Both CO2 4.5mm Replica Air Pistols feature full size drop out metal magazines that hold the CO2 and 4.5mm steel BB's. These super realistic BB guns also have full blowback with working slide catches, safeties and magazine releases and they can both be field stripped juts like the real steel versions.
In this field test comparison I shoot both guns through my Chronograph to see what kind of feet per second performance each one shoots, I also take them back 30 feet and shoot 10 rounds on a paper target using a semi rested position for true accuracy results.
Watch my Field Test Head to Head Shootout for the KWC Model M1911 Tac A1 vs Cybergun-KWC GSG 92-M92:
I stopped by the ICS Booth, we don't sell too much of their products but have carried a few items from time to time. ICS caries some nice quality Airsoft guns including the M1 Grand with real wood stock, and some AK & AR variants.
One of our suppliers had the new FN Herstal Five-seveN Blowback Airsoft pistol, I believe made by Marushin. Like the real FN Herstal Five-seveN, the pistol is pretty much all polymer including the slide and frame. This pistol also uses CO2 in the full size drop out magazine which should make it fairly powerful.
Looks like there is another Dan Wesson contender available now in the form of a Swiss Arms S&W 357 Magnum 4 inch and 6 inch barreled version, they look really nice and like the Dan Wesson have the realistic reusable brass shells that hold the 4.5mm Steel BB's.
Ever considered owning a mobile Gunsmith vehicle, look no further, I came across this pimped out Firearms Van complete with machine guns mounted in the front :) Inside was a complete firearms workshop.
Last but not least, we had some fun while in Vegas. I go down for the SHOT Show for business but I also bring my wife and we make time for some non business related activities. I generally stay at the WorldMark resort each time and this year the weather was pretty nice so we where able to get some sun by the pool a couple of days and I even got a tan line! Of course the food and entertainment is always awesome in Vegas.
We carry a lot of the G&G line and perhaps have as much in stock as you would find at the G& G booth ;) I did see a few items we do not have in stock so I will have to see what I can do about that. Some products that I hope to see added to our Canada Replica Airguns Store would for sure be the M1 Grand and our Canadian Military Colt C7A1/2.
I also visited my friends at the ASG booth but for some reason I did not get a photo of their booth? I do have some video walk through stuff I will show you in my YouTube Video coverage of this years Vegas SHOT Show. Most importantly I have lots of gun photos so let's take a look at them...
One of my favorite ASG pistols is the Bersa BP9CC, I have already reviewed it and I just really like how this gun looks and holds, ASG took it one step further this year by adding a two-tone silver version and I have to say it looks awesome in person, my photos do not do it justice at all :(
A new handgun to the ASG blowback pistol series is the CZ P-09 Duty Pellet pistol. Basically it shares similar mechanics to the Umarex PX4 and Gamo PT-85 using the double sided rotary pellet magazine with 8 shots located on each end of the stick magazine. The ASG CZ P-09 Duty features a metal slide, working hammer and safety.
Another pellets pistol that should be very familiar to most of you is the new .177 caliber pellet shooting Dan Wesson in 6 inch silver and 8 inch black versions. ASG added a rifled barrel and redesigned solid brass shells that hold pellets instead of 4.5mm Steel BB's. Expect to take a little bit longer to reload the pellets as unscrewing the tip of each shell is required to place a .177 caliber pellet in each bullet tip.
Of course ASG has tons of licensed pistols to choose from, many on both 4.5mm Steel BB and 6mm Plastic Airsoft!
One new rifle that stood out to me was the ASG CZ Scorpion EVO 3 A1 AEG Airsoft Rifle, the Scorpion features an intelligent AEG system that detects when there may be a potential feeding problem and also when the magazine is out of ammo.
I get many question over on my Vimeo Channel, lots of times people asking me which gun is better and in most cases it really comes down to personal preference. But in some situations the comparisons are really close and to be honest it's even hard for me to decide which gun I think is better.
I get asked which one has higher fps, or is more accurate, or has harder blowback recoil... the list goes on. Without actually taking both gun outside and doing a head to head test using the same exact situations, I really can not honestly tell you! So that's exactly what I am going to do. Take some of the most commonly asked about gun comparisons and have a showdown.
Over the next while I will be making a total of five separate videos where I compare the following CO2 BB pistols head to head:
Trigger Pull: Both of these pistols have about the same style of triggers, they both shoot in true revolvers style offering single and double action triggers. The double action has a bit of friction to it since the cylinder is being rotate during the first part of the trigger pull and there is a spring fed metal gasket between the barrel and the cylinder that creates a seal but does apply pressure and results in some friction and a heavier trigger pull in double action. Single action is much lighter on both guns.
Build Quality: These detailed revolver are really well built! Both are almost all metal with just a few components made out of plastic, like the handles on both guns and the CO2 screw tab on the Dan Wesson. Both revolvers grips gave me just a bit of concern, you will need to be careful when snapping in the grip on the G&G G731 and the Dan Wesson grips have been known to ware a bit with heavy use. The finish on both of these guns is amazing and while the Silver finish on the G&G looks just like polished stainless steel, the Gold finish on the Dan Wesson offers a very unique and customized finish not found on too many guns. And if you just want classic black then there is always the G&G G731 in standard black as an option.
Realism: The ASG Dan Wesson and G&G G731 revolvers are as close as you can get to real six shooters, all the parts work pretty much like a real revolver, the realistic loading of the metal shells not only make it feel like you are handling a real revolver but also finish off the look making it really hard to tell that both these pistols are in fact Airsoft Revolvers.
G&G G731 is super compact and flush, great out of the way back up side arm.
No Red Tip on the Canada version.
Cons:
Plastic CO2 screw tab on the Dan Wesson (but is well hidden and protected).
A bit of concern with wearing and usage on the grips for both guns.
No adjustable sight on the G&G G731 but super clean looking.
Red tip on the US version :(
Comments:
As with all of these shell loading revolvers, they are just so realistic and really fun to load up and shoot. You actually get a bit of time in-between shooting to take a breath and enjoy the entire experience rather than just unload round after round with some of the other super high round magazine guns. I love the compact size of both guns, perhaps the G&G G731 just a bit more with it's super clean edges and even smaller profile. But on the other hand the Dan Wesson ASG 2.5 inch has that more aggressive combat look if that is more to your liking! Either way, both guns make a great choice for an out of the way revolver styled side arm when you need that extra backup firepower!
My Vimeo Video Table Top Review for these compact realistic Airsoft Revolvers:
You may wonder why I am doing another video on the G&G CM16 Raider Gas Blowback Airsoft AR Rifle? That's because the one I have here in this Update Video is Version 2 and yes there is a difference. So far I can only tell you about the obvious stuff since I really have not tested it out to see if there are any other performance gains with Version 2 over Version 1.
G&G has made some improvement with Version 2 enhancing several areas:
First off, there is now a selector switch on both sides of the receiver allowing for left or right handed use.
Carrying on with the ambidextrous theme, G&G also added a magazine release to the left side of the receiver.
Another missing feature was a bolt lock out when your magazine was empty, this has been added and so the bolt will lock back about 1/3 the way back locking out the gun and letting you know when you are out of ammo.
The bolt release on Version 1 was just for show and did not function. On Version 2, with the bolt lock, G&G also added a working bolt release.
Those are some pretty significant improvements to the G&G Armament CM16 Raider GBB Version 2 in my books! So now it's time to test it out and see if full auto mode has been improved. I found with Version 1, that when using full auto, the G&G CM16 Raider GBB would have some trouble getting through a full mag dump but when shooting very quickly in semi auto had no problems at all.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the King Arms Thompson Machine Guns 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 even quicker when full auto is selected. As with all AEG systems their is a slight delay between when you pull the trigger and the shot is taken as the internal spring needs to compress first before releasing.
Accuracy: In many cases Airsoft guns can be just as accurate as 4.5mm BB guns, well at least at fairly close ranges, I was able to get most of my .25 gram BB 10 round target test shots within 1 inch from 30 feet away using a semi-rested position. There where a couple BB's that lengthened the group out to about 2 inches but still a very good result when you consider these are plastic BB's being used. In Terms of FPS, I did stick with the slightly heavier 2.5 gram Airsoft BB's and still got a decent 360 average 5 shot Chronograph test result making this AEG Airsoft rifle perfect for just about any Airsoft game type.
Build Quality: The King Arms 23 Karat Gold and Chrome Platted AEG Thompson Machine Guns are very well made using Aluminum Zinc Alloy bodies and real Wood Stocks, the fit and finish is very good and pretty much everything on these rifles are either metal or wood. You will have to polish these guns with a cloth from time to time since the mirror finish shows every smudge and finger print.
Realism: I'm not sure how many real 23 Karat Gold and Chrome Platted Thompson Machine Guns there are out there but there has to be at least a few ;) But going on how these guns look and feel, they are solid and very realistic. Some people have mentioned that the bolt should be on the top for some versions of the Thompson's but there are some Thompson's with the bolt on the side so I suppose we will let that one slide. The Wood stocks are a real plus adding to the overall weight and authenticity. Most parts works as they would on the real steel Thompson M1A1 Military or M1928 Chicago (Gold or Chrome) AEG Airsoft Machine Guns.
Nice high capacity metal magazines, can be mixed and matched.
Adjustable rear sight for windage with two sight positions (Notch & Peep).
Semi and full auto selectable with really nice rate of fire.
FPS is bang on for indoor or outdoor Airsoft games.
Fully Thompson licensed.
Comes with Certificate of Authenticity.
Cons:
Does not come with a battery or charger.
Prone to finger prints and smudges.
Need to use a screw driver to get at the battery.
Comments:
I am a big fan of the King Arms Thompson line, even the all black version with the plastic stocks looks and functions great. Internally the lower cost black version is the same and having previously shot my black Thompson, I knew these blinged out 23 Karat Gold and Chrome Platted versions where also going to perform as good as they looked! I'm not so sure about buying a Gold or Chrome Thompson for everyday use, since they will get knocked around and scratched up but if you are looking for the best of the best with real wood stocks and all metal parts then make sure to consider one of the Thompson
My Vimeo Video Review for the King Arms Thompson Gold & Silver AEG Airsoft Machine Guns:
We just received an order of KWC products so if you've been waiting for some out of stock items then go take a look! By the way, the KWC Beretta / Taurus full metal blowback BB and Airsoft versions now come semi and full auto enabled!
I am jumping the gun so to speak with this field test review and showing you my field test video review for the King Arms Thompson Gold M1A1 Military AEG Airsoft Machine Gun before I've even done the table top review... Guess I just wanted to shoot this one :)
I decided to perform my field test shooting review using just the Thompson M1A1 version since the 1928 style has the same internal mechanics, there really was no point in testing them both. Other than a few cosmetic changes like a stick magazine versus the drum magazine and the forward stock pistol grip on the 1928 version, these guns are pretty much the same. I also opted for the most flashy 23 karat Gold version, well... because "Gold is Best!"
So let's get to the results! As with most of the guns I field test, I shot 5 rounds through my chronograph, this time I decided to use .25 gram Airsoft BB's for both my chronograph and target portions of this shooting review since fishing the ammo out of the stick mag was a bit of a pain ;) I was able to get a respectable 360 fps average 5 shot Chrono test which makes this AEG Airsoft rifle bang on for just about any Airsoft battle situation. I would expect to get right around 380-400 fps if I was using the lighter .20 gram BB's.
Once I stepped back to the 30 foot semi rested target position, I shot 10 rounds first in semi auto which got me a pretty nice tight 1 inch group (if you throw out the couple of fliers). In Full Auto the shot placement also stayed nice and tight spreading out to about 2 inches or so. This Classic Thompson AEG Airsoft Machine Gun definitely hits what every you are shooting at and has a nice rate of fire that's not too wasteful of BB's but still offers plenty of cover when required.
At the end of this field test shooting review for the King Arms Thompson Gold M1A1 Military AEG Airsoft Machine Gun, I shoot some water filled cans while capturing the experience in slow motion using my new iPhone 5's 720p 120 frames per second 4 times slow-motion feature.
As usual with my Field Test Shooting Reviews I test out both Umarex pistols using my Chronograph and put five rounds through it with each CO2 BB Pistol to get a real world average fps. Umarex claims around 410 and I got pretty close with both pistols using a brand new Umarex CO2 cartridge in each gun. The temperature was not overly warm as we are now into fall here in Canada BC but so there may be room for a bit higher fps out of each Umarex CO2 BB pistol.
I decided to shoot both 4.5mm Pistols at the 20 foot target potion of this review since I had not done any pre tests. While shooting from a semi rested position at 20 feet back I was able to get pretty much a 2 inch 10 shot group with each gun, the XBG seemed to group a bit tighter for me than the TDP 45 and both BB Pistols shot pretty well centered on target. The trigger pull is very typical for this style of double action only trigger, kind of long with a slight sticky click in the middle while the BB chambers and then some more trigger pull with a fairly predictable release right near the back.
Both Umarex BB Pistols should get right around 6-7 consistent magazines worth of shots before having to change the CO2, that is 120+ shots! And even on the last magazine the fps seemed to stay nice and high.
Both Umarex CO2 BB pistols performed pretty well considering the super low cost and make great inexpensive plinkers that will get you decent power, more than adequate accuracy and lots of shots out of a single CO2.
My Vimeo Field Test Video Review for these Umarex CO2 BB Pistols:
I wanted to feature some Walther knives we sell over at our online Canada Replica Airguns Store, these Walther Knives are low cost but high value and would make either a great gift or a nice treat for yourself. If you're already ordering something else from us then save on the shipping a bit by getting one of these Walther Knives at the same time.
The Walther Knives I feature in this YouTube video are the:
The Walther Sub Companion Folding Knife is an excellent all purpose folding knife. The Sub Companion features a 440 Stainless Steel spear point blade that can handle most any utility chore. The thumb disk opener works equally well for righties or lefties and the polymer handle is textured for a sure grip.
The Walther Sliver Tactical folding knife has a 440 stainless steel blade 7.36 open 3.1 non-serrated blade .125 blade thickness 6.40 oz. Thumb stud Open assist Liner lock Aluminum scales Removable pocket clip Glass-breaker on pommel Includes a synthetic pouch Whether you're looking for a survival knife or just another general-use edged tool, this should fill the bill. This combat folding knife will be useful in so many ways, you'll wonder how you got along without it.
The Walther Black Tactical folding knife features a 441 stainless steel blade 7.8 open 3.3 partially serrated blade .130 blade thickness 6.40 oz. Thumb stud Open assist Liner lock Aluminum scales Removable pocket clip Glass-breaker on pommel Includes a synthetic pouch Whether you're looking for a survival knife or just another general-use edged tool, this should fill the bill. This tactical folding knife will comfortably fit in your hand and do whatever comes its way. At this price, you can afford to include one in your glove compartment and your range bag.
Yet another option for you when looking to purchase a KWC/Cybergun Colt model 1911 or Beretta/Taurus M92. We started out with the Cybergun Tanfoglio Witness 1911 and GSG 92, then added the KWC non-licensed versions. Now we give you yet another option, the Cybergun distributed Swiss Arms P1911 and Swiss Arms P92, same BB guns but brandishing the Swiss Arms markings and licensing.
At the end of the day all of these blowback air pistols are basically the same, all of them are made by KWC, all are made to the same quality and all are totally awesome.
It may just come down to which one we have in stock or if you want that super clean look then go for the KWC model as the slides on the non-licensed versions tend to have no markings or warning instructions on them.
We have some new arrivals in our Canada Replica Airguns Store that some of you who like the more flashy guns may appreciate! What makes a classic Thompson machine gun even better? First of all make sure it's got an all metal body, then add real wood furnishings and of course cover it in 23 karat gold platting or if you prefer a slightly toned down version, then go with the Chrome plating.
Thompson M1928 Chicago Grand Special - Gold/Chrome
Thompson M1A1 Military Grand Special - Gold/Chrome
6mm Plastic Airsoft BB's
420 round stick or drum magazines
AEG 8.4v (Large Type)
6.6 pounds (3000 grams)
400+ fps
Aluminum Zinc Alloy body
Real Wood
Gold version is 23K Gold Plated
Checkout my update video for the Thompson Special Gold & Chrome AEG Airsoft Rifle:
FPS: 750 with Pellets and 800 with BB's for the US version (Up to 495 with Canada version).
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Crosman MK-177 is medium length and fairly light. The trigger mainly releases the bolt so no pre-cocking of the trigger is required. The trigger is plastic but seems to work just fine as there is no real load on the trigger when shooting, you do need to get used to where the release point since there is some take up well before the trigger releases.
Accuracy: I found the Crosman MK-177 Air Rifle to be a very good shooter, getting about a 1 inch 10 shot grouping from 30 feet out in a semi rested position (sand bag up front, standing in the back). I also put 3 rounds through my somewhat failing Chrony Chronograph using 3,5 & 10 pumps and the MK-177 with the maximum 10 pump shot as high as 631 fps using 6.9 grain RWS lead pellets. I would expect the Canadian detuned version to shoot well below the 500 fps Canada limit much like my Canadian Crosman M4-177 I reviewed a while back.
Build Quality: The Crosman MK-177 Multi-pump Air Rifle is mostly molded plastic, but for a $100-ish Military Styled Replica Air Rifle it hits the mark in terms of affordability and if it was an all metal airgun you would more than likely expect to double or tripple this price point! Even though plastic is used throughout this Air Rifle, there are some internal metal parts where they need to be, the fit and finish seems to be good and I do not get the feeling the Crosman MK-177 is cheaply made in any way. The fact that most parts are molded means there is very little that can snap or break off and will make this air rifle even more durable longterm.
Realism: The Crosman MK-177 is a lose replica or copy of an FN SCAR Assault Rifle or ACR. It is not exact in terms of true dimensions to accommodate the pumping mechanism, You will not find very many working parts as just about everything is molded into the plastic on this Crosman MK-177 rifle. Unlike the Crosman M4-177 the lower magazine area is not removable and the rear stock is also none adjustable, I am not sure why Crosman didn't add these features to the MK-177 like they did to the M4-177? I am glad to see another Replica Assault rifle on the market as so few of them are available in Pellet or steel BB shooters.
None red dot version comes with detachable and adjustable iron sights.
Rails on top and sides for accessories.
Option of shooting pellets or BB's, I would stick to pellets and save the barrel since it is not semi auto.
Feels super solid since there are very few moving parts that could break.
Looks like the Crosman M4-177 Pellet magazines are compatible.
Cons:
Mostly plastic and just about everything is molded into the gun.
Bolt and magazine are on opposite sides?
Would of been cool if Crosman made a dedicated BB magazine?
Comments:
The Crosman MK-177 Multi-Pump Pellet/BB Air Rifle is very much like it's brother the Crosman M4-177 with a few plusses and a few minuses when comparing the two of them together. On the plus side the MK-177 has a bit more power and also the pumping is much easier while yielding higher internal pressures. On the downside the Crosman MK-177 is almost entirely molded plastic with no removable lower magazine or adjustable stock, and the bolt has been switched around to what I feel is the wrong side since now you need to index the magazine on one side and work the bolt on the other requiring a less efficient approach. Either way it is nice to have another replica air rifle on the marker and for the relatively low price you get a nice accurate pellet rifle, great for target shooting and even small pest control.
Watch my Vimeo Full Video Review of the Crosman MK-177 Pellet/BB Air Rifle:
We have added some items to the Canada and US Replica Airguns Stores, most are completely new items and one is a Canada only item we added to the US store!
I wanted to cover some basic Airgun, Airsoft Gun, Blank Gun and Paintball Gun information on what do they all shoot, what makes them shoot and some other miscellaneous info thrown in along the way...
Your should also watch the video attached at the bottom of this post as it goes into a fair amount of detail.
Let's begin with the types of ammo used:
Airgun Ammo
Airgun ammo for the most part is broken down into BBs and Pellets, the most standard size BB and Pellet is the 4.5mm or .177 caliber Steel BB and Lead Pellet. You can also get Pellets in other calibers and even other materials other than lead such as steel or aluminum, some can have plastic skirting around a metal interior.
Pellets also come in a variety of caliber's like .177, .20. 22. 25 and even larger but then I would start considering them to be bullets as they will take on the shape of a bullet when they get into the larger sizes.
Airgun Ammo is not be fired at people, it is primarily used for target and hunting small game.
Airguns can use Spring Pistons, CO2, Compressed Air and Multi-pump propulsion systems.
Airsoft Gun Ammo
Airsoft Guns for the most part shoot round 6mm (.22 caliber) plastic BBs which come in a variety of weights ranging from .12 grams up to .48 grams. There are larger Airsoft BBs such as 8mm and even larger.
There are biodegradable and even tracer florescent Airsoft BBs available.
Airsoft Ammo is traditionally used for Airsoft battles and can be fired at people using protective gear. Airsoft Ammo can also be used for target shooting.
Airsoft Guns can use Spring Pistons, Spring Piston - AEG (Electric Motor) CO2, Gas (Green, Red, Propane) and Compressed Air propulsion systems.
Paintball Gun Ammo
Paintball Guns or "Markers" have been historically used for the sport of Paintball but their whereabouts came from the need of ranchers and forestry workers to mark trees. Hence the name "Marker"
Paintball ammo comes in a variety of sizes ranging with the most common being .43 and .68 caliber. They are generally made from a gelatin outer coating containing primarily polyethylene glycol, other non-toxic and water-soluble substances, and dye, they are usually biodegradable.
Paintball Guns can also shoot a variety of Paintball Ammo that can be made out of Rubber, Plastic, Glass and they can also contain Powders and even Pepper for use in non lethal defense.
Paintball Guns can generally use either CO2 or Compressed Air as their propellant.
Blank Gun Ammo
Blank Guns are just like Real Guns but without the dangerous bullet at the end of the brass shell. Other than that they work exactly the same as a Real Gun!
Blank Guns are used when a bullet is not required or even wanted. For instance... Gun safety, gun training, training animals to be around guns and/or loud noises, Props for Movies - Stage - Film - TV, Collectors that do not want the red tape associated with owning a Real Gun or when owning a Real Gun is prohibited.
Blank Guns can shoot a variety of sized ammo, most common are .22 caliber crimped, .380 crimped, 8mm P.A.K. and 9mm P.A.K.
Blank Guns use gun powder as their means of operation.
Here are the most common forms of propulsion used in the guns we discussed earlier:
CO2
CO2 is the most common propellant in Airguns (BB and Pellet), it is also used in Airsoft Guns and Paintball Guns.
CO2 is a compressed gas which expands when released, it requires a warm environment to fully expand and tends to cool it's surroundings quickly when shot fast or in full automatic which can slow the velocity of the projectile and even freeze up the gun being used.
The most common reusable CO2 cartridges are 12 and 88 gram but you can get larger CO2 tanks in a variety of sizes that can be refilled with CO2.
Gas
Gas is used primarily in Airsoft Guns, I have not personally seen an Airgun that is made to use Gas other than CO2.
Gas is similar to CO2 in that it is a compressed gas that expands when releases, it also cools down the gun it is being used in and requires a warm environment.
Gas comes in a variety of names, Green Gas, Red Gas and Propane Gas. Green Gas contains Propane as it's base but has additives in it like silicone for lubrication .
Red Gas is know to be a bit more powerful than Green Gas as it has Chlorodifluoromethane or HCFC-22, R22 or Freon 22 used in refrigeration which turns to a liquid under a slightly higher pressure giving you slightly higher fps.
Many people use propane gas with an adapter that allows the mixture of silicone as propane is cheaper to buy.
Compressed Air (HPA)
Compressed Air (HPA - High Pressure Air) is most commonly used in Airguns and Paintball Guns but some people use it for their Gas based Airsoft guns.
The compressed air comes from high PSI tanks that can be purchased in a variety of sizes and contains compressed air at pressures up to 5000psi.
These tanks are reusable and usually need to be refilled at a paintball or scuba shop, some people buy their own compressors or large scuba tanks for refilling purposes.
Some Compressed Air (HPA) guns have their own built in tanks that can be filled with a compressor or even a manual pump.
Compressed air does not cool down the gun it is being used in and is a great option for high output or fully automatic guns.
Multi-Pump Pneumatic
Multi-Pump Pneumatic systems are most commonly used in Pellet and/or BB guns.
Multi-Pump Pneumatic guns use the same principle as HPA - High Pressure Air guns in that they require pressurized air as the propellant. The main difference with Multi-Pump Pneumatic guns, is that you do all the work by pumping the gun between shots. Generally speaking you pump the gun 3-10 times, take a shot and repeat this process.
Multi-Pump Pneumatic guns are not effected by air temperature and are great for target and small pest control.
Spring Piston
Spring pistons are generally found in Pellet Rifles and Pistols but some Airsoft Guns also use a Spring Piston System and generally speaking Spring Piston Guns are single shot only or in other words, the Spring needs to be drawn back before each shot. Spring Piston Guns can have magazines that allow for quicker repeat shots.
Spring Piston Guns come in many cocking configurations, Brake Barrel and Side lever to name a couple.
The Spring can be a Mechanical Spring or a Gas Spring.
Spring Piston Guns are not effected by temperature and are often used for small game hunting and target shooting.
Automatic Electric Guns (AEG)
Automatic Electric Guns are generally found in Airsoft Rifles but there are some Airsoft Pistols (AEP) that use this same system.
Automatic Electric Guns use a similar system to a Spring Piston gun but have an electric motor that does all the work of drawing back the spring. You can even have fully automatic AEG guns.
The power for the electric motor comes from removable batteries, so it is a combination a battery supplying the motor with the power to draw back the spring that creates a pillow of air that shoots the BB.
AEG Airsoft Guns are great for situations when you require high capacity magazines with full auto capability.
Gun Powder
Gun powder is used in Blank Guns, in the same manor that it is used in a Real Gun, the charge from the Gun Powder supplies the force required to operate the blowback in most semi auto Blank Pistols, it also creates the sound of a live round along with the muzzle flash which makes Blank Guns great for training and as Props for Movies and Film.
Because the kinetic energy from a blank gun is the same as a real gun, blank guns can be very dangerous when used in close proximity to an object, see my "Are Blank Guns Dangerous Video"!
Some other Gun Relevant Terminology:
Blowback
Blowback operation is when some of the force of the propellant is used to move the slide backwards, which in most cases cocks the hammer for single action and can also pickup and chamber a round into the barrel.
The slide spring supplies the energy for the return to the forward position of the slide.
Blowback Guns do rob some power from the bullet force and in the case of CO2 or Gas Guns the also reduce the amount of shots per CO2 or Gas fill.
Revolver, Semi Automatic
Revolver: Revolvers feed ammunition via the rotation of a cartridge-filled cylinder, in which each cartridge is contained in its own ignition chamber, and is sequentially brought into alignment with the weapon's barrel by a mechanism linked to the weapon's trigger (double-action) or its hammer (single-action)
Semi Automatic: semi-automatic pistols use the energy of one shot to reload the chamber for the next. Typically recoil energy from a fired round is mechanically harnessed. After a round is fired, the pistol will cycle, ejecting the spent casing and chambering a new round from the magazine, allowing another shot to take place immediately.
Single Shot, Repeater, Semi Automatic & Fully Automatic
Single Shot: A Single Shot Gun needs to be reloaded each time it is shot.
Repeater: Repeating action Guns are single barreled guns containing multiple rounds of ammunition. These rounds are loaded from a magazine by means of a manual or automatic mechanism, and the action that reloads the rifle also typically re-cocks the firing action. The term repeating rifle is most often applied to weapons in which the next cartridge is loaded by a manual action, as opposed to semi-automatic rifles, in which the force of one shot is used to load the next.
Semi Automatic: A semi-automatic, or self-loading, firearm is a weapon that performs all steps necessary to prepare the weapon to fire again after firing.
Fully Automatic: A Gun that uses either its recoil or a portion of the gas propelling the projectile to remove the spent cartridge (in the case of a gun-shell), fire again repeatedly, as long as the trigger is held down or until the magazine is exhausted. Automatic Guns are distinguished from semi-automatic Guns in their ability to fire more than one shot in succession once the trigger is pulled.
Single-Action (SA): trigger performs the single action of releasing the hammer or striker to discharge the firearm each time the trigger is pulled.
Double-Action (DA): The trigger both cocks and releases the hammer or striker
SA-DA: A SA/DA firearm combines the features of both mechanisms. You can pull the trigger in Double Action when the hammer is down which cocks and releases the trigger or you can cock the hammer with your thumb and then release the trigger using Single Action to fire the weapon.
Lever Action, Pump Action, Bolt Action
Lever Action: In a classic lever-action firearm, rounds are individually loaded into a tubular magazine parallel to and below the barrel. A short bolt is held in place with an over center toggle action. Once closed, the over center action prevents opening solely by the force on the bolt when the weapon is fired. This toggle action is operated by a hand grip that forms part of the trigger guard. When operated, a spring in the tubular magazine pushes a fresh round into position. Returning the operating lever to the home position chambers the round and closes the breach.
Pump Action: With a pump-action firearm, the action is operated by a movable fore-end that goes backwards and forwards to eject, extract, and chamber a round of ammunition. Pump-actions are usually associated with shotguns.
Bolt Action: The bolt opens and closes the breech end of the barrel and contains the firing pin. The bolt is held in place with a lever that fits into a notch. Moving this lever out of the notch will release the restraint on the bolt, allowing it to be drawn back. An extractor removes the spent cartridge, which is then ejected through the lever slot. A spring at the bottom of the magazine pushes up the reserve rounds, positioning the topmost between the bolt and the chamber at the base of the barrel. Pushing the bolt lever forward chambers this round and pushing the lever into the notch locks the bolt and enables the trigger mechanism.
Magazine vs Clip
Magazine: A magazine is an ammunition storage and feeding device within or attached to a repeating firearm. Magazines can be removable (detachable) or integral to the firearm. The magazine functions by moving the cartridges stored in the magazine into a position where they may be loaded into the chamber by the action of the firearm. The detachable magazine is often referred to as a clip, although this is technically inaccurate.
Clip: A clip is a device that is used to store multiple rounds of ammunition together as a unit, ready for insertion into the magazine or cylinder of a firearm. This speeds up the process of loading and reloading the firearm as several rounds can be loaded at once, rather than one round being loaded at a time. The term "clip" is also frequently used to refer to a detachable magazine, though such usage is incorrect.
After many many requests to show how the Umarex Walther PPK CO2 Tab Modification is done I have relented to public demand. I don't actually cut my tab in this PPK CO2 Tab Modification Video but I do go step-by-step in detail and compare my modified Umarex PPK to my unmodified Umarex PPK. It is really very basic on how this is done and only a hack say and perhaps a file are all that is required to make the modifications to the PPK CO2 tab in order to make it flush with the bottom of the handle area.
Your best bet is to simply watch my YouTube Video located below and follow the steps there but here it is in text form:
Place an empty (already pierced) CO2 into your Umarex Walther PPK and tighten the unmodified CO2 tab until fully tightened, just like you would tighten a fresh CO2.
Take note at how many threads are exposed between the bottom of the handle and the top of the plastic CO2 tab, there should be about 2-4 threads exposed.
Unscrew the CO2 tab all the way, place the PPK BB Pistol so it is secure (in a vice of some sort) and use a hacksaw or dremel to shorten the CO2 screw just above the plastic tab at the thread location you previously noted. Be conservative as you can always cut or file the screw a bit shorter if your first cut was not short enough.
Now use the same hacksaw or dremel to cut a notch in the exposed cut area of the CO2 screw so that you can use a slot screwdriver to tighten the CO2 screw.
That's it - Enjoy your modified Umarex Walther PPK CO2 BB Pistol!
Watch my Vimeo Video of the Umarex Walther PPK CO2 Tab Modification Tutorial:
Ammunition Capacity: 13 round full size metal magazine -18 round metal stick magazine.
FPS: 428 - 380.
Trigger Pull: There is a lot of difference between the trigger on both of these guns, first off the Umarex Makarov has both a single and double action trigger/hammer while the KWC Makarov has a double action only trigger/hammer. Comparing the double action of both guns the definite advantage goes to the 4.5mm Steel BB shooting Umarex Makarov as it is shorter and lighter, the KWC Airsoft Makarov does not have a bad trigger but it is much longer and a bit heavier, but still very usable. The single action trigger on the Umarex Makarov is not really any lighter than when shooting in double action, it is however much shorter with a medium take-up and predictable release.
Accuracy: Both Airsoft and BB Makarov's performed very well in their shooting tests for me, they bot shot fairly well centered with the KWC Makarov getting all five shots in the black bullseye and the Umarex Makarov having a tighter group but just off to one side. This was good news since both guns do not have adjustable sights! They also scored very well in the velocity department shooting over their advertised claimed feet per second rating. The Umarex BB version shot a very respectable 390 fps while the KWC Airsoft pistol shot a very surprising 480 fps well over the claimed factory 430 fps. Both guns also shot very accurately out to ranges of 50 feet or so. From a single CO2 I was able to get 162 shots from the Umarex Makarov and 112 shots from the KWC Makarov before I noticed a significant power drop.
Build Quality: Neither one these Makarov replicas is going to win a prize for build quality, some shortcuts have been made to keep the price down on each model, but they are both built with mostly metal parts and they both performed perfectly for me during my testing. The Umarex 4.5mm Steel BB Makarov did have more moving parts while the KWC did weigh in a bit heavier, both guns had reasonable fit and finish to them.
Realism: In terms of being good Makarov replicas the pair for sure look the part, size and overall weight are very true to the original real Steel Makarov PM with the Umarex Makarov having a working slide, Makarov licensing and the ability to be field stripped. The KWC Makarov had a nicer recessed barrel and full size drop out metal magazine. I was not a big fan of the KWC screws on the right side slide or the Umarex exposed CO2 tab.
KWC may shoot a bit too hot for CQB Airsoft games.
Both guns do not have adjustable sights.
Comments:
To be honest when I got the KWC Airsoft BB shooting Makarov, I was not all that awe struck, the lack of a working slide, DOA trigger and screw holes in the slide put me off just a bit. This Airsoft pistol did warm up to me a lot once I shot it, I was surprised by the very high fps and how accurate it was for such a low cost Airsoft pistol. I can really see this gun being used as a backup or sidearm in an out doors style Airsoft game where you may need to shoot targets out at range where other lower powered pistols just would not be able to get out to. The Umarex Makarov has always had a place in my heart, it is just a really good little CO2 BB pistol for the price with mostly all metal parts, a working slide, single and double action trigger and very good overall performance. In my books you can not go wrong choosing either of these Makarov replicas so choose wisely!
My Vimeo Video Table Top Comparison Review for these Makarov Air Replicas:
This is not meant to be a full review of either the BB or Airsoft version of the Cybergun - KWC CO2 Blowback Mini UZI's but I do talk about specifications, show you around both guns, and put them both through a full Field Test so I guess in a way, perhaps it can be considered to be a full review ;)
I will list the specifications here for you but I am not going to get into details like Trigger Pull, Build Quality, Accuracy and Realism. You can check out my other video reviews for more information on the Mini UZI:
As I said you can check out all my other videos for info on these very accurate Mini UZI Replicas, I mainly want to go over some of the main differences and similarities for both the BB and Airsoft versions.
In terms of build quality they are made almost exactly the same and weigh in at a hefty near 5 pounds, the only differences are the inner barrel and magazines to accommodate the different sized ammo. The BB version has a 25 round single stack magazine that does not have a follower to stop the bolt from continuing to operate even after the magazine is empty. While the 6mm Airsoft version has a double stack magazine that holds 38 rounds and does have a follower to stop the bolt which can save you some unintentional wasted CO2.
The Airsoft Mini UZI version is distributed by KWC while the 4.5mm BB version is distributed by Cybergun, you will find the UZI and IWI licensing on the Cybergun 4.5mm BB version but not on the KWC 6mm Airsoft version.
Out of the box the KWC Airsoft Mini UZI is ready to go in both semi auto and full auto while the 4.5mm steel BB version will only shoot in semi auto mode, it can however be easily modded to shoot in full auto.
Both guns come in cardboard boxes with manuals, some BB's and an Allen key to tighten the CO2. The KWC Airsoft Mini UZI also comes with a handy speed loader.
There is a slight fps velocity difference between the two with the KWC Airsoft 6mm plastic rounds traveling at around 400 fps (with .20 gram BB's) and the 4.5mm Steel BB's traveling at right around 350 fps. In the field test portion I test both guns out on some water filled cans to see how each ammo type performs in terms of penetration.
Your best bet is to watch both my Table Top and Field Test Comparison Video Reviews and see for yourself how they compare!
