I’m back from SHOT Show Las Vegas 2019 and as always I had an awesome time. I love January since I get to go to SHOT Show each year. What an awesome job!
This year was another great show with lots of new products from the Airgun companies. I managed to get seven interviews in this year so I have my work cut out for me editing and uploading all of these informative YouTube Videos.
For now here is a SHOT Show Las Vegas 2019 Teaser Video along with some photos…
In this December Update Video I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. If you have other beliefs and perhaps don’t celebrate Christmas in the traditional Canadian fashion then I wish you a Happy Holiday!
I received a number of products lately and really don’t have time to do full reviews of them as the Holliday season is on us which is going to limit how many videos I can pump out over the next couple of weeks so hopefully this Update video will keep everyone excited about the future Replace Airgun Videos.
Here are the items I talk about in this December 2018 Update Video:
Sig Sauer ASP M17 CO2 Blowback Pellet Pistol
Sig Sauer Fake Suppressor for P226 ASP Pellet Pistol
Umarex Steel Strike Full Auto BB Rifle
ROHM RG-89 .380 Caliber Blank Revolver
Umarex Legends WildCard Airsoft SAA Revolver
Umarex WW2 Limited Edition P08 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol
Umarex WW2 Limited Edition M712 Full Auto CO2 Blowback BB Pistol
Webley Mark VI CO2 Pellet Revolver
John Wayne Signature SAA Revolver Solid Maple Wood Case
Here we go again with another Favorite Airgun Video of 2018, this time I show you my Air Rifle Favorites! There are usually a lot less Air Rifles that come out than Air Pistols but this year was’t too bad for new and interesting Ari Rifles. As per usually there where more 4.5mm Steel BB Rifles and I am sorry to say nothing really came out at least in the Replica Air Rifle department but of course there where 6mm Airsoft rifles too.
I do mainly focus on the 4.5mm BB rifles but throw in the group a very well made and ultra realistic Airsoft Rifle that was for sure in this years Top Five!
First up on my list but not in any particular order was the Gletcher Military Precision M1944 BB Rifle styled after the Russian made Mosin Nagant. Other than the Sawn Off version the Gletcher Military Precision M1944 BB Rifle is the only CO2 Bolt Action 4.5.mm Steel BB Air Rifle you can get as far as I know. It is ultra realistic and looks the part of the real Mosin Nagant right down to the metal working Bayonet.
Next in this video I take a look at what I can say was my number one pick this year, the Crosman DPMS SBR Steel BB Rifle! When Crosman announced the Crosman DPMS SBR Steel BB Rifle at SHOT Show I was a bit surprised since Crosman is not known best for their Replica Airguns. Not only did Crosman decide to come out with an M4 Replica Air Rifle but they in fact made what I believe is the best one out there at least in 4.5mm Steel BB. It covers all the check boxes I am looking for. It’s very well made, shoots in semi and full auto with a working internal blowback bolt. All the mechanical parts work in the same way as a real M4 including being able to take apart the upper and lower receivers. I really hope Crosman took note of how popular this style of Airgun is and keeps making more product like the Crosman DPMS SBR Steel BB Rifle.
Another 4.5mm Steel BB M4 Replica that came out in 2018 is the Air Venturi HellBoy CO2 BB M4 Air Rifle. The HellBoy may not be as full featured as the Crosman DPMS SBR but it is worthy of this years Top Five. The Air Venturi HellBoy CO2 BB M4 Air Rifle is similar to how the Cybergun AK 47 BB rifles are built, using a magazine design that is basically the bulk of the working mechanism, it hold the CO2, CO2 Valve, BB’s, and even part of the trigger mechanism. The Air Venturi HellBoy CO2 BB M4 Air Rifle may not be as ultra realistic as the Crosman DPMS SBR but it’s an excellent full metal M4 Replica with decent shooting performance.
My only Airsoft contribution to this years list is the KWA LM4 RIS PTR Full Metal GBB Airsoft Rifle. I just love this Airsoft Rifle, It may not be the cheapest M4 GBB Airsoft Rifle out there but it sure is worth it. When you pick it up it just feels like quality and when you shoot it you know it’s quality, the shooting performance is awesome for a GBB Rifle. I barely noticed any cool down even when shooting off the entire magazine in full auto. If you want the most realistic M4 Air Rfile out there than the KWA LM4 RIS PTR Full Metal GBB Airsoft Rifle is going to be the one.
Last up to showcase in this years Favorite Air Rifles is the Umarex Legends MP40 CO2 BB Weathered Submachine Gun. I know the Umarex Legends MP40 CO2 BB Submachine Gun kinda came out last year but I did not get my hands on the Weathered version till only recently so I decided to put it in this years Top Five pick. The Umarex Legends MP40 CO2 BB Submachine Gun is another fine 4.5mm Steel BB Rifle in this case it’s more of a Submachine Gun. The Umarex Legends MP40 CO2 BB Submachine Gun also offers semi and full auto select fire and is a very close replace to the real steel MP40 in almost every way. The Weathered Finish and included Leather Sling really finish it off to make it super believable.
In this Product Update Video I take a look at the Umarex Legends MP 40 Weathered Blowback CO2 BB Machine mainly to explain the differences between the Umarex Legends MP 40 Weathered and Umarex Legends MP 40 Non-Weathered versions.
I talk a little bit about the specifications but don’t go into a lot of detail since I have already made a full Table Top and Field Test Shooting Video for the Legends MP 40 Non-Weathered Blowback CO2 BB Machine Gun. Other than the finish and the addition of the leather sling that comes with the Weathered version, the two Umarex Legends MP 40 Blowback CO2 BB Machine Guns are virtually the same.
In this video I do get in nice and close with the camera so you can see how awesome the Weathered finish and Leather Sling look. Just keep in mind you will pay a bit more of a premium for the Umarex Legends MP 40 Weathered version.
Buy the Umarex Legends MP 40 Weathered Blowback CO2 BB Machine Gun in Canada
Buy the Umarex Legends MP 40 Weathered Blowback CO2 BB Machine Gun in the US
Buy the Umarex Legends MP 40 Non-Weathered Blowback CO2 BB Machine Gun in Canada
Buy the Umarex Legends MP 40 Weathered Blowback CO2 BB Machine Gun in the US
If you haven’t already watched my Table Top Review Video for the KWA LM4 RIS PTR and LM4 KR7 Full Metal GBB Airsoft Rifles then make sure to do so for Specifications, Pros & Cons and close up video of both the KWA LM4 RIS PTR and KR7 Full Metal GBB Airsoft Rifles.
In this Field Test Shooting Review I only test out the KWA LM4 RIS PTR GBB Airsoft Rifle since both the RIS and KR7 are virtually identical in terms of their build and internal components, the KR7 has a a slightly shorter barrel but both KWA Airsoft AR M4 Rifles should perform very similarly.
To begin this Field Test Shooting Review of the KWA LM4 RIS PTR GBB Airsoft Rifle I first place 5 shots through my Chronograph using .20 gram plastic Airsoft BB’s and a full mag filled with propane gas. The rounds varied anywhere from around 330-360 fps but averaged a nice 345 fps which is perfect for most Airsoft games.
Next I placed a fresh paper target 30 feet away in my Indoor Sea Can Airgun Range. I then proceeded to shoot 10 shots in semi auto to see how accurate the KWA LM4 RIS PTR GBB Airsoft Rifle would perform for me. I am not a big fan of the aperture or peep sights found on most AR rifles, sure they work well for quick target acquisition but in terms of accuracy at least for me I find them hard to look through. Even so I was able to get about a 4 inch grouping with the KWA LM4 RIS PTR GBB Airsoft Rifle. I am pretty sure I could tighten this up with some more practice using these types of sights so user influence was involved here.
Of course I also had to place the KWA LM4 RIS PTR GBB Airsoft Rifle in Full Auto mode and do first a mag dump of the remaining 25 rounds and then I switched up the magazine for a fresh 40 rounder and did some shorter bursts again followed by a mag dump. The KWA LM4 RIS PTR GBB Airsoft Rifle performed flawlessly even in this somewhat cooler environment (17 degrees Celsius - 62 degrees Fahrenheit).
the KWA LM4 RIS PTR and LM4 KR7 Full Metal GBB Airsoft Rifles are fantastic performers, it’s hard to find consistent Gas Blowback Full Auto guns that can truly get through an entire mag without some sort of major cool down effecting their performance. In my testing even at the end of a full auto magazine the cycle rate was still high and there was no problem at all getting all 40 rounds out. If you want one of the highest quality and best performing Gas Blowback AR M4 styled Airsoft rifles then look no further!
Type: Airsoft Rifle (AR).
Manufacturer: KWA.
Model: LM4 RIS PTR & LM4 KR7 PTR
Materials: Metal & plastic.
Weight: 6.4 & 5.6 pounds.
Barrel: Type 3 hop-up.
Propulsion: GBB - Gas Blowback.
Action: Semi-full auto selectable SAO.
Ammunition Type: Airsoft 6mm Plastic BB's.
Ammunition Capacity: 40 rounds.
FPS: 330+.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the KWA LM4 RIS PTR and KWA LM4 KR7 PTR Full Metal GBB Airsoft Rifles is exactly what you would expect on an AR style rifle. You are required to pull the charging handle back for the first shot which draws the bolt back and chambers a round. The Single action trigger has very little take up and a light crisp release. Of course if you select full auto mode all you need to do is hold down the trigger until the magazine is empty!
Accuracy: So far I have not field tested either the KWA LM4 RIS PTR and KWA LM4 KR7 PTR Full Metal GBB Airsoft Rifles but I did throw some green gas in one of the mags and fires off a bunch of semi and full auto shots in my Sea Can Airgun shooting range. You can expect a ton of felt blowback recoil and both semi and full auto modes performed perfectly for me with no problems unloading a full 40 rounds magazine and no slow down in the blowback action.
Build Quality: The KWA LM4 RIS PTR and KWA LM4 KR7 PTR Full Metal GBB Airsoft Rifles are about as good as it gets in terms of build quality. They both have pretty much the same aluminum metal receivers and reenforced steal bolts. Fit and finishes is excellent everything just looks and feels great on these high end KWA Airsoft rifles.
Realism: The PTR in the name stands for “Professional Training Rifle” and the KWA LM4 RIS PTR and KWA LM4 KR7 PTR Full Metal GBB Airsoft Rifles not only look the part but operate as close as you are going to get to the real steal version in an Airsoft rifle. You can even interchange the stock, grips, trigger guard with MilSPec components and the same goes for the rails, all MilSpec ready. I want to mention the blowback recoil again because it is truly awesome on these rifles!
Available at the: Canada Replica Airguns Store, US Replica Airguns Store
Pros:
KWA brands is one of the best out there.
Super heavy blowback action really bucks.
Really well built mostly aluminum and steel components.
Fully customizable MilSpec design throughout.
Amazingly realistic perfect for training.
Gas Magazine performs really well easily getting through the 40 rounds.
Type 3 Hop-up for extended range shooting.
Fully Field Strippable.
Cons:
GBB system has more limitation compared to an AEG, less rounds, not goof in cold weather.
Not the cheapest Airsoft rifles out there but worth every penny.
Hard to keep in stock.
Comments:
I know most go-to Airsoft rifles for game play are going to be an AEG since they are going to have a lot more rounds per mag and more consistent performance over a Gas Blowback Airsoft rifle. That said the KWA LM4 RIS PTR and KWA LM4 KR7 PTR Full Metal GBB Airsoft Rifles really make you want to reconsider this choice and try and figure out if perhaps you could use a Gas Blowback Airsoft Rifle on the field? Sure you will need a lot of extra magazines but man is it ever fun feeling that blowback action on your shoulder and experiencing a more true to life experience shooting the KWA LM4 RIS PTR and KWA LM4 KR7 PTR Full Metal GBB Airsoft Rifles. If you want the most realistic training Airsoft rifles then it would be hard to find a better option out there.
There has been some confusion when it comes to the KWC made Mini UZI regarding semi and full auto abilities and also when it comes to build materials. But before we get into that if you have one of these Mini UZI Blowback BB or Airsoft guns then most likely yours is made by KWC even if it was distributed through RWS, Umarex, Gletcher, Cybergun or some other company. When it comes to the build materials used they are all made by KWC so they are all built the same with plastic and metal in the same places.
Let’s first talk about why some of these Mini UZI’s only come in semi auto with the Full auto selection not available out of the box. This is most likely because in some countries a full auto BB and/or Airsoft gun can be illegal so to play it safe many airguns that are originally made to shoot in both semi and full auto are modified to only shoot full auto. This is the case with most of the companies that redistribute the KWC Mini UZI under their own brand name. That said if you buy the KWC Mini UZI in either 4.5.mm Steel BB or 6mm Plastic Airsoft from our Replica Airguns Canada or US Online Stores, you will be getting a full auto ready out of the box airgun!
If your MINI UZI Airgun is not full auto ready then checkout my Full Auto Mod Video but make sure before you do this modification it is legal in your country to do so or you could be looking at jail time :(
When it comes to build materials the KWC Mini UZI is often described on websites as being full metal which is close but not entirely true. It is accepted that most full metal airguns will have plastic grips but the KWC Mini UZI also has a plastic shroud around the main receiver that is am all in one piece that makes o=up the front and back sights. This might lead you to think that the gun is mainly plastic which is far from the case since all other parts like the receiver block, bolt, top plate, barrel, rear stock, trigger and magazine are metal. This give the KWC Mini UZI its sold 4.8 pound weight. The heavy metal internal bolt really makes this blowback airgun rock when you shoot it simulating very close recoil action to a 22LR. The KWC Mini UZI for sure has the most blowback recoil out there.
If you are looking for the most bad ass and action packed full auto BB or Airsoft Gun then I would highly suggest you consider getting one of these KWC Mini UZI’s. Just be sure to have lots of CO2 and BB’s on hand because you will go through both like crazy…
I finally got the chance to do my first official Field Test Shooting Video Review using the Caldwell Ballistic Precision Chronograph and like my Test video everything went really well. I was a little bit scared since my first round through it shooting the Crosman DPMS SBR CO2 Blowback BB M4 was a "no read" but then the following 5 shots where all good. I think my shot placement was just a tad off on the first shot as I adjusted my aim a bit for the tore 5 shots.
So getting to the results of the Crosman DPMS SBR CO2 Blowback BB M4 Air Rifle... I was using a somewhat used set of 12 gram CO2 cartridges that I had previously shot a couple of magazine through shooting in a bit of semi auto and full auto so I would assume I had at least half of, if not a bit more of my CO2 left in them. The Crosman DPMS SBR CO2 Blowback BB M4 was also fully warmed up and it had been a day since I shot it last which lets the CO2 and the gun warm up and pretty much perform as if it was using new CO2 for the most part.
My results shooting 5 readable rounds through my Caldwell Ballistic Precision Chronograph with the Crosman DPMS SBR CO2 Blowback BB M4 Air Rifle where an average fps of 402 fps, the slowest being 397 fps and the fasters hitting 411 fps so not too m much of a spread. I was using RWS 5.1 grain 4.5mm zinc coated Steel BB's for my testing.
Moving on to my accuracy testing. I would like to note I was using a Red/Green dot scope which I think is a great add on for any action shooting air rifle. Shooting with the included open iron sights may not have given us a little bit different results but I don't think by too much. My first grouping was with 10 shots all in semi auto shooting mode and this resulted in a nice very close to 1 inch grouping with 8 out of the 10 shots all within about a 3/4 inch group. I then adjusted my selector switch to the much more fun full auto mode for the 15 remaining 4.5 mm Steel BB's and setup again 30 feet away. I then let her rip releasing all 15 rounds till the Crosman DPMS SBR CO2 Blowback BB M4 bolt locked back and to be honest I was fairly surprised at how tight my 15 round full auto group was. It only spread out to about 2 inches with not too much vertical drop so velocity remained pretty consistent which was nice to see.
All in all you really can not go wrong with the Crosman DPMS SBR CO2 Blowback BB M4, it's got more than enough velocity at right around 400 fps which is great for a blowback action shooter still providing some nice accuracy not only in semi auto but also full auto shooting modes. And it has got to be the coolest looking and functioning 4.5mm Blowback BB M4 out there right now.
This test of the DJI Spark Mini Drone was to make sure I could use it in the way I intended for it when I am outdoors and want to get that nice higher up flowing camera angel you can only get form a drone.. The method I use in this video doesn't even require a remote control or smartphone and I can have it take off right out of my hand.
I then use hand gestures to control the DJI Spark Drone to do things like: Place the drone in the right starting location, make the DJI Spark start recording video, have the Spark zoom up and out from me for an "eye in the sky" aerial follow me mode and then of course when I am finished what I want it to record have the DJI Sparkreturn to me and land again on my hand. Again all of this without even taking the remote out of the box or even using a smartphone to control the DJI Spark Mini Drone!
Watch me test out the DJI Spark Mini Drone in my backyard while I shoot some of my Airguns at miscellaneous targets while I walk around and have the DJI Spark follow me while recording video.
I am happy to say that the first Field Test using my new Caldwell Ballistic Precision Chronograph went really well for me today. Perhaps I have found a new brand of Chronograph that will last longer than a year or so and give me reliable results that I can count on...
In my testing I tried out four different airguns, I picked airguns for the most part that I have not done Chronograph testing with yet so I could at least get you some hard results for these new guns waiting for their Field Test Shooting Video Reviews. First I tested the Umarex Glock 19 4.5mm Steel BB Pistol and I got five results out of five shots averaging 389 fps. Next up was the AW Custom AG-HX2003 Double Stack Tactical 1911 Full Blowback CO2 BB Pistol, again a put five shots through my Caldwell Ballistic Precision Chronograph and got five good results with an average fps of 329.
I then moved on to an Air Rifle, the Crosman DPMS SBR CO2 Blowback BB M4 Rifle and placed six shots through my Caldwell Ballistic Precision Chronograph resulting in five good readings, there was one error in this string of shots but it may have been an alignment issue on my part? My average fps for the Crosman DPMS SBR CO2 Blowback BB M4 Rifle was 387. Last of the guns I tested was the Air Venturi V10 Match Pellet Pistol which is a single pump airgun. My pellet choice was RWS 6.9 grain lead pellets and all three of my test shots delivered near exactly the same results averaging 374 fps.
So other than that one chronograph reading error for the day which may have been an alignment issue on my part, the Caldwell Ballistic Precision Chronograph performed excellent for me. I would also like to note that I was using the same Caldwell LED Lighting System I have been using in my Sea Can Indoor Airgun range which as expected fit perfectly onto their own Chronograph system and worked well.
Type: BB Rifle.
Manufacturer: Crosman.
Model: DPMS SBR.
Materials: Metal & plastic.
Weight: 6.5 pounds (4.98 kilograms).
Length: 26.9 - 30.4 inches.
Propulsion: 12 gram CO2 dual cartridges.
Action: Blowback - single action only.
Ammunition Type: 4.5mm steel BB's.
Ammunition Capacity: 25 rounds.
FPS: 430fps.
Rate of Fire: 1400 rounds per minute in full auto
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Crosman DPMS SBR CO2 Blowback BB M4 Rifle is single action only since the charging handle must be cocked first before you can shoot it. The trigger is short and fairly light but not too light that a misfire can happen easily. The Crosman DPMS SBR CO2 Blowback BB M4 Rifle makes for a great action shooter in semi auto or full auto mode!
Accuracy: So far I have only played around with the Crosman DPMS SBR CO2 Blowback BB M4 Rifle but I can say it feels pretty good and seems to hit what I aim at even when in full auto mode which does rock the gun a bit. Don;t expect full auto mode to be the most accurate but it sure is fun and with all those BB's coming out the barrel at 1400 rounds per minute you're probably going to hit what ever your shooting at. Because of the blowback operation you will get a little over 400 fps which is totally fine for an action shooter like this.
Build Quality: The Crosman DPMS SBR CO2 Blowback BB M4 Rifle is well made all around. Weighing in at 6.5 pounds it feel solid and well built. There is a lot of metal going on inside and out of this rifle but keep in mind the top and bottom receiver are plastic but metal parts are where they need to be like in the internals, pretty much all the working parts are metal, the magazine is full metal, the buffer tub is metal and of course the barrel is metal.
Realism: The Crosman DPMS SBR CO2 Blowback BB M4 Rifle is about as real as you are going to get in a CO2 Blowback M4 styled Airgun. You can even take it apart into the top and bottom receivers like the real steal version. The blowback action gives you some recoil but more importantly offers a true single action trigger and of course the full auto ability we all love. Almost all the working parts work like they would on a real M4 other than the forward assist which is moulded into the receiver.
Pros:
Most realistic working M4/AR 4.5mm BB Rifle out there right now.
Full blowback operation with both semi and full auto shooting, can feel the blowback operation rocking the gun.
Great weight and feel to it.
Almost everything works exactly like there pal steel version. (Charging handle, dust cover, bolt release, magazine release, selector switch…)
Duel CO2 full metal drop out magazine that holds 4.5mm steel BB’s as well.
Adjustable buttstock.
Adjustable pop-up iron sights.
Lots of rails of mounting additional cool hardware.
Included adjustable foregrip.
Muzzle cap looks cool too!
Cons:
Receiver is plastic but well made and does not compromise feel or weight since there is lots of metal throughout this gun.
Rear Buttstock is not compatible with the AR platform.
This gun is literally too much fun…
Comments:
If you haven't figured it out already I love the Crosman DPMS SBR CO2 Blowback BB M4 Rifle and I know anyone that picks one up will love theirs too! I just wish we had them in our Replica Airguns Store but for now we are not Crosman distributes :( We do have some other nice M4/AR styled BB rifles like the HellBoy which I may put head to head against the Crosman DPMS SBR CO2 Blowback BB M4 Rifle at some point even though they are very different in how they operate and their pros and cons.
My Vimeo Table Top Video of the Crosman DPMS SBR CO2 Blowback BB M4 Rifle:
In this video I have some really cool stuff to show you guys, many items I have been waiting to get my hands on for some time now...
Right off the bat I need to let you all know I got my Crosman DPMS SBR CO2 Blowback 4.5mm BB M4/AR Full Auto Airgun and it is simply awesome! It's really everything we have all been asking for, A full scale M4 Replica with Blowback operation and semi and full auto, with quality material throughout and realistic working parts. You can even split the Crosman DPMS SBR CO2 Blowback 4.5mm BB M4/AR Full Auto Airgun into its upper and lower sections for cleaning and possible BB jams. Look forward to several upcoming videos featuring the Crosman DPMS SBR CO2 Blowback 4.5mm BB M4/AR Full Auto Airgun.
Next up in this weeks news is... Can you believe it, after two years I now have my hands on a Gletcher M1944 Mosin Nagant, not the short stock and short barreled M1891 Sawn Off Version but the full size rifle version complete with working metal bayonet :) I love it when I first saw it at SHOT Show over two years ago and still love it today. I expect it to shoot similarly to the M1891 Sawn Off M1891 Version I already reviewed a few times but with perhaps more power and a bit better accuracy?
Some other very cool news, we are now selling KWA Airsoft Guns, I have been a big fan of KWA for a long time and enjoy visiting their booth at SHOT Show, they have excellent high quality detailed Airsoft guns and carry a great combination of Blowback and AEG Airsoft Guns. Once I get through my Crosman and Gletcher reviews I will focus on showcasing the new KWA lineup we are selling.
Beginning Saturday Jun 30th and ending Monday July 2nd we are having a Replica Airguns Canada Day Sale on airsoft guns, ammo, gear, and accessories. This is only in our Canada Replica Airguns Store!
Some more Airguns to show everyone! Today I have three very different styles for you... In this Preview video I show off a Multi-pump Pellet Target Pistol, a CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol and an AEG AK47 Kalashnikov with all the bells and whistles!
First off is the Strike Point Multi-pump .22 Caliber Target Pellet Pistol from Umarex. It's kind of like the Crosman 1322 Pistol but with more plastic parts on the outside so it's a little bit more bulky than the Crosman. Other than that both Multi-pump Target Air Pistols share similar bolt actions, cross bolt safeties and adjustable rear sights. With 10 pumps you shoudl get around 465 fps form a standard .22 caliber lead pellet so the Umarex Strike Point Multi-pump .22 Caliber Target Pellet Pistol should even be OK for small pest control as long as it proves to be accurate.
I previously reviewed the KWC M40 in it's standard barrel length, the KWC M&P 40 Extended Barrel Airsoft Pistol is pretty much the same Airsoft pistol but with an extended slide and barrel along with higher sights and a vented slide. I also like the stainless steel barrel which give the KWC M&P 40 Extended Barrel Airsoft Pistol a nice tow tone look.
Lastly I take a look at a full featured AEG Kalashnikov Tactical AK47 Airsoft Rifle that comes with everything you are going to need including the battery, charger, two 550 round magazines and an included fore-grip. The AK47 Kalashnikov Tactical 60Th Ann. Airsoft Rifle feels really good in the hands with its near 7 pounds of weight. I look forward to giving this AEG Airsoft rifle a test run for sure!
We often think that something that is more expensive and perhaps built with what we consider to be better materials is going to be the best option. That's not always the case! In this Vimeo Video I talk about some of the Pros and Cons to buying a Plastic Airgun versus a Metal Airgun. Of course this applies to BB, Airsoft and Pellet shooters.
Price
In most cases a Plastic Airgun is going to be less expensive, so if you have limited funds then your only option may be a Plastic Airgun and at the end of the day both airguns are going to probably get the job done much the same.
Realism
Generally speaking, most Metal Airguns are going to have more moving parts, often times with working slides and even blowback operation. This is not always the case but even a Metal Airgun that has few working parts will still feel more realistic simply because of the additional weight to the Airgun. Metal has that cold hard feel to it that makes you feel like you're holing something of substance. Plastic Airguns on the other hand can feel light and cheap and usually are very simple in design with less working parts.
Shooting an Airgun with blowback operation simulates the recoil action and in many cases allows for true single action operation of the trigger and hammer. This is going to feel a lot more realistic than shooting a non-blowback Airgun which again is generally what you get with Plastic Airguns.
Durability
Most people assume that because an Airgun is Meta, it is going to be stronger and more durable. This would be true if the Metal used in the Airgun was actually hardened steel but with almost Metal Airguns, they are made using a zinc alloy metal (Pot Metal) that is much softer then hardened steel and can wear and break a lot easier. When you also consider a Metal Airgun is going to be a lot heavier than a Plastic Airgun, a drop onto a hard surface will have a lot more impact which can cause breakage a to a heavy Metal Airgun versus a Plastic light weight Airgun.
Plastic surfaces are also a lot less prone to showing scratches since the Plastic material will usually be black all the way through versus a Metal Airgun that has a painted surface that when scratched hard enough will show through right to the bare metal. You also get wear marks on painted Metal Airguns that will make it look used and older, some people like this look but other do not.
Reliability
Again people are going to assume a Metal Airgun is going to be more reliable simply because it has more metal parts and metal parts are stronger right? Not the case if the parts are made out of zinc alloy. Now some companies will upgrade some high use parts in Airguns to hardened steel but it's hard to know for sure. You can use a magnet to determine what parts are Metal and what parts are hardened steel.
As we mentioned before, Plastic Airguns are generally pretty simple in design, less working parts means less to go wrong at the end of the day so just because you have a Plastic Airgun it doesn't mean it's going to break on you quickly. Actually it may even outlast your Metal Airgun since all those working parts will eventually wear out.
Now I am the first person to admit that I prefer Metal Airgun over Plastic Airguns, I don't mind spending the extra money for more realism and I'm willing to accept the fact that it's not going to last forever but the fact remains, a Plastic Airgun does have some advantages going for it so don't rule them out completely.
I made a similar video about how to hold your airgun a while back but sometimes they get a bit buried in all the video I make. I feel it's really important how you grip your gun even if it's only an airgun with very little kick or recoil. Proper pistol grip is something you should use no matter what so that you can carry it forward to what ever gun you are shooting.
More kick or recoil means a firmer grip is required to hold the gun so when shooting a powder burner with lots of kick grip becomes even more important.
In this video I go over the proper two handed grip to use when holding a pistol, which hand to hold lose and which had to grip tight, how to overlap your fingers and thumbs.
This year at SHOT Show 2018 I had the please to interview Bob from ASG yet again, Bob always has a ton of info to share about ASG new products so make sure to watch this video as it has a lot of info!
To summarize what Bob shared, ASG has their line of CZ P-09 and SP-01 Shadow Steel BB and Airsoft Full Blowback pistols with full size drop out metal magazines. And you'll be happy to know the Canadian CZ P-09 Airsoft version not only will have a threaded barrel but it will come with both a black and red barrel tip cover.
Another new air pistol from ASG is the Dan Wesson licensed none blowback pellet firing 1911, similar to what Crosman is offering that utilizes a full size drop out metal magazine combined with a two sided 6 shot rotary magazine that flips 180 degrees for a total of 12 shots per .177 caliber pellet load. the ASG Dan Wesson Pellet shooting 1911 has a nice heavy weight to it's metal slide and frame design.
Lastly Bob shared with us a new ASG ICS Hera Arms CQR Airsoft Rifle, this ASG Airsoft Rifle is still in the design and production state but look forward to it later on this year!
This year at SHOT Show 2018 I had the please of again interviewing Dani Navickas from Sig Sauer. Dani Showed me several new pistols and a new break barrel rifle Sig Sauer is offering this year. The Sig ASP20 Break Barrel rifle will come in both .177 and .22 caliber pellet shooting versions. The ASP20 has a lighter than most cocking effort of only 33 pounds using their proprietary GlideLite system, along with an adjustable ASP MatchLite trigger.
Another Target pellet airgun from Sig Sauer this year is the .177 caliber pellet shooting Super Target, styled after the Sig Sauer P210 firearm. The Sig Super Target is a single pump pneumatic single shot pistol designed for 10 meeter shooting with adjustable sights and a crips short light trigger.
Sig like several other companies has rebranded their own version of the KWC 1911 CO2 Blowback BB pistols. The Sig Sauer licensed BB 1911 is based on Sigs We the People line to celebrate the American people and their Constitution.
Another new Blowback Pellet firing Sig Sauer Air Pistol was also introduced at SHOT Show, the Sig Sauer X-Five. The X-Five uses their 20 round belt fed magazine and also has Sig's Cam Lever CO2 loading mechanism. You will also find a rear adjustable sight on the Sig Sauer X-Five Pellet Pistol.
Last but not least and perhaps one of the most interesting new products coming out later this year from Sig Sauer is the P320MHS APS which is another new rotary magazine Blowback Pellet Pistol. What's a bit different with the new Sig P320MHS is that it has a full size drop out magazine that holds the CO2 and belt fed pellet magazine. The P320MHS can also be fully field striped, has an open ejection port and is styled after Sig's real Steal M17 firearm.
I wanted to start my SHOT Show 2018 Interviews with Crosman because in my books they had one of the most exciting new products this year at SHOT Show, the Crosman Remington DPMS SBR which is a duel 12 gram CO2 powered 4.5mm steel BB firing AR styled semi and full auto Machine gun.
What I like about the Crosman Remington DPMS SBR is that it works a lot like an Airsoft Gas Blowback rifle with an internal bolt and buffer tube spring, working charging handle and dust cover, it even has a bolt release button. The Crosman Remington DPMS SBR can even be taken apart similarly to a real AR rifle.
The next new interesting product from Crosman, and as I found out the design is not entirely exclusive to Crosman, was the CO2 Non-Blowback Pellet firing 1911. The Crosman Pellet 1911 has an interesting magazine design, it looks like a traditional full size drop out magazine, which as you would expect holds the CO2 but rather than an inline BB magazine the new Crosman Pellet firing 1911 has two built in 6 shot rotary magazines that can be flipped so you essentially end up with a 12 shot magazine.
You will have to drop the full size magazine after the first 6 shots to flip the rotary magazines. The Crosman Pellet 1911 does not have blowback action but the double action only trigger is smooth and not too heavy. The slide is metal with a metal magazine and a polymer frame. The Crosman Pellet shooting 1911 comes in silver and black.
The next new product from Crosman was the Mako. The Crosman Mako is a Beretta styled CO2 Blowback BB pistol. The Crosman Mako features Blowback action, fiber optic sights, tactical grips, a double action trigger and a stick magazine that holds the 4.5mm steel BB's.
Thanks to Phillip Guadalupe from Crosman for allowing me the Interview!
So it begins, I have been to this years SHOT Show in Las Vegas and checked out the new products from Umarex, Crosman, Sig Sauer and ASG. I have taken video and Interviewed the main Airgun companies. Now it's time to report back to everyone what I saw and learned. To start with here is a Teaser Video with some scenes from Vegas, inside SHOT Show and of course some of the highlight products from each airgun company.
