I made a similar video about how to hold your airgun a while back but sometimes they get a bit buried in all the video I make. I feel it's really important how you grip your gun even if it's only an airgun with very little kick or recoil. Proper pistol grip is something you should use no matter what so that you can carry it forward to what ever gun you are shooting.
More kick or recoil means a firmer grip is required to hold the gun so when shooting a powder burner with lots of kick grip becomes even more important.
In this video I go over the proper two handed grip to use when holding a pistol, which hand to hold lose and which had to grip tight, how to overlap your fingers and thumbs.
Hopefully we are back in business after the YouTube Attack on Airgun channels. I'm still waiting for YouTube to get back to me on the video that they put a strike on. I did appeal the Strike but so far YouTube has not responded...
We must push forward and so here is my first video back and it's a good one! If you haven't already watched my Table Top Review of the Umarex SA10 CO2 Blowback Pellet and BB Pistol, make sure to check it out for details and some nice up and close video of this fine dual ammo CO2 air pistol.
As always during my indoor Sea Can Field Test Shooting videos, I first test out the velocity of each gun. Since the Umarex SA10 CO2 Blowback Pellet and BB Pistol can shoot both 4.5mm Steel BB's and .177 caliber pellets I tested both ammo types using my Chrony Chronograph. I fired three shots of each ammo to get an average fps velocity. Interestingly the heavier 6.9 grain lead pellets had the higher average velocity of 376 fps versus 304 fps with 5.1 grain Steel BB's. I have a feeling the lead pellets fit the barrel more snug and did not let any of the CO2 blow by creating more back pressure and a higher velocity.
After my velocity test I proceeded to find out which ammo type was going to be more accurate with the Umarex SA10 CO2 Blowback Pellet and BB Pistol. Since each rotary magazine holds 8 rounds it made sense for me to put 8 shots of each ammo type into the paper target setup 30 feet away. Keep in mind the Umarex SA10 CO2 Blowback Pellet and BB Pistol has a riffled barrel best suited for lead pellets so going into this test I was expecting the pellets to be the clear winner here.
I was able to get about a 2 inch 8 shot grouping using .177 caliber lead pellets with the Umarex SA10 CO2 Blowback Pellet and BB Pistol. All shots where fairly well centered but I did notice that most shots actually hit all within a very tight 1/2 inch group with 3 shots coming out a bit and extending the grouping more or less vertically. Switching up the ammo to steel BB's and as expected the groupings extended to about 3 inches with one outlier hitting very wide for some reason? Even with the steel BB's shot placement on the target was well centered in general.
The blowback on the Umarex SA10 CO2 Blowback Pellet and BB Pistol is very pronounced but does not rock your hands too much keeping this airgun on target between shots and the trigger is one of the best rotary mag type trigger I have tested to date, extremely smooth throughout the entire trigger pull. Overall the Umarex SA10 CO2 Blowback Pellet and BB Pistol has great looks, decent power and good accuracy going for it and could perhaps be one of my top pics if you're looking for a blowback pellet pistol option.
This year at SHOT Show 2018 I had the please to interview Bob from ASG yet again, Bob always has a ton of info to share about ASG new products so make sure to watch this video as it has a lot of info!
To summarize what Bob shared, ASG has their line of CZ P-09 and SP-01 Shadow Steel BB and Airsoft Full Blowback pistols with full size drop out metal magazines. And you'll be happy to know the Canadian CZ P-09 Airsoft version not only will have a threaded barrel but it will come with both a black and red barrel tip cover.
Another new air pistol from ASG is the Dan Wesson licensed none blowback pellet firing 1911, similar to what Crosman is offering that utilizes a full size drop out metal magazine combined with a two sided 6 shot rotary magazine that flips 180 degrees for a total of 12 shots per .177 caliber pellet load. the ASG Dan Wesson Pellet shooting 1911 has a nice heavy weight to it's metal slide and frame design.
Lastly Bob shared with us a new ASG ICS Hera Arms CQR Airsoft Rifle, this ASG Airsoft Rifle is still in the design and production state but look forward to it later on this year!
This year at SHOT Show 2018 I had the please of again interviewing Dani Navickas from Sig Sauer. Dani Showed me several new pistols and a new break barrel rifle Sig Sauer is offering this year. The Sig ASP20 Break Barrel rifle will come in both .177 and .22 caliber pellet shooting versions. The ASP20 has a lighter than most cocking effort of only 33 pounds using their proprietary GlideLite system, along with an adjustable ASP MatchLite trigger.
Another Target pellet airgun from Sig Sauer this year is the .177 caliber pellet shooting Super Target, styled after the Sig Sauer P210 firearm. The Sig Super Target is a single pump pneumatic single shot pistol designed for 10 meeter shooting with adjustable sights and a crips short light trigger.
Sig like several other companies has rebranded their own version of the KWC 1911 CO2 Blowback BB pistols. The Sig Sauer licensed BB 1911 is based on Sigs We the People line to celebrate the American people and their Constitution.
Another new Blowback Pellet firing Sig Sauer Air Pistol was also introduced at SHOT Show, the Sig Sauer X-Five. The X-Five uses their 20 round belt fed magazine and also has Sig's Cam Lever CO2 loading mechanism. You will also find a rear adjustable sight on the Sig Sauer X-Five Pellet Pistol.
Last but not least and perhaps one of the most interesting new products coming out later this year from Sig Sauer is the P320MHS APS which is another new rotary magazine Blowback Pellet Pistol. What's a bit different with the new Sig P320MHS is that it has a full size drop out magazine that holds the CO2 and belt fed pellet magazine. The P320MHS can also be fully field striped, has an open ejection port and is styled after Sig's real Steal M17 firearm.
I wanted to start my SHOT Show 2018 Interviews with Crosman because in my books they had one of the most exciting new products this year at SHOT Show, the Crosman Remington DPMS SBR which is a duel 12 gram CO2 powered 4.5mm steel BB firing AR styled semi and full auto Machine gun.
What I like about the Crosman Remington DPMS SBR is that it works a lot like an Airsoft Gas Blowback rifle with an internal bolt and buffer tube spring, working charging handle and dust cover, it even has a bolt release button. The Crosman Remington DPMS SBR can even be taken apart similarly to a real AR rifle.
The next new interesting product from Crosman, and as I found out the design is not entirely exclusive to Crosman, was the CO2 Non-Blowback Pellet firing 1911. The Crosman Pellet 1911 has an interesting magazine design, it looks like a traditional full size drop out magazine, which as you would expect holds the CO2 but rather than an inline BB magazine the new Crosman Pellet firing 1911 has two built in 6 shot rotary magazines that can be flipped so you essentially end up with a 12 shot magazine.
You will have to drop the full size magazine after the first 6 shots to flip the rotary magazines. The Crosman Pellet 1911 does not have blowback action but the double action only trigger is smooth and not too heavy. The slide is metal with a metal magazine and a polymer frame. The Crosman Pellet shooting 1911 comes in silver and black.
The next new product from Crosman was the Mako. The Crosman Mako is a Beretta styled CO2 Blowback BB pistol. The Crosman Mako features Blowback action, fiber optic sights, tactical grips, a double action trigger and a stick magazine that holds the 4.5mm steel BB's.
Thanks to Phillip Guadalupe from Crosman for allowing me the Interview!
So it begins, I have been to this years SHOT Show in Las Vegas and checked out the new products from Umarex, Crosman, Sig Sauer and ASG. I have taken video and Interviewed the main Airgun companies. Now it's time to report back to everyone what I saw and learned. To start with here is a Teaser Video with some scenes from Vegas, inside SHOT Show and of course some of the highlight products from each airgun company.
Type: Blowback Pellet & BB Pistol. Manufacturer: Distributed by Umarex. Model:SA10. Materials: Metal & Polymer. Weight: 2.05 pounds (930 grams). Barrel: Metal rifled. Propulsion: CO2 x 1. Action: Semi auto blowback, single & double action. Ammunition Type: .177 caliber pellets & 4.5mm BB's. Ammunition Capacity: 8x4 round rotary full size drop out metal magazine. FPS: Claimed 420.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Umarex SA10 CO2 Blowback Pellet and BB Pistol is similar to most of the rotary magazine styled pellet pistols. The blowback operation does cock the hammer allowing for a lighter single action styled trigger pull but the trigger pull length is still about the same as shooting in double action. There is less trigger pull weight when the hammer is back shooting in single action but the first part of the trigger pull is necessary in order to rotate the magazine.
Build Quality: The Umarex SA10 CO2 Blowback Pellet and BB Pistol feel great in the hand and has a nice weight and solid feel to it. Like most modern day pistols the Umarex SA10 CO2 Blowback Pellet and BB Pistol has a metal slide and polymer frame, you will also find a lot of internal metal parts along with a full size drop out metal magazine. Fit and finish are also very good.
Realism: The Umarex SA10 CO2 Blowback Pellet and BB Pistol is not a copy or replica of any actual real steel gun in production but to me it most resembles a Sig Sauer, not exactly as the Umarex SA10 CO2 Blowback Pellet and BB Pistol does incorporate its own design and style. You will find a lot of real gun attributes that make this gun look and feel the deal. Like it's blowback operation, full see drop out metal magazine, wide open recessed barrel and ability to be field stripped. Available From: The Replica Airguns Store.
Pros:
Great weight and feel to it, build quality seems good.
Accessory rail for adding a laser or tactical light.
Unique full size drop out metal magazine that holds extra rotary magazines on it for quick reloading.
Have the option of shooting Steel BB’s or pellets.
Has a rifled barrel.
Gold barrel looks good.
Barrel tip is removable allowing for possible mock suppressor or silencer.
Slide catch is actually a safety making it nice and discreet.
Can easily field strip the gun.
Warning instruction are not overpowering.
Cons:
No white or yellow dot sight on the front and they are non-adjustable.
Trigger safety is just for show.
Not really a replica but a great looking gun none the less.
Comments:
I have been waiting a while to get my hands on the Umarex SA10 CO2 Blowback Pellet and BB Pistol and now that I have it for review I can say it seems to be a really well put together CO2 Blowback Airgun. OF course I still need to get some shooting in with it till I make my final decision but so far I am liking what I am seeing. Generally prefer actual Replica Airguns but the Umarex SA10 CO2 Blowback Pellet and BB Pistol does have a really nice look and feel to it, I don't even mind the Gold barrel and I am usually not a big Gold Gun fan. The unique magazine design with its snap in rotary Pellet and BB magazines shoudl come in handy when it coms time for testing and the ability to shoot either Pellets or BB's does give the shooter more options.
Type:BB Pellet Pistol Manufacturer:Umarex Model:SA10 Material: Polymer frame with metal slide. Weight: 929.8 g (2.05 pounds). Power Source: 12 g CO2 x 1. Action: Single & Double action Ammo Type: 4.5mm steel BBs and /177 caliber Pellets. Ammo Capacity: 8 rounds. FPS: 420
I have been having a hard time getting my hands on the Umarex SA10 CO2 Blowback Pellet and BB Pistol to do a review for everyone. It's been a rather low stock item. We have had it in a couple of times but not in a lot of quantity and since the demand has been higher than the supply the Umarex SA10 CO2 Blowback Pellet and BB Pistol tends to be out of stock most of the time! Hopefully that changes in the future?
This YouTube video is a Preview video only for the Umarex SA10 CO2 Blowback Pellet and BB Pistol so I do not go over a lot, I sim,ply show you around the gun and take a look at the packaging and any info on the packaging. My Future Table Top Video Review will have a lot more details along with a full field strip of the Umarex SA10 CO2 Blowback Pellet and BB Pistol.
Here's what we know for now! The Umarex SA10 has a metal frame and polymer slide, it shoots both .177 caliber pellets and 4.5mm Steel BB's. The Umarex SA10 CO2 Blowback Pellet and BB Pistol has blowback action with a single and double action trigger and sports a full size drop out metal magazine that holds the CO2 and removable rotary 8 round magazines, 4 in total 1 ready for shooting and the other 3 on standby ready to be hot swapped. We should expect around 400 fps with lighter ammo and I am hoping for decent accuracy using pellets since the Umarex SA10 CO2 Blowback Pellet and BB Pistol does have a rifled steel barrel.
Wow, we had a great contest giveaway for the Umarex Ace in the Hole Single Action Army Revolver. We received 406 participants with close to 2000 separate entries, so thank you everyone that got involved. Unfortunately for the other 405 participants there can only be one winner and to see who that winner is you're going to have to watch my Contest Giveaway announcement video...
Before I get into this Field Test Shooting Review for the Umarex Legends Ace in the Hole SAA Pellet Revolver I did want to mention again that we do have a Contest Giveaway going on till the end of this month where we will be giving away an Umarex Legends Ace in the Hole SAA Pellet Revolver to a Canada or US Winner. Sorry we can not ship outside of Canada or the US due to airgun and import regulations. Make sure to scroll to the bottom of this review to enter the contest.
Back to the Field Test Shooting Review! Rather than just testing the 3.5 inch barreled Umarex Legends Ace in the Hole SAA Pellet Revolver by itself, I also compare it to two other Umarex SAA Revolvers, in 5.5 and 7.5 inches version. I wanted to see how the barrel length effected power and accuracy and I was kind of surprised at the results.
I shot three rounds from each Umarex SAA Pellet Revolver through my Chrony Chronograph and averaged them out for each gun. Umarex claims the Umarex Legends Ace in the Hole SAA Pellet Revolver to get around 340 fps and it shot an average of 323fps with a brand new CO2 and using 8.2 gram lead pellets, not bad at all considering the pellet weight and colder temperature of around 15 degrees Celsius. next I shot the 5.5 inch Umarex SAA Pellet Revolver in the same manner and averaged 347fps which is kind of what I was expecting die to the anger barrel. SO when I came to the 7.5 inch Umarex SAA Pellet Revolver I was expecting even higher results but was surprised by my results which where exactly the same as the 3.5 inch version coming in at 323fps? Perhaps the valve was a bit detuned on the 7.5 inches version, I am not sure?
Moving on to the accuracy performance for the Umarex Legends Ace in the Hole SAA Pellet Revolver. Again I sued the same 8.2 grain RWS flathead pellets and emptied a full cylinder into my paper target positioned 30 feet downrange. My accuracy result for the Umarex Legends Ace in the Hole SAA Pellet Revolver where decent with my 6 shoot group getting around a 2 inches and well centered on the target, just a lad high but not by much. I am pretty sure I pulled one of the shots so I think I should of gotten closer to 1.5 inches. Next I Shot the 5.5 inch UmarexSAA Pellet Revolver but seemed to struggle a bit with it. I found the 5.5 inch Umarex SAA Pellet Revolver shot to the left and my 6 shot grouping was a lot more spread out exceeding 2 inches by a bit. Lastly I tested out the 7.5 inch Umarex SAA Pellet Revolver and it was the clear winner placing all 6 rounds wishing the black bullseye getting close to a 1 inch grouping. I love it when that happens :)
Let's start this review off by first stating that this is also a contest, I know it's been a while but I am happy to announce that we will be having way more regular contests for our viewers and subscribers! To kicking things off with this new contest trend we are giving away an Umarex SAA Ace in the Hole CO2 Pellet Revolver to one lucky either Canada or US winner. Sorry for legal and shipping reasons we have to stay within Canada and the US.
And we're gong high tech with this contest implementing Gleam to allow a number of ways for you to get involved and have more chance to win! Go to the bottom of this post to get involved!
So I guess I better include a written review here to :) We'll keep it short this time since I am sure we are all mostly interested in the contest!
Type:Pellet Revolver. Manufacturer:Umarex. Model:Ace in the Hole. Materials: Full Metal. Weight: 885 grams (1.95 pounds). Barrel: Rifled Power Source: CO2. Action: Semi-Automatic. Ammo Type: .177 Pellets. Ammo Capacity: 6 Rounds. FPS: 340 using lead pellets.
Pros:
Short barrel increases draw speed.
Thumb spur hammer primed for rapid fire.
Realistic heavy metal frame with weathered finish.
Authentic rotation cylinder with loading gate.
Interchangeable clip-op front sights.
Has good combination of accuracy and power for a short barreled revolver.
CO2 Allen Key built into pistol grip.
Cons:
Shells must be loaded one at a time but can be kept in the cylinder.
Plastic sights detract a bit from realism.
The Ace in the Hole has more than one trick up its sleeve. This CO2 pellet gun is an original take on the classic Single Action Army revolver. The oversized thumb spur allows you to fan the hammer with your palm, like a real gunslinger. Swap in the sight that works best for your aim, or remove it entirely and shoot from the hip.
Overall I found it to be one of my favorite of the Umarex SAA Colt Revilers. I like that it's a pellet shooter and the Umarex Ace in the Hole is even capable of shooting decent weight led pellets at close to the claimed fps. The size and weigth of this CO2 Revolver feel perfect coming in at almost 2 pounds in an all metal airgun.
The weathered finish with the Ace logo imbedded in the pistol grips looks really great, the only distraction from the realism would be the plastic removable front sights. I am not sure why Umarex did this but it will help in quick draw situations. Overall the Umarex Ace in the Hole is a super well built and ultra realistic SAA Revolver that will not disappoint any old west airgun collector. get your while we still have them.
In this Revolver comparison video I look at a variety of different types of Revolver Airguns and compare them to each other to determine which one I feel is the best Revolver styled Airgun. My final choice is of course based on my own personal opinion.
In this comparison video I look at a variety of different Sig Sauer P226 Airguns and compare them to each other to determine which one I feel is the best Sig Sauer styled Airgun. Of course my choice may not be your choice :)
In this comparison video I look at a variety of different Beretta 92/Taurus PT92 Airguns and compare them to each other to determine which one I feel is the best Beretta/Taurus Airgun. Keep in mind what's best in for me may not be best for you.
In this comparison video I look at a variety of different 1911 Airguns and compare them to each other to determine which one I feel is the best 1911 Airgun, well at least for me.
Type: Multi-pump Pellet-BB rifle. Manufacturer: Umarex USA. Model:NXG APX. Materials: Metal and polymer parts. Weight: 3.4 pounds (1.54 kg). Barrel: 20 inches, rifled. Propulsion: Multi-pump. Action: Single shot pellets/repeater BB's. Ammunition Type: .177 caliber pellets & 4.5mm steel BB's. Ammunition Capacity: 75 BB's in hopper. FPS: up to 490.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Umarex NXG APX Multi-pump Pellet-BB Rifle is not too bad, I would not say it's overly light but not on the heavy side either. Essentially it has a single action trigger since you need to pre-charge the bolt to engage the trigger. There is a little bit of take-up and then a fairly noticeable break point where you will feel the most trigger weight right before it releases.
Accuracy: So far I have not performed my Field Test Shooting review for the Umarex NXG APX Multi-pump Pellet-BB Rifle so I do not have any velocity or accuracy information to share at this point. I do plan on making that Shooting video Review this week so stay posted for that one.
Build Quality: The Umarex NXG APX Multi-pump Pellet-BB Rifle is not going to be one of your highest quality airguns but it does get the job done and feels solid enough with all the working parts feeling tight and secure. Most of the Umarex NXG APX Multi-pump Pellet-BB Rifle is plastic, even the bolt and trigger but you will find more metal inside where it counts like the inner steel barrel and the outer steel barrel shroud. The stock is plastic and that's OK, I do like the addition of the rubber butt pad and cheek rest as they work well and help to make the Umarex Umarex NXG APX Multi-pump Pellet-BB Rifle feel comfortable to hold in position and shoot.
Realism: Since the Umarex NXG APX Multi-pump Pellet-BB Rifle is not a replica, realism is not really a factor here but it does look like a gun so treat it as if it was a real gun since most people will not know the difference. Always transport and store any airgun safely and discreetly.
Pros:
Low cost air rifle with a lot of features.
Iron sights actually look really usable with the fiber optic red dot up front.
Comes with an 4x15 optical sight which should help with accuracy at longer ranges.
Super easy to pump even when getting close to the 10 pump max.
Built in auto safety.
Stock and cheek rest position feel really good.
Choice of shooting pellets or BB’s.
Trigger feels pretty good, not too heavy.
Mostly an ambidextrous design so good for lefties too.
Has a rifled barrel.
Overall a good looking air rifle.
Cons:
Mostly plastic, not the highest quality build.
Included 4x15 scope is super low budget but will work till you can upgrade it down the road.
Comments: I really hope the Umarex NXG APX Multi-pump Pellet-BB Rifle shoots well as it is kind of a cool air rifle with a lot of features at a low price tag and would make a great little target and maybe even small pest air rifle if it turns out to be accurate and hit that near 500 fps mark with pellets. The Umarex NXG APX Multi-pump Pellet-BB Rifle is not going to win any quality or design awards but from a usability stand point it works well and feels good to hold and shoot, the rear stock and cheek rest are in a perfect piston for me and this is a pretty small airgun overal. Personally I would invest in an upgraded scope, something like the Walther 4x32 would be perfect and not too expensive.
Type: Break barrel pellet rifle. Manufacturer: Umarex USA. Model:Ruger Explorer. Materials: Metal and polymer parts. Weight: 4.45 pounds (2.5 kg). Barrel: 12 inches, metal rifled. Propulsion: Spring piston. Action: Single shot. Ammunition Type: .177 caliber pellets. Ammunition Capacity: 1. FPS: 495.
Trigger Pull: I found the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle to have a fairly light trigger, there is some initial take up with a smooth almost undetectable break or release point, I found that as I shot the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle the trigger seemed to be breaking in a bit which made it a bit hard to figure exactly when the trigger was going to release but I feel over time and once the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is broken in the trigger will become more predictable.
Accuracy: Since I have already made a shooting or field test video for the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle, I can comment on its performance n this review! With 6 grain lead pellets (on the lighter side), I was able to get a 5 shot Chronograph average velocity of 485 fps. Using heavier 7-8 grain pellets the velocity slowed down a bit to around 400 fps. In terms of accuracy the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle performed well getting about a 1 inch 10 shot grouping on my paper target setup 30 feet down range. I know the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle can do better than this once the trigger settles down a bit since some shots went off unexpectedly.
Build Quality: The Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is not an expensive air rifle and is more or less an entry level spring piston pellet shooter. That said it is built fairly well with a metal receiver, barrel and trigger setup. The modern looking stock is polymer and the steel barrel is coated in a synthetic soft plastic to help with long term durability. The real fiber optic sight is plastic so you will have to be careful with it as it does protrude a bit from the air rifle.
Realism: Since the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is not a replica realism is not really a factor here but it does look like a gun so treat it as if it was a real gun since most people will not know the difference. Always transport and store any airgun safely and discreetly.
Pros:
Really great looking air rifle with a modern look to it.
Finish is very durable with its polymer stock and plastic/rubber coated barrel.
Fully adjustable fiber optic sights are easy to sight in and use.
Receiver is notched for ring mounts so you can add an optical sight or red dot to it.
Trigger is fairly light, just need some break in time with it.
Cocking effort is fairly easy at 16.5 pounds.
Great size gun for all ages.
Power and accuracy were good for an entry level air rifle.
Cons:
I did find the trigger break/release point to be a bit unpredictable but I feel this is a break-in issue and will become more consistent over time.
You have to remember to push that safety in with ever shot.
Comments: The Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is marketed as a Youth air rifle but in reality it would be great fun for all ages. I am a fairly large person at 6 feet tall and I had no problem dealing with the slightly shorter configuration. The trigger guard is nice and open and allows for large fingers which is not always the case with airguns designed for smaller individuals. The overall quality you get with the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle for the lower entry level price tag is very good and in terms of performance I feel you for sure get your monies worth with the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle.
I don't do a lot of Springer (Spring Piston) Air Rifle shooting tests or even reviews for that matter. Mainly for a couple of reasons: Number 1, my content is mostly focused around Replica style Airguns and Number 2, it's kind of hard to test out the longer range airguns in my 30 foot airgun range. That said I felt the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle would be a really great airgun to review since it is both affordable and even though it is targeted for the youth market, it really does make a great shooter for all ages.
I have not done a Table Top Review for the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle but plan to shortly so stay posted for more detailed info on the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle down the road in that review.
So how'd we do during my Field Test Shooting Video for the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle? Not bad I would say! Using about 6 grain rather light weight .177 caliber lead pellets I was able to get really close to the 500 fps claimed fps mark coming in just under at a 5 shot testing average of 485 fps. I did put a couple heavier grain pellets through my Chrony Chronograph and got closer to the 400 fps mark, still not bad for this lighter sprung spring piston air rifle.
In terms of accuracy, shooting at my paper target setup 30 feet down range in my Sea Can Airgun Range, I shot about a 1 inch 10 shot grouping. I was finding the trigger break-in to be a bit unpredictable during this testing which led to some premature shots going off so I do feel once the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is broken in and me getting use to the trigger break, I should be able to improve on this result.
Overall the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is a really nice entry level airgun perfect for all ages and not just the youth market. It looks really cool, is easy to cock and has a very resilient finish. Oh ya it shoots pretty good to!
Yet another retest for an airgun I have already reviewed. But some airguns need another "shot"! Today I just kind of felt like shooting a springer and the Baikal MP-53M Break Barrel .177 Pellet Air Pistol came to mind. I'm not the best at shooting spring pistons airguns since they take a more softer relaxed grip and I tend to hold guns with a bit of a firmer grip.
As always in my new Sea Can Shipping Container I perform a Chronograph velocity test to see what the real world feet per second is and then I perform a followup accuracy test shooting 10 rounds at a paper target 30 feet down range using a rested seated position. During the velocity Chrony test for the Baikal MP-53M Break Barrel .177 Pellet Air Pistol I was able to get an average of 405 fps which was much higher than my previous testing where I averaged 319 fps. I was using different 7 grain lead pellets but I don't think they where that much different in weigth since the Diabolo pellets should have been around 6-7 grain.
Moving onto the accuracy portion of my Field Test review, this time around my shots stayed a little tighter than last time stretching out to about 2 inches but most of the 10 shots where all within 1 to 1.5 inches. The trigger on the Baikal MP-53M Break Barrel .177 Pellet Air Pistol is really great, super light with just a little take-up and virtually a hair trigger after that with zero friction.
I also wanted to mention that cocking the Baikal MP-53M Break Barrel .177 Pellet Air Pistol is fairly easy and that I did find I needed to set the rear sigh to the all the way down position to get my shots to hit close to the bullseye as this gun seemed to like to shoot rather high out of the box.
The Sig Sauer ASP P320 CO2 Blowback .177 Caliber Pellet Pistol is a really nice evolution to the already existing line of Sig Sauer ASP Pellet Pistols. The 30 round belt fed pellet magazine is what really sets it apart from the Sig ASP P250 and Sig ASP P226 which both share the traditional double sided 8 round rotary pellet magazines found in other CO2 pellet pistols like the Umarex PX4 and ASG CZ P-09 Duty.
The big question I had was how is the trigger going to feel and is a 30 round belt magazine going to be reliable? Will other aspects of the Sig Sauer ASP P320 CO2 Blowback .177 Caliber Pellet Pistol function and perform like its rotary magazine brothers?
During my Chronograph feet per second shooting test I compared all three blowback pellet pistols shooting five rounds from each of them using a brand new CO2 and Sig Sauer 5.25 grain Match Ballistic Alloy Pellets. It was a close race with the Sig ASP P250 averaging 413 fps, the Sig ASP P226 just under with a 409 fps average and the Sig ASP P320 coming in a very close third at 405 fps. Only about 8 fps separating all of them!
Moving on to the target portion of my testing. As per my standard Field Test Shooting Reviews I setup my paper targets about 30 feet from my rested shooting position and since the ASP P250 and P226 both have 8 rounds per side rotary magazines I decided to shoot an 8 round grouping with all three Sig ASP pellet pistols. It was really close and perhaps one could say most of the variability was because of the human factor. All three CO2 Blowback Pellet Pistols shot about 2 inch groupings with perhaps one or two outliers, again most likely my fault :) I would say the Sig Sauer ASP P250 was perhaps the most accurate with the tightest of the three groups and also the most centered. The Sig Sauer ASP P226 and Sig Sauer ASP P320 where both a close second with both of them shooting just a tad left on target but pretty close to the center.
What about that Sig Sauer ASP P320 CO2 Blowback .177 Caliber Pellet Pistol trigger and belt fed magazine? The trigger actually felt great, much lighter than I was expecting and I did not have one pellet feed error during my entire testing. At the end of the day all three Sig ASP pellet guns performed about the same, but I have to say having 30 rounds at your disposal without having to reload or rotate the stick mag really makes the Sig ASP P320 stand out and perhaps make it the winner in a very close contest.
