First, I put four rounds through my Chrony Chronograph to see what the real world FPS would be, keep in mind I was using rubber balls rather than paintballs and the rubber balls are a little bit heavier and smaller in diameter than paintballs so this could bring the FPS down a bit compared to the slightly lighter paintballs. Using a brand new CO2, the Umarex T4E TPM1 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol average 303 FPS which was higher than the claimed 290 FPS. Temperature inside my Indoor Sea Can Airgun Shooting Range was around 22 degrees Celsius or 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
Moving on to my accuracy testing as per my usual indoor field tests, I positioned myself 30 feet back from a fresh paper target and using a seated and rested shooting position I shot a full magazine (8 rounds) of rubber balls on target with the Umarex T4E TPM1 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol. As mentioned before I was expecting around a 6 inch grouping and got pretty close to it getting closer to an 8 inch 8 shot grouping. The rubber balls did center well on the target all placing uniformly arounds the bullseye. If I was aiming at a human sized torso, I would have hit it with every shot from 30 feet away so good enough for me.
As expected I was able to get very similar and decent results compared to the other Umarex .43 Caliber CO2 Blowback Paintball Pistols I have already reviewed. I did want to mention some of shooting qualities you will find with the Umarex T4E TPM1 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol. The trigger can feel a bit heavy especially using rubber balls as when you pull the trigger the inner barrel moves back and into the magazine going around the paintball and helping to seal off the CO2 from escaping. There is a bit of friction and I find the rubber paintballs seem to have more friction perhaps because the rubber grips more than the plastic surface on standard paintballs? This extra trigger friction or heaviness is really only noticeable when you are pulling the trigger slowly for accuracy testing but when shooting quickly as you would be more likely to do so in an actual training simulation, the trigger friction is all but forgotten about.
Type: Paintball Gun. Manufacturer:Umarex - T4E. Model:T4E TPM1 Materials: Metal & Polymer. Weight: 532 grams (1.2 pounds). Barrel: Smooth bore. Power Source: 1x12 gram CO2. Action: Semi-Automatic with blowback action. Ammo Type: .43 Caliber Paintball or Rubber Ball. Ammo Capacity: 8 Rounds. FPS: 290.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on Umarex T4E TPM1 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol feels a lot like a double action trigger mainly because when you pull the trigger the inner barrel travels backwards into the magazine placing a paintball round in the barrel which seals the barrel with the magazine so less CO2 is wasted. This does make the trigger a little bit longer and heavier than a single action trigger. I believe the internal hammer/striker is engaged from the blowback action.
Build Quality: The build quality of the Umarex T4E TPM1 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol is really very good, metal parts are where you would expect them, the slide, slide catch, barrel, magazine and most internal parts giving the Umarex T4E TPM1 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol a decent overall weight with the magazine in which makes the Paintball version a little bit lighter than a real steel Glock 17 (624 grams - 22 ounces). The Umarex T4E TPM1 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol does have a polymer frame but again this is normal with todays modern guns and helps keep the weight down. Fit and finish is also very good!
Realism: The Umarex T4E TPM1 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol is not an actual replica of the the Glock17 Pistol, it is Umarex’s version of the Glock, Umarex does now the Glock lisense but perhaps they where not able to find an actual Glock 17 Paintball gun they could bring to market. The T4E TPM1 is designed to hold and feel similar to a Glock and for most real steel Glock owners the Umarex T4E TPM1 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol would be close enough for training purposes. You will find that the slide cycle distance is a bit shorter than it would be meaning that when the side catch is engaged the slide does not go as far back as it the real 9mm Glock. Field stripping the Umarex T4E TPM1 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol will requires some tools and pin removal.
Full Metal slide that locks back on the last shot.
All metal heavy full size drop out magazine adds some additional weight to the gun.
Good for Glock shooters looking for a similar training weapon.
Everything works pretty much like the real gun so again great as a training tool.
Easy to see yellow dot sights front and back.
Working trigger safety.
Fit and finish is excellent.
Magazine spring release really shoots the magazine out.
43 caliber barrel opening, adds to realism.
Cons:
White warning lettering stands out a bit too m much on the slide.
Magazine only holds 8 rounds, so you are going to need extra magazines for sure.
Blowback action is not full blowback, more like a typical half blowback BB gun.
Comments:
TheUmarex T4E TPM1 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol is mechanically very close to the Umarex Walther PPQ M2 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol and the Umarex T4E S&W M&P9 M2.0 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol in how it functions as a Paintball Pistol so I expect all of them to shoot very similarly and that’s not a bad thing since previous versions I have tested so far have performed rather well for me in the Replica Airguns Sea Can Indoor Shooting Range. If you are a Glock fan than the Umarex T4E TPM1 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol is about as close as you are going to get at least for now to a Glock Replica Paintball Pistol. As of right now being stuck at home, perhaps a Glock Paintball Trainer like the Umarex T4E TPM1 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol using .43 caliber rubber ammo may just allow you to get some indoor shooting practice to keep your shooting skills up.
In this SHOT Show Las Vegas 2020 Interview Video Scott takes us through a range of new products from Air Venturi.
Scott and I talk about the Air Venturi TR5 and how it came about to fill the hole the Baikal MP-61 left behind. We also talk a look at some new Air Rifles, a pumper called the Butterfly with a super cool linkage based system that makes pumping a lot easier. A PCP side lever cocking Air Rifle that I’m not even sure has a name yet but will be available in .177 .22 and .25 caliber pellet for around $299 US.
The only Air Venturi replica we looked at is a new Springfield Armory under lever Spring Piston Air rifle modeled after the M1A. Last up Scott went showed us how the Bada Bang targeting system is shaping up and looks to be almost ready for production.
Type: Paintball Gun. Manufacturer:Umarex - T4E. Model:T4E TR50 Materials: Metal & Polymer. Weight: 726 grams (1.6 pounds). Barrel: Smooth bore. Power Source: 1x12 gram CO2. Action: Revolver - Double action only trigger. Ammo Type: .50 Caliber Paintball or Rubber Ball. Ammo Capacity: 6 Rounds x 5 magazines. FPS: 360.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on Umarex T4E TR50 .50 Caliber Paintball Revolver is double action only but not very long with a very different feel than I am use to. The best way to describe it is kind of lumpy, it starts out a bit firm and then eases off a lot just before it releases. Like climbing a hill and then coasting down the otters side. I will have to see how it feels when it’s all loaded up with CO2 and Paintballs and actually shooting at a target.
Build Quality: The build quality of the Umarex T4E TR50 .50 Caliber Paintball Revolver is good overall. It is a mostly plastic build with some metal parts where they need to be internally. It is essentially two plastic halves held together by screws with the few actual mechanical working external parts. You have the trigger with it’s working trigger safety, the removable magazine and magazine release and of course the quick puncture CO2 screw knob. The hammer is internal. The Umarex T4E TR50 .50 Caliber Paintball Revolver is not very heavy but it does feel really solid in the hand.
Expected fairly high fps power of 360 with .50 caliber paintballs, a bit too high for your average paintball field but perhaps powerful enough to discourage an intruder?
Lots of mounting option for accessories like a tac light, laser or other sighting option with it’s upper and lower picatinny rail setup.
Quick CO2 pierce system so you can leave a CO2 in it ready to go any time with no worries about CO2 leaking out.
Working Trigger Safety.
Comes with 5 total magazines you can preload ready for use.
Super non-complicated design. Once loaded with CO2 and Paintballs all you need to do is hit the CO2 knob and then pull the trigger.
Build quality feels good, the gun is fairly beefy but not overly heavy or hard to hold.
Cons:
Mostly all plastic build.
Sights do not have white dots on them and are not adjustable.
Do not expect a lot of shots per CO2. Will find out when I do my Field Test Shooting Review.
Comments:
The Umarex T4E TR50 .50 Caliber Paintball Revolver is an interesting Paintball gun, overseas versions are marketed as the HDR50 which stands for “Home Defense Revolver”, while the North American version is marketed as the TR50 or “Training Revolver”. This is mainly because in the Europe most countries are not allowed to own real handguns but can own “Self Defense handguns”. In North America as most people are well aware, in the US real handguns are very easy to obtain and can be used for self defense. Just across the border here in Canada we can not really purposely have on hand anything that we plan to use as a weapon for self defense so the Umarex T4E TR50 .50 Caliber Paintball Revolver is marketed as a Training Revolver. What’s the difference? Not much, our North American 360 fps version is a lot like the 7.5 joule German version in terms of power but you can also get a more powerful 11 joule version in the UK. All that said, the Umarex T4E TR50 .50 Caliber Paintball Revolver at least here in Canada is made and marketed as a Paintball gun but on the field may be too powerful? What you decide to do with it is up to you!
We had a lot of great new Airguns that I reviewed this year at Replica Airguns. Some of them really stood out to me and so I made a video showing my Favorite Replica Airgun Picks of 2019. Of course there where many other Airguns that could has just as easily made this video but I had to draw the line somewhere and pick the ones that in my opinion where the best of 2019. Make sure to watch my Vimeo video where I go into some more details on why I liked each Airgun.
Below is a list of the top Replica Airgun Picks of 2019:
In a way I have already Field Tested the Air Venturi TR5 .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle, well at least in the Baikal version. The Air Venturi version is pretty much a knock of of the Baikal IZH MP-61 which not only look a lot alike but also performed very similarly for me, checkout my Baikal YouTube Video Review for comparison. All that said we can not get Baikal products here in North America anymore so it’s great that Air Venturi has recreated a very similar product for us to have in Canada and the US.
Moving on to the Field Test Review for the Air Venturi TR5 .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle, I first placed 5 shots through my Chronograph to see if the Air Venturi TR5 .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle did in fact shoot around 500 fps and in fact I was able to get all 5 shots up and over 500 fps averaging around 513 fps. Still within our Non-regulated firearm laws here in Canada since we where still under the 4.2 foot pound energy limit using 6.9 grain pellets.
As mentioned before when I shot the Baikal IZH MP-61 I was able to get very similar results but I did have an optical scope on the Baikal IZH MP-61 as compared to the Air Venturi TR5 .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle where I just used the open sights. In my opinion the Air Venturi TR5 .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle is good value for your money offering a unique design with excellent performance and getting as much power out of a pellet rifle as you can get here in Canada without requiring a firearms license.
Pick one up in our Canada or US Online Replica Airguns stores!
It’s always fun shooting a Paintball Gun like the Umarex T4E S&W M&P9 M2.0 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol for a change but in this case it’s not all that different then shooting one of my BB or Airsoft pistols, with the acceptation of the .43 caliber rubber balls. I went with rubber balls rather than Paintballs inside my Sea Can Indoor Airguns Shooting Range to keep things clean. Actual Paintballs may have performed a little different than the rubber balls but this gives us a good idea on what the Umarex T4E S&W M&P9 M2.0 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol is capable of
First, I put five rounds through my Chrony Chronograph to see what the real world FPS would be, keep in mind I was using rubber balls rather than paintballs and the rubber balls are a little bit heavier than paintballs so this could bring the FPS down a bit compared to the slightly lighter paintballs. Using a brand new CO2, the Umarex T4E S&W M&P9 M2.0 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol average 315 FPS which was higher than the claimed 290 FPS! Temperature inside my Sea Can Airgun Shooting Range was around 24 degrees Celsius or 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Moving on to my accuracy testing, as per usual I positioned myself 30 feet back from my fresh paper target and using a seated and rested shooting position I shot a full magazine (8 rounds) of rubber balls on target with the Umarex T4E S&W M&P9 M2.0 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol. I was not expecting as tight groups as I would get using a BB or Airsoft pistol since Paintball guns are not known for super tight groups. I did manage to shoot around a 6 inch group with most of the shots staying within around 3 inches all pretty well centered. This is about what I was expecting as paintball guns are not meant for "target practicing", generally you are going to be shooting human sized objects and hoping to get some well placed center mass shots. 3-6 inch accuracy at 30 feet will get the job done for sure. I did find the trigger using rubber balls did have a bit more friction while the inner barrel seated itself into the magazine. When shooting quickly with the Umarex T4E S&W M&P9 M2.0 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol it is much less noticeable and overal the trigger is not bad.
I know some of you are going to ask about using the Umarex T4E S&W M&P9 M2.0 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol with rubber balls for non-lethal self defense and the reality is it will not stop a person who is determined on hurting you. There is simply not enough stoping power here. Will it a lot if you get shot up close with one of these Umarex T4E S&W M&P9 M2.0 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistols especially directly on the skin ? For sure but a well timed punch has more chance of dropping someone than a .43 caliber rubber ball moving at around 300 FPS. You may scare someone off simply by brandishing it but you take the chance of the person calling your bluff. Perhaps 8 rubber balls to the face will change their mind but that's a chance you have to figure out if you want to take or not.
Type: Paintball Gun. Manufacturer:Umarex - T4E. Model:S&W M&P9 M2.0 Materials: Metal & Polymer. Weight: 763 grams (1.7 pounds). Barrel: Smooth bore. Power Source: 1x12 gram CO2. Action: Semi-Automatic with blowback action. Ammo Type: .43 Caliber Paintball or Rubber Ball. Ammo Capacity: 8 Rounds. FPS: 290.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on Umarex T4E S&W M&P9 M2.0 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol feels a lot like a double action trigger mainly because when you pull the trigger the inner barrel travels backwards into the magazine which seals off the barrel form the magazine so less CO2 is wasted going it not the magazine and also placing a paintball round in the barrel. This does make the trigger a little bit longer and heavier than a single action trigger. I believe the internal hammer/striker is engaged from the blowback action.
Build Quality: The build quality of the Umarex T4E S&W M&P9 M2.0 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol is really very good, metal parts are where you would expect them, the slide, slide catch, barrel, magazine and most internal parts giving the Umarex T4E S&W M&P9 M2.0 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol a nice near 2 pounds (1.7 pounds) of weight with the magazine in which makes the Paintball version a little heavier than the real steal version (1.54 pounds) but once the real steal version is loaded with a full mag this may even out a bit. The Umarex T4E S&W M&P9 M2.0 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol does have a polymer frame but again this is normal with todays modern guns and helps keep the weight down. Fit and finish is also very good!
Realism: The Umarex T4E S&W M&P9 M2.0 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol is a near perfect replica of the real steel S&W M&P9 M2.0 Pistol, from the fully licensed markings to the large .43 caliber diameter barrel. If you placed the Paintball version side by side with the real steel version I doubt you could tell them apart unless you start inspecting it really close up and working the action. You will find that the slide cycle distance is a bit shorter than it would be meaning that when the side catch is engaged the slide does not go as far back as it the real 9mm S&W M&P9 M2.0. Field stripping the Umarex T4E S&W M&P9 M2.0 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol will requires some tools and pin removal.
I don’t do a lot of paintball gun reviews, they just don’t come across my table all that often so it’s a lot fo fun when I do get the chance to shoot some beefier caliber ammunition in the Replica Airguns Sea Can Indoor Airgun Shooting Range. Of course I use rubber ball ammo rather than standard paintball rounds in order to keep the mess to a minimum.
I have not done my Table Top YouTube Video Review yet for the Umarex T4E HDS Double Barrel CO2 Paintball Shotgun but you can checkout a Preview Video for now. In Summary the Umarex T4E HDS Double Barrel CO2 Paintball Shotgun is a pretty much exactly what the name says. It’s basically a sawn off pistol grip styled double barrel shotgun that uses CO2 and shoots .68 caliber paintballs. You have a selector for shooting either out of the left or right barrel or if you want to can even both at the same time but this really slows down the fps so I would not advise it with the 200 fps version that I was testing with.
Now on to the actual testing of the Umarex T4E HDS Double Barrel CO2 Paintball Shotgun! As alway I like to find out how close to the factory claimed fps I will get. Umarex claims around 200 fps for this version which is around 7.5 Joules of energy, apparently there is a 16 Joules version that shoots closer to 300 fps but we do not carry it at least right now. I put a couple fo rounds through my Umarex T4E HDS Double Barrel CO2 Paintball Shotgun using rubber ball paintballs which will be a little bit heavier than a standard paintballs and my first shot yielded 180 fps, my second shot was slightly higher at 184 fps so pretty close to the claimed 200 fps and that was in not the warmest of environments since the temperature in the Replica Airguns Sea Can Indoor Airgun Shooting Range was only 16 Degrees Celsius (60 Degrees Fahrenheit).
Next up it was time to see how the Umarex T4E HDS Double Barrel CO2 Paintball Shotgun performed shooting at a target setup 30 feet away. Since there are no actual sights on the Umarex T4E HDS Double Barrel CO2 Paintball Shotgun I had to kind eyeball it and as I shot it more and more I was able to get my shots closer to the center of the target. The Umarex T4E HDS Double Barrel CO2 Paintball Shotgun is not a tac driver but at 30 feet out you should be able to hit an 8-10 inch target pretty consistently. I don’t recommend using the double shot option since the same amount of CO2 is applied to both rounds that would normally be applied to one round decreasing the fps by about half making the paintball rounds shoot a lot slower and not really being that effective. This may be an option with the higher 300 fps version of the Umarex T4E HDS Double Barrel CO2 Paintball Shotgun.
So all in all I had a lot of fun shooting the Umarex T4E HDS Double Barrel CO2 Paintball Shotgun, it’s kind of like a big boy Nerf Gun that you can take onto the paintball field if you wanted to. For home defense I think it is a bit underpowered but there may be a little bit of shock factor that could slow someone down or deter them enough to either give you time get away or take shelter somewhere safe. Maybe using the pepper rounds would work OK in this situation? Either way the Umarex T4E HDS Double Barrel CO2 Paintball Shotgun is a really cool and unique CO2 Airgun that is not overly expensive and a welcome addition to any Airgun enthusiasts collection.
The Umarex T4E HDS Double Barrel .68 caliber CO2 Paintball Shotgun is a two shot short barrelled that could come in handy for CQB engagements but it looks to be designed also as a none lethal home defence weapon since you can load a CO2 without piercing it but when in a bind you simply hit the CO2 screw and it pierces the CO2 activating the gun for instant use. I will have to test this one out to see if it really has enough power to stop an intrude, after all you only get two shots so they better count!
I don’t often make many Paintball Review Gun Videos let alone Shooting Videos so this one is a bit different than the norm. Lucky for me I have some .43 caliber Rubber Paintballs that I can use in my Indoor Sea Can Shooting Range so as not to make a mess of things. As per usual I like to use a brand new 12 Gram CO2 Cartridge for my testing and for your reference the temperature was right around room temperature or 21 degree Celsius, 69 degrees Fahrenheit.
First up I generally perform my Chronograph test to see what the real world velocity or fps is for the Umarex T4E HK 416 Training Marker CO2 Paintball Rifle. I shot a short string of rubber rounds through my Chronograph and was able to get a 280 fps average with the Umarex T4E HK 416 Training Marker CO2 Paintball Rifle. This is plenty enough power for the intended target down range to feel the paintball effect without causing too much trauma.
With the remaining 10 rounds in my Umarex T4E HK 416 Training Marker CO2 Paintball Rifle magazine, I then setup a brand new paper target 30 feet down range and using a rested and seated shooting position and carefully unloaded the Umarex T4E HK 416 Training Marker CO2 Paintball Rifle into the target. I was a bit surprised to see the rounds spread out a fair amount perhaps as much as 10-12 inches but at least half where in the target rings.
I would not recommend the Umarex T4E HK 416 Training Marker CO2 Paintball Rifle as a long range paintball marker but it would be perfect for close quarters ultra realistic simulations. I would like to give actual .43 caliber paintballs a try outside to see if accuracy would be better, maybe the rubber balls grip the barrel a bit too much causing some random and unexpected spinning to occur? Either way the Umarex T4E HK 416 Training Marker CO2 Paintball Rifle is a really unique and fun Paintball Gun to shoot, maybe not for everyone but if you want the most realistic Paintball Marker then it would be a great option.
Type: Paintball Rifle. Manufacturer:Umarex - T4E. Model:H&K 416. Materials: Metal & Polymer. Weight: 3016 grams (6.65 pounds). Barrel: Metal smooth bore. Power Source: 1x12 gram CO2. Action: Semi-Automatic with internal working bolt blowback action. Ammo Type: .43 Caliber Paintball or Rubber Ball. Ammo Capacity: 14 Rounds. FPS: 330-460?
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on Umarex T4E T4E HK 416 Training Marker CO2 Paintball Rifle is pretty typical of what you would find on an AR styled rifle. Since the internal bolt cycles with each shot, the trigger is engaged and the Paintball rifle is ready for the next shot with a very light and short single action trigger pull.
Accuracy: So far I have not had the opportunity to test the Umarex T4E T4E HK 416 Training Marker CO2 Paintball Rifle other than placing a few rounds down range into my ammo trap to see how it shot and felt. Without actually shooting rounds through the Chronograph I don’t really know what the fps velocity is going to be but I can say it felt like it was shooting perhaps even over 400 fps? Out of the box the Umarex T4E T4E HK 416 Training Marker CO2 Paintball Rifle was shooting rather low but you can adjust the rear sight for windage and elevation.
Build Quality: The build quality of the Umarex T4E T4E HK 416 Training Marker CO2 Paintball Rifle is very good since this Paintball gun is made for military and law enforcement training use. You’re going to find high quality metal and polymer where you would normally find them on the real steel version. The bolt carrier is expected to last at least 3000 shots but you do get an extra one included with it.
Realism: The fully licensed Umarex T4E T4E HK 416 Training Marker CO2 Paintball Rifle is about as realistic as you are going to get in a Paintball Rifle. It’s basically made very similar to a GBB Airsoft Rifle of the same type with a working bolt and pretty much all working parts on it. You can even break the Umarex T4E T4E HK 416 Training Marker CO2 Paintball Rifle down into the lower and upper receiver halves. The bolt blowback action is not super strong but this may be a good thing since CO2 usage will be more efficient allowing for higher fps and more shots per CO2.
Seem to have decent fps, will see when I do my Field Test?
Full Size drop out magazine that holds 14 .43 caliber Paintballs and the CO2.
Removable 4 position adjustable stock.
Removable and adjustable iron sights.
Lots of rials for adding accessories.
Fully licensed H&K 4116 replica via Umarex.
Blowback does give a bit of recoil feedback and allow for a true single action trigger.
Very high quality metaled polymer build.
Used as a training weapon for military and law enforcement.
Comes with extra bolt carrier.
Cons:
Very expensive, well over $1000!!
Comes with blue hardware but can be swapped out (Pistol grip, But stock, Magazine).
Bolt carrier may wear out at around 3000 rounds.
Comments:
If’ you’re looking for the ultimate in Paintball Rifle realism the Umarex T4E T4E HK 416 Training Marker CO2 Paintball Rifle is going to meet that requirement for sure. It will come at a pretty decent cost but you are going to have a very unique Airgun that not many people will own. And as they say you do get what you pay for which is realism, quality and reliability. I look forward to testing out the Umarex T4E T4E HK 416 Training Marker CO2 Paintball Rifle on the Chronograph using some rubber ball ammo, I may even take it outside for some paintball ammo shooting, we will have to see…
Some more stuff came in and I just had to show it off before moving on with the reviews. I know you're going to like it so here we go again...
First off the super anticipate Umarex Glock 19 CO2 BB Pistol has arrived and is now available in our Canada and US online Replica Airgun Stores so get yours while we still have them, if we still have them? No this version is not a blowback or even working slide version and yes it has the dreaded stick mag! That all said the Umarex Glock 19 CO2 BB Pistol feels really solid and well made and heck it's the first licensed Airgun Glock ever so it's a good start. Umarex has said that more elaborate blowback versions will be coming out down the road. There are full blowback Airsoft version licensed by Umarex but the FPS is too slow right now for us to import them into Canada, hopefully there is a fix for this at some point...
I have been waiting at least three months now for my AW Custom AG-HX2003 Double Stack Tactical 1911 Full Blowback CO2 BB Pistol to show up. Canada Customs got their hands on it and felt it needed to be processed for three months before delivering it to me. at least I did end up getting it without a fight!
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 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.
It was fun to shoot the Umarex Walther PPQ M2 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol for a change but really it was a lot like shooting one of my BB and Airsoft pistols, except in this case I was shooting .43 caliber rubber balls. I decided to not use paintballs inside my nice new Sea Can Indoor Airguns Shooting Range to keep things clean :)
First, I put three rounds through my Chrony Chronograph to see what the real world FPS would be, keep in mind I was using rubber balls rather than paintballs and the rubber balls are a little bit heavier than paintballs so this could bring the FPS down a bit compared to the lighter paintballs. Using a brand new CO2, the Umarex Walther PPQ M2 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol average 316 FPS which was high than the claimed 290 FPS!
Moving on to my accuracy testing, as per usual I positioned myself 30 feet back from my paper target and using a seated and rested shooting position I shot a full magazine (8 rounds) of rubber balls on target with the Umarex Walther PPQ M2 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol. I was not expecting anything close to what I would get with a BB or Airsoft pistol since Paintball guns are not known for super tight groups. I did manage to shoot around a 6 inch group with most of the shots staying within around 3 inches. This is about what I was expecting as paintball guns are not meant for "target practicing", generally you are going to be shooting human sized objects and hoping to get some well placed center mass shots. 3-6 inch accuracy at 30 feet will get the job done for sure. I did find the trigger using rubber balls did have a bit more friction while the inner barrel seated itself into the magazine. When shooting quickly it is much less noticeable.
I know some of you are going to ask about using the Umarex Walther PPQ M2 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol with rubber balls for non-lethal self defense and the reality is it will not stop a person who is persistent on hurting you. There is simply not enough stoping power here. Will it "sting like a bitch" if you get shot up close with one of these Umarex Walther PPQ M2 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol? For sure but a well timed punch has more chance of dropping someone than a .43 caliber rubber ball moving at around 300 FPS. You may scare someone off simply by brandishing it but you take the chance of the person calling your bluff. Perhaps 8 rubber balls to the face will change their mind but that's a chance you have to figure out if you want to take or not.
As a paintball pistol, the Umarex Walther PPQ M2 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol is about the best I have seen in terms of replica paintball guns. It is as good as they come for realism, even better than many BB and Airsoft guns and in terms of performance it did not let me down either.
Type: Paintball Gun. Manufacturer:Umarex - T4E. Model:Walther PPQ M2. Materials: Metal & Polymer. Weight: 848 grams (1.87 pounds). Barrel: Smooth bore. Power Source: 1x12 gram CO2. Action: Semi-Automatic with blowback action. Ammo Type: .43 Caliber Paintball or Rubber Ball. Ammo Capacity: 9 Rounds. FPS: 290.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on Umarex Walther PPQ M2 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol feels a lot like a double action trigger, internally it may be striker fired so expect a bit of a longer trigger pull with a fairly long reset and a medium strength trigger weight. There is also a working trigger safety which works well.
Build Quality: The build quality of the Umarex Walther PPQ M2 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol is really very good, metal parts are where you would expect them, the slide, slide catch, barrel, magazine and most internal parts giving the Umarex Walther PPQ M2 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol a nice near 2 pounds (1.87 pounds) of weight with the magazine in which makes the Paintball version a little heavier than the real still version (1.53 pounds) but once the real steal version is loaded with a full mag this may even out a bit. The Walther PPQ M2 does have a polymer frame but again this is normal with todays modern guns and helps keep the weigth down. Fit and finish is also excellent.
Realism: The Umarex Walther PPQ M2 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol is a near perfect replica of the real steel Walther PPQ M2, form the fully licensed markings to the large .43 caliber diameter barrel. If you placed the Paintball version side by side with the real steel version I doubt you could tell them apart? You will find that the slide cycle distance is a bit shorter than it shoudl be meaning that when the side catch is engaged the slide does not go as far back as it should. Filed stopping the Walther PPQ M2 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol may requires some tools.
Full Metal slide that locks back on the last shot.
All metal heavy full size drop out magazine adds some additional weigth to the gun.
Very Accurate Walther PPQ replica, almost indistinguishable from the real still version.
Everything works pretty much like the real gun so a great training tool.
Adjustable yellow dot sights.
Working trigger safety.
Fit and finish is excellent.
Magazine spring release really shoots the magazine out.
Love the .43 caliber barrel opening, adds to realism.
Cons:
Trigger pull seems a bit long as it shoots like a double action trigger, may be striker fired internally?
Magazine only holds 9 rounds, so you are going to need extras.
Blowback action is not full blowback, more like a typical BB airgun.
Comments:
I'm really glad to see another Replica Paintball Pistol available in Canada, especially such a well made and realistic version. The Umarex Walther PPQ M2 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol looks to be perhaps the best to date .43 caliber Paintball gun on the market and may even prove to be an option for non-lethal personal defense when using rubber balls with it. Not that I would trust my life with it but it sure looks the part and I am sure most people would not want to be on the receiving end of 9 rounds coming at you. As a training tool and Paintball gun the Umarex Walther PPQ M2 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol offers superb realism for this purpose. I am looking forward to testing mine out shortly :)
Type: Break barrel pellet rifle. Manufacturer: Umarex USA. Model:Ruger Explorer. Materials: Metal and polymer parts. Weight: 4.45 pounds (2.5 kg). Barrel: 12 inches, metal rifled. Propulsion: Spring piston. Action: Single shot. Ammunition Type: .177 caliber pellets. Ammunition Capacity: 1. FPS: 495.
Trigger Pull: I found the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle to have a fairly light trigger, there is some initial take up with a smooth almost undetectable break or release point, I found that as I shot the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle the trigger seemed to be breaking in a bit which made it a bit hard to figure exactly when the trigger was going to release but I feel over time and once the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is broken in the trigger will become more predictable.
Accuracy: Since I have already made a shooting or field test video for the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle, I can comment on its performance n this review! With 6 grain lead pellets (on the lighter side), I was able to get a 5 shot Chronograph average velocity of 485 fps. Using heavier 7-8 grain pellets the velocity slowed down a bit to around 400 fps. In terms of accuracy the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle performed well getting about a 1 inch 10 shot grouping on my paper target setup 30 feet down range. I know the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle can do better than this once the trigger settles down a bit since some shots went off unexpectedly.
Build Quality: The Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is not an expensive air rifle and is more or less an entry level spring piston pellet shooter. That said it is built fairly well with a metal receiver, barrel and trigger setup. The modern looking stock is polymer and the steel barrel is coated in a synthetic soft plastic to help with long term durability. The real fiber optic sight is plastic so you will have to be careful with it as it does protrude a bit from the air rifle.
Realism: Since the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is not a replica realism is not really a factor here but it does look like a gun so treat it as if it was a real gun since most people will not know the difference. Always transport and store any airgun safely and discreetly.
Pros:
Really great looking air rifle with a modern look to it.
Finish is very durable with its polymer stock and plastic/rubber coated barrel.
Fully adjustable fiber optic sights are easy to sight in and use.
Receiver is notched for ring mounts so you can add an optical sight or red dot to it.
Trigger is fairly light, just need some break in time with it.
Cocking effort is fairly easy at 16.5 pounds.
Great size gun for all ages.
Power and accuracy were good for an entry level air rifle.
Cons:
I did find the trigger break/release point to be a bit unpredictable but I feel this is a break-in issue and will become more consistent over time.
You have to remember to push that safety in with ever shot.
Comments: The Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is marketed as a Youth air rifle but in reality it would be great fun for all ages. I am a fairly large person at 6 feet tall and I had no problem dealing with the slightly shorter configuration. The trigger guard is nice and open and allows for large fingers which is not always the case with airguns designed for smaller individuals. The overall quality you get with the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle for the lower entry level price tag is very good and in terms of performance I feel you for sure get your monies worth with the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle.
I don't do a lot of Springer (Spring Piston) Air Rifle shooting tests or even reviews for that matter. Mainly for a couple of reasons: Number 1, my content is mostly focused around Replica style Airguns and Number 2, it's kind of hard to test out the longer range airguns in my 30 foot airgun range. That said I felt the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle would be a really great airgun to review since it is both affordable and even though it is targeted for the youth market, it really does make a great shooter for all ages.
I have not done a Table Top Review for the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle but plan to shortly so stay posted for more detailed info on the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle down the road in that review.
So how'd we do during my Field Test Shooting Video for the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle? Not bad I would say! Using about 6 grain rather light weight .177 caliber lead pellets I was able to get really close to the 500 fps claimed fps mark coming in just under at a 5 shot testing average of 485 fps. I did put a couple heavier grain pellets through my Chrony Chronograph and got closer to the 400 fps mark, still not bad for this lighter sprung spring piston air rifle.
In terms of accuracy, shooting at my paper target setup 30 feet down range in my Sea Can Airgun Range, I shot about a 1 inch 10 shot grouping. I was finding the trigger break-in to be a bit unpredictable during this testing which led to some premature shots going off so I do feel once the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is broken in and me getting use to the trigger break, I should be able to improve on this result.
Overall the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is a really nice entry level airgun perfect for all ages and not just the youth market. It looks really cool, is easy to cock and has a very resilient finish. Oh ya it shoots pretty good to!
I was a bit surprised by the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol, it actually shot a lot better than I was expecting it to perform. I did have to aim rather low since the Umarex DX-17 BB Pistol likes to shoot on the high side but if you are shooting at closer in ranges then you won't have to adjust your aim point so high.
Getting into my performance testing for the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol, I placed 5 shots through my Chrony Chronograph and averaged 210 fps which again was very close to the Umarex claimed 200 fps, even a little bit higher! he DX-17 is a single shot repeater but because of the BB reservoir you can quickly reload follow up shots by simply point the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol a little upward while pulling the slide back and pushing it forward to active the spring piston and load a BB at the same time.
As I mentioned the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol shot on the high side, at 30 feet it's a good 8-9 inches high but I have a feeling that this is about as high as the BB's will rise since they are not going that fast and gravity will start bringing them back down. At about 10-15 feet out from a target the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol seemed to shoot about 3-4 inches high so not nearly as bad and this can be adjusted pretty easy by simply aiming a bit under the target you are shooting at. In terms of a 10 shot grouping theUmarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol got about a 4 inch grouping which I have to say kind of surprised me as I was expecting a much larger spread.
So for about $20 you kind of get what you pay for but I really think with the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol you perhaps get a little more! It has a really good trigger, seemed to be built pretty tuff, shot exactly right on the claimed fps mark and was even able to keep a reasonable grouping. And to keep costs down even more you never need to buy CO2 so that's another bonus.
