More guns to show off! Good for you and me! In this update video I show you some very interesting guns indeed! As many of you are aware, the Baikal Makarov MP-654K CO2 4.5mm Steel BB pistol has been really hard to find new here in Canada, making the price of used ones escalate up into the $700+ price range for one in as new condition. Well for those looking to buy a Baikal Makarov MP-654K we have located some and have them for sale now in our Canada Replica Airguns store (Very limited supply). These are the 2013 PM new design models with the narrow grips and mags, they also have the recessed barrels and cut out extractor. We sell them in the blued version only.
Another CO2 BB pistol that has been out of stock for some time is the EKOL ES series. I reviewed the ES 55 CO2 BB Pistol a while back but until now have not been able to show off the ES 66 Series which is more browning high power looking in design. The good news is we have both the ES 55 and ES 66 CO2 4.5mm Steel BB Pistol in stock in our Canada Store. These guns are mostly metal with full size drop out metal magazines that hold the CO2 and BB's, they also shoot in both single and double action and have pretty decent power! We are now selling both the ES 55 and ES 66 series of guns in our Online Canada Store.
I've looked at several Gletcher Airguns over the last little while and finally got my hands on the Gletcher APS Blowback CO2 BB Pistol which is a replica of the Russian Stechkin Soviet Military sidearm introduced back in the 50's. It's kind of a bigger brother version of the Makarov, i was surprised at how large it actually was when i got my hands on it! The real steel version had the ability to shoot in both semi and full-auto but my Gletcher APS 4.5mm BB replica only shoots in semi auto. Again, checkout the full line of Gletcher Products in our Canada Replica Airguns Store.
I again had the opportunity to attend this years SHOT Show in Las Vegas, it has pretty much become a tradition for me now. First of all it's a great excuse to go to Las Vegas! And then there is the SHOT Show with all the big Airgun companies to go and checkout their products and of course meet some of the folks that I have been emailing. It also give my wife and I nice break from the kids, Vegas is almost like a second home to us now we have been so many times, we have our favorite eating places, of course there is the Fat Tuesdays we make sure to stop in most days for our troff of slushy boozy drink. We generally hit a show of some sort and if you like shopping, there is plenty of that to do in Las Vegas.
OK, so back to the 2015 SHOT Show, I have to say every year is a lot like the years before, most of the booths are even in the same locations so it is making it easier for me to find them, SHOT Show is a big show with lots of area to covers! Generally most companies will have all there old guns on display along with a few new ones, for me I am there to see what's new and I am sure most of you are interested in the upcoming products as well.
I know many of my American viewers have been wanting a Single Action Army 45 Revolvers and I too have been asking for this classic Cowboy revolver, I have even mentioned this to the big companies the past several years. Well I guess they finally got the message! Umarex is releasing their Colt Single Action Army 45 in a few different configurations. Their run of 500 Limited edition US Marshal revolvers sold out within the first few hours but I got my name on one this time so look forward to that review when I get mine :) Don't worry if you don't manage to get your hands on one of the US Marshal Single Action Army's, there will be two other none limited edition versions, one in silver and one in blued, both with bone handles. Like the Dan Wesson and Colt 357 shell loading BB revolvers, the Colt Single Action Army pistols will be mostly metal and also have removable shells that you place the BB's into. You will have to load each shell one at a time into the Colts, just like the old cowboy versions. The 12 gram CO2 is located in the pistol grip as expected and all version shoot in single action only as the name indicates.
Another noteworthy Umarex new product is the Umarex Pietro Beretta 92 A1 which is a pretty much full metal licensed Beretta with full blowback and a full size drop out metal magazine that holds the BB's and CO2. Umarex also added the KWC Luger and Mauser to their line off classic Blowback BB pistols this year.
ASG had some interesting offerings, they showed me a new styled Dan Wesson that will be able to accept a sight rail, it will come in Steel 4.5mm BB, 6mm Airsoft and .177 caliber Pellet. The new style Dan Wesson will not include the sight rail but you will be able to purchase it separately.
While visiting ASG I played around with their new Airsoft CZ P-09 full blowback semi auto pistol, wow the slide felt good, I am pretty sure the ASG Airsoft CZ P-09 is going to be a lot of fun to shoot!
Crosman didn't have a lot in terms of Replica guns which is not all that unusual for them, I did get my hands on their new P15B Blowback BB Pistol, I am not sure if it is the final version or a prototype at this point? The Crosman P15B has blowback action but no slide catch or slide lock, it sports a drop out full metal stick styled magazine and kind of looks like a cross between a Sig Sauer and a Desert Eagle.
Gamo, again, not known for their huge selection of replica guns did have an interesting new revolver, the PR-776 which is based on the shell loading Win Gun Frame but instead of incorporating removable shells, you load .177 caliber pellets directly into the cylinder of the PR-776.
I got to take a close up look at the Gletcher .177 caliber brass shells for their 357 series CO2 revolvers and they are a lot different than the Dan Wesson version of pellet loading brass shells. Instead of screwing together they press together and have a rubber O-ring system to help them seal tightly.
Even though I don't sell many KWA branded pistols, I do occasionally bump into them when companies like Umarex or ASG use them in their licensed lines. I did like their Scorpion KZ61, hopefully I will get to try one out sooner than later...
Well that's about it for this years SHOT Show Las Vegas 2015, until I return again in 2016 :)
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Gletcher P08 Luger is medium pull for a SAO style trigger, it has a fairly shot take-up with a nice release point. The trigger definitely looks the parts with it's crescent shape and exposed spring. I would expect this pistol to behave well in the target accuracy department, at least the trigger will not be the problem.
Accuracy: I have not done any preliminary shooting so far with this Gletcher P08 due to some pretty awful weather conditions in my area. We will have to see how well the Gletcher P08 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol performs in terms of accuracy and velocity once I get out and do a real shooting test with it
Build Quality: The Gletcher P08 CO2 BB Pistol is really well made overall, pretty much the entire pistol is metal except for the grips of course and has a really nice weight to it. The finish looks really nice and the fit is good, the toggle feels nice and tight and all the mechanical parts function smoothly.
Realism: With the exception of the metal stick magazine, the Gletcher seems to have all it's other parts in order, even a working Toggle with Blowback, although the toggle does not lock back on the last shot! The Gletcher P08 certainly looks the part of a Luger P08, Gletcher has hidden 4.5mm the inner barrel by recessing it little bit and the CO2 screw is well hidden under the magazine. It would have been nice to have been able to field strip the Gletcher P08 but perhaps people will get into less trouble losing parts without this ability.
Pros:
Mostly all metal, nice and heavy at 2 pounds.
CO2 is well hidden.
Recessed barrel adds to realism.
21 round all metal stick magazine.
Realistic blowback toggle operation.
Lots of working parts.
True a very realistic SAO trigger design that seems to have a nice light trigger pull.
Shooting performance pros yet to be determined…
Cons:
Does not seem to be easily field strippable
Painty at the rear of the toggle seems to have chipped off a a bit.
Would have liked to have seen a full size drop out metal magazine on this gun.
Shooting performance cons yet to be determined…
Comments:
This is the third Gletcher pistol I have reviewed and I am really liking the products from Gletcher! I like that they offer some very unique Airguns that many other companies are not addressing. My Gletcher P08 does have some competition from Umarex and KWC but it has its own selling points for sure, I figure it fits in nicely right between the Umarex and KWC P08's in terms of offering realism and practicality. So now we have a few choices when it comes to purchasing a 4.5mm CO2 BB firing P08 Luger, choice is a good thing!
My Vimeo Table Top Video of the Gletcher P08 Luger CO2 BB Pistol:
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Gletcher TT CO2 BB Tokarev is single action only, the blowback action cocks the hammer after each shot but you will need to either draw the hammer back or rack the slide on the first shot. I did find the the SAO trigger to be rather heavy for a single action type trigger? Perhaps it will loosen up a bit over time? The take-up is kind of long since there is no real reset that takes place after the hammer is drawn back. The release point is sudden but does take some effort to release the trigger. I am not sure how this going to effect the accuracy?
Accuracy: I have only done some very preliminary shooting so far with this Gletcher TT due to some pretty awful weather conditions. Mainly just some freehand shooting to see how the blowback action felt. The blowback is rather fast and kind of mild but does offer some recoil effect and of course the ability for a single action trigger. We will have to see how well the Gletcher TT Tokarev performs once I get out and do a real test.
Build Quality: The Gletcher TT CO2 BB Pistol is really nicely made overall, pretty much the entire pistol is metal except for the grips of course. The finish looks really nice and the fit is good, not a lot of slide wiggle and all the mechanical parts function smoothly with the exception of the rather strange trigger design. You really need to watch my video to see what I mean here!
Realism: I am lucky enough to own a Tokarev type semi auto real steel pistol and looking at the two of them side by side they look very much the same. Of course my Norinco Tokarev (Type 54) Model 213 is made out of hardened weapons grade steel and so it is heavier but the Gletcher TT does feel solid in the hand with it's all metal design. The working slide catch, magazine release and hammer are all in the right places and function as they should. Gletcher even made sure to have a recessed barrel and hidden CO2 screw which adds to the realism. The only real giveaways are again that rather strange looking single action trigger and the two pins near the lower front of the slide. Not a big deal for me though. I do have to mention the way the safety was implemented on this Gletcher TT Tokarev, Gletcher placed it just inside the Slide Stop Retainer Clip in a kind of unobtrusive location.
Pros:
One of the only 4.5mm BB shooting Tokarev replicas I have come across.
Very solid and weighty gun for it’s size. Mostly all metal.
CO2 is well hidden.
Recessed barrel adds to realism.
18 round all metal stick magazine.
Blowback operation, slide locks back on last round.
Did a good job of making the safety discreet.
Shooting performance pros yet to be determined…
Cons:
SAO trigger is rather heavy.
Trigger looks a bit funky compared to a real Tokarev trigger.
Would have liked to have seen a full size drop out metal magazine on this gun.
Shooting performance cons yet to be determined…
Comments:
So far I have liked all the Gletcher guns that I have come across, it's great that Gletcher offers a lot of unique guns from the past, for me the Tokarev is near and dear to my heart since it is very 1911 like and I truly love the 1911 design. It only makes sense that I would own not only a real steel 1911 but also the Russian Tokarev. I'm not really sure how the Gletcher TT Tokarev is going to perform using the chronograph and during my paper target testing from 30 feet out but to be honest I really don't care all that much because this Tokarev BB pistol is not so much about performance or getting everything absolutely perfect, the Gletcher TT Tokarev BB Pistol is more about offering yet another BB pistol replica of one of the classic pistols at an affordable price and with quality in mind.
My Vimeo Table Top Video of the Gletcher TT Tokarev CO2 BB Pistol:
Yes! Some new guns for you, and that's always a good thing for everyone, especially me since I get to play with them! I have been waiting a while to get my hands on some of the .177 caliber pellet shooting versions of the Dan Wesson Revolvers. I was actually introduced to them nearly a year ago at the last SHOT Show back in January of 2014! That's a long wait for sure...
The Pellet version Dan Wesson's look really good, the quality of the pellet shells is top notch and even the redesigned inner rifled barrels look to be very high quality. ASG did not just do a quick part swap, they really though out how they wanted everything to fit together. I am looking forward to seeing how well they shoot and will be Field Testing them both together so we can see how the barrel lengths play an effect on power and accuracy.
Next up we have two Gletcher pistols, both are classic semi auto shooters from the past, the Gletcher TT which is a Replica of the Russian Tokarev, and the Gletcher P08 which is a Luger copy. Both pistols are blowback and shoot 4.5mm Steel BB's.
Both pistols incorporate single action only triggers, metal stick magazines and working safeties, a real steel Tokarev normally would not have a safety other than the half cock hammer, Gletcher added in a discreet switch style safety on the right side of their TT. Again, I look forward to shooting both of these blowback pistols as soon as the weather picks up!
It's that time once again for an end of the year Gun Collection video. And no I will not be showing off all of my guns, to show and explain them all (Approximately 200 or so?) would simply take a really long time to make and a really long time for you to watch ;)
The weather has been bad, cold, wet and dark, not conducive for Airgun testing at all but it has been a long time since I got outside to shoot any of my guns and so I braved the storm and setup all my lights and cameras and made a shooting video for you all :)
I was really curious about the Daisy CO2 Pellet/BB shooters I made a table top review of just recently, the Daisy Powerline 617X and Daisy Powerline Model 008. So I loaded some fresh CO2, a mag of 7 grain lead pellets and a mag of 4.5mm Steel BB's for each gun and conducted my Chronograph and Target tests accordingly.
I shot 5 round of pellets and 5 rounds of steel BB's throughout my Chronograph using the Powerline 617X first and then the Powerline 008 secondly. Both guns performed really close during the chrony section shooting the pellets at close to 400 fps and the steel BB's at just over 400 fps. The Daisy 008 seemed to be releasing more CO2 with each shot because it seemed louder and had more kick, but because of the shorter barrel I did not see an increase in fps over the Daisy 617X. I would image the Daisy 617X will get more shots per CO2 in the long run.
As per my usual target accuracy testing I stepped back 30 feet and emptied a magazine again of both lead pellets and 4.5mm steel BB's for each gun into some paper targets using a semi-rested position (sand bag up front and standing in the back). Again the Daisy Powerline 617X seemed to outperform the Daisy Powerline 008 just a bit getting a little bit tighter grouping with both the lead pellets and steel BB's, right around the 1 inch mark with 6 rounds per ammo type. I think the single action trigger may have helped a bit but I do have to say the double action only trigger on the Daisy Powerline 008 is really nice and smooth making shot placement very easy. This may have been the reason for the very respectable 1.5 inch 8 shot pellet grouping I got with the Daisy 008.
All in all two very nice and versatile pellet/BB shooters from Daisy, worth looking into for sure.
Ammunition Type: .177 caliber lead pellets & 4.5mm Steel BB's.
Ammunition Capacity: 6 round rotary magazine.
FPS: 485 fps using steel BB's.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Daisy Powerline Model 617X CO2 Pellet-BB Pistol is pretty decent on both single and double action, single action of course being shorter and lighter. I even found when adding the 6 shot rotary magazine, this did not effect the trigger pull at all. I would not say the trigger pull is light, but it is not heavy either and the release or breaking point is very predictable which should make the Daisy Powerline Model 617X a pretty good shooter in theory.
Accuracy: This is yet to be determined since I have not yet done my Field Test Shooting review for this airgun. I would expect to get just over 400 fps using lead pellets and as much as verging on 500fps using steel BB's. My prediction is that the pellets will perform best in terms of accuracy since the 5 inch barrel is rifled and the trigger feels good. The sights are not adjustable, but I am hoping the Daisy Powerline Model 617X centers well on target but we will have to find out when I do my shooting review.
Build Quality: The Daisy Powerline Model 617X CO2 Pellet-BB Pistol is made in Japan which is know for producing quality products in general. I would have to say by giving the Powerline 617X a good look over that it appears to be well made with good fit and finish even though most of the gun is plastic on the outside. The metal parts are where they need to be, lots internally in structural areas and externally as in the trigger, hammer, safety, and of course the internal metal rifled barrel.
Realism: The Daisy Powerline Model 617X CO2 Pellet-BB Pistol is a replica of a Beretta Model 92 even thought there are no Beretta markings on the gun. Some of the parts are moulded in like the take down lever, slide catch release and magazine release but on the plus side the ambidextrous safety is in the correct location, working and metal. The internal metal frame give the Daisy Model 617X enough weight to feel good in the hand but is much lighter than a real solid steel Beretta 92. Size is comparable and other than the sticking out CO2 tab this gun does look like a Beretta 92 until you get up close and personal.
Fairly low cost with what looks to be decent fps and hopefully good accuracy. (Around $70-80)
Shoot both .177 caliber lead pellets & 4.5mm Steel BB’s.
Both Single and Double action trigger are smooth and not super heavy, easy to predict breaking points.
Red fiberoptic front sight makes it easy to line up targets in different light situations.
Latch holds barrel in place nice and firmly.
Pretty decent replica of a Beretta Model 92.
Made in Japan.
Cons:
No adjustable sights.
Kind of ugly CO2 tab on bottom of grips.
Only has a 6 shot magazine.
Barrel is not recessed
Comments:
I have heard that this Daisy pistol shoots steel 4.5mm BB's at right up around the 500 fps range so even lead pellets should have good velocity out of the Daisy Powerline Model 617X CO2 Pellet-BB Pistol. The single action trigger has a nice medium pull with a very predictable break so as long as the sights are centered on target well, I should expect a nice grouping. If you like the Beretta style of gun, don't want to spend an arm and a leg on a pellet shooting version, than the Daisy Powerline Model 617X CO2 Pellet-BB Pistol should work well for you.
My Vimeo Table Top Review of the Daisy Powerline Model 617X CO2 Pellet-BB Pistol:
Ammunition Type: .177 caliber lead pellets & 4.5mm Steel BB's.
Ammunition Capacity: 8 round rotary magazine.
FPS: 480 fps using steel BB's.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Daisy Powerline Model 008 CO2 Pellet-BB Pistol is pretty decent considering it is a double action only pistol. The trigger action is relatively short and fluid for a DAO trigger setup and I found when adding the rotary magazine, this did not effect the trigger pull at all. I would not say the trigger pull is light, but it is not heavy either and the release or breaking point is very predictable which should make the Daisy Powerline Model 008 a pretty good shooter in theory.
Accuracy: This is yet to be determined since I have not yet done my Field Test Shooting review. I would expect to get right around 400 fps using lead pellets and as much as 480 fps using steel BB's. My prediction is that the pellets will perform well in terms of accuracy since the barrel is rifled and the trigger feels good. The sights are not adjustable, but I am hoping the Daisy Powerline Model 008 centers well on target but we will have to find out when I do my shooting review.
Build Quality: The Daisy Powerline Model 008 CO2 Pellet-BB Pistol is made in Japan which is know for producing good quality products in general. I would have to say by giving the Powerline 008 a good look over that it appears to be well made with good fit and finish even though most of the gun is plastic. The metal parts are where they need to be, internally in structural areas and externally as in the trigger, hammer, CO2 lever, Safety, and of course the metal rifled barrel.
Realism: The Daisy Powerline Model 008 CO2 Pellet-BB Pistol as far as I can tell is not really a replica of any gun that I am aware of? It does look a bit like the Gamo P-25 I reviewed a while back in overall basic shape but is smaller. The Daisy Powerline Model 008 does look like a gun and the recessed barrel and CO2 loading system that looks like the but plate of the magazine help to make this air pistol look realistic.
Fairly low cost with what looks to be decent fps and hopefully good accuracy. (Around $70-80).
Shoots both .177 caliber lead pellets & 4.5mm steel BB’s.
Double action only trigger is smooth and not super heavy while still being relatively short for a double action trigger, and with an easy to predict breaking point.
Fairly ergonomic gun to hold but grips are a tad bit thick.
Like the CO2 loading design, no tabs sticking out.
Nice and compact.
Made in Japan.
Cons:
No adjustable sights.
No single action trigger.
Grips may be a bit thick for some people with smaller hands.
No markings on the sights for easier target acquisition.
Comments:
I am looking forward to testing this gun out when I do my Field Test Shooting review. No the Daisy Powerline Model 008 is not blowback and it does not have a lot of metal parts but overall the Daisy Powerline Model 008 CO2 Pellet-BB Pistol feels really good in the hand a really nice for a double action only trigger. I am hoping the Daisy Powerline Model 008 CO2 Pellet-BB Pistol shoot pretty hard and hopefully nice and accurate for me. I like the overall size of the Daisy Powerline Model 008, nice and compact with easy to load 8 round pellet and BB magazines which should work well no matter what ammo I choose to go with.
My Vimeo Table Top Review of the Daisy Powerline Model 008 CO2 Pellet-BB Pistol:
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Gletcher NGT Silver CO2 BB Revolver is nice and crisp in both single and double action, there is virtually no trigger wiggle and the trigger pull is decent in double action while much longer and of course nice and light in single action as expected. You will want to pre-cock the hammer for accurate single action shooting but have the option of shooting double action for any action shooting you may want to do. Keep in mind you will have to individually reload each round.
Accuracy: I have not done any shooting so far with this Gletcher revolver due to some pretty awful weather conditions. I expect it will shoot nice since it has a fairly long sight radius and the open iron sights are conducive to precise shooting.
Build Quality: The Gletcher NGT Silver CO2 BB Revolver is really well made, you can tell by it's solid weight for a fairly small pistol, all of the mechanical parts feel smooth and responsive. Everything that would be metal on the real M1895 Revolver is metal including the solid one piece cylinder. Yes the grips are imitation wood but this is to be expected. The sliver finish looks great and I like the black contrasting parts that really highlight this gun.
Realism: I've have not had the opportunity to actually put my hands on a real steel Nagant M1895 Revolver but from the photos I have viewed online, the Gletcher NGT Silver is very accurate in terms of being a BB replica. Of course the shells fit steel BB's internally and the barrel has been downscale to shoot 4.5mm Steel BB's but other than that it is very difficult to tell it from a real Nagant M1895 Revolver. Even the barrel opening is recessed and looks true to scale for the original rounds used in this revolver and you can remove the one piece cylinder similar to the real version.
Pros:
Beautiful Silver finish.
Very solid and weighty gun.
Hammer and trigger actions are very crisp, virtually no wiggle.
CO2 is well hidden.
Recessed barrel looks great.
7 round cylinder instead of 6 like the other shell loading.
Cylinder can be removed.
Shoots in both signal and double action.
Grip is nice and small so great for shooters with small.
Shooting performance pros yet to be determined…
Cons:
Non adjustable sights. (Perhaps like original)
No speed loading on this one, one shell at a time, so make your shots count.
Shooting performance cons yet to be determined…
Comments:
The Gletcher NGT Silver CO2 BB Revolver is yet another addition of shell loading revolvers like the Dan Wesson and KWC 357 based revolvers, with the exception that the Gletcher NGT is more of a blast from the past and even though it comes in at a much more compact size, it holds an additional round! Another note worthy point is the fact that Gletcher has somehow figured out a way to reduce the CO2 release valve giving the Gletcher NGT a more true to scale frame size, I am talking about the distance between the hammer and the cylinder. This allows for a more realistic and true to dimension replica which in this classic revolver is super important.
My Vimeo Table Top Video of the Gletcher NGT Silver CO2 BB Revolver:
Here is my official Mobster Halloween Costume Video as promised and it looks like I made it just in time for Halloween!
There have only been a few entries so far so come on everyone, let's get your costume videos uploaded and entered into this years 2014 Halloween Costume Giveaway Contest for a chance to win a KWC / Cybergun Blowback Pistol.
You still have till the 10th of November but time is running out...
A while back I made a full Table Top Review and Field Test Shooting Review for my sample - pre-production KWC Mauser M712 Broomhandle CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol. Well we finally got the finished product in our Canada Replica Airguns Store and not only in the 6mm Airsoft version but also the 4.5mm Steel BB versions!
I most likely will not be doing another table top review for the KWC Mauser M712 Broomhandle CO2 Blowback BB and Airsoft Pistol since I already made a fairly comprehensive Table Top Review of my sample - pre-production Airsoft unit. The only real difference I could find visually is the markings on the left side of the receiver indicating the pistol is made by KWC in Taiwan and the Caliber it shoots.
I will however be making a side by side Field Test Shooting Comparison Video to see if the production Airsoft version shoots the same as my pre-production model and also how the 4.5mm steel BB version compares in terms of fps and accuracy side by side.
We also have magazines for both of these KWC pistols in our Canada Store!
Materials: Mostly metal with some plastic construction.
Weight: 2.75 pounds (1218 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: 6 rounds.
FPS: 400fps.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the KWC 357 6 Inch CO2 BB Revolver is good in both single and double action, even better than the Dan Wesson and S&W 327 TRR8 shell loading revolvers, most likely because the spring tension that pushes the inner barrel to make contact with the cylinder is noticeably lighter on the KWC 357. Even the hammer is smoother and has less wiggle, just a better trigger and hammer mechanism overall.
Accuracy:Based on my results shooting the Umarex Colt Python 357 which is essentially the same gun in a different finish. The results I got shooting my 6 round group from a 30 foot out semi rested position where good overall. Vertically there was about a 2 inch spread while horizontally there was about a 1 inch spread. I did find the plastic tips on the brass shells seemed to be a bit tight at first and this is when I did most of my Chronograph and target shooting. I believe the tightness effected the consistency of the FPS which also effected the accuracy especially up and down. I did get one shot out of the Umarex Colt Python 357 well over the claimed 400 fps but again the fps was rather erratic most likely because of the snug BB fit due to shell break-in.
Build Quality: The KWC 357 6 Inch CO2 BB Revolver being mostly metal has a very good build quality, perhaps even better than the Dan Wesson and S&W 327 TRR8 shell loading revolvers, even the weight of the KWC 357 came in close to a half of a pound more! The only real plastic I could find was in the grips and the shell tips. Fit and finish was also good with no noticeable chrome wear or sloppy workmanship. It will be interesting to see how the Chrome finish wears over time...
Realism: The KWC 357 6 Inch CO2 BB Revolver overall is a close copy a the real steel 357 styled revolver. I did notice the rear portion of the receiver (between the rear cylinder and hammer) to be a bit longer perhaps to accommodate the CO2 valve length, but other than that this pistol is super close to the original 357 styled revolver it is based on. Again being all metal gives this CO2 BB revolver very realistic weight and feel and the loadable brass shells make using this gun almost exactly like using a real shell loading revolver but for much less cost per shot and of course a lot less recoil on the hands.
It's a revolver with actual shells! Give you the feeling of loading and shooting a real revolver.
Mostly all metal design.
lots of detail, well made, Chrome looks nice, not sure if it will ear better than the black finish?
Good overall weight, heaviest out of all the shell loaders.
Should have good overall power, accuracy and shots per CO2 (based on Colt Python testing).
Fully adjustable sights for windage and elevation.
Well hidden CO2 Screw.
Recessed barrel.
Nice easy Trigger pull in both single and double action.
Cons:
Grips are a bit rough.
Grips may be a bit large for people with small hands.
Black rear sight may not be great on dark backgrounds or low lighting.
Comments:
The ASG Dan Wesson shell loading revolvers reintroduced me to the joy of loading and shooting a revolver which up until that point was not that realistic of an experience when using a BB or Pellet revolver. The KWC 357 6 Inch CO2 BB Revolver like the Umarex Colt Python 357 has taken it up a notch by adding just a bit more overall weight, a smother trigger and hammer mechanism and styling this revolver on the Classic 357 magnum platform. And all of this for even less than the cost of the original Dan Wesson shell loading series CO2 BB revolvers. If you're a revolver fan, make sure to grab one of these, the Chrome finish is really eye catching and would make a great addition to your revolver collection for sure.
My Vimeo Table Top Review for the KWC 357 6 Inch CO2 BB Revolver:
Some more CO2 pistols I will be doing Table Top and Field Test video reviews for in the near future. Some of them I have already reviewed in different caliber versions, either 4.5mm Steel BB or 6mm Plastic Airsoft.
From KWC I show off two revolvers styled after the 357 and if you watched my Umarex Colt Python 357 Review then you will notice the similarities between these KWC made revolvers since they are all made by KWC. The Model 357 6 inch version is finished in Chrome and made to shoot 4.5mm Steel BB's while the KWC Model 357 2.5 inch shoots 6mm Plastic BB's and is in all black. At this time I do not have these KWC revolver listed in the Replica Airguns Canada Store but should have them listed fairly soon...
