FPS: 750 with Pellets and 800 with BB's for the US version (Up to 495 with Canada version).
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Crosman MK-177 is medium length and fairly light. The trigger mainly releases the bolt so no pre-cocking of the trigger is required. The trigger is plastic but seems to work just fine as there is no real load on the trigger when shooting, you do need to get used to where the release point since there is some take up well before the trigger releases.
Accuracy: I found the Crosman MK-177 Air Rifle to be a very good shooter, getting about a 1 inch 10 shot grouping from 30 feet out in a semi rested position (sand bag up front, standing in the back). I also put 3 rounds through my somewhat failing Chrony Chronograph using 3,5 & 10 pumps and the MK-177 with the maximum 10 pump shot as high as 631 fps using 6.9 grain RWS lead pellets. I would expect the Canadian detuned version to shoot well below the 500 fps Canada limit much like my Canadian Crosman M4-177 I reviewed a while back.
Build Quality: The Crosman MK-177 Multi-pump Air Rifle is mostly molded plastic, but for a $100-ish Military Styled Replica Air Rifle it hits the mark in terms of affordability and if it was an all metal airgun you would more than likely expect to double or tripple this price point! Even though plastic is used throughout this Air Rifle, there are some internal metal parts where they need to be, the fit and finish seems to be good and I do not get the feeling the Crosman MK-177 is cheaply made in any way. The fact that most parts are molded means there is very little that can snap or break off and will make this air rifle even more durable longterm.
Realism: The Crosman MK-177 is a lose replica or copy of an FN SCAR Assault Rifle or ACR. It is not exact in terms of true dimensions to accommodate the pumping mechanism, You will not find very many working parts as just about everything is molded into the plastic on this Crosman MK-177 rifle. Unlike the Crosman M4-177 the lower magazine area is not removable and the rear stock is also none adjustable, I am not sure why Crosman didn't add these features to the MK-177 like they did to the M4-177? I am glad to see another Replica Assault rifle on the market as so few of them are available in Pellet or steel BB shooters.
None red dot version comes with detachable and adjustable iron sights.
Rails on top and sides for accessories.
Option of shooting pellets or BB's, I would stick to pellets and save the barrel since it is not semi auto.
Feels super solid since there are very few moving parts that could break.
Looks like the Crosman M4-177 Pellet magazines are compatible.
Cons:
Mostly plastic and just about everything is molded into the gun.
Bolt and magazine are on opposite sides?
Would of been cool if Crosman made a dedicated BB magazine?
Comments:
The Crosman MK-177 Multi-Pump Pellet/BB Air Rifle is very much like it's brother the Crosman M4-177 with a few plusses and a few minuses when comparing the two of them together. On the plus side the MK-177 has a bit more power and also the pumping is much easier while yielding higher internal pressures. On the downside the Crosman MK-177 is almost entirely molded plastic with no removable lower magazine or adjustable stock, and the bolt has been switched around to what I feel is the wrong side since now you need to index the magazine on one side and work the bolt on the other requiring a less efficient approach. Either way it is nice to have another replica air rifle on the marker and for the relatively low price you get a nice accurate pellet rifle, great for target shooting and even small pest control.
Watch my Vimeo Full Video Review of the Crosman MK-177 Pellet/BB Air Rifle:
I wanted to cover some basic Airgun, Airsoft Gun, Blank Gun and Paintball Gun information on what do they all shoot, what makes them shoot and some other miscellaneous info thrown in along the way...
Your should also watch the video attached at the bottom of this post as it goes into a fair amount of detail.
Let's begin with the types of ammo used:
Airgun Ammo
Airgun ammo for the most part is broken down into BBs and Pellets, the most standard size BB and Pellet is the 4.5mm or .177 caliber Steel BB and Lead Pellet. You can also get Pellets in other calibers and even other materials other than lead such as steel or aluminum, some can have plastic skirting around a metal interior.
Pellets also come in a variety of caliber's like .177, .20. 22. 25 and even larger but then I would start considering them to be bullets as they will take on the shape of a bullet when they get into the larger sizes.
Airgun Ammo is not be fired at people, it is primarily used for target and hunting small game.
Airguns can use Spring Pistons, CO2, Compressed Air and Multi-pump propulsion systems.
Airsoft Gun Ammo
Airsoft Guns for the most part shoot round 6mm (.22 caliber) plastic BBs which come in a variety of weights ranging from .12 grams up to .48 grams. There are larger Airsoft BBs such as 8mm and even larger.
There are biodegradable and even tracer florescent Airsoft BBs available.
Airsoft Ammo is traditionally used for Airsoft battles and can be fired at people using protective gear. Airsoft Ammo can also be used for target shooting.
Airsoft Guns can use Spring Pistons, Spring Piston - AEG (Electric Motor) CO2, Gas (Green, Red, Propane) and Compressed Air propulsion systems.
Paintball Gun Ammo
Paintball Guns or "Markers" have been historically used for the sport of Paintball but their whereabouts came from the need of ranchers and forestry workers to mark trees. Hence the name "Marker"
Paintball ammo comes in a variety of sizes ranging with the most common being .43 and .68 caliber. They are generally made from a gelatin outer coating containing primarily polyethylene glycol, other non-toxic and water-soluble substances, and dye, they are usually biodegradable.
Paintball Guns can also shoot a variety of Paintball Ammo that can be made out of Rubber, Plastic, Glass and they can also contain Powders and even Pepper for use in non lethal defense.
