It was fun to shoot the Umarex Walther PPQ M2 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol for a change but really it was a lot like shooting one of my BB and Airsoft pistols, except in this case I was shooting .43 caliber rubber balls. I decided to not use paintballs inside my nice new Sea Can Indoor Airguns Shooting Range to keep things clean :)
First, I put three rounds through my Chrony Chronograph to see what the real world FPS would be, keep in mind I was using rubber balls rather than paintballs and the rubber balls are a little bit heavier than paintballs so this could bring the FPS down a bit compared to the lighter paintballs. Using a brand new CO2, the Umarex Walther PPQ M2 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol average 316 FPS which was high than the claimed 290 FPS!
Moving on to my accuracy testing, as per usual I positioned myself 30 feet back from my paper target and using a seated and rested shooting position I shot a full magazine (8 rounds) of rubber balls on target with the Umarex Walther PPQ M2 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol. I was not expecting anything close to what I would get with a BB or Airsoft pistol since Paintball guns are not known for super tight groups. I did manage to shoot around a 6 inch group with most of the shots staying within around 3 inches. This is about what I was expecting as paintball guns are not meant for "target practicing", generally you are going to be shooting human sized objects and hoping to get some well placed center mass shots. 3-6 inch accuracy at 30 feet will get the job done for sure. I did find the trigger using rubber balls did have a bit more friction while the inner barrel seated itself into the magazine. When shooting quickly it is much less noticeable.
I know some of you are going to ask about using the Umarex Walther PPQ M2 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol with rubber balls for non-lethal self defense and the reality is it will not stop a person who is persistent on hurting you. There is simply not enough stoping power here. Will it "sting like a bitch" if you get shot up close with one of these Umarex Walther PPQ M2 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol? For sure but a well timed punch has more chance of dropping someone than a .43 caliber rubber ball moving at around 300 FPS. You may scare someone off simply by brandishing it but you take the chance of the person calling your bluff. Perhaps 8 rubber balls to the face will change their mind but that's a chance you have to figure out if you want to take or not.
As a paintball pistol, the Umarex Walther PPQ M2 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol is about the best I have seen in terms of replica paintball guns. It is as good as they come for realism, even better than many BB and Airsoft guns and in terms of performance it did not let me down either.
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...
Type: Paintball Gun. Manufacturer:Umarex - T4E. Model:Walther PPQ M2. Materials: Metal & Polymer. Weight: 848 grams (1.87 pounds). Barrel: Smooth bore. Power Source: 1x12 gram CO2. Action: Semi-Automatic with blowback action. Ammo Type: .43 Caliber Paintball or Rubber Ball. Ammo Capacity: 9 Rounds. FPS: 290.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on Umarex Walther PPQ M2 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol feels a lot like a double action trigger, internally it may be striker fired so expect a bit of a longer trigger pull with a fairly long reset and a medium strength trigger weight. There is also a working trigger safety which works well.
Build Quality: The build quality of the Umarex Walther PPQ M2 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol is really very good, metal parts are where you would expect them, the slide, slide catch, barrel, magazine and most internal parts giving the Umarex Walther PPQ M2 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol a nice near 2 pounds (1.87 pounds) of weight with the magazine in which makes the Paintball version a little heavier than the real still version (1.53 pounds) but once the real steal version is loaded with a full mag this may even out a bit. The Walther PPQ M2 does have a polymer frame but again this is normal with todays modern guns and helps keep the weigth down. Fit and finish is also excellent.
Realism: The Umarex Walther PPQ M2 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol is a near perfect replica of the real steel Walther PPQ M2, form the fully licensed markings to the large .43 caliber diameter barrel. If you placed the Paintball version side by side with the real steel version I doubt you could tell them apart? You will find that the slide cycle distance is a bit shorter than it shoudl be meaning that when the side catch is engaged the slide does not go as far back as it should. Filed stopping the Walther PPQ M2 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol may requires some tools.
Full Metal slide that locks back on the last shot.
All metal heavy full size drop out magazine adds some additional weigth to the gun.
Very Accurate Walther PPQ replica, almost indistinguishable from the real still version.
Everything works pretty much like the real gun so a great training tool.
Adjustable yellow dot sights.
Working trigger safety.
Fit and finish is excellent.
Magazine spring release really shoots the magazine out.
Love the .43 caliber barrel opening, adds to realism.
Cons:
Trigger pull seems a bit long as it shoots like a double action trigger, may be striker fired internally?
Magazine only holds 9 rounds, so you are going to need extras.
Blowback action is not full blowback, more like a typical BB airgun.
Comments:
I'm really glad to see another Replica Paintball Pistol available in Canada, especially such a well made and realistic version. The Umarex Walther PPQ M2 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol looks to be perhaps the best to date .43 caliber Paintball gun on the market and may even prove to be an option for non-lethal personal defense when using rubber balls with it. Not that I would trust my life with it but it sure looks the part and I am sure most people would not want to be on the receiving end of 9 rounds coming at you. As a training tool and Paintball gun the Umarex Walther PPQ M2 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol offers superb realism for this purpose. I am looking forward to testing mine out shortly :)
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.
I don't get many Gas Blowback Airsoft Rifles to review all that often so when I get my hands on them I sure have a great time testing them out and feeling the blowback action tapping me in the shoulder as I shoot in semi or full auto modes. Sure Gas Blowback Airsoft Guns don't perform like their AEG counterparts, especially when you're shooting in full auto. You can expect way less rounds in each magazine and even with less rounds the last 5 or 10 shots when shooting rapid fire are going to be compromised but I really don't care because a well made Gas Blowback Airsoft rifle like the KJWorks M4 CQB Carbine GBB is just so much more fun to shoot than an AEG and way more realistic.
So let's get on with my test results for the KJWorks M4 CQB Carbine GBB Airsoft Rifle... The fps consistency was really decent, super consistent when I spaced out my 5 test shots they averaged 377 fps, not really having any low or high fps shots out of the bunch. I did have a full gassed up mag and was using .20 gram plastic 6mm Airsoft BB's for this part of the field test.
Again shooting in semi auto mode, I placed 10 rounds into my paper target setup downrange 30 feet and as per usual I was using a rested shooting setup sitting on a stool and resting the KJWorks M4 CQB Carbine GBB Airsoft Rifle on a sandbag up front. 9 out of the 10 rounds all grouped in about a 3/4 inch group with only 1 round coming outside a bit stretching the 10 shot grouping out to about 1.5 inches. Still really great for a Gas Blowback or any Airsoft rifle for that matter!
Next I shot the rest of the mag in full auto burst mode which was about 20 rounds left in the KJWorks M4 CQB Carbine GBB Airsoft Rifle at this point. As expected the KJWorks M4 CQB Carbine GBB Airsoft Rifle cooled down pretty quick and the last 5 rounds did fire just fine but there was a noticeable drop in power making the rounds shoot low on the target. Keep in mind I was shooting in a not too warm environment, about 15 degrees which is not bad but also not that warm.
I would have liked to have seen the KJWorks M4 CQB Carbine GBB Airsoft Rifle perform as consistently in full auto mode as it did in semi auto but that would have been asking a bit too much from a Gas Blowback Airsoft rifle. The KJWorks M4 CQB Carbine GBB Airsoft Rifle is a really well put together Airsoft Rifle that didn't let me down in the end.
First off make sure to checkout my Table top review for the G&G GPM92 Beretta Mod. 92FS GBB Airsoft Pistol, it really is a nice Beretta Airsoft copy, perhaps one of the best out there!
In the Field Test Shooting Video I perform my standard Chronograph and accuracy tests on the G&G GPM92 Beretta Mod. 92FS GBB Airsoft Pistol. I put 5 rounds through my Chrony Chronograph using .20 gram plastic Airsoft BB's with a full propane filled magazine. My Sea Can indoor airgun range was warmed up sufficiently for a gas gun test but I found the G&G GPM92 Beretta Mod. 92FS GBB Airsoft Pistol did shoot a tad bit slower than the 330 or so claimed fps coming in closer to 300fps. Still totally usable for indoor airgun wars.
Moving onto my accuracy test I placed 10 shots on target 30 feet down range using a rested shooting position, sitting in the back and sand bag up front. This time I was impressed with how tight a group I got, I was able to get the bulk of the shots all within about three quarters of an inch with only two shots hitting just a little outside of this. I did notice the G&G GPM92 Beretta Mod. 92FS GBB Airsoft Pistol was shooting a bit low for me but that can be easily corrected by adjusting the the internal hop-up to raise the shot placement up as required.
The G&G GPM92 Beretta Mod. 92FS GBB Airsoft Pistol has a somewhat relaxed blowback but has plenty to give some recoil feel. You will get at least a full 27 round magazines worth of shots from each gas fill, perhaps even two if you stretch out your shooting a bit.
Type: Gas Blowback Airsoft Pistol. Manufacturer: G&G Model: GPM92 Materials: Metal slide & frame. Weight: 2.24 pounds (1016 grams). Length: 8.9 inches total Barrel: 4.6 inches,Metal non-rifled smooth bore. Propulsion: Green gas or propane. Action: Blowback, single and double action. Ammunition Type: 6mm plastic Airsoft BB's. Ammunition Capacity: 27 rounds. FPS: 350+ fps.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the G&G GPM92 Beretta Mod. 92FS GBB Airsoft Pistol is very good in both single and double action. Double action is a bit longer but not that much heavier when shooting in single action. Single action shooting is short, light and crisp as you would expect when shooting a real steel Beretta 92 style pistol.
Accuracy: I have not done my actual Field Test Shooting video review for the G&G GPM92 Beretta Mod. 92FS GBB Airsoft Pistol but I did get the chance to shot it quickly in my Sea Can indoor shooting range. Blowback felt good and accuracy seemed tight even though I was shooting free hand. I did notice the G&G GPM92 Beretta Mod. 92FS GBB Airsoft Pistol shot just a little bit low but I can adjust the hop-up slightly to account for it.
Build Quality: Like pretty much all G&G Airsoft guns, the G&G GPM92 Beretta Mod. 92FS GBB Airsoft Pistol build quality is right inline. Fit and finish where excellent and a lot of attention to detail was seen all over this Replica Airsoft Pistol. There is also some new gas valve technology from G&G that should significantly help with freezing in colder or fast shooting situations.
Realism: The G&G GPM92 Beretta Mod. 92FS GBB Airsoft Pistol is an excellent replica of the real steel Beretta Mod. 92FS, the safety even acts as a working decocker. You'll also find 5, 10, and 15 numbered markings on the backside of the magazine that would normally indicate how many bullets are in the magazine, a nice touch for sure! Everything works pretty much the same as it would on a real Beretta M9 including the ability to fully field strip the G&G GPM92 Beretta Mod. 92FS GBB Airsoft Pistol.
Whirl Cylinder Valve system should expect to get decent amounts of shots per gas fill.
White dot sights front and back.
Comes with hard shell case.
Very detailed full size drop out metal magazine.
20mm rail for accessories.
Comes with high quality speed loader.
Safety also works as a decocker.
Threaded removable barrel tip for add on mock suppressor.
Cons:
Sights are non adjustable.
A little bit more expensive than some other Beretta M92 full blowback Airsoft pistols
Barrel opening not as recessed as much as a real 9mm would be.
Comments:
I would have to say the G&G GPM92 is one of the nicest Beretta Model 92FS Airsoft Pistols you are going to find out there. There is a ton of attention to detail for sure, You also get the hard shell case with included high quality speed loader and G&G's new Advanced Safety Release Valve and Revolutionary Whirl Cylinder Valve that help with freeze-up issues. You might pay just a smidgen more that some other similar Blowback Beretta M92's out there but I feel it is well worth it.
My Vimeo Table Top Review of the G&G GPM92 Beretta Mod. 92FS GBB Airsoft Pistol:
I just received some really nice G& G Airsoft guns to share with everyone, I have two CQB Styled AEG rifles and a fantastic Gas Blowback Beretta Mod. 92FS.
The AEG CQB AR or M4 styled rifles are similar in a lot of ways and are super compact and really well built. The G&G ARP-9 has a polymer receiver and hand guard while the G&G ARP-556 has a full metal receiver and hand guard. Both have good weight to them. You will also find Skeletonized PDW stocks and large crown flash hiders on both models along with M-LOK hand guards. Inside you will find upgraded ETU and MOSFET electronics.
Obvious difference are the 9mm style magazine found on the G&G ARP-9 versus the M4 styled high capacity magazine on the G&G ARP-556. You also get an ambidextrous safety sector switch on the G&G ARP-556.
Next I show off the G&G GPM92 Beretta Mod. 92FS Gas Blowback Airsoft Pistol. It comes in a high quality hard plastic case with a well made speed loader. If you place the magazine in the gun you will have room for two magazine in the hard shell case. The G&G GPM92 hold 27 roads in it's double stack magazine that has some interesting new features that help it perform much beet in cold environments and really boost green gas usage. G& G calls them the Whirl Cylinder Valve system and Micro gas filter. Both help eliminate free up in the gun when shooting fast.
The G&G GPM92 Beretta Mod. 92FS is really well made and shoot in double and single action and the safety even works as a decocker. For those looking to add a mock suppressor you will happy to know the G&G GPM92 has a threaded barrel tip.
In this Classic Legends Airguns comparison video I look at a number of different Classic or Legendary BB Airguns and compare them to each other to determine which one I personally feel is the best . My final choices are of course based on my own personal opinion and in this video I end up picking two as they where kind of each in their own class.
In this Makarov comparison video I look at a variety of different versions of Makarov BB Airguns and compare them to each other to determine which one I feel is the best in their class. My final choice is of course based on my own personal opinion and even then I found it hard to pick a clear winner.
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.
My final video for the Sig Sauer Spartan and Max Michel Blowback CO2 BB Pistols where I find out exactly how they perform. I test out the fps velocity with my Chrony Chronograph and then setup a paper target about 30 feet away and shoot 10 rounds from a rested and seated position with my hands on a sandbag for stability.
I decided to only shoot the Sig Sauer Spartan 1911 since the Max Michel is really the same gun mechanically but with slightly different cosmetics which should not change the performance in any way. I did use a brand new Sig Sauer CO2 along with Umarex zinc coated steel 4.5mm BB's for this test.
Starting with my fps velocity Chronograph testing for the Sig Sauer Spartan and Max Michel Blowback CO2 BB Pistols, it did take me 2 shots to get the chronograph to read but after that I got 5 good readings averaging about 370 fps with the fastest shot close to 400 fps. I know the first couple of shots that did not read where up in the higher ranges so my average result may have been a little higher if they had been included in the testing.
For my accuracy test I shot 10 rounds at a paper target setup about 30 feet away using my standard sea can seated and rested shooting position and I didn't feel like I pulled any shots. That said 2 of the 10 shots seemed to get away on me a little bit but the other 8 where well within a 2 inch grouping and the 2 outliers only extended the grouping by about an additional inch. In terms of placement on target the sig Sauer Spartan Blowback CO2 BB Pistol was well centered left to right but did shoot about 3 inches high.
I was a bit surprised by how heavy the blowback is on the Sig Sauer Spartan and Max Michel Blowback CO2 BB Pistols, it kind of rocked my table a little bit especially when the CO2 was new. I also really like the trigger and feel that theses Sig Sauer 1911 offerings really give the KWC 1911 blowback CO2 airguns a run for their money. If you can get over the plastic stick magazine then I think you would really like owning a Spartan or Max Michel Sig Sauer 1911 CO2 Blowback Airgun.
