It's been a while since I pulled out the old Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun. And I know I have already done some Vimeo videos for the Red Ryder and the Crosman Marlin Cowboy but I really wanted to make an updated Field Test Video specifically for the Red Ryder and see how it fairs in a more controlled shooting test.
As always with my Field Test Shooting videos I test out the velocity using my Chrony Chronograph and see what the real world fps is compared to what Daisy Claims which by the way is up to 350 fps. I also setup a paper target about 30 feet back and take 10 shots using a rested and seated shooting position to determine what kind of grouping I can get and how well centered the airgun is out of the box.
During my velocity testing the Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun shot well under the claimed 350 fps by around 100 fps. I can say that the Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun was super consistent and shot between 242 fps as a low and 244 fps as a high averaging 243 fps. The Daisy Red Ryder is sure one of the most consistent airguns I have tested to date in terms of velocity constancy! This will help a lot with vertical accuracy.
During my accuracy test I would have to say the Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun shot pretty close to a 2 inch grouping and was pretty well centered with 4 shots hitting the black bullseye , I did pull my last shot a bit which extended the group a little but this was for sure my fault as I new I pulled it as soon as I shot it, the stock actually dropped on my shoulder a little just as I pulled the trigger.
Overall I really enjoy shooting the Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun, it's so simple yet so fun to shoot, there is just something about a lever action rifle that I really like and the super low cost to purchase and shoot a Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun also makes it a must have for anyone no matter how many airguns you own or what type you shoot.
I was a bit surprised by the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol, it actually shot a lot better than I was expecting it to perform. I did have to aim rather low since the Umarex DX-17 BB Pistol likes to shoot on the high side but if you are shooting at closer in ranges then you won't have to adjust your aim point so high.
Getting into my performance testing for the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol, I placed 5 shots through my Chrony Chronograph and averaged 210 fps which again was very close to the Umarex claimed 200 fps, even a little bit higher! he DX-17 is a single shot repeater but because of the BB reservoir you can quickly reload follow up shots by simply point the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol a little upward while pulling the slide back and pushing it forward to active the spring piston and load a BB at the same time.
As I mentioned the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol shot on the high side, at 30 feet it's a good 8-9 inches high but I have a feeling that this is about as high as the BB's will rise since they are not going that fast and gravity will start bringing them back down. At about 10-15 feet out from a target the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol seemed to shoot about 3-4 inches high so not nearly as bad and this can be adjusted pretty easy by simply aiming a bit under the target you are shooting at. In terms of a 10 shot grouping theUmarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol got about a 4 inch grouping which I have to say kind of surprised me as I was expecting a much larger spread.
So for about $20 you kind of get what you pay for but I really think with the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol you perhaps get a little more! It has a really good trigger, seemed to be built pretty tuff, shot exactly right on the claimed fps mark and was even able to keep a reasonable grouping. And to keep costs down even more you never need to buy CO2 so that's another bonus.
Power Sources Covered in this review: CO2 - Green Gas / Propane - Spring - AEG / AEP (Automatic Electric Gun - Airsoft Electric Pistol)
Pro’s:
CO2 Airsoft Guns allow for fast repeat shooting, great for action shooters, generally CO2 Airsoft Guns will have a little more power then Green Gas Airsoft Guns. There is no need to pump or cock your CO2 powered Airsoft gun in-between shots and a CO2 power source can allow for a very realistic action of the gun you are shooting.
Green Gas (Propane) Airsoft Guns operate much the same as CO2 Airsoft guns so they all make for great action shooters and the Green Gas powers the mechanical operation allowing for very realistic operation. Green Gas (Propane) Airsoft Guns can cost a little bit less to operate that a CO2 Airsoft Gun especially if you plan to use Propane as it can be cheaper to buy than the smaller 12 gram CO2 Cartridges.
Spring Airsoft Guns are generally fairly basic and low cost so they are the usually the most affordable Airsoft guns to buy. There is no need to buy CO2 or Green Gas or even a Battery and Charger Setup so the cost to shoot Spring Airsoft Guns is only going to be subject to the Airsoft BB’s you plan on buying.
AEG (Automatic Electric Guns) have the most consistent power as they use a spring internally that the electric motor draws back before each shot, the internal spring will essentially apply the same force to the Airsoft BB’s with each shot. AEG (Automatic Electric Guns) are a great option when you are wanting a Full Auto Airsoft gun since there is no cool down effect and as long as your batteries are charged and you have Airsoft BB’s in your magazine, the gun will simply keep shooting. AEG (Automatic Electric Guns) allow for the highest capacity magazines and often hold as many as 500 Airsoft BB’s in a single magazine. So if you’re looking for raw firepower an AEG or AEP Airsoft Gun is your best option. Once you have purchased your AEG (Automatic Electric Gun) and a battery and charger setup, they are fairly inexpensive to operate since no CO2 or Green Gas is required.
Con’s:
CO2 Airsoft Guns require the additional cost to buy the CO2 cartridges as they will not function without it. CO2 Airsoft Guns have a limited power output and lose power as you shoot and use up the CO2. CO2 Airsoft Guns are effected by hot and cold temperatures and will have less power in colder temperatures and may not even work in super cold environments. CO2 Airsoft Guns will have a more conservative ammunition capacity since too high of a capacity magazine would freeze up the magazine and even the gun.
Again since Green Gas (Propane) Airsoft Guns work much like CO2 Airsoft Guns, they are effected by cool down and lose power when shoot quickly or as the Green Gas or Propane runs low. Green Gas does not expand as much as CO2 so it will not be as powerful and even less effective in colder temperatures. Green Gas Airsoft Guns will have a more conservative ammunition capacity since too high of a capacity magazine would freeze up.
Spring Airsoft Guns are not the best action shooters since you need to manually operate the slide to pullback the spring prior to each shot, this does work well with Pump, Lever and Bolt Action Airsoft guns but is not the best option for pistols since most real steel pistols operate in semi auto mode.
If you plan to use your AEG (Automatic Electric Gun) in a battle then it will require a multi battery setup which does cost a bit more upfront. AEG (Automatic Electric Guns) are know to not operate as realistically as a CO2 or Green Gas Airsoft gun since CO2 and Green Gas Guns do allow for the same realistic mechanical operation which can give very believable blowback operation, this is hard to replica with an AEG Airsoft Gun.
Power Sources Covered in this review: CO2 - Spring Piston - Variable Pump -HPA (High Pressure Air)
Pro’s:
CO2 Airguns allow for fast repeat shooting, great for action shooters, generally CO2 Airguns will supply a medium power range. No need to pump or cock your CO2 powered weapon in-between shots and a CO2 power source can allow for a very realistic action of the gun you are shooting.
Spring Piston Airguns are best suited of single shot situations, they can provide low to high power output depending on the spring used. Spring Piston Airguns are very low cost to operate since you only need to buy the Pellets or BB’s. Spring Piston Airguns are not greatly effected by outside temperatures.
Variable Pump Airguns allow you to decide how much power your gun will have and can offer very high power output depending on the Airgun. Variable Pump Airguns are very low cost to operate since you only need to buy the Pellets or BB’s. Variable Pump Airguns are not greatly effected by outside temperatures. Variable Pump Airguns generally have very low recoil and vibration.
HPA (High Pressure Air) Airguns generally do not require pumping or cocking in-between shots and some even come in semi automatic or bolt action. HPA Airguns can have very high power output and even be used on larger game using large caliber ammunition. HPA Air Rifles have lower recoil and low vibration. HPA Airguns can be charged ahead off time so they are ready for use when you need them.
Con’s:
CO2 Airguns require the additional cost to buy the CO2 as they do not function without it. CO2 Airguns have a limited power output and lose power as you shoot and use up the CO2. CO2 Airguns are effected by hot and cold temperatures and will have less power in colder temperatures and may not even work in super cold environments.
Spring Piston Airguns require cocking before each shot. Spring Piston Airguns can have a lot of recoil and vibration, so much so that special optics must be considered when buying an optical sight. The action of the spring recoil can effect accuracy, especially if you are not use to the vibration and recoil or have spent some time practicing using a Spring Piston Airgun.
Variable Pump Airguns will require multiple pumps to achieved maximum power output which can take some time in-between shots. So you are going to have to work for each shot.
HPA (High Pressure Air) Airguns require the use of a manual pump to fill their built in air tank to maximum pressure and it does take a lot of time to manual fill an HPA tank. Alternatively you can have the air tank filled at a shop or buy a pressurization system similar to a scuba tank out paintball setup, the cost of this setup can be very high but will save you the castle of manually pumping air in to your HPA Airgun. HPA Airguns are generally a little more bulky then other Airgun systems since they have to accommodate fairly large air pressure tanks.
To make this as comparable a test as possible I used two KWC/Gletcher Makarov Full Blowback Pistols each with their own separate magazine, again one with a 12 gram CO2 and one using the ANT system.
HPA or High Presure Air is not effected by cold weather which makes this setup ideal for shooting in cold situations since fps is not effected at all. As CO2 requires heat to expand, the colder the outside temperature the less amount of expansion you get from the CO2 whihc results in less power, this is really noticeable on your follow-up magazines as the CO2, magazine and even the gun will have started to cool down from the CO2 exposure.
The ANT Advanced Novelty Tech FIRE CO2 HPA Conversion Kit even when using large 20 ounce CO2 tanks will help with the cool down effect since the large CO2 tanks will take much longer to cool down and even freeze up as compared to the smaller 12 gram CO2 which can get frosty even after the first magazine.
I did notice in this Field Test Shooting Review that the CO2 did pretty good as it was my first magazine and the temperature was not all that cold out. I can say the HPA System was shooting much harder, after making this video I popped off another couple magazine with each gun shooting out to at least 100 feet and the ANT FIRE HPA setup was really throwing the 4.5mm Steel BB's out there quickly. As expected the 12 gram CO2 mags really started to trail off especially on the third magazine of shots.
All in all, the ANT Advanced Novelty Tech FIRE CO2 HPA Conversion Kit will not only bring your cost per shot down significantly but it allows you to keep shooting with no down time waiting for your gun to warm back up and the ability to use HPA (High Pressure Air) means you will get even more fps performance out of your air guns but also much more consistent shot performance all day long!
Well ANT (Advanced Novelty Tech) made an update model that supports a bunch more guns, that's a good thing of course. This new model is called the "FIRE" and it supports the following guns. I did find however that ANT list that the Gletcher NGT and Webley Mark VI Revolvers where supported by the FIRE but my findings indicated the CO2 screw on both these guns had a smaller diameter so they where not compatible. Other than that small discrepancy most of the other guns on their list should work just fine.
What exactly is the ANT Advanced Novelty Tech FIRE CO2 HPA Conversion Kit?
The Advanced Novelty Tech FIRE CO2/HPA Conversion Kit is a remote line adapter for Airsoft, BB, and pellet guns. Compatible with over 60 guns, it is easy to install and converts a compatible gun for use with a Paintball remote line and CO2 or HPA tank. Eliminating the need for disposable CO2 cartridges, while still being interchangeable with disposable CO2 cartridges, it delivers a longer, more powerful, and more consistent shooting experience between refills.
So what is the ANT Advanced Novelty Tech FIRE CO2 HPA Conversion Kit going to do for you?
Eliminate the need for the more expensive disposable 12 gram CO2 cartridges.
Use interchangeably with disposable 12 gram CO2 cartridges.
Use in conjunction with a Paintball remote line with standard quick disconnect fittings and a CO2 or HPA tank. (recommended use up to 1000 psi)
Shoot thousands of rounds before needing to refill your CO2.
Fits compatible Airsoft, BB, and pellet gun CO2 pistols.
Easy drop-in installation.
Overall cost savings.
More consistent FPS especially when shooting fast or in full auto.
In short the MatisX is a Firearms Training System uses motion sensing technology to monitor how you hold your pistol before, during and after you shoot it, the Mantis MantisX Firearms Training System can determine areas that you may need to work on, like your Grip, Trigger Pull, Hesitation, Anticipation and many other common shooting mistakes.
In this Field Test Review for the Mantis MantisX Firearms Training System I setup my MantisX and take it through my first trial shots with it, you will see I am learning how to use it as I go but by the time I finished shooting the video I had a pretty good idea on how it all worked.
Two main areas the Mantis MantisX Firearms Training System directed me to correct where my pistol grip as I was potentially tightening up as I pulled the trigger and also my trigger pull was a bit uneaven, On my second round of shooting I made some corrections in this area and it did give me a much tighter shot grouping so the Mantis MantisX Firearms Training System at least for me did improve my shooting to some degree.
I plan to use the MantisX some mroe and find out other posible areas I can improve upon but overal I feel the Mantis MantisX Firearms Training System will help improve most people shooting skills or at least hlep them to figure out where they are going wrong.
**Make sure to use Coupon Code "ReplicaAirguns" to get free shipping! http://mantisx.com**
First off I want to thank Mantis for sending me this MantisX for review!
By the way, use Coupon Code "ReplicaAirguns" to get free shipping!
This time is not currently in the Replica Airguns Store for sale but it looked really cool so I could not pass up this opportunity to try it out and perhaps we even cary it down the road.
What is the Mantis MantisX Firearms Training System?
MantisX is a revolutionary patent-pending handgun attachment that helps firearms enthusiasts and professionals train more efficiently. While attached to a handgun, it analyzes every shot and generates actionable data you can use to improve your shooting mechanics.
You get a very high quality Pelican Water proof case to store your Mantis MantisX.
You get the instructions.
How does the Mantis MantisX Training System Work?
First you Connect MantisX to any Picatinny-enabled handgun, just like you would any other firearm attachment.
Then install the MantisX smartphone application, turn on MantisX, and pair the device with a phone via Bluetooth. Available for both Android and iOS.
All that’s left is to collect the data and evaluate shooting performance, identify areas of improvement, and track progress over time.
What Exactly does the Mantis MantisX Training System Do?
Analyzation:MantisX detects each shot you make, analyzes the movement of the firearm during the trigger pull, and assigns a score to each shot that signifies deviation from the aiming position.
Coaching: Based on the movement patterns of the firearm, MantisX identifies areas of improvement and provides coaching that will improve your mechanics, your score, and your precision.
Tracking: MantisX keeps track of all your shooting sessions and generates useful reports that will help you identify your shooting trends, gauge your progress, and set adequate improvement goals.
Who is the Mantis MantisX Training System Made For?
Individuals: With MantisX, practice anytime and anywhere. Analyze each shot you make, keep tabs on your performance overtime, and hone your shooting mechanics by following our data-driven suggestions. Can be used with virtually any gun that has a rail system, even airguns like Airsoft and BB pistols
Instructors: As an instructor, manage your students more efficiently with MantisX, spending more time on actually coaching rather than watching people shoot. MantisX also provides hard data for students to see.
Agencies: Agencies help their cadets and employees gain and maintain excellent marksmanship skills necessary for military and law enforcement service. MantisX also assists in training for qualification exams.
Next I am going to play around with the Mantis MantisX Training System and see who it works, I am not sure if I will have the chance to use it with my “real guns” but I kind of wanted to focus more on who it works with Airguns related products anyways.
Use Coupon Code "ReplicaAirguns" to get free shipping!
As most my Vimeo Subscribers and Viewers will already know, I have been struggling with my Chrony Shooting Chronograph for a while now. I know some of it is to do with the bad lighting under my deck but over time my Chrony F-1 Shooting Chronograph has become less and less reliable to the point now that I simply don't get any usable feedback from it. If I'm lucky on a good day I might get one FPS reading out of ten shots which is nothing I can use.
So recently I went out and purchased a new Chrony Shooting Chronograph, I actually upgraded a little bit and got the higher end Chrony Beta Shooting Chronograph version which has more options than my older F-1 Chrony like:
Selector switch to change from FPS (feet per second) to MPS (meter per second).
Delivers Measurements and Statistics such as - High, Low and Average Velocities, Extreme Spread and Standard Deviation.
Retrieve individual Shot Velocities and Statistics.
Has temporary working memory.
Has 60 shot permanent memory (divided into 6 numbered strings of up to 10 shots each, with one set of Statistics for each string).
Delete individual shots (with automatic adjustment of Statistics).
Delete the content of a whole string or all data from memory.
Can be switched off, taken home & switched on again for reviewing and information retrieval.
Memory will stay even without battery.
Moves instantly from string to string, interrupts shooting on any string without memory loss, returns to any string to continue where you left off.
Change string size.
Stereo Jack for optional Printer or Remote Control.
Forget Button - To clear individual strings instantly.
In this review video I mainly show you around my new Chrony Beta Shooting Chronograph and don't really talk too much about features since it is all new to me and I have not played around with my new Beta Chrony much so far.
A little while back, a company by the name of Plan Beta reached out to me about their new Tacticam I.C.U 2.0 HD 720p Tactical Camera. I have been suing my Pivot Head Camera Glasses for a while not and they are really good quality but the idea of being able to use a discreat and compact gun mountable camera for my review videos seemed appealing to me. Having another camera angle while shooting field test videos never hurts after all!
The Tacticam I.C.U 2.0 HD 720p Tactical Camera looks for the most part like a picatinny mountable laser and but instead of housing a laser inside of it, it has a 720p camera internally. Because of this you could be playing an Airsoft game and nobody would even know you are recording anything.
Here are some of the basic features and specifications for the Plan Beta Tacticam I.C.U. 2.0 HD 720p Camcorder:
Record 720p at 30 frames per second.
Also takes 5 Mpixel still photos with Photo Burst mode.
Has auto image rotation for top or bottom picatinny mounting.
Has a built in power on, start and stop cable wiht switch for easy handle mounting.
Uses red and green indicator LED's for camera status.
Uses 8GB to 32GB Micro SD Cards.
Lens cover comes off to allow for lens filters to be inserted.
There is a Plan Beta Tacticam I.C.U. 1.0 Camcorder which is not HD and to be honest the quality for the I.C.U. version 1 is very poor especially the frame rate. I did get a chance to test the Plan Beta Tacticam I.C.U. 1.0 Camcorder out also but I would not recommend it especially since the Plan Beta Tacticam I.C.U. 2.0 720p Camcorder is so much better and not a lot more expensive at the end of the day.
In terms of usability, the Plan Beta Tacticam I.C.U. 2.0 720p Camcorder does a pretty good job, you will get best results in decent lighting but this is true with most action cameras. The 720p 30/fps quality is obviously not as good as my high end 1080p 60/fps professional cameras but for the price, size and ability to be able to easily and discreetly mount a camera on any gun that has a Picatinny rail, why not.
Materials: Mostly plastic with some metal construction.
Weight: 1.3 pounds (586 grams).
Barrel: 5.5 inches, non-rifled.
Propulsion: 12 gram CO2.
Action: Revolver, single & double actions.
Ammunition Type: 4.5mm steel BB's.
Ammunition Capacity: 10 rounds.
FPS: 375.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Umarex Brodax CO2 BB Revolver is actually rather nice. If you decide to cock the hammer back and shoot it single action style then you get a little bit of that SAA Revolver like ratcheting sound. The trigger pull in single action mode is short with virtually no take-up and on the light side. Double action shooting with the Umarex Brodax CO2 BB Revolver is not overly long or heavy either so action shooting is totally possible with this BB shooting CO2 revolver.
Accuracy: I can not comment so far on the shooting performance for the Umarex Brodax CO2 BB Revolversince I have not shot it yet. The weather is getting nicer outside so that should happen pretty soon. The claimed FPS for the Umarex Brodax CO2 BB Revolver is stated at only 375 which I find seems a bit low for a none blowback fairly straight forward BB pistol with an almost 6 inch barrel so hopefully my testing shows performance up into the 400's which I am hoping for. The open sights are non adjustable but there are tons more options by taking advantage of the two rails top and bottom for adding either a red dot or laser to increased target shooting ability.
Build Quality: The Umarex Brodax CO2 BB Revolver is pretty much an all metal pistol with the outer shell being made up of plastic, there is a fair bit of internal metal going on along with the trigger, hammer and of course the inner barrel made out of metal parts. Mechanically the Umarex Brodax CO2 BB Revolver feels solid and even though it only weight in at 1.3 pounds it feels much heavier in the hand.
Realism: The Umarex Brodax CO2 BB Revolver as far as I know is not an exact replica of any real steal gun currently in production. It's basically a spin off of an ultra tactical .44 magnum revolver with a super beefed up front barrel assembly sporting all kinds of accessory option to be placed on the top and bottom rails. I like that Umarex made sure to recess the barrel opening so it has a more realistic barrel size. Like many new CO2 airguns coming out these days the CO2 is not only well hidden inside the grips but a handy Allen key is built into the handle.
Not the heaviest revolver on the market but it feels really nice in the hand and has good balance, the weight is not bad at all and feels heavier than 1.3 pounds.
Trigger action is really good in both single and double action, short light single action trigger and totally usable double action trigger.
CO2 is well hidden with built in Alan key in the handle.
Rails top and bottom for all kinds of accessory add on options.
Barrel is recessed for that larger caliber look.
Nice and discreet safety.
Comes with three 10 shot easy to load rotary magazines.
Low cost with high fun factor.
Cons:
Grips are a bit hard to remove to get at the CO2, may work-in over time?
All black sights are not great on dark backgrounds and are non adjustable.
Would have liked to see fps into the 400 range.
Comments:
The Umarex Brodax CO2 BB Revolver when I first picked it up did not appeal to me all that much, maybe knowing it was for the most part yet another mostly plastic BB revolver with those thin pop in disc magazines didn't help me take notice much. But as I have been playing around with the Umarex Brodax CO2 BB Revolver it has grown on me a lot. I think it has a really cool look that is also very usable in terms of putting juts about any accessory you want on this CO2 revolver. The hammer and trigger action are also both excellent for not juts an inexpensive Airgun but even a higher end airgun. And right out of the box, or should I say clam-shell plastic wrap, you get three rotary disc magazines which is a nice bonus.
My Vimeo Table Top Review for the Umarex Brodax CO2 BB Revolver:
I try and make it to my local gun show which is held in Chilliwack BC about this time each year. It is put on by the Historical Arms Collectors Society of BC and there are generally a lot of used long guns (rifles) some pistols, lots of accessories, knives, hunting gear, knick·knacks and even some antique items. I tend to be looking for airguns or blank guns that are rare or a good deal.
This year I came across a few items that caught my eye. The first item was a Daisy replica 4.5mm BB pistol, I am not a big fan of Daisy replica gun in general as they are usually a far cry from the originals but this Daisy Powerline Model 400 was actually a really good copy of a Desert Eagle in size and looks. Sure it had a lot of plastic in it but it was made in Japan and even being around 20 years olds was holding up really well. This Daisy Powerline 400 even had Blowback which back then was not all that common.
The Daisy Powerline 400 BB Desert Eagle has a 20 round removable magazine that fits along the top of the barrel and it has a claimed fps. It is almost all high grade plastic with the exception of the single action only trigger, safety, hammer, barrel and several internal parts.
The next interesting item I found was a little compact 8mm blank shooter originally made in West Germany. So this blank gun is close to 30 years old. The SM Model 110 8mm Blank Pistol kind of reminds me of my EKOL Tuna in terms of size and functionality since both have the same half slide and magazine release system.
The SM Mod 110 8mm Blank Pistol is front venting and pretty much all metal with reinforced steel areas, it has a 5 round single stack magazine and shoots in single action only.
My last purchase for this show was a new item, here in Canada we generally are not allowed much in the way of items specifically labeled for self defense. There are some work arounds for instance we can carry a knife as long as it is not concealed entirely and we only intend to use it as a tool. We can also carry pepper spray again only for use on animals. Generally speaking we have not been allowed stun guns or tasers here in Canada and even importing them can land you in a lot of trouble! Again it seems a work around has been made, as long as the Stun Gun or Taser is at least 480mm in length then it is not considered a concealable weapon and as long as you have it out on display and only intend to use it on animals that may be a threat to you then all is good :)
The Stun Gun I purchased is basically a baton with a flashlight on the front and a 1 million volt taser on the front of it. You have several options with this device if harm is eminent. You can try blinding the threat with the built in flashlight which is not all that powerful but good for finding your way in dark areas, you can give the attacker a whack with the baton baseball bat style and if none of that is working well let em have the 1 million volt sandwich! We should be getting some of these Stun Baton Flashlights in our Canada Replica Airguns Store at some point so stay posted for that item.
This is my SHOT Show 2016 Teaser Video! You will get to see some new gun highlights from companies like Umarex, ASG, Crosman, Sig Sauer, KWA and ISC. I will be following up this video with some interview videos very soon so do make sure to check back for those uploads. All I can say about the show is it’s huge! So much to see, so much walking and too much to take in…
ASG:
As always, ASG had some new products this year. The all new Dan Wesson 715 357 Magnum shell loading Revolver! This gun feels absolutely amazing in the hand and will be available in Steel BB, Airsfot and even Pellet shooting versions. Also new are the CZ P-09 and CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow Full Blowback BB and Airsoft Pistols.
Crosman:
Big at Crosman this year was their PCP Airbow, Crosman put a lot of focus on this product and even had a lot of crossbows on display to go with their new PCP Airbow. Crosman also introduced their low cost entry level Benjamin Maximus PCP rifle in .177 and .22 calibers offerings. Not really much in the way of replica pistols from Crosman this year, but then again last year was kind of the same?
Sig Sauer:
I finally made it to the Sig Sauer Booth this year to checkout their new CO2 Pellet gun line. All new Sig Airguns are made true to size and weight with similar trigger actions as their real steel versions. The Sig MPX is their more compact (shorter barreled) pellet shooting CO2 rifle with internal blowback and belt fed 30 round magazine. The Sig MCX is the longer barreled rifle version but built much the same as the MPX. Sig also introduced two new pellet shooting CO2 Blowback Pistols, the P226 and the P250. Both use similar double ended rotary magazines as the Umarex PX4.
Umarex:
Umarex always seems to have some new exciting Airguns products to offer at SHOT Show. The PPK is back with a few updates including no more ugly CO2 tab sticking out of the bottom! And yes the Beretta Model 92A1 will finally be shipping soon, I believe in February! My favorite product this year from Umarex would have to be the Full Blowback, Full size drop out magazine S&W M&P 40 CO2 BB Pistol. Umarex released yet another 1911 on the market, this version does come with a stick mag and sports pretty high fps and more shots per CO2 then the KWC based 1911’s. The super popular Colt SAA Revolver is now available in a pellet shooting version with a rifled barrel :) Umarex had on display another low cost revolver, the ultra futuristic looking Brodax CO2 BB Revolver.
KWA:
KWA always has really nice high quality products to showoff at there booth each year, we may even start carrying some of KWA's products this year, fingers crossed on that one… New to the KWA line are some AEG rifles with simulated blowback action, I really liked the Blowback AEG AK they had on display. KWA also released a new Airsoft shell loading revolvers that had some of the nicest looking brass and aluminum shells. On display under a glass cover was a very solid Gas Blowback Thompson Machine-gun with real wood stock, it was absolutely gorgeous!
ISC:
ISC known for their top quality AEG internals, had their full line of high quality Airsoft rifles on display. And new this year to ICS was their first ever Airsoft pistol, the blowback BLE Alpha. The BLE should be out mid year and looked and felt really nice. The trigger on it was super short and light.
I have some really awesome Interview videos I’m working on, I will be uploading them shortly so stay tuned for those…
I just got some really interesting new guns and shooting accessories I wanted to share with everyone in this Vimeo Video Preview!
First off, I have some metal targets designed for Airguns, you can shoot them with lead pellets and heavy gram Airsoft BB's but be sure not use standard 4.5mm steel BB's as they can ricochet and come back at you at high velocity. That is unless you are using the new Excite Low Ricochet Smart Shot BB's I also showcase in this video.
A couple other accessories I highlight are a Western Leather Gun Slinger Belt and Holster which pair up perfectly with the first BB gun I have to show you today. Most of you should be familiar with the Umarex Colt Single Action Army Revolvers I have made several reviews and videos for, they are super popular and for good reason. How about a John Wayne Duke Version available in Stainless and Antique versions? I thought you would like that!
Next up and probably the item I am most excited to introduce to everyone is the ISSC M22 4.5mm CO2 BB Pistol. I actually own the first generation ISSC M22 in 22LR, the same gun this BB pistol is based on. It seems to have everything going for it and I was happy to discover after making this video that it does in fact have blowback operation even though this is not state on the box or in the manual? The ISSC M22 really is a beautiful pistol and I am totally looking forward to reviewing it. If you're a Glock fan this is about as close as we can legally get to owning a replica Glock BB pistol since Glock has OK'd production of the real steel ISSC MK22 in its new form.
I will be working with my suppliers to make these items available in our Replica Airguns Stores as soon as we can...
When I say Airguns, I am referring to pretty much all BB, Airsoft, Pellet, Paintball and even Blank guns for most of the topics listed here.
Do’s:
Treat your Airgun just like you would a real gun. If something goes wrong, perhaps the outcome will not be as severe but do you really want to take a trip down to your local emergency ward to get a BB or Pellet removed?
Always assume your airgun is loaded, for some reason it always seems those empty guns are the ones that do the most damage.
Be discrete, If it looks like a gun other people will think it is a gun so don’t flash your airguns around in public. Keep it in a case when transporting and shoot it in an area that will not alarm other people.
Always wear eye protection when shooting your Airgun. Do you really want to shoot your eye out? No Joke!
Be aware of your surroundings like windows, hard objects that could make your ammo bounce back at you. Make sure you are shooting your Airgun in a safe direction at all times, know your target and beyond.
Use Airguns to teach others and learn how to safely and effectively shoot a gun. Airguns can be less intimidating then a real gun (Not so loud and very little recoil) and make for great start out and transitions guns.
Use Airguns to get more inexpensive trigger time and become a more experienced shooter. Airguns cosy only pennies per round to shoot and can be shot in way more areas than a real gun can, practice makes perfect so get shooting!
Use Airguns in areas where real guns may not be allowed or safe to use. Again, Airguns can be shot in all kinds of places, in your back yard or even in a properly setup indoor home range.
Use Airguns with adequate power for safe and humane pest control where real guns may be prohibited.Airguns are quiet and less likely for the bullet to travel long ranges which makes them ideal for close range pest control in areas where real guns are too loud and to powerful.
Don’ts:
Do not assume because it is an airgun it is not dangerous or simply a toy. Many Deaths have been caused by Airguns along with a lot of pain and suffering so treat your Airgun with respect. It is not a toy or you would find them in the toy department at your local store along with yo-yos and stuffed animals.
Do not point or shoot at people unless of course you are using an Airsoft gun in an Airsoft field or facility. Yes Airsoft guns are meant to shoot at each other (with appropriate attire like eye protection and full body clothing), but steel BB and Pellet can cause serious injury especially at close range and on direct skin contact.
Do not leave your Airgun loaded, you never know who is going to come across it and accidentally discharge it. Remember, a loaded gun is a dangerous gun in the wrong hands. You may know better than to assume the gun is undulated but children and even adults without any gun training will most definitely handle the airgun without consideration of the danger it poses.
Do not use an Airgun for self protection. See my related video. Simply put, Airguns are not practical for self defense because they rarely have enough Stopping Power. The ones that do have enough power need to be pre-charged and in most cases are only single shot meaning if you miss or don’t get the job done no the first shot then you are done.
Do not use an underpowered Airgun for pest control. See related video. Using a low powered BB pistol for pest control is cruel, you will only injure the animal making it suffer unnecessarily. Use a high powered pellet rifle to get the job done.
Do not take your gun apart, in most cases this will void the warranty and the reality is that airguns rarely need to be cleaned since no dirty gun powder is used. lead pellet rifles may require occasional barrel cleaning to keep the rifled barrel free of debris.
Do not over oil your Airgun, a little goes a long way and too much oil will just attracted dirt, use the right airgun oil and just enough to keep part functioning smoothly.
Do not over pump an Airgun. Over pumping an Airgun can cause damage to valves and seals and in a worse case situation a rupture the air pressure reservoir or even cause the airgun to explode!
I don't often review target and or hunting rifles since for the most part Replica Airguns is all about well... replica airguns :) I have reviewed some of my own personal spring piston and pump rifles since I have them and there is a cross over in folks that like both the replica airguns and airguns meant for target and or hunting purposes.
We do have a small selection of spring piston rifles in our Replica Airguns Canada store suitable for target and small game so I thought I would point some of them out in this preview video.
If you watched my recent Halloween Costume Contest Giveaway Video for this year then you know I am going as Rambo an when dressing up as Rambo one need sot be wearing an Ammo Belt to pull of such a roll! The good news is we now have them in our Canada Replica Airguns Store, well at least for now and these are real decompressioned .223 bullets, so in other words the primmers have already been fired and they do not have any gun powder in them. They do look the part and come in a belt configuration containing 80 plus rounds.
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…
First off we are not talking about 6mm Plastic Airsoft Guns but rather 4.5mm Steel BB versus .177 caliber Pellet.
Same but Different:
Generally speaking a BB CO2 Pistol and a Pellet CO2 Pistol are very similar, they just shoot a bit different types of ammo, that will determine a couple mechanical differences in both guns. You may come across a CO2 Pistol that can shoot both Pellets and BB's but these are not as common.
Magazine Types:
The fist main difference is usually the magazine design, since lead pellets don’t stack on top of each other very well compared to steel BB’s, action CO2 BB and Pellet pistols will have a very different types of magazine designs. Pellet CO2 Pistols will generally use a rotary type magazine while BB Pistols will use a stick or stacked ammo magazine. In terms of realism, a stick or stacked magazine is better suited than a rotary magazine. Some Action Pellet Pistols will have what looks like a stick magazine, but the stick will actually have two rotary magazine on either side. You will often find higher capacity magazines in BB CO2 Pistols since Rotary magazines usually only offer around 8 rounds (16 on a double sided stick style).
Another downside to a rotary magazine is knowing when you are out of ammo, a rotary magazine does not allow for this, it will just keep turning around and around no matter if there is ammo in it or not, so you need to listen to the the sound of the CO2 gun to determine when a rotary type magazine is empty. BB Action shooters do not have this problem since in most cases the magazine BB spring follower acts exactly the same as real steel gun follower locking back the slide on the last shot, stopping any follow up shots from happening.
Ammo Size:
Steel BB’s traditionally only come in 4.5mm which is the same as .177 caliber. Lead pellets can come in a myriad of sizes, the most comma being .177, .20 and .22 caliber but they can go as large as 50 caliber for PCP air rifles used to hunt even large game.
Barrel Rifling:
Another common difference between BB and Pellet CO2 Pistols is the rifling inside the barrels. Lead pellets need to spin in order for them to shoot straight. Steel BB’s on the other hand fly pretty true thought the air weather they spin or not. Rifling is most often not used in steel BB pistols because the hardened steel can damage the rifling and since there is little to no benefit in adding rifling to a BB guns barrel in terms of accuracy, then why even have it. Pellet pistols with their softer lead ammunition need to have the rifling in order to create the spin that keeps the pellet true and straight while in flight.
Accuracy:
Even though many BB CO2 Pistols can shoot accurately at close to medium ranges, they are not as accurate as a Pellet CO2 Pistol, especially as the distance become greater to your target. Not only does the spinning of the pellet help accuracy, but also the added mass of the lead pellet keeps them from being as effected by cross winds and airborne debris.
Hunting and/or Pest Control:
In most cases I do not recommend using a pistol for pest control because, plain and simple they are harder to shoot accurately. This is because there is no stock on a pistol to help steady the gun, and the front and rear sight are much closer together on a pistol than compared to rifle sights which means there is more margin for error when signing in a target. Pistols are generally lower powered than rifles which also plays a roll when considering a pistol for pest control since it may not have enough power to get the job done humanly. That said, there are pellet pistols deigned with power in mind, usually these are spring piston, or pressurized air powered air guns which can have a lot more power than a standard CO2 BB or Pellet Pistol.
Pistols versus Rifles:
This is not the forum for a full pistol versus rifle comparison. I can tell you that you will find a lot more pellet rifles than your will find BB rifles, they both exist but for the most part rifles are geared more towards target shooting and hunting. Most of the BB rifles available would be styled after replicas so the focus is not necessarily on power and or accuracy in these models.
Abundance:
In terms of Replica Action Shooters, BB Pistols outweigh the Pellet pistols by a land-slide. BB’s just work better in action pistols because the round hard steel ammo operates much easier and more reliably than the softer lead pellets, at least for action shooters. And the point of Replica Action Shooters is not so much power and accuracy but more so towards rapid fire good old back yard fun shooting.
Which is Best?
Well… Neither one is best, it just depends what you are looking for.
Do you want accuracy at longer ranges - if so maybe get a Pellet CO2 Pistol.
Do you want more realism in terms of magazine loading and your slide locking back on the last shot - then you may be in the market for a BB CO2 Pistol.
Do you want more power down range - heavy pellets are going to hit harder and truer than lighter Steel BB’s.
Do you want trouble free shooting - hard steel BB’s rarely miss-feed or misfire compared to softer Lead Pellets especially in action shooters.
The best is what’s best for you and not always what's best for me…
This video is to give you a heads up on a few guns I will be reviewing shortly. Most of them are different version of guns I have already reviewed except for the Baby Desert Eagle which so far has eluded me :)
