Watch my Video for all the main differences but in short here they are for those reading this post:
Steel BB version uses CO2 while the Airsoft version uses Green Gas or Propane.
There is no orange tip on the Steel BB version while Airsoft versions come with orange tips installed.
Steel BB versions have 20 round full length magazines for both the 3.8 and 4.5 inch versions, while the Airsoft 3.8 compact comes with the shorter 14 round magazine and the Airsoft 4.5 comes with a longer 25 round magazine.
FPS for the Steel BB versions are 270fps for the 3.8 and 325fps for the 4.5, comparably the Airsoft 3.8 is claimed to have 280fps with the 4.5 version a bit higher at 330fps. (Keep in mind that steel BB’s weigh more at around .33 grams compared to the .20 gram plastic Airsoft BB’s used for testing).
I did notice that on the sliver slide version, my earlier Airsoft 4.5 had more of a parkerized metallic finish while my same Steel BB version I received at a later time had more of brushed stainless look to it. Air Venturi has since informed me that all silver slide version will now have the brushed stainless finish.
Type: Gas Blowback Airsoft Pistol. Manufacturer: Air Venturi Model: Springfield Armory XDM 3.8 & 4.5 Inch Materials: Metal slide & Mag with Polymer frame. Weight: 1.75 & 1.9 pounds (794 & 861 grams). Length: 7.25 & 8.25 inches total length Barrel: 3.8 & 4.5 inch Metal non-rifled smooth bore. Propulsion: Green gas or propane. Action: Blowback, single action only. Ammunition Type: 6mm plastic Airsoft BB's. Ammunition Capacity: 14 & 25 rounds. FPS: 280-330 fps.
Trigger Pull: The single action only trigger pull on the Air Venturi Springfield Armory XDM GBB Airsoft Pistol is pretty much what you would expect on a striker fired SAO pistol. There is very little take up with a light release which should make for great action shooting and help with accuracy when slowing things down a bit.
Accuracy: This time I actually have done my Field Test Shooting video for the Air Venturi Springfield Armory XDM GBB Airsoft Pistol and it did pretty good, getting a 2 inch 10 round grouping from 30 feet away shooting just a bit low on the target, nothing a bit of hop-up adjustment shouldn’t be able to account for. The claimed fps is 330 for the 4.5 inch version and I was able to average right around 300.
Build Quality: At SHOT Show this year I commented on the Air Venturi Springfield Armory XDM Pistols and how great they looked and felt. Nothing really different now that I have them in my hands for review. I did notice that my AIrsoft version with the Silver Slide had a kind of metallic parkerized finish while my BB Silver Slide version has a more stainless steel look. I prefer the Stainless Steel look a lot more and feel it makes the Air Venturi Springfield Armory XDM Pistols look higher quality. Hopefully Air Venturi sticks with the Stainless Steel finish? Build quality and finish are good thought the gun.
Realism: The Air Venturi Springfield Armory XDM GBB Airsoft Pistol is really one of the best 1 to 1 copies I have seen out there. It looks pretty much identical including all the licensing and markings in all the right places. It also is full blowback with a full size drop out metal magazine and all the mechanical working parts work the same as the real steel version including the trigger safety, grip safety, slide catch release, take down leaver and magazine release. Field striping is done just like the 9mm big brother allowing for easy hop-up adjustments.
Lots of metal parts where the real steel version would also have them.
Fully Field Strippable.
Adjustable Hop-up.
Easy to use sights, fiber optic up front and white dot on the back.
Springfield Armory fully Licensed.
Working serial number, trigger and backstop safeties.
Comes with different sized back straps for small to large hands.
Rail for adding accessories.
Warning instructions are nice and discreet!
Your choice of compact or full size versions also in all black or silver slide.
Performed well in my Field Test Shooting Review getting a 2 inch 10 shot grouping and close to the claimed fps.
Cons:
Comes with the orange tip we all love but should be pretty easy to remove.
Sights are non-adjustable. Can use Hop-up to bring shots up or down.
Silver Slide Airsoft version finish is not my favorite.
Comments:
Like I said at SHOT Show this year I was super impressed with the entire Springfield Armory lineup and now that I have them in my hands I am still just as impressed with the Air Venturi Springfield Armory XDM GBB Airsoft Pistols. You are getting pretty much what everyone looks for in a Replica Airgun: 1 to 1 size and similar weight, full blowback action, full size drop out metal magazine, fully licensed, adjustable hop-up, filed strippable and similar build materials you would find as compared to the real steel 9mm version. I also like that you have a ton of choice offered by Air Venturi: Airsoft or BB, 3.8 inch compact or 4.5 inch full size, silver or black slide and even short lower capacity or longer high capacity magazines for the 3.8 inch version.
My Table Top Review of the Air Venturi Springfield Armory XDM GBB Airsoft Pistol
Using .20 gram BB’s I loaded up the Air Venturi Springfield Armory XDM GBB Airsoft Pistol with propane gas and placed several rounds through my Chronograph to see what the feet per second average would be. The last 5 shots I took where actual the fastest averaging 290 fps, a little bit slower than I was expecting but just about right for close quarters Airsoft games.
I then switched over to .32 gram Airsoft BB’s since they tend to be a bit more accurate out at longer ranges. Using a fresh paper target and shooting from a rested and seated position 30 feet away, I took 10 shots with the Air Venturi Springfield Armory XDM GBB Airsoft Pistol. The result was a 10 round grouping of about 2 inches with one straggler just outside the main group. The Air Venturi Springfield Armory XDM GBB Airsoft Pistol did shoot a little bit low at 30 feet but I am sure the hop-up can be adjusted for this. It was well centered left to right which is a good thing since the sights are non-adjustable.
I really like the Air Venturi Springfield Armory XDM GBB Airsoft Pistol, it looks and feels very solid with a nice balance in the hand. The Single Action Only Trigger is short and light making follow up shots quick and responsive. The blowback action is crisp with good simulated recoil. I look forward to trying out the Steel BB version of the Air Venturi Springfield Armory XDM GBB Pistol as soon as I get my hands on one which should be pretty soon. Take your pick, Airsoft or Steel BB, either is a great choice!
I do my best to get back to everyone with a question I have the answer to but there are times when I simply do not have the answer to your question. And for some reason these questions seem to come more often than others. I figured I would address these questions that I can not answer so you will know the reasons why and that I’m not just being a jerk by not answering them for you.
Here is a list of my Top 5 most often asked Questions I Can Not help you with:
The question comes up often about which Airgun to buy. Customers are wondering when they are looking at a specific Airgun and they see several similar products but from different companies, are they the same gun and if so which one should they decide to buy?
One of the biggest Airgun suppliers out there is for sure KWC, their BB and Airsoft guns are redistributed through companies like Umarex, Crosman, Sig Sauer, ASG, Gletcher and more. Often times the companies that redistribute KWC Airguns hold licensing agreements with real gun manufacturers like Smith & Wesson, Glock, Colt, Beretta, Sig Sauer, Taurus to name a few… KWC makes the Airguns in their Taiwanese factory but they are not allowed to put a real gun manufacturer license on the Airguns they distribute directly so KWC distributed Airguns will generally be all black.
I have also seen companies like Umarex distribute a new KWC Airgun that I have not seen yet from KWC, I believe KWC works with these big name Airgun companies directly and will build a new gun or variation of an existing KWC Airgun for them and give that Company an exclusive for a period of time. KWC will eventually regain the rights to sell that Airgun model directly after 6 months to a year.
Now that you know a little bit more on how it all works let’s get back to whether you should buy a KWC branded Airgun or other Brands same Airgun. It really comes down to I would say three factors. Do you want a Licensed version of the Airgun you are buying? Is there a price difference? Which gun is available to buy when I am ready to buy?
When you buy the Licensed version of the KWC Airgun redistributed through a third part Airgun Company you will often get a lot more writing on the Airgun than just the Gun Manufacturers name. Warning information comes to mind and does not look all that attractive on the slide where it is usually found in bright white lettering. If you like a cleaner look and don’t mind the lack of licensing then the KWC distributed version will generally be all back, nice and clean looking.
You would think buying the KWC Version that is sold more directly to the end customer would be the less expensive of the options because less hands are involved in the selling process. This is not always true, it is more about supply and demand, if more people want the cleaner looking KWC version but it’s harder to get ahold of than the price of the KWC version may actually be higher than say the Umarex or Crosman version. So shop around if price is the deciding factor as the guns are going to be mechanically the same with just some slight cosmetic differences between them.
Lastly, availability maybe what eventually leads you to buy a KWC version over an Umarex, or Crosman or Sig version since if the gun is not in stock well you may have limited options and so the one in stock is going to be perhaps your only option! Don’t feel like you got short changed, again these guns are virtually all the same at the end of the day no matter if you buy it from KWC, Umarex, Crosman, Sig Sauer, ASG, Gletcher or whomever.
The subject of Red/Orange tips on Airguns is often a bit controversial, the idea behind putting a Red or Orange tip on an Airgun is to distinguish an Airsoft gun from a “Real Gun”. Is this really a good idea? Do we really want to encourage people from treating an Airgun as if it was not real? Does the Orang/Red tip give people the wrong idea that an Airgun can be used with less responsibility than a real gun and if so what are the consequences.
In my “Is a Red or Orange Tip on an Airgun a Good or Bad Idea” YouTube Video I dress two main issues I have with putting Red or Orange Tips on Airguns and in this case I am talking mainly from the perspective of a person living in North America where we often see Red/Orange tips on Airsoft guns that come from the US. In Canada our legally imported Airsoft guns do not require Red or Orange tips since they are actually considered unregulated firearms as an Airsoft gun has been determined to be able to cause serious injury.
Main Point Number 1: Does adding a Red or Orange tip give the false impression that an Airgun is a toy and can be treated just like a toy? Would you give an Airgun to a child unsupervised? Can an Airgun cause a serious injury or even death, and if so why is an Airgun potentially less dangerous than a “Real Gun”?
Main Point Number 2: Does the additional a Red/Orange Tip on and Airgun make it harder for law enforcement to make a decision when they are forced to act on someone that appears to have a gun and is using it in a dangerous way? What do they do when a person is brandishing what looks to be a firearm but it appears to have a Red or Orange Tip on it? What if someone simply painted the tip Red or Orange to throw people off and make them second guess themselves allowing the perpetrator critical time to get the first and most critical shots off?
I am not trying to stir up any pots here but simply bringing up concerns I have with adding Red or Orange Tips to Airguns. Maybe the powers that be need to reconsider if a Red or Orange Tip on an Airgun is a good or bad idea?
Some new guns came in for me to highlight, some will get full reviews and some are KWC unlicensed versions of some Airguns I have already reviewed so this unboxing update video will suffice for them.
In the Field Test Shooting Video I perform my standard Chronograph and accuracy tests on the G&G GTP9 GBB Airsoft Pistol. I put 5 rounds ( At least I try to…) through my Chrony Chronograph using slightly heavier than usual .32 gram plastic Airsoft BB's with a full propane filled magazine. My Sea Can Indoor Airgun Range was warmed up sufficiently for a gas gun test (Around 22 degrees Celsius or 70 degrees Fahrenheit) but perhaps because I was using the heavier .32 gram Airsoft BB’s I only managed to get around 230fps for the G&G GTP9 GBB Airsoft Pistol.
Moving onto my accuracy test I placed 10 shots on target 30 feet down range using a rested shooting position, sitting in the back and sand bag up front. I was impressed with how tight of a 10 shot grouping I got! I was able to get the bulk of the shots all within about an inch with only two shots hitting just a little outside of this. The G&G Armament GTP9 GBB Airsoft Pistol did shoot a little bit low and just a tad to the left but you shoudl be able to raise it up as needed using the built in Hop-up adjustment.
You will notice in my Filed Test Shooting Youtube Video that I did has some initial problems with the G&G Armament GTP9 GBB Airsoft Pistol misfiring some rounds. This seemed to only happen when I switched to a brand new propane tank and topped up the magazine all the way. My first 4-5 shots seemed to vent a lot of gas and for some reason the G&G Armament GTP9 GBB Airsoft Pistol would misfire. Once I got through the initial rounds the G&G Armament GTP9 GBB Airsoft Pistol shot just fine. Not the most powerful Airsoft gun I have tested but for indoor close quarter Airgun battles the G&G Armament GTP9 GBB Airsoft Pistol would perform just fine.
To celebrate Victoria Day here in Canada we are having a SALE over in the www.ReplicaAirguns.ca Online Store! Everything will be 10% OFF! Sale will go over this weekend and end Monday night.
We are featuring a couple of newer products in the Canada Store, one from G&G and one from Umarex…
Type: Gas Blowback Airsoft Pistol. Manufacturer: G&G Model: GTP9 Materials: Polymer slide & frame. Weight: 1.5 pounds (680 grams). Length: 8.85 inches (22.5 cm) total Barrel: 4.4 inches (11.2 cm),Metal non-rifled smooth bore. Propulsion: Green gas or propane. Action: Blowback, single action only. Ammunition Type: 6mm plastic Airsoft BB's. Ammunition Capacity: 23 rounds. FPS: 350-400 fps.
Trigger Pull: The single action only trigger pull on the G&G GTP9 GBB Airsoft Pistol is light with just a little bit of take-up. Since there is a built in trigger safety you will need to make sure your finger is firmly on the trigger or you may notice the trigger safety binding a little bit. Other than that the trigger pull is smooth.
Accuracy: I have not done my actual Field Test Shooting video review for the G&G GTP9 GBB Airsoft Pistol but I did get the chance to shot it quickly in my Sea Can indoor shooting range. Blowback felt pretty decent considering the slide is polymer and I was able to get most of my shots on or near the bullseye from about 25 feet out free standing. I did really like the more open sight setup as it allowed me to see over and under my target giving me a bigger picture of what I am lined up with.
Build Quality: Like pretty much all G&G Airsoft guns, the G&G GTP9 GBB Airsoft Pistol build quality is very high quality all around. Fit and finish where excellent and even though the slide is polymer the G&G GTP9 GBB Airsoft Pistol felt solid in the hadn't and had a decent overall weigth to it. I know plastic slides are not always everyones first choice but the slide on the G&G GTP9 GBB Airsoft Pistol did have good weight to it allowing for decent blowback feel and in many cases plastic will be more durable than pot metal or zinc metal slides and stand up to abuse and wear and tear better.
Realism: The G&G GTP9 GBB Airsoft Pistolis not a replica of any specific real steel gun in production but it is designed to look like your common modern pistol and it seems many of these modern pistols have some Glock like tributes, that square shaped slide, square trigger guard and shallow thumb rest. That all said the G&G GTP9 GBB Airsoft Pistol has all of the right stuff we look for in a replica pistol like a full size drop out metal magazine, full blowback operation and of course the ability to field strip the gun juts for fun or for occasional cleaning.
Most external parts on gun are polymer so you will not get finish wear or noticeable scratches on it. Also keeps the weight down.
Threaded barrel for adding a mock suppressor.
Comes with two different sized Grip Back-straps to accommodate small and larger hands.
Expect to get decent amount of shots per gas fill (around 3-4 magazines).
Adjustable Hop-up that is super easy to access with no gun disassembly required.
Micro Gas Filter and Whirl Cylinder Valve help to manage gas efficiency.
Full Size Dropout metal magazine pretty standard on Airsoft pistols these days.
Rail for accessories if you choose.
Open white dot sights make it super easy to see your target.
Dual safety system, cross bolt on frame and trigger safety.
Narrow and light, would make a great lightweight side arm for Airsoft battles.
Cons:
Some people may not like the polymer slide?
Sights is non adjustable but mine got bullseyes from 25 out.
Comments:
Normally I am not a big fan of all plastic or polymer guns but in the case of the G&G GTP9 GBB Airsoft Pistol I think it makes sense, G&G has done a great job of making the plastic slide feel solid and have good overall weigth to it so you still get that weighty feeling int he hand and enough blowback to feel the recoil with each shot. I also think the G&G GTP9 GBB Airsoft Pistol will be more durable long term and look better even if it gets knocked around since you won’t see the scratches and dings that you would see on a metal gun. The G&G GTP9 GBB Airsoft Pistol also has a ton of stuff going on that I have not seen on other guns to date like the open rear sights for better sight framing and that super cool easy to access hop-up adjustment system.
My Table Top Review of the G&G GTP9 GBB Airsoft Pistol:
I’ve reviewed a lot of the Single Action Army Revolvers to date in a variety of 4.5mm Steel BB and .177 caliber lead pellet shooting versions but so far I have not reviewed any 6mm Airsoft versions, until now!
In this Field Test Shooting Video Review I test out the Umarex Legends Wildcard 45 CO2 Airsoft Revolver to see what the actual real world fps is and also shoot at a paper target 30 feet down range to see what kind of accuracy I can get from it.
Starting with my Chronograph test. I placed 6 shots using my Umarex Legends Wildcard 45 CO2 Airsoft Revolver through the Chronograph and averaged them out getting a result of 342 fps. Not bad considering Umarex claims only 335 fps. I was using .20 gram plastic Airsoft BB’s with a brand new CO2 and the indoor temperature was 22 degrees Celsius or about 70 degrees Fahrenheit which is a fairly neutral temperature for testing a CO2 Airgun.
Next I loaded up my Umarex Legends Wildcard 45 CO2 Airsoft Revolver this time with .32 gram plastic Airsoft BB’s and shot the full 6 round cylinder on my paper target 30 feet away using a rested seated position. 5 of the rods all shot within about 3 inches while one came outside of this just a bit. The Umarex Legends Wildcard 45 CO2 Airsoft Revolver shot really well center on the target and since there are no sighting adjustments or hop-up adjustments this is good news!
I’m not really sure if a six shot single action only revolver is really going to be your best option for an Airsoft battle but hey who am I to say. The Umarex Legends Wildcard 45 CO2 Airsoft Revolver does have about the right fps for close quarter shooting and shoots on target at least at 30 feet or more so in those regards it’s just fine. Low ammo capacity, not so quick reloading and having to cock the hammer for each shot could be a limiting factor but if the old west cowboys could clear a room in seconds with these six shooters then why not give it a go!
In this Update Video we take a look at some BB and Airsoft pistols I have already reviewed but in a slightly different form factor. They are all Umarex Legends pistols but two of them (The P.08 and M712) are WWII Special Editions versions with that aged weathered look to them.
The Umarex Single Action Army Wildcard .45 is in 6mm Airsoft which I have so far not review in a Single Action Army Revolver so not only will I be showing you this one up close, but I will be doing a followup Field Test Shooting video for it shortly.
Here are some basic specifications on these three Airguns:
Umarex WWII Limited Edition M712 Full Auto Blowback BB Pistol
Type:BB Pistol Manufacturer:Umarex Model:WWII Limited Edition M712 Materials: Full Metal Weight: 1424 grams (3.15 pounds) Barrel: Smoothbore Power Source: CO2 Action: Semi and Full Auto Ammo Type: 4.5mm BBs Ammo Capacity: 18 Rounds FPS: 360
Umarex WWII Limited Edition P08 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol
Type:BB Pistol Manufacturer:Umarex Model:WWII P08 Materials: Full Metal Weight: 808 grams (1.7 pounds) Barrel: Smoothbore Power Source: CO2 Action: Semi and Full Auto Ammo Type: 4.5mm BBs Ammo Capacity: 21 Rounds FPS: 300
In this Field Test Shooting Review I test both the KWA Ronin TK.45 Tekken AEG 2.5 & 3 Airsoft Rifles out putting some rounds through my Chronograph to see what the actual fps is. I also put some rounds down range to see how the accuracy is for both of these KWA AEG Airsoft Rifles is.
Starting with my Chronograph test, I was using heavier than normal .32 gram Airsoft BB’s to see if this would help out a bit with the accuracy but keep in mind it will slow the fps down a bit compared to using standard .20 gram Airsoft BB’s. My results for both AIrsoft guns where pretty close with the KWA Ronin TK.45 Tekken AEG 2.5 Airsoft Rifle shooting slightly faster at around 324 fps versus the KWA Ronin TK.45 Tekken AEG 3 Airsoft Rifle coming in with a velocity of 314 fps. The KWA Ronin TK.45 Tekken AEG 2.5 Airsoft Rifle can be adjusted for 320-380 fps by accessing a screw situated at the end of the buffer tube. The KWA Ronin TK.45 Tekken AEG 3 Airsoft Rifle does not have this feature since it has its recoil system setup inside the buffer tube. You can swap out springs if you want to adjust your fps on the TK.45 3 Airsoft Rifle.
Moving on to the accuracy test. I know 30 feet is not really a great range for testing out an AEG Airsoft rifle but it does give us an idea of how tight it will shoot at this range and then all we need to do is expand that a bit as we get further out. But a tight group at 30 feet should mean a decent group even when shooting further away.
I do have to say I was having some difficulty with the KWA Ronin TK.45 Tekken AEG 3 Airsoft Rifle using the same ammo in both guns so this should not be a problem if it works well in one but not the other? That said I was getting misfeeds followed by double shots using the .32 gram Airsoft BB’s in the TK.45 3 Airsoft Rifle. Even in full auto it seemed to misfeeds for a bit but then cleared up at the end. Maybe a different ammo choice or some break in time is required? That said both Airsoft guns seemed to shoot low so perhaps a hop-up adjustment is in order. The KWA Ronin TK.45 Tekken AEG 2.5 Airsoft Rifle seemed to shoot the lowest even requiring me to retest it since my first go around shot below the range of the camera. When I sighted in at the top of the target the second time I did get a very tight 1 inch grouping just below the bullseye. In full auto both guns punched nice 2-3 inch holes through the paper targets.
Other than the strange miss feeding issue I had with the KWA Ronin TK.45 Tekken AEG 3 Airsoft Rifle, I found them to be very nice rifles. The simulated blowback recoil action felt nice on the shoulder so personally I would go for the KWA Ronin TK.45 Tekken AEG 3 Airsoft Rifle, I would just need to workout the miss feeding issue for sure. Maybe even a shorter version of the KWA Ronin TK.45 Tekken AEG 3.0 Airsoft Rifle would be nice? You can purchase one of these KWA Airsoft Rifles over in our Canada Replica Airguns store!
A while back I made a Vimeo Video named” Is an Airgun Good for Self Defense?” It’s been pretty popular on YouTube getting over 2 million video views and I get a lot fo feedback from my viewers with varying opinions on this issue. I like constrictive feedback and enjoy hearing what my YouTube viewers have to say as long as everyone is being civil about it and not just trying to start an argument.
In my first video on this subject I pretty much go on the record saying I don’t think Airguns are a good choice for self defense and there are for sure way better alternatives but many of you disagreed with me and so I decided to make this update or revisit video and go over some of the top pushback comments I get and see if they have some merit to them.
Here are the top 4 pushback comments I get the most often:
When the bad guy sees the airgun they are going to run away thinking it’s a real gun.
Just shoot the bad guy in the eyes / face.
Use an HPA large caliber rifle.
Use a full auto high capacity Airgun.
Watch my “Is an Airgun Good for Self Defense Revisit” Vimeo video to see how I address these pushback comments.
This is going to be the only video this week. I’m turning 50 on Friday April 5th and had a goal that I wanted to complete before I reached 50. I wanted to get my 1993 Ducati 750 Super Sport all fixed up and ready to go, and it’s been a lot of work cleaning, fixing, painting… Perhaps it’s a bit of a mid life crisis sort of thing but at least it’s gotten my but in gear :) Stay tuned till the end of the video for some video of what the mighty Ducati looks like today if you’re into that sort of thing!
Getting back to the KWA Ronin TK.45 Tekken AEG 2.5 & AEG 3 Airsoft Rifles. You may remember my Shot Show Interview with Jonathan, well he went front to back and up and down the entire KWA product line ending with the KWA Ronin TK.45 Tekken AEG 2.5 & AEG 3 Airsoft Rifles and boy does he know his stuff, I will be adding the portion of Jonathan’s interview that deals with these rifles at the end of this video also.
Here is some info on the KWA Ronin TK.45 Tekken AEG 2.5 & AEG 3 Airsoft Rifles…
Starting with my Chronograph velocity testing for the Umarex Beretta APX CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol, I placed 5 .20 gram Airsoft rounds through my Chrony using a brand new CO2 and was able to average right around 298 fps. Pretty close to Umarex’s claim of 325. Keep in mind it was not super warm at right around 15 degrees Celsius or 60 degrees Fahrenheit. In a warmer environment I would expect to get right up to the 325 fps Umarex has stated on the box.
For the accuracy portion of my Field test for the Umarex Beretta APX CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol I setup a new paper target down range and placed 10 rounds into it from my seated and rested shooting position. The Umarex Beretta APX CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol shot very well centered getting most of the 10 rounds right in the bullseye! The rest came out a bit making the 10 shot group just under 3 inches in diameter. Not bad at all for a low cost budget Airsoft Pistol.
Overall the Umarex Beretta APX CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol is pretty decent for what you pay. It looks really good too. The trigger is a bit long but not too heavy for quick shooting. The slide spring is a bit weak which may be the reason the slide stayed back a couple of times for me? Other than that the Umarex Beretta APX CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol is good value in my books and even comes with two metal stick magazines for quick reloading while on the field!
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Umarex Beretta APX CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol is a little different then that of the real steel APX. On the real steel APX there is actually a trigger safety and the actual gun uses a striker based system with a fairly short reset and take-up. On the Umarex Replica Airsoft version the trigger does not have a built in safety and the reset and take-up are much longer (full length). I have read that both the real steal and Airsoft versions of the APX both have about 6 pounds trigger pulls but I personally felt like the Airsoft version was heavier than that, perhaps because of the long pull. Overall the Umarex Beretta APX CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol trigger is acceptable but not my favorite.
Build Quality: Very good, the Umarex Beretta APX CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol feels heavier than 1.5 pounds in the hand, perhaps because it is a more compact gun. The metal slide, metal stick mag and internal metal parts all help to balance off the polymer frame nicely. Fit and finish is also good.
Realism: The Umarex Beretta APX CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol overall is a really close replica to the real steel APX other than the added safety and missing trigger safety. The added safety does not stand out too much and does serve a purpose while the missing trigger safety could of at least been there for show if not an actual working safety. Other than that the Umarex Beretta APX CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol is very close to the Beretta APX with its full licensing, open ejection port, recessed barrel working slide catch release and blowback operation. Available at the:Replica Airguns Store
Pros:
Good weight and feel to it, build quality seems good overall.
Really nice replica of the original Beretta APX in most ways.
Working slide catch and release. Will also lock back on last shot.
Fully Beretta licensed through umarex.
Easy to see white dot sights front and back.
Recessed barrel and open ejection port for added realism.
Accessory rail for adding a laser or tactical light.
Stick magazine but plate gives the elusion of a full size magazine.
Warning instruction are nice and discreet!
Comes with two magazines and an additional back strap grip in a different color.
Cons:
Trigger is a bit long and perhaps heavier than the real steel APX trigger. It also does not have the trigger safety.
Has a stick magazine rather than a full size magazine.
Comes with orange tip but can be removed with some work.
Comments:
I like that the Airsoft version of the Beretta APX now comes in a box and also includes not only an extra magazine but also an included grip back strap in an alternate color for those that want a bit of customization. The Umarex Beretta APX CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol feels good in the hand and even thought the trigger is a bit long you can still get off some pretty quick shots since the trigger pull is not too tough. The Umarex Beretta APX CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol makes a fairly economical option for your sidearm in Airsoft battles and if you want more than two magazines than additional magazines are not that expensive and will not weigh you down on the field.
My YouTube Videos for the Umarex Beretta APX CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol:
Type: Blowback GBB Airsoft Pistol. Manufacturer: Distributed by Umarex. Model:Glock 17 Gen 4. Materials: Metal & Polymer. Weight: 1.45 pounds (658 grams). Barrel: 3.75 inches metal non-rifled. Propulsion: Green Gas or Propane. Action: Semi auto blowback, single action only trigger. Ammunition Type: 6mm plastic Airsoft BB's. Ammunition Capacity: 20 round drop out full size metal magazine. FPS: Claimed 300+.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Umarex Glock 17 4th Gen GBB Airsoft Pistol is fairly short with only a little bit of take up, the release is light and crips. The blowback action resets the internal Hammer / Striker with each shot for that true single action trigger and it’s also nice that the trigger does have a working trigger safety.
Accuracy: At this point I have not shot the Umarex Glock 17 4th Gen GBB Airsoft Pistol so I can only quote what Umarex is saying in terms of FP2 which is around 300 using Green Ga or Propane. This is fine for playing Airsoft games but for Canada import it can get a bit sticky. Luckily we where able to get a bunch into Canada so hopefully we can get some more in our Canada Replica Airguns Store in the future… US supply will be less of a problem.
Build Quality: TheUmarex Glock 17 4th Gen GBB Airsoft Pistol seems well made overall. It does seem a little bit underweight but still feels solid enough in the hand. The Slide is metal but has a bit of an unusual finish that makes it look a lot like the plastic frame rather than a more shiny metal look. All the parts seem to fit nicely, maybe even a bit snug at first as I noticed the side had a bit of friction to it but seems to be working in nicely now.
Realism: The Umarex Glock 17 4th Gen GBB Airsoft Pistol looks the part of a Glock 17 4th Generation all day long. Other then the slightly lighter weight it would be hard to tell off hand until you remove the magazine and take a closer look. All the parts work as you would expect them to, similar to the real steel version and you can even fully field strip the Umarex Glock 17 4th Gen GBB Airsoft Pistol which makes getting to and adjusting the hop-up easy enough to do. Available From: The Replica Airguns Store.
Pros:
Decent weight and feel to it, build quality seems good.
Really nice looking replica of the original Glock 17 Gen 4.
Fully Glock licensed.
Easy to see white dot sights front and back.
Recessed barrel for added realism.
Accessory rail for adding a laser or tactical light.
Full size drop out metal magazine that holds the CO2 and 20 6mm Airsoft BB’s.
Warning instruction are nice and discreet under trigger guard
Nice light SAO trigger as the blowback pre-cocks the internal hammer/strike.
Working trigger safety.
Cons:
May or may not come with an orange tip but can be fairly remissly removed.
Sight are non-adjustable which is common with low cost airguns like this one.
FPS is a bit low making Canada import difficult.
Comments:
Getting the Umarex BB versions of the Glock 17 and Glock 19 has for sure been a bit easier since fps velocity is not a factor. So it was great that we where able to import at least some of these Umarex Glock 17 4th Gen GBB Airsoft Pistols into Canada. I hope we will be able to continue supplying the Glock Airsoft versions in our Canada Replica Airguns Store but I can not promise anything… So if you see some in stock then grab one while you still can!
In this Vimeo Preview Video I show off three new Glock and Glock-like Air Pistols. Two of them are from Umarex and are Glock Licensed, one being a GGB Airsoft Pistol and the other is a CO2 Blowback BB Pistol. I also show an unlicensed Glock-like CO2 Blowback BB Pistol from KWC that kind of looks like a glock but has several key differences that do make it deviate a fair amount from that of a true Glock pistol.
Starting with the KWC 17. At first glance you may think it looks a lot like a Glock but on closer inspection it has the following differences: Notched out trigger guard, extended thumb guard or beaver tail, straight pistol grip with no finger indents, cut out on slide, slide serration on front. The KWC 17 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol is a full blowback Airgun with a full size drop out metal magazine that holds the CO2 and 17 rods of 4.5mm steel BB’s. You can expect to get around 330 fps for it.
Another Blowback CO2 BB Glock is the Umarex Glock 17 Gen 3 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol which is fully Glock licensed and also features a full size drop out metal magazine that hold 18 4.5mm steel BB’s. The Glock 17 Gen 3 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol is a partial blowback Airgun so you can expect a little bit higher velocity of around 365 fps and additional shots per CO2.
Lastly I show you the Umarex Glock 17 Gen 4 GBB Airsoft Pistol, another fully Glock Licensed airgun with full blowback operation and a full size drop out metal magazine that holds 20 6mm plastic Airsfot BB’s and the either Green Gas or Propane Gas. Velocity will be around 300 fps on this one.
Pickup one of these Glock and Glock-like Airguns form either our Canada or US online Replica Airgun stores!
Being that KWA is a new product in our Replica Airguns Online Stores, I wanted to go over as much of the KWA product line as possible and really not only learn for myself but be able to share all of this information with everyone. I have to thank Jonathan for spending so much of his time really diving in deep to what KWA has to offer.
There really is an absolute ton of info in this video that in no way I can put into words so you’re going to have to watch this KWA SHOT Show Interview from start to finish. So go get yourself a snack and something to drink, cause it’s going to be a long one!
