Type: Pellet Pistol Manufacturer:Diana. Model:Bandit Materials: Wood and Metal, some plastic. Weight: 2.2 pounds (1000 grams). Total Length: 20.1 inches (51 cm) Barrel: 9.5 inches (24 cm), metal rifled. Propulsion: PCP. Action: Bolt. Ammunition Type: .177 & .22 Caliber pellets. Ammunition Capacity: Single shot to 9 & 7 round magazines.. FPS: 725 (.177) - 630 (.22). Need to test for Canada import version
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on Diana Bandit PCP .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol is single action only meaning in order to cock the internal hammer/striker, you need to cycle the bolt back and forth allowing for a short and light trigger action. It does come with a rotary multi-round magazine that allows for the cycling of the bolt to automatically advance a pellet allowing for much quicker followup shots.
Accuracy: At this point I have not personally tested the Diana Bandit PCP .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol in terms of actual power and accuracy but I expect the Diana Bandit PCP .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol to perform well since in fact this is a target pistol with fairly high claimed fps. In the next few weeks I plan on making my Field Test Shooting Video so stay posted for the results from that video for confirmation of the performance.
Build Quality: The Diana Bandit PCP .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol is made in China which might make you wonder about the overall quality of this target pistol but after taking a good look around and working all the mechanical parts I ma very impressed with the overall quality and chosen material that went into the production of the Diana Bandit PCP .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol. You will finds metal where you need it as in the barrel, bolt and trigger. The pistol grip are made of wood but you will find some portions of the sights are plastic but it would have been nice if they where all metal.
Realism: Realism isn’t really a concern with the Diana Bandit PCP .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol since it is not a Replica Airguns but in terms of looking like a gun it serves that purpose, no mistaken that so no waving it around in public or things may not turn out so good for you…
Pros:
Inexpensive fairly high quality full featured target pistol for the price.
Expect good accuracy!
Metal construction where it needs to be (Bolt, barrel, trigger).
Rifled barrel.
Fully adjustable sights.
Adjustable and light single action trigger.
Dove tail on bolt for adding optical sight.
Nice wood pistol grip.
Good for small pest control because of fairly high fps and expected good accuracy for shot placement ability.
Overall the gun feels really high quality for the price.
Even comes with a nice soft shell case.
Available in both .22 and .177 caliber pellet versions.
Cons:
Grips may be a bit too wide for smaller handed shooters.
Allen key does not fight the trigger adjustment.
Made in China.
Will need a pump or way to pressurize.
Comments:
For the price I don’t think you will find anything out there in terms of a PCP target pellet pistols with as many features as the Diana Bandit PCP .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol. At least in the lower cost price point Diana is offering it at. For that reason it is not going to be the absolute best all around PCP pellet firing target pistol you can get but I am sure bang for your buck you will be happy with this one. Everything about the Diana Bandit PCP .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol feels good quality, I would expect to pay at least double the price for something similar for sure. I have a feeling keeping the Diana Bandit PCP .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol in stock is going to be a challenge for us so if you see it in stock don’t take too long making up your mind or you may be in for a bit of a wait.
My Vimeo Table Top Review for the Diana Bandit PCP .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol:
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on Diana Chaser CO2 .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol is single action only meaning in order to cock the internal hammer/striker, you need to cycle the bolt back and forth allowing for a short and light trigger action. If you do purchase the rotary magazine the cycling of the bolt will automatically advance a pellet allowing for much quicker followup shots.
Accuracy: At this point I have not personally tested the Diana Chaser CO2 .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol in terms of actual power and accuracy but I expect the Diana Chaser CO2 .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol to perform well since in fact this is a target pistol with fairly high claimed fps. In the next few weeks I plan on making my Field Test Shooting Video so stay posted for the results from that video for confirmation of the performance.
Build Quality: The Diana Chaser CO2 .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol is made in China which might make you wonder about the overall quality of this target pistol but after taking a good look around and working all the mechanical parts I ma very impressed with the overall quality and chosen material that went into the production of the Diana Chaser CO2 .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol. You will finds metal where you need it as in the barrel, bolt and trigger. The pistol grip is plastic and so are portions of the sights which would have been nice if they where all metal.
Realism: Realism isn’t really a concern with the Diana Chaser CO2 .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol since it is not a Replica Airguns but in terms of looking like a gun it serves that purpose, no mistaken that so no waving it around in public or things may not turn out so good for you…
Pros:
Very inexpensive fairly high quality full featured target pistol.
Expect to have good accuracy and power!
Metal construction where it needs to be (Bolt, barrel, trigger).
Rifled 8.3 inch barrel.
Fully adjustable sights.
Adjustable and light single action trigger.
Dove tail on bolt for adding optical sight if you want to.
Extra storage for a backup CO2 in the pistol grip.
Good for small pest control because of fairly high fps and expected good accuracy for shot placement ability.
Can be modified/upgraded with a magazine, longer barrel and rifle stock fairly easily.
Overall the Airgun feels really high quality for the price.
Even comes with a nice soft shell case.
Available in both .22 and .177 caliber pellet versions.
Cons:
Does not come with magazine, single shot only out of the box.
Allen key does not fit the trigger adjustment screw.
Made in China.
Comments:
For the price I don’t think you will find anything out there in terms of target pellet pistols with as many features as the Diana Chaser CO2 .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol. At least in the rather low cost price point Diana is offering it at. For that reason it is not going to be the absolute best all around CO2 pellet firing target pistol you can get but I am sure bang for your buck you will be happy with this one. Everything about the Diana Chaser CO2 .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol feels decent quality, I would expect to pay at least double the price for something similar for sure. I have a feeling keeping the Diana Chaser CO2 .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol in stock is going to be a challenge for us so if you see it in stock don’t take too long making up your mind or you may be in for a bit of a wait.
My Vimeo Table Top Review for the Diana Chaser CO2 .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol:
Perhaps you might call this a followup video since I already made a full Field Test Shooting Video of the all black version of this pistol and you may wonder if the color of a gun could in some way effect how it performs? Well I don’t think color would really matter but it has been over 6 years since I did my original Field Test Shooting video fo the Umarex Colt Python 357 Magnum Chrome CO2 BB Revolver and so perhaps some things have changed, maybe my shooting is better or worse? At any rate let’s find out.
Starting off with my Chronograph test I was able to get an average 6 shot velocity of 348 fps which is about 40 fps less than my testing 6 years ago of 390 fps, perhaps the temperatures where a bit different? Perhaps the valve setups of the guns was not the same? By the way the temperature was 23 degrees Celsius in the indoor Airgun Sea Can Shooting Range and I was using a brand new 12 gram CO2 along with 5.1 grain zinc coated steel BB’s.
Moving on to the accuracy test, surely I would get a similar 1 inch 6 shot grouping from the Umarex Colt Python 357 Magnum Chrome CO2 BB Revolver, after all it’s been 6 years and I must be a much more advanced shooter… Well there again the Chrome Umarex Colt Python 357 Magnum CO2 BB Revolver did not perform as well as the black one from my 2014 Field Test? Again maybe the steel BB’s I was using where not of the same quality? Maybe I simply had one too many espresso shots? As the video shows this time around I was only able to get about a 2 inch 6 shot grouping from the Umarex Colt Python 357 Magnum Chrome CO2 BB Revolver. Still not bad but I was hoping for better result or at least the same as before.
I could do this test again and get completely different results using perhaps another brand of CO2 on a warmer day with higher quality Steel BB’s and just maybe with me on my game a little bit better? At the end of the day 350 fps is perfectly fine for putting holes in pop cans and a 2 inch group at 30 feet will get you on most targets every time so I’m not going to sweat it too much. If you are looking for a shell loading CO2 BB Revolver the Umarex Colt Python 357 Magnum Chrome CO2 BB Revolver is for sure one of my top picks.
Type: BB air revolver Manufacturer:Umarex. Model: Colt Python 375 Materials: Almost entirely all Metal. Weight: 2.75 pounds (1218 grams). Barrel: 5.5 inches, metal non-rifled. Propulsion: 12 gram CO2. Action: Revolver, single & double actions. Ammunition Type: 4.5mm steel BB's. Ammunition Capacity: 6 round cylinder. FPS: 400.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Umarex Colt Python 357 Magnum Chrome CO2 BB Revolver is good in both single and double action, it’s nice that you have the shorter lighter single action trigger for slower more accurate shooting but you can also blast away in double action when you feel like it. The hammer on the Umarex Colt Python 357 Magnum Chrome CO2 BB Revolver is firm with not very much wiggle which some other revolvers in this category do have.
Accuracy: Based on my results shooting the Umarex Colt Python 357 which is essentially the same gun in a different finish. The results I got shooting my 6 round group from a 30 foot out semi rested position where good overall. Vertically there was about a 2 inch spread while horizontally there was about a 1 inch spread. I did find the plastic tips on the brass shells seemed to be a bit tight at first and this is when I did most of my Chronograph and target shooting. I believe the tightness effected the consistency of the FPS which also effected the accuracy especially up and down. I did get one shot out of the Umarex Colt Python 357 well over the claimed 400 fps but again the fps was rather erratic most likely because of the snug BB fit due to shell break-in.
Build Quality: The Umarex Colt Python 357 Magnum Chrome CO2 BB Revolver being mostly metal has a very good build quality and is on par with the Dan Wesson 715 shell loading revolver. It has a nice weigth adn balance to it and feels really good in the hand! The only real plastic I could find was in the grips and the shell tips. Fit and finish was also good with no noticeable chrome wear or sloppy workmanship. It will be interesting to see how the Chrome finish wears over time compared to the black finishes fodun on most KWC made Airguns.
Realism: TheUmarex Colt Python 357 Magnum Chrome CO2 BB Revolver overall is a close copy a the real steel Colt Python 357 styled revolver. I did notice the rear portion of the receiver (between the rear cylinder and hammer) to be a bit longer perhaps to accommodate the CO2 valve length, but other than that, this pistol is super close to the original Colt Python 357 styled revolver it is based on. Again being all metal gives this CO2 BB revolver very realistic weight and feel and the loadable brass shells make using this gun almost exactly like using a real shell loading revolver but for much less cost per shot and of course a lot less recoil on the hands and noise to be had.
Pros:
Shells loading revolver give you the feeling of loading and shooting a real revolver.
Mostly all metal design.
Lots of detail, well made, chrome looks nice, not sure if it will wear better than the black finish found on most KWC made pistols?
Good overall weight, almost 3 pounds.
Should have good overall power, accuracy and shots per CO2 (based on my previous Colt Python testing).
Fully adjustable sights.
Well hidden CO2 Screw.
Recessed barrel.
Nice Trigger pull in both single and double action.
Cons:
Grips are a bit rough and wood grain is only OK.
Grips may be a bit large for people with small hands.
Decent enough Colt Python 357 replica but the frame is a bit long between the cylinder and the hammer.
Comments:
It’s been a while since I reviewed a Shell Loading Airgun and this one is pretty much the same Airgun I have reviewed in the past in both the KWC and Umarex Distributed forms. It has been almost 6 years since I took a look at one on my table and it still hods up today. I plan on performing another Field Test Shooting Review for the Umarex Colt Python 357 Magnum Chrome CO2 BB Revolver to see if I can replicate the same good results I did back in 2014 when I tested it out on my deck. If you’re looking for a shell loading revolver in the 357 design then for sure checkout the Umarex Colt Python 357 Magnum Chrome CO2 BB Revolver as an option.
My Vimeo Table Top Review for the Umarex Colt Python 357 Magnum Chrome CO2 BB Revolver:
Type: Pellet Revolver. Manufacturer: Gamo Model:PR-776. Materials: Mostly metal construction. Weight: 2.2 Pounds (1 kg). Barrel Length: 6 inches Total Length: 11.5 inches. Propulsion: CO2 x1 Action: Revolver single and double action. Ammunition Type: .177 caliber pellets. Ammunition Capacity: 8 rounds per magazine. Max FPS: 400+ fps.
Trigger Pull: The Gamo PR-776 CO2 .177 Caliber Pellet Revolver has your traditional revolver single and double action trigger setup. In double action, the trigger is going to be a bit longer and heavier but it feel fairly smooth with no real friction points and I would consider it to have a medium trigger pull. When you cock the hammer back placing the Gamo PR-776 CO2 .177 Caliber Pellet Revolver in single action, the trigger pull becomes very short with virtually no take-up at all and the weight of the trigger is very light allowing for more accurate shots.
Accuracy: Make sure to watch my Field Test Shooting video for the Gamo PR-776 CO2 .177 Caliber Pellet Revolver where I test out the velocity and accuracy in the Replica Airguns Indoor Airgun Shooting Range. In summary the Gamo PR-776 CO2 .177 Caliber Pellet Revolver shot a little bit hotter than claimed at just over 400 fps using around 7 grain lead pellets. In terms of accuracy with a total of 16 shots the grouping spread out to around 4 inches but I am pretty sure a different pellet choice may have made a difference.
Build Quality: The build quality of the Gamo PR-776 CO2 .177 Caliber Pellet Revolver is pretty good overall. It is mostly all metal with the exception of the grips of course, Fit and finishes looks good, everything feel snug adn tight with the exception of the pistol grips. I feel like the grips could easily move out of place and get caught on something. This is not a problem when shooting, more so when in a holster. The Gamo PR-776 CO2 .177 Caliber Pellet Revolver feels good in the hadn't, nice and solid and with a good weight to it.
Realism: The Gamo PR-776 CO2 .177 Caliber Pellet Revolver is a decent looking Airgun in the style of a traditional revolver, I wouldn’t say it’s an exact replica of any specific revolver in production but it does tick off all the boxes in terms of looking realistic. The weight and feel for now and the Gamo PR-776 CO2 .177 Caliber Pellet Revolver also has a recessed barrel and hidden CO2 crew. The only real giveaway would be the cylinder size as it is a bit smaller than expected and of course is chambered for .177 caliber pellets.
Pros:
Good power over 400 fps using actual lead pellets.
Quicker reloading over shell loading revolvers
More shots per magazine reload, 8 versus 6.
Comes with two metal 8 round magazines.
Traditional single and double action trigger.
White dot front sight with fully adjustable rear sight.
Good weight and feel to it.
Fit and finish look good.
Recessed barrel for realistic looking barrel opening.
Should be able to use a dovetail type scope mount for adding on a red dot or magnified scope.
Cons:
Not a fan of the loose pistol grip setup to access the CO2.
Was hoping to get a bit tighter grouping but may have been a pellet choice issue.
Comments: It was nice reviewing the Gamo PR-776 CO2 .177 Caliber Pellet Revolver as it was a bit different then most of today shell loading revolvers. I like that the Gamo PR-776 CO2 .177 Caliber Pellet Revolver still offered a realistic looking cylinder that the shell loading revolvers have but with the moon clip style magazines that allow for quick adn easy reloading of 8 rounds at a time. The velocity or power of the Gamo PR-776 CO2 .177 Caliber Pellet Revolver was even a bit high than Gamo claims using PBA Platinum pellets since Gamo claims 400 fps using these 5.1 grain lead pellets. My testing with closer to 7 grain pellets yielded fps up and over 400 fps. All the Gamo PR-776 CO2 .177 Caliber Pellet Revolver needs is to be just a little bit more accurate but I feel this may simply be more of a pallet choice, once you find a pellet the Gamo PR-776 CO2 .177 Caliber Pellet Revolver likes I am pretty sure it will deliver accurate shots.
My Table Top Review for the Gamo PR-776 CO2 .177 Caliber Pellet Revolver:
Make sure to watch my upcoming Table Top Review for the Gamo PR-776 CO2 .177 Caliber Pellet Revolver where I go over the specifications, pros and cons and show it up nice and close. In this Field Test Shooting Video I determine what the accuracy and velocity of the Gamo PR-776 CO2 .177 Caliber Pellet Revolver by testing out the fps with my Chronograph along with a accuracy test shooting a paper target at a distance of 30 feet away using a rested shooting position.
For the velocity test I placed a brand new CO2 Cartridge in the Gamo PR-776 CO2 .177 Caliber Pellet Revolver and shot five 6.9 grain lead pellets though my Chronograph. Gamo claims their 5.1 grain PBA Platinum pellets will shoot around 400 fps so I was expecting something in the low to mid 300’s but was surprised at a five shot average of 4115 fps with the much heavier RWS6.9 grain pellets. The slowest shot I achieved was 396 fps while the fastest shot was 434 fps. The temperature was right around 24 degrees Celsius or 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
For the next section of my Field Test Shooting Review I setup a brand new paper target 30 feet down range and loaded up two eight round magazines. The results for the Gamo PR-776 CO2 .177 Caliber Pellet Revolver where a bit confusing with both eight round magazines. It seemed like most of the shots wanted to group within about 1-2 inches of each other but I was getting several outliers that extended the grouping to closer to four inches. Not the best performance but as I have found with many guns, sometimes you need to find a pellet that the gun is happy with. the wrong pellet can really make a difference and I am fairly sure this was the case with the Gamo PR-776 CO2 .177 Caliber Pellet Revolver using the RWS pellets. just not the best choice for it.
The Gamo PR-776 CO2 .177 Caliber Pellet Revolver overall performer well, like I said I really think pellet choice will be the deciding factor in how accurate it is going to be. The velocity was very good for a CO2 Pellet revolver considering I was suing actual lead pellets and not the alloy pellets Gamo was using as their reference. The Gamo PR-776 CO2 .177 Caliber Pellet Revolver uses metal eight round magazines which are easy to preload and allow for two additional shots over the more common these days shell loading revolvers, which makes the Gamo PR-776 CO2 .177 Caliber Pellet Revolver more practical as a target pistol allowing for more power and easier loading.
The Umarex T4E TR50 .50 Caliber Paintball Revolver is an interesting Paintball pistol, it has a very different look and also uses .50 caliber Paintballs which are a little bit less common than the .68 and .43 caliber paintball gun I have been reviewing up until now. The Umarex T4E TR50 .50 Caliber Paintball Revolver is some countries is marketed as a self defense gun but those versions do have a little bit more fps and foot pounds of energy. The version I am testing is not marketed here in Canada or the US as self defense products but rather as more of a training Paintball Gun.
Starting with my Chronograph velocity test I placed 5 Rubber Balls through my Chronograph using a brand new CO2. The Rubber balls I am going to say are a little bit heavier than standard Paintballs and Umarex claims the Umarex T4E TR50 .50 Caliber Paintball Revolver is capable of hitting around 360 fps so with the heavier rubber balls I was expecting a little bit under the max fps. I was able to get an average of 328 fps so not bad at all.
Moving on to my accuracy test. I need up placing 10 of my 12 rounds into the paper target as I had two rounds that went off in what I am going to call an uncontrolled manor. The 10 rubber paintball rounds that did hit my paper target that was setup 30 feet down range all hit within about 6 inches of each other daily well centered left and right and a little bit low on the target. Gettin back to the uncontrolled shots, I had a situation where I pulled the trigger and the Umarex T4E TR50 .50 Caliber Paintball Revolver went click as you would expect but no CO2 was expelled and so no round was shot. I thought perhaps the cylinder was caught up so I went to wiggle it to try and free it up. As I did so the gun went off without my finger anywhere near the trigger. I am glad I was using rubber balls since the rubber ball hit my cabinet leaning a biota a mark but really causing any damage. This happened twice with the same cylinder, the second time I was bit more prepared for it and had the gun pointed well downrange. I was not able to recreate this problem again so perhaps the cylinder magazine was not seated properly but this still concerns me a bit.
Overall I really like the Umarex T4E TR50 .50 Caliber Paintball Revolver, it’s a pretty cool looking Paintball Gun with decent accuracy and power, you can even feel a little push back and barrel lift when you shoot it. I also like that you can preload a CO2 and puncture it whenever hypo are ready to shoot with a quick smack on the bottom of the grip. Just made sure to put the CO2 in the right way :)
My systems setup for a more powerful airgun as I was shooting .22 caliber lead pellets with about 11-12 foot pounds of energy. Direct hits passing through the 3/4 inch cut outs had no problem laying down the metal paddles and resetting the paddles was a lot easier than I though it would be even way back 50 feet.
I did not have my Sig Sauer Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Air Rifle perfectly sighted in so I did have to aim low and to the left which made it a bit harder dropping the plates but I did manage to get the job done at least for providing a decent test video fo the Rx Target Systems for the purposes of this video.
Make sure to not only watch my Field Test Shooting video included in this post but also checkout my Rx Target Systems Preview Video where I show it up and close and also go into more details on the Rx Target Systems and how modular and versatile it really is.
I want to thank Drew from Tippmann Armory/Air Ordnance for sending me this unit for review. I have been wanting to get my hands one of these Air-Ordnance SMG 22 .22 Caliber Full Auto Pellet Machine Guns for several years now and super glad I happened finally :) I really don’t think there is any airgun out there like it. I am really hoping that we will be able to have this one in both our Canada and US Online Replica Airguns Stores.
So what exactly is the Air-Ordnance SMG 22 .22 Caliber Full Auto Pellet Machine Gun? It’s a PCP powered semi/full auto .22 caliber pellet firing Airgun and it is available in a Canada legal version that shoots just under 500 fps allowing it to be classified here in Canada as an unregulated Firearm. Unregulated Firearms do not require a license or registration and do not have to abide by the same rules that regulated firearms have to such as full auto limitations, magazine capacities and size limitations. So in other words if you want a full auto .22 caliber Machine gun here in Canada this is going to be your only option at least for now.
Some other cool features about the Air-Ordnance SMG 22 .22 Caliber Full Auto Pellet Machine Gun is the trigger setup, pull it light and quick and you get a single shot, pull and hold using medium force and you get full auto but not at a super high rate of fire. Press and hold the trigger down hard and you get full auto with a much faster rate of fire so you control the rate of fire by how hard you press the trigger down. Air-Ordnance SMG 22 .22 Caliber Full Auto Pellet Machine Gun also has an adjustment to set the maximum rate of full auto fire.
I want to thank David Bitkowski from Rx Target Systems for providing me with this sample unit to share with the Replica Airguns community. This video is only a Preview video as I wanted to get the RX Target System out there before I follow up with my actual Table Top and Shooting Videos for it.
For now here are some of the key points I want to get out to everyone:
Mission: Rx Target Systems are meant to bridge the gap between firearms and airguns. They allow high precision shooting on a reactive, three- dimensional, rugged target that can be carted around in a back pack. What makes Rx Target Systems unique is that it is a system. It is so modular and adaptable with interchangable faceplates and paddles. Rx Target Systems are not going to break or get dented or dissembled on the range as many of the lighter gauged steel targets on the market today vs today’s high powered airguns.
Modular
One base allows interchange of faceplates for different target configurations
One threaded axel allows interchange of paddle from 10 gauge to 3/8 inch-thick paddles
Portable
Mount it on a shelf indoors
Mount it on a sawhorse outdoors
Carry it in a backpack or duffle bag- its 10 pounds
Rugged
Solid steel design
Faceplates from 10 gauge to ¼ inch thick
3-Dimensional
Faceplate is offset from paddles
Clipping the aperture does not guarantee a score
Intentions of target configurations
Standard 1 inch bulls.- represents kill zone of many small game at 30 yards, great for sighting in prior to the hunt. Also is ¼ scale of bull used in rapid fire pistol when shot from 8.3 meters. (25 meters distance/100mm bull)
1.2 inch bulls- represents the 4-10 ring of the NRA 10 meter air rifle target. Gears the shooter to consistently hitting the “black” of that target on paper
AAFTA style- represents common kill zones found in American Airgun Field Target Assosciation using 1.5”, 1”, ¾", ½", and 3/8”.
WFTF style- represents common kill zones found in World Field Target Federation using 15mm, 25mm, and 38mm apertures
10-15- Inspired by customer request, uses 10mm and 15mm apertures. High-Precision shooting.
The Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle is one that you are really going to want to take outside and set targets up around 50-60 feet await make it a little more challenging adn I do plan on getting outside with the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle in a bit once the weather gets a bit nicer and have some fun shooting at longer ranges. For now I wanted to at least get out my Indoor Field Test Shooting Video where I can Chronograph the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle and also see what it can do shooting at 30 feet out.
Sig claims the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle to shoot .22 caliber lead pellets at up to 700 fps with a power output of 12 foot pounds. Using 14.5 grain lead pellets I placed 6 rounds though my Chronograph and averaged 585 fps with the fastest shoot hitting 611 fps. Keep in mind there are much lighter lead pellets out there and when it comes to alloy pellets they drop in weight even more so hitting 700 fps with a light grain lead or alloy pellet is very realistic. What about Sigs claimed 12 foot pounds of energy? I did the math and using a 14.5 grain pellet with a maximum velocity of 611 fps, these numbers produce just a hair over 12 foot pounds! Mission accomplished :)
What about accuracy, I have seen a few claims online that the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle is not the most accurate Pellet rifle out there and you know what I don’t think that was the absolute intension when Sig thought this one up. After all it is a semi auto high capacity Airgun replica, not a target rifle. I still like to find things out for myself so of course I performed my accuracy test for the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle shooting 10 rounds into a fresh paper target from 30 feet back using a seated and rested shooting position. For this test I was using a red dot scope with a 3x magnifier on it. My first 10 rounds did OK producing just over a 1 inch grouping, not super great but most of the rods (8 of them) all struck the target within about 3/4 of an inch.
At this point decided to empty the rest of the magazine so about 15 rounds on the same target to see if the grouping stayed the same or maybe even speed out a bit. I was a bit surprised to find that my second 15 shot grouping all stayed within the higher 10 shot group again producing about a 3/4 inch grouping with just those two first test outliers? Maybe it was me, maybe it was the pellets, maybe it was the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle? The good news is you have 30 rounds to hit your target so even if a couple of them stray a bit you still got 28 left to get the job done.
The Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle is one of the coolest Air Rifles I have tested and now own, not only is it a great Replica Airgun but it also performs well and can be used for plinking or small pest control. All at even a fraction of the cost of shooting 22LR rounds and that’s not even that expensive compared to 9mm and larger ammo. Let’s hope Sig Sauer makes a detuned Canada version so we can offer it up in our Canada Replica Airguns Store and if you live in the US then checkout the US Store for Sig Sauer buying options.
Type: Pellet Rifle. Manufacturer: Sig Sauer ASP Model: Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP Materials: Metal and Nylon Fiber build. Weight: 7.5 Pounds (3.4 kg). Barrel: 17.5 inch steel rifled. Propulsion: PCP comes with an 3000 PSI 1100 PSI regulated (206 BAR) tank 213 cc. Action: Semi auto with internal blowback. Single stage trigger single action trigger. Ammunition Type: .22 caliber pellets. Ammunition Capacity: 30 rounds belt fed. FPS: Claimed up to 700 fps with 12 foot pounds of energy.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle is actually pretty light and smooth when you consider the first part of the trigger pull is used to advance the belt fed 30 round magazine. I was expecting more added friction from the belt but this does not seem to be the case. There is some internal blowback action going on but it is only used to cock the internal bolt/striker which does lesson the overall amount of trigger pull required. The trigger pull is fairly short considering all that is going on and it's not overly heavy so quick and predictable action shooting is more than possible with the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle.
Accuracy: So far I have not done my official Field Test Shooting Video for the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle but I did have the chance to put some rounds down range inside my 40 foot Sea Can and I have to say it shoots really hard, even rocking my metal 22LR Metal Target Trap that I was knocking the cardboard and targets right off of . Sig Sauer claims up to 700 feet per second I have no reason not to believe this. In terms of accuracy, I’m not sure just yet what to think since all I did was shoot standing up unrested just to get some basic sighting adjustments in with my optic sights. We will see how the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle performs when I make my actual Filed Test Shooting Video for it!
Build Quality: The build quality for Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle is very good, you can tell Sig Sauer had a lot of hands on in the design and production of this Pellet Shooting Air Rifle! The materials used and fit and finish are top notch and the mechanical function again is really good. I am kind of amazed at how well Sigs belt fed magazine design works in terms of feeding and operation. So far I have not experienced any pellet feeding problems or malfunction of any kind.
Realism: The Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle is a 1 to 1 replica of the real steel Sig Sauer Virtus Patrol model and looks absolutely the part other than the noticeable PCP tank where a standard stock would normally be. What are you going to do since you really can’t hide even a small PCP tank inside a But Stock? This is just something you will have to overlook in order to get the consistency and power from PCP over CO2 based Airguns. Everything else about the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle is pretty much bang on in terms of realism including a fully working ambidextrous selector, magazine release and drop out magazine, charging handle and pop up sights.
Pros:
My new best semi auto pellet rifle replica I have seen and shot to date.
Excellent replica of the real steel Sig Sauer MCX Virtus (Patrol) with the exception of the PCP tank.
Awesome build quality, lots of metal parts and the nylon parts are true to form and very solid.
700 fps and 12 foot pound of energy makes it powerful enough for small pest control.
30 round full size belt fed magazine has super high capacity and works flawlessly.
Full PCP Tank will deliver up to 150 shots.
Trigger feels good, not too long or to heavy and very consistent feel on every shot.
Pop up front and rear sights adjustable for windage and elevation.
Lots of possible rail options with add on M-Lok hardware
Cons:
Will require a PAL Firearms License in Canada but is considered a Iong gun so not restricted or requiring registration.
Internal blowback action does not advance the belt fed magazine but does cock the internal bolt/striker making trigger pull lighter.
Pumping up the 213 cc 3000 PSI tank is a workout for sure but does get you 150 consistent shots..
The PCP tank is a giveaway when it comes to realism but with the tradeoff of more shot power and consistency.
Comments:
Prior to the release of the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle the Sig Sauer MPX .177 Caliber CO2 Powered Pellet Rifle was my favorite pellet based replica rifle since there really was nothing like it out there with a drop out belt fed high capacity magazine. Now with the release of the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle I have a new favorite Action Shooting Replica Pellet Rifle and with its additional velocity and power it can even double as a small pest control Airgun. For this reason I’ve set my Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle up with a traditional red dot for close range vermin termination but I’ve also added a 3x magnifier for when those pesky critters think they can outsmart me by keeping their distance. Not so! It’s too bad our Canada gun laws make it so difficult to have an Airgun like the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle if you are not a PAL owner, let’s hope Sig Sauer makes a slightly detuned version for the rest of the Canadian Market at some point.
My Table Top Review of the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle:
I have two new products from Sig Sauer Airgun devision to share with everyone here on the channel. They are both really different but I really like them both. Before I get into it I want to thank Sig Sauer for sending me both of these Airguns.
First up is the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus .22 Caliber PCP Air Rifle I showed y at SHOT Show this year. Well now it’s shipping and I have one :) At this time the only version of the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus .22 Caliber PCP Air Rifle is the 700 fps 12 not popguns version. This version is legal in Canada but you will need an unrestricted Firearms License since it falls under the definition of a non-centered fired long gun in the Canadian Firearms Act. Perhaps Sig Sauer will come out with a detuned version under 500 fps?
The Sig Sauer MCX Virtus .22 Caliber PCP Air Rifle uses a 13CI-3000PSI tank situated at the rear of the gun as part of the butt stock. You will need some sort of a pump or scuba pressurization system to refill the PCP tank which will get you up to 150 to 200 shots per fill up. The belt fed magazine holds 30 rounds which you can fire as fast as you can pull the semi auto trigger. By the way the trigger pull indexes the belt magazine while the PCP air pressure works the bolt allowing for a fairly smooth trigger pull. You will need to charge the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus .22 Caliber PCP Air Rifle before you start shooting.
The Sig Sauer MCX Virtus .22 Caliber PCP Air Rifle weighs in at 7.5 pounds, has a 17.5 inch barrel and a total length of 37.5 inches.
This isn’t a SHOT Show 2020 Interview but most certainly worth reporting on. While walking around SHOT Show I ventured into the Chiappa Booth as I own a .22 caliber 1911 styled pistol from them and they do have some interesting products to take a look at.
Then I saw a red tip on one of their Chiappa Rhino Revolvers which caught my eye since I was not aware that Chiappa was making an Airgun version of their Rhino. Well as it turns out they are hoping to be shipping both an Airsoft version and Steel BB version around spring time and from what I can tell there will be two finishes, a kind of Gold Satin finish and also a Back finish version. As is with a lot of revolvers these days they will be shell loading which will help them look the part of a real steel Chiappa Rhino Revolver.
Looking forward to getting my hands on one when they come out in Spring this year!
In this SHOT Show Las Vegas 2020 Interview Video Scott takes us through a range of new products from Air Venturi.
Scott and I talk about the Air Venturi TR5 and how it came about to fill the hole the Baikal MP-61 left behind. We also talk a look at some new Air Rifles, a pumper called the Butterfly with a super cool linkage based system that makes pumping a lot easier. A PCP side lever cocking Air Rifle that I’m not even sure has a name yet but will be available in .177 .22 and .25 caliber pellet for around $299 US.
The only Air Venturi replica we looked at is a new Springfield Armory under lever Spring Piston Air rifle modeled after the M1A. Last up Scott went showed us how the Bada Bang targeting system is shaping up and looks to be almost ready for production.
This year Sig Sauer was showcasing their Airsoft Pistols with a new line called the Proforce series geared towards high end training. Sig has also included new Reflex Red Dot Sights that can be ordered already on the gun or as an add on accessory. The Proforce Pistol line includes both the M17 and M18 series Sig Sauer pistols.
Last year at SHOT Show 2019 Sig had introduced their Virtus .22 Caliber PCP Semi Auto Rifle but it was not ready at that time. Well now the Sig Sauer Virtus is ready to ship and yours truly will be getting one of these bad boys for review! Since the .22 caliber PCP Sig Sauer Virtus shoots around 700 fps with a 12 foot pound energy level you will need a PAL firearms license if you live in Canada but the Sig Sauer Virtus is a considered a “long gun” so no registration will be required in Canada.
Watch my Sig Sauer SHOT Show 2020 Las Vegas Interview for more info and cool stuff presented by Stephanie from Sig Sauer.
Here we go again, another round of SHOT Show videos brought to you direct from Replica Airguns!
As always I like to start off with a Teaser Video with a few quick clips of some of the new products I had the opportunity to take a look at at this years SHOT Show 2020 Las Vegas.
I will be rolling out Interview Videos as quickly as I can edit them and put them together for the following Airgun Related companies:
Sig Sauer
Umarex
Crosman - Velocity Outdoors
ASG
Air Venturi
Chiappa
So sit back and enjoy this years Replica Airguns SHOT Show 2020 Las Vegas Teaser Video!
Type: Paintball Gun. Manufacturer:Umarex - T4E. Model:T4E TR50 Materials: Metal & Polymer. Weight: 726 grams (1.6 pounds). Barrel: Smooth bore. Power Source: 1x12 gram CO2. Action: Revolver - Double action only trigger. Ammo Type: .50 Caliber Paintball or Rubber Ball. Ammo Capacity: 6 Rounds x 5 magazines. FPS: 360.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on Umarex T4E TR50 .50 Caliber Paintball Revolver is double action only but not very long with a very different feel than I am use to. The best way to describe it is kind of lumpy, it starts out a bit firm and then eases off a lot just before it releases. Like climbing a hill and then coasting down the otters side. I will have to see how it feels when it’s all loaded up with CO2 and Paintballs and actually shooting at a target.
Build Quality: The build quality of the Umarex T4E TR50 .50 Caliber Paintball Revolver is good overall. It is a mostly plastic build with some metal parts where they need to be internally. It is essentially two plastic halves held together by screws with the few actual mechanical working external parts. You have the trigger with it’s working trigger safety, the removable magazine and magazine release and of course the quick puncture CO2 screw knob. The hammer is internal. The Umarex T4E TR50 .50 Caliber Paintball Revolver is not very heavy but it does feel really solid in the hand.
Expected fairly high fps power of 360 with .50 caliber paintballs, a bit too high for your average paintball field but perhaps powerful enough to discourage an intruder?
Lots of mounting option for accessories like a tac light, laser or other sighting option with it’s upper and lower picatinny rail setup.
Quick CO2 pierce system so you can leave a CO2 in it ready to go any time with no worries about CO2 leaking out.
Working Trigger Safety.
Comes with 5 total magazines you can preload ready for use.
Super non-complicated design. Once loaded with CO2 and Paintballs all you need to do is hit the CO2 knob and then pull the trigger.
Build quality feels good, the gun is fairly beefy but not overly heavy or hard to hold.
Cons:
Mostly all plastic build.
Sights do not have white dots on them and are not adjustable.
Do not expect a lot of shots per CO2. Will find out when I do my Field Test Shooting Review.
Comments:
The Umarex T4E TR50 .50 Caliber Paintball Revolver is an interesting Paintball gun, overseas versions are marketed as the HDR50 which stands for “Home Defense Revolver”, while the North American version is marketed as the TR50 or “Training Revolver”. This is mainly because in the Europe most countries are not allowed to own real handguns but can own “Self Defense handguns”. In North America as most people are well aware, in the US real handguns are very easy to obtain and can be used for self defense. Just across the border here in Canada we can not really purposely have on hand anything that we plan to use as a weapon for self defense so the Umarex T4E TR50 .50 Caliber Paintball Revolver is marketed as a Training Revolver. What’s the difference? Not much, our North American 360 fps version is a lot like the 7.5 joule German version in terms of power but you can also get a more powerful 11 joule version in the UK. All that said, the Umarex T4E TR50 .50 Caliber Paintball Revolver at least here in Canada is made and marketed as a Paintball gun but on the field may be too powerful? What you decide to do with it is up to you!
Another Field Test Shooting Video Review coming for the Replica Airguns Sea Can Indoor Airgun Shooting Range! In todays Shooting Review I test out the Schofield No. 3 CO2 BB-Pellet Revolver using both 4.5mm 5/1 grain Steel BB’s and .177 Caliber 6.9 grain Lead Pellets to see how well they perform in velocity and accuracy. As always I use a brand new CO2 for my velocity testing and for reference the temperature during my testing in the Sea Can was 23 degrees Celsius or 73 degrees Fahrenheit. For my accuracy portion of the shooting test I use a rested and seated shooting position shot 30 feet away from my fresh paper targets.
Starting off with the velocity or power potion of my Field Test Shooting Video for the Schofield No. 3 CO2 BB-Pellet Revolver. I first used the 4.5mm Steel BB shells and shot 3 rounds through my Chronograph averaging 369 fps. I then loaded up the Schofield No. 3 CO2 BB-Pellet Revolver with pellet shells and again placed three .177 caliber lead pellets through my Chrony and got a very similar result with an average of 361 fps. Keep in mind the lead pellets where 6.9 grain versus the steel BB’s at only 5.1 grain, so the lead pellets will be carrying more raw energy at the point of impact even though they where going just a tad bit slower than the steel BB’s.
In terms of accuracy both rounds performed about the same shooting at my paper target 30 feet away. Since the Schofield No. 3 CO2 BB-Pellet Revolver has a 6 round cylinder I shot 6 sounds for each test, 6 steel BB’s and then 6 lead pellets. I also changed the targets for each type of ammo between reloading. I found the Schofield No. 3 CO2 BB-Pellet Revolver shot fairly close to the bullseye, l but with both the Steel BB’s and lead pellets I got one outlier that spread out my groupings significantly, the other 5 rounds where all close being about 2 inches apart? Perhaps it was a bad or misshaped round, or maybe even me ;) I did notice the lead pellets seemed to have a really nice 4 round group out of the 6 that all fell within the bullseye. Hard to really say if BB’s or pellets performed better than the other one at least in my testing.
Overall the Schofield No. 3 CO2 BB-Pellet Revolver shot well for me, the trigger is nice and short and light making placing your shots easy, of course since it is a single action only trigger you kind of need to reset yourself between every shot which can effect groupings just a bit. Since the barrel is not rifled with no danger of damaging the rifling, you can really shoot what ever ammo type you feel like shooting or have on hand and since Schofield No. 3 CO2 BB-Pellet Revolvers get about the same speed and accuracy then it really doesn’t matter that much at the end of the day!
