We recently received some new pistols from KJWorks, The CO2 versions in Full Metal of the Colt 1911, the Berretta M9 and the Berretta M9A1. All of these guns are really well made, the fit and finish is excellent. Definitely a very high quality Airsoft pistol and worth spending a little bit more to get this extra quality. We have even lowered the price on many of our new KJWorks guns to make them even more affordable so check them out in our Canada Replica Airguns Store!
So I made a quick demo preview video where I get away from my table top and go outside to show them off a bit and shoot a few rounds through them at some clay pigeons. I did have some camera issues but you will get a good idea on how these guns look and perform.
Materials: Plastic (polymer) and some metal construction.
Weight: 2.7 pounds (1200 grams).
Length: 27.5 inches (700mm).
Propulsion: Spring.
Action: Pump.
Ammunition Type: 6mm Airsoft BB's
Ammunition Capacity: 30 shots per shell.
FPS: 280 (3 shot burst) using .20 gram BB's.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the ASG Franchi SAS 12 feels a bit heavy at first, but since this is not a rapid fire Airsoft gun and needs to be pumped between shots, your finger does not get tired and you will only get 10 shots (3 shot bursts each) off between reloading another full shell. That said the takeup is rather short and the release is predictable once you get used to it being a bit on the heavy side.
Accuracy: Keeping in mind that the ASG Franchi SAS 12 Spring Powered Airsoft Shotgun is in fact a "Shotgun", I did not expect to get sniper rifle accuracy from it and in fact I wanted the three burst rounds to spread out just a bit, similar to how a real shotgun blast would perform. I was very happy with the overall accuracy and spread I got when shooting from 30 feet out in a free standing position.I simple used the open iron sights and all the rounds seemed to center well and spread out just enough to get good coverage on my paper target. In terms of Feet Per Second performance I was not sure what ot expect since three .20 gram BB's where being shot out all at once. I was very happy to see consistent 280 fps velocities which was actually a bit more than I expected considering .60 grams of Airsoft BB's are being shot out with each shot.
Build Quality: This is an almost all external polymer Airsoft Shotgun with the excepting of the outer and inner barrel and a few other parts like the ring mounts, loading bay door and perhaps a few more internal parts being made out of metals. Overall the ASG Franchi SAS 12 feels solid but a bit on the lighter side. I would of liked to have seen more metal parts to perhaps get the weight up a bit but being that the ASG Franchi SAS 12 Short Barreled Airsoft Shotgun is on the light side makes it a great choice as a backup gun that you could easily sling over your back and not be bothered by it all that much.
Good accuracy and fps performance. BB's spread out just right
Light weight and short so great for packing around in tight quarters.
Full Metal Barrel Assembly.
No need for batteries or gas, just load with BB’s and away you go!
Comes with speed loader, extra shell, jam rod and sling strap.
Can also get it with a full stock.
Cons:
May get a bit tiring on the arm after a lot of repetitive shooting.
Would of been nice to include a few more extra shells.
Sights are none adjustable but it centered well for me
Trigger is a bit on the heavy side.
Comments:
The ASG Franchi SAS 12 Short Barreled Airsoft Shotgun is a super fun low cost Airsoft Pump Action Spring Powered Shotgun that shoots pretty hard considering it blast three rounds at a time and the Airsoft BB's hit their mark every time! It's light enough to use in most close quarter combat situations or even strap on your back as a secondary backup weapon. The best part is all you need is a bag of Airsoft BB's and you can shoot all day long, no need for batteries or gas.
Watch my Vimeo Table Top Review of the ASG Franchi SAS 12 Short Barreled Airsoft Shotgun:
Action: Semi auto non-blowback, double action only.
Ammunition Type: Airsoft Plastic 6mm BB's.
Ammunition Capacity: 15 rounds
FPS: 400+
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the KWC IWI Jericho 941 CO2 Airsoft Pistol is about medium to hard but defiantly not the worst airgun I have tested. After you quickly shoot off a full CO2 cartridge you may need a bit of a break to rest your trigger finger but the actual shooting experience is just fine and it does not effect accuracy too much once you get used to the pull and break point of the trigger.
"Accuracy was pretty good for a double action shooter, I got around a 1.5 inch grouping from a 20 foot away free standing position, shooting just a hair to the left but a bit on the high side. It is a bit unfortunately that the Jericho 941 does not have sight elevation adjustments as it would make a very accurate airgun otherwise. I also put the Cybergun IWI Jericho 941 through my Chrony Chronograph and got very impressive FPS results, actually starting off and staying well above the claimed manufacturers FPS. My 8 shot average on a new CO2 was a very high 488 FPS, again well above Cybergun's claimed 443 FPS."
Build Quality: Very good, the KWC Model 941 CO2 Airsoft Pistol weighs in at about 2 pounds which is a very hefty weight for a medium sized pistol. The build quality and fit and finish is good all around with decent usage of metal in the slide, magazine, outer barrel and trigger. There are not a lot of moving parts so I would expect good durability since there is not a lot to go wrong with this Airsoft pistol.
Realism: The KWC IWI Jericho 941 Airsoft Pistol is very close to the look, weight, and feel of the real Israel Weapons Industries Jericho 941! Even though it doesn't have a working slide it definitely looks the part with its cut out ejection port, full size drop out metal magazine and recessed metal barrel. The KWC Model 941 does not have any licensed trade marks to speak of but on the positive side of things it also doesn't have the ugly warning instructions written on it either.
All metal full size drop out magazine holds CO2 and Airsoft BB's.
Very accurate IWI Jericho 941 replica in terns of looks, size and weight.
Should get good FPS based on the steel BB version results.
Can expect lots of shots per CO2 based on Steel BB version.
Expecting good accuracy based on the steel BB version results.
Very affordable price at well under $100.
Cons:
Non-blowback and the slide is non-functioning.
The hammer is only for show and does not cock back for single action shots.
Non adjustable rear sights.
Trigger action is bit on the heavy side and gets a bit tiring after lots of shooting.
Comments:
For a relatively inexpensive Airsoft gun you get good value for your money, most importantly a very accurate reproduction of the real IWI Jericho 941 firearm in terms of size, looks and weight. I am hoping to get similar shooting results shooting the KWC Airsoft Model 941 as I did with my BB shooting Cybergun IWI Jericho 941 I tested a few yeas back as it was one of my highest fps BB pistols tested. So make sure to check back shortly for my Field Test Shooting Video Review for this Jericho 941 Airsoft version from KWC.
My Vimeo Videos for the KWC IWI Jericho 941 Airsoft Pistol:
Ammunition Capacity: 15 round full size drop out metal magazine.
FPS: 417.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the ASG MK II is double action only which will make it a bit on the heavy and longer side when compared to a real steel Ruger MK II, it is smooth however and does have a nice satisfying click that sounds like a firing pin being release. The unfortunate part is that the real steel version is a single action only trigger and one that is super short and light so the contrast between the Airsoft and 22LR version may make this gun not practical is an optional training tool if you win the 22LR version also.
Accuracy: This part of the review is yet to be determined as I have not done my Field Test or Shooting tests for this pistol. I will put a link in here when I have done my official Field Shooting Test. For now all I can go on is some feedback from others that have claimed very high fps and excellent accuracy, I am looking forward to finding out for myself! You can watch my Ruger MK I Gas version Field Test Shooting Review to get an idea on how the ASG Ruger MK II version might perform.
Build Quality: ASG as usually distributes quality guns, the fit and finish on the ASG Ruger MK II Dual Tone CO2 6mm Airsoft Pistol is very good and there is use of metal where it needs to be like with the internal mechanical parts, the trigger, the safety, the rear fully adjustable sight and the full size drop out metal magazine that holds the CO2 and the Airsoft BB's. Thee MK II version has a metal upper which adds additional weight over the MK 1's plastic upper.
Realism: The ASG MK II is based on real steel Ruger MK II with the fluted barrel in a two-tone finish and looks very close to a real Ruger MK II. There is no blowback operation or bolt operation so that means that only a double action trigger is possible, this is a bit unfortunate since the real Ruger Mark II has an absolutely smooth and light single action trigger. On the positive side you can field strip the ASG Ruger MK II Dual Tone CO2 6mm Airsoft Pistol just like the real version.
If you own a real Ruger 22LR it would be nice to have for some backyard or basement shooting.
Adjustable rear sight for windage.
Adjustable Hop-up for Elevation.
Full size all metal drop out magazine that holds the CO2 and Airsoft BB's.
Metal upper barrel, Metal trigger, metal safety and many metal internals.
Very satisfying trigger sound, sounds like a real firing pin :)
Field Strips just like the real steel Ruger MK Series.
Cons:
Plastic sights front and back, plastic trigger.
No blowback (Would have allowed for a true single action trigger)
Double Action Only, unlike the real steel version that is single action only.
Comments:
Compared to the my previous review of the ASG Ruger MK I, the MK II for me is a big improvement. The metal upper barrel assembly makes all the difference in terms of weight and feel and with the two-tone look it is for sure a very attractive looking pistol. I also prefer using CO2 for the increased performance of higher fps and less cool down effect over a gas system. I am hopping my Field test Shooting video goes well and the ASG Ruger MK II Dual Tone CO2 6mm Airsoft Pistol performs on point for me.
My Vimeo Table Top Video Review for this ASG Ruger MK II Airsoft Pistol:
Ammunition Capacity: 20 round metal stick magazine.
FPS: 400 fps claimed.
Trigger Pull: Trigger pull on the Umarex HK 45 Metal Slide CO2 BB Pistol is double action only but doesn't feel too bad, it has the traditional longer double action pull but I did not find it to be too heavy and the release point was fairly predictable for me allowing for some good overall accuracy.
Accuracy: I have already done a full Felid Test Shooting Review Video for the Umarex HK 45 Metal Slide CO2 BB Pistol so make sure to check that one out! In summary I got a bit higher fps then claimed at 420 fps with a 5 shot string using a brand new CO2 with RWS 5.1 grain zinc coated steel BB's. From 30 feet away shooting on a paper target using a semi rested posting I was able to place 10 BB's within 1.5 inches, almost close to a 1 inch grouping. The shot placement for me was just a tad to the left and a bit down but several shots hit the bulls eye so out of the box accuracy was really good on this low cost BB pistol.
Build Quality: The Umarex HK 45 Metal Slide CO2 BB Pistol is built fairly basic with few moving parts so there is not much to go wrong, the fit and finish is good and there is metal where it needs to be internally and also the trigger, magazine and slide.
Realism: The Umarex HK 45 Metal Slide CO2 BB Pistol is a very good overall HK 45 Replica BB pistol in terms of size and looks, it has full HK licensing and even has a metal slide and polymer frame like the original real steel HK 45. It is a bit lighter bit not by too much. There is no working slide and the slide catch/release and hammer are molded into the gun. The only working parts would be the safety, magazine release and trigger.
Metal where it matters, slide, magazine, trigger, internals.
Nice replica of the original HK 45.
Fully HK Licensed.
White dot sights easy to sight in your target on most backgrounds.
Decent double action trigger.
Picatinny rail for accessories.
Cons:
None blowback with a fixed slide.
Slide catch/release and hammer are moulded in and none functioning.