Make sure to watch my Table Top Review for this pistol for if you have not already done so. In this Field Test Shooting portion of my review for the Umarex Magnum Research Baby Desert Eagle CO2 BB Pistol, I shoot 5 rounds through my Chronograph to find out if the claimed 410-420 fps is accurate or not. I also setup a paper target at my standard 30 foot range and shoot 10 rounds using a semi rested position (Standing in the back while resting the gun on a sand bag up front). I did not add any additional sight options to the rails on the Umarex Baby Desert Eagle but rather stuck with the open sights for this field test.
In terms of performance, the Umarex Magnum Research Baby Desert Eagle CO2 BB Pistol did pretty good for a really low cost BB gun with a rather long heavy unpredictable double action trigger. I was a bit surprised when I walked up to review the target to find just over a 2 inch group since while shooting it felt like I was pulling a many of the shots. The open sights are not adjustable in any way but I did shoot down the middle pretty well, but on the high side of the target. I would need to aim low to get this gun to shoot in the bulls-eye form 30 feet away. Either that or add some sort of sight to the top mounted picatinny rail.
My fps Chrony testing for the Umarex Baby Desert Eagle backed the claimed 410-420 fps claims from Umarex, I actually shot a 5 shot average of 417 fps so right on the money here and you may be able to expect even a bit more on a warm summer days since my test was done at moderate fall temperatures.
All in all a decent shooter, good fps, efficient on CO2 and for a heavy DOA trigger I was even able to get a respectable grouping.
Ammunition Capacity: 15 rounds - Internal spring fed magazine.
FPS: 420.
Trigger Pull: The trigger on the Umarex Baby Desert Eagle is double action only, it is a very long trigger that has a medium to heavy pull weight with a very long take up and unpredictable release point. Shooting accurately and controlled will take some time in the saddle so to speak but can be achieved. This pistol is really for plinking at pop cans and such, shooting off hand for fun. My full Field Test Shooting Review to follow shortly...
Build Quality: The Magnum Research Baby Desert Eagle is pretty much all plastic with some internal metal parts. The only actual working external parts are the trigger and the cross bolt safety. The slide catch, hammer, slide mounted safety and take down lever are all moulded into the plastic of the gun and are none functional. Even the magazine is internal so no need for a magazine release here! In the case of the Baby Desert Eagle, perhaps less is more since there is very little to break off or go wrong with this simplistic BB shooter ;)
Realism: This is a very close replica in terms of looks only (not to scale) to the real actual Magnum Research Desert Eagle with licensed trademarks and all. Keep in mind this is the "Baby" version so it is significantly smaller and lighter than the Pellet shooting full size Magnum Research Desert Eagle which could actually be a benefit to those with smaller hands. But again if we are simply talking about "looking like" a Desert Eagle than the Umarex Baby Desert Eagle does look the part, well except for the strange looking slide trigger.
Will fit smaller hands much better than the full sized Desert Eagle.
Has both a top and bottom picatinny rail for all your accessory mounting needs.
Magnum Research Licensed.
Not bad in terms of power, accuracy and CO2 usage combination.
Cons:
Mostly all plastic.
Very few actual working parts, only the trigger and cross bolt safety.
Trigger is very long and kind of unpredictable.
If you decide to mount the included top picatinny rail, you will not be able to use the pistols built in iron sights anymore.
Unsightly screw holes on the left side of this air pistol.
No drop out magazine of any type.
Comments:
OK, so I'm rarely thrilled with the lower budget plastic super simple BB pistols but they do have their place. The tend to work well and stay reliable since there are fewer parts and less mechanical gizmos to get messed up. When the shooting begins and the steel starts to fly, they point the same and they hit your target just the same and all for a lot less out of pocket fun. On the plus side the Umarex Baby Desert Eagle is a pretty decent looking Desert Eagle copy all be it a much smaller version so if you've always wanted the big boy version with it's super huge handle and rather steep price point, well now you can get it in a size and price reduced version that just may be all you really need...
Watch my YouTube Video Review for the Umarex Magnum Research Baby Desert Eagle:
Since I have already doen dedicated reviews for both the T.A.C Converter and XBG BB Pistol, I won't drag this written reviw on too long since yuo can read my other dedicated reviews for each product.
In a nutshell, when you buy the Umarex T.A.C. Converter XBG CO2 BB Pistol Combo, you get the XBG CO2 4.5mm BB Pistol preinstalled in the T.A.C Converter, you also get the included fore-grip which is renovable by the way can coudl be used stand alone on any other gun with an under barrel Picatinny rail.
Keep in mind that this combo kit only works with the XBG Pistol since there are no included adaptors for the other Umarex pistols designed to work with the T.A.C Converter. (H&K USP, S&W M&P40, XBG, CZ Enforcer, Walther P99 DAO, SA177).
The addition of the T.A.C. Converter to the XBG really improves the shoot-ability since the rear folding stock allows for a much more stable hold position. You also have the addition of whit dot sights front and back with the rear sight being adjustable for windage only. I would recommend a compact light weight red dot sight for this gun since using the included open sights are hard to keep in focus because of how close the rear sight ends up being to your eyes when in the shouldered position.
With the top, bottom, and side picatinny rails you can add litterally all types of accessories to this package including a tac light, laser, optical sight, red dot, folding metal sights to name a few.
The XBG BB Pistol has a nice combincation of 400+ fps with tuns of shots per CO2 and respectible accuary with easy access to the Drop out metal BB magazine.
Here is my follow up Shooting Field Test to my ASG STI Duty One Non-blowback Table Top Review. During this Field Test Shooting video review I not only shoot my Non-blowback STI Duty One version but I also compare it to the Blowback ASG STI Duty One to see if fps and accuracy are effected when adding Blowback to the equation? I shoot 5 rounds through my Chronograph with both guns to get an average fps and I also step back 30 feet and setup resting my hands on a sand bag and standing in the back for a fairly secure shooting stance. I did my standard 10 shot grouping for my accuracy test from 30 feet away.
Overall both guns performed similarly and as expected the Blowback did effect the fps but not as much as I expected it to? I was expecting the Non-blowback STI Duty One to be at least 50 fps faster but it was only around 20 or so. I am fairly certain since the fps os so close between the two guns, that you will get more shots form a CO2 out of the Non-blowback ASG STI Duty One since there is no CO2 being used to make the slide recoil back and forth. In the end the Non-blowback STI shot an average fps of 373 while the Blowback version shot an average fps of 356.
When it came to accuracy, both guns performed about the same getting about a 2 inch group from 30 feet back. The Blowback STI did spread the BB's out more from side to side perhaps because of the slide recoil while the Non-blowback ASG STI Duty One seemed to shoot Horizontally tighter.
Personally since both guns shoot almost as high of fps and both STI Duty One's seem to be about the same accuracy wise. Why not just go with the blowback version since you will be shooting in single action most of the time which allows for a faster and lighter trigger pull. The only real downside to the Blowback STI Duty One is perhaps a bit more CO2 usage but you can still expect to get around 100 shots per CO2 which is very good for a CO2 blowback pistol.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the ASG STI Duty One 1911 Non Blowback is fairly light in both single and double action. Take-up is the same in both modes but when in single action mode most of the trigger pull has little to no resistance until you get to the break point near the end where the hammer is released.
Accuracy: In an Earlier review I shot the Blowback version STI Duty One 1911 air gun at a target from 20 feet away in a free standing position, and it performed well getting a 1.5 to 2 inch grouping right in the center of the target. The rear sight is adjustable for windage which is always nice to have just in case you are shooting a bit to the left or right. For me there was no need to adjust the sights. My Chrony testing with an eight shot averaged result was 373 fps - very decent for a blowback pistol! It will be interesting to see how this Non Blowback version performs since there is more CO2 going to the BB and less gun movement without the Blowback operation.
Build Quality: ASG did a great job designing and making the STI Duty One 1911 Non Blowback BB gun, they didn't really compromise on anything other than going with a polymer frame! With that said all that important parts like the Slide, Slide Catch, Safety, Mag Release, Hammer, Barrel and Magazine are all metal. The fit and finish as with all the ASG air guns is very good!
Realism: The ASG STI Duty One 1911 Non Blowback version is a close replica to the real steel STI 1911, the only real giveaway is the trigger design, as a true 1911 trigger is not your typical lever type. Even with the different type of trigger the STI Duty One is a very good replica complete with STI licensing and trademarks.
No Blowback action but does have a working slide and slide catch.
Adjustable rear sight for windage.
Shoots in both single and double action.
Good quality control, very well made, fit and finish is good.
Should have good power and accuracy like the blowback version, perhaps even a bit better.
May have even better CO2 usage than the already good blowback version.
Metal drop out magazine.
Good STI Replica.
Holds really well in the hand.
Cons:
Trigger is not true to the real steel 1911.
No working grip safety like a real 1911.
Polymer frame rather than a metal frame.
CO2 can be hard to get out.
Comments:
In terms of comparing the Non Blowback version of the ASG STI Duty One 1911 to the Blowback version without actually shooting it, they are pretty much identical except for the double and single action trigger found on the Non Blowback version. Even the slide seems to work the same. The big difference will be when I shoot the Non Blowback ASG STI Duty One. Will it shoot with a lot more FPS and will the reduced slide movement give it more accuracy? I am assuming yes to both of these question but I guess we will all have to wait and see when I do my official Shooting Field Test Comparison...
Watch my Vimeo Video Review for the ASG STI Duty One Non Blowback CO2 BB Pistol:
