First I wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, hopefully you get all the toys you have been wanting! Maybe we can help you out a little with that over on our Online Canada and US Replica Airgun Stores.
I also have a new Red Ryder Type BB Rifle to show off, this one is John Wayne licensed and called the John Wayne Lil Duke. At first glace it looks a lot like a Red Ryder but it has the large loop styled lever which is designed for easier use when wearing gloves, perfect for our Canadian weather ;) The John Wayne Lil Duke Lever Action BB Rifle has a really nice fit and finish, perhaps even a bit better than the classic Red Ryder BB Gun. I really like the real wood stock finish.
Another nice touch is that the John Wayne Lil Duke Lever Action BB Rifle comes with a lasso scope rail that you can attach just behind the rear iron sight to accommodate dove tail scope mounts. Just make sure to really tighten down the rear screw as it comes loose super easy due to the spring vibration. I would even recommend adding a bit of lock tight to the screw to be sure.
Here are some of the main specifications for the John Wayne Lil Duke Lever Action BB Rifle: 4.5mm Steel BB's, leaver action spring piston, 350 fps, 550 round magazine, 2.5 pounds, smooth bore 9.5 inch barrel, adjustable rear sight for elevation, included scope mount for 11mm dovetail rings, metal and wood build.
Type: Break barrel pellet rifle. Manufacturer: Umarex USA. Model:Ruger Explorer. Materials: Metal and polymer parts. Weight: 4.45 pounds (2.5 kg). Barrel: 12 inches, metal rifled. Propulsion: Spring piston. Action: Single shot. Ammunition Type: .177 caliber pellets. Ammunition Capacity: 1. FPS: 495.
Trigger Pull: I found the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle to have a fairly light trigger, there is some initial take up with a smooth almost undetectable break or release point, I found that as I shot the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle the trigger seemed to be breaking in a bit which made it a bit hard to figure exactly when the trigger was going to release but I feel over time and once the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is broken in the trigger will become more predictable.
Accuracy: Since I have already made a shooting or field test video for the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle, I can comment on its performance n this review! With 6 grain lead pellets (on the lighter side), I was able to get a 5 shot Chronograph average velocity of 485 fps. Using heavier 7-8 grain pellets the velocity slowed down a bit to around 400 fps. In terms of accuracy the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle performed well getting about a 1 inch 10 shot grouping on my paper target setup 30 feet down range. I know the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle can do better than this once the trigger settles down a bit since some shots went off unexpectedly.
Build Quality: The Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is not an expensive air rifle and is more or less an entry level spring piston pellet shooter. That said it is built fairly well with a metal receiver, barrel and trigger setup. The modern looking stock is polymer and the steel barrel is coated in a synthetic soft plastic to help with long term durability. The real fiber optic sight is plastic so you will have to be careful with it as it does protrude a bit from the air rifle.
Realism: Since the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is not a replica realism is not really a factor here but it does look like a gun so treat it as if it was a real gun since most people will not know the difference. Always transport and store any airgun safely and discreetly.
Pros:
Really great looking air rifle with a modern look to it.
Finish is very durable with its polymer stock and plastic/rubber coated barrel.
Fully adjustable fiber optic sights are easy to sight in and use.
Receiver is notched for ring mounts so you can add an optical sight or red dot to it.
Trigger is fairly light, just need some break in time with it.
Cocking effort is fairly easy at 16.5 pounds.
Great size gun for all ages.
Power and accuracy were good for an entry level air rifle.
Cons:
I did find the trigger break/release point to be a bit unpredictable but I feel this is a break-in issue and will become more consistent over time.
You have to remember to push that safety in with ever shot.
Comments: The Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is marketed as a Youth air rifle but in reality it would be great fun for all ages. I am a fairly large person at 6 feet tall and I had no problem dealing with the slightly shorter configuration. The trigger guard is nice and open and allows for large fingers which is not always the case with airguns designed for smaller individuals. The overall quality you get with the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle for the lower entry level price tag is very good and in terms of performance I feel you for sure get your monies worth with the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle.
I don't do a lot of Springer (Spring Piston) Air Rifle shooting tests or even reviews for that matter. Mainly for a couple of reasons: Number 1, my content is mostly focused around Replica style Airguns and Number 2, it's kind of hard to test out the longer range airguns in my 30 foot airgun range. That said I felt the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle would be a really great airgun to review since it is both affordable and even though it is targeted for the youth market, it really does make a great shooter for all ages.
I have not done a Table Top Review for the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle but plan to shortly so stay posted for more detailed info on the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle down the road in that review.
So how'd we do during my Field Test Shooting Video for the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle? Not bad I would say! Using about 6 grain rather light weight .177 caliber lead pellets I was able to get really close to the 500 fps claimed fps mark coming in just under at a 5 shot testing average of 485 fps. I did put a couple heavier grain pellets through my Chrony Chronograph and got closer to the 400 fps mark, still not bad for this lighter sprung spring piston air rifle.
In terms of accuracy, shooting at my paper target setup 30 feet down range in my Sea Can Airgun Range, I shot about a 1 inch 10 shot grouping. I was finding the trigger break-in to be a bit unpredictable during this testing which led to some premature shots going off so I do feel once the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is broken in and me getting use to the trigger break, I should be able to improve on this result.
Overall the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is a really nice entry level airgun perfect for all ages and not just the youth market. It looks really cool, is easy to cock and has a very resilient finish. Oh ya it shoots pretty good to!
Yet another retest for an airgun I have already reviewed. But some airguns need another "shot"! Today I just kind of felt like shooting a springer and the Baikal MP-53M Break Barrel .177 Pellet Air Pistol came to mind. I'm not the best at shooting spring pistons airguns since they take a more softer relaxed grip and I tend to hold guns with a bit of a firmer grip.
As always in my new Sea Can Shipping Container I perform a Chronograph velocity test to see what the real world feet per second is and then I perform a followup accuracy test shooting 10 rounds at a paper target 30 feet down range using a rested seated position. During the velocity Chrony test for the Baikal MP-53M Break Barrel .177 Pellet Air Pistol I was able to get an average of 405 fps which was much higher than my previous testing where I averaged 319 fps. I was using different 7 grain lead pellets but I don't think they where that much different in weigth since the Diabolo pellets should have been around 6-7 grain.
Moving onto the accuracy portion of my Field Test review, this time around my shots stayed a little tighter than last time stretching out to about 2 inches but most of the 10 shots where all within 1 to 1.5 inches. The trigger on the Baikal MP-53M Break Barrel .177 Pellet Air Pistol is really great, super light with just a little take-up and virtually a hair trigger after that with zero friction.
I also wanted to mention that cocking the Baikal MP-53M Break Barrel .177 Pellet Air Pistol is fairly easy and that I did find I needed to set the rear sigh to the all the way down position to get my shots to hit close to the bullseye as this gun seemed to like to shoot rather high out of the box.
Another revisit for an inexpensive and fun BB shooter, the Crosman Marlin Cowboy BB Rifle! I have done some previous video reviews and comparisons for the Crosman Marlin Cowboy BB Rifle so make sure to check them out. I also recently did an update Field Test Shooting Video for the Daisy Red Ryder BB gun which is a very comparable airgun to the Crosman Marlin Cowboy BB Rifle.
Here is a quick overview of the Crosman Marlin Cowboy BB Rifle, it's designed for younger smaller shooter with it's short stock but it's still fun of all ages! You can store 700 4.5mm Steel BB's in its internal magazine and Crosman claims a max velocity of 350 fps. Like the Daisy Red Ryder the power source is a spring piston that is activated by the lever action.
Now let's talk about how the Crosman Marlin Cowboy BB Rifle performed in my Sea Can Field Test Shooting test... Crosman claims a max fps of 350, my Chronograph results came in at a 5 shot average of 316 fps which is not bad compared to the Daisy Red Ryder that also has a claimed fps of 350 but only shot around 240 fps.
So the Crosman Marlin Cowboy BB Rifle is the clear winner in terms of velocity over the Daisy Red Ryder but what about accuracy? That's a different story, the Crosman did not perform all that great for me shooting at a paper target 30 feet away using a rested shooting position. I shot 10 rounds at my paper target and got about a 5-6 inch grouping, there was an underlying smaller tight group that was closer to about 3 inches but a god 3-4 of the BB's came out of it spreading out the group significantly. Compare that to the Daisy Red Ryder with a nice tight 2 inch group.
So what do you want? Power or accuracy? I figure since the Crosman Marlin Cowboy BB Rifle is really targeted of the younger more entry level shooter that it should have good accuracy so they know when they are doing it right and less concerned on if the gun is performing as it should. Sure power is fun and smashing your targets does give a certain satisfaction but you have to hit the target first :)
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.
Trigger Pull: The single action only trigger pull on the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol is actually pretty good. It's fairly short with only a little bit of very light take up and then an easy release that has no added friction. So you will have to get use to when and where the release happens but it is a really decent trigger for such an inexpensive airgun.
Accuracy: I have only shot the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol a few times to get use to the mechanical operation of using this spring powered pistol since there is a very specific order in which you need to cock and load the Umarex DX-17 for proper operation. I did find the DX-17 shot a bit high for me at 30 feet out so I had to adjust my aim point about 5-6 inches lower to hit targets at this range. For further out shooting you many not need to do so since the fps is fairly low and I would expect the BB to drop pretty quickly. In terms of power being that the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol is only rated at 200fps, well it seems sufficient enough for plinking away at targets and should have no problem getting through a pop can.
Build Quality: I was expecting this $20 low cost BB airgun to be fairly low quality in general but when I took it out of the plastic clamshell packaging I was pleasantly surprised by the overall quality and how the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol felt in my hand. It has a good weight to it and the fit and finish are really good. Mechanical parts tolerances feel snug and the plastic used feels of good quality.
Realism: The Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol as far as I know is not a replica of any specific real steel gun in production but it does kind of remind me of a Browning Hi-power at least the back half and the way the frame angles up a bit in front of the trigger. Other than that it looks the part of a real gun. The DX-17 has what looks like real working parts on it with the slide catch, magazine release and magazine but plat all moulded into the airgun. Available at the:Replica Airguns Store
Pros:
At $21 Canadian its great value for a target plinker.
It actually looks and feels pretty good in person, better than I expected build quality and weight to it.
No CO2 required so very cheap to shoot.
Single action trigger is actually really decent, better than most airguns.
Accessory rail for adding a red dot or perhaps a tactical light.
15 round reservoir makes followup shots quicker and no fumbling around loading BB’s in-between shots.
Lower fps means if you do do something stupid you are less likely to have to make a trip to the doctor
Cons:
Pretty low fps so don’t expect any long range shooting or great penetration.
Sights are not adjustable and it seems to shoot kind of high.
Why not rifle the barrel and make pellets an option?
Comments:
I rarely review these super low cost airguns especially spring powered ones with low fps, it almost seems like why would you want any of that? But you know the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol is actually a great little airgun and you really can't beat the price tag. You are also going to save a bunch of money not having to buy CO2 and once you load 15 rounds into the BB reservoir you can empty the DX-17 fairly quickly. Sure the power seems a bit low but it gets the job done and like I said if there was an accident, you are less likely to break that window or require medical attention. I think this would be a great add on to an existing order you might be making with us, that way you wouldn't have to pay for shipping for this one item and you get a fun little plinker for only $20 more.
My Vimeo Videos for the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol:
This year at SHOT Show 2017 in Las Vegas, I found there wasn’t a lot of new Airgun products but as always there are some that stood out for me. If you want more info on each Airgun Company then make sure to watch my full interviews for this years SHOT Show 2017. So without prolonging this video any longer let’s get right into it…
Umarex Legends MP CO2 Full Auto German MP40 Replica Machine-gun:
What’s not to like about the Umarex Legends MP? It has lots of metal parts weighing in at 7.7 pounds, a 60 round steel BB magazine with a dual 12 gram CO2 system. You also get your choice of shooting either in semi auto or full auto at up to 400 fps. Personally the Umarex Legends MP was the most interesting Airgun at the show this year for me and I really think it is going to be a hit!
Umarex SA10 Blowback Pellet and BB CO2 Pistol:
Another interesting product from Umarex this year was the SA10, I am not really sure what it is exactly styled after, it’s more of a futuristic looking gun with slide venting and a thread barrel for adding a mock suppressor or compensator. What appealed to me most about the Umarex SA10 was the new magazine design that incorporates a full size drop out metal magazine with 4 rotary 8 round magazines that can be loaded with either pellets or BB’s. When you empty one 8 shot magazine you simply drop the entire mag out and swap your empty 8 shot rotary magazine for a full one. The SA10 has a nice weight of around 2 pounds and shoots up to 426 fps.
Sig Sauer ASP P320 CO2 Blowback Pellet Pistol:
Sig Sauer introduced their new Sig Sauer ASP P320 CO2 Pellet Pistol this year that will be replacing the P250. Like the P250 the Sig P320 has a metal slide and polymer frame but instead of a double sided 16 shot rotary magazine, the Sig ASP P320 has a newly designed and very unique 30 round belt fed magazine. That’s nearly double the capacity without having to flip the magazine around part way through shooting. It’s great to see innovations like this happening in the airgun market.
Crosman Remington 1875 Shell Loading CO2 Pellet and BB Revolver:
Crosman introduced their own Single Action Old West Revolver this year in the form of the Remington 1875. Like the super popular Umarex Single Action Army Revolvers, the Remington 1875 is also shell loading and uses 12 gram CO2. You have the option of shooting either Pellets or BB’s out of its smooth bore barrel. I expect the Crosman Remington 1875 Shell Loading Revolver to be another popular Old West Airgun Revolver.
Crosman PSM45 Single Shot Spring Powered BB Pistol:
The Crosman PSM45 at first glance may not seem that interesting, after all it’s all plastic on the outside and only shoots about 200 fps! On the plus side it kind of looks like a Glock and we all know how hard it is to find airguns these days that resemble a Glock. I also like the fact that there is no need for any CO2, and most springers out there look like springers while the Crosman PSM45 looks like a real semi auto pistol. The PSM45 even has pretty decent weight to it since there are lots of internal metal parts and a full size drop out metal magazine which was a real surprise in such an entry level low cost pistol. If you’re looking for a fun inexpensive replica plinker than the Crosman PSM45 should fit the bill. On a side not the PSM45 would also make a really great low cost prop since the slide does work and it has that full size drop out magazine!
ASG Dan Wesson 715 2.5 and 4 inch Shell Loading CO2 Revolvers:
The ASG Dan Wesson Revolver has always been a popular choice, and then the Dan Wesson 715 came out improving on the design by adding extra weight and smoothing out the mechanics. How do you top that? Well by giving us some more options like barrel lengths. You now have your choice of a 2.5, 4 or 6 inch barrel for the Dan Wesson 715 and of course you will be able to buy your 715 pick in 4.5mm Steel BB, 6mm Plastic Airsoft or .177 Caliber Pellet ammunition versions. My personal choice may be the 4 inch Dan Wesson 715 since it has the addition of an integrated accessory rail machined into the outer barrel for lasers or tach lights.
Gletcher M1944 Mosin Nogant CO2 BB Rifle:
The Gletcher M1944 Mosin Nogant CO2 BB Rifle is not a new replica gun this year but it has been a hard one to get your hands on. In fact up until SHOT Show 2017 I had never seen one in person and so the Gletcher M1944 is new to me. I was very impressed with the quality of the Gletcher M1944 Mosin Nogant, it has a lot of metal parts including the swing out bayonet and even the simulated wood stock looks like real wood. I even had to take a second look and ask before confirming that the stock is in fact plastic on the Gletcher M1944 Mosin Nogant. I am looking forward to reviewing this rifle in the future when I do finally get one!
Of course there where other interesting products at SHOT Show 2017 this year but those are the products that stood out the most for me. Again make sure to watch my full interview videos to find out more about all the new products at this years SHOT Show.
My last Interview for SHOT Show 2017 in Las Vegas, well at least till next year and I am already looking forward to going back and doing it all over again :) I met with Boris Shekhman from Gletcher and Boris showed me several of their Gletcher Airguns along with a new accessory introduced this year.
Probably the highlight at the Gletcher booth was the Gletcher M1944 Mosin Nagant CO2 4.5mm Steel BB Bolt Action full stock air rifle! I already reviewed the Gletcher M1891 short stock version but have been really looking forward to seeing the Gletcher M1944 Mosin Nagant in person. Interestingly, Boris was asked by the SHOT Show staff to remove the Gletcher M1944 Mosin Nagant from his display because the real metal swing out bayonet was a concern for them. Boris was kind enough to bring out the Gletcher M1944 for me to see and video for everyone. The full stock however is not real wood but you need to look super close to figure this out as the reproduction is incredible.
We took a look at another Gletcher Airgun I have reviewed in the past, the Gletcher NGT and Gletcher NGT R which are very acurate Steel BB and Pellet shooting reproductions of the Belgian Nagant Revolver. Both these BB and Pellet shooting NGT's are getting a slight make-over with the addition of a safety on them, the real steel versions do not have a safety but some dealers felt it was a concern so Gletcher moving forward will be including a safety on all new NGT's. So if you want a more original Gletcher NGT Nagant Revolver then hurry up and pickup the older non-safety versions while they are still available!
Last on the list of new products from Gletcher are some really great looking leather holsters that not only work for several Gletcher airgun products but can also be used for the same real steel versions. Some of the pistols these new leather holsters will accommodate are the Gletcher TT Tokarev, 1911, Grach, PM 1951 Makarov, and the Stechkin.
Another SHOT Show 2017 interview video, this interview is with Bob Li from ASG (Action Sport Games), Bob shares with me some updates to the super popular Dan Wesson 715 along with the reintroduced EVO Scorpion Inferno powered Airsoft Rifle. Bob finishes up with a new X9 Classic which is a Beretta M9 in 4.5mm Steel BB.
You may have thought the Dan Wesson 715 was already pretty much perfect as is so what could ASG to make it even better? How about different barrel lengths. ASG has introduce the Dan Wesson 715 in both a new 2.5 inch and 4 inch version. Both lengths will be hitting stores shortly and will come in .177 caliber pellet and 4.5mm steel BB options. 6mm Airsoft will be out later on. The 4 inch version also includes an integrated accessory rail machined into the outer barrel for those of you wanted to add items like lasers and tactical lights to your Dan Wesson 715.
Last year at SHOT Show ASG introduced the EVO CZ Scorpion 3 A1 Inferno powered Airsoft Rifle but is again reintroducing it this year since they decided to take their time and get it perfect before releasing it in stores this March. The EVO CZ Scorpion 3 A1 is Inferno powered using an HPA system with a custom chip set that allows for a three round burst option an empty magazine detection.
ASG has sourced out not just any 4.5mm Steel BB shooting M9, they are actually getting their new ASG X9 Classic built by KJWorks. KJWorks is known for their Airsoft guns and I have reviewed several of them to date. If you have been looking for a KJWorks M9 but would prefer it to be in 4.5mm Steel BB then the new X9 Classic 4.5mm Steel BB KJWorks M9 exclusive to ASG is where you can get one!
Next up from SHOT Show 2017 in Las vegas, I bring you my Umarex Interview with Bradley Burgin! Bradley showcases two new pistol from Umarex Airguns. First we take a look at the Umarex SA10 CO2 Blowback Pellet and BB Pistol. The Umarex SA10 has a unique full size drop our metal magazine that not only holds the CO2 but also houses 4 8 shot rotary magazines that can be pre loaded and then hot swapped as required. Each 8 shot rotary magazine can be loaded with either 4.5mm Steel BB's or .177 caliber pellets. The Umarex SA10 comes in at a hefty 2 pounds and can shoot up to 426 fps. The barrel is also threaded for attaching an optional mock silencer.
Next up Bradley showed me the ultra realistic and fully licensed Beretta APX which is a Blowback CO2 BB Pistol that like its real steel big brother has a locking metal slide and polymer frame. The Umarex Beretta APX has a 19 round stick magazine and shoots 4.5mm steel BB's at 400 fps.
Last but not least and perhaps the most exciting product from Umarex for me was the Umarex Legends MP. The Legends MP is a replica of the German MP40 submachine gun and even has semi and full auto selectability! The Umarex Legends MP is a mostly metal rifle and comes in at 7.7 pounds. The full size magazine holds two CO2 cartridges along with 60 4.5mm steel BB's for an almost endless supply of ammo :) The Umarex Legends MP like the real German MP40 has a metal folding stock and propels steel BB's at 400 fps.
My First SHOT Show 2017 Las Vegas Interview to kick things off! Dani Navickas from Sig Sauer ASP talks with me about three new CO2 blowback air pistols Sig Sauer ASP is introducing this year just in time for spring season.
The Sig Sauer ASP P320 will be replacing last years P250, don't worry the Sig Sauer ASP P226 is not going anywhere! The P320 is a CO2 Blowback Pellet pistol similar to the previous P250 but this new model has a 30 round belt fed magazine rather than a dual sided 16 round rotary magazine. I love that Sig Sauer ASP is coming out with new innovations like this for us Airgun enthusiasts! The Sig Sauer ASP P320 has a metal slide and polymer frame like it's big powder burning brother and throws pellets at around 430 fps average. Don't expect a ton of shots per CO2, you will be lucky to get two magazine out of a single 12 gram CO2 but I am sure the extra power is worth it.
Sig Sauer ASP also introduced this year two new full metal and full blowback CO2 BB firing 1911's that feature a working safety and grip safety along with a true single action trigger. You have your choice of the signatured Max Michel in two tone black and silver or the Spartan in a Gold Brown finish. Both of these guns are based on the same mechanical build but are cosmetically different. I can say they feel really good in the hand and are super solid. There is a bit of a trade off, you do get a bit higher fps (around 410 fps) than some other 1911's at out there but you will have to put up with a stick magazine.
Last week I was in Las Vegas to attend this years 2017 SHOT Show. As always I look forward to this event since I not only get to look at all the new Airgun related products, but I also meet with the big Airgun companies and talk face to face with many of the good folks I have been emailing back and forth with.
This first video will hopefully get you excited to watch my upcoming Interview videos I will be making for companies like: Sig Sauer ASP, Umarex, ASG, Crosman and Gletcher. I also have some additional video of the KWA booth where they had a laser sighting system set up for people to test out their Airsoft guns on a simulated targeting system.
Barrel: 3 inches, metal non-rifled with internal Hop-up.
Propulsion: Spring Piston.
Action: Single Shot, Single Action Only.
Ammunition Type: 6mm plastic Airsoft BB's.
Ammunition Capacity: 11 shot full size drop out magazine with 60 round reservoir.
FPS: 280 using .12 gram BB's.
Trigger Pull: The single action only trigger pull on the Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun is a bit heavier than I expected since generally speaking single action triggers simply just need to release the hammer or striker. There is a little bit of take-up initially but then the release is fairly crisp, just a tad firm but since this is not an action shooter and a full rack of the slide is required to pre charge the internal spring, having a heavier trigger pull is not a big deal and did not seem to effect my accuracy in any way.
Accuracy: I didn't get a lot of shooting time with the Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun but I can say it seemed to be shoot fairly accurately. I tested it out shooting on a paper target from 20 feet back using a non rested standing position. The Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun did shoot a bit high and to the left but my 10 shot grouping was within 1.75 inches with the exception of one stray that shot a little more to the right. I was using .20 gram BB's but they did seem to get to the target pretty quickly and penetrate the paper fairly well. I would say they were traveling well over 200 fps.
Build Quality: The Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun is about a $25 gun so you can't really expect too much in terms of quality materials but that said, the gun does feel solid and well put together. I had no issues shooing it and for the price you should get plenty of good use out of it.
Realism: The Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun is realistic in terms of its shape, operation and even the Walther P99 licensing and trade marks. But as is expected being a clear plastic gun it falls short in terms of feeling and looking the part of a real gun. But that's kind of the point here, this gun is supposed to clearly look like and Airsoft gun and not a real gun including the orange red tip.
Super low cost and even come with an extra mag and some starter BB’s.
Full size drop out mags are nice.
All the parts feel pretty tight, does not feel hokey, even has some metal parts where they are needed.
Has a rail for accessories.
No CO2 required, just your Airsoft BB’s.
Walther licensing and Trademarks.
Slide stays back when out of BB’s.
Has internal Hop-up.
Has a floating barrel like the real steel version would.
Makes a good starter pistol for someone getting into the hobby that may not want a gun that looks too realistic.
Cons:
Is kind of on the light side at about half a pound.
The single action trigger is a bit heavy but works fine, you're not going to be shooting rapped fire with this one anyway.
Being a clear gun obviously takes away from the realism but that is the point of this gun so as not be confused with a real gun.
Shoots a bit high and to the left.
Comments:
Right from the get go I was not expecting much from the Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gunbeing a bit of an Airgun snob and personally tending to stay away from the like of these clear plastic non-blowback super low cost Airsoft pistols. But after playing around with it for a bit I could really see how a first time Airsoft buyer could really enjoy the Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun. It shoots just fine and costs next to nothing to buy and shoot. And I know there are many younger folks that watch my video reviews and perhaps their parents may be sitting on the fence about allowing them to buy an Airsoft gun out of fear that so many of them look so real. The Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun clearly looks like an Airsoft gun which makes it pretty hard to get in trouble with yet you can still enjoy the Airsoft shooting experience without freaking your parents out!
My Vimeo Video Review for the Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun:
Power Sources Covered in this review: CO2 - Spring Piston - Variable Pump -HPA (High Pressure Air)
Pro’s:
CO2 Airguns allow for fast repeat shooting, great for action shooters, generally CO2 Airguns will supply a medium power range. No need to pump or cock your CO2 powered weapon in-between shots and a CO2 power source can allow for a very realistic action of the gun you are shooting.
Spring Piston Airguns are best suited of single shot situations, they can provide low to high power output depending on the spring used. Spring Piston Airguns are very low cost to operate since you only need to buy the Pellets or BB’s. Spring Piston Airguns are not greatly effected by outside temperatures.
Variable Pump Airguns allow you to decide how much power your gun will have and can offer very high power output depending on the Airgun. Variable Pump Airguns are very low cost to operate since you only need to buy the Pellets or BB’s. Variable Pump Airguns are not greatly effected by outside temperatures. Variable Pump Airguns generally have very low recoil and vibration.
HPA (High Pressure Air) Airguns generally do not require pumping or cocking in-between shots and some even come in semi automatic or bolt action. HPA Airguns can have very high power output and even be used on larger game using large caliber ammunition. HPA Air Rifles have lower recoil and low vibration. HPA Airguns can be charged ahead off time so they are ready for use when you need them.
Con’s:
CO2 Airguns require the additional cost to buy the CO2 as they do not function without it. CO2 Airguns have a limited power output and lose power as you shoot and use up the CO2. CO2 Airguns are effected by hot and cold temperatures and will have less power in colder temperatures and may not even work in super cold environments.
Spring Piston Airguns require cocking before each shot. Spring Piston Airguns can have a lot of recoil and vibration, so much so that special optics must be considered when buying an optical sight. The action of the spring recoil can effect accuracy, especially if you are not use to the vibration and recoil or have spent some time practicing using a Spring Piston Airgun.
Variable Pump Airguns will require multiple pumps to achieved maximum power output which can take some time in-between shots. So you are going to have to work for each shot.
HPA (High Pressure Air) Airguns require the use of a manual pump to fill their built in air tank to maximum pressure and it does take a lot of time to manual fill an HPA tank. Alternatively you can have the air tank filled at a shop or buy a pressurization system similar to a scuba tank out paintball setup, the cost of this setup can be very high but will save you the castle of manually pumping air in to your HPA Airgun. HPA Airguns are generally a little more bulky then other Airgun systems since they have to accommodate fairly large air pressure tanks.
Power: Generally speaking a longer barrel is going to allow for more power. If you compare most CO2 pellet pistols to CO2 Pellet Rifles, you will find that the CO2 Pellet Pistol will generally shoot about 300-400 fps using a standard lead Pellet. On the other hand many CO2 Pellet Rifles can get up to as high as 600 fps which is much better speed for humanly shooting some smaller pests.
If you are talking about Springer or Variable Pump Air Pistols versus their Air Rifle counterparts, again the Air rifles will generally shoot with much more power. I have seen some none CO2 Air Pistols shoot up into the 500-600 fps range but again compered to none CO2 Air Rifles, they can even double these numbers.
Some of you may ask about Steel BB Pistols and Rifles. I personally would never really sue this type of ammunition for pest control simply because most BB Rifles have much less raw power than Pellet Rifles and steel BB’s will not be as accurate at any type of longer distance.
Stability: When holding any rifle from the shoulder, you have three point of contact with your body spread out in a much longer distance than a two handed pistol grip. Holding steady even without a rested position is much easier using a rifle. Even when using a rested position, the rifle will more stable.
Accuracy: A big factor in accuracy is stability but there are also other factors to consider. Barrel length its self does not make the gun more accurate, you only need a few inches of barrel length to get constant accurate results from a gun. What makes longer barreled guns more accurate is the distance between the rear and front sight. The closer the sights are together, the more margin for error there is, the longer you spread out the sights from each other, the more accurate the sighting system becomes.
Overall More Humain: When you consider Air Rifles tend to have higher power, better accuracy and overall more consistency than shorter barreled Air Pistols. The logical choice for humanly shooting a Pest is to use the Air Rifle. The last thing you want to do is make any animal suffer, even if it has been causing a lot of havoc around your home or farm or place of business.
It has been a while since I picked out some of my favorite guns, after all my favorite gun picks change on a daily basis since there are so many awesome guns out there to pick from.
This Vimeo video is a little different since I pick out my favorites from a bunch of mostly replica gun categories including Steel BB, Pellet, Airsoft, Revolvers and Blank Pistols.
You may notice most of my picks happen to be blowback guns but to me airguns are all about being as realistic as possible and having blowback operation to me help to simulate the realism that much more. The exception in this video is in the pellet gun category since I decided on a pellet gun that was more about function and purpose over being any type of real replica.
Hopefully you take the time to watch my entire Vimeo video since I also bring out some close runner ups but here is a list of my top picks on this day, tomorrow it could be a completely different list of guns ;)
In this 2016 SHOT Show Interview I talk with Chip Hunnucutt from Crosman Corporation. Chip was eager to show off Crosman's new Airbow which is a essentially a hybrid PCP Air Rifles combined with a Crossbow. SO take away the bow and replace the power source with a 3000 PSI compressed air system that is capable of shooting standard archery arrows at 450 fps with 160 foot pounds of energy using 375 grain arrows.
The Crosman Airbow on a full 3000 PSI charge can deliver 8 consecutive shots @ the regulated 450 fps. The Airbow also weighs in at 7 pounds and being that it is a Bullpup design it is only 33.5 inches long so nice and compact for an arrow shooter.
Since the power is generated by the PCP compressed air system there is no heavy cocking rope so a simple lift of the ambidextrous cocking bolt is all that is needed to charge the Crosman Airbow. The Airbow also comes standard with a CenterPoint® 6x40 mm scope specially designed with the Airbow in mind.
Since the Crosman Airbow is technically an under 500 fps airgun, it should be considered an uncontrolled firearm here in Canada which means no PAL license will be required to buy and own the Crosman Airbow in Canada. In terms of using the Airbow for hunting as it is not a bow but rather an Airgun, that is yet to be determined here in Canada.
In this 2016 SHOT Show Interview I talk with Bob Li from Action Sport Games. Bob shows me some of the new products this year from ASG. Some of ASG's newer pistols are the Dan Wesson 715, the CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow, the CZ P-09. New to the rifle line is the CZ Bren 80, also a couple of sniper rifles, the M40A5 and M40A3. ASG is also coming out with a an Inferno HPA version of their CZ Scorpion EVO 3A1.
The ASG Dan Wesson 715 has ot me my favorite product from ASG, you need to hold it in your hand to really understand how solid this pistol really is at close to 3 pounds. Everything about it is an improvement over previous Dan Wesson models including the trigger and hammer action, crane setup and the more actuate frame length with the new more compact internal CO2 valve. The ASG Dan Wesson 715 will be shipping in 4.5mm Steel BB, 6mm Plastic Airsoft and .177 caliber pellet versions.
ASG's two new Full blowback CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow, the CZ P-09 pistols should be coming out shortly, both will be available in 4.5mm Steel BB and 6mm Plastic Airsoft. Both pistols feature a metal slide and frame with full size drop out metal magazines and will have CO2 and Green Gas magazine configurations. The CZ P-09 will have a threaded barrel and barrel protector.