Sights are none adjustable.
Comments:
For a rather low cost CO2 4.5mm steel BB pistol, the Umarex HK 45 has a lot going for it! It is fully HK Licensed with a metal slide and metal parts where you want and need it. The accuracy and power are both good and even the double action trigger is very usable. Sure the Umarex HK 45 Metal Slide CO2 BB Pistol is a pretty basic gun with few moving parts but then again simple is sometimes better in terms of reliability. If you are an HK fan and want a low cost well made and good performing BB pistol then checkout the Umarex HK 45.
My Vimeo Table Top Review for the Umarex HK 45 Metal Slide CO2 BB Pistol:
Trigger Pull: Trigger pull on the Webley MK VI .455 CO2 Shell Loading BB Revolver is great in both single and double action, for a shell loading revolver the double action is the best I have come across with next to no friction like I would usually find with shell loading revolvers when shot in double action mode.
Accuracy: I tested the Webley MK VI .455 CO2 Shell Loading BB Revolver on my pool deck first off shooting 6 rounds through my Chronograph. The claimed fps is 427, I got really close to 400 fps in my testing so there is the potential for this revolver to shoot up into the low 400's. When I stepped back 30 feet and shot 6 rounds form my semi rested position, I got a really tight 1 inch group with almost all the rounds landing in the bulls eye. My shots where just a hair to the right but not by much which is good since the sights on this pistol are none adjustable. You can check-out my full Field Test Shooting Video here!
Build Quality: The Webley MK VI .455 CO2 Shell Loading BB Revolver is pretty much an all metal construction other than the plastic grips and any internal seals. The fit and finish is excellent with a great overall weight in the hand. The only complaint I have is that the grips being a thin plastic seem kind of low quality compared to the rest of this otherwise high quality Webley CO2 BB Revolver.
Realism: In terms of replicating a real steel Webley MK VI .455, Webley did a really great job with their CO2 BB firing version. Webley even includes a Small Arms Training Manual based off of the real steel variant. Webley based the BB CO2 MK VI from the original blueprints and the licensing is form the original 1915 version. The only real tell that this is a CO2 BB revolver would be the small safety switch on the lower right side frame and the CO2 valve located right behind the hammer.
Looks amazing and is a very accurate replica of the real steel Webley MK VI.
Great weight and feel in the hand at 2.4 pounds
nice deep Recessed barrel with true .455 caliber opening.
Break barrel design makes it really easy to load the dummy shells.
Hammer / trigger action is great in single and double action.
Webley Licensed.
Well concealed CO2.
Fairly discreet safety location.
No ugly warning instructions on the gun!
Cons:
One of the higher cost shell loading revolvers we sell.
Sights are none adjustable.
Real version would shoot .455 caliber rounds, the dummy shells are actually closer to 357.
Could be a bit loud for some back yard shooters?
Plastic grips seem a bit cheap compared to the rest of this high quality gun.
Comments:
Another classic shell loading CO2 BB Revolver, nothing wrong with that, I remember a time when finding a realistic revolver, even a modern version was hard to do. Now we have a growing selection of super realistic revolvers that replica their original real steel variation with ultra realism. The Webley MK VI .455 CO2 Shell Loading CO2 BB Revolver is no exception and makes for yet another option if you want a well designed, super functional and ultra realistic classic BB revolver.
My Vimeo Table Top Review for the Webley MK VI .455 CO2 Shell Loading CO2 BB Revolver :
I wanted to not only do my Field Test Shooting review for the Umarex 9XP Blowback CO2 BB Pistol but also compare it to the discontinued Umarex SA177 since both guns share most of their internal parts. I had a good idea that both airguns would perform very similarly with perhaps the newer 9XP having the edge due to it being almost 5 years newer.
A with all my current BB Pistol Field Test Shooting Reviews, I test out the real world Feet Per Second performance by shooting 5 rounds through my Chronograph to see what they average out at, of course I use a brand new CO2 for this and my choice of BB was RWS Zinc coated 5.1 grain Steel BB's.
I started out testing the Umarex SA177 to use as my baseline and after about 5 warmup shots, the SA177 came back to life after sitting on the shelf for many years un-shot. My 5 shot string averaged a respectable 397 fps which is pretty good for a blowback pistol!
I then moved on to the newer Umarex 9XP CO2 Blowback Pistol and right away it popped out all 5 shots at over 400 fps with an average of 412 for my 5 shot string. Not only was the Umarex 9XP more powerful but it also had a snappier blowback action and was louder than the SA177 leading me to believe the CO2 valve may be setup to let out a bit more CO2 with each shot.
Stepping back 30 feet from my paper target I proceeded to again first test out the Umarex SA177 for the accuracy portion of this field test. I used my standard semi rested shooting stance, (sand bag up front, standing in the back) since it offers me a pretty stable shooting platform. I generally like to shoot 10 rounds into the paper target but the SA177 for some reason was having some slide lock back issues and I lost a BB in the process. Later on when I reloaded my SA177 I did not have this same problem so I am not sure what was going on. Even though the slide was locking back on some shots it did not really seem to effect the accuracy all that much. I got a main grouping that was about 1.5 inches in diameter and then a couple shots went out of that group extending the diameter to about 2.5 to 3 inches. Still pretty good for a blowback pistol. The shots where fairly well centered on the target.
When I performed the same test using my Umarex 9XP, I did not have any slide lock back issues and was able to get all 10 shot on target although one mystery shot did not seem to make a hole at all even though I clearly heard it fire and hit the target, perhaps it went exactly through an already existing hole? Either way I had a nice 5-6 shot group dead center on the target well under a 1 inch diameter and then 4 shots came outside extending the grouping to about 2 inches, again another well centered grouping!
In conclusion the Umarex 9XP Blowback CO2 BB Pistol is a nice replacement for the SA177, it performs very similarly to the SA177, even perhaps a bit better! To me it felt like the trigger on the Umarex 9XP was a bit heavier than the SA177 but not by much? Maybe the 9XP hammer spring is heavier which would explain the increase in fps. SO if you have been wanting an SA177 but can not find one used, grab yourself one of the Umarex 9XP's, you will not be disappointed :)
A few years back the Umarex SA177 disappeared off the face of the earth, well not really, it simply juts stopped being made and fairly quickly retailers ran out of stock... As with anything that people want but can not get any more, the demand went up and all of a sudden everyone seemed to want to get their hand on an Umarex SA177 Blowback BB Pistol.
You might ask why Umarex stopped making what at the time was a fairly popular CO2 BB Pistol? Well if you know anything about Glock, they do not like it all that much when a company makes a product that they feel infringes upon their intellectual properties and copy writes. Did the SA177 look like a Glock, well sure it had some similarities and perhaps Glock felt it was a bit too similar and so may have kindly asked Umarex to stop making it? At least that's what I think happened :)
So that brings us to now. And a new gun on the market called the Umarex 9XP that in many ways is a lot like the SA177 but with a slightly new skin on it, one that differentiates itself a bit more from the traditional Glock look. Sure the Umarex 9XP Blowback BB Pistol has a some Glock looking properties but it am guessing it has enough subtle changes to make the lawyers over at Glock HQ happy enough to allow Umarex to again sell an airgun very similar to the SA177.
Internally and mechanically as far as I can tell the Umarex SA177 and Umarex 9XP are the same and so they should both perform very similarly too each other and with pretty much all the same specifications. Even the magazines seem to be interchangeable! The trigger and trigger pull look to be identical and even the slide catch release are modeled after each other. Again, the only difference are some minor cosmetic changes to the metal slide and polymer frame.
So if you have been looking to get your hands on an SA177, well the next best or perhaps even better airgun is now available in the new Umarex 9XP! And the price is all right too!
Some more new guns I will be checking out, well one is just a different finish of the Umarex Colt SAA Revolver but for sure worth taking a look at in this Preview Video.
All the guns in the Vimeo Preview Video and CO2 4.5mm BB Pistols, three are styled after revolvers and one is based on a semi auto modern pistol.
Starting with the revolvers I show off the absolutely gorgeous blued finish on the Umarex Colt Single Action Army BB Revolver and it all I can say is it really needs to be seen in person to fully appreciate how great it looks. I was not expecting the blued version to look nicer than the Nickel version but in my opinion it is my favorite of the two. And that's not to say the Nickel version is not a great looking pistol in it's own right.
I've been waiting a while to see firsthand the Webley & Scott MK6 CO2 BB Revolver and it finally came this week. Another really well built and designed classic Revolver to add to the list of shell loading CO2 BB Revolvers. I was really impressed with the trigger and hammer action, both single and double action feel super smooth and the position of the hammer makes for really easy draw for single action shooting. The 2.4 pound all metal weight give the Webley & Scott MKVI great balance and realism, while the top-break design makes for super easy loading.
Not to be mistaken with the Full Metal Shell Loading Umarex Colt Python 357, I take a look at the more affordable Umarex Polymer Colt Python 357 that fits the bill nicely when looking for a BB Revolver with a nice hammer and trigger, fully adjustable sights, and higher than average capacity magazines than your standard revolver.
Last but not least I look at another fairly affordable CO2 BB Pistol, the Umarex HK45. It's a pretty basic CO2 BB pistol but looks really good and has decent weight with its metal slide. The HK45 features white dot sights, a Picatinny rail, an all metal drop out stick magazine and full Heckler and Koch licensing.
I decided to split this Field Test Shooting Review of the Umarex Colt Single Action Army into two parts since i wanted to do multiple tests with multiple types of ammo and dummy shells. at the end of the video I also throw in my Cybergun / KWC 1911 Blowback BB Pistol just for fun since both of these pistols where used in the US Military.
I start off by testing out the Umarex Colt Single Action Shell Loading BB Revolver shooting 6 rounds through my Chronograph using the included Umarex Dummy Shells with steel 5.1 grain 4.5mm BB's since this is what most people will experience. In my second test I switch up the ammo slightly and try out some much heavier Lead BB's that are a bit larger than 4.5mm (about 4.7mm) and weigh in at somewhere between 7-8 grains.
On my third test I go back to the standard 4.5mm Steel BB's but switch out the included Umarex dummy shells and replace them with some Dan Wesson Dummy Shells. Both shells are about the same length and width but with the included Umarex shells, you load the BB's into the back of the shell. With the Dan Wesson shells you load the BB into the front of the shell.
I finally got my hands on one of the Umarex Colt Single Action Historic Revolvers! Rather than making you wait for my full Table Top and Field Test Reviews I thought I would post a quick unboxing preview video. Of course my full Table Top and Field Test videos will follow...
In this unboxing preview video of the Umarex Colt Peacemaker Single Action Army Revolver I show you around the CO2 4.5mm BB Revolver Replica and even compare it to a few similar revolvers I have lying around.
The Umarex Shell Loading Colt Peacemaker is an amazing replica and simulates the old west cowboy Single Action Only Revolvers in almost every detail. I love the hammer action and the ratchet sound it makes as you draw it back. The Single Action Only Trigger is very light at under 2 pounds just as it should be.
As with my standard Field Test Shooting Reviews, I shoot 5 rounds through my Chronograph to get a real world Velocity reading in feet per second. I also shoot 10 rounds into a paper target using a semi-rested position from 30 feet away. Since I had two versions of the EKOL ES 66, the long and short barreled versions I decided I would test pistols both on the Chrony and just the long barrel version for the accuracy testing.
So how did the EKOL ES 66 and ES 66C CO2 BB Pistols both do? In terms of fps, they both got into the 400+ range with the shorter barreled ES 66C version averaging 402 fps from 5 shots and the the longer barreled ES 66 getting a 444 fps 5 shot average. I was expecting the longer barrel ES 66 to outperform the shorter barrel ES 66 so this was no surprise. The temperature was not all that warm on this day but I did keep both guns fairly warm inside right up till I went outside and shot them. On a warmer day I would expect even better results.
Now for the accuracy results and don't hold your breath on this one... I have to say that the EKOL ES 66 was one of the worst BB guns I have shot to date in terms of accuracy at 30 feet. I could actually see the BB's curving after about 20 feet out, almost like they had some random spin on them? Perhaps the rifled barrel was catching a bit of grip on the smooth steel BB's and making them spin? Because this was so random it was hard to predict where the BB's where going. I also found that the EKOL ES 66 was sighted in way to high so at 30 feet I needed to aim very close to the bottom of the target and even still, about half of the BB's went well over and did not find the paper target. Perhaps actual lead BB's may be better in this pistol?
One thought I had was to somehow smooth out the rifling on the barrel as perhaps it needs to be worked in before more consistent shots can be obtained?
It was really too bad that I did not get the accuracy results I was looking for with the EKOL ES 66 Series of CO2 BB Pistols, I really like the overall quality and design of these Turkish made CO2 BB Pistols. Again perhaps some barrel work could improve the accuracy and make this a more well rounded BB gun.
The best way to describe a Blank Gun is to imagine it as a real gun in just about every way except one… There are no dangerous bullets flying out the front of it. That’s right, a Blank Gun just like a real gun uses a brass or metal shells, loaded with a primer and gun powder, but for what ever reason reason, some rocket scientists forgot to put a bullet at the end of the Blank shell.
Why Would You Want a Blank Gun?
Isn’t the entire purpose of a gun to shoot something? So why on earth would you buy a gun that doesn't shoot anything at all, what purpose would it serve? Even Nerf guns, water guns, potato guns all shoot something…
One way to look at a Blank Gun is to imagine it as a cap gun, but for grown ups. Similar to how kids like to shoot their cap guns because they go bang and sparks and smoke fly out of them, Blank Guns do the same thing but on a much grander scale and in most cases they look and sound a lot more like a real gun than a cap gun does.
So Blank Guns don’t actually do the main function of a real gun (that is to shoot a bullet), but they do look and sound the part of a gun. So how could this be of practical use to anyone?
Signalling Devices:
First off, have you ever heard of a Starter Pistol or a Flare Gun? Blank Guns have been historically used to signal the start of races. Many Blank Guns also have the ability to shoot flares by adding a flare adaptor to them so a person can shoot a flare into the air to signal distress if they are lost or hurt.
Gun Handling and Training:
Since many Blank Guns look, operate and feel almost exactly like real guns, Blank Guns are a great place to start out when training a person on proper gun handling and operation. If they make a mistake while using a Blank Gun, the consequences are far less severe than with a real gun. There is also much less kick from a Blank Gun so shooting a Blank Gun is less scary or intimidating for new shooters.
Dog Training:
Dogs used for police, military and hunting are required to stay calm around loud noises like gun shots, trained dogs also need to get used to the presence of guns and even how to attack the gun hand of a person who could be a potential threat. Again using Blank Guns in this training situation is a much better option than using a real gun for obvious reasons.
Movies, Video TV and Stage:
Introducing live ammunition on a movie set would be ridiculous, there is absolutely no need to shoot a bullet in this type of situation. Blank Guns make perfect stage props since they again look the part and sound the part without the dangerous bullets flying all over the place…
Collectors:
Many collectors want to own guns but for reasons like gun restrictions in their area, they may not be able to own a real gun or certain types of real guns. Blank Guns can offer a person with heavy gun restrictions in their area the ability to own similar Blank Gun versions. Perhaps they can own real guns but just simply don’t want to go through the licensing and registration hassle of owning a real gun. Blank Guns can generally be purchased for far less money than a real gun which is appealing to collectors who in many cases may not even shoot them.
Celebration:
In places like Turkey, people celebrate holidays and events by shooting Blank Guns into the air, at one time they actually shoot real guns, but people where getting injured or even killed by the falling bullets. Because of this, Blank Gun production became an industry in places like Turkey as Blank Gun manufacturers like EKOL, Retay and Zoraki (also know as ATAK Arms) are Turkish companies.
So now you know some of the reasons why a person would want to own a Blank Gun. I have Blank Guns and I also own real guns too. One reason is because there are many Blank Guns I own that I can not own in their real steel versions because of Canadian gun restrictions so obtaining a similar version in a Blank Gun allows me to own these models.
If a Blank Gun is not for you, then by all means get a real gun, but please understand that there is a place for Blank Guns, and in those environments, a Blank Gun is actually a better choice than a real gun.
First off let’s get one thing straight! What I’m looking for in a BB gun is more than likely going to be way different than what someone else is looking for in what they think is the “Best BB Gun” available.
Many people will determine the Best BB Gun as the BB gun that has the highest price tag, usually you get better quality the higher the price goes up but not always, there are times when perhaps you are paying for a name brand or cosmetic add ons that don’t always make the gun better or the best.
On the other hand, some people will determine the best BB gun as the one that is the least cost since they may not have a lot of money to spend, and an expensive BB gun is a BB gun that that person would not be able to afford or even own, far from an ideal or the Best BB Gun for them.
Many people only look at the specifications to determine if that particular BB gun is the outright best BB Gun. One specification that people seem to fixate on is how powerful is the BB gun in question? If it has the highest FPS then surely it must be the best BB Gun! That Pop can never saw it coming! What about cost of operation, so things like reliability and how many shots per CO2 you can get out of a BB gun. All important features to consider when picking out the Best BB Gun!
Style is another important part of what makes a BB Gun the Best option for you, are you wanting a classic BB Pistol? Perhaps a Modern BB Gun, Maybe even a BB gun that you can not get in your area because of gun laws? Style is a very individual preference and what looks good to me may look terrible to someone else.
One aspect that is very important to me, is realism, does the BB Gun operate the same and does it have similar metal and plastic parts as the real steel version? Does the BB gun I am considering have blowback operation and a true single or double action trigger like it’s big brother? What about a full size drop out magazine and the ability to field strip the BB Gun?
Some people want their BB gun for simple backyard good old fun shooting and so as long as it shoots pretty straight and works as it’s supposed to, then that is all they care about. Many real steel shooters want a BB Gun to operate exactly like their real steel version, so they can practice with it to get in more trigger time when going to a gun range is not an option.
Of course there are aspects like Reliability, Performance, Fit and Finish, Licensing and Build Quality that all determine what makes the Best BB Gun and again it really depends which of these qualities are most important to you that will determine which BB Gun is the best BB Gun.
So how do you determine which is the Best BB Gun? Make a list of what you are looking for in a BB Gun. Attributes like Cost, Performance, Build Quality, Style, Realism, Availability…
Once you have narrowed down your Best BB Gun list, get as much information on each BB Gun you are considering, to narrow the list down even more. There are tons of Youtube videos you can watch for your Best BB Gun final short list to help you determine your ultimate choice.
So please don’t ask me what the Best BB Gun is? I can not even tell you which one I like the best since my wish list changes from day to day…
First off we are not talking about 6mm Plastic Airsoft Guns but rather 4.5mm Steel BB versus .177 caliber Pellet.
Same but Different:
Generally speaking a BB CO2 Pistol and a Pellet CO2 Pistol are very similar, they just shoot a bit different types of ammo, that will determine a couple mechanical differences in both guns. You may come across a CO2 Pistol that can shoot both Pellets and BB's but these are not as common.
Magazine Types:
The fist main difference is usually the magazine design, since lead pellets don’t stack on top of each other very well compared to steel BB’s, action CO2 BB and Pellet pistols will have a very different types of magazine designs. Pellet CO2 Pistols will generally use a rotary type magazine while BB Pistols will use a stick or stacked ammo magazine. In terms of realism, a stick or stacked magazine is better suited than a rotary magazine. Some Action Pellet Pistols will have what looks like a stick magazine, but the stick will actually have two rotary magazine on either side. You will often find higher capacity magazines in BB CO2 Pistols since Rotary magazines usually only offer around 8 rounds (16 on a double sided stick style).
Another downside to a rotary magazine is knowing when you are out of ammo, a rotary magazine does not allow for this, it will just keep turning around and around no matter if there is ammo in it or not, so you need to listen to the the sound of the CO2 gun to determine when a rotary type magazine is empty. BB Action shooters do not have this problem since in most cases the magazine BB spring follower acts exactly the same as real steel gun follower locking back the slide on the last shot, stopping any follow up shots from happening.
Ammo Size:
Steel BB’s traditionally only come in 4.5mm which is the same as .177 caliber. Lead pellets can come in a myriad of sizes, the most comma being .177, .20 and .22 caliber but they can go as large as 50 caliber for PCP air rifles used to hunt even large game.
Barrel Rifling:
Another common difference between BB and Pellet CO2 Pistols is the rifling inside the barrels. Lead pellets need to spin in order for them to shoot straight. Steel BB’s on the other hand fly pretty true thought the air weather they spin or not. Rifling is most often not used in steel BB pistols because the hardened steel can damage the rifling and since there is little to no benefit in adding rifling to a BB guns barrel in terms of accuracy, then why even have it. Pellet pistols with their softer lead ammunition need to have the rifling in order to create the spin that keeps the pellet true and straight while in flight.
Accuracy:
Even though many BB CO2 Pistols can shoot accurately at close to medium ranges, they are not as accurate as a Pellet CO2 Pistol, especially as the distance become greater to your target. Not only does the spinning of the pellet help accuracy, but also the added mass of the lead pellet keeps them from being as effected by cross winds and airborne debris.
Hunting and/or Pest Control:
In most cases I do not recommend using a pistol for pest control because, plain and simple they are harder to shoot accurately. This is because there is no stock on a pistol to help steady the gun, and the front and rear sight are much closer together on a pistol than compared to rifle sights which means there is more margin for error when signing in a target. Pistols are generally lower powered than rifles which also plays a roll when considering a pistol for pest control since it may not have enough power to get the job done humanly. That said, there are pellet pistols deigned with power in mind, usually these are spring piston, or pressurized air powered air guns which can have a lot more power than a standard CO2 BB or Pellet Pistol.
Pistols versus Rifles:
This is not the forum for a full pistol versus rifle comparison. I can tell you that you will find a lot more pellet rifles than your will find BB rifles, they both exist but for the most part rifles are geared more towards target shooting and hunting. Most of the BB rifles available would be styled after replicas so the focus is not necessarily on power and or accuracy in these models.
Abundance:
In terms of Replica Action Shooters, BB Pistols outweigh the Pellet pistols by a land-slide. BB’s just work better in action pistols because the round hard steel ammo operates much easier and more reliably than the softer lead pellets, at least for action shooters. And the point of Replica Action Shooters is not so much power and accuracy but more so towards rapid fire good old back yard fun shooting.
Which is Best?
Well… Neither one is best, it just depends what you are looking for.
Do you want accuracy at longer ranges - if so maybe get a Pellet CO2 Pistol.
Do you want more realism in terms of magazine loading and your slide locking back on the last shot - then you may be in the market for a BB CO2 Pistol.
Do you want more power down range - heavy pellets are going to hit harder and truer than lighter Steel BB’s.
Do you want trouble free shooting - hard steel BB’s rarely miss-feed or misfire compared to softer Lead Pellets especially in action shooters.
The best is what’s best for you and not always what's best for me…
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull for the Little Joe blank revolver is single action only, you must pre-cock the hammer first to rotate advance the cylinder and ready the hammer to fire. I very short medium weight trigger pull with virtually no take-up is required to fire this tiny revolver at that point.
Accuracy: NA.
Build Quality: Even though in general blank/signal guns do utilize scaled down metals like zinc alloy (not high pressure gun steel), the ROHM line of blank pistols are made very well and many of the internal mechanical parts, pins and screws are solid steel. The fit and finish is excellent and when I tested my none belt buckle Little Joe it shot flawlessly for me. Don't expect much recoil from the small acorn .22 rounds.
Realism: The ROHM Little Joe Belt Buckle 6mm Flobert Blank Gun is not a true replica of any real steel revolver in production but it does look a bit like the North America Arms NAA22s Mini-Revolver chambered in .22 short. North America Arms even has a belt buckle version of their own!
Hard to get the Belt Buckle version here in Canada.
Not sure about legalities actually wearing the belt buckle in Canada?
Comments:
I already thought the standard ROHM Little Joe Blank firing mini revolver was a really cool gun, to actually find one that fits into a belt buckle is even cooler! I wish we had these for sale in our Canada Replica Airguns Store but it's probably best we don't since I know some people will decide to wear theirs which is bad news since it's only a matter of time before a call is made and a lot of explaining is in order... The good news is we do sell the none belt buckle version of the Little Joe .22 Caliber (6mm Flobert) Mini Revolver in our Canada Replica Airgun Store along with many other ROHM German quality blank pistols so check them out for sure!
My Vimeo Table Top Review for the ROHM Little Joe Belt Buckle 6mm Flobert Blank Revolver:
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull with both the EKOL ES 66 CO2 BB Pistols is fairly heavy in double action mode as the hammer spring is fairly firm. In single action mode the trigger pull lightened up a lot and allows for more precise shooting when required. The double action pull is fairly long and the release point is fairly far back.
Accuracy: I have not shot either of these EKOL ES 66 styled airguns but I have conducted a similar test using a similar EKOL BB Pistol, the EKOL ES 55 which is basically the same base gun with a different slide. I would expect all of the EKOL airguns to shoot about the same. Based on my past experience the ES 66 C and ES 66 should shoot right around 420 fps or more and get 1-2 inch groupings from 30 feet out. We will find out for sure when I conduct my official Field Test Shooting Review for them.
Build Quality: The EKOL ES 55 comes from a company that primarily makes blank pistols. EKOL makes this gun directly from a similar model (The EKOL Sava) that shoots blanks so in many ways the ES 55 and ES 66 are designed more like a real gun than an airgun. The EKOL ES 66 Series is all metal with rubber grips and feels fantastic in the hand. There are really no plastic parts to speak of and I could not find any quality concerns on these airguns at all! The Chrome finish is something you don't often see in airguns but does look nice, just watch out for those finger prints ;)
Realism: The EKOL ES 66 CO2 BB Pistol is not an exact replica but does look a lot like a browning Hi-Power other than some small cosmetic differences. The basic size and shape is very close. With the shorter EKOL 66 C, this similarity is harder to see.
All metal construction - very heavy and solid feeling gun.
Expect to have decent accuracy and good power.
Safety is actually a de-cocker but a nice touch.
Nice full size drop out Magazine that holds the CO2 and 4.5mm Steel BB’s.
Double and single action trigger / hammer.
One of the few BB pistols with a rifled barrel.
Nice wrap around ergonomic grips.
Very unique airgun, not a lot of them around.
Cons:
Some parts don't function - slide release - slide when CO2 is in the gun.
No cutout ejection port.
Sights are none adjustable.
Double action is a bit heavy and trigger take-up is long.
Comments:
EKOL makes several blank guns and I have reviewed many of them back when we used to be able to import more varieties of blank guns here in Canada. What makes the EKOL airgun version kind of different than most airguns out there, is that it is made very similarly to the way EKOL makes their blank guns. Many parts are interchanged so in some ways the airgun is a lot like the blank gun version which one could say is a lot like how a real gun is made. What I am getting at here is that the EKOL ES 66 and ES 55 look and feel more like real guns than an airgun. Make sure to pick one of these EKOL airguns up before we run out, our supply for them is limited and when they are gone we may not be able to get any more?
My EKOL ES 66 CO2 BB Pistol Table Top Vimeo Video Review:
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Gletcher APS Stetchkin is nice in both double and single action modes. Double action is fairly light as the hammer spring tension is moderate. The blowback operation will of course pre-cock the hammer allowing for single action shooting on almost all of your shots but the trigger pull length remains the same in both single and double action. The only difference is that in single action mode, the first part of the trigger pull, or should I say the take-up portion is much lighter until it gets to the hammer release point where you will notice more pressure and a short crisp release point.
Accuracy: I have done no preliminary shooting with this pistol so other than how the trigger feels I can not comment on the performance. The Gletcher APS Stechkin CO2 Blowback BB Pistol has a fairly long barrel length so it should get close to the claimed almost 400 fps and since the rear sight is adjustable for elevation I will be abel to make aim point adjustments up and down if need be. The slide does snap back with decent firmness so I am also expecting there to be a decent amount of blowback feel.
Build Quality: The Gletcher APS Stechkin CO2 Blowback BB Pistol is well made, the metallic dark grey finish looks really nice and the fit is good, not a lot of slide wiggle and pretty much the entire pistol is metal including the frame, slide, trigger, slide catch-release, safety, hammer, magazine and inner and outer barrel. The only plastic parts would be the grips and some internal seals and o-rings.
Realism:The CO2 BB Gletcher APS is a 1 to 1 replica of the Stechkin Soviet Military sidearm, all the mechanical parts function just like you would find on the real steel version other than the full auto mode located on the safety, which has been disabled, perhaps for the European markets where full auto airguns are not allowed. The barrel opening and the stick magazine are the real only tell-tale signs that this is the airgun version rather than a real Stechkin.
Pros:
One of the only 4.5mm BB shooting Stechkin replicas I have come across.
Very solid and weighty gun. Mostly all metal.
High capacity 22 round all metal stick magazine
Blowback operation seems heavy, slide locks back on last round.
Operational parts all work like they should (slide catch, safety, hammer, elevation adjustment, mag release)
Field Strippable.
Should be able to put a stock on it?
Shooting performance pros yet to be determined…
Cons:
No reassessed barrel opening.
Would have liked to have seen full size drop out metal magazine on this gun.
Full auto feature disabled on safety
Shooting performance cons yet to be determined…
Comments:
When I saw this pistol in the Gletcher catalog, I did not realize how large it actually was, I was expecting the Gletcher APS Stechkin to be a bit larger than the Makarov but it really does dwarf the Makarov. Being that it is a large pistol it does have some weight to it but it does not feel heavy for its size. The grips are long front to back but not overly thick side to side so even medium sized hands should be OK shooting this BB air pistol. I am really happy to see another historic airgun added to the available Replica Airguns at our disposal and it's a bonus that we also get this one with blowback operation.Let's hope the Gletcher APS Stechkin shoots as well as it looks!
My Vimeo Table Top Video of the Gletcher APS Stechkin CO2 Blowback BB Pistol:
First off I have reviewed all of these ASG guns in the BB version which I will link to below so you can read the full reviews. The main difference with this review is that I am reviewing the 6mm Airsoft versions and in the case of the ASG Bersa BP9CC and ASG CZ 75D Compact, the only difference is the ammo they shoot, with the ASG CZ 75 P-07 Duty, my Airsoft version is not blowback whereas the 4.5mm Steel BB version I reviewed earlier did have blowback operation.
My YouTube video for these ASG Airsoft versions does go into a lot of detail on each gun but in this written review I will keep to the basics since you can get most of the detailed information already in my 4.5mm Steel BB reviews for each gun.
Materials: Weapons grade steel slide, frame and most parts.
Weight: 1.7 pounds.
Barrel: 3.8 inches, metal-rifled.
Propulsion: CO2 x 1.
Action: Semi auto, double and single action.
Ammunition Type: Steel/Lead BB's 4.5mm.
Ammunition Capacity: 13 rounds.
FPS: 380.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the 2013 Blued Baikal Makarov MP-654K CO2 BB Pistol is good in single action mode (When cocked), when shooting in double action mode it is a bit heavy but it seems like over time the gun is working its self in a bit as the metal is hard and as with many Russian made guns, they need some break in period. The trigger springs are heavy so don't expect light trigger pulls.
Accuracy: The accuracy and true feet per second performance will be tested when I do my future Field Test Shooting review.
Build Quality: Excellent, the Baikal Makarov MP-654K CO2 BB Pistol is made side by side using the same machine sand same materials as the original Makarov PM (9x18) firearm that it is Replica of. There simply is not another airgun made to this quality level or that is as accurate a replica of it's real steel version.
Realism: You simply can not get any closer to how close this gun resembles the original Makarov PM (9x18). You can even field strip this gun exactly like the original. The only acceptation is when it come time to fire the BB gun version, The Baikal MP-654K is not designed to have blowback operation which is understandable as it would be impossible to fabricate this gun so close to the original and still give it blowback operation.
Pros:
All Steel construction
Made side by side in the factory to the real steel version with same build quality and on same machines.
The closest BB gun to a real gun you can get in terms replicating the parts and being made out of the same materials as the real version.
Can filed strip like the real version.
New 2013 version has recessed barrel.
New 2013 version has the flush CO2 screw.
New 2013 version is the PM style with narrower handle and PM grips.
Can field strip like the real version.
Shoots in single and double action.
Safety works as a de-cocker.
Made in Russia!
Cons:
Expensive compared to other airguns.
No blowback operation.
Only a 13 round magazine.
Gun requires some breaking time.
Comments:
The new 2013 Blued Baikal MP-654K PM Styled BB Air pistol is one of those must have airguns if you are a collector, sure the price is a lot more than most airgun replicas out there but the 2013 Blued Baikal MP-654K is built like no other airgun. Rather than creating a replica gun around existing airgun parts, Baikal takes a different approach and reworks a real Makarov backwards so it is made to shoot steel BB's using CO2 rather than 9mm rounds. You could say it is a real Makarov but chambered to shoot steel BB's and use CO2. These guns are rarely available in Canada since they often get stuck in customs because they are so realistic. I was actually very surprised when we located a secure that had some that they where willing to give up!
My Vimeo Video Review for the 2013 Blued Baikal Makarov MP-654K CO2 BB Pistol:
