We recently received some new pistols from KJWorks, The CO2 versions in Full Metal of the Colt 1911, the Berretta M9 and the Berretta M9A1. All of these guns are really well made, the fit and finish is excellent. Definitely a very high quality Airsoft pistol and worth spending a little bit more to get this extra quality. We have even lowered the price on many of our new KJWorks guns to make them even more affordable so check them out in our Canada Replica Airguns Store!
So I made a quick demo preview video where I get away from my table top and go outside to show them off a bit and shoot a few rounds through them at some clay pigeons. I did have some camera issues but you will get a good idea on how these guns look and perform.
Model: M16A4 with Heavy BRRS (Bolt Recoil Shock System).
Materials: Metal & Nylon.
Weight: 7.7 pounds (3500 grams).
Length: 43 inches (1100mm).
Propulsion: AEG with Heavy BRSS
Action: Semi/full auto, single action.
Ammunition Type: 6mm Plastic Airsoft BB (recommend using undersized BB's).
Ammunition Capacity: 300+ round magazine.
FPS: 360+.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the BOLT Airsoft M16A4 is fairly short and light as it is essentially just an on off switch for the internal electronic components. You can shoot this gun very quickly in semi auto mode, and of course in full auto when full auto position is selected. As is with all AEG rifles there is a bit of a delay while the spring is retracted and released, this is not as noticeable in full auto mode and also when using higher voltage 11.1 volt batteries.
Accuracy: I tested the BOLT M16A4 BRSS Airsoft rifle first on my Chronograph to see what kind of real world fps I would get from it using .20 gram Airsfot BB's. The BOLT M16A4 produced consistent 350 fps shots which is perfect for indoor or outdoor Airsoft events. I then stepped back roughly 30 feet and place 10 rounds on my paper target using a semi rested position and was able to get a nice tight 2 inch grouping. When switching up to full auto mode the grouping pretty much stayed exactly the same, right in that 2 inch pocket.
Build Quality: The Bolt M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle is very well made with a full Metal upper and lower receiver, along with metal and polymer parts exactly where they would be on the real steel version of an actual M16 or AR styled riffle. The only rubber or nylon components are the stock and the grips and perhaps some internal parts. I really could not find anything to complain about other than making sure to use the right sized ammo as the barrel is a true 6mm barrel and so when using actual 6mm BB's they can get jammed up. I had great results when I used 5.95mm Airsfot BB's.
Realism: As with many Airsoft guns, there is great attention to realism and the Bolt Airsoft BRSS M16A4 AEG is another great example of an Airsoft rifle based on the Colt M4 platform. It is an AEG but because of the Heavy BRSS (Bolt Recoil Shock System) you get a very nice compromise between a conventional AEG and a GBB (Gas Blow Back Airsoft) gun. In other words, like a standard AEG I get that endless stream of consistent BB's flying down range on target but unlike a true Gas Blow Back Airsoft gun, I don't get that drop off in power and limitation to about 30 usable rounds per magazine. What I do get similar to a GBB is that recoil action that helps make the shooting experience so much more believable! Even the sound from the Bolt M16A4 is much snapper than a standard AEG and more like a GBB. I also like the fact that the charging handle and forward assist work similarly to a real AR and also the dust cover cleverly exposes the bolt and internal hop-up for easy adjustment along with the bolt cycling just like a GBB rifle would cycle which is similar to a real steel AR.
Pros:
AEG Performance with GBB like Recoil.
Very high quality materials and workmanship throughout.
Lots of forward rails to place accessories on and just looks cool in general.
The fixed classic M16 stock is very comfortable and grows on you over time.
Can shorten the gun by removing the barrel extension if you like.
Can use 11.1V Li-Po or 9.6V Ni-mh or Ni-Cd batteries.
Fully Adjustable Hop-up.
Semi and Full Auto.
Cons:
BRSS system will drain the batteries faster than a standard AEG.
Can not switch out the stock as the BRSS system extends back into it.
Need to use undersized 6mm Airsoft BB’s because of the tight barrel.
Comments:
The BOLT M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle with BRSS Recoil is a great compromise for the avid Airsofter looking for a practical skirmish weapon, but also craving the realistic experience of having blowback with recoil similar to a Gas Blow Back systems. I really like this concept and find it great fun to shoot even if its just for plinking in the yard. The overall quality is very excellent and you just have to love the AR platform it's based on. If you're into customizing you can mix and match many external and internal parts with other existing Airsoft mechanical parts and I would imagine real steel accessories. It's great to be able to use an Airsoft rifle in virtually any weather condition and still get that Gas Blowback Feel but with AEG performance and consistency.
My Vimeo Video Review for the Bolt M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle with BRSS Recoil:
My first impressions with the Bolt M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle where not so good as it was miss feeding and miss firing terribly for me. A quick communication with BOLT Airsoft and I was informed that perhpas my BB choice was the wrong one. The Bolt M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle has a true 6mm barrel so it is a tight fit with BB's that are 6mm since many can actually be a bit larger making them get stuck in the breach area.
BOLT Airsoft suggested I switch my Airsfot BB choice to a slightly under sized 6mm Airsfot BB so I tried some of my 5.95mm Airsoft BB's and all I can say is it was like shooting a different gun. Not only did it feed and shoot perfectly, but the Bolt M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle with Heavy BRSS Recoil also became instantly more accurate for me. The moral of this story is always make sure to use the right ammo in your gun :)
So getting back to my Field Test Shooting Review for the Bolt M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle with BRSS Heavy Recoil... In this video Field Test Review I shoot several rounds through my Chronograph to test out the fps velocity of the Bolt M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle. Which by the way came in around the mid 300's. I also step back 30 feet and shoot some semi auto rounds into a paper target to see how accurate the Bolt M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle is. Since the Bolt M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle is a semi and full auto AEG Airsoft rifle, I also had to replicate my accuracy in full auto to see if my groupings would stay consistent even at a high rate of fire. I was very impressed with the accuracy in both semi and full auto, form 30 feet out you will get within 2 inches all day long.
It is fair to note that I was using 11.1 volt Li-po batteries with .20 gram BB's for the entire testing so this did effect my motor speed giving me quicker trigger response and faster full auto rate of fire. I would suggest using a high capacity battery setup since the BRSS Heavy Recoil does use up some additional battery power but boy is it worth it. The BRSS Recoil is not going to be as heavy as a true gas blowback system but it is close and does give you a nice shoulder tap but with the benefit of high capacity AEG magazines and consistent AEG performance.
In a nutshell, if you want the dependability, consistency and none stop shooting performance of an AEG Airsoft AM16 but with the blowback action of a gas system then make sure to give the Bolt M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle with BRSS Heavy Recoil a good look into.
A while back, BOLT was kind enough to send me one of their B.R.S.S. Recoil AEG Airsoft Rifles for review, make sure to watch my full review of the BOLT B4A1 BRSS Recoil Blowback AEG Airsoft Rifle.
Well again BOLT came through and sent me their latest offering, the BOLT AEG M16A4 Blowback Airsoft Rifle with B.R.S.S. Heavy Recoil system. B.R.S.S. stands for BOLT Recoil Shock System. The new BOLT Heavy Recoil system has a fixed stock which houses the improved recoil unit giving a more direct and solid recoil effect to the users shoulder. The BOLT M16A4 is a long length AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle also suitable for snipers.
Here are some of the specifications:
Blowback B.R.R.S Heavy
Adjustable Hop-up
Semi & Full Auto
Standard AR 70 & 300 round magazines
312 fps & 393 fps versions
Aluminum, ABS, Nylon & Glass Fiber and Steel construction.
7.4V & 11.1V (Li-Po) or 9.6V (Ni-mh / Ni-Cd)
7.7 pounds (3500 grams)
43 inches long (1100mm)
Comes in Black / Tan
In this YouTube Preview video for the BOLT M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle I show you around the gun a bit and do a quick shooting test. Unfortunately I was using 6mm Airsoft BB's which I later found out where a bit to large in diameter since the BOLT M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle has a true 6mm barrel. After the video when I received this information from BOLT I switched to 5.95mm Airsoft BB's and the BOLT M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle worked perfectly for me :)
Stay tuned for my Full Table Top and Field Test Shooting videos for the BOLT M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle:
I wanted to not only do my Field Test Shooting review for the Umarex 9XP Blowback CO2 BB Pistol but also compare it to the discontinued Umarex SA177 since both guns share most of their internal parts. I had a good idea that both airguns would perform very similarly with perhaps the newer 9XP having the edge due to it being almost 5 years newer.
A with all my current BB Pistol Field Test Shooting Reviews, I test out the real world Feet Per Second performance by shooting 5 rounds through my Chronograph to see what they average out at, of course I use a brand new CO2 for this and my choice of BB was RWS Zinc coated 5.1 grain Steel BB's.
I started out testing the Umarex SA177 to use as my baseline and after about 5 warmup shots, the SA177 came back to life after sitting on the shelf for many years un-shot. My 5 shot string averaged a respectable 397 fps which is pretty good for a blowback pistol!
I then moved on to the newer Umarex 9XP CO2 Blowback Pistol and right away it popped out all 5 shots at over 400 fps with an average of 412 for my 5 shot string. Not only was the Umarex 9XP more powerful but it also had a snappier blowback action and was louder than the SA177 leading me to believe the CO2 valve may be setup to let out a bit more CO2 with each shot.
Stepping back 30 feet from my paper target I proceeded to again first test out the Umarex SA177 for the accuracy portion of this field test. I used my standard semi rested shooting stance, (sand bag up front, standing in the back) since it offers me a pretty stable shooting platform. I generally like to shoot 10 rounds into the paper target but the SA177 for some reason was having some slide lock back issues and I lost a BB in the process. Later on when I reloaded my SA177 I did not have this same problem so I am not sure what was going on. Even though the slide was locking back on some shots it did not really seem to effect the accuracy all that much. I got a main grouping that was about 1.5 inches in diameter and then a couple shots went out of that group extending the diameter to about 2.5 to 3 inches. Still pretty good for a blowback pistol. The shots where fairly well centered on the target.
When I performed the same test using my Umarex 9XP, I did not have any slide lock back issues and was able to get all 10 shot on target although one mystery shot did not seem to make a hole at all even though I clearly heard it fire and hit the target, perhaps it went exactly through an already existing hole? Either way I had a nice 5-6 shot group dead center on the target well under a 1 inch diameter and then 4 shots came outside extending the grouping to about 2 inches, again another well centered grouping!
In conclusion the Umarex 9XP Blowback CO2 BB Pistol is a nice replacement for the SA177, it performs very similarly to the SA177, even perhaps a bit better! To me it felt like the trigger on the Umarex 9XP was a bit heavier than the SA177 but not by much? Maybe the 9XP hammer spring is heavier which would explain the increase in fps. SO if you have been wanting an SA177 but can not find one used, grab yourself one of the Umarex 9XP's, you will not be disappointed :)
My main goal in this Shooting Performance Test was to see how the ANT Advanced Novelty Tech CO2 HPAConversion Kit performed side by side with a standard 12 gram CO2. Keep in mind that you can also switch over at any time to a regular 12 gram CO2 even after installing the ANT adaptor system in the gun or magazine.
My choice of Airgun for this test was the KWC - Cybergun Mini UZIConverted to Full Auto. I chose this Blowback 4.5mm CO2 BB Gun because it uses a lot of CO2 with each shot and when shooting in full auto it literally eats CO2. I knew this airguns would really put the ANT Advanced Novelty Tech CO2 HPA Conversion Kit to the test.
My first performance test was to comparing both systems using a Chronograph so I could see how the fps velocity slowed down because of the CO2 cool down effect. The 12 gram CO2 did pretty well emptying a full 25 round magazine but keep in mind I was shooting in semi auto only for the sake of using a Chronograph. I did notice a drop in velocity from a high of over 300 fps to a low of around 260. When I switched over to the Bulk CO2 ANT System and performed the same test the fps started out a bit lower but stayed pretty much about the same with a few ups and downs. The initial lower fps may have been a result of using separate magazines for each test since the valves in each magazine are most likely tuned a bit differently to let out more or less CO2 with each shot.
My second and most impressive test was to empty a full 25 round magazine in full auto mode! Again a started out using the standard 12 gram CO2 and to make this a real world test, I did not replace the 12 gram CO2 form the previous test. I figured 50 shots was a realist amount of shots to get from a single 12 gram CO2 and after all I was only shooting in semi auto which uses a lot less CO2 then shooting in full auto.
My KWC Blowback Mini UZI rocked pretty good using the 12 gram CO2 until it hit about a third the way through the magazine and then it stated to slow down and pretty much stop dead in its tracks with about 5-6 rounds still left in the magazine. The CO2 was all gone and I was left a bit unsatisfied :(
Without any significant break time to let my KWC Mini UZI warm up again, I switched over to the ANT Advanced Novelty Tech CO2 HPA Conversion Kit magazine and unloaded the full magazine in no time with no cycle rate slow down at all, even after the magazine was deprived of Steel BB's I kept squeezing the trigger and letting the blowback hammer my shoulder for several more satisfying bursts. Now that is what you expect from a full auto Blowback BB Machine gun!
In conclusion, when shooting in semi auto you will see better fps consistency using the ANT Advanced Novelty Tech CO2 HPA Conversion Kit but where this system really shines at least for me is I can shoot as fast as as long as I want and it will feel same as the very first shoot I take even when using a full auto system. No more switching out 12 gram CO2 every few magazines, just speed load some more BB's in and your good to go.
A few years back the Umarex SA177 disappeared off the face of the earth, well not really, it simply juts stopped being made and fairly quickly retailers ran out of stock... As with anything that people want but can not get any more, the demand went up and all of a sudden everyone seemed to want to get their hand on an Umarex SA177 Blowback BB Pistol.
You might ask why Umarex stopped making what at the time was a fairly popular CO2 BB Pistol? Well if you know anything about Glock, they do not like it all that much when a company makes a product that they feel infringes upon their intellectual properties and copy writes. Did the SA177 look like a Glock, well sure it had some similarities and perhaps Glock felt it was a bit too similar and so may have kindly asked Umarex to stop making it? At least that's what I think happened :)
So that brings us to now. And a new gun on the market called the Umarex 9XP that in many ways is a lot like the SA177 but with a slightly new skin on it, one that differentiates itself a bit more from the traditional Glock look. Sure the Umarex 9XP Blowback BB Pistol has a some Glock looking properties but it am guessing it has enough subtle changes to make the lawyers over at Glock HQ happy enough to allow Umarex to again sell an airgun very similar to the SA177.
Internally and mechanically as far as I can tell the Umarex SA177 and Umarex 9XP are the same and so they should both perform very similarly too each other and with pretty much all the same specifications. Even the magazines seem to be interchangeable! The trigger and trigger pull look to be identical and even the slide catch release are modeled after each other. Again, the only difference are some minor cosmetic changes to the metal slide and polymer frame.
So if you have been looking to get your hands on an SA177, well the next best or perhaps even better airgun is now available in the new Umarex 9XP! And the price is all right too!
In this Field Test Shooting video I test out the performance of the ASG CZ 75 CO2 Blowback 4.5mm BB Pistol using my Chronograph to get a real world Feet Per Second rating, I also position myself 30 feet back and shoot 10 rounds at a paper target using a semi-rested shooting position (Sand bag up front and standing in the back).
In terms of velocity the ASG CZ 75 BB Pistol shoot fairly conservative at just under 300fps. The noise this CO2 Licensed Replica Pistol makes is fairly quiet making it a good choice for the backyard if you have neighbors to consider. I also found the blowback to be mild since the amount of CO2 being released with each shot seems to be minimal.
Stepping back 30 feet and shooting at my paper target, the ASG CZ 75 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol produced a decent 2-2.5 inch 10 shot grouping that was just a little to the left and a hair low. The trigger is super light and the release is crisp, I actually had to get a bit used to how light the trigger was as I was shooting a bit early and before I was ready since only a slight bit of pressure is required.
I would like to see just a bit higher fps from the ASG CZ 75 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol, that would also give it a little bit more blowback kick but even the 300-ish fps out of the box, the ASG CZ 75 is a really nice pistol to shoot with it's super responsive trigger!
This is the Field Test Shooting Review for the Gletcher P08 Luger CO2 Blowback BB Pistol, to view my Table Top Review with features and specifications click on this link.
During this Field Test Shooting Video Review of the Gletcher P08 Luger CO2 Blowback BB Pistol, I test the actual real world velocity using my Chronograph and then conduct an accuracy test using paper targets from a controlled shooting position.
I shot 5 rounds through my Chrony Chronograph and got an average of 374 fps which was pretty decent for a blowback CO2 BB pistol on a not so warm early spring day (Around 10 degrees Celsius) I could see this Gletcher P08 BB Pistol getting around 400 fps on a warm summer day. I should be able to get around 80-100 shots from a single CO2 cartridge.
Next I performed my accuracy test from 30 feet back in a semi rested position, I was able to get a 1-5 to 2 inch grouping with 10 shots. The Gletcher P08 Luger CO2 Blowback BB Pistol does have a single action trigger which makes the release smooth and light but there is a bit of a sticky rough early trigger stage where a BB is loaded. When shooting fast this will not be as noticeable but when slowing down your shooting for accuracy it is noticeable for sure. I didn't seem to effect my accuracy all that much which was nice and I was able to get a pretty well centered grouping (just a tad to the left) with the none adjustable sights.
This Field test of the Gletcher P08 Luger BB Pistol goes to show that a blowback CO2 BB pistol can have both good feet per second performance and accuracy.
During this Field Test Shooting Video Review I take a look at the actual real world velocity of the Gletcher TT Tokarev Replica using my Chronograph along with some accuracy testing using paper targets with a controlled shooting position.
My Chronograph test did not go as smoothly as I would have liked but I did get enough shots to get a realistic 5 shot average 342 fps for this Gletcher TT Tokarev BB Pistol. My 5th shot was a bit lower than the first 4 since I had already shot off about 15 shots and because of the cool temperate outside the gun had cooled down a bit. On a warmer day I would expect to get close to 400 fps out of the Gletcher TT Tokarev CO2 Blowback BB Pistol.
Again this Field Test was plagued with difficulties, I actual performed my accuracy test twice for the cameras because during my first go at it, one of the cameras ran out of battery! Hey, it happens! Perhaps I felt a little rushed on my second target shooting test, since I didn't get as tight of a group as I did on the first test. The Gletcher TT is however capable of getting around a 1.5 inch grouping from 30 feet away and the TT shot very well centered for me which is good news since the sights are none adjustable.
I like the snappy blowback action, the Gletcher TT Tokarev Replica is not an overly large pistol and for such an old school design it really feels good in the hand while shooting. I also like the traditional post and notch sights. The Gletcher TT Tokarev CO2 Blowback BB Pistol is a single action only gun but I did find that the release of the trigger was a bit heavy which will take some getting used to.
Overall, the Gletcher TT Tokarev is a really nice Blowback CO2 BB Pistol and if you are into the classic BB Replica guns then it is a must have for sure.
This video focuses only on the shooting performance of the Gletcher APS. I test the (FPS) Feet Per Second performance first using my Chronograph to see what the actual real world velocity is and then I take my Gletcher APS Blowback BB pistol out to the 30 foot range and shoot 10 rounds on a paper target from a semi rested position.
So how did the Gletcher APS Stechkin CO2 Blowback BB Pistol do? Pretty decent overall. Gletcher claims around a 400 fps max velocity and got an average 5 shot reading of 394 fps on what I would consider to be a rather cool day (under 10 degree Celsius). I was of course using a brand new CO2 to get optimal results.
When I tested the accuracy for the Gletcher APS Stechkin from my standard semi rested 30 foot position, I got failry typical results for a BB pistol at right around a 2 inch grouping, more than adequate enough for shooting small to medium sized targets around the yard.
The Gletcher APS Stechkin CO2 Blowback BB Pistol is bigger than I thought it would be, you can see this in my Table Top Review where I show it side by side to my 2013 Baikal Makarov BB Pistol. The Gletcher APS weighs in at over 2 pounds and has larger than average grips so small handed shooters may not be comfortable shooting the Gletcher APS. I found the blowback action to have a nice firm snap too it and the trigger pull was long but had a good feel and nice and easy to predict release point.
Overall I found the Gletcher APS Stechkin CO2 Blowback BB Pistol to be a really fun gun to shoot, it felt good in the hand with nice blowback operation, fairly high fps for a blowback gun and decent accuracy.
The best way to describe a Blank Gun is to imagine it as a real gun in just about every way except one… There are no dangerous bullets flying out the front of it. That’s right, a Blank Gun just like a real gun uses a brass or metal shells, loaded with a primer and gun powder, but for what ever reason reason, some rocket scientists forgot to put a bullet at the end of the Blank shell.
Why Would You Want a Blank Gun?
Isn’t the entire purpose of a gun to shoot something? So why on earth would you buy a gun that doesn't shoot anything at all, what purpose would it serve? Even Nerf guns, water guns, potato guns all shoot something…
One way to look at a Blank Gun is to imagine it as a cap gun, but for grown ups. Similar to how kids like to shoot their cap guns because they go bang and sparks and smoke fly out of them, Blank Guns do the same thing but on a much grander scale and in most cases they look and sound a lot more like a real gun than a cap gun does.
So Blank Guns don’t actually do the main function of a real gun (that is to shoot a bullet), but they do look and sound the part of a gun. So how could this be of practical use to anyone?
Signalling Devices:
First off, have you ever heard of a Starter Pistol or a Flare Gun? Blank Guns have been historically used to signal the start of races. Many Blank Guns also have the ability to shoot flares by adding a flare adaptor to them so a person can shoot a flare into the air to signal distress if they are lost or hurt.
Gun Handling and Training:
Since many Blank Guns look, operate and feel almost exactly like real guns, Blank Guns are a great place to start out when training a person on proper gun handling and operation. If they make a mistake while using a Blank Gun, the consequences are far less severe than with a real gun. There is also much less kick from a Blank Gun so shooting a Blank Gun is less scary or intimidating for new shooters.
Dog Training:
Dogs used for police, military and hunting are required to stay calm around loud noises like gun shots, trained dogs also need to get used to the presence of guns and even how to attack the gun hand of a person who could be a potential threat. Again using Blank Guns in this training situation is a much better option than using a real gun for obvious reasons.
Movies, Video TV and Stage:
Introducing live ammunition on a movie set would be ridiculous, there is absolutely no need to shoot a bullet in this type of situation. Blank Guns make perfect stage props since they again look the part and sound the part without the dangerous bullets flying all over the place…
Collectors:
Many collectors want to own guns but for reasons like gun restrictions in their area, they may not be able to own a real gun or certain types of real guns. Blank Guns can offer a person with heavy gun restrictions in their area the ability to own similar Blank Gun versions. Perhaps they can own real guns but just simply don’t want to go through the licensing and registration hassle of owning a real gun. Blank Guns can generally be purchased for far less money than a real gun which is appealing to collectors who in many cases may not even shoot them.
Celebration:
In places like Turkey, people celebrate holidays and events by shooting Blank Guns into the air, at one time they actually shoot real guns, but people where getting injured or even killed by the falling bullets. Because of this, Blank Gun production became an industry in places like Turkey as Blank Gun manufacturers like EKOL, Retay and Zoraki (also know as ATAK Arms) are Turkish companies.
So now you know some of the reasons why a person would want to own a Blank Gun. I have Blank Guns and I also own real guns too. One reason is because there are many Blank Guns I own that I can not own in their real steel versions because of Canadian gun restrictions so obtaining a similar version in a Blank Gun allows me to own these models.
If a Blank Gun is not for you, then by all means get a real gun, but please understand that there is a place for Blank Guns, and in those environments, a Blank Gun is actually a better choice than a real gun.
First off let’s get one thing straight! What I’m looking for in a BB gun is more than likely going to be way different than what someone else is looking for in what they think is the “Best BB Gun” available.
Many people will determine the Best BB Gun as the BB gun that has the highest price tag, usually you get better quality the higher the price goes up but not always, there are times when perhaps you are paying for a name brand or cosmetic add ons that don’t always make the gun better or the best.
On the other hand, some people will determine the best BB gun as the one that is the least cost since they may not have a lot of money to spend, and an expensive BB gun is a BB gun that that person would not be able to afford or even own, far from an ideal or the Best BB Gun for them.
Many people only look at the specifications to determine if that particular BB gun is the outright best BB Gun. One specification that people seem to fixate on is how powerful is the BB gun in question? If it has the highest FPS then surely it must be the best BB Gun! That Pop can never saw it coming! What about cost of operation, so things like reliability and how many shots per CO2 you can get out of a BB gun. All important features to consider when picking out the Best BB Gun!
Style is another important part of what makes a BB Gun the Best option for you, are you wanting a classic BB Pistol? Perhaps a Modern BB Gun, Maybe even a BB gun that you can not get in your area because of gun laws? Style is a very individual preference and what looks good to me may look terrible to someone else.
One aspect that is very important to me, is realism, does the BB Gun operate the same and does it have similar metal and plastic parts as the real steel version? Does the BB gun I am considering have blowback operation and a true single or double action trigger like it’s big brother? What about a full size drop out magazine and the ability to field strip the BB Gun?
Some people want their BB gun for simple backyard good old fun shooting and so as long as it shoots pretty straight and works as it’s supposed to, then that is all they care about. Many real steel shooters want a BB Gun to operate exactly like their real steel version, so they can practice with it to get in more trigger time when going to a gun range is not an option.
Of course there are aspects like Reliability, Performance, Fit and Finish, Licensing and Build Quality that all determine what makes the Best BB Gun and again it really depends which of these qualities are most important to you that will determine which BB Gun is the best BB Gun.
So how do you determine which is the Best BB Gun? Make a list of what you are looking for in a BB Gun. Attributes like Cost, Performance, Build Quality, Style, Realism, Availability…
Once you have narrowed down your Best BB Gun list, get as much information on each BB Gun you are considering, to narrow the list down even more. There are tons of Youtube videos you can watch for your Best BB Gun final short list to help you determine your ultimate choice.
So please don’t ask me what the Best BB Gun is? I can not even tell you which one I like the best since my wish list changes from day to day…
First off we are not talking about 6mm Plastic Airsoft Guns but rather 4.5mm Steel BB versus .177 caliber Pellet.
Same but Different:
Generally speaking a BB CO2 Pistol and a Pellet CO2 Pistol are very similar, they just shoot a bit different types of ammo, that will determine a couple mechanical differences in both guns. You may come across a CO2 Pistol that can shoot both Pellets and BB's but these are not as common.
Magazine Types:
The fist main difference is usually the magazine design, since lead pellets don’t stack on top of each other very well compared to steel BB’s, action CO2 BB and Pellet pistols will have a very different types of magazine designs. Pellet CO2 Pistols will generally use a rotary type magazine while BB Pistols will use a stick or stacked ammo magazine. In terms of realism, a stick or stacked magazine is better suited than a rotary magazine. Some Action Pellet Pistols will have what looks like a stick magazine, but the stick will actually have two rotary magazine on either side. You will often find higher capacity magazines in BB CO2 Pistols since Rotary magazines usually only offer around 8 rounds (16 on a double sided stick style).
Another downside to a rotary magazine is knowing when you are out of ammo, a rotary magazine does not allow for this, it will just keep turning around and around no matter if there is ammo in it or not, so you need to listen to the the sound of the CO2 gun to determine when a rotary type magazine is empty. BB Action shooters do not have this problem since in most cases the magazine BB spring follower acts exactly the same as real steel gun follower locking back the slide on the last shot, stopping any follow up shots from happening.
Ammo Size:
Steel BB’s traditionally only come in 4.5mm which is the same as .177 caliber. Lead pellets can come in a myriad of sizes, the most comma being .177, .20 and .22 caliber but they can go as large as 50 caliber for PCP air rifles used to hunt even large game.
Barrel Rifling:
Another common difference between BB and Pellet CO2 Pistols is the rifling inside the barrels. Lead pellets need to spin in order for them to shoot straight. Steel BB’s on the other hand fly pretty true thought the air weather they spin or not. Rifling is most often not used in steel BB pistols because the hardened steel can damage the rifling and since there is little to no benefit in adding rifling to a BB guns barrel in terms of accuracy, then why even have it. Pellet pistols with their softer lead ammunition need to have the rifling in order to create the spin that keeps the pellet true and straight while in flight.
Accuracy:
Even though many BB CO2 Pistols can shoot accurately at close to medium ranges, they are not as accurate as a Pellet CO2 Pistol, especially as the distance become greater to your target. Not only does the spinning of the pellet help accuracy, but also the added mass of the lead pellet keeps them from being as effected by cross winds and airborne debris.
Hunting and/or Pest Control:
In most cases I do not recommend using a pistol for pest control because, plain and simple they are harder to shoot accurately. This is because there is no stock on a pistol to help steady the gun, and the front and rear sight are much closer together on a pistol than compared to rifle sights which means there is more margin for error when signing in a target. Pistols are generally lower powered than rifles which also plays a roll when considering a pistol for pest control since it may not have enough power to get the job done humanly. That said, there are pellet pistols deigned with power in mind, usually these are spring piston, or pressurized air powered air guns which can have a lot more power than a standard CO2 BB or Pellet Pistol.
Pistols versus Rifles:
This is not the forum for a full pistol versus rifle comparison. I can tell you that you will find a lot more pellet rifles than your will find BB rifles, they both exist but for the most part rifles are geared more towards target shooting and hunting. Most of the BB rifles available would be styled after replicas so the focus is not necessarily on power and or accuracy in these models.
Abundance:
In terms of Replica Action Shooters, BB Pistols outweigh the Pellet pistols by a land-slide. BB’s just work better in action pistols because the round hard steel ammo operates much easier and more reliably than the softer lead pellets, at least for action shooters. And the point of Replica Action Shooters is not so much power and accuracy but more so towards rapid fire good old back yard fun shooting.
Which is Best?
Well… Neither one is best, it just depends what you are looking for.
Do you want accuracy at longer ranges - if so maybe get a Pellet CO2 Pistol.
Do you want more realism in terms of magazine loading and your slide locking back on the last shot - then you may be in the market for a BB CO2 Pistol.
Do you want more power down range - heavy pellets are going to hit harder and truer than lighter Steel BB’s.
Do you want trouble free shooting - hard steel BB’s rarely miss-feed or misfire compared to softer Lead Pellets especially in action shooters.
The best is what’s best for you and not always what's best for me…
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Gletcher APS Stetchkin is nice in both double and single action modes. Double action is fairly light as the hammer spring tension is moderate. The blowback operation will of course pre-cock the hammer allowing for single action shooting on almost all of your shots but the trigger pull length remains the same in both single and double action. The only difference is that in single action mode, the first part of the trigger pull, or should I say the take-up portion is much lighter until it gets to the hammer release point where you will notice more pressure and a short crisp release point.
Accuracy: I have done no preliminary shooting with this pistol so other than how the trigger feels I can not comment on the performance. The Gletcher APS Stechkin CO2 Blowback BB Pistol has a fairly long barrel length so it should get close to the claimed almost 400 fps and since the rear sight is adjustable for elevation I will be abel to make aim point adjustments up and down if need be. The slide does snap back with decent firmness so I am also expecting there to be a decent amount of blowback feel.
Build Quality: The Gletcher APS Stechkin CO2 Blowback BB Pistol is well made, the metallic dark grey finish looks really nice and the fit is good, not a lot of slide wiggle and pretty much the entire pistol is metal including the frame, slide, trigger, slide catch-release, safety, hammer, magazine and inner and outer barrel. The only plastic parts would be the grips and some internal seals and o-rings.
Realism:The CO2 BB Gletcher APS is a 1 to 1 replica of the Stechkin Soviet Military sidearm, all the mechanical parts function just like you would find on the real steel version other than the full auto mode located on the safety, which has been disabled, perhaps for the European markets where full auto airguns are not allowed. The barrel opening and the stick magazine are the real only tell-tale signs that this is the airgun version rather than a real Stechkin.
Pros:
One of the only 4.5mm BB shooting Stechkin replicas I have come across.
Very solid and weighty gun. Mostly all metal.
High capacity 22 round all metal stick magazine
Blowback operation seems heavy, slide locks back on last round.
Operational parts all work like they should (slide catch, safety, hammer, elevation adjustment, mag release)
Field Strippable.
Should be able to put a stock on it?
Shooting performance pros yet to be determined…
Cons:
No reassessed barrel opening.
Would have liked to have seen full size drop out metal magazine on this gun.
Full auto feature disabled on safety
Shooting performance cons yet to be determined…
Comments:
When I saw this pistol in the Gletcher catalog, I did not realize how large it actually was, I was expecting the Gletcher APS Stechkin to be a bit larger than the Makarov but it really does dwarf the Makarov. Being that it is a large pistol it does have some weight to it but it does not feel heavy for its size. The grips are long front to back but not overly thick side to side so even medium sized hands should be OK shooting this BB air pistol. I am really happy to see another historic airgun added to the available Replica Airguns at our disposal and it's a bonus that we also get this one with blowback operation.Let's hope the Gletcher APS Stechkin shoots as well as it looks!
My Vimeo Table Top Video of the Gletcher APS Stechkin CO2 Blowback BB Pistol:
First off I have reviewed all of these ASG guns in the BB version which I will link to below so you can read the full reviews. The main difference with this review is that I am reviewing the 6mm Airsoft versions and in the case of the ASG Bersa BP9CC and ASG CZ 75D Compact, the only difference is the ammo they shoot, with the ASG CZ 75 P-07 Duty, my Airsoft version is not blowback whereas the 4.5mm Steel BB version I reviewed earlier did have blowback operation.
My YouTube video for these ASG Airsoft versions does go into a lot of detail on each gun but in this written review I will keep to the basics since you can get most of the detailed information already in my 4.5mm Steel BB reviews for each gun.
Materials: Weapons grade steel slide, frame and most parts.
Weight: 1.7 pounds.
Barrel: 3.8 inches, metal-rifled.
Propulsion: CO2 x 1.
Action: Semi auto, double and single action.
Ammunition Type: Steel/Lead BB's 4.5mm.
Ammunition Capacity: 13 rounds.
FPS: 380.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the 2013 Blued Baikal Makarov MP-654K CO2 BB Pistol is good in single action mode (When cocked), when shooting in double action mode it is a bit heavy but it seems like over time the gun is working its self in a bit as the metal is hard and as with many Russian made guns, they need some break in period. The trigger springs are heavy so don't expect light trigger pulls.
Accuracy: The accuracy and true feet per second performance will be tested when I do my future Field Test Shooting review.
Build Quality: Excellent, the Baikal Makarov MP-654K CO2 BB Pistol is made side by side using the same machine sand same materials as the original Makarov PM (9x18) firearm that it is Replica of. There simply is not another airgun made to this quality level or that is as accurate a replica of it's real steel version.
Realism: You simply can not get any closer to how close this gun resembles the original Makarov PM (9x18). You can even field strip this gun exactly like the original. The only acceptation is when it come time to fire the BB gun version, The Baikal MP-654K is not designed to have blowback operation which is understandable as it would be impossible to fabricate this gun so close to the original and still give it blowback operation.
Pros:
All Steel construction
Made side by side in the factory to the real steel version with same build quality and on same machines.
The closest BB gun to a real gun you can get in terms replicating the parts and being made out of the same materials as the real version.
Can filed strip like the real version.
New 2013 version has recessed barrel.
New 2013 version has the flush CO2 screw.
New 2013 version is the PM style with narrower handle and PM grips.
Can field strip like the real version.
Shoots in single and double action.
Safety works as a de-cocker.
Made in Russia!
Cons:
Expensive compared to other airguns.
No blowback operation.
Only a 13 round magazine.
Gun requires some breaking time.
Comments:
The new 2013 Blued Baikal MP-654K PM Styled BB Air pistol is one of those must have airguns if you are a collector, sure the price is a lot more than most airgun replicas out there but the 2013 Blued Baikal MP-654K is built like no other airgun. Rather than creating a replica gun around existing airgun parts, Baikal takes a different approach and reworks a real Makarov backwards so it is made to shoot steel BB's using CO2 rather than 9mm rounds. You could say it is a real Makarov but chambered to shoot steel BB's and use CO2. These guns are rarely available in Canada since they often get stuck in customs because they are so realistic. I was actually very surprised when we located a secure that had some that they where willing to give up!
My Vimeo Video Review for the 2013 Blued Baikal Makarov MP-654K CO2 BB Pistol:
