoft Guns can use Spring Pistons, Spring Piston - AEG (Electric Motor) CO2, Gas (Green, Red, Propane) and Compressed Air propulsion systems.

Paintball Gun Ammo

• Paintball Guns or "Markers" have been historically used for the sport of Paintball but their whereabouts came from the need of ranchers and forestry workers to mark trees. Hence the name "Marker"

• Paintball ammo comes in a variety of sizes ranging with the most common being .43 and .68 caliber. They are generally made from a gelatin outer coating containing primarily polyethylene glycol, other non-toxic and water-soluble substances, and dye, they are usually biodegradable.

• Paintball Guns can also shoot a variety of Paintball Ammo that can be made out of Rubber, Plastic, Glass and they can also contain Powders and even Pepper for use in non lethal defense.

• Paintball Guns can generally use either CO2 or Compressed Air as their propellant.

Blank Gun Ammo

• Blank Guns are just like Real Guns but without the dangerous bullet at the end of the brass shell. Other than that they work exactly the same as a Real Gun!

• Blank Guns are used when a bullet is not required or even wanted. For instance... Gun safety, gun training, training animals to be around guns and/or loud noises, Props for Movies - Stage -  Film - TV, Collectors that do not want the red tape associated with owning a Real Gun or when owning a Real Gun is prohibited.

• Blank Guns can shoot a variety of sized ammo, most common are .22 caliber crimped, .380 crimped, 8mm P.A.K. and 9mm P.A.K.

• Blank Guns use gun powder as their means of operation.

Here are the most common forms of propulsion used in the guns we discussed earlier:

CO2

• CO2 is the most common propellant in Airguns (BB and Pellet), it is also used in Airsoft Guns and Paintball Guns.

• CO2 is a compressed gas which expands when released, it requires a warm environment to fully expand and tends to cool it's surroundings quickly when shot fast or in full automatic which can slow the velocity of the projectile and even freeze up the gun being used.

• The most common reusable CO2 cartridges are 12 and 88 gram but you can get larger CO2 tanks in a variety of sizes that can be refilled with CO2.

Gas

• Gas is used primarily in Airsoft Guns, I have not personally seen an Airgun that is made to use Gas other than CO2.

• Gas is similar to CO2 in that it is a compressed gas that expands when releases, it also cools down the gun it is being used in and requires a warm environment.

• Gas comes in a variety of names, Green Gas, Red Gas and Propane Gas. Green Gas contains Propane as it's base but has additives in it like silicone for lubrication .

• Red Gas is know to be a bit more powerful than Green Gas as it has Chlorodifluoromethane or HCFC-22, R22 or Freon 22 used in refrigeration which turns to a liquid under a slightly higher pressure giving you slightly higher fps.

• Many people use propane gas with an adapter that allows the mixture of silicone as propane is cheaper to buy.

Compressed Air (HPA)

• Compressed Air (HPA - High Pressure Air) is most commonly used in Airguns and Paintball Guns but some people use it for their Gas based Airsoft guns.

• The compressed air comes from high PSI tanks that can be purchased in a variety of sizes and contains compressed air at pressures up to 5000psi.

• These tanks are reusable and usually need to be refilled at a paintball or scuba shop, some people buy their own compressors or large scuba tanks for refilling purposes.

• Some Compressed Air (HPA) guns have their own built in tanks that can be filled with a compressor or even a manual pump.

• Compressed air does not cool down the gun it is being used in and is a great option for high output or fully automatic guns.

Multi-Pump Pneumatic

• Multi-Pump Pneumatic systems are most commonly used in Pellet and/or BB guns.

• Multi-Pump Pneumatic guns use the same principle as HPA - High Pressure Air guns in that they require pressurized air as the propellant. The main difference with Multi-Pump Pneumatic guns, is that you do all the work by pumping the gun between shots. Generally speaking you pump the gun 3-10 times, take a shot and repeat this process.

• Multi-Pump Pneumatic guns are not effected by air temperature and are great for target and small pest control.

Spring Piston

• Spring pistons are generally found in Pellet Rifles and Pistols but some Airsoft Guns also use a Spring Piston System and generally speaking Spring Piston Guns are single shot only or in other words, the Spring needs to be drawn back before each shot. Spring Piston Guns can have magazines that allow for quicker repeat shots.

• Spring Piston Guns come in many cocking configurations, Brake Barrel and Side lever to name a couple.

• The Spring can be a Mechanical Spring or a Gas Spring.

• Spring Piston Guns are not effected by temperature and are often used for small game hunting and target shooting.

Automatic Electric Guns (AEG)

• Automatic Electric Guns  are generally found in Airsoft Rifles but there are some Airsoft Pistols (AEP) that use this same system.

• Automatic Electric Guns use a similar system to a Spring Piston gun but have an electric motor that does all the work of drawing back the spring. You can even have fully automatic AEG guns.

• The power for the electric motor comes from removable batteries, so it is a combination a battery supplying the motor with the power to draw back the spring that creates a pillow of air that shoots the BB.

• AEG Airsoft Guns are great for situations when you require high capacity magazines with full auto capability. 

Gun Powder

• Gun powder is used in Blank Guns, in the same manor that it is used in a Real Gun, the charge from the Gun Powder supplies the force required to operate the blowback in most semi auto Blank Pistols, it also creates the sound of a live round along with the muzzle flash which makes Blank Guns great for training and as Props for Movies and Film.

• Because the kinetic energy from a blank gun is the same as a real gun, blank guns can be very dangerous when used in close proximity to an object, see my "Are Blank Guns Dangerous Video"!

Some other Gun Relevant Terminology:

Blowback

• Blowback operation is when some of the force of the propellant is used to move the slide backwards, which in most cases cocks the hammer for single action and can also pickup and chamber a round into the barrel.

• The slide spring supplies the energy for the return to the forward position of the slide.

• Blowback Guns do rob some power from the bullet force and in the case of CO2 or Gas Guns the also reduce the amount of shots per CO2 or Gas fill.

Revolver, Semi Automatic

• Revolver: Revolvers feed ammunition via the rotation of a cartridge-filled cylinder, in which each cartridge is contained in its own ignition chamber, and is sequentially brought into alignment with the weapon's barrel by a mechanism linked to the weapon's trigger (double-action) or its hammer (single-action)

• Semi Automatic:  semi-automatic pistols use the energy of one shot to reload the chamber for the next. Typically recoil energy from a fired round is mechanically harnessed. After a round is fired, the pistol will cycle, ejecting the spent casing and chambering a new round from the magazine, allowing another shot to take place immediately.

Single Shot, Repeater, Semi Automatic & Fully Automatic

• Single Shot: A Single Shot Gun needs to be reloaded each time it is shot.

• Repeater: Repeating action Guns are single barreled guns containing multiple rounds of ammunition. These rounds are loaded from a magazine by means of a manual or automatic mechanism, and the action that reloads the rifle also typically re-cocks the firing action. The term repeating rifle is most often applied to weapons in which the next cartridge is loaded by a manual action, as opposed to semi-automatic rifles, in which the force of one shot is used to load the next.

• Semi Automatic: A semi-automatic, or self-loading, firearm is a weapon that performs all steps necessary to prepare the weapon to fire again after firing.

• Fully Automatic: A Gun that uses either its recoil or a portion of the gas propelling the projectile to remove the spent cartridge (in the case of a gun-shell), fire again repeatedly, as long as the trigger is held down or until the magazine is exhausted. Automatic Guns are distinguished from semi-automatic Guns in their ability to fire more than one shot in succession once the trigger is pulled.

Single, Double Action, SA/DA

• Check out my post explaining Single and Double action!

• Single-Action (SA): trigger performs the single action of releasing the hammer or striker to discharge the firearm each time the trigger is pulled.

• Double-Action (DA): The trigger both cocks and releases the hammer or striker

• SA-DA:  A SA/DA firearm combines the features of both mechanisms. You can pull the trigger in Double Action when the hammer is down which cocks and releases the trigger or you can cock the hammer with your thumb and then release the trigger using Single Action to fire the weapon. 

Lever Action, Pump Action, Bolt Action

• Lever Action: In a classic lever-action firearm, rounds are individually loaded into a tubular magazine parallel to and below the barrel. A short bolt is held in place with an over center toggle action. Once closed, the over center action prevents opening solely by the force on the bolt when the weapon is fired. This toggle action is operated by a hand grip that forms part of the trigger guard. When operated, a spring in the tubular magazine pushes a fresh round into position. Returning the operating lever to the home position chambers the round and closes the breach.

• Pump Action: With a pump-action firearm, the action is operated by a movable fore-end that goes backwards and forwards to eject, extract, and chamber a round of ammunition. Pump-actions are usually associated with shotguns.

• Bolt Action: The bolt opens and closes the breech end of the barrel and contains the firing pin. The bolt is held in place with a lever that fits into a notch. Moving this lever out of the notch will release the restraint on the bolt, allowing it to be drawn back. An extractor removes the spent cartridge, which is then ejected through the lever slot. A spring at the bottom of the magazine pushes up the reserve rounds, positioning the topmost between the bolt and the chamber at the base of the barrel. Pushing the bolt lever forward chambers this round and pushing the lever into the notch locks the bolt and enables the trigger mechanism.

Magazine vs Clip

• Magazine: A magazine is an ammunition storage and feeding device within or attached to a repeating firearm. Magazines can be removable (detachable) or integral to the firearm. The magazine functions by moving the cartridges stored in the magazine into a position where they may be loaded into the chamber by the action of the firearm. The detachable magazine is often referred to as a clip, although this is technically inaccurate.

• Clip: A clip is a device that is used to store multiple rounds of ammunition together as a unit, ready for insertion into the magazine or cylinder of a firearm. This speeds up the process of loading and reloading the firearm as several rounds can be loaded at once, rather than one round being loaded at a time. The term "clip" is also frequently used to refer to a detachable magazine, though such usage is incorrect.

I finally got out to shoot my Wyoming Arms Parker 10mm S.S. and it worked pretty well for me, the kick was hard but the design of this 10mm pistol helps reduce recoil so the recoil was not really all that much more than shooting a .45 or .40 caliber. If you have not watched my Wyoming Arms Parker 10mm S.S. Pistol Real Steel Overview then make sure to do so... I did have a few of my reload rounds that seemed to give me a bit of trouble but other than that the Wyoming Arms shot very well for me and was extremely accurate.

I also got the chance to shooting my Norinco Type 54 Model 213 9mm Tokarev copy, another nice gun to shot but even though it was only a 9mm it felt pretty jumpy, perhaps due to it's much smaller size and weight. Again you can also check out my Norinco Tokarev Type 54 Model 213 9mm Pistol Overview for more information on this one.

I also brought along my little ISSC M22 .22LR shooting Glock look-a-like to keep some of my shooting costs down since the 10mm are so expensive I needed to recoup some of my costs shooting the super affordable .22LR ammo. And yes I have a full Table Top Review for the ISSC M22 so check that one out if you're in the market for a fairly low cost .22LR that looks a lot like a Glock.

I had a great time and we got to shot some other guns while we where at the gun range; Walther P38 9mm, Glock 22 .40 Caliber, Sig Sauer Mosquito .22LR and the Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 .22LR in all.

Every once in a while something goes wrong and your favorite BB shooter stops working as it should :( One of the most common problems I see with many of the full blowback BB and Airsoft pistols are BB's getting stuck in the gas tube. This is because this style of gun loads a BB into the breach area of the barrel every time you rack the slide forward. Of course this is only when there are BB's in the magazine.

The semi auto style of these guns is similar to that of a real gun, the blowback operates the slide which in turn moves back and then forward and loads a BB into the chamber. With a real gun, if you where to rack the slide manually again without shooting it, the chambered round would be ejected by the extractor but with a BB gun there is no extractor because there is no spent shell to eject. So multiple BB's can be loaded into the chamber area of the barrel overloading it and if the BB's have nowhere to go they just jam up and often go back into the gas tube which can cause all kinds of problems...

In this Cybergun KWC Tanfoglio Witness 1911 Stuck BB Removal Tutorial Video, I show you how to remove a BB or even multiple BB's from the gas tube area which in short requires; the removal of the slide and guid rod and spring so that you can push the gas tube forward and shake the BB out of the front of the gas tube.

Watch my Vimeo Video on how to remove a stuck BB from the Gas Tube on my Tanfoglio Witness 1911.

Buy KWC/Cybergun 1911 BB in Canada   -   Buy KWC/Cybergun 1911 BB in the US

Earlier this week my father called me up and asked if I wanted to head out with him to go do some hunting/shooting. He has his bear tag but for the most part, hunting with my Dad consists of driving around in his truck hoping to stumble on something since he can not walk all that far these days.

We had a great time just enjoying each others conversation and of course the beauty of Canada BC's Harrison Lake area. We also got to shoot some guns to "make sure they where sighted in and working correctly". I brought my Norinco 12 Gauge Homeland Security 780 which I needed to test out and I'm glad I did since it needs some TLC to get working smoothly. I also brought along my little Henry Lever Action 22LR which is always a blast to shoot. My Dad brought his Savage Arms 7mm Magnum just in case we did see a bear on this outing.

Long story short we didn't bring any meat back home with us but we did see some out of season doe and of course had some nice father-son time together...