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Type: Break barrel pellet rifle.
Manufacturer: Umarex USA.
Model: Ruger Explorer.
Materials: Metal and polymer parts.
Weight: 4.45 pounds (2.5 kg).
Barrel: 12 inches, metal rifled.
Propulsion: Spring piston.
Action: Single shot.
Ammunition Type: .177 caliber pellets.
Ammunition Capacity: 1.
FPS: 495.

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Trigger Pull: I found the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle to have a fairly light trigger, there is some initial take up with a smooth almost undetectable break or release point, I found that as I shot the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle the trigger seemed to be breaking in a bit which made it a bit hard to figure exactly when the trigger was going to release but I feel over time and once the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is broken in the trigger will become more predictable.

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Accuracy: Since I have already made a shooting or field test video for the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle, I can comment on its performance n this review! With 6 grain lead pellets (on the lighter side), I was able to get a 5 shot Chronograph average velocity of 485 fps. Using heavier 7-8 grain pellets the velocity slowed down a bit to around 400 fps. In terms of accuracy the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle performed well getting about a 1 inch 10 shot grouping on my paper target setup 30 feet down range. I know the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle can do better than this once the trigger settles down a bit since some shots went off unexpectedly.

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Build Quality: The Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is not an expensive air rifle and is more or less an entry level spring piston pellet shooter. That said it is built fairly well with a metal receiver, barrel and trigger setup. The modern looking stock is polymer and the steel barrel is coated in a synthetic soft plastic to help with long term durability. The real fiber optic sight is plastic so you will have to be careful with it as it does protrude a bit from the air rifle.

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Realism: Since the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is not a replica realism is not really a factor here but it does look like a gun so treat it as if it was a real gun since most people will not know the difference. Always transport and store any airgun safely and discreetly.

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Pros:

• Really great looking air rifle with a modern look to it.

• Finish is very durable with its polymer stock and plastic/rubber coated barrel.

• Fully adjustable fiber optic sights are easy to sight in and use.

• Receiver is notched for ring mounts so you can add an optical sight or red dot to it.

• Trigger is fairly light, just need some break in time with it.

• Cocking effort is fairly easy at 16.5 pounds.

• Great size gun for all ages.

• Power and accuracy were good for an entry level air rifle.

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Cons:

• I did find the trigger break/release point to be a bit unpredictable but I feel this is a break-in issue and will become more consistent over time.

• You have to remember to push that safety in with ever shot.

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Comments:
The Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is marketed as a Youth air rifle but in reality it would be great fun for all ages. I am a fairly large person at 6 feet tall and I had no problem dealing with the slightly shorter configuration. The trigger guard is nice and open and allows for large fingers which is not always the case with airguns designed for smaller individuals. The overall quality you get with the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle for the lower entry level price tag is very good and in terms of performance I feel you for sure get your monies worth with the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle.

Buy Ruger Explorer Youth Air Pellet Rifle in Canada

Buy Ruger Explorer Youth Air Pellet Rifle in the US

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I don't do a lot of Springer (Spring Piston) Air Rifle shooting tests or even reviews for that matter. Mainly for a couple of reasons: Number 1, my content is mostly focused around Replica style Airguns and Number 2, it's kind of hard to test out the longer range airguns in my 30 foot airgun range. That said I felt the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle would be a really great airgun to review since it is both affordable and even though it is targeted for the youth market, it really does make a great shooter for all ages.

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I have not done a Table Top Review for the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle but plan to shortly so stay posted for more detailed info on the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle down the road in that review.

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Even at 30 feet out, shooting the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle should give us an idea of the ballpark this gun is able to shoot within, I also only used the adjustable fiber optic open sights for this review but I would suggest a low powered optical Scope or even a Red Dot since the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is grooved for scope mounts.

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So how'd we do during my Field Test Shooting Video for the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle? Not bad I would say! Using about 6 grain rather light weight .177 caliber lead pellets I was able to get really close to the 500 fps claimed fps mark coming in just under at a 5 shot testing average of 485 fps. I did put a couple heavier grain pellets through my Chrony Chronograph and got closer to the 400 fps mark, still not bad for this lighter sprung spring piston air rifle.

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In terms of accuracy, shooting at my paper target setup 30 feet down range in my Sea Can Airgun Range, I shot about a 1 inch 10 shot grouping. I was finding the trigger break-in to be a bit unpredictable during this testing which led to some premature shots going off so I do feel once the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is broken in and me getting use to the trigger break, I should be able to improve on this result.

Overall the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is a really nice entry level airgun perfect for all ages and not just the youth market. It looks really cool, is easy to cock and has a very resilient finish. Oh ya it shoots pretty good to!

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Buy Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle in Canada

Buy Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle in the US

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Yet another retest for an airgun I have already reviewed. But some airguns need another "shot"! Today I just kind of felt like shooting a springer and the Baikal MP-53M Break Barrel .177 Pellet Air Pistol came to mind. I'm not the best at shooting spring pistons airguns since they take a more softer relaxed grip and I tend to hold guns with a bit of a firmer grip.

If you're interested you can watch my previous Field Test Shooting Video for the Baikal MP-53M I performed a couple years back outside on my deck.

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As always in my new Sea Can Shipping Container I perform a Chronograph velocity test to see what the real world feet per second is and  then I perform a followup accuracy test shooting 10 rounds at a paper target 30 feet down range using a rested seated position. During the velocity Chrony test for the Baikal MP-53M Break Barrel .177 Pellet Air Pistol I was able to get an average of 405 fps which was much higher than my previous testing where I averaged 319 fps. I was using different 7 grain lead pellets but I don't think they where that much different in weigth since the Diabolo pellets should have been around 6-7 grain.

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Moving onto the accuracy portion of my Field Test review, this time around my shots stayed a little tighter than last time stretching out to about 2 inches but most of the 10 shots where all within 1 to 1.5 inches. The trigger on the Baikal MP-53M Break Barrel .177 Pellet Air Pistol is really great, super light with just a little take-up and virtually a hair trigger after that with zero friction.

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I also wanted to mention that cocking the Baikal MP-53M Break Barrel .177 Pellet Air Pistol is fairly easy and that I did find I needed to set the rear sigh to the all the way down position to get my shots to hit close to the bullseye as this gun seemed to like to shoot rather high out of the box.

Buy Baikal MP-53M Pellet Air Pistol

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Another revisit for an inexpensive and fun BB shooter, the Crosman Marlin Cowboy BB Rifle! I have done some previous video reviews and comparisons for the Crosman Marlin Cowboy BB Rifle so make sure to check them out. I also recently did an update Field Test Shooting Video for the Daisy Red Ryder BB gun which is a very comparable airgun to the Crosman Marlin Cowboy BB Rifle.

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Here is a quick overview of the Crosman Marlin Cowboy BB Rifle, it's designed for younger smaller shooter with it's short stock but it's still fun of all ages! You can store 700 4.5mm Steel BB's in its internal magazine and Crosman claims a max velocity of 350 fps. Like the Daisy Red Ryder the power source is a spring piston that is activated by the lever action.

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Now let's talk about how the Crosman Marlin Cowboy BB Rifle performed in my Sea Can Field Test Shooting test...  Crosman claims a max fps of 350, my Chronograph results came in at a 5 shot average of 316 fps which is not bad compared to the Daisy Red Ryder that also has a claimed fps of 350 but only shot around 240 fps.

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So the Crosman Marlin Cowboy BB Rifle is the clear winner in terms of velocity over the Daisy Red Ryder but what about accuracy? That's a different story, the Crosman did not perform all that great for me shooting at a paper target 30 feet away using a rested shooting position. I shot 10 rounds at my paper target and got about a 5-6 inch grouping, there was an underlying smaller tight group that was closer to about 3 inches but a god 3-4 of the BB's came out of it spreading out the group significantly.  Compare that to the Daisy Red Ryder with a nice tight 2 inch group.

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So what do you want? Power or accuracy? I figure since the Crosman Marlin Cowboy BB Rifle is really targeted of the younger more entry level shooter that it should have good accuracy so they know when they are doing it right and less concerned on if the gun is performing as it should. Sure power is fun and smashing your targets does give a certain satisfaction but you have to hit the target first :)

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Both the Crosman Marlin Cowboy BB Rifle and Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun are fun airguns for sure, I guess it just comes down to which one you want to buy...

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It's been a while since I pulled out the old Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun. And I know I have already done some Vimeo videos for the Red Ryder and the Crosman Marlin Cowboy but I really wanted to make an updated Field Test Video specifically for the Red Ryder and see how it fairs in a more controlled shooting test.

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As always with my Field Test Shooting videos I test out the velocity using my Chrony Chronograph and see what the real world fps is compared to what Daisy Claims which by the way is up to 350 fps. I also setup a paper target about 30 feet back and take 10 shots using a rested and seated shooting position to determine what kind of grouping I can get and how well centered the airgun is out of the box.

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During my velocity testing the Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun shot well under the claimed 350 fps by around 100 fps. I can say that the Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun was super consistent and shot between 242 fps as a low and 244 fps as a high averaging 243 fps. The Daisy Red Ryder is sure one of the most consistent airguns I have tested to date in terms of velocity constancy! This will help a lot with vertical accuracy.

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During my accuracy test I would have to say the Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun shot pretty close to a 2 inch grouping and was pretty well centered with 4 shots hitting the black bullseye , I did pull my last shot a bit which extended the group a little but this was for sure my fault as I new I pulled it as soon as I shot it, the stock actually dropped on my shoulder a little just as I pulled the trigger.

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Overall I really enjoy shooting the Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun, it's so simple yet so fun to shoot, there is just something about a lever action rifle that I really like and the super low cost to purchase and shoot a Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun also makes it a must have for anyone no matter how many airguns you own or what type you shoot. 

Buy the Daisy 1938 Red Ryder in Canada

Buy the Daisy 1938 Red Ryder in the US

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I was a bit surprised by the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol, it actually shot a lot better than I was expecting it to perform. I did have to aim rather low since the Umarex DX-17  BB Pistol likes to shoot on the high side but if you are shooting at closer in ranges then you won't have to adjust your aim point so high.

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Getting into my performance testing for the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol, I placed 5 shots through my Chrony Chronograph and averaged 210 fps which again was very close to the Umarex claimed 200 fps, even a little bit higher! he DX-17 is a single shot repeater but because of the BB reservoir you can quickly reload follow up shots by simply point the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol a little upward while pulling the slide back and pushing it forward to active the spring piston and load a BB at the same time.

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As I mentioned the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol shot on the high side, at 30 feet it's a good 8-9 inches high but I have a feeling that this is about as high as the BB's will rise since they are not going that fast and gravity will start bringing them back down. At about 10-15 feet out from a target the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol seemed to shoot about 3-4 inches high so not nearly as bad and this can be adjusted pretty easy by simply aiming a bit under the target you are shooting at. In terms of a 10 shot grouping theUmarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol got about a 4 inch grouping which I have to say kind of surprised me as I was expecting a much larger spread.

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So for about $20 you kind of get what you pay for but I really think with the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol you perhaps get a little more! It has a really good trigger, seemed to be built pretty tuff, shot exactly right on the claimed fps mark and was even able to keep a reasonable grouping. And to keep costs down even more you never need to buy CO2 so that's another bonus.

Buy the Umarex DX17 Spring BB Pistol in the US

Buy the Umarex DX17 Spring BB Pistol in Canada

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Type: BB air pistol.
Distributer: Umarex.
Model: DX-17.
Materials: Mostly plastic build.
Weight: 1.6 pounds (726 grams).
Barrel: 4.27 inches, non-rifled.
Propulsion: Spring.
Action: Single shot.
Ammunition Type: 4.5mm Steel BB's.
Ammunition Capacity: 15 round BB reservoir.
FPS: 200.

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Trigger Pull: The single action only trigger pull on the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol is actually pretty good. It's fairly short with only a little bit of very light take up and then an easy release that has no added friction. So you will have to get use to when and where the release happens but it is a really decent trigger for such an inexpensive airgun.

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Accuracy: I have only shot the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol a few times to get use to the mechanical operation of using this spring powered pistol since there is a very specific order in which you need to cock and load the Umarex DX-17 for proper operation. I did find the DX-17 shot a bit high for me at 30 feet out so I had to adjust my aim point about 5-6 inches lower to hit targets at this range. For further out shooting you many not need to do so since the fps is fairly low and I would expect the BB to drop pretty quickly. In terms of power being that the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol is only rated at 200fps, well it seems sufficient enough for plinking away at targets and should have no problem getting through a pop can.

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Build Quality: I was expecting this $20 low cost BB airgun to be fairly low quality in general but when I took it out of the plastic clamshell packaging I was pleasantly surprised by the overall quality and how the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol felt in my hand. It has a good weight to it and the fit and finish are really good. Mechanical parts tolerances feel snug and the plastic used feels of good quality.

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Realism: The Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol as far as I know is not a replica of any specific real steel gun in production but it does kind of remind me of a Browning Hi-power at least the back half and the way the frame angles up a bit in front of the trigger. Other than that it looks the part of a real gun. The DX-17 has what looks like real working parts on it with the slide catch, magazine release and magazine but plat all moulded into the airgun.
Available at the: Replica Airguns Store

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Pros:

• At $21 Canadian its great value for a target plinker.

• It actually looks and feels pretty good in person, better than I expected build quality and weight to it.

• No CO2 required so very cheap to shoot.

• Single action trigger is actually really decent, better than most airguns.

• Accessory rail for adding a red dot or perhaps a tactical light.

• 15 round reservoir makes followup shots quicker and no fumbling around loading BB’s in-between shots.

• Lower fps means if you do do something stupid you are less likely to have to make a trip to the doctor

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Cons:

• Pretty low fps so don’t expect any long range shooting or great penetration.

• Sights are not adjustable and it seems to shoot kind of high.

• Why not rifle the barrel and make pellets an option?

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Comments:

I rarely review these super low cost airguns especially spring powered ones with low fps, it almost seems like why would you want any of that? But you know the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol is actually a great little airgun and you really can't beat the price tag. You are also going to save a bunch of money not having to buy CO2 and once you load 15 rounds into the BB reservoir you can empty the DX-17 fairly quickly. Sure the power seems a bit low but it gets the job done and like I said if there was an accident, you are less likely to break that window or require medical attention. I think this would be a great add on to an existing order you might be making with us, that way you wouldn't have to pay for shipping for this one item and you get a fun little plinker for only $20 more.

My Vimeo Videos for the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol:

Buy Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol in Canada 

Buy Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol in the US

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For my first official Field Test Shooting Video I test out the Crosman American Classic P1322 22 Caliber Pellet Pistol! Perhaps I should start calling these videos Sea Can or Shipping Container Shooting videos? Anyway, like always I put some rounds through the Chronograph to see what kind of real world fps I get from the Crosman American Classic P1322 22 Caliber Pellet Pistol. You will all be happy to know the Chrony is working really well in its new home. I played around with it a bit and found that using the light kit I bought gets me very consistent fps readings :)

Since the Crosman American Classic P1322 22 Caliber Pellet Pistol is a multi-pump airgun there is no real need to shoot more than 3 or so shots, after all there is a fair amount of pumping involved. After three consistent test shots the variation was only about 2 fps apart coming in at an average of 491 fps using Crosman flathead pellets that I would say are around 12-13 grain in weight. Just for fun a did a half pump only cracking the Crosman American Classic P1322 22 Caliber Pellet Pistol 5 times to see what a half power shot would result in and it did scrub off about 200 fps, still good enough for target plinking.

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Next up I performed my accuracy test shooting from close to 30 feet back on a paper target using a rested position, (sitting in the back with my hands resting on a sand bag). Still a bit of human factor involved but stable enough to get a good idea of the accuracy for the Crosman American Classic P1322 22 Caliber Pellet Pistol. I had a bit of a camera technical problem so I ended up performing this test twice, the first time I got about a 3/4 inch 5 shot group. The second time I rushed it a bit and ended up widening out the group a little.

Overall the Crosman American Classic P1322 22 Caliber Pellet Pistol is a really great target and even small pest close range pistol that you can pickup at a very affordable price. I really wish we carried a few of the Crosman airguns, at least ones like this, perhaps down the road...

Type: Pellet Air Pistol.

Manufacturer: Crosman.

Model: P1322 American Classic.

Materials: Metal & plastic.

Weight: 2 pounds.

Barrel: 10.25 inches, metal rifled.

Propulsion: Multi-pump pneumatic, up to 10 pumps.

Action: Bolt-action single shot, single action only.

Ammunition Type: .22 caliber pellets.

Ammunition Capacity: 1 round.

FPS: 460.

Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Crosman American Classic P1322 22 Caliber Pellet Pistol is non-adjustable but is short and fairly light with virtually no creep at all, it's just right there! The Crosman American Classic P1322 will allow for very accurate shot placement with only a little trigger time required to get use to the release tension required.

Accuracy: I found my Original Crosman 1377 (The .177 caliber version of this airgun) to be an amazing target pistol, getting about a 1/2 inch grouping from 30 feet out in a semi-rested position. And I even performed my accuracy test twice with the same result each time. In terms of fps performance, the Crosman American Classic P1322 22 Caliber Pellet Pistol is not required to be detuned for Canada importation so we should see very close to 460 fps even using heavier grain lead pellets! Make sure to look for my upcoming Field Test Shooting video for the Crosman American Classic P1322 22 Caliber Pellet Pistol.

Build Quality: The Crosman American Classic P1322 22 Caliber Pellet Pistol is not a fancy looking airgun but it gets the job done with a mostly all metal design and build. Remember this Croman configuration has been around since 1977 so about  40 years and has pretty much stayed the same so Crosman must be doing something right with the American Classic series if it has stood the test of time with very few changes to its design other than some cosmetics ones.

Realism: The Crosman P1322 American Classic Air Pistol is not a replica of any gun out there. The P1322 is made as a target airgun, so it looks like a target air pistol and is not expected to resemble a tradition real steel pistol of any sort.

Pros:

• Fairly inexpensive target pistol (under $100 Canadian - $79 US)

• Know to be very accurate.

• Ability to regulate power with the amount of pumps.

• Mostly all metal construction.

• Rifled steel barrel.

• Adjustable rear sight.

• Light single action trigger.

• Would be good for small close shot pest control because of good FPS and good accuracy for shot placement ability.

• Lots of mods and upgrades available for this series of Crosman Airguns.

Cons:

• The trigger is a bit thin (Can be upgraded).

• Rear sight is adjustable but is hard to setup.

• All black sights are hard to aim on darker targets.

• Pumping is fairly firm and will take some time for max 10 pump power.

Comments:

The Crosman American Classic P1322 22 Caliber Pellet Pistol is a bit of a sleeper target pistol. It has been around for a long time and for this reason can be overlooked. It also is a super flashy looking airgun that requires a bit of manual pumping to get to maximum power. There is also the kind of finicky sight setup required to get this air pistol to shoot on target. If you can put all that aside you have yourself a super accurate and rather powerful little target or even small pest control airgun for a lot less money than some other pellet target pistols out there. And to be honest I would trade having to pump this gun up over a springer for the main reason that the recoil is so much less violent on a pump gun allowing for better accuracy at the end of the day. When you factor in all the mods that are available for this line of Crosman Airguns the sky is the limit allowing for a ton of customization in performance and looks.

My Vimeo Video Review of the Crosman P1322 American Classic .22 Caliber Target Pistol:

Buy Pellet Airguns in the Canada Store

First off, I want to thank Crosman for providing these two guns for review! Now they're not exactly new guns by any means but for sure worth showing and doing some update reviews for.

Starting with the Crosman PFAM98 Taurus PT-92:

The Crosman PFAM98 Taurus PT-92 is essential a KWC made M92 also branded as the same gun as the Cybergun GSG 92 and the Swiss Arms P92.

So for all intense and purposes if you have watched any of my other revise on this line of KWC Beretta /Taurus BB pistols and even Airsoft versions then this BB gun should be really familiar to you.

History of the Taurus PT-92:

It is often referred to as a Berate 92 copy but in fact it is a Taurus PT-92 replica. The Taurus PT-92 is a product of Brazil, Taurus actually bought the entire Brazilian Beretta factory back in 1980 including drawings, tooling, machinery, and a very experienced work force to make the guns. Taurusimmediately sought to improve on the Beretta design, resulting in the popular and acclaimed Taurus PT-92.

Specifications for the Crosman PFAM98 Taurus PT-92:

• Full Blowback operation.

• Full metal frame, slide and magazine.

• 12 gram CO2.

• 4.5mm steel BB’s.

• 20 shot full size drop out metal magazine.

• Smooth bore barrel.

• Single and double action trigger.

• 2.44 pounds (1107 grams).

• Up to 400fps.

• Replica of Taurus PT-92.

• Made for Crosman by KWC in Taiwan.

Next up the Crosman American Classic P1322.

The American Classic P1322 is basically a .22 caliber version of the .177 caliber 1377 Pneumatic Pump Air Pistol. So make sure to watch the video reviews I have already done for the Crosman American Classic P1377. Other than caliber the .22 caliber version at least in Canada is more powerful since it has not been detuned for Canada import. The .22 caliber version has a claimed fps of 460 which is under our 500 fps import limitation while the standard non detuned .177 caliber version has a max claimed fps of up to 600 which can set off alarms at customs. For this reason the Crosman American Classic P1377 Canada version is detuned to shoot under 500 fps.

Crosman use to make a similar version of the Crosman American Classic P1322 called the Back Packer which had a slightly longer barrel and came with a removable stock. You can kind of replicate this gun by adding the stock but it will have a shorter barrel. Keep in mind there are a ton of mods available for this series of Crosman airguns including barrels, bolts, trigger, Internals stocks, scope mounts…

PHOTOSpecifications for the Crosman American Classic P1322:

• Metal and plastic construction.

• Pneumatic pump.

• .22 caliber lead pellets.

• Single shot bolt action.

• Rifled metal barrel.

• Single action only.

• Up to 460fps using lead pellets (10 pumps).

• 1.88 pounds (853 grams)

Keep posted for my full update reviews for these airguns...

Type: Airsoft Pistol.

Manufacturer:Umarex.

Model:Walther P99 Compact

Materials: Mostly plastic with some metal parts.

Weight: .5 pounds (227 Grams).

Barrel: 3 inches, metal non-rifled with internal Hop-up.

Propulsion: Spring Piston.

Action: Single Shot, Single Action Only.

Ammunition Type: 6mm plastic Airsoft BB's.

Ammunition Capacity: 11 shot full size drop out magazine with 60 round reservoir.

FPS: 280 using .12 gram BB's.

Trigger Pull: The single action only trigger pull on the Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun is a bit heavier than I expected since generally speaking single action triggers simply just need to release the hammer or striker. There is a little bit of take-up initially but then the release is fairly crisp, just a tad firm but since this is not an action shooter and a full rack of the slide is required to pre charge the internal spring, having a heavier trigger pull is not a big deal and did not seem to effect my accuracy in any way.

Accuracy: I didn't get a lot of shooting time with the Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun but I can say it seemed to be shoot fairly accurately. I tested it out shooting on a paper target from 20 feet back using a non rested standing position. The Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun did shoot a bit high and to the left but my 10 shot grouping was within 1.75 inches with the exception of one stray that shot a little more to the right. I was using .20 gram BB's but they did seem to get to the target pretty quickly and penetrate the paper fairly well. I would say they were traveling well over 200 fps.

Build Quality: The Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun is about a $25 gun so you can't really expect too much in terms of quality materials but that said, the gun does feel solid and well put together. I had no issues shooing it and for the price you should get plenty of good use out of it.

Realism: The Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun is realistic in terms of its shape, operation and even the Walther P99 licensing and trade marks. But as is expected being a clear plastic gun it falls short in terms of feeling and looking the part of a real gun. But that's kind of the point here, this gun is supposed to clearly look like and Airsoft gun and not a real gun including the orange red tip.

Purchase it from: The Replica Airguns Store

Pros:

• Super low cost and even come with an extra mag and some starter BB’s.

• Full size drop out mags are nice.

• All the parts feel pretty tight, does not feel hokey, even has some metal parts where they are needed.

• Has a rail for accessories.

• No CO2 required, just your Airsoft BB’s.

• Walther licensing and Trademarks.

• Slide stays back when out of BB’s.

• Has internal Hop-up.

• Has a floating barrel like the real steel version would.

• Makes a good starter pistol for someone getting into the hobby that may not want a gun that looks too realistic.

Cons:

• Is kind of on the light side at about half a pound.

• The single action trigger is a bit heavy but works fine, you're not going to be shooting rapped fire with this one anyway.

• Being a clear gun obviously takes away from the realism but that is the point of this gun so as not be confused with a real gun.

• Shoots a bit high and to the left.

Comments:

Right from the get go I was not expecting much from the Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gunbeing a bit of an Airgun snob and personally tending to stay away from the like of these clear plastic non-blowback super low cost Airsoft pistols. But after playing around with it for a bit I could really see how a first time Airsoft buyer could really enjoy the Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun. It shoots just fine and costs next to nothing to buy and shoot. And I know there are many younger folks that watch my video reviews and perhaps their parents may be sitting on the fence about allowing them to buy an Airsoft gun out of fear that so many of them look so real. The Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun clearly looks like an Airsoft gun which makes it pretty hard to get in trouble with yet you can still enjoy the Airsoft shooting experience without freaking your parents out!

My Vimeo Video Review for the Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun:

Buy the Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun in Canada

Buy the Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun in the US

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Replica Airguns Blog | Airsoft, Pellet, & BB Gun Reviews

First off I want to say it’s hard to trouble shoot technical or mechanical problems over the internet regardless of if ithas to do with guns, cars, computers or pretty much anything where unless you are there in person it’s really hard to figure out the problem.

But I will attempt to address some of the more common issues why a blank gun may not be functioning properly.

Why is my Semi Auto Blank Gun Not Cycling or Ejecting Shells?

One very common reason a blank gun may not be cycling the shells properly is because the owner has removed the barrel restrictor plug. People usually do this to make the barrel opening look more realistic but the barrel restrictor is a necessary component to increase the back pressure allowing the slide to cycle fully to the rear position so it can eject and pickup a new shell.

The blanks you are using may not have enough gun powder in them. Some blank guns require banks with more gun powder than others, again this additional internal pressure forces the slide all the way back, if the blank does not have enough gun powder in it then only a partial slide motion happens and so the discharged shell may not eject properly, in this case the user would have to clear the blank gun manually so another shell can then be picked up and loaded into the breach.

If your blank guns is dirty or not lubricated then it may act sluggish again restricting the full movement of the slide which will effect correct operation. Make sure to thoroughly clean and lubricate your blank gun, that may be a quick fix for you!

You may have a faulty extractor? The extractor is like a hook that grabs the discharged shell while the slide is in the reward position pulling or extracting the shell out of the breach. If the extractor is worn or broken then the empty shell will not be ejected from the breach so when a new shell is picked up from the magazine it has nowhere to go and usually you will get a jam-up in the ejection port area.

One final situation that can cause your blank gun to not cycle properly is to strong of a slide spring, some blank guns out of the box just come with a really heavy slide spring, so much so that even blanks with lots of gunpowder in them are still not strong enough to make the slide operate full motion. Your only option here would be to replace the heavy slide spring with a lighter one.

Why Are My Blanks Not Firing?

This is a situation where you pull the trigger and nothing happens. Lets get the obvious causes right out of the way here… Did you put blanks in your gun and are they new blanks? Did you chamber the first round in your semi auto pistol?

So now that that’s out of the way let’s look at some other reasons why your blank gun may not be firing a blank. Perhaps the firing pin is broken? Most blank guns are not made out of carbon steel and even the firing pins can be lesser quality than what you would find in a real gun so blank guns are more prone to breaking than real guns. I have seen broken firing pins in blank guns first hand so make sure to check the firing pin and that it is fully operational.

Try changing up your blanks to another brand? Again blank gun ammunition is not made to the same higher standards that real firearm ammo is made and some primers may require a little more pressure than your gun is providing. Even with real guns an ammo change may help the gun operate better.

Why is the Trigger or Hammer Not Operating Properly?

I have come across blank guns where there are mechanical problems in the trigger and hammer areas, you may be able to address this yourself but I would recommend taking your blank gun to a gunsmith since you will have to take the gun pretty much full apart to fix a problem in the trigger and hammer areas.

Of course make sure your gun is clean and lubricated, this can help a lot with the mechanical areas of your blank gun.

One problem I saw with a few EKOL Special 99’s was specifically with the single action potion of the trigger, when I would pull the hammer back it would not lock back and the hammer would often slip and fire randomly, this is rather dangerous. When I took the gun apart I found that the table top or step that the trigger was supposed to catch on was worn down on the edge so it would simply slip off. I was able to fix this by filing a new edge on the step area. Again this can happen because blank guns are not made out of as high quality metal materials as real guns.

Why does the Flame Come out the Top of My Blank Gun and Not the Front?

If you find that the flame or discharge comes out of the top of your blank gun and not the barrel, this usually does not mean anything is wrong with your blank gun. All it means is you own a top venting blank gun and not a front firing blank gun. In some countries front firing blank guns are not allowed but front venting blank guns are. The same may also be reversed in some countries, for instance here in Canada we can only import front firing blank guns with flare adaptors since our blank guns are imported under the assumption that they are to be used as signaling or flare devices.

Can I Convert my Top Venting Blank Gun into a Front Venting Blank Gun?

I really don't recommend altering a blank gun in any way as it may be a violation of your local laws and it could cause the blank gun to malfunction in a very bad way causing serious injury or even death!

In theory I suppose it may be possible to convert your Top Venting Blank Gun into a Front Venting Blank Gun but again you would need to allow for just the right amount of back pressure so a wide open barrel would not work unless it was a revolver. You can not simply remove the red plug and bingo you have a front firing blank gun because in most cases the barrel will be completely plugged in the frontal region. Not only would you need to drill out the plugged portion of the barrel but you would also have to somehow fill in the top venting area and again makes sure to allow for just enough back pressure to cycle the slide back and forth.

Hopefully this has helped some of you with blank gun issues. If you’re looking for a blank gun make sure to come down to www.ReplicaAirguns.ca and www.ReplicaAirguns.us and have a look in our blank gun area of our online stores.

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.

It has been a while since I picked out some of my favorite guns, after all my favorite gun picks change on a daily basis since there are so many awesome guns out there to pick from.

This Vimeo video is a little different since I pick out my favorites from a bunch of mostly replica gun categories including Steel BB, Pellet, Airsoft, Revolvers and Blank Pistols.

You may notice most of my picks happen to be blowback guns but to me airguns are all about being as realistic as possible and having blowback operation to me help to simulate the realism that much more. The exception in this video is in the pellet gun category since I decided on a pellet gun that was more about function and purpose over being any type of real replica.

Hopefully you take the time to watch my entire Vimeo video since I also bring out some close runner ups but here is a list of my top picks on this day, tomorrow it could be a completely different list of guns ;) 

• Steel BB - Umarex/KWC Smith & Wesson M&P 40 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol

• Pellet - Webley & Scott Tempest .22 Caliber Pellet (Spring Piston)

• Airsoft - KJWorks KP-11 1911 Hi-Capa 1911 CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol

• Blank - ROHM RG-88 9mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol

• Revolver - Dan Wesson 715 Revolver (BB, Airsoft, Pellet Versions)

Buy Umarex/KWC Smith & Wesson M&P 40 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol in Canada

BuyUmarex/KWC Smith & Wesson M&P 40 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol in the US

BuyWebley & Scott Tempest .22 Caliber Pellet (Spring Piston) in Canada

Buy KJWorks KP-11 1911 Hi-Capa 1911 CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol in Canada

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

Yes, I have more of my personal guns for sale, now we are getting into the pistols! I am showcasing here on the Replica Airguns website and over on the Replica Airguns YouTube channel a series of videos I am making for the purpose of selling some guns out of my personal collection. I simply have to make room for the new guns I will be testing and reviewing for everyone, my collection has gotten a little bit out of hand and needs to be thinned down a bit :)

In this 5th Mike's Personal Guns For Sale video, I am offering some of my pellet pistols in a variety of models ranging from some classic Crosman SAA .22 caliber revolvers to more modern CO2 blowback pistols like the Umarex Beretta PX4 Storm

Make sure to watch my above YouTube video to see these Pellet Pistols I am selling and instructions on how you can take part in the sale and purchase of them. By the way I am only selling to Canadian residents since shipping cross borders is a little sketchy.

Here is a list of the Pellet Pistols I am selling from my personal gun collection:

Crosman Model 44 Peacemaker SAA CO2 Pellet Revolver - $175

Umarex Beretta Mod 92FS CO2 Pellet Revolver - $215

Gamo R77 Combat 4 Inch CO2 Pellet Revolver - $165

Gamo PT-85 Blowback CO2 Pellet Pistol - $90

Umarex Beretta PX4 Storm Blowback CO2 Pellet Pistol - $90

Umarex Walther CPSport CO2 Pellet Pistol - $115

Valtro Airgun 92 CO2 Pellet Pistol - $115

Kimar Crosman CK92 Black CO2 Pellet Pistol - $115

Crosman Model 1088 CO2 Pellet Pistol - $55

I am showcasing here on the Replica Airguns website and over on the Replica Airguns YouTube channel a series of videos I will be making for the purpose of selling some guns out of my personal collection. I simply have no more room for the new guns and in some cases I either have duplicate guns or very similar versions so there is no need to have both. Some guns I am less attached to and as I already stated I need to make room for some of the new stuff I will be reviewing and or buying for myself.

In this second Mike's Personal Guns For Sale video I am offering three rifles, two of which will require a Canada PAL Firearms License since one is a 22LR rimfire rifle and the other is a high powered .22 caliber break barrel pellet rifle. The last item up for bid is an AK-47 styled .68 caliber paintball rifle.

Make sure to watch my above YouTube video to see these three rifles I am selling and instructions on how you can take part in the sale and purchase of them. By the way I am only selling to Canadian residents since shipping cross borders is a little sketchy.

Here is a list of the these three rifles I am selling from my personal gun collection:

ISSC MK22 22LR (FN SCAR) Rifle - $625 PAL Required

Benjamin Sheridan Super Streak .22 Caliber Break Barrel Rifle $250 PAL Required

Tacamo T68 AK-47 .68 Cal. Paintball Rifle $275

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!