Paintball Guns can generally use either CO2 or Compressed Air as their propellant.
Blank Gun Ammo
Blank Guns are just like Real Guns but without the dangerous bullet at the end of the brass shell. Other than that they work exactly the same as a Real Gun!
Blank Guns are used when a bullet is not required or even wanted. For instance... Gun safety, gun training, training animals to be around guns and/or loud noises, Props for Movies - Stage - Film - TV, Collectors that do not want the red tape associated with owning a Real Gun or when owning a Real Gun is prohibited.
Blank Guns can shoot a variety of sized ammo, most common are .22 caliber crimped, .380 crimped, 8mm P.A.K. and 9mm P.A.K.
Blank Guns use gun powder as their means of operation.
Here are the most common forms of propulsion used in the guns we discussed earlier:
CO2
CO2 is the most common propellant in Airguns (BB and Pellet), it is also used in Airsoft Guns and Paintball Guns.
CO2 is a compressed gas which expands when released, it requires a warm environment to fully expand and tends to cool it's surroundings quickly when shot fast or in full automatic which can slow the velocity of the projectile and even freeze up the gun being used.
The most common reusable CO2 cartridges are 12 and 88 gram but you can get larger CO2 tanks in a variety of sizes that can be refilled with CO2.
Gas
Gas is used primarily in Airsoft Guns, I have not personally seen an Airgun that is made to use Gas other than CO2.
Gas is similar to CO2 in that it is a compressed gas that expands when releases, it also cools down the gun it is being used in and requires a warm environment.
Gas comes in a variety of names, Green Gas, Red Gas and Propane Gas. Green Gas contains Propane as it's base but has additives in it like silicone for lubrication .
Red Gas is know to be a bit more powerful than Green Gas as it has Chlorodifluoromethane or HCFC-22, R22 or Freon 22 used in refrigeration which turns to a liquid under a slightly higher pressure giving you slightly higher fps.
Many people use propane gas with an adapter that allows the mixture of silicone as propane is cheaper to buy.
Compressed Air (HPA)
Compressed Air (HPA - High Pressure Air) is most commonly used in Airguns and Paintball Guns but some people use it for their Gas based Airsoft guns.
The compressed air comes from high PSI tanks that can be purchased in a variety of sizes and contains compressed air at pressures up to 5000psi.
These tanks are reusable and usually need to be refilled at a paintball or scuba shop, some people buy their own compressors or large scuba tanks for refilling purposes.
Some Compressed Air (HPA) guns have their own built in tanks that can be filled with a compressor or even a manual pump.
Compressed air does not cool down the gun it is being used in and is a great option for high output or fully automatic guns.
Multi-Pump Pneumatic
Multi-Pump Pneumatic systems are most commonly used in Pellet and/or BB guns.
Multi-Pump Pneumatic guns use the same principle as HPA - High Pressure Air guns in that they require pressurized air as the propellant. The main difference with Multi-Pump Pneumatic guns, is that you do all the work by pumping the gun between shots. Generally speaking you pump the gun 3-10 times, take a shot and repeat this process.
Multi-Pump Pneumatic guns are not effected by air temperature and are great for target and small pest control.
Spring Piston
Spring pistons are generally found in Pellet Rifles and Pistols but some Airsoft Guns also use a Spring Piston System and generally speaking Spring Piston Guns are single shot only or in other words, the Spring needs to be drawn back before each shot. Spring Piston Guns can have magazines that allow for quicker repeat shots.
Spring Piston Guns come in many cocking configurations, Brake Barrel and Side lever to name a couple.
The Spring can be a Mechanical Spring or a Gas Spring.
Spring Piston Guns are not effected by temperature and are often used for small game hunting and target shooting.
Automatic Electric Guns (AEG)
Automatic Electric Guns are generally found in Airsoft Rifles but there are some Airsoft Pistols (AEP) that use this same system.
Automatic Electric Guns use a similar system to a Spring Piston gun but have an electric motor that does all the work of drawing back the spring. You can even have fully automatic AEG guns.
The power for the electric motor comes from removable batteries, so it is a combination a battery supplying the motor with the power to draw back the spring that creates a pillow of air that shoots the BB.
AEG Airsoft Guns are great for situations when you require high capacity magazines with full auto capability.
Gun Powder
Gun powder is used in Blank Guns, in the same manor that it is used in a Real Gun, the charge from the Gun Powder supplies the force required to operate the blowback in most semi auto Blank Pistols, it also creates the sound of a live round along with the muzzle flash which makes Blank Guns great for training and as Props for Movies and Film.
Because the kinetic energy from a blank gun is the same as a real gun, blank guns can be very dangerous when used in close proximity to an object, see my "Are Blank Guns Dangerous Video"!
Some other Gun Relevant Terminology:
Blowback
Blowback operation is when some of the force of the propellant is used to move the slide backwards, which in most cases cocks the hammer for single action and can also pickup and chamber a round into the barrel.
The slide spring supplies the energy for the return to the forward position of the slide.
Blowback Guns do rob some power from the bullet force and in the case of CO2 or Gas Guns the also reduce the amount of shots per CO2 or Gas fill.
Revolver, Semi Automatic
Revolver: Revolvers feed ammunition via the rotation of a cartridge-filled cylinder, in which each cartridge is contained in its own ignition chamber, and is sequentially brought into alignment with the weapon's barrel by a mechanism linked to the weapon's trigger (double-action) or its hammer (single-action)
Semi Automatic: semi-automatic pistols use the energy of one shot to reload the chamber for the next. Typically recoil energy from a fired round is mechanically harnessed. After a round is fired, the pistol will cycle, ejecting the spent casing and chambering a new round from the magazine, allowing another shot to take place immediately.
Single Shot, Repeater, Semi Automatic & Fully Automatic
Single Shot: A Single Shot Gun needs to be reloaded each time it is shot.
Repeater: Repeating action Guns are single barreled guns containing multiple rounds of ammunition. These rounds are loaded from a magazine by means of a manual or automatic mechanism, and the action that reloads the rifle also typically re-cocks the firing action. The term repeating rifle is most often applied to weapons in which the next cartridge is loaded by a manual action, as opposed to semi-automatic rifles, in which the force of one shot is used to load the next.
Semi Automatic: A semi-automatic, or self-loading, firearm is a weapon that performs all steps necessary to prepare the weapon to fire again after firing.
Fully Automatic: A Gun that uses either its recoil or a portion of the gas propelling the projectile to remove the spent cartridge (in the case of a gun-shell), fire again repeatedly, as long as the trigger is held down or until the magazine is exhausted. Automatic Guns are distinguished from semi-automatic Guns in their ability to fire more than one shot in succession once the trigger is pulled.
Single-Action (SA): trigger performs the single action of releasing the hammer or striker to discharge the firearm each time the trigger is pulled.
Double-Action (DA): The trigger both cocks and releases the hammer or striker
SA-DA: A SA/DA firearm combines the features of both mechanisms. You can pull the trigger in Double Action when the hammer is down which cocks and releases the trigger or you can cock the hammer with your thumb and then release the trigger using Single Action to fire the weapon.
Lever Action, Pump Action, Bolt Action
Lever Action: In a classic lever-action firearm, rounds are individually loaded into a tubular magazine parallel to and below the barrel. A short bolt is held in place with an over center toggle action. Once closed, the over center action prevents opening solely by the force on the bolt when the weapon is fired. This toggle action is operated by a hand grip that forms part of the trigger guard. When operated, a spring in the tubular magazine pushes a fresh round into position. Returning the operating lever to the home position chambers the round and closes the breach.
Pump Action: With a pump-action firearm, the action is operated by a movable fore-end that goes backwards and forwards to eject, extract, and chamber a round of ammunition. Pump-actions are usually associated with shotguns.
Bolt Action: The bolt opens and closes the breech end of the barrel and contains the firing pin. The bolt is held in place with a lever that fits into a notch. Moving this lever out of the notch will release the restraint on the bolt, allowing it to be drawn back. An extractor removes the spent cartridge, which is then ejected through the lever slot. A spring at the bottom of the magazine pushes up the reserve rounds, positioning the topmost between the bolt and the chamber at the base of the barrel. Pushing the bolt lever forward chambers this round and pushing the lever into the notch locks the bolt and enables the trigger mechanism.
Magazine vs Clip
Magazine: A magazine is an ammunition storage and feeding device within or attached to a repeating firearm. Magazines can be removable (detachable) or integral to the firearm. The magazine functions by moving the cartridges stored in the magazine into a position where they may be loaded into the chamber by the action of the firearm. The detachable magazine is often referred to as a clip, although this is technically inaccurate.
Clip: A clip is a device that is used to store multiple rounds of ammunition together as a unit, ready for insertion into the magazine or cylinder of a firearm. This speeds up the process of loading and reloading the firearm as several rounds can be loaded at once, rather than one round being loaded at a time. The term "clip" is also frequently used to refer to a detachable magazine, though such usage is incorrect.
I wanted to show off a few new items that I will be reviewing, one being the Crosman MK-177 Pellet and BB pneumatic multi-pump air rifle that was very graciously provided to me by Crosman for review. And the other item is something kind of new in terms of the type of gun, since it is not really gun but rather a bow, or crossbow to be exact. We hope to be adding to our Replica Airguns Store a couple variations of the Avalanche Trailblazer 150lb Crossbows in wood stock and polymer stock versions.
Here are a couple key points about each item being looked at in this update video and then I will leave you with some detailed photos to drool over and of course my YouTube Update Video to watch...
Crosman MK-177 multi-pump bolt action .177 caliber BB/pellet air rifle:
Shoots both .177 caliber pellets and 4.5mm Steel BB's
Maximum 800 FPS (US Version being reviewed here)
5 shot pellet magazine and 300+ BB reservoir
Multi-pump single shot bolt action
3-10 pumps per shot
16.75 inch rifled barrel
3.5 pounds
Mostly plastic with some internal metal parts
Avalanche Trailblazer 150lb Crossbow with Wood Stock:
I don't often get to shoot my airguns out at the 100 foot mark but I purchased my Sheridan Silver Streak .20 Caliber Multi Pump Pellet Rifle mainly to shoot up to and even past this fairly distant range as the Silver Streak is my new vermin gun for pests around the farm. I get a lot of Crows that to be honest are just feathered bullies that pick on all the other friendly birds on the farm, they have also been known to get into my garbage and even attack the Eagles and Hawks in the area. Flying Rats I like to call them.
In this Field test Shooting video I test out my brand new Sheridan Silver Streak on the Chronograph to see just how powerful it really is not just at the maximum 8 pumps but also at 3 and 5 pumps. I was actually very surprised at the very decent power I got from only 3 pumps (460 fps), you could easily take out a small rat with the 14.3 grain .20 caliber lead pellets I was using for my Chrony test. At 5 pumps I gained close to another 100 fps and at 8 pumps I maxed out at just a hair under 640 fps respectively. With the 14.3 grain pellets I was using this worked out to right around 13 foot pounds of energy. (My Sheridan was purchased using a PAL)
I also shot my Sheridan Silver Streak .20 Caliber Pellet Rifle at a target setup 100 feet or just over 30 yards away and was able to get what I felt was a nice 1.5 inch 5 shot grouping. 4 of the 5 pellets where all within 1 inch of each other with my first shot being a bit lower and to the right of the rest spreading the group out to about 1.5 inches. Keep in mind I was also a bit winded from all the pumping and I could feel and see my heartbeat in my 9 power Bushnell scope making my crosshairs bob back and forth ever so slightly.
I have not shot my Sheridan Silver Streak all that much and plan to hone my skills further so when the time comes I will be ready for them pesky crows.
Stay tuned for my future Table Top review of my Sheridan Silver Streak, for now you can checkout my Preview video that has some preliminary info.
I like to show off some of my acquisitions from time to time even if they are guns I don't necessarily have for sale, I am a collector and some items are not always common enough or even popular enough to keep in our Replica Airguns Store.
Today I show you two blank guns I picked up from a recent gun show I attended in Chilliwack BC. There where not many blank guns at the show, the two I found may have been the only blank guns there, at least that I saw? The ROHM RG300 .22 Caliber Blank Pistol and RST MOD. 1966 .22 Caliber Blank Revolver I picked up for a pretty good price, at least in my mind, $55 for the ROHM and $20 for the RTS. A nice addition to my blank gun collection!
I have been contemplating between a PCP (Pre Charged Pneumatic) or a really good Multi-pump air rifle for pest control around my house, I have been using a spring piston rifle but the combination of my limited skills with spring piston rifles and the fact that most pests in my area stay a good 50+ yards back, means I need an airgun with pin-point accuracy. At the end of the day I decided on the Sheridan Silver Streak because it was a bit more affordable than a PCP air rifle and also the Sheridan is such a classic air rifle but still with the right amount of power and accuracy to get the job done.
I am happy to report back to you on all the new cool stuff I got to see at this years 2013 SHOT Show in Las Vegas. Make sure to also watch my Vimeo video at the bottom of this post for some first person styled play by play of my experience at the Vegas SHOT Show 2013. (like you're there with me ;)
First up I want to cover a new gun from ASG, I have been wanting to get my hands on the 4.5mm Bersa BP9CC and I finally got to, not only did I get my hands on it but ASG was kind enough to supply me with one to take home for review. You can get the Bersa BP9CC in both Blowback and non-blowback versions and also in either BB or Airsoft. I opted for the 4.5mm BB Blowback version. I will be reviewing this BB gun very soon!
ASG also had a very cool prototype of an Airsoft CZ Scorpion EVO 3A1 hopefully coming out soon.
While roaming around SHOT Show 2013, I came across an interesting booth from FlashFog Security. I often get people asking me about using an airgun as a home defense weapon and I strongly advise against this. If the intruder is not scared off by the gun there is little an airgun can do to actually stop them. The FlashFog system works by rapidly filling a room with dense fog combined with a strobe light effect which blinds and disorients intruders completely. There is little an intruder can do other then try and get the heck out of there!
UPDATE: FlashFog just added a new section to their website specifically for School Security to help keep our schools safer from potential safety threats! So check it out: School Security Smoke Screen
I was a bit surprised by Gamo this year, they tend to stay away from actual Replica's and generally make BB/Pellet guns that look like popular guns but not any gun in particular. Gamo has a new BB/Pellet MP9 based machine pistol that uses a similar mechanism to their P-25 and PT-85 so it can shoot both 4.5mm BB's and .177 caliber Pellets using a double ended 16 shot rotary magazine. It also has an internal blowback system so it should have some recoil feel to it! I am pretty sure it is semi auto only but still a nice addition to their lineup!
Gamo also brought out a new 4.5mm BB Blowback pistol called the C-15 which has a metal slide and plastic frame, it kind of reminds me of the Umarex HPP in how it looks and feels.
Umarex had several new products that I am sure everyone is going to like! One that I think will do really well is the Steel Force, the Steel Force is designed around the 4.5mm BB shooting Steel Storm platform so it has a 6 round burst blowback operation and holds the 2x12 gram CO2 in the magazine while the BB's go in a 300 round hopper that feeds into a 30 round spring fed internal magazine. Like the Steel Storm it will shoot around 430 fps. The Steel Force has the advantage of being styled after the AR platform so it has a collapsible stock which will make shooting very easy.
Another often asked for airgun replica is the historic German Luger. This year Umarex stepped up to the plate and introduced the Umarex P.08 4.5mm BB pistol. Sorry, no blowback or even a working slide on this one but it is all metal and has a very good weight and feel to it.
If you're a fan of the entry level Umarex XBG then you may be interested in the new Umarex T.D.P. 45 which is very similar to the XBG in looks and features but with a slightly different look to it.
If you've ever wanted to turn your pistol into more of a PDW styled gun, you may be able to depending on which Umarex gun you have? Umarex added a very cool accessory called the T.A.C Converter that converts your Umarex HK USP (BB-Airsoft), SW MP40 (BB), XBG (BB), CZ Enforcer (Airsoft) and Walther P99 DOA (Airsoft) into more of a tactical (PDW) or Personal Defense Weapon complete with for-grip, adjustable rear sight, lots of rail options and a foldable stock.
I am assuming the Crosman M4-177 Pellet/BB Rifle has been doing well for Crosman as they have expanded with some more similar assault styled air rifles. The Crosman MSR77NP pretty much looks like a classic M16 but is in fact a Nitro Piston break barrel pellet rifle able to shoot .177 caliber pellets at 1200 fps (I hope there is a 499 fps Canada version planned too?).
A new takeoff of the M4-177 is the MK-177 which also shoots .177 caliber pellets and 4.5mm BB's using a multi-Pump System but it uses an upgraded more efficient pump system that squeaks out more fps with less pumps. The Crosman MK-177 is designed after the FN SCAR and is available in an adjustable iron sight version or a Red Dot equipped kit version.
One thing you can never get enough of in my opinion is another 1911 pistol! Crosman is introducing their GI Model 1911BB Blowback 4.5mm CO2 pistol, the one they had on hand was more of a prototype so the slide was not operational but it will feature an all metal design, blowback operation, 450 fps and a 20 round drop out magazine. I am sorry to say but it looks like the Crosman C51 has been dropped from Crosman's lineup but if you want a similar styled gun you can checkout the KWC SW40F which is a very close airsoft version.
We recently started carrying G&G Armament Airsoft guns, you can checkout my review of the Xtreme 45. I did stop by their booth and they had some new products on display, the M1 Grand (all wood stock) Airsoft had it's magwell all wrapped up as G&G had a propriety magazine system they did not want their competition to see. G&G also had some very interesting targets that light up, when shot they would react by individually turning off so you could see if you hit it or not.
There was a rather large crowd at the KWA booth but it was a shared booth so it's hard to say what everyone was looking at, the KWA area was pretty full, I did talk to the KWA rep and asked him point blank if KWC and KWA where the same or sister companies and the answer was not at all. There are often a lot of guns that look like they could be from the same company, I guess there is a lot of copying going on ;) One gun from KWA I would love to get my hands on is the Kriss SMG!
Now keep in mind many of these guns I have highlighted today are not available yet and a lot of them should be coming out in the spring time frame so please try to refrain from repeatedly asking when I will review them and have them in the store, it takes time and as much as we all want them now, they get here when they get here!
Watch my Vimeo video of the Replica Aiguns at SHOT Show Vegas 2013
Action: Semi auto, single & double action with blowback.
Ammunition Type: .43 caliber paintball or rubber bullet.
Ammunition Capacity: 9 round magazine.
FPS: 250-300fps.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Real Action Paintball RAP4 X50 is rather nice in single action, being a true blowback gun, the cycling of the slide not only chambers a round but also pre-cocks the hammer allowing for a very smooth and light single action trigger pull. There is also a working de-cocker that allows you to release the internal hammer. Double action is noticeably heavier but would only really be used on the first shot if you had already used the de-cocker.
Accuracy: After my previous review of the RAM X50 I was expecting this gun to perform pretty much the same. I did find it to be a bit more accurate within the 20-25 foot range using the rubber balls but when I got out into the field and switched over to the Paintballs I found that they where really hooking and darting all over the place? Mind you, this gun was right out of the box and not broken in yet. I also got a bit lower fps (right around 250) out of the RAP4 RAM Walther P99 compared to my RAM X50 but again my review unit had not been adjusted in any way and I imagine I could turn it up a bit to get more fps out of it if I wante to. The plus side is I was able to get an astounding 8 magazines worth of shots out of one CO2.
Build Quality: The RAP4 RAM Walther P99 styled Paintball Pistol is built very well, it does have a polymer frame but the gun overall has lots of metal parts and a very good overall 2 pounds weight to it dry. The blowback action is very snappy and all the mechanics and fit and finish all look and function very nicely. The slide spring is nice and firm giving this paintball gun a snappy recoil and the feel closer to a real gun than that of an airgun.
Realism: The RAP4 RAM Walther P99 was primarily made to simulate real word shooting environments for Police and Military users and even includes Walther branding and licensing, it is a very believable looking and functioning copy of the real steel semi auto pistol it replicates. Other than the exception of the CO2 Cylinder hanging a bit far out of the bottom of the handle. The RAM P99 would be hard to tell from the actual Walther P99, especially when looking down the large .43 caliber barrel. The Blowback action and firm recoil help pull off the believability when shooting this ralistic Paintball Pistol.
Very Accurate Walther P99 replica including licensing and trademarks.
Everything works pretty much like the real gun so a great training tool.
Good accuracy up close and lots of shots per CO2 for such a large round.
Nice light single action trigger and working de-cocker.
Fairly affordable.
Cons:
CO2 cylinder sticks out from the handle and looks a bit odd.
Paintball accuracy out at range was unpredictable.
Does not field Strip conventionally.
Comments:
This was my second time testing a RAP4 RAM product and again I took the chance to use it as it was intended to be used - in the field going through simulated tactical situations. My targets where barrels this time but they could have been other people with similar paintball guns shooting back at me which would have put even more pressure on me and forced me to really see where my mistakes are being made. That's the whole point of this type of training airgun, make it as real as it can be without your actual life being in danger so that when you are in danger you will not have to think about what you are doing but simply react based on your previous training. I think anyone who is a gun owner wanting to improve their reactive shooting skills should invest in one of these Paintball guns. One day you may thank yourself but let's hope it does not come to that!
Right off the bat I have to say I had a great time making this Field Test Video Review of the RAP4 RAM X50 (Sig P226) .43 Caliber Blowback Paintball Pistol. I did something I don't generally do, I went back into my forest area of the property and setup some human sized targets (5 gallon buckets) and did some tactical real world shooting simulation, it was a lot of fun and the RAP4 RAM X50 Paintball Pistol worked perfectly for this as I could very easily see exactly where I was shooting and also did not have to worry too much about rebounding ammo.
This video only covers the shooting performance of the RAP4 RAM X50, so checkout my Table Top Review for things like the Specifications and Features.
In this video I start out by doing a Chronograph Test and shoot not only Paintball rounds but also some Rubber bullet and got very good average FPS results using both ammo types (288 fps using .43 caliber Rubber Balls and 279 fps using .42 caliber Paintballs).
I also tested the accuracy out from 20 feet away in a semi rested position and got about an 8 inch group with a full 9 round magazine, which on a human sized target would do the trick for sure. Keep in mind this is not a target pistol! My Tactical Field or should I say "Forest test", showed that this paintball pistol performs very well when used in a simulated shooting scenario.
I can really see a use for a gun like this, mainly for training oneself on how to acquire targets quickly and how to improve your tactical shooting skills.
Action: Semi auto, single & double action with blowback.
Ammunition Type: .43 caliber paintball or rubber bullet.
Ammunition Capacity: 9 round magazine.
FPS: 250-300fps.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Real Action Paintball RAP4 X50 is rather nice, being a true blowback action gun, the cycling of the slide not only chambers a round but also pre-cocks the hammer allowing for a very smooth and light trigger pull in single action mode. There is also a de-cocker that allows you to release the hammer without activating the firing pin and placing the hammer in a half cock position rested about 2mm off the firing pin.
Accuracy: I did not expect amazing result with The RAM X50 Paintball Pistol in my preliminary testing as it does use rather light weight and fairly small caliber Paintballs that will be susceptible to wind gusts and the seems on them will make them a bit more turbulent than a standard Pellet, BB or Airsoft round. Even so I was able to hit pretty much any moderate sized target I shot at and I would assume in a battle situation I could place most shots on a human sized target fairly well as along as I was not too panic stricken ;)
Build Quality: The RAP4 RAM X50 Sig Sauer P226 styled Pistol is built very well, it does have a polymer frame but the gun overall has lots of metal parts and a very good overall 2.2 pounds weight to it dry. The blowback action is very snappy and all the mechanics and fit and finish all look and function very nicely. The only function that was not working on my "used" gun was the slide catching on the last round. I have not looked into it too much to see what may be the problem but I can see some wear on the catch area of the slide that may be causing it. I have no idea how the previous owners may have cared for this Paintball gun but overall it is in good condition.
Realism:The RAP4 RAM X50 was primarily made to simulate real word shooting environments for Police and Military users and even though it is not branded and licensed as such, it is a bang on copy of a Sig Sauer P226 Semi Auto Pistol. Other than the exception of the CO2 Cylinder hanging a bit far out of the bottom of the handle, The RAM X50 would be hard to tell from the Real Steel Sig Sauer P226, especially when looking down the large .43 caliber barrel. The Blowback action and firm recoil help pull off the believability when shooting this Paintball Pistol.
Everything works pretty much like the real gun so a great training tool.
Fairly affordable in the US adn Canada.
Seemed to have Decent accuracy, decent amount of shots, about 3-4 good magazines
Nice light single action trigger.
Cons:
CO2 cylinder sticks out from the handle and looks a bit odd.
My slide does not lock back after the last shot, may be a potential wear problem?
Does not field Strip conventionally.
Comments:
I have had my eye on this paintball pistol for some time now, the first time I saw it, it was behind the counter in a Paintball store and generally in Canada they sell in retail shops for about $450+ so I have kind of been holding off to see if it woudl come my way a bit more affordably. The time came when I was able to leverage another sought after item I had and I was able to add this gun to my collection. I found that it shoots much like many of my other blowback airguns but perhaps with a bit more force than most. Shooting at targets 20-40 feet away was easy and the Paintball's had no problems breaking on contact with most medium to hard objects. I normally would not have a need for Paintball pistol but heck, why not if it looks this good and next time I go out to a paintball battle, I will have a surprise waiting for when I run out of rifle ammo or need to work in some close combat situations...
Some more updates for you, I received some more NcSTAR Accessories for my Canada Replica Airguns Store, some Red Dots, Scopes, Lasers, Tactical Lights, Rails, Bipods and some Vests, Slings and Holsters. I will be updating the Canada Store shortly with these very well priced items shortly so check back soon!
I also have a couple more blank guns that I will be conducting a Silent Auction on shortly: An EKOL Lady in Satin and an EKOL Special 99 in "White", which is more like a soft textured Nickel.
