One question that comes up often is the danger attached to blank gun use and the most common question I get is about the danger of shooting a blank gun at a person. Blank guns have many uses, one of which is to be used as a prop in a movie or reenactment. In this situation one may want to point and shoot a blank gun at a person to make teh scene more believable it. If the person is far enough away there is usually no cause for concern but with that said I would personally point the gun just off to one side in the event that something might come loose within the gun barrel or perhaps a fragment of something where to be fired and cause an injury to the person the gun is directed towards. With creative camera angles you shouldn't need to actually point a blank gun directly at anyone.
People also assume that because a blank gun does not actually fire a bullet that it is relatively harmless. This is not true at all, in the larger caliber blanks there is about the same amount of energy to what your would find in a real bullet, this is so the blank gun will sound about as loud as a real bullet being fired. The difference with how the energy is released in a blank round versus a real bullet is that the bullet caries most of the energy with it and when the bullet hits its intended target, the bulk of the energy is transferred to that target.
The energy from a blank round dissipates almost immediately after it leaves the gun barrel but the energy right at the barrel tip is very similar to that of a real bullet, especially if it has nowhere to go but directly into an object. So yes a blank gun round can be lethal at very close ranges and unfortunately several people have paid with their lives finding this out for themselves.
With this newfound information about blank gun danger, some people might say... get rid of these dangers to society! Before we head in that direction think about how many other non vital things we have in our lives that I would have to say have claimed way more lives than blank guns could even come close to: Off-road pleasure vehicles, Skydiving, Skying, Pools, Real Guns to name a few! Blank guns also serve very useful purposes like being used to signal a warning or distress, send out flares, ward off wild animals, train people on how to use a real gun, and of course dog training. I am sure the good outweighs the bad here.
That's enough politics for now, juts watch the video and see for yourself why you should not point a blank gun at anyone, especially if the person is very close in proximity to you!
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the RG-88 and RG-59 in single action is very light with the RG-59 having virtually no take up at all while the RG-88 has some take up but then a noticeable and predictable release point. Both guns have medium to heavy yet smooth double action triggers.
Accuracy: NA.
Build Quality: The overall build quality for the ROHM RG-88 and RG-59 blank guns is excellent, being German made they are built to last and the fit and finish is very good. There are steel parts where they need to be like in the barrel, pins, screws and reenforcing parts, the rest of the gun is generally made out of a zinc metal with only the grips being plastic.
Realism: The ROHM RG-88 and ROHM RG-59 are not exact replicas of any given guns in production as this would make importing them into Canada even more difficult, but they do share similarities with some real guns in production. The RG-88 semi auto looks to be based around a Walther PPK design while the RG-59 has that Smith & Wesson Snub Nosed Revolver look to it. As for looking like and working like real guns, they do this very well, with the exception of the dangerous bullet coming out of the barrel!
German made quality, materials fit and finish is all excellent.
Almost all metal with some reenforced steel parts.
Nice light single action triggers on both guns with double action ability wehn needed.
Both are front firing with semi plugged barrels.
Come with flare adaptors and cleaning rods.
Seem to be some of the only blank guns we can get here in Canada right now.
Cons:
Not actual exact replicas of any specific guns in production.
The RG-59 only works with the .380 crimped, 9mm P.A.K. balnks are a bit too long.
Expensive due to them being harder to get and in high demand in Canada.
Comments:
As with pretty much all blank guns, they are mostly for show so it all comes down to how do they look and do they go bang when they are supposed to! In both cases they get top marks. Both the RG-88 semi auto and RG-59 revolver feel solid and the mechanical parts are tight and smooth giving a confident feeling when holding them. I like the larger caliber blanks over the .22 crimped blanks as they have a bigger bang but they will set you back in the cost department a bit more as the price for 9mm P.A.K. and .380 blanks will be a lot more than .22 crimped so keep this in mind when choosing a blank gun. If you're looking for a well made and dependable blank pistol then you really can not go wrong with any of the ROHM blank guns we sell in the Canada Replica Airguns Store.
My Vimeo Full Video Review for the ROHM RG-88 and RG59 Blank Pistols:
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
In our quest to bring you even more of the good stuff we are constantly adding to our Replica Airguns Store, we have recently added to our US Replica Airguns Store some more Blank Guns, Blank Gun Ammo and Blank Gun Magazines. We also added a new item, "Stock Badges".
I was going to put these two very nice EKOL Dicle 9mm P.A.K. Front Firing Blank Pistols up in the Canada Replica Airguns Store at a preset price but after viewing the condition and the fact that I have had a lot of people asking about blank guns being available, I decided to put them up as silent auction items instead, I kind of wanted to show them off in a video ;)
They are both in "as new" condition, one has never been shot, the other has had a handful of rounds through it, to be honest I can not tell which is which? So basically they are both in "new condition".
Both EKOL Dicle's are being sold with customized Hogue grips but I will include the original grips with them. Both come in the original cases and with the flare adaptors.
To place a bid to purchase one or both of these very nice EKOL Dicle Blank Pistols, you will need to Email Me Here with your highest bid. I will contact the winning bid at the end of the auction and send them a PayPal request for the total amount including $17.99 Shipping/Handling along with their local tax rate. The winner will have till the end of the day to pay or I will move on to the next highest bidder.
This auction will conclude on Friday November 16th Midnight so act fast!
Enjoy my YouTube Video showcasing the EKOL Dicle twins:
As with most new items I pickup, I like to share them with everyone. I am checking into some more ROHM blank guns, an RG-59 and RG-88, the RG-59 is a lot like the ROHM RG-56 .22 caliber blank revolver I sell in the Canada Replica Airguns Store but in .380 caliber and the one I show off here is a 5 shot two-tone model. Other than that they use the same frame and mechanical parts throughout.
I also received a black/blued ROHM RG-88 which is kind of like a Walther PPK in design, it field strips the same, has a similar safety setup and even has a similar size and look to it although it is definitely not a replica of a Walther PPK. I am impressed with the overall quality of the ROHM blank guns, material used, fit and finish is very good.
Lastly, I acquired a pre-owned Umarex CP99 CO2 Pellet Pistol from a customer of mine. It is in pretty much in new condition and is one of the Umarex guns I was missing in my collection and have been looking to add. The Umarex CP99 is a pretty good replica of the Walther P99 and uses the standard Umarex metal 8 shot rotary magazines and shares the same CO2 grip fed magazine as the CPSport. The CP99 is German made so it's not one of the lower cost Umarex pistols out there but you do get what you pay for ;)
For my Canadian Blank Gun collectors, I'm not going to list these ones as Silent Auction items this time around so if you're looking for an EKOL blank gun, I have one of each of the following versions for sale:
Model:ME Ranger (1873 Colt 45 Single Action Army).
Materials: Mostly Metal with wood grips.
Weight: 2.2 pounds.
Barrel: Cylinder venting with fully plugged barrel. (No Red Tip)
Propulsion: Gun powder.
Action: Single action only.
Ammunition Type: .380 Crimped.
Ammunition Capacity: 6 rounds.
FPS: N/A.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Bruni ME Ranger Colt 45 Single Action Army Revolver is very light as it is a single action revolver and most of the effort is done by pre-cocking the hammer. All you are doing is releasing the hammer which with the ME Ranger is nice and light with next to no creep.
Accuracy: NA.
Build Quality: The overall build quality of the Bruni ME Ranger is nice an believable. It has good weight to it and the finish is not perfect but you would not expect and Single Action Army styled revolver to be perfect. All the mechanical parts felt tight and functioned perfectly for me.
Realism: The Bruni ME Ranger Blank Revolver is a pretty decent replica of a real Colt 45 Single Action Army Revolver in terms of size, weight and most general appearances. It does lack the 45 caliber larger more open Cylinder holes as it is chambered in .380 caliber but you can only see this when looking from the forward position of the ME Ranger. My version also had the plugged barrel so all flame and gasses emit from between the cylinder and the back of the barrel, it would be nice to un-plug this barrel so some of the gasses and flame would come out the front of the barrel.
Purchase from: A private collector.
Pros:
Well made, materials fit and finish is all very good.
True to the original 1873 Colt Single Action Army Revolver.
Real wood grips.
Nice light single action trigger.
Made in Italy.
Cons:
Not fornt venting.
9mm P.A.K. blanks do not fit - too long.
Wood grips are a bit bland.
Comments:
As my first replica Old West Single Action Blank Revolver, it is a nice addition to my collection. It would make an awesome prop for any cowboy or cowgirl costume, maybe I can convince my wife to go as a cowgirl this year for halloween ;) Overall I really like the Bruni ME Ranger and I plan to perhaps open the barrel up so that I get a more realistic shooting experience with flames and smoke coming out the front of the barrel. That and perhaps some work on the grips to give them a more rugged and weathered look.
My Vimeo Full Video Review for the Bruni ME Ranger Blank Revolver:
I first want to say this isn't exactly a review, more of an overview. I do show you around this Chinese made Norinco Type 54 Model 213 9mm Tokarev copy but I don't shoot it or even talk too much about shooting it. I have shot my Norinco M213 and it's quit nice, especially when you consider this gun was designed back in 1930. The Original Russian made Tokarev was built to replace the aging Nagant M1895 revolver that the Soviet troops used as their sidearm.
The Tokarev looks a lot like the Browning FN Model 1903 and was more than likely based off of it but it is different internally utilizing a short recoil dropping barrel similar to what is used in a 1911. The original Tokarev was not normally chambered in 9mm but rather the Russian made 7.62mm round. Being that the original 7.62 round is longer than a 9mm Lugar, Norinco had to place a block inside the magwell to accommodate the smaller magazine. I think it's a good tradeoff so I can use my readily available 9mm rounds in it. Each magazine hold 7 rounds as they are single stack design, this does make the profile of the entire gun very slim.
Another feature to note, that is found on the Chinese Norinco Type 54 Tokarev copy is the addition of a safety. The original Tokarev did not have a safety on it. The safety is similar to what you would find on a Makarov.
I have several Norinco guns and from what I have seen, people either love them or hate them and it's usually the people that own them that love them and the people that don't own them that don't like them. This may be based on first impressions as many Norinco guns are not as refined as what you would see in a Smith & Wesson, Sig Sauer and many other higher end firearms. With that said the Norinco firearms kind of remind me of many Russian made guns which are more about how they work and less about how they look. The Norinco metal is tuff as nails and has a very high nickel content in it which is what makes it harder to refine.
Even today the Tokarev is a decent gun and I really love the history behind it, once you get used to it's unusual looks it really does start to grow on you and you can pick one up for pretty cheap these days, I only paid just over $200 for mine and it even came with 4 magazines.
Watch my Vimeo Video Overview of the Norinco Type 54 Model 213 9mm Tokarev:
I haven't had a blank gun Silent Auction for a few months now. Not too many people are willing to give theirs up here in Canada. Today I am featuring two very good condition EKOL blank guns, both front firing and in Satin finish and both full size and full weight 15 round double stack semi auto shooters. The EKOl Dicle is semi auto only while the Jackal Dual has a selector switch for shooting in semi auto or full auto. The EKOL Dicle comes with it's original hard shell case, manual and flare adaptor while the EKOL Jackal Dual does not have a case but does come with a flare adaptor.
Remember the Silent Auctions for blank guns are primarily for my Canadian customers as blank guns are very hard to come by here in Canada. If you are interested in bidding on one or both of these guns, please send me an email with your highest bid to mike@replicaairguns.com. This Silent Auction end date is August 24th at midnight so get your bids in ASAP.
If you are US based you can order a front firing EKOL Blank gun from my US Replica Airguns Store.
You can also check out my full reviews on both these guns:
This is a bit unusual even for us ;) A friend of mine put me on to some really cool headphones (Earbuds) that looked like bullet shell casings and I stumbled on a good deal for some that I wanted to pass on to everyone. I have to say they are the best fitting earbuds I have ever used (Even over some very expensive earbuds I own) and actually stay in my ears and sound really good because they fit deep into the ear for great bass response and noise isolation.
These unique 9mm Bullet Digital In-Ear buds are designed to the same dimensions as a real 9mm bullet shell casing. All metal design means they are not only built tough but also very realistic. They feature excellent sound quality with crisp high-end and deep rich base. Because of their extra length over standard earbuds, they fit much better so they won't fall out as easy and they also create a tight seal which increases the bass while reducing outside noise! You can get yours in either brass or silver finish.
Plane and simple, the coolest headphones you can get!
I have a rare EKOL LADY blank gun for you today listed as a silent auction item, this blank gun is a front venting model so the barrel is semi-plugged but all the flames and smoke vent out the front of the barrel like a traditional gun.
This EKOL LADY 9mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol in Satin is previously owned, it has been fired but is in very good condition. It comes in a hard shell foam lined plastic case.
Please submit your silent auction offers to me by no later than June 27th midnight! (Silent auctions are for our Canadian customers looking to by blank guns in Canada) participants can send me an email with their top bid on the item listed and the highest bid wins this auction). *Local tax plus shipping & handling will be added.
Good luck to all participants!
If you reside in the US, you can also buy the EKOL Firat new from us in our US Replica Airguns Store.
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.
I have another EKOL Firat Magnum blank gun for you today listed as a silent auction item, this one is a top venting model so the barrel is plugged and all the flames and smoke vent out the top of the barrel, not the front. The EKOL Firat has always been a popular seller here in the Replica Airguns Store.
This EKOL Firat Magnum 9mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol in Gloss Black is previously owned but has low usage and is in very good condition. It comes in a hard shell plastic case with the manual, and field stripping key.
Please submit your silent auction offers to me by no later than June 5th midnight! (Silent auctions are for our Canadian customers looking to by blank guns in Canada) participants can send me an email with their top bid on the item listed and the highest bid wins this auction). *Local tax plus shipping & handling will be added.
Good luck to all participants!
If you reside in the US, you can also buy the EKOL Firat new from us in our US Replica Airguns Store.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Umarex SW1911 S is actually fairly heavy which I found a bit surprising because it is a single action only gun. I found myself thinking a few times that the gun may have misfired but realised that I just needed to pull the trigger a bit firmer. This can be good in that the gun will not easily or accidentally go off and since accuracy is not a factor it is not a big deal.
Accuracy: NA.
Build Quality: The overall build quality of the SW1911 S is fantastic. It is one of the nicest blank guns in terms of overall build quality and finish quality. The tolerances are very tight and the quality of the workmanship is top notch. When holding the Umarex SW1911 it has a lot of mass to it and feels just like a real 1911 in the hand. This blank pistol is made in Germany!
Realism:The Umarex SW1911 S is a replica of a Smith and Wesson 1911 semi auto pistol but I could not find an exact match to a specific model they currently make. It is licensed and branded by Smith & Wesson and in terms of looking like a real steel gun it is bang on with the exception of the exhaust notch that is cut into the top of the slide. Interestingly enough I think Umarex may have not even needed to cut out this notch as my slow motion video shows that all the burn off happens before the slide even starts to move.
Very well made, materials fit and finish is all very good.
Two-tone finish looks very nice.
Very true to the original 1911 - (A1 styled).
Love the nice rubber wrap around grips.
I was able to fit 10 rounds in the magazine (2 extra)!
German made quality.
Cons:
Top venting.
Notch cut out of slide takes away from the realism a bit.
Magazine can be a bit tuff to get in (pressing the magazine release helps).
Heavy trigger pull on mine.
Comments:
Even though the Umarex SW1911 S had a few shortcoming like being a top venting gun, having the notch cut out of the slide and perhaps a bit heavy of a trigger, I still really like it! The quality is evident throughout this fine German made blank gun and you can just tell it's made right. This is also my first true replica blank gun as it is fully licensed by Smith & Wesson, something that has been lacking in all my other blank guns because of our Canadian importation laws. I really wish I could get my hands on some more "replica blank guns" as I don't mind giving up the front firing for top venting to obtain a blank gun that is a true replica.
Photo of ZORAKI 917 Removed by Request from Glock "Renzulli Law Firm"
All references, photos and video claiming that any item in this Review/Video looks like a Glock or is a Replica of a Glock in any way shape or form have been removed from this post as requested by Glock"Renzulli Law Firm"
When ever I can get my hands on some blank guns at a realistic price or perhaps a trade that works for both parties, I generally try to make it happen. And if they are guns that I don't have in my collection, well they go directly into my collection so please no offers from fellow Canadians as I tend to hold onto my more rare or hard to acquire Canadian replica guns pretty firmly! .
Both of these 9mm P.A.K. Blank shooting guns are not brand new but they are in very good condition and it's hard to even say it they have been shot or not? My new Zoraki Mod. 917 as you can see, is styled very closely after the NAME REMOVED and so much so that all new version sold in North America must have "This is not a Glock" engraved on the right side frame of the receiver in order to be sold. Mine however was purchased before this requirement :) UPDATE: NO LONGER BEING SOLD IN NORTH AMERICA.
Photo of ZORAKI 917 Removed by Request from Glock "Renzulli Law Firm"
My Umarex SW1911 S is licensed by Smith & Wesson which makes it pretty hard to get in Canada becasue for a very long time we have not been allowed to import any replica guns and since it is licensed it makes it a true replica and would normally be stopped at the boarder. You may own replicas in Canada without a said license but you need to make sure they are stored and handled as defined by the requirements outlined in the Canada Firearms Act.
I have a very popular blank gun for you today and I'm sure it will get a lot of activity as the EKOL Firat has always been a popular seller here in the Replica Airguns Store.
This EKOL Firat Magnum 9mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol in Gloss Black is previously owned but has low usage and is in very good condition. It comes in a hard shell plastic case with the manual, flare adaptor and field stripping key.
Please submit your silent auction offers to me by no later than May 23rd midnight! (Silent auctions are for our Canadian customers looking to by blank guns in Canada) participants can send me an email with their top bid on the item listed and the highest bid wins this auction). *Local tax plus shipping & handling will be added.
Good luck to all participants!
If you reside in the US, you can also buy the EKOL Firat new from us in our US Replica Airguns Store.
