Many Canadians ask about options for what they perhaps could use for home defense since we are not allowed to really use any kind of a weapon to defend ourselves. A product classified as “Less Lethal” may be of interest to people living in Canada. I interviewed Byrna, just such a company that offers alternatives to standard “Lethal Interventions” for self protection and Josh from Byrna was kind enough to go over their pistol and rifle offerings specifically built to shoot paintball type ammunition for the purpose of stopping bad guys.
I am hoping this is a product we will be able to add to our online Replica Airgun Stores, as they do tick the boxes for import into Canada such as shooting well under 500 fps, yet having the ability to cause serious injury so as to allow them to be considered a non regulated firearm.
This year at the KWA Booth I had the pleasure of running into John, and we went over a bunch of new items KWA had on display. John was even rocking a similar pair of Ray Ban Meta AI Glasses which made us look a little bit like twins…
In this KWA SHOT Show Interview John higgled the following products from KWA: The KWA ATP-Z and ATP-CT Optics Ready GBB AIrsoft Pistols which are convertible to SMG versions, along with a new prototype TAC-9 GBB Airsoft Rifle.
KWA AIrsoft products have always been one of favoriteAirsoft guns for their quality, looks and performance. They tend to offer a lot of Gas Blowback options which I really appreciate as a Replica AIrgun Collector.
It’s alwasy nice to have a chat with Bob at ASG, I have been interviewing him for years now and really missed not being at SHOT Show the last three years. As always, Bob really knows the ASG product line inside and out and took us through some of the new products and changes to the ASG lineup in 2024.
Some of the products include: The ASG CZ P-10 C CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol, the Steyr L9-A2 CO2/Gas Blowback Airsoft Pistol, the USW Gas Blowback Airsoft Pistol, the new Hybrid Airsoft line including the CO2 Blowback H-22 and the AEG H-15, the ICS Ape SE AEG Airsoft Rifle, and lastly the ICS Carnotaurus, Legacy, ACME High-Capa Pistol Series.
I am looking forward to get my hands-on many of these new ASG products and making reviews for everyone to checkout in the near future…
I’m pretty sure I have never made an Interview for Barra before in any of my past SHOT Show Videos, so I was really happy when I visited their booth and discovered a bunch of really great new products to talk about with GEO. Like many other Airgun companies, Barra does incorporate rebranded products from other manufacturer popular Airguns, but they also have some unique products I have never seen before. They are either working really closely with dedicated manufacturing companies or making these items in house. Either way it’s great to see new and interesting products.
Some of the products Geo went over with me in this SHOT Show 2024 Barra Interview where: The Barra CO2 1866 Lever Action Rifle, some Rifled Pellet Barrel Kits for the Schofield Revolver and 1866 Rifle, the 1858 CO2 BB Revolver, the 357 Shell Loading CO2 Revolver, the 400 AEG Airsoft Rifle and two new nameless Airguns they are still working on and perfecting, a full Blowback Competition Style BB/Airsoft Pistol and a compact AEG Airsoft Rifle.
It was great talking with the team over at the Barra Booth and I look forward to testing out their new items as they become available.
Kicking off my SHOT Show 2024 Interviews, I present my Umarex Interview with Mark Davis, you may remember Mark from past Umarex SHOT Show Interviews? This is a fairly long interview as Mark had a lot of product to show me including…
The new Marlin Lever Action BB Rifle, the Walther PDP CO2 BB Pistol, the BBX11 1911 Blowback CO2 BB Pistol, the MarkPoint Break Barrel .177 Caliber Pellet Pistol, the Trinity Hi-Cap 2011 Blowback Airsoft Pistol, the Gambler High Stakes Single Action Army CO2 Airsoft Revolver, the Glock 380 GBB Airsoft Pistol, the CQC Elite Force AEG Airsoft Rifle with i-Trace, and the Beretta PMX GBB Airsoft Rifle.
Yep, that’s a lot of products to go over in one Interview, and Mark did a great job! I am really looking forward to getting my hands on these new products from Umarex to review for everyone!
Type: Blowback CO2 BB Pistol. Manufacturer: Distributed by Barra. Model: Barra 009. Materials: Metal & Polymer. Weight: 1.7 pounds (771 grams). Total Length: 7.75 inches (197mm) Barrel: 4 inches (102nn) metal non-rifled. Propulsion: CO2 x 1. Action: Semi & full auto blowback, single action only trigger. AmmunitionType: 4.5mm steel BB's. AmmunitionCapacity: 18 round drop out full size metal magazine. FPS: Claimed 325.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Barra 009 Full Auto Blowback CO2 BB Pistol is single action only so you will need to rack the slide first to not only chamber a 4.5mm Steel BB in the breach area, but to also cock the internal striker system. There is a working trigger safety along with a main safety under the barrel where the serial number is normally located. You can slide this back and forth to activity the safety. The Barra 009 has a nice short and light trigger as you would expect similar to a real steel Glock pistol.
Accuracy: At this point I have not shot the Barra 009 Full Auto Blowback CO2 BB Pistol so I can only quote what Barra is saying in terms of FP2 which is 325. That sounds about right based on other BB Pistols from KWC with full blowback action since much of the CO2 gas is used to work the action of the slide. This not only reduces how many shots you can expect to get out of a single 12 gram CO2 cartridge but a reduction in power over non-blowback or even partial blowback CO2 Airguns. I will be making a full Field Test Shooting Video for this BB Pistol but for now you can check out my Field Test Review for the KWC K17 since it is the same base Air Pistol with a few cosmetic changes.
Build Quality: The Barra 009 Full Auto Blowback CO2 BB Pistol looks to be well made overall with metal and plastic parts where you would find them on a real steel modern Pistol. Fit and finish is typical of a KWC made Airgun and the slide wiggle is next to zero. The slide spring is very heavy and the sound of the slide when racked and released does not have that cheap metallic sound some blowback Airguns have. I am expecting some pretty decent blowback action recoil from the Barra 009 Full Auto Blowback CO2 BB Pistol when I do my Field Test Shooting Review!
Realism: The Barra 009 Full Auto Blowback CO2 BB Pistol looks similar to a Glock but with many cosmetic changes that do differentiate it a fair amount, as in the trigger guard, the grips, the thumb guard shape and the finishing on the slide. Mostly everything operates function similar to what you would expect for a Glock styled pistol including the slide catch release, trigger safety, magazine release and even the take down switches for quick field stripping and access to the adjustable hop-up, yes it is adjustable.
Pros:
Feels very solid in the hand and well made. (Assuming it is a KWC made gun)
Shoots in both semi and Full Auto.
Has full heavy blowback operations similar to an Airsoft Pistol.
Full metal full size drop out magazine that holds the steel BB’s and CO2.
Dual safeties, under the barrel and on the trigger.
White dot sights front and back.
Fully Field Strippable.
Recessed barrel for added realism.
Metal slide with polymer frame similar to a real steal modern firearm.
Picatinny rail for adding on accessories.
If you like that look of a Glock you will probably like the look of the Barra 009.
325 fps is decent for a full blowback BB gun.
Cons:
Full Blowback operation will limit velocity and shots per CO2.
Sights are not adjustable.
Barrel opening maybe a bit under sized?
Comments:
If you want a true Glock Replica Airgun your best bet is going to be one from Umarex as they hold the Glock license and offer several options in Steel BB, Pellet, Airsoft and even Paintball. They do not offer a full auto version as far as I know so if you do want a semi and full auto Glock styled BB Pistol then the Barra 009 Full Auto Blowback CO2 BB Pistol may be one of your only options and to be honest, Umarex is sourcing many of their Glock Airguns from KWC, so you will not be compromising with quality or reliability as the build will be about the same.
This was a really fun Field Test Shooting Video review. I don’t believe I have ever tested out a version of the P90 before and generally I don’t get a lot of Bullpups on my table so this was a bit of a treat shooting the Cybergun FN Herstal P90 NBB AEG Airsoft Rifle! If you have not already watched my Table Top Review for the Cybergun FN Herstal P9, then makes sure to do so for more details, specifications and close up video.
Starting with my Velocity FPS test, I placed several rounds through my Chronograph and once they evened out a bit, I averaged out my last 5 shots and was able to get a 427 fps velocity using .20 gram plastic Airsoft BB’s. Which is really close to the 436 fps claimed velocity made by Cybergun. I did notice that when I had a fully loaded magazine that I did get some occasional lower velocity shots perhaps because of too high of spring tension the magazine and this causing some loading issues? So do not load the magazine too much and cause the spring tension to overload it.
Moving on to my Accuracy test, I placed a fresh paper target 30 feet down range and first shot 10 rounds in semi auto followed by the rest of the magazine, so I would say around 45 shots in full auto. I was able to get around a 1.5 inch grouping shooting 10 rounds and that opened up just a bit when I unloaded the rest of the magazine in full auto tonight around a 2 inch grouping. Shot placement is kind of irrelevant as theCybergun FN Herstal P90 NBB AEG Airsoft Rifle does not come with any sighting system so you will need to add your own Red Dot or picatinny compatible sight to it and of course adjust it to your preferred shot placement.
I typically prefer compact AR type CQB Airsoft rifles for their small and light size and perhaps just a little because of the way they look. That said I really like the look of the Cybergun FN Herstal P90 NBB AEG Airsoft Rifle, and it checks all the boxes as a CQB AEG Airsoft choice. The Cybergun FN Herstal P90 not only looked the part but performed really good and I would say could be used not only for CQB but for just about any Airsoft battle situation, as it had a nice high fps and was able to place rounds accurately down rage in both semi and full auto. With the Cybergun FN Herstal P90 NBB AEG Airsoft Rifle you get a really great performer, looker and the price is right considering it comes with almost everything you need in the box, including the battery and charger. Just keep in mind you will have to add your own sighting system, but that’s not a deal breaker since most people often change their sights anyway.
Type: AEG Airsoft Rifle. Manufacturer: Distributed by Cybergun. Model: FN Herstal P90. Materials: Mostly plastic, some internal metal parts. Weight: 4.9 pounds (2330 grams). TotalLength: 20 inches (508mm). Barrel: 10.25 inches (360mm) metal non-rifled. Propulsion: AEG. Action: Semi & full auto NBB SAO. AmmunitionType: 6mm plastic Airsoft BB’s. AmmunitionCapacity: 68 round magazine. FPS: Claimed 436 (.20 gram BB’s)
Trigger Pull: The Cybergun FN Herstal P90 NBB AEG Airsoft Rifle is an AEG which uses a battery to power a motor that pulls a spring back for each repetition of each shot which means the trigger is essentially an electric on off switch. This makes the trigger function very much like a single action trigger. Generally single action triggers are fairly short and light in feel and the Cybergun FN Herstal P90 NBB AEG Airsoft Rifle is no exception. There is about a quarter inch or so pull and then the on switch is triggered.
Accuracy: I have not shoot the Cybergun FN Herstal P90 NBB AEG Airsoft Rifle just yet or performed my standard Field Test Shooting Video, so I can not comment at this time on the actual performance other than what is claimed in terms of fps (436fps). This is a fairly new styled Airsoft Rifle to me so I can’t even offer any real historical information from shooting similar type AEG Airsoft rifles. So we are all gong to just have to wait and see on this one to understand just what the real world velocity and accuracy will be.
Build Quality: TheCybergun FN Herstal P90 NBB AEG Airsoft Rifle is on the outside almost all plastic but for a compact CQB styled rifle it does weigh a fair amount at almost 5 pounds so it does feel really solid in the hand. I imagine there must be a fair amount of internal metal mechanic parts going on in order to boost up the overall weight. I did notice that the area where the picatinny rails are located is all metal, so the entire area where the rear portion of the magazine sits in. What I consider to be the stock portion is all plastic which is not surprising.
Realism: The Cybergun FN Herstal P90 NBB AEG Airsoft Rifle is a licensed replica of a real steel FH Herstal P90 Rifle and has all the official FN branding on it via Cybergun licensing. It really does look accruate in almost dry way including the semi transparent magazine that shows what looks to be very real 5.7x28mm ammunition. The only real tell tale part would be the orange flash hiden which you can swap out for a more realistic all back version if you choose to.
Pros:
Has good overall weight considering mostly plastic external build.
Easy to get to and use hopup, just need your hands.
Ambidextrous trigger super easy to adjust right at your finder tips.
Comes with Battery and Charger.
Comes with a speed loader and cleaning jam rod.
Sling mount in the back.
Front top PicatinnyRail for red dot, scope.
Side Picatinny rails for a laser or tac light setup
Easy to get to battery compartment.
Fully licensed trademarks via Cybergun.
Very compact design , great for CQB battle situations.
Fairly high claimed fps! We will see?
Reasonable price in the Replica Airguns Canada and US Store.
Cons:
Mostly all plastic exterior.
Come with an orange tip.
Does not come with any type of sighting system.
Comments:
The Cybergun FN Herstal P90 NBB AEG Airsoft Rifle is a real unique looking rifle with its super compact CQB design. I am not sure everyone will like this style of AEG Airsoft Rifle but it is refreshing to see something other than another AR. I like that you get almost everything you need to get shooting with the FN Herstal P90 but keep in mind you will need your own sighting system and I recommend you put something like a compact red dot on it to go along with the compact build. I would also switch out the flash hider for something better looking and at some point upgrade the battery setup for an 11.1 volt lithium. All that said for under $300 Canadian and a bit over $160 US, it is good value but I will leave my final thoughts until after I make my Field Test Shooting Video most likely next week.
Another CO2 BB Pistol Review for everyone… In this Filed test Video Review I test out the Bear River BR45 NBB CO2 BB Pistol and see if it stacks up similarly to the other mostly plastic low cost NBB CO2 BB Pistols it shares a lot of commonalities with which are several for sure. First I shoot 5 rounds through my Chronograph to see what the real world fps is as compared to the claimed 410 by Bear River. I also shoot 10 rounds into a paper target setup 30 feet away to see just how tight of a grouping I can get and to also see if out of the box it shoots close to the bullseye? If you are more interested in specifications and details along with more close up video of the Bear River BR45 NBB CO2 BB Pistol, then watch my Table Top Video Review here.
After installing a brand new 12 gram CO2 cartridge, I proceeded to shot 5 rounds through my Chronograph and I was able to get an average of 417 fps which was actually a bit higher than the claimed 410. The temperature inside the Replica Airguns Sea Can Shooting Range was around 20C or 69F so close to what is considered to be room temperature. For reference my slowest recorded shot was 406 fps with the fastest hitting 432 fps.
Next is always the more enjoyable part of the review where I get to shoot at a paper target and see just how well the Bear River BR45 NBB CO2 BB Pistol can perform. Of course there is always human factor to consider, so take the results with a bit of a grain of salt. As always I shoot using a semi rested position with my hands on a sand bag up front and sitting in the rear on a stool. The target is setup 30 feet away and I generally aim for the center of the target. In this case I noticed the Bear River BR45 NBB CO2 BB Pistol shot a bit high so I aimed at the bottom of the target rings rather than the center bullseye. The bulk of the shot were in or close to the bullseye producing a 3 inch grouping. Seven of the shots were very tight and all within about a 1 inch grouping with 3 shots spread out around the outside of that group, so maybe it was just me or maybe it was the gun? You decide for yourself but I would say the Bear River BR45 NBB CO2 BB Pistol was trying really hard to shoot within 1 inch at 30 feet away.
The results from my Field Test for the Bear River BR45 NBB CO2 BB Pistol where what I expected as I have tested many similar version of this same type of NBB CO2 BB Pistol. It seems like I have had a bunch lately! I do like the slightly larger size of the BR45 along with the fingered grips and white dot sights front and back which make it a bit easier to hold and aim. It performed well exceeding the claimed fps and once considering it shot a bit high out of the box, I was able to get most of the shots in or really close to the bullseye. If you want a fun action plinker that is low cost to buy and shoot, then I recommend considering the Bear River BR45 NBB CO2 BB Pistol as an option for your next Replica Airgun purchase.
In this Field Test Shooting Video I shoot my Crosman 2240 CO2 .22 Caliber Pellet Pistol here in the Replica Airguns Indoor Sea Can Shooting Range and find out just what we can expect in terms of power and accuracy. I do this by first placing 4-5 rounds through mu Chronograph and average them out to see what the fps velocity is. I then shoot 10 rounds at a paper target setup 30 feet away to see just how tight of a grouping I can get! If you are more interested in specifications and details along with some closer up video of the Crosman 2240 CO2 .22 Caliber Pellet Pistol then checkout my Table Top Video located here.
So on with the Filed Test Shooting Video I first placed 4 shots through my Chronograph using a fresh CO2 along with Crosman flathead wadcutter lead pellets that weigh around 15 grain each. The temperature here in the Replica Airguns Sea Can was around 20C or 70F so close to what is considered average room temperatures. My slowest shot through the Chronograph was 412 and my fastest shot was 419 averaging 415 fps. Crosman claims the 2240 CO2 .22 Caliber Pellet Pistol is capable of 460 fps, so we were close and this was with mid weight lead pellets so lighter pellets would for sure hit that claimed velocity.
Next up was the accuracy test where I proceeded to shoot 10 rounds into a fresh pepper target setup 30 feet down range. As always I was using a semi rested shooting position with my hands rested on a paper target up front and seated on a stool in the back which does help me with shot placement but there will still be some human factor to consider as in the one shot that I pulled pretty hard to the right of the main grouping. With that one stray removed from the grouping I was able to get around a 1.25 inch 10 shot grouping with several of the shots hitting right on top of each other. Not bad with open sights and my aging eye sight. I know most people could do better especially with an upgraded sighting system as the Crosman’s stock open sights are pretty basic. Right out of the box without any sight adjustments my grouping hit just a tad high and slightly to the left but the sights on the Crosman 2240 CO2 .22 Caliber Pellet Pistol are fully adjustable but kind finicky so it will take a bit to get this Pellet Pistol dialed in.
for well under a hundred dollars Canadian the Crosman 2240 CO2 .22 Caliber Pellet Pistol is great value and fully capable as a target or even small pest control Air Pistol. You will need to take some time dialing in the sights and getting used to it to get sub 1 inch 30-40 foot shots but it is totally possible. Crosman has been making versions if this Air Pistol for decades so you know it is going to be reliable and consistent and you can mod this gun in so many ways to get even better ease of use and improved performance out of it so if you don’t have a fairly compact target pellet pistol in your collection, than perhaps it is time to pick one up!
If you are looking for a proper shooting video view for the Barra 380 NBB CO2 BB Pistol that get’s right to the meat and potatoes without any time waisting fluff, then you came to the right place. In this video I test out the actual real world velocity and accuracy of the Barra 380 in the Replace Airguns in door Sea Can Airgun Shooting Range. If you are more interested in details and specifications or perhaps some close up video of the Barra 380 NBB CO2 BB Pistol then checkout my Table Top Video Review here.
So let’s get right to it! For my Chronograph Test I put a brand new 12 gram CO2 into the Berra 380, I made sure everything was about room temperature 20C - 69F (Gun, CO2 and shooting area), and then proceed to shoot 5 rounds through my Chronograph. I was able to average 407 fps which is damn close to Berra’s claim of 410 fps so this first test was a pass!
For my Accuracy Test I used my standard 30 foot paper target setup where I sit on a stool in the back with my hands rested on a sand bag up front. This allows for pretty stable shooting with less human factor than an unrested shooting position. It is not perfect but gives us an idea of the potential of the Barra 380 NBB CO2 BB Pistol. I proceeded to shoot 10 rounds into a fresh pepper target and got what I would say was a 2 inch grouping again from 30 feet away. There are no sight adjustment on the Barra 380 so I was hoping my grouping would be close to the bullseye and it was. Just a bit high but fairly well centered left and right. If you are aiming at a pop can 30 feet away you would most lily hit it every time near the top of the can if you placed your aim point at the bottom of the can (Just a Tip).
So how did the Barra 380 NBB CO2 BB Pistol do? Pretty good and kind of as expeceted. I have shot a bunch of these CO2, NBB, DAO Trigger, Stick Magazine, BB Pistols that have the exact same mechanic internal attributes but with a different skin on the outside. And they generally do a good job of compromising between price, function, power, CO2 efficiency, accuracy, realism and fun factor. If you like more of a Beretta look then perhaps the Barra 380 NBB CO2 BB Pistol is the right choice in one of these fairly basic NBB CO2 BB Pistols but take a look around the Replica Airguns store and see what else may catch your eye.
I have already reviewed several Crosman 357 Pellet/BB Revolvers in the past like the Crosman Vigilante which also has the ability to shoot both .177 caliber pellets and 4.5mm Steel BB’s, (Really they all are with the right magazine). With the Vigilante my pellet chronograph tests got similar results but with Steel BB’s the Crosman Vigilante did a lot better than my Crosman Triple Threat CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver using a similar 6 inch barrel. As expected both the Crosman Vigilante and the Crosman Triple Threat did about the same in terms of accuracy getting better results with pellets over Steel BB’s.
Starting with the velocity portion of my Indoor Field Test Shooting video, I placed a brand new 12 gram CO2 into the Crosman Triple Threat CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver and tested out some 7 grain .177 caliber Lead Pellets. I averaged 382 fps in what I would consider normal indoor temperature ranges so you can expect a bit higher velocities in warmer conditions. Moving on to 4.5mm 5.1 grain Steel BB’s, I averaged quite a bit lower velocity at 288 fps. I was surprise since it was almost 100 fps lower than the heavier 7 grain lead pellets. The logical reason for this is that lead Pellets fit the barrel much more snug, stoping any CO2 from getting around them which helps increase the velocity over Steel BB’s which are a hard metal and need to be slightly smaller in diameter and therefore do let some CO2 get by reducing the pressure behind them.
For the accuracy porting of the the Indoor Field Test I shot 10 rounds for my pellet magazine first and then 6 rounds for the BB magazine, simply because this is how many rounds each magazine holds… Makes sense right? Even with the pellet magazine holding 10 rounds over the BB magazine’s 6 rounds, the Pellet magazine was still able to get a much tighter grouping at around 1 inch over the BB target which was closer to 3 inches. BB’s seemed to really like to hook a bit with the Crosman Triple Threat CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver, so I would for sure go with pellets if accuracy is importatn to you. Both pellets and BB’s shot a little bit high and to the left from the bulls-eye but that can easily be adjusted with the fully adjustable rear sight.
The Crosman Triple Threat performed rather as expected and was not a big surprise other than the BB’s really having a much lower velocity this time around. It is clear to me that I would not waste my time shooting Steel BB’s unless this is all I had on hand as they where not only much slower but also a lot less accurate. Over time the steel BB’s could damage the rifled steel barrel effecting future pellet accuracy. The Crosman Triple Threat CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver offers a lot of options with ammo choice and barrel choice that alter it’s looks and even performance to some degree but if you want a Crosman 357 type CO2 Revolver than it for sure gives you the most flexibility.
On with the show… First I shot five rounds through my Chronograph using a brand new CO2 in what I would consider to be room temperaterer (20C or 70F). Sig Sauer claims their MCX Rattler shoots around 325 fps and in my testing I got a five shot average of 318 with my slowest shot hitting 298 and my fastest shot hitting 346. So I would say Sig is right on the mark here.
I then setup a fresh pepper target 30 feet away and loaded up a full magazine (30 rounds) for my accuracy test where I first shot in 10 rounds in semi auto and then the remaining 20 rounds in three round burst. I would say I was able to get around a 2 inch grouping in semi auto but I did have to shoot aiming on the bottom of the rings and I was using the flattened sights rather than the pop up sights as you have two options with the Sig Sauer MCX Rattler CO2 BB Rifle. Once I switched the selector to three round burst, my grouping really did not change all that much, maybe 3 inches at most and that was with 20 rounds.
The Sig Sauer MCX Rattler CO2 BB Rifle is a lot of fun, it is by far not the most powerful blowback full auto-ish Blowback BB Rifle out there but it performs decent and looks really good. The internal blowback action does give you a slight tapping feel and it does allow for a true single action trigger. If you want a rather compact Blowback BB Rifle with Sig licensing and branding along with Sig quality then take a look at the Sig Sauer MCX Rattler CO2 BB Rifle. Did I mention it was really affordable too?
Type: BB Rifle. Manufacturer: Sig Sauer ASP Model: Sig Sauer MCX Rattler Materials: Metal and Nylon Fiber build. Weight: 4.6 Pounds (2.1 kg). Barrel: 7 inch (17.8 cm) steel non-rifled. Propulsion: Single 12 gram CO2. Action: Semi auto and 3 round burst with internal blowback (single action only trigger). AmmunitionType: 4.5mm Steel BB’s. AmmunitionCapacity: 30 rounds spring fed. Velocity: Claimed of 325 fps.
TriggerPull: The trigger pull on the Sig Sauer MCX Rattler CO2 BB Rifle is a single action only trigger that requires initial activation of the charging handle, after the first shot the internal blowback action will do this automatically for each followup shot. The single action only trigger is fairly short with a light pull and predictable release, great for action shooting. You also have the option of shooting in true semi auto (one trigger pull and one shot) or selecting 3 round burst mode which allows for one pull of the trigger with 3 rounds in full auto.
Accuracy: I really don’t have much feedback to give here as I have only shot a single magazine so far with the Sig Sauer MCX Rattler CO2 BB Rifle in a very uncontrolled format as I was not so much testing it out but rather just having some initial fun to see what it was all about. I will of course be following up this Table Top Review with a Field Test Review shortly to find out what the actual velocity is and see how accurate it is in both semi auto and 3 round burst mode.
BuildQuality: The build quality for the Sig Sauer MCX Rattler CO2 BB Rifle is really good considering it is mostly all plastic on the outside. It does feel solid and well built when holding it in the hand. From what I can tell the metal parts would include the barrel, the charging handle, the main controls and also much of the internal components inside both the rifle and the magazine. I would have liked to have seen a metal flash hider and perhaps the pop-up Iron sights could have also been metal.
Realism: The Sig Sauer MCX Rattler CO2 BB Rifle is a 1 to 1 scale very realistic Replica of the real steel Sig Sauer Rattler normally chambered in 5.56 NATO. It would have been nice if the dust cover opened up when charging the Airgun for realism but most of the other controls work as expected, like the charging handle, selector switch, magazine release and I am not sure but maybe even the bolt release, I will know more when I make my Field Test Shooting video for the Sig Sauer MCX Rattler.
Pros:
Perfect size and weight for a fun BB semi / full auto shooter.
Fully adjustable pop up sights that are usable in both the down and up position,
Lots of accessory mounting options with the picatinny top rail and MLOCK in the sides and bottom.
Folding rear stock allows for a compact size and much easier transportation.
Ambidextrous selector switch.
Can shoot in both semi and 3 round burst modes.
Very solid AR15 type magazine that holds the 30 4.5mm steel BB’s and the single 12 gram CO2.
Reasonably priced at around $250 at the time of this video.
Sig Sauer licensing.
Cons:
Only uses a single CO2, two would have been better in a fast action shooter like this to maintain fps.
325 fps seems a bit low.
Lots of plastic but build quality does feel good.
Comments:
The Sig Sig Sauer MCX Rattler CO2 BB Rifle reminds me a lot of the Umarex Steel Storm and Steel Force which are both Compact AR type Semi and Burt mode 4.5mm CO2 Blowback Airguns. Where the Sig Sauer MCX Rattler CO2 BB Rifle shines, is in the quality and realism as compared the Umarex counterparts. I do like that both the Umarex Steel Storm and Steel Force use dual 12 gram CO2 cartridges which I feel allows them to have more consistent velocity and performance as compared to the single CO2 in the Sig Sauer MCX Rattler CO2 BB Rifle. My First impressions without really testing the Sig Sauer MCX Rattler are all pretty positive but it will really come down to how well it performs and so I will put my recommendations on hold until I actually test it out!
My Table Top Review of the Sig Sauer MCX Rattler CO2 BB Rifle:
I love making these Mystery Box Unboxing Videos as many of the items inside are actually real mysteries to me, some I may have an idea of but even these items are new to me so it’s fun to open them up and check them all out. In this October 2023 Mystery Box Video I checkout 9 items ranging from AEG Airsoft Rifles to Airsoft , BB and Pellet Pistols. There is even a new Steel BB product from Sig Sauer that is a compact rifle with a 3 round burst option when shooting.
30 feet is not really a long enough distance to test out a Spring Piston Break Barrel Air Rifle but it’s been pretty rainy outside as the weather here in British Columbia has progresses into full on rainy fall weather. So we will have to make do with the 30 foot limitation I have here in the Replica Airguns Sea Can Indoor Shooting Range. At least it is warm and the lighting is perfect :) In this Filed Test Shooting Video for the Beeman Black Panther Dual Caliber Break Barrel Pellet Rifle I test out the velocity in fps along with the accuracy at 30 feet away. For both of these tests I use 15.43 grain .22 caliber Gamo lead pellets. If you are more invested in details and specifications along with some closer up video then watch my Table Top Video for the Beeman Black Panther.
Beeman claims just under 500 fps for the Beeman Black Panther Dual Caliber Break Barrel Pellet Rifle but it is unclear if this is with .177 caliber or .22 caliber pellets and what kind of pellet are being used? Light weigth Alloy or standard Lead pellets. I decided to go with the .22 caliber barrel for all my testing but may try out the .177 caliber barrel in a future update Field Test Video. I placed 5 shots through my Chronograph using the 15.43 grain .22 caliber lead pellets and was able to get an average velocity of 422 fps. The slowest shot was 418 fps with the fastest shot hitting a max of 429 fps so all fairly close together. In terms of energy output, a pellet that weighs 15.43 grain travelling at 422 fps has a foot pound energy of 6.1.
I am not the best shot when it comes to sprig Piston Air Rifles, but I did my best here. I shot a total of 8 shots on the paper target and the main group was about 1 inch in diameter, this consisted of 6 pellets in that main group with 2 pellets that came out one shot a bit high and one shot a bit to the right. I was using the built in post and notch fiber optic sights rather than installing the 4x32 scope. After all the target was only 30 feet away. I am pretty sure one could easily get a .5 inch grouping at this range with perhaps a 1 inch grouping at distances closer to the 50-60 foot mark, which should make this a decent pest control option when using the .22 caliber ammo as I feel it would get the job done with a bit more authority.
The Beeman Black Panther Dual Caliber Break Barrel Pellet Rifle comes with two barres offering the ability to shoot using .177 caliber pellets or .22 caliber pellets with a quick barrel change. .177 caliber pellets could be used for smaller pest control but I would mainly use the .177 barrel for basic target practice as .177 caliber pellets are definitely cheaper than .22 caliber pellets. When you do require that slight additional stopping power, then go with the .22 caliber barrel for sure!
I don’t get to test out Bolt Action Airsoft Sniper type Rifles all that often but I do enjoy them for sure. I would like to test out the S&T Matrix KAR98K Bolt Action Airsoft Rifle using longer ranges than I can here in the Replica Airguns Indoor Sea Can Shooting Range but hopefully this Filed Test Review gives you an idea of what this Spring powered Bolt Action Airsoft Rifle can do. Make sure to watch my Table Top Review for the S&T Matrix KAR98K Bolt Action Airsoft Rifle for details, specifications and closer up video. In this video I mainly test out the velocity and accuracy at 30 feet away to see what the actual fps is and how tight of a 10 shot grouping I can get on a paper target.
Starting with the velocity test, I generally put 5 rounds through my Chronograph and then average them out for a real world rating. In this test I used standard .20 gram Airsoft BB’s for both the velocity and accuracy components of the video. I was very impressed with the consistency of the velocity with the slowest shot hitting 362 fps and the fastest shot hitting 363 fps averaging 362.5 fps and only having a 1 fps maximum difference between all shots. Pretty good right? Consistent velocity is very important for any sniper type rifle as if there is a large spread in velocity this can reduce elevation accuracy down range.
In terms of accuracy I was again very impressed with my results. For my target test I setup a fresh paper target 30 feet away and proceeded to shoot 10 rounds into it. I did have to reset for each shot as I had to manually work the bolt after each shot, this can affect accuracy but it did not seem to all that much. I was using a seated position in the back with my hands rested on a sand bag up front which does hep settle things down. Even with having to reset between each shot, I still managed to get close to a 1 inch 10 shot grouping, one shot did shoot just a bit high but that was probably me pulling it a bit. Out of the box with no sight adjustments the S&T Matrix KAR98K Bolt Action Airsoft Rifle shot almost dead center in the bullseye, it is fairly easy to adjust the elevation using the rear sight but there is no easy way to adjust for windage using the built in iron sights.
I know this is a Field Test Shooting Video and so it’s not really all about build or quality. That said I do love the quality and attention to detail the S&T Matrix KAR98K Bolt Action Airsoft Rifle has and the fact that it performs really well too is a big bonus. One last point I did not even mention in the Field Test Video is that Was able to load a lot more than 11 rounds into the magazine. I stoped at 19 as the spring was getting on the tight side, but may have been able to load more? If you’re looking for a sniper rifle with a history and that will stand out in a game then take a look at the S&T Matrix KAR98K Bolt Action Airsoft Rifle as an option.
In this Field Test Shooting Review Video I test out the Bear River Black Ops SR4 CQ AEG Airsoft Rifle (which I would consider to be a midrange AEG Airsoft Rifle) to see how it performs in the Replica Airguns Sea Can Indoor Shooting Range. As always this test is to see what the real world velocity is using .20 gram Airsoft BB’s and I also shoot 10 rounds in semi auto and then essentially a mag dump in full auto to see what kind of accuracy I can get from 30 feet away shooting in both shooting modes. If you want more info on details and specifications along with some closer up video of the Bear River Black Ops SR4 CQ AEG Airsoft Rifle then watch my Table Top Video Review here.
Starting with the velocity or fps portion of my review, my 5 shot average produced 320 fps that was very consistent shot to shot. My lowest velocity was 319 while my highest velocity was 322 so not a big spread at all. This may seem a bit low but keep in mind it is a CQ (Close Quarters) Compact AEG Rifle purpose built for that situation, It is not really made for outdoor shooting where longer range shooting may be required.
For my Accuracy test, I placed a paper target 30 feet down range and actually ended up having to make this portion of my Test Video twice as two of my cameras did not cooperate with me and I do like to get multiple camera angels to make the videos a bit more interesting. For my second test I was able to get around a 1 inch group shooting 10 shots in semi auto. I did find the Bear River Black Ops SR4 CQ AEG Airsoft Rifle shot rather high so I had to place my aim point at the bottom of the rings on the papper target. This resulted in mid point shots but it did shoot a bit to the right. I would invest in either a red dot or perhaps some more adjustable iron sights for this Airsfot Rifle. As always I was shooting using a semi rested position sitting on a stool in the back rested on a sand bag up front. When I switched the sector to smile mode (Full Auto) I essentially did a mag dump of my remaining 50-60 rounds resulting in the grouping opening up to around 3 inches but this is expected with all those rounds being added to the grouping. Recoil was not really a factor as AEG Rifles don’t really move around all that much.
Overal the Bear River Black Ops SR4 CQ AEG Airsoft Rifle performed well for me in this Field Test Review. the FPS may seem a bit low but at close range it is more than enough and you don’t have to worry about hurting anyone so you can keep your mind on the game at hand. Accuracy was also in line with a mid range AEG Airsoft Rifle, perhaps even a bit better than most. The Bear River Black Ops SR4 CQ AEG Airsoft Rifle does come with a basic battery and charger but along with a better sighting system I would also invest in upgraded batters and charger to really complete this purchase. With the quad rail setup you can really make this AR Airsoft AEG your own in terms of customization, all that can be added at any time.
Type: Airsoft Rifle. Manufacturer: Bear River. Model: Black Ops SR4 CQ Materials: Mostly Metal. Weight: 6.2 pounds (2.8 kilograms). Length: 24-27.5 inches (610-699mm) BarrelLength: 7.8 inches (198mm) inner 6.06mm non-rifled. Propulsion: AEG. Action: Semi & Full Auto SAO. AmmunitionType: 6mm Airsoft BB's. AmmunitionCapacity: Mid Cap 300 rounds. FPS: 370 using .20 gram Airsoft BB’s.
TriggerPull: The trigger pull on the Bear River Black Ops SR4 CQ AEG Airsoft Rifle like pretty much every other AEG Airsoft Rifle I have reviewed is a SAO with a light and short trigger, typical of most AEG Airsoft guns having basically a trigger that is an electrical on/off switch. The trigger pressure I would say is about medium for this type of trigger and about a 1/4 inch in length. It has a curved metal trigger and works as expected.
Accuracy: I have not Field Test Reviewed the Bear River Black Ops SR4 CQ AEG Airsoft Rifle so far but I can only hope it performs as well as the Bear River Black Ops SR4 CQ AEG Airsoft Rifle I reviewed already as it really surprised me for such a low cost entry level AEG Airsoft Rifle. Bear River claims around a 370fps using .20 gram Airsoft BB’s but they do recommend using .25 gram or heavier Plastic BB’s. We will find out when I do my actual Field Test Shooting Video for it. Similar with accuracy, we will have to wait till my shooting video to know how the Bear River Black Ops SR4 CQ AEG Airsoft Rifle performs on a paper target in the Replica Airguns Indoor Sea Can Shooting range.
Build Quality: Build quality for the Bear River Black Ops SR4 CQ AEG Airsoft Rifle is exceptional with nearly the entire Airsoft Rifle made out of some sort of metal including the receiver, hadn't guard, buffer tube, barrel, sights, trigger, charging handle, sights and all of the controls. Internally you will find a full metal Gen. 3 gearbox from SRC with with 8 mm metal bearing bushings, metal spring guide, upgraded metal piston head, cylinder, and cylinder head, and pre-shimmed all steel gears. The Hop-up is also metal and Bear River has installed a high torque long axle motor from SRC along with a metal hop-up.
Realism: The Bear River Black Ops SR4 CQ AEG Airsoft Rifle like so many other AEG AR type Airsoft Rifles is super realistic, with the Black Ops SR4 CQ it takes it to the next level with so much equality and metal everywhere. Because of this it is fairly heavy for such a compact AR Rilfe coming in at over 6 pounds which does make it feel super solid to hold.
Pros:
Super compact CQ style AR.
Comes with charger and 9.6 volt Ni-MH battery to get you started.
Lots of mounting points for accessories.
Iron sights have 4 aperture option peep sight options.
6 position rear stock for different shoulder pull lengths.
Adjustable metal hop-up under dust cover.
Semi and full auto selectable.
Almost all metal build with good weight and feel to it.
Black Ops branding looks good.
Great looking Compact AR Replica.
Cons:
No dedicated bolt release.
Will want to upgrade battery soon to get the most out of it.
Sights are non adjustable.
Comments:
The Bear River Black Ops SR4 CQ AEG Airsoft Rifle for the price is a real deal as far as I am concerned selling currently for just over $400 in the Canada Replica Airguns Store, and $299 in the US Store. Keep in mind that also includes the 9.6 volt battery and charger to get you started, (I would recommend an 11.1 volt LIPO battery for higher RPM and a more responsive trigger). I really like more compact Rifles as I just like the look and they are easier to maneuver on the field or indoors with less bulk to get in the way. For the price you get a lot with the Bear River Black Ops SR4 CQ AEG Airsoft Rifle so if you are on a bit of a budget but still want all the bells and whistles then go for it!
Type: Airsoft Rifle. Manufacturer: Specna Arms. Model: RRA SA-CO2 Materials: Metal and Plastic. Weight: 4.96 pounds (2.25 kilograms). Length: 27.5-31 inches (699-787mm) BarrelLength: 10.63 inches (270mm) inner 6.03mm tight bore non-rifled. Propulsion: AEG. Action: Semi & Full Auto SAO. AmmunitionType: 6mm Airsoft BB's. AmmunitionCapacity: Mid Cap 450 rounds. FPS: 410 using .20 gram Airsoft BB’s.
TriggerPull: Like almost every other AEG Airsoft Rifle I’ve reviewed in the past, the trigger pull on the Specna Arms RRA SA-CO2 AEG Airsoft Rifle is a SAO with a light and short trigger feel. Most AEG Airsoft Rifles basically have a trigger that is an electrical on/off switch. The trigger pressure is not super light but for sure not heavy and the pull length is about a half centimeter long (quarter inch or so) and when you get to the end it basically actives the electric motor which compresses the spring allowing for semi or full auto shooting depending on what you have selected. Keep in mind higher voltage batteries will wind faster and make the hesitation shorter from the time you pull the trigger till the spring releases and shoots a BB.
Accuracy: In most cases I make my Table Top Review Video for each gun I review first, so I will not be able to share my experience of how this Specna Arms RRA SA-CO2 AEG Airsoft Rifle performs as that experience has not happened yet. I am planning to make my Field Test Shooting Video in a couple of weeks so stay posted for that video. You can watch a similar Specna Arms Core AEG Airsoft rifle video I have made previously showcasing a Core versus Edge series. The Specna Arms RRA SA-CO2 AEG Airsoft Rifle should performs about the same as a similar Core AEG Airsoft Rifle from Specna Arms.
Build Quality: Generally speaking from my past hands on with Sepcna Arms products both in Core and Edge version, they have been good in terms of quality and build. The Core versions will be a step down from the Edge version but they have still proven to perform well and hav a good overall build with decent internals no matter which version you decide to go with. I will say I did experience a problem with my Specna Arms RRA SA-CO2 AEG Airsoft Rifle when I pulled the charging handle back I had a fairly major malfunction with it. I am fairly sure the spring got jammed and now the charging handle will not spring back into forward resting position. This should not affect my Field Test Shooting Video as the only real purpose of this type of charging system is to open the dust cover and allow access to the hop-up system. I can still do this but need to pull back the hop door manually. Getting back to build quality, you get a plastic reacievr, buffer tube, carry handle, fore grip, magazine, rear stock and pistol grip. Metal can be found in most of the controls, the barrel and of course the trigger.
Realism: Other than the Specna Arms RRA SA-CO2 AEG Airsoft Rifle having a fair amount of plastic components it is a very realistic copy of a similar styled AR type Rifle. It will be a bit lighter but feels decent to hold and you can add a bit of mass by swapping out the carry hand and fore grip with metal versions.
Pros:
More classic AR15 look to it if you prefer that.
Quality components throughout even in the lower priced Core series.
ESA™ quick spring change system makes spring changes quick and easy.
Comes with two springs for potential indoor and outdoor usage.
Plastic parts are fiberglass reenforced making them very durable.
Fully adjustable peep sight with two aperture positions.
No orange tips on our Canada Store versions.
6 position rear stock for varies shoulder pull lengths.
Metal V2 Gearboxes with metal gears and mostly all metal parts inside.
Easy access to motor for any possible trouble shooting you any need to do.
Cons:
Plastic receiver.
Charging handle had a major malfunction in my demo unit.
You will need a more compact and specific battery size/type with this style of AR AEG.
Comments:
It is unfortunate that my review version of the Specna Arms RRA SA-CO2 AEG Airsoft Rifle was defective, this can happen to any product ever high end Airguns. It does not happen very often thankfully and this would be the first time it has happened to me with a Specna Arms Product so don’t be too hard on them. Fortunately I should still be able to make my Field test Shooting Video and get that info out to everyone. As it stands I think the Specna Arms RRA SA-CO2 AEG Airsoft Rifle is well priced and good value (in 100% working condition of course). Personally I would look more at the Edge series as the quality is a for sure a big step up but not everyone has a big budget so get what works best for your needs and budget.
