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Type: Nerf Gun.
Manufacturer: Nerf Hasbro
Model: Rival Zeus MXV-1200.
Materials: Mostly plastic build.
Weight: About 3 pounds with batteries installed.
Ages: 14+ (My son is 10 and he is more than OK with this gun!)
Propulsion: Electric flywheel 6x C batteries.
Action: Semi auto.
Ammunition Type: Nerf High-impact round balls.
Ammunition Capacity: 12 round tube magazine.
Max FPS: 100.

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Trigger Pull: The trigger on the Nerf Rival Zeus MXV-1200 is a little long and requires a firm trigger finger but it is not overly heavy. When you press the trigger it allows a Nerf High-impact round ball to advance into the motorized spinning flywheel area where the ball is accelerated and shot out of the inline barrel .

Accuracy: Keep in mind the Nerf Rival Zeus MXV-1200 is designed as a fun in home battle gun so long range accuracy is not really that important. At up to 30 feet or so you shoudl have no problem hitting a person sized target. The Nerf High-impact round balls do come out the the barrel with a fair amount of spin so some random hooking can happen, usually the spin is more of a backspin that helps keep the ammo targeting in a more linear trajectory.

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Build Quality: The Nerf Rival Zeus MXV-1200 like most Nerf guns is built to take a fair bit of a beating since the target audience has mainly been kids and we know they are rarely careful with anything ;) The Nerf Rival Zeus MXV-1200 is mainly plastic but as I mentioned it is high quality and so far has held up well to usage. Fit is good with all interchangeable parts working well and the finish has stayed pretty much pristine!

Realism: Nerf guns are not made to be too realistic since they are meant to be toys and not look too closely like a real gun, hence the brightly colored plastic and more futuristic design. I do like the addition of Picatinny styled rails in several locations where one can add accessories like magazine clips, red dots or even a tactical light or laser sight.

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Pros:

• Not as extreme as a Paintball gun but a little more intense than a standard Nerf gun.

• Good build quality overall.

• Easy to quickly swap out a fresh 12 rode tube magazine.

• Flip up sights

• Picatinny raise for adding accessories.

• Decent power and accuracy for a Nerf style gun.

• Semit auto action for fast follow up shots.

Cons:

• Will use up batteries pretty quickly.

• Flywheel will slow down when shooting close together semi auto shots.

• Loading magazines does take some getting use to.

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Comments:
The Nerf Rival Zeus MXV-1200 is a great option for pretty much anyone looking for a fun battle gun you can use indoors in your home with no worries about breaking windows or messing up your house. not to mention leaving west all over your body! The Nerf Rival Zeus MXV-1200 is going to be a bit more extreme than a standard Nerf gun for sure but way more toned down compares to a paintball gun or even an airsoft gun so if you want some good old rainy day indoor fun then checkout the Nerf Rival line of Nerf guns.

My Vimeo Table Top Full  Review for the Nerf Rival Zeus MXV-1200:

Power:
Generally speaking a longer barrel is going to allow for more power. If you compare most CO2 pellet pistols to CO2 Pellet Rifles, you will find that the CO2 Pellet Pistol will generally shoot about 300-400 fps using a standard lead Pellet. On the other hand many CO2 Pellet Rifles can get up to as high as 600 fps which is much better speed for humanly shooting some smaller pests.

If you are talking about Springer or Variable Pump Air Pistols versus their Air Rifle counterparts, again the Air rifles will generally shoot with much more power. I have seen some none CO2 Air Pistols shoot up into the 500-600 fps range but again compered to none CO2 Air Rifles, they can even double these numbers.

Some of you may ask about Steel BB Pistols and Rifles. I personally would never really sue this type of ammunition for pest control simply because most BB Rifles have much less raw power than Pellet Rifles and steel BB’s will not be as accurate at any type of longer distance.

Stability:
When holding any rifle from the shoulder, you have three point of contact with your body spread out in a much longer distance than a two handed pistol grip. Holding steady even without a rested position is much easier using a rifle. Even when using a rested position, the rifle will more stable.

Accuracy:
A big factor in accuracy is stability but there are also other factors to consider. Barrel length its self does not make the gun more accurate, you only need a few inches of barrel length to get constant accurate results from a gun. What makes longer barreled guns more accurate is the distance between the rear and front sight. The closer the sights are together, the more margin for error there is, the longer you spread out the sights from each other, the more accurate the sighting system becomes.

Overall More Humain:
When you consider Air Rifles tend to have higher power, better accuracy and overall more consistency than shorter barreled Air Pistols. The logical choice for humanly shooting a Pest is to use the Air Rifle. The last thing you want to do is make any animal suffer, even if it has been causing a lot of havoc around your home or farm or place of business.

This is not to say that a “Real Gun” is not as good as an Airgun or better in other ways, in this video I’m just pointing out how an Airgun in some cases can actually be better suited than a Real Gun.

Availability: What I mean by this, is that in many countries Real Guns can be very hard to acquire and often require safety course and applications before one can purchase a Real Gun. I have no problem with this but it is a reality that must be considered. Having an Airgun versus not having a gun at all makes it a better option for people that live in countries that have strict gun laws. Here in Canada we are allowed Real Guns, even pistols but we do have restriction on our pistols and so I can only get certain guns in an Airgun version. As a collector this is better than not having the gun at all.

Price to Buy: Generally speaking you can pickup an enter level Airgun for much less money than a real gun.

Cost to Shoot: Real gun ammo prices have been steadily increasing to the point that a day out shooting can cost several hundred dollars just on the ammunition alone.

Comparison of Price:

• 50 rounds of 9mm ammo will cost around $18.00

• 6000 rounds of 4.5mm Steel BB will cost about $18.00

• CO2 is a bit less than $1 per 12 gram Cylinder which can yield up to 100 shots each.

• To shoot 100 rounds of 9mm will cost close to $40 versus 100 shots of 4.5mm steel BB at around $1.

• For this reason alone an Airgun can make a lot of sense even for Real Gun owners looking to get more cost effective practice time.

Access to Shooting Locations: Depending on where you live you will have to consider your local laws and where you are allowed to shoot both types of guns but typically you can shoot an Airgun safely just about anywhere as long as you implement some backstop safety precautions. Here in Canada we can only shoot a pistol at designated gun ranges, where as Airguns have a lot more allowances to shot them as long as you are not braking any city bylaws.

Training Guns: Even if you plan to eventually step up to a Real Gun at some point, an airgun is a great option to first learn proper gun handling skills since if you where to make a mistake, the consequences are much less severe. Airguns are also a lot less intimidating than a real gun since they are much quieter and have less recoil, you don’t even need to wear ear protection with most Airguns which means an instructor can communicate to his pupil on the range a lot easier.

Prop Guns: Since Replica Airguns look so much like real guns these day, they can often be used as a safer substitute for use in Movie, TV or other Photo and Video productions. Using a Real Gun on set generally requires a certified “Gun Wrangler” be on hand as Real Guns must be transported, stored and handled using very strict regulations. Airguns generally do not need to follow the same rigid regulations that Real Guns are bound to.

Tactical Training with Live Targets: Obviously shooting a real gun at a live target would not fair well for anyone involved, so that is completely out of the question. Airsoft Airguns are however perfect for Tactical Training and other weapons based simulations. All that is required for safety when using Airsoft guns is the use of eye protection and generally some heavy clothing.

I am sure there are some more areas in which Airguns may have the advantage over a Real Gun but these are the main ones that I could think of.

I try and make it to my local gun show which is held in Chilliwack BC about this time each year. It is put on by the Historical Arms Collectors Society of BC and there are generally a lot of used long guns (rifles) some pistols, lots of accessories, knives, hunting gear, knick·knacks and even some antique items. I tend to be looking for airguns or blank guns that are rare or a good deal.

This year I came across a few items that caught my eye. The first item was a Daisy replica 4.5mm BB pistol, I am not a big fan of Daisy replica gun in general as they are usually a far cry from the originals but this Daisy Powerline Model 400 was actually a really good copy of a Desert Eagle in size and looks. Sure it had a lot of plastic in it but it was made in Japan and even being around 20 years olds was holding up really well. This Daisy Powerline 400 even had Blowback which back then was not all that common.

The Daisy Powerline 400 BB Desert Eagle has a 20 round removable magazine that fits along the top of the barrel and it has a claimed fps. It is almost all high grade plastic with the exception of the single action only trigger, safety, hammer, barrel and several internal parts.

The next interesting item I found was a little compact 8mm blank shooter originally made in West Germany. So this blank gun is close to 30 years old. The SM Model 110 8mm Blank Pistol kind of reminds me of my EKOL Tuna in terms of size and functionality since both have the same half slide and magazine release system.

The SM Mod 110 8mm Blank Pistol is front venting and pretty much all metal with reinforced steel areas, it has a 5 round single stack magazine and shoots in single action only.

My last purchase for this show was a new item, here in Canada we generally are not allowed much in the way of items specifically labeled for self defense. There are some work arounds for instance we can carry a knife as long as it is not concealed entirely and we only intend to use it as a tool. We can also carry pepper spray again only for use on animals. Generally speaking we have not been allowed stun guns or tasers here in Canada and even importing them can land you in a lot of trouble! Again it seems a work around has been made, as long as the Stun Gun or Taser is at least 480mm in length then it is not considered a concealable weapon and as long as you have it out on display and only intend to use it on animals that may be a threat to you then all is good :)

The Stun Gun I purchased is basically a baton with a flashlight on the front and a 1 million volt taser on the front of it. You have several options with this device if harm is eminent. You can try blinding the threat with the built in flashlight which is not all that powerful but good for finding your way in dark areas, you can give the attacker a whack with the baton baseball bat style and if none of that is working well let em have the 1 million volt sandwich! We should be getting some of these Stun Baton Flashlights in our Canada Replica Airguns Store at some point so stay posted for that item.

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.

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.

1. Can I shoot my CO2 gun without CO2? (1:00)

2. Can I refill CO2 Cartridges? (2:08)

3. Will XYZ BB gun kill a bird, rat, rabbit, gopher…? (3:33)

4. Can I shoot Airsoft BB’s in my BB gun? (5:58)

5. Can I use my Airgun for self defense? (7:47)

6. Do Airguns & blank guns have recoil? (10:42)

7. Why play around with Airguns, just buy a real gun?(12:50)

8. Can I have a free gun? (17:15)

9. Which gun should I get? (19:10)

10. Mike, can you do a review of such and such a gun? (20:05)

I thought I would post this video of my recent Victoria Cup Men's Physique Fitness Contest for my Airgun fans that are also interested in what I am doing over on my fitness related YouTube Channel and Website GetFitOver40.com.

Don't worry - More Airgun videos coming next week when I get back from my trip.

What is a Blank Gun?

The best way to describe a Blank Gun is to imagine it as a real gun in just about every way except one… There are no dangerous bullets flying out the front of it. That’s right, a Blank Gun just like a real gun uses a brass or metal shells, loaded with a primer and gun powder, but for what ever reason reason, some rocket scientists forgot to put a bullet at the end of the Blank shell. 

Why Would You Want a Blank Gun?

Isn’t the entire purpose of a gun to shoot something? So why on earth would you buy a gun that doesn't  shoot anything at all, what purpose would it serve? Even Nerf guns, water guns, potato guns all shoot something…

One way to look at a Blank Gun is to imagine it as a cap gun, but for grown ups. Similar to how kids like to shoot their cap guns because they go bang and sparks and smoke fly out of them, Blank Guns do the same thing but on a much grander scale and in most cases they look and sound a lot more like a real gun than a cap gun does.

So Blank Guns don’t actually do the main function of a real gun (that is to shoot a bullet), but they do look and sound the part of a gun. So how could this be of practical use to anyone?

Signalling Devices:

First off, have you ever heard of a Starter Pistol or a Flare Gun? Blank Guns have been historically used to signal the start of races. Many Blank Guns also have the ability to shoot flares by adding a flare adaptor to them so a person can shoot a flare into the air to signal distress if they are lost or hurt.

Gun Handling and Training:

Since many Blank Guns look, operate and feel almost exactly like real guns, Blank Guns are a great place to start out when training a person on proper gun handling and operation. If they make a mistake while using a Blank Gun, the consequences are far less severe than with a real gun. There is also much less kick from a Blank Gun so shooting a Blank Gun is less scary or intimidating for new shooters.

Dog Training:

Dogs used for police, military and hunting are required to stay calm around loud noises like gun shots, trained dogs also need to get used to the presence of guns and even how to attack the gun hand of a person who could be a potential threat. Again using Blank Guns in this training situation is a much better option than using a real gun for obvious reasons.

Movies, Video TV and Stage:

Introducing live ammunition on a movie set would be ridiculous, there is absolutely no need to shoot a bullet in this type of situation. Blank Guns make perfect stage props since they again look the part and sound the part without the dangerous bullets flying all over the place…

Collectors:

Many collectors want to own guns but for reasons like gun restrictions in their area, they may not be able to own a real gun or certain types of real guns. Blank Guns can offer a person with heavy gun restrictions in their area the ability to own similar Blank Gun versions. Perhaps they can own real guns but just simply don’t want to go through the licensing and registration hassle of owning a real gun. Blank Guns can generally be purchased for far less money than a real gun which is appealing to collectors who in many cases may not even shoot them.

Celebration:

In places like Turkey, people celebrate holidays and events by shooting Blank Guns into the air, at one time they actually shoot real guns, but people where getting injured or even killed by the falling bullets. Because of this, Blank Gun production became an industry in places like Turkey as Blank Gun manufacturers like EKOL, Retay and Zoraki (also know as ATAK Arms) are Turkish companies.

So now you know some of the reasons why a person would want to own a Blank Gun. I have Blank Guns and I also own real guns too. One reason is because there are many Blank Guns I own that I can not own in their real steel versions because of Canadian gun restrictions so obtaining a similar version in a Blank Gun allows me to own these models.

If a Blank Gun is not for you, then by all means get a real gun, but please understand that there is a place for Blank Guns, and in those environments, a Blank Gun is actually a better choice than a real gun.

Type: Blank Pistol.

Manufacturer: ME.

Model:ME 8 General 1911 (Colt 1911 A1 Replica).

Materials: Mostly Metal with some steel parts.

Weight: 2.9 pounds loaded. (1355 grams)

Barrel: Front firing. (No Red Tip)

Propulsion: Gun powder.

Action: Single action only.

Ammunition Type: 8mm P.A.K. Blanks.

Ammunition Capacity: 10+ rounds.

FPS: N/A.

Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the ME 8 General 8mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol is exactly what you would expect from a single action only 1911 styled semi auto pistol, short and light. But not super light, it's far from a hair trigger, perhaps more of a medium pull weight for a 1911 SAO.

Accuracy: NA.

Build Quality: The overall build quality of the ME 8 General 8mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol is really very good, nothing fancy at all going on with this pistol and a lot less actual moving parts than you would find on a real steel 1911 so much less to go wrong but the metal quality and fit and finish are very good overall. You will not find a lot of actual steel in this gun other than the magazine, screws, pins and springs but again the metal is good quality and the ME 8 General 8mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol even sports real wood grips.

Realism: The ME 8 General 8mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol is a very realistic looking 1911in terms of overall looks and true to scale size and weight. As mentioned already, many of the parts are not operational but actually moulded into the gun. Like the Safety, side trigger mounted magazine release and back strap safety. You will find the actual magazine release on the bottom of the pistol grip and even thought the slide catch release is operational, there is no spring assist to lock it in the up and open position when the magazine is empty so if you want to lock the slide back you will need to manually do this.

Purchase from: Private collector.

Pros:

• Well made, materials fit and finish is all very good even though very little use of hardened steel.

• 10+ round single stack magazine is very hi-capacity.

• For a used gun it is in very good condition, not many rounds through it and well kept.

• Front firing and came with flare adaptor.

• Real wood grips.

• Made in Italy.

• It's a 1911!

Cons:

• Slide catch release, must be engaged manually.

• Many working parts are simply moulded into the gun.

• Not easily field strip-able.

Comments:

So the ME 8 General 8mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol is not the most accurate replica of a 1911 in terms of all parts being operational but it hits the major ones for me like: It's front firing, the slide will lock back, it has a true 1911 SAO trigger and for the most parts it looks and works like a 1911. Finding 1911 blank guns here in Canada is super hard and I am a big fan of 1911's so when the opportunity to pickup this gun came around I was interested even if it was not cheap. Blank guns are getting harder and harder to find here in Canada and I guess that's what is making them so appealing. Don't forget we sell the ROHM Blank guns here in our Canada Online Store and they are very good quality guns so check them out if you are in the market for a blank shooter.

My Vimeo Full Video Table Top Review for the ME 8 General 8mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol:

Buy Blank Guns in the Canada Store 

Buy Blank Guns in the US Store

This Article and Video expresses my views and opinions on this matter and should not be taken as legal advice.

Main points covered:

• Uncontrolled Firearms do not require a Firearms License within Canada to own and operate.

• What is an Uncontrolled Airgun and Airsoft Gun?

• What is an Uncontrolled Blank Gun / Starter Pistols?

• What about Fully Automatic Airguns and Airsoft Guns?

• What about Replica Guns?

NOTE: Controlled Firearms require a POL (Possession Only License) , PAL (Possession Acquisition License) or R-PAL (Restricted Possession Acquisition License) within Canada to own and operate. 

MEMORANDUM D19-13-2

Firearm – a barreled weapon from which any shot, bullet, or other projectile can be discharged and that is capable of causing serious bodily injury or death to a person, and includes any frame or receiver of such a barreled weapon and anything that can be adapted for use as a firearm.

“Uncontrolled”firearms are those devices that, although falling within the definition of a firearm in the Criminal Code, are exempt from specific legal requirements of the Firearms Act and its regulations, as well as from other legislative provisions. “Uncontrolled” firearms should not be subdivided into any of the non-restricted, restricted, or prohibited classes. The following types of firearms are deemed “uncontrolled”:

Flare, blank, rivet and industrial guns: Any device that is designed exclusively for signaling, for notifying of distress, or for firing blank cartridges or for firing stud cartridges, explosive-driven rivets or other industrial projectiles, provided that the importer intends to use it only for the purpose for which it is designed.

NOTE: (Toy guns and starter pistols do not generally qualify as firearms. However, some toy or model guns and starter pistols may be designed with very realistic mechanisms or appearances (e.g., color, size, scale, translucency) and resembling a real make and model of a firearm. In such cases, they may be considered replica firearms even if they are made of plastic, die cast zinc, or other material.)

Low muzzle velocity/energy guns: Any barreled weapon that is not designed or adapted to discharge projectiles at a muzzle velocity exceeding 152.4 meters per second (500 feet per second) and at a muzzle energy exceeding 5.7 Joules, or to discharge projectiles that are designed or adapted to attain a velocity exceeding 152.4 meters per second (500 feet per second) and an energy exceeding 5.7 Joules. Both thresholds of 152.4 mps and 5.7 Joules must be exceeded for the firearm to be considered “controlled”. This requirement exempts firearms that fire below the threshold velocity with a standard projectile, but exceed the threshold velocity when fired with a high-velocity projectile. 

Airsoft guns and certain types of paintball guns or markers may qualify as a replica firearm, if the muzzle velocity of the projectile does not cause serious bodily harm and their external features are clearly designed to resemble a specific and readily identifiable make and model of a firearm. To be considered a firearm, within the meaning of the Criminal Code, an airsoft gun must have a muzzle velocity in excess of 111.6 meters per second (366 feet per second).

NOTE: This memorandum used to state when using a .20 gram BB but does not specify this BB weight anymore?

NOTE: The term air gun is a colloquial term referring to BB or pellet guns. Such guns operate either as spring- powered, gas-powered, or electrically powered. If the muzzle velocity of the air gun is less than 152.4 mps (500 fps)/5.7 joules but still able to cause serious bodily injury to a person, it may be considered an “uncontrolled” firearm. Airsoft guns and certain types of paintball guns may qualify as a replica firearm (see paragraph 49 of this memorandum).

Replica firearms:

“Replica firearm” is defined as any device that is designed or intended to exactly resemble, or to resemble with near precision, a firearm, and that itself is not a firearm, but does not include any such device that is designed or intended to exactly resemble, or to resemble with near precision, an antique firearm.

For a device to be a replica firearm it must meet all three requirements:

• (a) it cannot be a firearm, meaning it does not discharge a projectile with sufficient energy to cause serious bodily injury or death to a person. If the device is a firearm, then it cannot be a replica firearm (and vice versa);

• (b) it must resemble exactly, or with near precision, a real existing firearm of an identifiable make and model. With respect to visual examination, note that the maximum observing distance is one at which the equivalent make and model of the firearm can be identified. This distance will vary from one firearm make to the next. For example: A Luger pistol has a very distinctive silhouette as compared to other makes and is therefore more readily identified from further away. The examination of the object is something more than casual, but less than detailed. The device does not need to be so close that markings are identifiable; and

• (c) it cannot be designed or intended to exactly resemble, or to resemble with near precision, an antique firearm. 

RCMP Website "Air Guns"

1. Air guns that are "Controlled" Firearms for purposes of both the Firearms Act and the Criminal Code

These are air guns with both a high muzzle velocity (greater than 152.4 meters or 500 feet per second) and a high muzzle energy (greater than 5.7 joules or 4.2 foot-pounds). The "muzzle velocity" is the speed of a projectile at the instant it leaves the muzzle of a gun, normally expressed in meters per second or feet per second. The "muzzle energy" is the energy of a projectile at the instant it leaves the muzzle of a gun, expressed in joules or foot-pounds. Air guns need to meet both standards to be classified as "Controlled" firearms for purposes of the Firearms Act.

These high-powered air guns are subject to the same license and registration requirements as a conventional "Controlled" firearm. Owners and users are also required to store, transport, display and handle them safely in accordance with the regulations supporting the Firearms Act.

Usually, the manufacturer's specifications are used to determine what muzzle velocity and muzzle energy an air gun was designed to have. This information may be available in the user's manual or on the manufacturer's website. If the information is not available, individuals can call the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Canadian Firearms Program (CFP) at 1-800-731-4000 and ask to speak to a firearm technician to find out if the air gun is considered to be a firearm for purposes of the Firearms Act.

High-powered air rifles are generally classified as non-restricted firearms. However, the classification depends on the exact design of the air gun. Air rifles manufactured to resemble an assault rifle could be non-restricted, restricted or prohibited depending on the exact model imitated. High-powered air rifles would also be prohibited firearms if fully automatic or if they have a sawed-off barrel. They could also be restricted firearms if they have a folding stock that reduces the overall length to less than 660mm. 

Additional thought on this subject: Even though Uncontrolled Firearms are not governed by the same laws that apply to Controlled Firearms within the Firearms act and do not need to be handled or stored similar in the same way you are required to handle, transport and store a Controlled Firearm, we need to treat our Uncontrolled Airguns, Airsoft Guns and Blank guns with care and go over and above what is expected when had handle, transport and store them.

This YouTube video was made to touch upon the tragic shooting and death of a young man at the Beavercreek Walmart in the US. The tragedy was the result of poor judgment and misunderstanding of the situation that started with John Crawford (22) deciding to walk around a Walmart store with a very realistic looking replica Air Rifle. Subsequently in the midst of all the excitement as customers ran out of the store, Angela Williams (37) had a medical emergency that also cost her her life. 

Below is an outline of YouTube video that follows:

John Crawford 22 Years old was shot  by police in a Beavercreek Walmart while holding a Crosman MK-177 Pellet BB gun.

Another death as a result: Angela Williams, 37, was with her 9-year-old daughter and suffered a medical emergency and died as a result as people attempted to flee the store amongst the panic.

John Crawford is Survived by: LeeCee Johnson, 22 Mother of Crawford's children (Believe he had 2 children)

NOTES: 

• Walmart US keeps these guns on shelf in the box generally, but not locked up or behind glass.
• In Canada Most places keep even Airguns behind locked glass. 

The weapon (Crosman MK-177), which can shoot both pellets and BBs, had been removed from its original packaging, was this done by John Crawford or was it already unpackaged when he picked it up?

Ronald Ritchie made the original 911 call, I listened to two of the police 911 phone call recording and he seemed to be talking level headed and not making it out to be anything more than what he saw which was a black man walking around a Walmart with what looked like a real rifle. John Crawford was holding the rifle while he had his phone between his shoulder and ear, John was fiddling with the rifle and looked to be trying to load it. Ronald Ritchie said John was periodically pointing it at people (which may or may not have been intentional).

LeeCee Johnson, 22, who identified herself as the mother of Crawford’s children, said she was talking to Crawford on her cell phone at the time of the shooting:

“We was just talking. He (John) said he was at the video games playing videos and he went over there by the toy section where the toy guns were. And the next thing I know, he said ‘It’s not real,’ and the police start shooting and they said ‘Get on the ground,’ but he was already on the ground because they had shot him,” she said. She added she “could hear him just crying and screaming” and said officers “shot him down like he was not even human.”

First and Foremost, this event is very tragic and my condolences go out to the families and friends of John Crawford and Angela Williams.

Questions we need to ask ourselves:

• Why was John Crawford walking around the Walmart with what looked like an "assault rifle" in a very public location?
• With all the public shootings these days, why would you walk around a public Walmart with what looks like a very real and threatening rifle, similar to the kinds used in these types of shootings in the past?
• Why did the police seem so quick to shoot John down? Where they a bit eager or hyped up? It would be very interesting to see the surveillance video for this tragedy?
• Why are very realistic Airguns on open display and so easy to attain? Keep in mind even a regular break barrel Airgun looks like a real rifle to most people.

What is so damaging about all this:

• This will add "ammunition so to speak" for bureaucrats and authorities to question if Airguns should look realistic, or if they now need to have bright colored markings all over them so people will assume they are not reel? Or perhaps outlaw them completely or make them very hard to attain for the average person.
• Now the general public will have yet another reason to have a negative view on Airguns. I fear that putting more restrictions on airguns is just a stepping stone to more restrictions on real guns and more restrictions on our rights overall.

What ever happened to common sense? It has become uncommon these days…

 Based on how easy it is for a person to get their hands on very realistic looking Airguns in most US based retail stores, I am surprised this tragedy has not happened already, or more often.

Would you walk around your neighborhood with what looks like an Assault rifle? So why walk around a Walmart with one?

Unfortunately we can not protect everyone from themselves, the more failsafes we put in place, the less reasonability people have for themselves and the more responsibility it seems is placed on businesses, government, organizations, parks and events…

We even need warning labels on our coffee telling us it's hot, or to not put poison in our mouths, there are railing and barriers around any bit of water or slight ledge.

Society is programing people to think less fore themselves and trust that everything is going to be OK.

Well it's not true, there is still something called survival of the fittest no matter how many safety nest are in place.

We need to spend more time teaching our kids how to act and behave and how to think for themselves and not be so dependent on everyone else to protect them from themselves. Don't  leave it up to the TV, movies, video games or even their just as oblivious friends. 

I get asked about what cameras I use fairly often so a while back I made a video showing some of the cameras I used at that time. Since that video was made I have been using a newer pair of "HD Camera Glasses" called Pivothead Recons' which I really like and are very good quality and are perfect for that first person video camera angle.

In this video review, I show you around my pair of Pivothead Recon 1080p HD Camera Glasses and include some footage taken with them. I talk a bit about the specifications but have included the below specs right off of Pivothead's website to make sure it all gets covered:

OPTICS

4 ELEMENT GLASS LENS

Largan Glass Camera Lens

FOCUS

Recon'sContinuosFocus | Auto Focus: 4”- | Fixed focus: 2.8’ – | Macro 4”- 28”

FIELD OF VIEW

75 Degrees

IMAGE SENSOR

8MP Sony CMOS

RAM

2GB SDRAM

VIDEO

RESOLUTION

1080p@30fps | 720p@60fps | 720p@30fps

VIDEO FORMAT

Mp4 H.264

EXPOSURE

Auto | Bright | Dim

VIDEO OPTIONAL SETTING

Black & White | Face Tracking | Time/Date Stamp

AUDIO FORMAT

AAC MONO

44.1 kHz

PHOTO

IMAGE SIZE OPTIONS

8MP | 5MP | 3MP

BURST OPTIONS

16 Shot Stills | 10 Shot Stills | 5 Shot Stills | 3 Shot Stills

TIME LAPSE OPTION

1 Shot/1s | 1 Shot/30s | 4 Shots/8s

4 Shots/30s | 10 Shots/30s | 5 Shots/60s

FOCUS

Auto | Macro

EXPOSURE

Auto | Bright | Dim

ISO

Auto | 200 | 800 | 1600

PHOTO OPTIONAL SETTING

Black & White | Face Tracking | Time/Date Stamp

STORAGE

INTERNAL MEMORY

8GB

INTERFACE

USB CABLE

USB 2.0 Cable for Charging and Data Transfer

POWER

RECHARGEABLE

Rechargeable 3.7VLi-Polymer/440mAh

DC POWER

USB power via Micro USB, 5V DC 500mA

OPERATING SYSTEM

SYSTEM

Mac | PC | Android

PRE SET MODES

Active | Action Sport | Power Save

Spectator | Hands On (Macro) | Social | Black & White

CERTIFICATION

FCC | FDA | CE

Make sure to watch my Vimeo Video Review of the Pivothead Recon HD Video Glasses:

Two questions that come up over and over again and to be honest I just hate answering, mainly because both of these questions to me are kind of common sense questions. I feel if someone where to stop and actually think about teh question, the answers would become obvious.

That said, common sense has to be learned somewhere and not all of us are exposed to the same life experiences so here goes...

The two questions are:

• Will this Ammunition Work in my Gun?

• Can I Convert a Blank Gun to a Real Gun?

The answer for both of these question is actually the same! Use the ammo made for your gun and do not try to use anything other than the ammo that was made for your gun. Do not try to modify your gun to shoot anything other than the ammo that was made for it, if you do, you may be breaking the law and could land yourself in jail. If you can follow these rules then your ammo and gun will work as intended :)

So that's pretty much it in a nutshell, watch my YouTube video below as I show you examples of ammo types with visuals on exactly why you need to use the ammo made for your gun. I also talk about the dangers of attempting to modify a blank gun to shoot some sort of real bullet and why it is a very bad idea in so many ways to try and convert a blank gun into a real gun.

Buy the ROHM RG-88 9mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol in the Canada Store

Buy the ROHM RG-88 9mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol in the US Store

In this informative video I go over the very basics of gun "handling" safety. I don't talk about gun storage or even shooting of the gun, I strictly go over the main aspects of handling a gun in a safe manor.

These are the four main points I demonstrate in this video:

• Fingers off the trigger till you are ready to shoot.

• Keep the gun unloaded till you are ready to shoot it.

• Assume your gun is loaded at ALL times.

• Always point your gun in a safe direction.

Hopefully this video will prevent some unfortunate accidents, even airgun related accidents can cause serious injuries which in most cases can be prevented with the correct gun handling information.

I have made a

similar safety video

where I talk about general gun safety and speak more about storing and also some gun shooting safety tips.

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.

Buy ROHM  Blank Guns in Canada  -  Buy Blank Guns in the US

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!

Buy ROHM  Blank Guns in Canada  -  Buy Blank Guns in the US

Sorry no guns in this adventure but in theory I could have brought a rifle as we where in areas where hunting and shooting are allowed. I was having too much fun on my ATV - Quad to think about shooting this time around ;)

I thought some or even many of you may enjoy this type of outdoors video, after all ATV's are just a lot of fun!

I picked up a pre-owned 2007 Polaris Sportsman 500 HO EFI a little while ago (for the farm of course) and this is my first real adventure with it.

The other ATV in this video is my friends 2006 Honda Rubicon 500, most of the time he was riding out in front as he is more experienced than I was.

This was my first ever real experience on an ATV (I have done some off road motorbike riding). You may want to skip ahead in the video to around the 25 minute mark where we get into some really narly stuff. Even though the head mounted camera does not show it, we where on some really steep grades with lots of ruts, mud, rocks and roots to navigate. We even end up riding through a bit of a swamp and river. Luckily we made it back up the hill as there was no other way out.

I hope you enjoy watching this video, I had fun making it for sure! Let me know if you want more of these types of videos down the road…

This is a much different review than I generally do but I have been using POV (Point Of View) or Action Cameras for some time now that I sometimes mount on my guns or myself for that first person style video angle. In the past I have been using an Innovations Drift HD170 Action Camera and an Oregon Scientific ATC9K HD Action Camera. I still have the Drift HD170 but the ATC9K went back to Costco because some of the plastic was starting to crack on it.

Let's turn the focus back to the Sony HDR-AS15 POV Action Cam, so why the "upgrade"? Well for one I had some extra play money because Costco gave me back all the money I spent when I returned the ATC9K. Of course there are a lot of other great cameras to choose from out there and I was considering one of the Hero based systems but the Sony HDR-AS15 POV Action Cam kind of caught my eye for a number of reasons.

• Built in WiFi and with downloadable App for iOS and Android based Smartphones.
• Comes with waterproof case good down to 60M (about 200 feet).
• Has SteadyShot image stabilization that is very effective.
• Carl Zeiss Lens with 170-degree or 120-degree selectable viewing angles.
• Full 1080P 30fps resolution along with 720P 120 fps Super Slow-mo.
• Excellent video and audio quality.

One of the most intriguing features for me was the built in WiFi as it allows me to see what the camera sees by streaming the video to my iPhone in real time. Even with a built in video view finder on a camera, you still can not see the screen when the camera is mounted on your head, while a remote screen using WiFi to stream the video to another device like my iPhone lets me see exactly where the camera is pointed and also start and stop recording and even change some of the settings remotely.

After doing some online research and watching video samples of the Sony HDR-AS15 POV Action Cam in comparison with some other very good quality Action Cameras, it was clear to me that the sony had excellent video and audio recording capabilities and seemed to even beat the competition in low light situations.

Of course there where some Cons I had to consider but for me they where not a big deal:

• When in the water proof case you can only access the start and stop button.
• No audio in any of the 720p high frame rate modes (60-120 fps).
• It's a new product from Sony so there may be some bugs to work out and features that could be improved or added.
• A bit limited in what camera mounts come in the box.

Your best bet to really see what the Sony HDR-AS15 POV Action Cam can do is to watch my video review for it. I show you around the Sony HDR-AS15 and also sync it to my iPhone using the PlayMemories Mobile Smart Phone App so you can see how to pair it, start and stop recording all while viewing the streaming video on the iPhone's screen. I also show you how you can use the WiFi feature to copy pre-recorded video from the HDR-AS15 to a Smartphone using the PlayMemories Mobile Smart Phone App.

I end off my review by showing you some video samples I made in various shooting modes and situations playing around with my new Sony HDR-AS15 POV Action Cam.

Checkout my Video Review of the Sony HDR-AS15 POV Action Cam:

Type: .22 caliber rifle.

Manufacturer:ISSC.

Model:MK22.

Materials: Metal & Polymer.

Weight: 6.5 pounds.

Barrel: 16 inches, metal rifled.

Propulsion: Gun Powder.

Action: Semi auto, single action.

Ammunition Type: .22LR caliber rimfire.

Ammunition Capacity: 22 round magazine.

FPS: 1,138 - 1255.

Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the ISSC MK22 is fairly short with a bit of noticeable break point in it but overall is pretty light. I get the feeling that this may be a striker based action because of the slight tension before the release.

Accuracy: I put about 300 rounds through the ISSC MK22 and took some time getting used to how it felt and also sighting in the sights on my 4 power scope. Once I felt comfortable I setup a new target and placed a full magazine (22 shots) all with in a 2 inch group from 20 yards out (60 feet). I was in a seated position using and elbow based rest. I was very happy with these results.

Build Quality: To me the ISSC MK22 SCAR clone feels like the real deal, it's not till you load it up and fire off a few rounds that you can even tell you are shooting the .22 caliber rimefire version. The MK22 has a lot of metal parts and the fit and finish is very good. You do have to use quality .22 caliber ammo in this guns for the best results because it can be a bit picky and also make sure to also take a bit of extra time when loading your magazines to ensure the ammo is set well to the back of the magazine. I'm not saying you can't use the cheap box ammo but you will have to be prepared to clear a few rounds from time to time.

Realism: It doesn't get any more real than this, the ISSC MK22 is basically an FN SCAR in a smaller cheaper .22LR caliber. But if you want to spend $3000 on the real thing and several hundred dollars per day at the range in ammo then get the full NATO round firing version. Unfortunately my pocket book does not allow for this and I don't think we can even get the larger caliber versions here in Canada. I also go to an indoor range that allows .22 caliber rifles to be used alongside the pistols which makes getting out and using the ISSC MK22 that much easier.

Purchased From: ???

Pros:

• One fifth the price of the NATO round firing version to purchase and operate.

• Mostly metal construction with good usage of polymer in the right places to keep it light.

• Lots of rails to mount just about any type of accessory you can think of.

• Nice high capacity 22 round magazine to keep the shoots going.

• Versatile flip up multi position sights for pistol or rifle based target acquiring.

• Fully adjustable stock with three length positions and check hight position, can also be folded in.

• Most bad ass looking .22 caliber rimefire rifle around.

• Made in Germany

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Cons:

• Not the Cheapest .22LR on the market in this category but well worth the added price tag.

• Can be a bit picky about which bullet's you use in it and how you load the magazine.

• The rear stock cheek rest is a bit high when using the pistol sights or a low rise scope, you may need a riser under your scope.

Comments:

As you know, I don't do a lot of actual "real gun" reviews, the ones that use gun powder and shoot lead bullets. I do have a very soft spot for the .22 caliber rifles for a few reasons. Firstly, they are usually more inexpensive to buy and also to shoot as the ammo is only a fraction of the cost of the larger caliber ammo. .22 rimefire guns can also be shot in more areas and at most gun ranges so you are more likely to get better use out of it in the long run. The ISSC MK22 FN SCAR clone is definitely the most impressive .22 caliber tactical styled rifle you can get, at least in Canada and even though it is at the top of the price rang in it's category it is well worth it because it is really a very high quality gun at a reasonable price.

My Vimeo Video Review for the ISSC MK22 FN SCAR Type .22LR:

This may be "News" to some of my regular visitor but if this is your first time here, (perhaps after reading one of the CBC News article related to the imported BB shooting AK-47 airguns). I  would like to welcome you to the Replica Airguns website.

• Replica AK-47 BB guns allowed into Canada
• BB gun inspections to be beefed up at border

First off, Canada is still a somewhat free country and this gives us all the right to freely peruse our legal hobbies and passions even if they are not fully understood by others. For those of you that do not understand what this website is about, I respect that but I also want you to know that your opinion is not all that important to me and most of the people like me that enjoy collecting and shooting replica airguns and blanks guns.

Owning guns in Canada is still our legal right and with this right comes great reasonability, just like driving a car or even drinking alcohol within ones limits. Yes people have died from gun related accidents, just like people have died from vehicles, alcohol, sports and many other mishaps that can happen to any one at any time each and every day. Life is precious and valuable and so are our rights.

The guns sold on ReplicaAirguns.com, although they may look to some to be scary and dangerous, in reality they have a very small bite. In other words, the consequences of being shot with an air gun pail in comparison to being shot by a real gun and although people have died from airguns (usually thigh powered licensed versions not sold on this website), these instances are rare. Airguns must always be taken seriously and treated like any other gun, with respect!

Air guns are one of the best ways to introduce a young person to gun safety. For the most part, it's not the educated gun people who cause the accidents, it's ignorance and stupidity and hiding your head in the sand that causes these accidents and deaths unnecessarily! My children are very young but I have already started to teach them how to respect all types of guns because one day when I am not around to tell them what to do, I know they are going to do the right thing and perhaps save the life of one of their "gun curious" friends who was "Sheltered" from guns and in so was never given the tools to treat them in a safe and respectful manor.

Anyways, this is not a debate, this is my opinion and you don't have to like it! I don't really care and I don't have to like your opionion either ;)

So what brought us to this point? I am not going to say all that much because there is an ongoing investigation and I do not want to interfere with the RCMP investigation in any way.

Here are some facts:

• This incident has not effected the Replica Airguns Store operation as the warehouse that ships the products is still fully functioning and operating at 100%.
• All items sold at ReplciaAirguns.com are legal within Canada and are imported and sold legally at the time of their sale. Everything available in the Replica Airguns Store can be sold to an adult in Canada without the need for a special licence.
• Replica Airguns is not an import company. (We purchase from other importers)
• Yes we perviously sold a legally imported BB shooting AK47 styled air gun that is now being investigated by the RCMP, as they have concerns about it being converted to a real firearm.
• If you have questions or concerns about the BB gun in question then you need to contact the RCMP and ask them your questions as I can not provide you with the answers.
• Was I raided? Yes I was, it was not fun. The police took all my stuff and it disrupted my life and my family, pretty much what you would expect from a police raid… At this time most of my personal airguns and blank guns have been returned to me. I am still waiting for my computer related items and registered firearms to be returned to me.
• I have not been charged with anything at this time and I do not believe I will be charged based on the findings and information provided to me by the police and the fact that I have not done anything wrong.
• Do I still support the police in their efforts? Yes I do! I still feel that their intensions where good even if some of their information may not have been accurate. It is unfortunate that this happened to law abiding people like me across Canada but sometimes good people get caught in the middle and all we can hope for is that in the end it all gets sorted out…

Michael Kaye

As many of you may know, I don't just own a bunch of airguns and blank guns. They are one of my biggest passions but I also have my Restricted Firearms License here in Canada and I own several "Real" hand guns and rifles that I enjoy very much.

I have four .22 caliber rimfire guns and I have another one on its way - the ISSC MK22 SCAR .22LR, you may ask why I need another .22 rimfire? Well similarly to airguns, .22 caliber rimfire guns are relatively cheap to buy and operate compared to their big brother larger caliber versions. So I guess that draws me to them, they are just so fun to shoot and in a guilt-free kind of way. With large caliber guns I tend to head to the range with a preset amount of ammo that I am willing to part with and when it's all gone then it's time to switch over to the .22 calibers and go nuts! And not only that, our .22 caliber rimfire rifles do not have the magazine round restriction like our 5 round restriction on large caliber rifles.

For example, the ISSC MK22 SCAR .22LR that is on it's way costs a fraction of the price of the full on military version at around $650 Canadian, that might sound like a lot but the NATO round firing version goes for about $3000 and as far as I know is not even available in Canada to the average joe like me? And you will be counting ammo with one of these NATO round firing bad boys, at least I know I would be :)

I will be doing a full review of the ISSC MK22 SCAR 22LR so make sure to check it out if this type of gun interests you also.

Here are some of the specifications for you till I get a chance to review this awesome .22 tactical rifle!

• Caliber: .22LR
• Overall Length Collapsed: 34.65 in./880 mm
• Overall Length Full: 36 in./916 mm
• Overall Width: 2.81 in./71,5mm
• Barrel Length: 16 in./420 mm
• Rifling Length: 15 in./406mm
• Number of Grooves 6
• Sight Length Max: 15.7 in./400mm
• Weight w/o Magazine: 6.5 lbs./2990 g
• Magazine weight, empty: 3.8 ozs. /110 g
• Trigger Pull, approx.: 4 lbs.
• Magazine Capacity:22 rds.
• This is a non-restricted firearm.