Lastly I also just picked up my first paintball pistol a RAM X50 and it is one I have been after for a while since I am a big Sig fan. It' basically an unlicensed Sig Sauer 226 that uses CO2 and chambers .43 caliber paintball and/or rubber balls. It is blowback and has a drop out 9 round metal magazine.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Crosman M4-177 is medium length and fairly light. The trigger mainly releases the bolt so no pre-cocking is required. It takes a bit to get used to where the release point since there are no real warning indicators. The trigger is plastic but seems to work just fine as there is no real load on the trigger when shooting.
Accuracy: I found the Crosman M4-177 Air Rifle to be a very good shooter, getting about a 3/4 inch grouping from 30 feet out in a semi rested position (sand bag up front, standing in the back). I also put 3 rounds through my Chrony Chronograph and the M4-177 averaged about 410 fps with the 10 pump maximum which is about what I would expect from the Canadian detuned version, keep in mind the US non-detuned version shoots up in the 600 fps range so it would have been nice if the Canadian version got closer to our legal non-registered limit of 500 fps.
Build Quality:The Crosman M4-177 Multi-pump Air Rifle is mostly plastic which some of my viewers will not like, but for a sub $100 Replica Air Rifle it hits the mark in terms of affordability and if it was an all metal airgun you would more than likely expect to double the price tag - if not more! Even though plastic is used throughout the Air Rifle, there are some internal metal parts where they need to be, the fit and finish is very good and I do not get the feeling that the Crosman M4-177 is cheaply made in any way.
Realism: The Crosman M4-177 is a respectable M4/AR replica. It is not exact in terms of true dimensions as the forward stock is a bit long to accommodate the pumping mechanism, (kind of long like the original AR but without the tapering). Crosman did a good job to add all the parts that you would find on a real M4/AR even if they are simply for show and are molded into the plastic. I particularly like the removable iron sights and full rail for mounting a scope or red dot sight. I am also really glad to see a Replica Assault rifle on the market as so few of them are available in pellet or steel BB shooters.
One of the few replica Air Rifles on the market (MP5K PDW & Mini UZI).
Very well priced.
Excellent accuracy!
Comes with detachable and adjustable iron sights.
Fully adjustable stock.
Picatinny rail on top for just about any type of sight system.
Option of shooting pellets or BB's.
Cons:
Mostly plastic build.
Lower rails you just can not use as the pumping action gets in the way?
FPS is well below the Canada non PAL limit of 500 fps so maybe a bit too detuned?
Comments:
The Crosman M4-177 Multi-Pump Pellet/BB Air Rifle is in my opinion a must have air rifle, simply because... why not? How many replica pellet and steel BB shooting air rifles are there out there and for under $100 to boot? What the M4-177 lacks in metal parts, it makes up in accuracy and fun factor. And the M4-177 really is not a bad replica in terms of realism as Crosman made it a point to copy the real steel M4/AR fairly closely. I know for a fact from the emails I received and YouTube comments that many people have been looking for an M4/AR styled Air Rifle and Crosman has now delivered one to us so what are you waiting for ;)
It's always good to start the week off with an update video so everyone knows what's happening short-term and long-term...
I recently acquired a couple new items that I will be reviewing in the near future (along with several other reviews that I will be trying to get to ASAP!) First off is the Crosman M4-177 which is basically a multi-pump pellet and BB shooting replica of an AR or M4 styled carbine used by the US military. The Crosman M4-177 is mostly plastic on the outside but on first inspection seems to be built fairly well. It has removable metal sights and the magazine is also detachable but is not used as a magazine but rather a compartment for storage. The unit I have is the Canadian detuned version which shoots .177 caliber lead pellets and 4.5mm steel BB's at under 500 fps.
I also received my first old west blank shooting revolver (M1873), I have wanted one of these for a while and finally got my hands on one :) Unfortunately this one has a plugged barrel so it vents out of the cylinder area which may get a bit messy. I may see about making this one a front venting gun if possible and of course as long as it's within the law as I plan to make sure the cylinder stays semi plugged so no actual rounds could ever be shot out of it. The Old West M1873 Blank Revolver holds six .380 crimped blanks and is an all metal and wood construction. This should be a fun review!
I also touch upon a few other guns on the list of items I need to review and by the way in an attempt to get caught up I will be doing my Table Top and Shooting reviews combined.
Here are some of the guns that I will be reviewing over the next while...
Gamo P-25 & PT-85 .177 Caliber Blowback Pellet pistols (This one will get done this week!)
I've added some Crosman products to the store! Not the super new stuff Crosman showed us at the 2012 SHOT Show but still some popular items I have been asked to sell by many of you. First on the list is the Crosman Pumpmaster 760 Variable Pump Air Rifle Kit. This is the Canadianized detuned down to 495 fps version so yes you can buy this one without a firearms licence in Canada.
A proven and dependable Crosman favorite for over four decades, the Crosman Pumpmaster 760 Variable Pump Air Rifle offers an experience all its own. Over 12 million have been sold! It is unique in that it doubles as a BB repeater or a single shot pellet gun. This air rifle has been detuned to 495 fps for the Canadian market.
I wanted to get this video out to you a bit sooner but I have been really sick the past three days and so I have not had a lot of time to put this YouTube Video together. It's a pretty simple compilation of some photos and videos I took during my time walking around the 2012 SHOT Show in Las Vegas, not all of it is to do with airguns but most of it is. I even took a few touristy shots since it wasn't all work ;)
I thought you may all be interested in knowing that the Crosman M4-177 Pneumatic Air Rifle is coming to Canada. I was looking through the 2012 Crosman product guide that I picked up when I visited Crosman at the SHOT Show, and I noticed they have a Canadian product code!
I have had a lot of people asking if this one would be fore sale in Canada and it looks like it is coming, the question now is when...
Here it is by popular demend, a video of all my Air and Blank Guns, many of which where added in 2011. Thank you to everyone for your suport, without you all, this would not have been posible!
Here is a list of all my Air and Blank Guns so far...
Pistols BB:
Umarex PPK/S Nickel platted 4.5mm Blowback CO2 BB Pistol (Full Auto Mod).
Umarex PPK/S 4.5mm Blowback CO2 BB Pistol.
Umarex CP99 Compact 4.5mm Blowback CO2 BB Pistol.
Umarex CP99 Compact Recon 4.5mm Blowback CO2 BB Pistol.
Umarex H.P.P 4.5mm Blowback CO2 BB Pistol.
Umarex SA177 4.5mm Blowback CO2 BB Pistol.
Umarex Steel Storm 4.5mm Blowback CO2 BB Machine Pistol.
Umarex Makarov 4.5mm CO2 BB Pistol.
Umarex H&K USP 4.5mm CO2 BB Pistol.
Umarex Colt Defender CO2 4.5mm BB Pistol.
Umarex Colt Special Combat CO2 4.5mm BB Pistol.
Umarex Smith & Wesson M&P 4.5mm CO2 BB Pistol.
Umarex Beretta Elite II 4.5mm CO2 BB Pistol.
Baikal IZH MP-654K (Makarov) 4.5mm CO2 BB Pistol (Nickel).
Cybergun P226 X-Five 4.5mm Blowback CO2 BB Pistol.
Although it looks like a semi auto, under the hood is a multi-pump pneumatic system that requires pumping between shots, you can pump just a few times or several to get right up to 625 fps with 7.9 grain pellets so I am assuming this one is not coming to the Canadian market in it's current configuration. By the way you can also shoot BB's by loading up to 350 into the BB reservoir located on the side of the receiver, while an 18 round track feeds the BB's for shooting.
Some other interesting points to mention are the adjustable rear stock and windage adjustable, dual aperture (2-position), flip rear sight, and elevation adjustable front sight that can also be removed entirely for alternative sighting like a red dot or scope.
The Crosman M417 - M4 styled pellet and BB rifle uses a polymer stock, receiver and forearm and sports tactical rails for mounting accessories in several locations. MSRP is right around $119.
Here 's to hoping for a Canadianized version some time in the near future...
Action: Bolt-action single shot, single action only.
Ammunition Type: .177 caliber pellet.
Ammunition Capacity: 1 round.
FPS: 495.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Crosman 1377 American Classic is non-adjustable but is short and light with virtually no creep at all, it's just right there! It makes for very accurate shot placement.
Accuracy: I found the Crosman 1377 to be an amazing target pistol, getting about a 1/2 inch grouping from 30 feet out in a semi-rested position. And I performed my accuracy test twice with the same result each time. I also put the America Classic through the Chrony Chronograph test using increasingly more pumps each time and got it up into the 460+ fps range with 15 pumps using 6.9 grain RWS lead pellets. Keep in mind this is the Canadianized version that has been release valve limited to under 500 fps, so over-pumping should not hurt this gun too much, but either way do so at your own risk as Crosman says it's a 10 pump gun...
Build Quality:The Crosman 1377 American Classic is not a fancy looking gun but it gets the job done with a mostly metal design and build. Remember this gun has been around for 40 years and has pretty much stayed the same so Crosman must be doing something right with it.
Realism:The Crosman 1377 pellet pistol is not a replica, it is a target airgun, so it looks like a target air pistol and for that we'll give it high marks ;)
Ability to regulate power with the amount of pumps.
Mostly metal construction.
Rifled barrel.
Adjustable sights for windage and elevation.
Light and short single action trigger.
Would be good for small pest control because of its decent FPS and excellent accuracy for precise shot placement ability.
Lots of mods and upgrades available for this gun!
It has been around for 40 years!
Cons:
Trigger is a bit thin (but can be upgraded)
Sights are fully adjustable but a bit hard to adjust.
Comments:
The Crosman 1377 America Classic .177 caliber pellet pistol is a must have target air pistol, even though I own the much more full featured (and pricey!) Webley Alecto .22 caliber multi-pump pneumatic target air pistol, the Crosman 1377 is still great to own and shoot. I think one day I will pass my 1377 down to my son when he is ready to learn the art of accurate pistol target shooting. The fact that you can head out for the day with the 1377 America Classic in one hand and a tin of .177 caliber pellets in the other and shoot till you can't shoot any more, with no CO2 required makes it very inviting - and pretty much everything you point it at will get nocked down or nailed dead on.
I received my Crosman American Classic .177 Multi-pump Bolt Action Pellet Pistol a few days ago and had a bit of time to shoot yesterday. I was extremely impressed with this very inexpensive classic single shot bolt action target pistol. Even using the stock open sights, I shot a group about 1 inch in diameter from a 30 foot out free standing unrested position!
I still prefere my Webley Alecto but then again it is about 5 times more expensive and so it should be a better gun :)
I will be following this up with a full review some time down the road...
Here are some specifications for the Crosman 13177 American Classic:
