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.
I wanted to show off a few new items that I will be reviewing, one being the Crosman MK-177 Pellet and BB pneumatic multi-pump air rifle that was very graciously provided to me by Crosman for review. And the other item is something kind of new in terms of the type of gun, since it is not really gun but rather a bow, or crossbow to be exact. We hope to be adding to our Replica Airguns Store a couple variations of the Avalanche Trailblazer 150lb Crossbows in wood stock and polymer stock versions.
Here are a couple key points about each item being looked at in this update video and then I will leave you with some detailed photos to drool over and of course my YouTube Update Video to watch...
Crosman MK-177 multi-pump bolt action .177 caliber BB/pellet air rifle:
Shoots both .177 caliber pellets and 4.5mm Steel BB's
Maximum 800 FPS (US Version being reviewed here)
5 shot pellet magazine and 300+ BB reservoir
Multi-pump single shot bolt action
3-10 pumps per shot
16.75 inch rifled barrel
3.5 pounds
Mostly plastic with some internal metal parts
Avalanche Trailblazer 150lb Crossbow with Wood Stock:
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:
Materials: Metal and plastic (polymer) construction.
Weight: 1 pound 10.5 ounces (752 grams).
Barrel: 3.3 inches, metal rifled.
Propulsion: CO2 x 1.
Action: Semi auto, single and double action.
Ammunition Type: .177 caliber pellets
Ammunition Capacity: 8 shot rotary magazine.
FPS: 360.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Umarex Walther CP99 is in the mid range for it's double action trigger pull with most of the effort at the beginning and middle stages as it cocks the hammer and indexes the rotary magazine, it does have a predictable release point making it easy to put pellets on target. By racking the rear slide you can put the CP99 in single action mode which makes the trigger pull much lighter and great for very accurate shots.
Accuracy: I shot this air pistol at a target from 20 feet away in a free semi rested position and it performed well getting a nice tight one inch eight shot grouping just to the left on the target. The sights can be adjusted for windage if your aim is off to one side or the other. With my preliminary Chrony Chronograph testing using 6.9 grain RWS lead pellets I got pretty close to the factory claim of 360fps with an average of right around 346 fps.
Build Quality: The Umarex Walther CP99 is a metal and polymer air gun with a good deal of metal components on the inside giving the Walther CPSport a decent overall weight and heft. It's worth mentioning that the Walther CP99 has a full size drop out magazine for holding the CO2 cartridge that gives the air gun some additional weight and functionality. The German made fit and finish is very good on the CP99 and the plastic quality is also very good.
Realism: The Umarex Walther CP99 is licensed by Walther and is based around the Walther P99. The frame is very similar to the P99 but the slide is not as accurate in terms of the real steel but you can definitely tell the Pellet shooting CP99 is a copy of a Walther P99. One of the biggest shortcomings is the safety, the real P99 does not have a safety but Umarex decided to put a rather large safety on the right hand slide area. I do however like the working de-cocker, slide catch for loading magazines and full size drop out magazine which give the Umarex CP99 a more realistic look and feel.
Slide catch and de-cocker are realistic and functional.
Rifled barrel.
Sights are adjustable for windage.
Slide catch and magazine release are fully functional.
Nice full size drop out CO2 magazine.
Good combination of power, accuracy and CO2 efficiency (I got about 100 shots from a CO2)!
Rail for accessories.
Walther licensing.
German Quality.
Cons:
Up in the higher price range.
Double action can have some stickier shots.
Kind of funny safety, not true to the real steel Walther P99.
No recessed barrel
Comments:
The Umarex Walther CP99 Pellet CO2 Air Pistol is a nice step up from the Walther CPSport I reviewed earlier. The CP99 is a much more accurate looking replica of the P99 and it also has more metal parts and a single and double action trigger. These added features do come with an additional $100 price tag but in my opinion are worth it. If you're a fan of the Walther line of pistols than you should probably take a look at the Umarex Walther CP99 as it would make a great addition to your airgun collection.
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!
I don't often get to shoot my airguns out at the 100 foot mark but I purchased my Sheridan Silver Streak .20 Caliber Multi Pump Pellet Rifle mainly to shoot up to and even past this fairly distant range as the Silver Streak is my new vermin gun for pests around the farm. I get a lot of Crows that to be honest are just feathered bullies that pick on all the other friendly birds on the farm, they have also been known to get into my garbage and even attack the Eagles and Hawks in the area. Flying Rats I like to call them.
In this Field test Shooting video I test out my brand new Sheridan Silver Streak on the Chronograph to see just how powerful it really is not just at the maximum 8 pumps but also at 3 and 5 pumps. I was actually very surprised at the very decent power I got from only 3 pumps (460 fps), you could easily take out a small rat with the 14.3 grain .20 caliber lead pellets I was using for my Chrony test. At 5 pumps I gained close to another 100 fps and at 8 pumps I maxed out at just a hair under 640 fps respectively. With the 14.3 grain pellets I was using this worked out to right around 13 foot pounds of energy. (My Sheridan was purchased using a PAL)
I also shot my Sheridan Silver Streak .20 Caliber Pellet Rifle at a target setup 100 feet or just over 30 yards away and was able to get what I felt was a nice 1.5 inch 5 shot grouping. 4 of the 5 pellets where all within 1 inch of each other with my first shot being a bit lower and to the right of the rest spreading the group out to about 1.5 inches. Keep in mind I was also a bit winded from all the pumping and I could feel and see my heartbeat in my 9 power Bushnell scope making my crosshairs bob back and forth ever so slightly.
I have not shot my Sheridan Silver Streak all that much and plan to hone my skills further so when the time comes I will be ready for them pesky crows.
Stay tuned for my future Table Top review of my Sheridan Silver Streak, for now you can checkout my Preview video that has some preliminary info.
ALL GUNS ARE NOW SOLD - THANKS FOR THE AWESOME RESPONSE!
This is a first for me but I guess you could say I have to make room for some more guns ;) I have some duplicate guns and a couple I juts don't have a need for anymore so instead of having them sit around collecting dust, I thought I would offer them up for sale and get them in the hands of someone who can really appreciate and get some use out of them...
Here is a list of the items up for sale:
Baikal IZH-61 .177 Caliber Spring Piston Pellet Rifle: $115
Baikal MP-655K Pellet/BB CO2 Pistol (missing pellet magazine): $125
Umarex CP99 Compact CO2 BB Blowback Pistol: $50
Swiss Arms Sig Sauer GSR 1911 CO2 BB Pistol: $30
ASG CZ 75 P-07 DUTY Dual Tone CO2 BB Blowback Pistol: $125
Umarex Beretta M92FS .177 Caliber CO2 Pellet Pistol - Nickel with Wood Grips: $200
(2x) AK47 BB Gun Magazines: $50 Each
Crosman 2240 .22 Caliber CO2 Pellet Pistol (14 inch barrel, RJMachine Breach/Brass Bolt, Wood Grip, NcSTAR 6x32 Scope): $225
Shipping/Handling is $15 Canadian and $25 to the US and you must be 18 or over to buy. You will need to email me at mike@replicaairguns.com to let me know what gun/guns you want to buy - first come first serve, I will send a PayPal request to the person with the first offer to buy and give them 24 hours to pay or I move on to the next buyer.
You can watch my YouTube Video to get a good look at each pre-owned item up for sale:
I like to show off some of my acquisitions from time to time even if they are guns I don't necessarily have for sale, I am a collector and some items are not always common enough or even popular enough to keep in our Replica Airguns Store.
Today I show you two blank guns I picked up from a recent gun show I attended in Chilliwack BC. There where not many blank guns at the show, the two I found may have been the only blank guns there, at least that I saw? The ROHM RG300 .22 Caliber Blank Pistol and RST MOD. 1966 .22 Caliber Blank Revolver I picked up for a pretty good price, at least in my mind, $55 for the ROHM and $20 for the RTS. A nice addition to my blank gun collection!
I have been contemplating between a PCP (Pre Charged Pneumatic) or a really good Multi-pump air rifle for pest control around my house, I have been using a spring piston rifle but the combination of my limited skills with spring piston rifles and the fact that most pests in my area stay a good 50+ yards back, means I need an airgun with pin-point accuracy. At the end of the day I decided on the Sheridan Silver Streak because it was a bit more affordable than a PCP air rifle and also the Sheridan is such a classic air rifle but still with the right amount of power and accuracy to get the job done.
The KWC/Cybergun Model 1911 Blowback BB Pistols and Airsoft Pistols are very popular and so I tend to get lots of questions about them like: Are they the same quality? What version shoots the best? How do I remove the white warning lettering? Can I get one in an Airsoft version? Can I add a laser or tactical light? Can I change the grips...
So in this YouTube video I compare all four existing KWC and Cybergun model 1911's showing you the Cybergun Tanfoglio Witness 1911 in 4.5mm Steel BB, the KWC Model 1911 and Model 1911 A1 Tac also in 4.5mm Steel BB and lastly the KWC Model 1911 in 6mm Airsoft plastic BB.
Watch my Vimeo Video of these four KWC and Cybergun Model 1911 4.5mm Steel BB and Airsoft CO2 Blowback Pistols:
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the KJWORKS KP-05 is what you would expect from a true 1911 single action only trigger, it has very little take up with a smooth crisp and light release to it.
Accuracy: I shot the KJWORKS KP-05 from 20 feet out in semi rested position and got very good test results. I was able to place 10 rounds in under 1.5 inches and getting four shots right in the bullseye making the shot placement very good even without adjusting the sights (which can be adjusted for windage). The KJWORKS HP-05 1911 styled HI-CAPA Airsoft Replica shot right around 300 fps range while conducting my 5 shot average chrony testing which was surprisingly low for the CO2 magazine version, this may have been a temperature or CO2 related condition, when I conduct my full Field Test Shooting Review, I will review this and see if we can do better? I also got two full 30 round magazines worth of shots which is what you would expect from this style of full heavy blowback airsoft pistol.
Build Quality: I am extremely impressed with the build quality of all the KJWORKS Airsoft guns so far, the fit and finish is the best around on any of my guns including my 4.5mm steel BB shooters. After shooting several magazines worth of BB's, areas that are painted like the metal friction areas show very light wear which is rarely the case with metal built blowback airguns. Again the tolerances between the moving parts like the slide and frame are very tight showing excellent workmanship and machining from KJWORKS.
Realism: The KJWORKS KP-05 6mm Airsoft pistol is a replica of a High Capacity styled tactical 1911 45 Auto and is a great looking and functioning replica. You will not find any actual licensing on this pistol and the CO2 magazine does stick out a bit to accommodate the 12 gram CO2 but other than that this Airsoft pistol looks and works near exactly like a real 1911 tactical semi auto and is fully field strip-able. I really like the updated more tactical add ons like the tactical rail, machined trigger and hammer, white dot adjustable sights, wrap around grips and ambidextrous safety.
All metal pistol with good overall realistic weight to it.
Full heavy blowback operation.
Typical KJWORKS excellent fit and finish.
High capacity magazine 30 rounds.
Very good accuracy and well centered on target.
Nice replica of a High Capacity Tactical 1911 styled pistol.
I like the stainless highlights and ambidextrous safety and Rail for accessories.
Fully field strip-able.
Cons:
Shot a bit low Feet Per Second for me - should do better?
CO2 magazine is long to accommodate the 12 gram CO2.
Slide is heavy enough but seems to be a bit sluggish which is kind of a 1911 trademark so that can be taken as good or bad.
Comments:
The KJWORKS KP-05 1911HI-CAPA is another excellent full blowback Airsoft pistol from KJWORKS. The HP-05 is a classic upgraded more modernized version of the 1911 semi auto pistol which is a great foundation to build any pistol from. I found the CO2 usage to be decent on the KP-05 but felt that I should have been able to get more fps out of this pistol, I will be testing the KJWORKS KP-05 again and hope to see some better results in this area. With that aside, the KP-05 1911 HI-CAPA is a great shooter and as is, with its high capacity magazine would be a perfect sidearm for any Airsoft related squirmish or even just for honing up your shooting skills when getting to the gun range is not an option.
Ammunition Capacity: 18 round full size metal magazine.
FPS: 320.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the KWC M1911 A1 Tac blowback BB Pistol is exactly what you would expect from a true single action 1911 styled pistol. It has a short take up and then a nice light and crisp pull to it. Because of the similar mechanics not only to the trigger but other aspects of this gun, it would make an awesome low cost trainer to be used when your real 1911 can not be.
Accuracy: I shot the KWC M1911 A1 Tac BB gun at a target from 20 feet away in a semi rested position, and it performed well getting a 2 inch grouping just a bit off center of the target. The sights are adjustable for windage so zeroing the KWC M1911 A1 Tac in would not be much of a problem! My initial Chrony testing puts this gun right in the 300-320 fps range which is just fine for this style of heavy full realistic blowback action BB shooter. I also managed to get three very good magazine worth of shots with some extra CO2 left for a potential 4th magazine. If you slow your shooting down and let the gun and CO2 warm up between magazines you can get 4 magazines with this gun for sure.
Build Quality: KWC did a great job with the KWC M1911 A1 Tac. The quality and build characteristics may even be just a bit better than my other KWC/Cybergun blowback air pistols. Everything that should be metal is the same on this as the original, the slide and barrel wiggle are minimal and the finish seems to be wearing fairly well on this KWC airgun. I do expect over time fore some of the finish to wear off on the high points but this can also give the gun some character ;)
Realism: The KWC M1911 A1 Tac BB airgun is as close as you can get to the real steel 1911 A1 45 auto but with an obvious more modern Tactical look to it, the Tactical version has the addition of a: Tac style trigger and hammer, textured grips, ambidextrous safety, adjustable white dot sights, rail for accessories. This gun is nearly all metal with very heavy blowback making it feel real to hold in the hand and shoot.
All metal construction - Good weight and solid feeling gun.
Nice heavy blowback action.
Very Accurate 1911 A1 styled replica in many way.
True 1911 Single action trigger, excellent pull, very smooth and light.
Accurate trigger design and working grip safety.
Decent accuracy, not too bad amount off shots for this style of gun about 3+ good magazines.
All metal full size dropout magazine.
Love the upgraded Tactical features (Tac style trigger and hammer, textured grips, ambidextrous safety, adjustable white dot sights, rail for accessories)
Cons:
Sacrifice fps and shots per CO2 because of the heavy blowback but worth it.
Finish on the Cybergun and KWC guns can ware off on the high points a bit but some people like this look.
Comments:
I love my Cybergun Tanfoglio Witness 1911 as do many of you based on the amount of sales we have had on that unit! After all who does not appreciate such an accurate replica of the Classic Colt 1911 A1 45 auto? The only problem with the classic 1911 is that it is missing a few of todays more modern features and that's what is so nice abut the new KWC M1911 A1 Tac BB Pistol, it takes an all ready great design and makes it even better by adding the Tac style trigger and hammer, textured grips, ambidextrous safety, adjustable white dot sights and rail for add on accessories. So if you're a 1911 fan looking for as close as you can get to the real steel in a more modern version than look no further, this is it!
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the ASG Bersa BP9CC is light due to its true blowback operation that cocks the internal striker back with each shot taken. For some reason there is a slight creepiness in the trigger when the metal magazine is loaded, but it does not effect the lighter weight of the trigger pull. There is also a fair amount of take-up but the reset is short.
Accuracy: I shot the ASG Bersa BP9CC Blowback Airgun at a target from 20 feet away in a semi rested position, and it performed well getting a 2 inch grouping fairly centered on the target. The sights are non-adjustable, but for me there was no real need to adjust them. My initial Chrony testing puts this gun right in the 350 fps range.
Build Quality: ASG did another great job with the Bersa BP9CC, quality and build characteristics are very similar to my CZ 75 P-07 DUTY reviewed earlier. Everything that should be metal and polymer is the same on this as the original, and the fit and finish is very good in general!
Realism: The ASG Bersa BP9CC BB gun is as close as you can get to the real steel version while still retaining a good overall working airgun, the only real giveaway is the slightly longer but-plate on the magazine (most likely to allow for the CO2 screw tab). It looks very much like the real deal right down to the licensed Bersa trademarks and the 9x19 caliber markings on the slide and ejection port.
Good power and decent accuracy for a blowback gun with good usage of CO2.
Very well made, fit and finish is very good.
Very usable white dot sights.
All metal dropout magazine.
Gun feels great in the hand, love the thin profile.
Cons:
Magazine but plate is a bit on the long side, only telltale sign. also has strange moulding marks on it.
Trigger is a bit creepy when you have a loaded magazine and if you very slowly pull the trigger a BB can drop out of the barrel if holding downward.
Blowback is mild because of the lighter slide and reduced blowback movement.
Comments:
There are few smaller blowback air pistols that not only look great but perform well, this is one of them! I love the thin profile and overall operation of this pistol, for that very same reason the real steel version is doing exceptionally well here in North America which would make this airgun version a must have for any owners of the 9mm Bersa BP9CC. I highly recommend the ASG Bersa BP9CC 4.5mm BB Blowback Pistol to anyone looking for a very good quality and realistic BB pistol that does not compromise performance and build quality.
I am happy to report back to you on all the new cool stuff I got to see at this years 2013 SHOT Show in Las Vegas. Make sure to also watch my Vimeo video at the bottom of this post for some first person styled play by play of my experience at the Vegas SHOT Show 2013. (like you're there with me ;)
First up I want to cover a new gun from ASG, I have been wanting to get my hands on the 4.5mm Bersa BP9CC and I finally got to, not only did I get my hands on it but ASG was kind enough to supply me with one to take home for review. You can get the Bersa BP9CC in both Blowback and non-blowback versions and also in either BB or Airsoft. I opted for the 4.5mm BB Blowback version. I will be reviewing this BB gun very soon!
ASG also had a very cool prototype of an Airsoft CZ Scorpion EVO 3A1 hopefully coming out soon.
While roaming around SHOT Show 2013, I came across an interesting booth from FlashFog Security. I often get people asking me about using an airgun as a home defense weapon and I strongly advise against this. If the intruder is not scared off by the gun there is little an airgun can do to actually stop them. The FlashFog system works by rapidly filling a room with dense fog combined with a strobe light effect which blinds and disorients intruders completely. There is little an intruder can do other then try and get the heck out of there!
UPDATE: FlashFog just added a new section to their website specifically for School Security to help keep our schools safer from potential safety threats! So check it out: School Security Smoke Screen
I was a bit surprised by Gamo this year, they tend to stay away from actual Replica's and generally make BB/Pellet guns that look like popular guns but not any gun in particular. Gamo has a new BB/Pellet MP9 based machine pistol that uses a similar mechanism to their P-25 and PT-85 so it can shoot both 4.5mm BB's and .177 caliber Pellets using a double ended 16 shot rotary magazine. It also has an internal blowback system so it should have some recoil feel to it! I am pretty sure it is semi auto only but still a nice addition to their lineup!
Gamo also brought out a new 4.5mm BB Blowback pistol called the C-15 which has a metal slide and plastic frame, it kind of reminds me of the Umarex HPP in how it looks and feels.
Umarex had several new products that I am sure everyone is going to like! One that I think will do really well is the Steel Force, the Steel Force is designed around the 4.5mm BB shooting Steel Storm platform so it has a 6 round burst blowback operation and holds the 2x12 gram CO2 in the magazine while the BB's go in a 300 round hopper that feeds into a 30 round spring fed internal magazine. Like the Steel Storm it will shoot around 430 fps. The Steel Force has the advantage of being styled after the AR platform so it has a collapsible stock which will make shooting very easy.
Another often asked for airgun replica is the historic German Luger. This year Umarex stepped up to the plate and introduced the Umarex P.08 4.5mm BB pistol. Sorry, no blowback or even a working slide on this one but it is all metal and has a very good weight and feel to it.
If you're a fan of the entry level Umarex XBG then you may be interested in the new Umarex T.D.P. 45 which is very similar to the XBG in looks and features but with a slightly different look to it.
If you've ever wanted to turn your pistol into more of a PDW styled gun, you may be able to depending on which Umarex gun you have? Umarex added a very cool accessory called the T.A.C Converter that converts your Umarex HK USP (BB-Airsoft), SW MP40 (BB), XBG (BB), CZ Enforcer (Airsoft) and Walther P99 DOA (Airsoft) into more of a tactical (PDW) or Personal Defense Weapon complete with for-grip, adjustable rear sight, lots of rail options and a foldable stock.
I am assuming the Crosman M4-177 Pellet/BB Rifle has been doing well for Crosman as they have expanded with some more similar assault styled air rifles. The Crosman MSR77NP pretty much looks like a classic M16 but is in fact a Nitro Piston break barrel pellet rifle able to shoot .177 caliber pellets at 1200 fps (I hope there is a 499 fps Canada version planned too?).
A new takeoff of the M4-177 is the MK-177 which also shoots .177 caliber pellets and 4.5mm BB's using a multi-Pump System but it uses an upgraded more efficient pump system that squeaks out more fps with less pumps. The Crosman MK-177 is designed after the FN SCAR and is available in an adjustable iron sight version or a Red Dot equipped kit version.
One thing you can never get enough of in my opinion is another 1911 pistol! Crosman is introducing their GI Model 1911BB Blowback 4.5mm CO2 pistol, the one they had on hand was more of a prototype so the slide was not operational but it will feature an all metal design, blowback operation, 450 fps and a 20 round drop out magazine. I am sorry to say but it looks like the Crosman C51 has been dropped from Crosman's lineup but if you want a similar styled gun you can checkout the KWC SW40F which is a very close airsoft version.
We recently started carrying G&G Armament Airsoft guns, you can checkout my review of the Xtreme 45. I did stop by their booth and they had some new products on display, the M1 Grand (all wood stock) Airsoft had it's magwell all wrapped up as G&G had a propriety magazine system they did not want their competition to see. G&G also had some very interesting targets that light up, when shot they would react by individually turning off so you could see if you hit it or not.
There was a rather large crowd at the KWA booth but it was a shared booth so it's hard to say what everyone was looking at, the KWA area was pretty full, I did talk to the KWA rep and asked him point blank if KWC and KWA where the same or sister companies and the answer was not at all. There are often a lot of guns that look like they could be from the same company, I guess there is a lot of copying going on ;) One gun from KWA I would love to get my hands on is the Kriss SMG!
Now keep in mind many of these guns I have highlighted today are not available yet and a lot of them should be coming out in the spring time frame so please try to refrain from repeatedly asking when I will review them and have them in the store, it takes time and as much as we all want them now, they get here when they get here!
Watch my Vimeo video of the Replica Aiguns at SHOT Show Vegas 2013
I've already done a KJWORKS review on the KP-02, KP-07 and Elite 1A and they turned out to be very high quality Airsoft pistols so the extra price does get you a higher quality gun. So in this preview we are simply looking at some more models that from the looks of things I expect to be more of the same in terms of high quality and excellent functionality.
The KJWorks models we are looking at today are the KP-05 (1911 HI-CAPA), the KP-09 (CZ 75) and the M9 (Beretta M9). Even though none of them are licensed, they are very detailed and realistic copies of the original real steel versions with full blowback operation, heavy metal drop out magazines and lots of metal throughout. You would be hard pressed to tell them apart from the real powder versions.
All version in this preview load CO2 in the magazine along with 6mm Plastic Airsoft BB's, none of them have any orange markings or translucent parts as they fall into the uncontrolled firearms category here in Canada.
I look forward to doing my full review of these three very nice KJWorks Airsoft pistols.
I know I have been talking about this gun for some time now (Since last years SHOT Show) but the truth of the matter is Umarex did not release it all that quickly and when it did finally come out several months ago there was a recall and so the stock that came in quickly left again. So here we are now and I finally get to show everyone this very nice Umarex made Walther P38 BB shooting replica pistol.
At first glance it looks a lot like the Crosman C41, when I was at the 2012 SHOT Show visiting the Umarex booth, I thought they had just rebranded the Crosman's C41. When I took a closer look I could clearly see the difference and realism found in the Umarex Walther P38 version; like full Walther P38 licensing, blowback operation, working safety and slide catch. Pretty much everything that was missing from the Crosman C41. The Umarex P38 is a very accurate copy of a real steal P38 in almost every way.
All in all it looks to be another welcome and very realistic looking blowback BB Replica pistol and in this case one with a history that goes back to the way to World War II.
I have talked about how KWC and Cybergun are really the same product and that Cybergun and KWC products in many cases are really the same gun but with some versions having slightly different markings on the guns themselves.
Today I show you a new 4.5mm Steel BB gun we just brought into the store very closely related to the Cybergun Tanfoglio Witness 1911, or otherwise known as the KWC Model 1911. This new airguns is a Tactical version of the Model M1911 and it goes by the name Model M1911 A1 Tac. It shares the same internal parts as the Tanfoglio Witness 1911 including the 4.5mm Steel BB magazine but the Tactical version is all black and has several updated modern parts that you would not find in a traditional 1911 A1 45 auto replica: Like the tactical trigger, hammer, adjustable white dot sights and accessory rial. This gun would make an awesome IPSC trainer for sure.
At this point there is no 6mm Airsoft version but you can get the KWC Model 1911 and M92 in 6mm Airsoft all metal versions.
I also compare my GSG 92 4.5mm Steel BB pistol I reviewed in the past and show you that it is identical to the KWC same M92 version with the exception of some marking on the slide. Many people even prefer the KWC branded models as they do not have the rather offensive white warning instructions all over them.
So if you're in the market for one of these super popular KWC/Cybergun blowback ultra realistic BB and Airsoft pistols you do have some options to consider...
Watch my Vimeo Video Preview for these very popular KWC/Cybergun Blowback Pistols:
In this part of the review I test the Smith & Wesson 357 CO2 Pellet Revolver using my Chronograph to see what the 5 shot feet per second average is using a brand new CO2. I got pretty close to the factory (even a bit over) claimed 425 fps using RWS 7 grain lead pellets on this rather cold day so you can expect better fps on a nice warm summer day.
I also take the Smith & Wesson 357 686 CO2 Pellet Revolver back 30 feet and shoot it at a target using a semi rested position (sand bag up front, standing in the back) and again although I did not get teh same half inch grouping I got in my preliminary testing, I did manage to get a nice tight grouping , keep in mind the Umarex Smith & Wesson 357 is an action shooter but is capable of target pistol like accuracy.
All in all the Umarex Smith & Wesson 357 686 CO2 Pellet Revolver performed very well. That said I was able to get tighter groups and higher fps so expect this Umarex high grade CO2 pistol to perform very well for you.
Watch my Field Test Shooting Vimeo Video Review for the Umarex Smith & Wesson 357 686:
It would not be the end of another year without another Airgun, Airsoft Gun and Blank Gun Collection video for you. This year I'm not showing all my guns, I started to take them out and quickly realized there where just way too many and this years video would have been several hours long and would have taken most of the week for me to shoot and edit...
So this year I have hand picked some of my top favorites and most notable replica Airgun, Airsoft Gun and Blank Guns. They may not all be the best made or hardest shooters or even all that accurate but each one has some significants to me.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Umarex Smith & Wesson 357 686 Revolver is very light and smooth in both single and double action. Single action is much shorter and a bit lighter with just a very short take up to it. In double action it does get a hair heavier and much longer as is expected but still very usable and easy to shoot quickly and with accuracy.
Accuracy: I found the Umarex S&W 686 pellet revolver to have some of the best accuracy I have tested out of a pistol, getting about a half inch grouping from 30 feet out in a semi rested position (sand bag up front, standing in the back). I also put 5 rounds through my Chrony Chronograph and the Umarex 357 686 averaged right around 450 fps using RWS 7 grain lead pellets which is even better than the claimed 425 fps from Umarex.
Build Quality:The Umarex Smith & Wesson 357 686 CO2 Pellet Revolver is almost entirely metal with the acceptation of the rubber grips and front removable sight, it has a very substantial overall weight and feel to it coming in at just under three pounds. Keep in mind this is one of the higher end German made Umarex guns and you can tell in the workmanship and fit and finish. All the mechanical parts work flawlessly and have very tight tolerances, the finish is also superb. Yes the price is up there but this is a an airgun you will most likely be passing down to future generations one day as a collectors item, and I would imagine also in working condition.
Realism:The Umarex S&W 686 is a replica of the real stell Smith & Wesson 357 Magnum and overall looks pretty similar in shape and style. It would have been nice to have seen a full swing our cylinder but this would have meant a more complicated design with potentially less performance? In a perfect world, loadable shell casings like the Dan Wesson would have been very cool but keep in mind this is an airgun that really performs in terms of power and accuracy. Mine was the silver version, I would have liked to have seen a color matched magazine but since it is metal it could be color matched after the fact. The Smith & Wesson licensing and markings along with the heavy weight, hidden CO2 Tab and recessed barrel help to give the Umarex S&W 686 a very believable look and feel.
Pretty much all metal, has a nice solid feel and good weight.
Higher than claimed fps (right around 450 fps)
Amazing accuracy, one of my best pistols tested to date.
Very high quality German made workmanship.
Very comfortable rubber grips.
Fully adjustable rear sight (windage and elevation).
Well hidden CO2 tab.
Full S&W licensing, good overall replica.
Single and double action with a nice trigger in both SA and DA.
Magazines are removable for easy loading and have a high 10 shot load capacity.
Cons:
A bit on the expensive side of things.
Rotary magazine is not color matched on the Silver version.
On the low side of shots per CO2 (About 60-70).
No rail mount for a accessories of any type.
Comments:
The Umarex Smith & Wesson 686 CO2 Pellet Revolver is not for everyone and I say that because the $250 plus price point is going to be just too much for many buyers. If you can find a way to get past the price then you will have a very high quality German made air gun on your hands, not only are the Smith & Wesson 568/686 CO2 Pellet revolvers very well made but they also perform as good if not better in terms of accuracy and velocity then even some dedicated target air pistols I have tested. Looks will not let you down either and I would not be surprised that this gun if well taken care of can be passed down to future generations as a working collectors item. If you are looking for a high quality, excellent performing replica pellet revolver then make sure to consider the Umarex Smith & Wesson 586 and 686 line of CO2 replica pellet revolvers.
