I will be showcasing here on the Replica Airguns website and over on the Replica Airguns YouTube channel a series of videos I will be making for the purpose of selling some guns out of my personal collection. I simply have no more room for the new guns and in some cases I either have duplicate guns or very similar versions so there is no need to have both. Some guns I am less attached to and as I already stated I need to make room for some of the new stuff I will be reviewing.
To start this series off my first video is to highlight the blank guns I am selling, there are only 4 of them, all of which are really hard to get here in Canada so I am not going to let them go cheap. By the way I am only selling to Canadian residents since shipping cross borders is a little sketchy.
Make sure to watch my above YouTube video to see the blank guns I am selling and instructions on how you can take part in the sale and purchase of them.
Here is a list of the blank guns I am selling from my personal gun collection:
In this 2016 SHOT Show Interview I talk with Chip Hunnucutt from Crosman Corporation. Chip was eager to show off Crosman's new Airbow which is a essentially a hybrid PCP Air Rifles combined with a Crossbow. SO take away the bow and replace the power source with a 3000 PSI compressed air system that is capable of shooting standard archery arrows at 450 fps with 160 foot pounds of energy using 375 grain arrows.
The Crosman Airbow on a full 3000 PSI charge can deliver 8 consecutive shots @ the regulated 450 fps. The Airbow also weighs in at 7 pounds and being that it is a Bullpup design it is only 33.5 inches long so nice and compact for an arrow shooter.
Since the power is generated by the PCP compressed air system there is no heavy cocking rope so a simple lift of the ambidextrous cocking bolt is all that is needed to charge the Crosman Airbow. The Airbow also comes standard with a CenterPoint® 6x40 mm scope specially designed with the Airbow in mind.
Since the Crosman Airbow is technically an under 500 fps airgun, it should be considered an uncontrolled firearm here in Canada which means no PAL license will be required to buy and own the Crosman Airbow in Canada. In terms of using the Airbow for hunting as it is not a bow but rather an Airgun, that is yet to be determined here in Canada.
This is my SHOT Show 2016 Teaser Video! You will get to see some new gun highlights from companies like Umarex, ASG, Crosman, Sig Sauer, KWA and ISC. I will be following up this video with some interview videos very soon so do make sure to check back for those uploads. All I can say about the show is it’s huge! So much to see, so much walking and too much to take in…
ASG:
As always, ASG had some new products this year. The all new Dan Wesson 715 357 Magnum shell loading Revolver! This gun feels absolutely amazing in the hand and will be available in Steel BB, Airsfot and even Pellet shooting versions. Also new are the CZ P-09 and CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow Full Blowback BB and Airsoft Pistols.
Crosman:
Big at Crosman this year was their PCP Airbow, Crosman put a lot of focus on this product and even had a lot of crossbows on display to go with their new PCP Airbow. Crosman also introduced their low cost entry level Benjamin Maximus PCP rifle in .177 and .22 calibers offerings. Not really much in the way of replica pistols from Crosman this year, but then again last year was kind of the same?
Sig Sauer:
I finally made it to the Sig Sauer Booth this year to checkout their new CO2 Pellet gun line. All new Sig Airguns are made true to size and weight with similar trigger actions as their real steel versions. The Sig MPX is their more compact (shorter barreled) pellet shooting CO2 rifle with internal blowback and belt fed 30 round magazine. The Sig MCX is the longer barreled rifle version but built much the same as the MPX. Sig also introduced two new pellet shooting CO2 Blowback Pistols, the P226 and the P250. Both use similar double ended rotary magazines as the Umarex PX4.
Umarex:
Umarex always seems to have some new exciting Airguns products to offer at SHOT Show. The PPK is back with a few updates including no more ugly CO2 tab sticking out of the bottom! And yes the Beretta Model 92A1 will finally be shipping soon, I believe in February! My favorite product this year from Umarex would have to be the Full Blowback, Full size drop out magazine S&W M&P 40 CO2 BB Pistol. Umarex released yet another 1911 on the market, this version does come with a stick mag and sports pretty high fps and more shots per CO2 then the KWC based 1911’s. The super popular Colt SAA Revolver is now available in a pellet shooting version with a rifled barrel :) Umarex had on display another low cost revolver, the ultra futuristic looking Brodax CO2 BB Revolver.
KWA:
KWA always has really nice high quality products to showoff at there booth each year, we may even start carrying some of KWA's products this year, fingers crossed on that one… New to the KWA line are some AEG rifles with simulated blowback action, I really liked the Blowback AEG AK they had on display. KWA also released a new Airsoft shell loading revolvers that had some of the nicest looking brass and aluminum shells. On display under a glass cover was a very solid Gas Blowback Thompson Machine-gun with real wood stock, it was absolutely gorgeous!
ISC:
ISC known for their top quality AEG internals, had their full line of high quality Airsoft rifles on display. And new this year to ICS was their first ever Airsoft pistol, the blowback BLE Alpha. The BLE should be out mid year and looked and felt really nice. The trigger on it was super short and light.
I have some really awesome Interview videos I’m working on, I will be uploading them shortly so stay tuned for those…
When I say Airguns, I am referring to pretty much all BB, Airsoft, Pellet, Paintball and even Blank guns for most of the topics listed here.
Do’s:
Treat your Airgun just like you would a real gun. If something goes wrong, perhaps the outcome will not be as severe but do you really want to take a trip down to your local emergency ward to get a BB or Pellet removed?
Always assume your airgun is loaded, for some reason it always seems those empty guns are the ones that do the most damage.
Be discrete, If it looks like a gun other people will think it is a gun so don’t flash your airguns around in public. Keep it in a case when transporting and shoot it in an area that will not alarm other people.
Always wear eye protection when shooting your Airgun. Do you really want to shoot your eye out? No Joke!
Be aware of your surroundings like windows, hard objects that could make your ammo bounce back at you. Make sure you are shooting your Airgun in a safe direction at all times, know your target and beyond.
Use Airguns to teach others and learn how to safely and effectively shoot a gun. Airguns can be less intimidating then a real gun (Not so loud and very little recoil) and make for great start out and transitions guns.
Use Airguns to get more inexpensive trigger time and become a more experienced shooter. Airguns cosy only pennies per round to shoot and can be shot in way more areas than a real gun can, practice makes perfect so get shooting!
Use Airguns in areas where real guns may not be allowed or safe to use. Again, Airguns can be shot in all kinds of places, in your back yard or even in a properly setup indoor home range.
Use Airguns with adequate power for safe and humane pest control where real guns may be prohibited.Airguns are quiet and less likely for the bullet to travel long ranges which makes them ideal for close range pest control in areas where real guns are too loud and to powerful.
Don’ts:
Do not assume because it is an airgun it is not dangerous or simply a toy. Many Deaths have been caused by Airguns along with a lot of pain and suffering so treat your Airgun with respect. It is not a toy or you would find them in the toy department at your local store along with yo-yos and stuffed animals.
Do not point or shoot at people unless of course you are using an Airsoft gun in an Airsoft field or facility. Yes Airsoft guns are meant to shoot at each other (with appropriate attire like eye protection and full body clothing), but steel BB and Pellet can cause serious injury especially at close range and on direct skin contact.
Do not leave your Airgun loaded, you never know who is going to come across it and accidentally discharge it. Remember, a loaded gun is a dangerous gun in the wrong hands. You may know better than to assume the gun is undulated but children and even adults without any gun training will most definitely handle the airgun without consideration of the danger it poses.
Do not use an Airgun for self protection. See my related video. Simply put, Airguns are not practical for self defense because they rarely have enough Stopping Power. The ones that do have enough power need to be pre-charged and in most cases are only single shot meaning if you miss or don’t get the job done no the first shot then you are done.
Do not use an underpowered Airgun for pest control. See related video. Using a low powered BB pistol for pest control is cruel, you will only injure the animal making it suffer unnecessarily. Use a high powered pellet rifle to get the job done.
Do not take your gun apart, in most cases this will void the warranty and the reality is that airguns rarely need to be cleaned since no dirty gun powder is used. lead pellet rifles may require occasional barrel cleaning to keep the rifled barrel free of debris.
Do not over oil your Airgun, a little goes a long way and too much oil will just attracted dirt, use the right airgun oil and just enough to keep part functioning smoothly.
Do not over pump an Airgun. Over pumping an Airgun can cause damage to valves and seals and in a worse case situation a rupture the air pressure reservoir or even cause the airgun to explode!
I'm getting close to uploading 600 videos now over on the Replica Airguns Vimeo channel, so there are bound to be a lot of similar questions and popular discussions. In this Replica Airguns Vimeo Video I address what I feel are my Top 10 Most Common Airgun Questions and Discussions.
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.
It has been way too long since I got to go to the gun range and shoot my "big boy" guns! I say that sarcastically, sure my real steel guns are fun to shoot but it sure costs a lot of money and basically all we really do is shoot paper targets. Shooting at papper targets is fun for a while but I kind of enjoy shooting my airguns at pretty much any type of target I choose to shoot at. And of course any time I want to and for pennies per shot.
So getting back to Range Day shooting my real steel big boy guns ;) I went with a couple of buddies of mine and we shot a nice variety of guns. My Norinco NP-30 double stack 45 cal 1911, my Wyoming Arms Parker 10mm, a couple of my friends Glock 40 cals, my Norinco NP-34 P228 and Norinco Tokarev Type 54 9mm pistols, my Chiappa 1911-22 and ISSC M22 22LR pistols, a nice Sig Mosquito 22LR, my buddies S&W M&P 15-22 22LR rifle along with my ISSC MK22 SCAR 22LR rifle and my friends mighty custom Ruger Mini 14 in .223 caliber...
It was a cold day but a really fun day and it gave me a chance to really use my iPhone 6 plus camera for its slow-motion capabilities in a decent lighting situation.
Enjoy the footage of these "real guns" shooting in real time and slowed down.
So it's 2014 but I still needed to make my 2013 Airgun, Airsoft Gun and Blank Gun Collection Favorites for 2013. It's become a tradition I guess you could say. No I do not show all the guns in my collection but I do cover most of my favorites and also some new guns I picked up in 2013.
Here's a peek but make sure to watch the YouTube video bellow where I go over all my top picks for 2013. You can also buy many of the guns I show in this YouTube video over in our Canada and US Replica Airguns Store!
In this Field Test Shooting Review I do actually shoot the ME 9 Mini-Para 9mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol which is what many of you want to see :) I shoot 5 rounds through the ME 9 Mini-Para 9mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol until the slide locks out and capture all of this using my Nikon 1 1080p HD camera along with my Casio EX-ZR1000 slow motion 240 frames per second camera.
My ME 9 Mini-Para 9mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol even though it could be as old as 10+ years still performed perfectly with no misfires or failures to load or eject, a testament to the West German build quality!
Model:ME 9 Mini-Para (Similar to a S&W 469 or Shorty 40).
Materials: Mostly Metal with some steel parts.
Weight: 2.12 pounds. (960 grams)
Barrel: Front firing. (No Red Tip)
Propulsion: Gun powder.
Action: Single & double action.
Ammunition Type: 9mm P.A.K. Blanks.
Ammunition Capacity: 8+1 rounds.
FPS: N/A.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the ME 9 Mini-Para 9mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol is fairly light in single action mode as would be expected and this is for the most part how you would shoot the gun since you need to rack the slide to pickup a round for the first shot. If you do decide to de-cock the hammer, you can shoot in double action but it is extremely heavy, perhaps close to 15 pounds or more! The take-up in single action is pretty short and the release is crisp. The safety is a standard firing pin block so you can release the hammer with the safety on but the hammer will hit the firing pin block first rather then strike the pin.
Accuracy: NA.
Build Quality: The overall build quality of the ME 9 Mini-Para 9mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol is similar to the ROHM German made blank pistols we sell in our Canada Replica Airguns Store. So in other words, the build quality is very good. Like most blank pistols, much of the gun is made out of zinc alloy (or pot metal) but the parts that see the most wear and tear and higher pressures are made from steel, these parts would be the barrel, magazine, magazine release, extractor, firing pin, springs and most of the screws and pins. In terms of finish, mine was picked up used and I'm not even sure how old it is? It could be as old as 20+ years? That said it is mechanically in very good conditioned even the finish is pretty good with only some minor wear.
Realism: The ME 9 Mini-Para 9mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol is a very realistic looking gun; operation, size, weight, feel and looks are what you would expect from a real gun and it almost is a real gun except that it's made to shoot blanks, not actual bullets. The ME 9 Mini-Para 9mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol is not an exact copy of any gun that I know of in production but it does share a lot of commonalities with a Smith & Wesson Shorty 40.
Purchase from: A private collector.
Pros:
Well made, materials fit and finish is all very good considering it was purchased used.
Decent amount of rounds (8+1) in its single stack magazine.
Steel parts where they need to be.
Nice light single action trigger, can also be shot in double action.
Made in Germany.
Cons:
No external slide catch release, must remove the empty magazine to release the slide.
Double action trigger is super heavy!
Very hard to find here in North America.
Comments:
When ever I find a blank gun that is unique or hard to get, it interests me. Especially if it is as good quality as the ME 9 Mini-Para 9mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol. Mine may have a few wear marks and blemishes on it since I did get it used but they are minor and I may even strip it down and refinish it at some point since this blank pistol would definitely be worthy of the time and effort involved. It's kind of unfortunate that locating one of these very fine ME 9 Mini-Para's is so hard here in Canada and the US but at least we do have the ROHM line of German made blank guns if you are in the market for such a quality blank pistol.
My Vimeo Full Video Table Top Review for the ME 9 Mini-Para 9mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol:
I managed to get my hands on one more brand new Kimar Lady K PPK 9mm P.A.K. Front Firing James Bond inspired Blank Pistols. This unit is the Matte Black version. They normally come in plastic hard shell cases along with a manual and cleaning rod but this is the last one from my supplier and they did not have the case, manual or cleaning rod for it. This Kimar Lady K blank pistol shoots in both single and double action and field strips just like a real Walther PPK.
To get in on the bidding, simply Email Me Here with your highest bid by no later than Friday August 30th 2013 by midnight. At the conclusion of this Silent Auction I will notify the winner and they will have 24 hours to make payment via PayPal or EMT before I move onto the next highest bidder.
This Rare Blank Gun Silent Auction is open to my Canada customers since we sell Kimar blank guns in the US Replica Airguns store, Canadian Customers will pay an additional $17.99 for Shipping/Handling plus their local provincial sales Tax. Good luck to everyone!
I have a near new condition Semi and Full Auto EKOL Jackal Dual Compact Front Firing 9mm P.A.K. Blank Gun up for Silent Auction! It comes in the original plastic hard shell case along with the flare adaptor, take down key and of course a 15 round magazine.
To get in on the bidding, simply Email Me Herewith your highest bid by no later than July 22nd 2013 by midnight. At the conclusion of this Silent Auction I will notify the winner and they will have 24 hours to make payment before I move onto the next highest bidder.
This Rare EKOL Blank Gun Silent Auction is open to my Canada customers since we sell EKOL guns in the US Replica Airguns store, Canadian Customers will pay an additional $17.99 for Shipping/Handling plus their local provincial sales Tax. Good luck to everyone!
You can watch my earlier Review videos for this Front Firing Blank gun here:
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 managed to get my hands on a pair of brand new Kimar Lady K PPK 9mm P.A.K. Front Firing James Bond inspired Blank Pistols. One in Silver (Chrome) and the other in Matte Black. They come in plastic hard shell cases along with manuals and cleaning rods. They shoot in both single and double action and field strip just like the real Walther PPK.
To get in on the bidding, simply Email Me Here with your highest bid by no later than July 5th 2013 by midnight. At the conclusion of this Silent Auction I will notify the winner and they will have 24 hours to make payment before I move onto the next highest bidder.
This Rare Blank Gun Silent Auction is open to my Canada customers since we sell Kimar blank guns in the US Replica Airguns store, Canadian Customers will pay an additional $17.99 for Shipping/Handling plus their local provincial sales Tax. Good luck to everyone!
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:
I finally got out to shoot my Wyoming Arms Parker 10mm S.S. and it worked pretty well for me, the kick was hard but the design of this 10mm pistol helps reduce recoil so the recoil was not really all that much more than shooting a .45 or .40 caliber. If you have not watched my Wyoming Arms Parker 10mm S.S. Pistol Real Steel Overview then make sure to do so... I did have a few of my reload rounds that seemed to give me a bit of trouble but other than that the Wyoming Arms shot very well for me and was extremely accurate.
I also brought along my little ISSC M22 .22LR shooting Glock look-a-like to keep some of my shooting costs down since the 10mm are so expensive I needed to recoup some of my costs shooting the super affordable .22LR ammo. And yes I have a full Table Top Review for the ISSC M22 so check that one out if you're in the market for a fairly low cost .22LR that looks a lot like a Glock.
I had a great time and we got to shot some other guns while we where at the gun range; Walther P38 9mm, Glock 22 .40 Caliber, Sig Sauer Mosquito .22LR and the Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 .22LR in all.
One question that comes up often is the danger attached to blank gun use and the most common question I get is about the danger of shooting a blank gun at a person. Blank guns have many uses, one of which is to be used as a prop in a movie or reenactment. In this situation one may want to point and shoot a blank gun at a person to make teh scene more believable it. If the person is far enough away there is usually no cause for concern but with that said I would personally point the gun just off to one side in the event that something might come loose within the gun barrel or perhaps a fragment of something where to be fired and cause an injury to the person the gun is directed towards. With creative camera angles you shouldn't need to actually point a blank gun directly at anyone.
People also assume that because a blank gun does not actually fire a bullet that it is relatively harmless. This is not true at all, in the larger caliber blanks there is about the same amount of energy to what your would find in a real bullet, this is so the blank gun will sound about as loud as a real bullet being fired. The difference with how the energy is released in a blank round versus a real bullet is that the bullet caries most of the energy with it and when the bullet hits its intended target, the bulk of the energy is transferred to that target.
The energy from a blank round dissipates almost immediately after it leaves the gun barrel but the energy right at the barrel tip is very similar to that of a real bullet, especially if it has nowhere to go but directly into an object. So yes a blank gun round can be lethal at very close ranges and unfortunately several people have paid with their lives finding this out for themselves.
With this newfound information about blank gun danger, some people might say... get rid of these dangers to society! Before we head in that direction think about how many other non vital things we have in our lives that I would have to say have claimed way more lives than blank guns could even come close to: Off-road pleasure vehicles, Skydiving, Skying, Pools, Real Guns to name a few! Blank guns also serve very useful purposes like being used to signal a warning or distress, send out flares, ward off wild animals, train people on how to use a real gun, and of course dog training. I am sure the good outweighs the bad here.
That's enough politics for now, juts watch the video and see for yourself why you should not point a blank gun at anyone, especially if the person is very close in proximity to you!
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the RG-88 and RG-59 in single action is very light with the RG-59 having virtually no take up at all while the RG-88 has some take up but then a noticeable and predictable release point. Both guns have medium to heavy yet smooth double action triggers.
Accuracy: NA.
Build Quality: The overall build quality for the ROHM RG-88 and RG-59 blank guns is excellent, being German made they are built to last and the fit and finish is very good. There are steel parts where they need to be like in the barrel, pins, screws and reenforcing parts, the rest of the gun is generally made out of a zinc metal with only the grips being plastic.
Realism: The ROHM RG-88 and ROHM RG-59 are not exact replicas of any given guns in production as this would make importing them into Canada even more difficult, but they do share similarities with some real guns in production. The RG-88 semi auto looks to be based around a Walther PPK design while the RG-59 has that Smith & Wesson Snub Nosed Revolver look to it. As for looking like and working like real guns, they do this very well, with the exception of the dangerous bullet coming out of the barrel!
German made quality, materials fit and finish is all excellent.
Almost all metal with some reenforced steel parts.
Nice light single action triggers on both guns with double action ability wehn needed.
Both are front firing with semi plugged barrels.
Come with flare adaptors and cleaning rods.
Seem to be some of the only blank guns we can get here in Canada right now.
Cons:
Not actual exact replicas of any specific guns in production.
The RG-59 only works with the .380 crimped, 9mm P.A.K. balnks are a bit too long.
Expensive due to them being harder to get and in high demand in Canada.
Comments:
As with pretty much all blank guns, they are mostly for show so it all comes down to how do they look and do they go bang when they are supposed to! In both cases they get top marks. Both the RG-88 semi auto and RG-59 revolver feel solid and the mechanical parts are tight and smooth giving a confident feeling when holding them. I like the larger caliber blanks over the .22 crimped blanks as they have a bigger bang but they will set you back in the cost department a bit more as the price for 9mm P.A.K. and .380 blanks will be a lot more than .22 crimped so keep this in mind when choosing a blank gun. If you're looking for a well made and dependable blank pistol then you really can not go wrong with any of the ROHM blank guns we sell in the Canada Replica Airguns Store.
My Vimeo Full Video Review for the ROHM RG-88 and RG59 Blank Pistols:
