For those in the US, we just got some more Cybergun Tanfoglio Witness 1911 BB Pistols so if you had one on back order you should be getting a shipping confirmation email in the next few of days. And if you've been waiting for inventory then grab one up while you can!
We just received an order of KWC products so if you've been waiting for some out of stock items then go take a look! By the way, the KWC Beretta / Taurus full metal blowback BB and Airsoft versions now come semi and full auto enabled!
It's that time of year again and so once again, the anual Halloween Costume Contest Giveaway is here...
And in keeping with the weapons theme around here, the costumes must be weapons based so basically any costume that is based around a weapon of some sort is required to take part in this contest. You will need to send me a comment to this video that you have your Halloween Costume video uploaded and I will add it to my Halloween Contest 2013 Playlist.
Here are some ideas: Police, SWAT, Military, Navy Seal, Rebel Force, Ninja, Viking, Super Hero, Comic Character...
You get the idea!
The winner (Ultimately picked by everyone this time around) will receive a Cybergun Blackwater BW1911 R2 CO2 Blowback 4.5mm Steel BB Pistol.
And here are the official rules:
Looks like YouTube got rid of the Video Response feature without telling me ;)
May the best Cop, Soldier, Rebel, Ninja, Mercenary, Viking, Cave "Person" win!
Yet another option for you when looking to purchase a KWC/Cybergun Colt model 1911 or Beretta/Taurus M92. We started out with the Cybergun Tanfoglio Witness 1911 and GSG 92, then added the KWC non-licensed versions. Now we give you yet another option, the Cybergun distributed Swiss Arms P1911 and Swiss Arms P92, same BB guns but brandishing the Swiss Arms markings and licensing.
At the end of the day all of these blowback air pistols are basically the same, all of them are made by KWC, all are made to the same quality and all are totally awesome.
It may just come down to which one we have in stock or if you want that super clean look then go for the KWC model as the slides on the non-licensed versions tend to have no markings or warning instructions on them.
And yes we have all of these guns available in either our online Canada Replica Airguns Store or US Replica Airguns Store.
Our latest Contest Giveaway winner mumforddale1 got his Blackwater 1911 R2 CO2 Blowback 4.5mm BB Pistol and he has already posted his unboxing video with a nice shout-out to Replica Airguns for sending him his prize!
I originally made this Field Test Review Video a few months ago but had to pull it down because it featured two WE Products. The WE AK74-UN and the WE G18C which unfortunately looks a bit like a Glock. If you are not familiar with the video I made on the Glock Trademark Infringement Cease Order I received then you should probably watch that video, it will fill in some of the gaps on why I had to cut out the WE G18C portions from this video and repost it with only the parts that showcase the WE AK74-UN.
Anyways you can still read my Original Field Test Review post minus the video and photos of the WE G18C.
We have been out of the Cybergun Tanfoglio Witness and KWC 1911 styled Blowback BB pistols for w while now and have them on preorder (Still waiting), the good new is we just got in some Cybergun Swiss Arms branded versions which are exactly the same but with teh Swiss Arms licensing on the slide. Same gun same price so grab one while we still have them.
We have the Cybergun Swiss Arms 1911 Blowback 4.5mm BB pistols in both our Canada and US stores.
This gun has been discontinued and is no longer available, but check out these alternatives
Buy a similar gun from the US Replica Airguns Store:
Buy the Swiss Arms SA1911 SSP CO2 BB Pistol
Buy the Tanfoglio Witness 1911 BB Pistol Blowback
Buy the Swiss Arms SA1911 MRP CO2 BB Pistol
Buy a similar gun from Canada Replica Airguns Store:
Buy the Swiss Arms SA1911 SSP CO2 BB Pistol
Type: BB Machine Gun/Rifle.
Manufacturer: Umarex USA.
Model:Steel Force (AR Platform).
Materials: Plastic and some Metal.
Weight: 3.37 pounds (1529 grams).
Barrel: Metal non-rifled.
Propulsion: CO2 x 2.
Action: Semi and 6 round burst blowback, single action only.
Ammunition Type: 4.5mm BB's.
Ammunition Capacity: 300/30 round hopper/magazine.
FPS: 430+.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Umarex Steel Force CO2 BB Machine gun is single action only, so you will need to charge the rifle by pulling back the charging handle first, one this is done the trigger is reset and ready the gun is ready to shoot. The blowback operation charges the internal bolt automatically afterwards so keep this in mind, to release the bolt you will need to take out the CO2 magazine and press the trigger. The trigger is fairly light but has some initial take up and then a bit of creep before it releases the bolt.
Accuracy: I shot the Umarex Steel Force at a target from 30 feet away in a semi rested position using both the semi auto and 6 round burst modes, the Steel Force performed very good getting around a 1.5 inch 10 shot grouping in semi auto and then spreading out a bit in 6 round burst mode which was to be expected, still a respectable grouping. Shots where well centered on the target but I did have the advantage of using a red dot scope, I found when using the none adjustable open sights that come with the Umarex Steel Force that I was shooting under the target at closer ranges. My Chrony testing did not go exactly as planned due to my temperamental Chronograph but I was able to get two shots to read and they average out at 466 fps, well over the 430 claimed fps.
Build Quality: The Umarex Steel Force CO2 BB Rifle is mostly plastic on the outside with most of it's metal parts on the inside, you will find a metal flash hider, metal trigger and metal trigger guard but other than that everything else externally is plastic. The plastic seems durable enough but it has just a bit too much shine for me which I think makes it look less like metal and more like plastic. Everything seemed to function as expected but again I would have liked to have seen a bit more metal, not necessarily the outer shell, but I feel the selector switch, sights, magazine release, charging handle and front and back sights could have been made out of metal and would have given this Umarex rifle a bit more weight and balance.
Realism: The Umarex Steel Force CO2 BB Rifle is designed on the AR platform and for the most part is about the right size shape and look of an AR pr M16 rifle. Even the selector switch, magazine release, rear adjustable stock and Charging handle function just like a real AR! Some parts are model in just for looks like the bolt release, dust cover and forward assist but at least they fully look the part. The plastic for me was the real tell here as it kind of looks like plastic where as some plastic guns are really hard to tell they are not metal, but other than that this is a pretty decent replica of an AR Rifle.
Available From: The Replica Airguns Store.
Pros:
Higher than claimed fps.
Good accuracy in both semi and 6 round burst mode.
Got lots of shots per dual CO2 (Full Hopper).
Love the adjustable AR stock which was missing and needed on the Steel Storm.
Not a bad replica of an AR platform gun.
Full auto has a very high rate of fire.
Internal blowback does give a bit of recoil feedback feel.
Lots of rials for adding on accessories.
Price point is good for a fun dull auto BB rifle.
Cons:
Sights are non adjustable.
Plastic finish could have been a bit higher grade, like what most Airsoft AR's use.
Just a bit more metal would have been nice and added to the overall weight a bit: Selector, Magazine Release, Sights, Charging handle.
Comments:
The Umarex Steel Force CO2 BB Machine Gun is for sure an improvement over the Steel Storm, first of all it is a true replica of a real rifle in production (The AR/M16 platform), it also has a rear stock that is adjustable which makes shooting this gun on target so much more easier. Overall I feel it shoots better than the Steel Storm with improved accuracy and performance. With that said the Steel Storm is still a great BB machine gun if your looking for more of a pistol SMG design. For the low cost of the Steel Force you really can not go wrong, this BB machine gun will put a smile on your face every time you take it out to shoot it.
My Vimeo Table Top and Field Test Videos for the Umarex Steel Force BB Machine Gun:
I have some more anticipated items from Umarex to show you all, and a special thanks to Bradley from Umarex for sending them my way to review.
If you like the Steel Storm then you should for sure like the Umarex Steel Force, both models share some basic mechanical attributes like semi auto and 6 round burst blowback operation, duel 12 gram CO2 cartridges, 300 round BB hoppers and 30 round spring fed magazines. The Steel Force however is more of a "replica" as it is modeled on the AR platform including an adjustable rear stock which will come in handy taming the high rate of fire 6 round burst mode.
Next up from Umarex is a classic replica of the Luger P08, it's always nice to see some older classics made into BB shooters, it may be the only way some of us will get to experience them and from what I can tell, the Umarex Legends P08 is near spot on! You won't find blowback or even a lot of actual moving parts other than the trigger, the safety and magazine release but this BB gun is all metal and well built, it has a nice weight to it with a firm double action trigger.
My last review item is not a gun but rather a gun accessory, the Umarex T.A.C. Converter which transforms several Umarex pistols into tactical PDW's. The actual models supported are the: HK USP, S&W MP40, X.B.G, CZ Enforcer, Walther P99 DOA and the now retired Umarex SA 177. With the T.A.C. Converter wrapped around your pistol of choice you are all setup with a folding stock and foregrip, not to mention anything else you may want to add onto the rails.
Keep posted for my full reviews of these items from Umarex.
Watch my Vimeo Update Video for these Umarex Products:
I have not done a Table Top Review for the Blackwater BW1911 R2 Blowback BB Pistol but I have done a full Table Top and Field Test review for the KWC M1911 Model 1911 Tac A1 which is essentially the exact same gun as the Blackwater BW1911 R2 but without the silver highlights and Blackwater licensing.
I did want to take the Blackwater BW1911 R2 back a bit further than usual and shoot it from 30 feet out to see what kind of results I would get and got pretty close to a two inch group that was well centered but just a bit under the bulls eye. This is not going to be the hottest gun in terms of fps as my Chronograph confirmed for us coming in at just a bit over 300 fps. I can see this BB pistol hitting the claimed 320 fps and even faster on a hotter test day.
The beauty of the KWC/Cybergun 1911 serious is the true single action trigger and full blowback operation, these airguns look, operate and shoot just like a true model 1911 45 auto but of course with a bit less kick ;)
I did have one hiccup during my testing when the heavy blowback in combination with my high thumb position, knocked the safety into the safe position, other than that this CO2 Blowback BB Pistol performed very well for me and like the other KWC/Cybergun 1911's was a total joy to shoot.
Watch my full Video Field Test Shooting Vimeo Video below:
Type: Airsoft Pistol.
Manufacturer:Cybergun - VFC.
Model:Smith & Wesson M&P 9C.
Materials: Metal and Polymer.
Weight: 1.25 pounds (566 grams).
Barrel: 3 inches, metal non-rifled.
Propulsion: GBB - Green Gas or Propane.
Action: Semi & full auto, single action only with full blowback.
Ammunition Type: 6mm plastic Airsoft BB's.
Ammunition Capacity: 16 round full size drop out metal magazine.
FPS: 280+.
Trigger Pull: The Single Action Only trigger pull on the Cybergun - VFC Smith & Wesson M&P 9C GBB Airsoft Pistol is kind of what I would expect form the real Smith & Wesson M&P 9C, fairly light with a small amount of take-up and creep but still fairly short. And the trigger safety actually works just the same as the real steel Smith & Wesson M&P 9C!
Accuracy: I have already done my dedicated Field Test Shooting Video for the Cybergun - VFC Smith & Wesson M&P 9C GBB Airsoft Pistol so check out the link here, This very short barreled pistol is not going to win any target shooting contests but it faired well and even shot a bit tighter groupings and higher fps than I expected. Most importantly it worked exactly as it was supposed to without any problems.
Build Quality: The Cybergun - VFC Smith & Wesson M&P 9C GBB Airsoft Pistol is extremely well built and you will find metal and polymer in pretty much the same places as you would find on a real S&W M&P 9C. Fit and finish and quality of materials seems really good, I am really happy with the work VFC is doing with their guns, at least from what I see here with their Smith & Wesson M&P 9C GBB Airsoft Pistol.
Realism: The Cybergun - VFC Smith & Wesson M&P 9C GBB Airsoft Pistol is based on the real steel version Smith & Wesson M&P 9C and I have to say this is one of the most bang on replications of any gun I have seen, you would have to get right up close to tell the difference and only then if you looked at either the magazine or you could see the inner Airsoft barrel. This gun is juts that realistic. There is Smith & Wesson licensing and marking all over this gun and even the white warning instructions on the right side of the slide. Of course this Airsoft Replica Pistol field strips and functions just like the real Smith & Wesson M&P 9C Pistol.
Purchase it from:The Replica Airguns Store
Pros:
Very good weight and solid feeling gun for being so compact.
Full size drop out metal magazine.
Nice snappy blowback action.
Excellent fit and finish.
Extremely accurate looking and working Smith & Wesson M&P 9C - Fully licensed..
Rear sight is adjustable for windage.
White dot sights for quick target acquisition
Working trigger safety
Fully field strip-able.
Cons:
Comes with an orange tip not required for Canada.
White dot sights need to be install?
Right side slide catch-release is for show only - non-functioning.
Comments:
Overall the Cybergun - VFC Smith & Wesson M&P 9C GBB Airsoft Pistol as I said is really a wonderful replica in terms of realism in looks and function, I wish all Airsoft guns and Airguns paid this much attention to the details. But more than that, the Cybergun - VFC Smith & Wesson M&P 9C is really well put together and even though it is small it feels tuff and well made. I could see myself using this exact pistol as a backup gun for some future Airsoft battles :) I hope to have the opportunity to review more guns made by VFS down the road...
My Vimeo Video Review for the Cybergun - VFC Smith & Wesson M&P 9C GBB Airsoft Pistol:
Type: BB Pistol.
Manufacturer:Cybergun - KWC.
Model:Tanfoglio Gold Custom.
Materials: Almost entirely all Metal.
Weight: 2.96 pounds (1344 grams).
Barrel: 4 inches, metal non-rifled.
Propulsion: 12 gram CO2.
Action: Semi auto, single action only with full blowback.
Ammunition Type: 4.5mm steel BB's.
Ammunition Capacity: 20 round full size drop out metal magazine.
FPS: 300+.
Trigger Pull: The Single Action Only trigger pull on the Cybergun - KWC Tanfoglio Gold Custom Blowback BB Pistol is what you would expect for a gun made specifically for IPSC styled shooting, it is nice and light with a very short take up and smooth release. Exactly what you would be looking for when wanting to shoot accurately and quickly!
Accuracy: I have already done my dedicated Field Test Shooting Video for the Tanfoglio Gold Custom Blowback BB pistol so check out the link here, I can tell you it shot a very nice tight grouping and stayed on target between shots very well, it also got a bit higher than claimed fps which is always nice for a Blowback steel BB shooter.
Build Quality: The Tanfoglio Gold Custom Blowback BB Pistol is well built being that it is pretty much entirely metal (even the grips), It weighs in at almost three pounds so be prepared for a heavy gun, the tolerances are very good with very little slide slop and the seems are virtually non existent on this air pistol, the golden brown color is unique and I kind of like the way the writing on the gun blends into the color of the gun so it does not stand out too much.
Realism: The Cybergun - KWC Tanfoglio Gold Custom Blowback BB Pistol is based loosely on a CZ 75 styled pistol, Cybergun - KWC has taken some liberties in restyling it to some degree and really made this pistol look the part of a dedicated target shooter. In terms of functioning and looking like a real gun it has it all, full size drop out metal magazine, full blowback operation, full slide lock back and of course it can be field striped if need be.
Purchase it from:The Replica Airguns Store
Pros:
All metal construction - Good weight and very solid feeling gun.
Full size drop out metal magazine.
Heavy and snappy blowback action.
Good fit and finish.
Well balanced, so even with heavy blowback the gun stays on target.
Light and smooth single action trigger for quick followup shots.
Very Good accuracy, and a bit better than claimed fps.
Come with sight rail for mounting a red dot sight.
Would make a nice entry level IPSC trainer.
Cons:
Does not come with iron sights of any kind.
Not a lot of shots per CO2 about three magazines.
Sacrifice fps and shots per CO2 because of the heavy blowback but worth it.
Need to remove compensator to field strip the gun.
Comments:
Overall the Cybergun - KWC Tanfoglio Gold Custom Blowback BB Pistol is a great gun to shoot, I found it to be one of the nicest balanced guns I have shot to date which allowed me to shoot this blowback BB pistol really quickly and yet stay right on target even with the heavy and snappy blowback operation. I was pleased to see it even come in a bit higher than the claimed fps from Cybergun. The heavy all metal three pound weight and good fit and finish makes this airgun a nice choice if your looking for an action shooter that performs very well.
My Vimeo Video Review for the Cybergun - KWC Tanfoglio Gold Custom Blowback BB Pistol:
All references, photos and video claiming that any item in this review/video looks like a Glock or is a Replica of a Glock in any way shape or form have been removed from this post as requested by Glock "Renzulli Law Firm"
I almost forgot to do my field test review for my WE AK-74UN & WE G18C Tactical GBB Airsoft Pistol and Rifle! I decided to do them both together on this one but I still did my usual full testing for both guns which consisted of my Chronograph, Target and Can destruction along with some high speed slow motion of the blowback action of both guns in full auto mode.
Photo of WE G18C Removed by Request from Glock "Renzulli Law Firm"
Your best bet is to watch my Youtube video and see how both of these WE Airsoft guns perform. Overall they are both rally nice and super realistic, the WE G18C Tactical is definitely the full auto monster here while the AK-74UN is the bull in the China store with its crazy heavy blowback action, it has so much recoil that when shooting in full auto it kind of runs our of steam near the end, not so with the WE G18C as it did not slow down even with the 50 round magazine loaded up!
The WE AK-74UN even with it's crazy recoil holds on target very well in semi and full auto and of course has the superior fps performance. I found when shooting the G18C in full auto, I needed to hold my aim-point low as the blowback and super fast cycle rate wanted to pull the gun up and over my target, same would be true with a real gun so no surprise here.
Photo of WE G18C Removed by Request from Glock "Renzulli Law Firm"
I filmed this video Field Test Shooting Review of my Cybergun VFC Smith & Wesson M&P 9C GBB Airsoft Pistol alongside my Cybergun Tanfoglio Gold Custom which I already posted, both guns performed very well for me. I am supper impressed with the realism of the Cybergun VFC Smith & Wesson M&P 9C and was hopping that the testing would prove this Airsoft pistol to be equally as good of a shooter as it is a looker and I was not let down. It's not going to win any awards for super high fps or tight accuracy but it did a nice job overall and most importantly it worked without any problems whatsoever.
I shot this Cybergun blowback Airsoft pistol using .20 gram Airsoft BB's through my Chrony Chronograph and got just under 300 fps which is not bad for such a compact short barreled GBB Airsoft pistol. I also shot 5 rounds first in semi auto at the target from 20 feet out using a semi rested position (resting on a sand bag up front and kneeling in the back) and the S&W M&P 9C shot a respectable 2 inch grouping. When I switched over to full auto and blasted the last 10 rounds it was pretty much a spray and pray but who cares it was fun and if anyone was standing in front of that they where gonna get hit for sure.
I really like the Cybergun VFC Smith & Wesson M&P 9C GBB Airsoft Pistol , not just because it really looks the part, it also feels solid and well built, everything about it seems to be very high quality and the shooting performance is no letdown either. This may even be one of my favorite Airsoft pistols! Look forward to my upcoming Table Top Review for this very fine Cybergun Airsoft Pistol...
I kind of "jumped the gun" a bit today (pun intended), I just felt like shooting one of my newer guns I had waiting for me to review. I actually shot and filmed this Cybergun Tanfoglio Gold Custom Blowback BB Pistol and my Cybergun Smith & Wesson M&P 9C GBB Airsoft Pistol both at the same time, what can I say, the weather was nice and I wanted to shoot something :)
As per usual I shot this blowback BB pistol through my Chronograph and actually got a much higher than the 300 claimed 5 shot average fps of 341. I kind of had a feeling right out of the box this gun had more in it! I also shot 10 rounds at the target from 20 feet out using a semi rested position (resting on a sand bag up front and kneeling in the back). Again the Cybergun Tanfoglio Gold Custom Blowback BB Pistol performed very well shooting a tight 1 inch grouping. When I free handed it and rattled off the remaining 7-8 rounds left in the magazine the grouping only widened to about 2 inches, this may be in part to the heavy weight and good balance and stability of the Cybergun Tanfoglio Gold Custom.
Since this 4.5mm Steel BB pistol does not come with any iron sights, you will need to purchase a red dot, I was fortunate enough to find a very nice silver matchup at my local surplus store that worked out well with this airgun. The magazine does claim to hold 18 rounds but 17 is a bit better fit, I was able to get off three magazine s before the CO2 fizzled out. One of the nicest traits this guns has to offer is the very smooth, short and light single action trigger which in part I am sure helped me get that 1 inch 10 round grouping. Another factor that may help the accuracy of the Tanfoglio Gold Custom is the fact that even though the blowback is decent, the 3 pounds of steel holding this airgun in place keep movement to a minimum.
All in all this is a really great IPSC styled BB shooter with a unique and ultra modern look, kind of like a CZ 75 on steroids you could say. It shot very nicely for me and even performed better than claimed and better than expected. Although I did have an idea this CO2 Blowback BB Pistol was going to impress!
I received some review BB and Airsoft guns and as I often like to do, I made a quick Update Vimeo Video for you. This way I can show them off real quickly so you get at least a bit of a taste of what's in store...
Below are the guns I show you in todays Update Video!
ASG CZ 75D GNB 4.5mm BB Compact CO2 Pistol:
4.5mm Steel BB
17 Round Full Size Drop Out Metal Magazine
400 FPS
Adjustable Rear Sight
Working Slide
Built-in Accessory Rail
1.3 Pounds (595 grams)
Cybergun Blackwater 1911 R2 Blowback CO2 4.5mm BB Air Pistol:
4.5mm Steel BB
18 Round Full Size Drop Out Metal Magazine
312 FPS
Full Blowback Operation
Blackwater Licensed
Built-in Accessory Rail
2.04 Pounds (925 grams)
This product is no longer available. Check out these similar guns instead:
Cybergun Tanfoglio Gold Custom 4.5mm BB Blowback Air Pistol:
4.5mm Steel BB
18 Round Full Size Drop Out Metal Magazine
300 FPS
Full Blowback Operation
Compensator and Sight Rail
2.96 Pounds (1343 grams)
Cybergun Smith & Wesson M&P 9C GBB Airsoft Pistol:
6mm Airsoft BB's
16 Round Full Size Drop Out Metal Magazine
300 FPS
Full Blowback Operation
Semi & Full Auto
1.25 Pounds (567 grams)
Sport Smoke Tactical Smoke Grenade:
Cool Burning
Biodegradable
Smoke Output of 10,000Cubic Feet
75 Second Duration
Made in the USA
We have added some items to the Canada and US Replica Airguns Stores, most are completely new items and one is a Canada only item we added to the US store!
KWC 1911 Tac A1 Blowback CO2 Steel BB Pistol
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, Double Action, SA/DA
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.
We have added some additional ASG products to our US Replica Airguns Store...
Type: Airsoft GBB Rifle.
Manufacturer:WE.
Model:AK74UN.
Materials: Metal & plastic.
Weight: 6.9 pounds (3115 Grams).
Barrel: 9 inches, smooth bore.
Propulsion: (GBB) Gas Blowback.
Action: Semi & full auto.
Ammunition Type: Airsoft 6mm Plastic BB's.
Ammunition Capacity: 30 rounds.
FPS: 400+.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the WE AK74UN GBB Airsoft Rifle is very light (maybe even under 1 pound) since the blowback action has already pre-cocking the action making this rifle single action only. The take-up is very short, about one eighth of an inch or even less! The magazine has two switches, the one on the top allows you to dry fire while the one on the backside resets the trigger block. You will need to push the side switch down after reloading your magazine to allow the trigger/hammer to function again.
Accuracy: Out of the box the WE AK74UN Airsoft Rifle shot on the high side for me, about 8 inches at 30 feet, you can adjust the front sight post to some degree for elevation but I was not able to find any way of adjusting the windage? I did my pretest shooting from the 30 foot mark and I found the WE AK74UN Gas Blowback Airsoft Rifle AK74 Replica shot a very respectable 5 shot 1.5 inch group in semi auto which opened up of course when I shot the rest of the rounds in full auto. The full auto group stayed pretty tight considering all the recoil that was going on. I would say this gun should be able to shoot fairly accurately at distances even greater than 50 feet and even in full auto.
Build Quality: The WE AK74UN Airsoft Rifle is very well made with a lot of actual stamped steel parts, the only metal (zinc alloy) would be the trigger group, bolt, and part of the front sight, the pistol grip and front stock are made out of a matt finished hard plastic. Fit and finish is near perfect and I had no problems with the functionality of this Airsoft replica in any way. There are third party steel replacement parts for the trigger group and bolt if you want to swap these out at some point.
Realism: Everything about this gun is realistic! Operation, field stripping, tones of steel and metal parts, the long travel bolt, the slower cycle rate, and the heavy recoil all make the WE AK74UN GBB Airsoft Rifle as near perfect a working replica that you can find. Sure WE modernized this AK74 variant a bit with the addition of some enhancements but they do work well and make this Airsoft rifle very usable.
Reviewed by:Replica Airguns.
Pros:
Long travel bolt with heavy blowback, lower cycle rate like a real AK!
Lots of steel and metal in this gun, very hefty and solid.
Awesome blowback kick really hits you in the shoulder.
Semi auto & full auto selectable.
Field strips just like the real AK.
Nice high 400+ FPS and good 1.5 inch 5 shot group from 30 feet away.
Decent use of Gas.
Modified improved selector/safety switch can be used with trigger finger and also can be used to lock the bolt back for easy hop-up adjustments.
Magwell guide helps with insertion of the magazine.
Cons:
Long travel bolt kicks so hard that it can wear the softer Zinc Alloy internal parts quickly like the bolt and trigger grouping.
Sights are not really very adjustable, at least for windage.
Comments:
I really love my WE AK74UN Gas Blowback Airsoft Rifle, it is truly one of the most realistic replica guns I own, not just in looks but in how it functions and shoots. The heavy use of stamped steel, lots of metal throughout, full travel bolt with heavy blowback and realistic AK cycle rate make this one of the most fun guns to shoot that I own. If you're looking for a Gas Blowback AK styled Airsoft rifle this one is one of the best out there!
My Vimeo Table Top Video REVIEW of the WE AK74UN Gas Blowback Airsoft Rifle:
