First off let’s get one thing straight! What I’m looking for in a BB gun is more than likely going to be way different than what someone else is looking for in what they think is the “Best BB Gun” available.
Many people will determine the Best BB Gun as the BB gun that has the highest price tag, usually you get better quality the higher the price goes up but not always, there are times when perhaps you are paying for a name brand or cosmetic add ons that don’t always make the gun better or the best.
On the other hand, some people will determine the best BB gun as the one that is the least cost since they may not have a lot of money to spend, and an expensive BB gun is a BB gun that that person would not be able to afford or even own, far from an ideal or the Best BB Gun for them.
Many people only look at the specifications to determine if that particular BB gun is the outright best BB Gun. One specification that people seem to fixate on is how powerful is the BB gun in question? If it has the highest FPS then surely it must be the best BB Gun! That Pop can never saw it coming! What about cost of operation, so things like reliability and how many shots per CO2 you can get out of a BB gun. All important features to consider when picking out the Best BB Gun!
Style is another important part of what makes a BB Gun the Best option for you, are you wanting a classic BB Pistol? Perhaps a Modern BB Gun, Maybe even a BB gun that you can not get in your area because of gun laws? Style is a very individual preference and what looks good to me may look terrible to someone else.
One aspect that is very important to me, is realism, does the BB Gun operate the same and does it have similar metal and plastic parts as the real steel version? Does the BB gun I am considering have blowback operation and a true single or double action trigger like it’s big brother? What about a full size drop out magazine and the ability to field strip the BB Gun?
Some people want their BB gun for simple backyard good old fun shooting and so as long as it shoots pretty straight and works as it’s supposed to, then that is all they care about. Many real steel shooters want a BB Gun to operate exactly like their real steel version, so they can practice with it to get in more trigger time when going to a gun range is not an option.
Of course there are aspects like Reliability, Performance, Fit and Finish, Licensing and Build Quality that all determine what makes the Best BB Gun and again it really depends which of these qualities are most important to you that will determine which BB Gun is the best BB Gun.
So how do you determine which is the Best BB Gun? Make a list of what you are looking for in a BB Gun. Attributes like Cost, Performance, Build Quality, Style, Realism, Availability…
Once you have narrowed down your Best BB Gun list, get as much information on each BB Gun you are considering, to narrow the list down even more. There are tons of Youtube videos you can watch for your Best BB Gun final short list to help you determine your ultimate choice.
So please don’t ask me what the Best BB Gun is? I can not even tell you which one I like the best since my wish list changes from day to day…
Some of you have been waiting on back orders and to also make new orders of ASG products, we just received an ASG order so many ASG items are now back in stock! Any back orders will be taken care of first and then new orders will be processed, as always, stock is limited especially on certain items so act fast!
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Gletcher NGT Silver CO2 BB Revolver is nice and crisp in both single and double action, there is virtually no trigger wiggle and the trigger pull is decent in double action while much longer and of course nice and light in single action as expected. You will want to pre-cock the hammer for accurate single action shooting but have the option of shooting double action for any action shooting you may want to do. Keep in mind you will have to individually reload each round.
Accuracy: I have not done any shooting so far with this Gletcher revolver due to some pretty awful weather conditions. I expect it will shoot nice since it has a fairly long sight radius and the open iron sights are conducive to precise shooting.
Build Quality: The Gletcher NGT Silver CO2 BB Revolver is really well made, you can tell by it's solid weight for a fairly small pistol, all of the mechanical parts feel smooth and responsive. Everything that would be metal on the real M1895 Revolver is metal including the solid one piece cylinder. Yes the grips are imitation wood but this is to be expected. The sliver finish looks great and I like the black contrasting parts that really highlight this gun.
Realism: I've have not had the opportunity to actually put my hands on a real steel Nagant M1895 Revolver but from the photos I have viewed online, the Gletcher NGT Silver is very accurate in terms of being a BB replica. Of course the shells fit steel BB's internally and the barrel has been downscale to shoot 4.5mm Steel BB's but other than that it is very difficult to tell it from a real Nagant M1895 Revolver. Even the barrel opening is recessed and looks true to scale for the original rounds used in this revolver and you can remove the one piece cylinder similar to the real version.
Pros:
Beautiful Silver finish.
Very solid and weighty gun.
Hammer and trigger actions are very crisp, virtually no wiggle.
CO2 is well hidden.
Recessed barrel looks great.
7 round cylinder instead of 6 like the other shell loading.
Cylinder can be removed.
Shoots in both signal and double action.
Grip is nice and small so great for shooters with small.
Shooting performance pros yet to be determined…
Cons:
Non adjustable sights. (Perhaps like original)
No speed loading on this one, one shell at a time, so make your shots count.
Shooting performance cons yet to be determined…
Comments:
The Gletcher NGT Silver CO2 BB Revolver is yet another addition of shell loading revolvers like the Dan Wesson and KWC 357 based revolvers, with the exception that the Gletcher NGT is more of a blast from the past and even though it comes in at a much more compact size, it holds an additional round! Another note worthy point is the fact that Gletcher has somehow figured out a way to reduce the CO2 release valve giving the Gletcher NGT a more true to scale frame size, I am talking about the distance between the hammer and the cylinder. This allows for a more realistic and true to dimension replica which in this classic revolver is super important.
My Vimeo Table Top Video of the Gletcher NGT Silver CO2 BB Revolver:
Here is my official Mobster Halloween Costume Video as promised and it looks like I made it just in time for Halloween!
There have only been a few entries so far so come on everyone, let's get your costume videos uploaded and entered into this years 2014 Halloween Costume Giveaway Contest for a chance to win a KWC / Cybergun Blowback Pistol.
You still have till the 10th of November but time is running out...
This topic of Blowback Airguns Versus Non-blowback Airguns comes up often so I thought I would address it a second time around since I get a lot of new visitors and subscribers daily who may not have watched my first video explanation on this topic. You can also checkout my first video on this subject since there may be some stuff I missed out in this video second video ;)
There are really two types of people asking or commenting on Blowback Airguns Versus Non-blowback Airguns. The first type of person who genuinely wants to know which is best and for what reasons. Then there is the other kind of person who makes a narrow minded statement that one type is clearly better than the other type, based on their own preferences and interests but not considering that there are other people out there with different opinions and preferences than them. You know who you are and we all know you are not going to change cause that would require an open mind...
Here is a list of the Pros and Cons I go over for each style of Airgun:
Pros:
Blowback guns simulate recoil.
Blowback guns can have better and more true triggers compared to their real steel counterparts.
Blowback guns can be better suited for action shooting.
Blowback guns are better as prop guns.
Blowback guns are generally more realistic in terms of mechanics.
Non-blowback guns generally use less CO2 per shot.
Non-blowback guns generally have higher fps.
Non-blowback guns can be more accurate.
Non-blowback guns can be more reliable.
Non-blowback guns can be less expensive.
Cons:
Blowback guns generally get less shots per CO2.
Blowback guns generally have lower fps.
Blowback guns can be less accurate.
Blowback guns can be less reliable.
Blowback guns can be more costly.
Non-blowback guns do not simulate recoil.
Non-blowback guns do not have true single action only triggers.
Non-blowback guns generally have heavier triggers that slow down shooting performance.
Non-blowback guns are generally not as good for prop use and or training.
Non-blowback guns generally are not as realistic compared to their real steel counterparts.
Watch my Vimeo video where I go into detail on Blowback Airguns Versus Non-blowback Airguns again ;)
In this Vimeo video, I go over a common question I get pertaining to the recoil effect of Airguns and Blank Guns. Many people want to know if Airguns and Blank Guns have similar recoil effects to a Real Guns and if so, how much recoil will you feel from an Airgun or Blank Gun?
The short answer is yes, there is some recoil with both Airguns and Blank Guns since whenever there is a force in one direction there will be a somewhat similar force in the opposite direction creating what we feel as recoil. With Airguns since the force from the CO2 or compressed air is rather small in comparison to that of the gun powder blast from a Real Guns or even a Blank Gun, the recoil is very slight. Blank Guns have similar gun powder charges to a Real Gun and so the recoil is more noticeable but unlike a Real Gun, a Blank Gun does not really push against a sizable object like a bullet, a Blank Gun only pushes against the air in front of the barrel which has very limited resistance and so there will be much less felt recoil from a Blank Gun than the recoil from a Real Gun pushing on a heavy grain bullet.
With semi auto Guns like Blowback Pellet and BB Guns and semi auto Blank Guns, there is also the momentum and mass of the slide to consider as it moves backwards and forwards which also gives the effect of recoil and in the case of an Airgun accounts for most of the recoil felt by the shooter.
Watch my Vimeo video on this subject where I go into much more detail and explain the effect of recoil when shooting Airguns and Blank Guns:
I stopped by the ICS Booth, we don't sell too much of their products but have carried a few items from time to time. ICS caries some nice quality Airsoft guns including the M1 Grand with real wood stock, and some AK & AR variants.
One of our suppliers had the new FN Herstal Five-seveN Blowback Airsoft pistol, I believe made by Marushin. Like the real FN Herstal Five-seveN, the pistol is pretty much all polymer including the slide and frame. This pistol also uses CO2 in the full size drop out magazine which should make it fairly powerful.
Looks like there is another Dan Wesson contender available now in the form of a Swiss Arms S&W 357 Magnum 4 inch and 6 inch barreled version, they look really nice and like the Dan Wesson have the realistic reusable brass shells that hold the 4.5mm Steel BB's.
Ever considered owning a mobile Gunsmith vehicle, look no further, I came across this pimped out Firearms Van complete with machine guns mounted in the front :) Inside was a complete firearms workshop.
Last but not least, we had some fun while in Vegas. I go down for the SHOT Show for business but I also bring my wife and we make time for some non business related activities. I generally stay at the WorldMark resort each time and this year the weather was pretty nice so we where able to get some sun by the pool a couple of days and I even got a tan line! Of course the food and entertainment is always awesome in Vegas.
We carry a lot of the G&G line and perhaps have as much in stock as you would find at the G& G booth ;) I did see a few items we do not have in stock so I will have to see what I can do about that. Some products that I hope to see added to our Canada Replica Airguns Store would for sure be the M1 Grand and our Canadian Military Colt C7A1/2.
I also visited my friends at the ASG booth but for some reason I did not get a photo of their booth? I do have some video walk through stuff I will show you in my YouTube Video coverage of this years Vegas SHOT Show. Most importantly I have lots of gun photos so let's take a look at them...
One of my favorite ASG pistols is the Bersa BP9CC, I have already reviewed it and I just really like how this gun looks and holds, ASG took it one step further this year by adding a two-tone silver version and I have to say it looks awesome in person, my photos do not do it justice at all :(
A new handgun to the ASG blowback pistol series is the CZ P-09 Duty Pellet pistol. Basically it shares similar mechanics to the Umarex PX4 and Gamo PT-85 using the double sided rotary pellet magazine with 8 shots located on each end of the stick magazine. The ASG CZ P-09 Duty features a metal slide, working hammer and safety.
Another pellets pistol that should be very familiar to most of you is the new .177 caliber pellet shooting Dan Wesson in 6 inch silver and 8 inch black versions. ASG added a rifled barrel and redesigned solid brass shells that hold pellets instead of 4.5mm Steel BB's. Expect to take a little bit longer to reload the pellets as unscrewing the tip of each shell is required to place a .177 caliber pellet in each bullet tip.
Of course ASG has tons of licensed pistols to choose from, many on both 4.5mm Steel BB and 6mm Plastic Airsoft!
One new rifle that stood out to me was the ASG CZ Scorpion EVO 3 A1 AEG Airsoft Rifle, the Scorpion features an intelligent AEG system that detects when there may be a potential feeding problem and also when the magazine is out of ammo.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the King Arms Thompson Machine Guns is fairly short and light as it is essentially just an on-off switch for the internal electronic components. You can shoot this gun very quickly in semi auto mode, and of course even quicker when full auto is selected. As with all AEG systems their is a slight delay between when you pull the trigger and the shot is taken as the internal spring needs to compress first before releasing.
Accuracy: In many cases Airsoft guns can be just as accurate as 4.5mm BB guns, well at least at fairly close ranges, I was able to get most of my .25 gram BB 10 round target test shots within 1 inch from 30 feet away using a semi-rested position. There where a couple BB's that lengthened the group out to about 2 inches but still a very good result when you consider these are plastic BB's being used. In Terms of FPS, I did stick with the slightly heavier 2.5 gram Airsoft BB's and still got a decent 360 average 5 shot Chronograph test result making this AEG Airsoft rifle perfect for just about any Airsoft game type.
Build Quality: The King Arms 23 Karat Gold and Chrome Platted AEG Thompson Machine Guns are very well made using Aluminum Zinc Alloy bodies and real Wood Stocks, the fit and finish is very good and pretty much everything on these rifles are either metal or wood. You will have to polish these guns with a cloth from time to time since the mirror finish shows every smudge and finger print.
Realism: I'm not sure how many real 23 Karat Gold and Chrome Platted Thompson Machine Guns there are out there but there has to be at least a few ;) But going on how these guns look and feel, they are solid and very realistic. Some people have mentioned that the bolt should be on the top for some versions of the Thompson's but there are some Thompson's with the bolt on the side so I suppose we will let that one slide. The Wood stocks are a real plus adding to the overall weight and authenticity. Most parts works as they would on the real steel Thompson M1A1 Military or M1928 Chicago (Gold or Chrome) AEG Airsoft Machine Guns.
Nice high capacity metal magazines, can be mixed and matched.
Adjustable rear sight for windage with two sight positions (Notch & Peep).
Semi and full auto selectable with really nice rate of fire.
FPS is bang on for indoor or outdoor Airsoft games.
Fully Thompson licensed.
Comes with Certificate of Authenticity.
Cons:
Does not come with a battery or charger.
Prone to finger prints and smudges.
Need to use a screw driver to get at the battery.
Comments:
I am a big fan of the King Arms Thompson line, even the all black version with the plastic stocks looks and functions great. Internally the lower cost black version is the same and having previously shot my black Thompson, I knew these blinged out 23 Karat Gold and Chrome Platted versions where also going to perform as good as they looked! I'm not so sure about buying a Gold or Chrome Thompson for everyday use, since they will get knocked around and scratched up but if you are looking for the best of the best with real wood stocks and all metal parts then make sure to consider one of the Thompson
My Vimeo Video Review for the King Arms Thompson Gold & Silver AEG Airsoft Machine Guns:
We just received an order of KWC products so if you've been waiting for some out of stock items then go take a look! By the way, the KWC Beretta / Taurus full metal blowback BB and Airsoft versions now come semi and full auto enabled!
I am jumping the gun so to speak with this field test review and showing you my field test video review for the King Arms Thompson Gold M1A1 Military AEG Airsoft Machine Gun before I've even done the table top review... Guess I just wanted to shoot this one :)
I decided to perform my field test shooting review using just the Thompson M1A1 version since the 1928 style has the same internal mechanics, there really was no point in testing them both. Other than a few cosmetic changes like a stick magazine versus the drum magazine and the forward stock pistol grip on the 1928 version, these guns are pretty much the same. I also opted for the most flashy 23 karat Gold version, well... because "Gold is Best!"
So let's get to the results! As with most of the guns I field test, I shot 5 rounds through my chronograph, this time I decided to use .25 gram Airsoft BB's for both my chronograph and target portions of this shooting review since fishing the ammo out of the stick mag was a bit of a pain ;) I was able to get a respectable 360 fps average 5 shot Chrono test which makes this AEG Airsoft rifle bang on for just about any Airsoft battle situation. I would expect to get right around 380-400 fps if I was using the lighter .20 gram BB's.
Once I stepped back to the 30 foot semi rested target position, I shot 10 rounds first in semi auto which got me a pretty nice tight 1 inch group (if you throw out the couple of fliers). In Full Auto the shot placement also stayed nice and tight spreading out to about 2 inches or so. This Classic Thompson AEG Airsoft Machine Gun definitely hits what every you are shooting at and has a nice rate of fire that's not too wasteful of BB's but still offers plenty of cover when required.
At the end of this field test shooting review for the King Arms Thompson Gold M1A1 Military AEG Airsoft Machine Gun, I shoot some water filled cans while capturing the experience in slow motion using my new iPhone 5's 720p 120 frames per second 4 times slow-motion feature.
In this Field Test Shooting Reviews I test out the ASG Ruger MK 1 Gas Airsoft Pistol and put five rounds through my Chronograph to find out what the average fps is using .20 gram BB's and propane gas. ASG claims a pretty conservative 328 fps, I was expecting much higher and got much higher even on this rather mild fall BC day.
I shoot the ASG Ruger MK 1 Gas 6mm Airsoft Pistol from the 20 foot range since I hadn't done a pre-test of any sort. While shooting from a semi rested position at 20 feet back, I was able to get a 2.5 inch 10 shot group that kind of separated its self into two sub groups, one nicely centered right in the bulls eye and then another group of four that drifted a bit high and to the right a bit. The trigger pull on the ASG Ruger MK 1 Gas 6mm Airsoft Pistol is double action only and kind of on the long side but it is very smooth and has a nice satisfying metallic click to it, I found it pretty easy to shoot.
If you are a Ruger 22LR shooter than you may just want to get your hands on one of these and have the freedom of being able to shoot it just about anywhere!
My Vimeo Field Test Video Review for the ASG Ruger MK 1 Gas 6mm Airsoft Pistol:
We have some new arrivals in our Canada Replica Airguns Store that some of you who like the more flashy guns may appreciate! What makes a classic Thompson machine gun even better? First of all make sure it's got an all metal body, then add real wood furnishings and of course cover it in 23 karat gold platting or if you prefer a slightly toned down version, then go with the Chrome plating.
Thompson M1928 Chicago Grand Special - Gold/Chrome
Thompson M1A1 Military Grand Special - Gold/Chrome
6mm Plastic Airsoft BB's
420 round stick or drum magazines
AEG 8.4v (Large Type)
6.6 pounds (3000 grams)
400+ fps
Aluminum Zinc Alloy body
Real Wood
Gold version is 23K Gold Plated
Checkout my update video for the Thompson Special Gold & Chrome AEG Airsoft Rifle:
Ammunition Capacity: 17 round full size drop out metal magazine.
FPS: 328+ (Have heard it is much more).
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the ASG MK 1 is double action only which will make it a bit on the heavy and longer side, it is smooth however and does have a nice satisfying click that sounds like a firing pin being dropped. The unfortunate part is that the real steel version is a single action only trigger and one that is super short and light so the contract between the Airsoft and 22LR version may make this gun not practical is an optional training tool.
Accuracy: This part of the review is yet to be determined as I have not done my Field Test or Shooting tests for this pistol (Click here for the Field Test Shooting Video). I will put a link in here when I have done my official Field Shooting Test. For now all I can go on is some feedback from others that have claimed very high fps and excellent accuracy, I am looking forward to finding out for myself!
Build Quality: ASG as usually only distributes quality guns, the fit and finish is very good and there is use of metal where it needs to be like with the internal mechanical parts, the trigger, the safety, the rear fully adjustable sight and the full size drop out metal magazine that holds the gas and the Airsoft BB's.
Realism: The ASG MK 1 is based on a combination of the Ruger MK I-III, it looks mostly like the Mark III since the arrel is fairly stout but it does not have the typical taper near the charging handle area. Still it resembles a Ruger 22LR pistol very much. There is no blowback or charging handle operation so that means that only a double action trigger is possible, this is a bit unfortunate sine the real Ruger Mark III has an absolutely smooth and light single action trigger.
If you own a real Ruger 22LR it will be nice to have for some backyard or basement shooting.
Fully adjustable rear sight.
Full size all metal drop out magazine.
Metal trigger, metal safety and metal rear sight.
Very satisfying trigger sound, sounds like a real firing pin :)
Have heard it is really powerful and accurate - Yet to be determined…
Cons:
Fair amount of plastic but has an OK weigh to it.
No blowback (Would have allowed for a true single action trigger)
Safely is kind of heavy to operate but may break in over time.
Comments:
I think it may come down to how this ASG Ruger MK 1 Airsoft Pistol performs before I can give it my total thumbs up, I really wish it had a single action trigger but for a double action trigger it feels pretty good and I love the sounds of the internal hammer dropping. The fully adjustable sights mean that if this gun performs well in terms of accuracy then being able to dial it in to the bulls-eye will make it that much more enjoyable to shoot. Overall I like this pistol, the ergonomics are exactly like the real Ruger Mark III and even though much of the external build is plastic, it still has a good weight to it due to the all metal magazine and other internal metal parts.
My Vimeo Table Top Video Review for this ASG MK 1 Airsoft Pistol:
We have added some items to the Canada and US Replica Airguns Stores, most are completely new items and one is a Canada only item we added to the US store!
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 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 this part of the review I test the HK G36 KV AEG Rifle using my Chronograph to see what the 5 shot feet per second average is using fully charged batteries. I got pretty much right bang on to the factory claimed 450 fps using .20 gram 6mm plastic Airsoft BB's and consistency was within a few fps for each shot.
I also take the Umarex HK G36 KV AEG Blowback (EBB) Airsoft Rifle back 30 feet and shoot it at a target using a semi rested position (sand bag up front, standing in the back) and shoot in both semi auto and full auto, there really was no real difference in accuracy using both selections, I think the built in magnified scope helped out here to get a very tight 1.5 inch group shooting in semi and full auto.
So far out of all my AEG rifles I would have to say the Umarex HK G36 KV (EBB) performed the best getting very consistent and high fps and tight groupings in both semi and full auto even using light weight .20 gram BB's.
Watch my Field Test Shooting Vimeo Video Review for the Umarex HK G36 KV AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle:
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Umarex HK G36 KVis fairly short and light as it is essentially just an electrical on off switch for the internal electronic components. You can shoot the G36 very quickly in semi auto mode, and in full auto it cycles very quickly giving a high rate of fire.
Accuracy: In my brief pre-testing without any sighting in, the Umarex Heckler & Koch G36 KV shot just a bit off center to the right from a 30 foot semi rested position and produced a nice 2 inch grouping. In full auto the grouping opened up a bit but still punched a nice 1.5 inch hole in the target with most of the BB hitting there.
Build Quality: The Umarex HK G36 KV is very well made, yes it has lots of polymer but so does the real version and the plastic seems very durable, the fit and finish looked great and there is a lot of metal in and around the G36 where it would be on the real steel gun and where it is really required to be. Like the trigger, top rail, pins, selector switch, barrel, gearbox and gears.
Realism: Similar to my WE G39C reviewed earlier, I bet if you had a real Heckler & Koch G36 sitting beside the Umarex HK G36 KV, you would be hard pressed to tell them apart? The Umarex is also fully HK licensed and trademark throughout even including the 5.56mm NATO markings.
Excellent attention to detail with lots of working parts.
All metal internals and metal external mechanical parts.
Semi auto & full auto selectable.
Full HK licensing and markings.
Accurate 2 inch 10 shot group from 30 feet out.
Nice high 450+ FPS.
Full ambidextrous, even the charging handle can be switched side to side.
High capacity magazine (400 rounds)
Built in 3x optical sight with ability to add a Red Dot for close quarter shooting.
4 position adjustable folding stock.
Easy access to hop up system.
Cons:
Does not come with a battery or charger.
Came with the orange tip, you may want to replace it or paint it black?
May be too powerful for close quarter skirmishes without some detuning.
Comments:
This is my first Umarex Airsoft rifle product review and I have to say it really seems good so far, I have not had a lot of hands on time shooting the Umarex HK G36 KV but right out of the box I was getting very good results, nice high 450+ fps and good groupings even out at further range. The fit and finish are all very good and the realism is as good, if not better than other Airsoft AEG I have reviewed. I like the built in 3x Optical Scope and the addition of an upper rail to accommodate a Red Dot, this gives you the ability to acquire quick close up shot placements using a Red Dot while also being able to focus in on further out targets using the magnified optical scope. I look forward to my official Field Test shooting review.
