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Type: Pellet Rifle.
Distributer: Webley & Scott.
Model: Valuemax.
Materials: Metal and polymer build.
Weight: 6.4 pounds (2900 grams).
Barrel: 17.7 inches (450mm), rifled.
Total Length: 43 inches (1092mm)
Propulsion: Spring Piston
Action: Break Barrel.
Ammunition Type: .22 Caliber Pellets.
Ammunition Capacity: Single Shot.
FPS: 499.

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Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Webley Valuemax .22 Caliber Spring Piston Break Barrel Rifle is fairly nice There is a little bit of very light take up followed by a vert light release , the take up or travel length can be adjusted on this Air Rifle but that is the only trigger adjustment you can make and perhaps all that is needed.

Accuracy: I have not performed my Field Test Shooting Video for the Webley Valuemax .22 Caliber Spring Piston Break Barrel Rifle but I did get to take around 20 or so shots with it when I was trying to get it to diesel for me. It looks ot me like it is going to be nice and accurate as I was not even really going for accuracy and it seemed to already be grouping fairly tight. I was recoding fps using my Chronograph as I was trying to find out if by adding some oil to the spring piston chamber could get it to diesel which it never did for me, I was however to establish that the Webley Valuemax .22 Caliber Spring Piston Break Barrel Rifle shot right around 470-480 fps using 14.3 grain lead pellets which worked out to right around 7.32 foot pounds of energy. I will know a lot more when I do my official Field Test Shooting Video next week.

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Build Quality: Webley Valuemax .22 Caliber Spring Piston Break Barrel Rifle is built to be a value priced Airgun hence the name (Valuemax), that said it is maid well enough with lots of metal and of course some plastic or in this case mostly nylon as the stock is a solid nylon piece. Other than the stock the plastic parts are found to be in the sights and trigger guard, everything else seems to be metal.

Realism: The Webley Valuemax .22 Caliber Spring Piston Break Barrel Rifle is not a replica or copy of any real steel gun in production but it does look like a traditional hunting rifle in basic shape so make sure to transport thank airgun as if it was a real gun. Either in a gun case or perhaps a blanket in your trunk and always obey any laws for gun position and transportation in your area.

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Pros:

• Inexpensive price tag for well made decent performer.

• Initial test showed to have good accuracy and power! (more to come).

• Fully adjustable sights with optical TRUGLO Fiber Optics.

• Can add a magnified optical scope using the top built in dovetail rail.

• Nylon fiber stock is durable and functional with the addition of a vented rubber buttplate.

• Trigger feels decent and is also adjustable for travel length.

• Rear thumb safety resets after each break of the barrel.

• Nice light and short single action trigger.

• Would be good for small pest control because of decent FPS and good accuracy.

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Cons:

• Included sights are mostly plastic.

• The Valuemax version has a more basic less adjustable trigger.

• Detuned down to under 500 fps for Canada import as non-regulated Firearm.

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Comments:
I am looking forward to performing my Indoor Field Test Shooting Video for the Webley Valuemax .22 Caliber Spring Piston Break Barrel Rifle to see what it can really do in terms of accuracy so stay posted for that video next week. Overall if you are lucky enough to already have one or can get your hands on one since this rifle is discontinued in some area, I think this is a great Break Piston Air Rifle especially if you live in Canada and want the most bang for your buck. I am not only talking about cost verses features, I also mean power and energy since the Webley Valuemax .22 Caliber Spring Piston Break Barrel Rifle is a .22 caliber Air Rifle that can shoot really close to 500 fps with a nice heavy grain lead pellet achieving decent energy levels reasonable enough for small pest control. The Webley Valuemax .22 Caliber Spring Piston Break Barrel Rifle is not feature less, it does include a reseting safety, anti bear trap system, dove tail mounts with an included scope stop, fiver optic adjustable sights and a vert ergonomic textured nylon stock. All in all great value for what you pay!

My Vimeo Videos for the Webley Valuemax .22 Caliber Spring Piston Break Barrel Rifle:

• Buy Break Barrel Spring Pistol Pellet Rifles in Canada

• Buy Break Barrel Spring Pistol Pellet Rifles in the US

In this video I answer some commonly asked questions I get in many of the comments section about Airgun ammunition.

Here is a list of the topics I go over in this video:

• Can you remove a partially used 12 gram CO2 cartridge once you use it?

• Can you reuse a CO2 cartridge?

• Why is FPS consistency so inconsistent with CO2 cartridges?

• What is the difference between Green Gas and CO2?

• Why do pellet firing Airgun magazines not lock back after the last shot?

• Can you use steel BB's in an Airsoft gun and plastic BB's in a BB gun?

• What is the difference between (4.5mm and .177 caliber) and (6mm and .22 caliber)?

• What is the difference between hypervelocity pellets and standard lead pellets?

• What is the difference between copper coated steel BB's and zinc coated steel BB's?

• What are the best pellets to use? Wad cutters vs domed vs hollow point vs pointed?

• What is the best weight pellet to use with my Airgun?

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Gamo PR-776 CO2 Pellet Revolver

• .177 caliber Pellets

• 8 round rotary magazines x2

• 12 Gram CO2 x1

• 6 inch rifled barrel

• Fixed white dot front, fully adjustable rear sight

• 2.29 pounds

• 400 fps

• Buy in Canada

• Buy in the US

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Gamo P-900 IGT Pellet Pistol

• .177 caliber Pellets

• Break Barrel single shot

• Gas piston (IGT)

• 6.25 inch rifled barrel

• Fiber optic front, adjustable rear sight

• 1.3 pounds

• 400 fps

• Buy in Canada

• Buy in the US

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Umarex REKT OPfour CO2 Dart Rifle

• Nerf Darts 30% faster / 30% farther

• Pump action

• CO2 x2

• 12 round removable magazine

• Peep sights

• Adjustable rear stock

• 90 fps

• Buy in Canada

• Buy in the US

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JAG Arms Scattergun Green Gas Airsoft Shotgun

• 6mm Airsoft BB’s

• 28 round shotgun shell magazines x6

• Green gas or propane

• Pump action 3 /6 round burst

• Pop-up front and back iron sights

• 6-7 pounds

• 360 fps

• Buy in Canada

• Buy in the US

In this SHOT Show Las Vegas 2020 Interview Video Scott takes us through a range of new products from Air Venturi.

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Scott and I talk about the Air Venturi TR5 and how it came about to fill the hole the Baikal MP-61 left behind. We also talk a look at some new Air Rifles, a pumper called the Butterfly with a super cool linkage based system that makes pumping a lot easier. A PCP side lever cocking Air Rifle that I’m not even sure has a name yet but will be available in .177 .22 and .25 caliber pellet for around $299 US.

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The only Air Venturi replica we looked at is a new Springfield Armory under lever Spring Piston Air rifle modeled after the M1A. Last up Scott went showed us how the Bada Bang targeting system is shaping up and looks to be almost ready for production.

We had a lot of great new Airguns that I reviewed this year at Replica Airguns. Some of them really stood out to me and so I made a video showing my Favorite Replica Airgun Picks of 2019. Of course there where many other Airguns that could has just as easily made this video but I had to draw the line somewhere and pick the ones that in my opinion where the best of 2019. Make sure to watch my Vimeo video where I go into some more details on why I liked each Airgun.

Below is a list of the top Replica Airgun Picks of 2019:

Pellet Rifles:

• Air Venturi TR5 .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle

BB Rifles:

• Crosman Bushmaster MPW CO2 Blowback BB Machine Gun

• Umarex Legends Cowboy Shell Ejecting CO2 BB Rifle

Airsoft Rifles:

• KWA Ronin TK.45 Tekken AEG 2.5 & 3 Airsoft Rifles

Pellet Pistols:

• Webley Nemesis Bolt Action CO2 Pellet Pistol

Airsoft Pistols:

• Tokyo Marui Hi-Capa 5.1 D.O.R GBB Airsoft Pistol

• Tokyo Marui FNX-45 Tactical GBB Airsoft Pistol

Paintball Guns:

• Umarex T4E S&W M&P9 M2.0 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol

Blank Guns:

• ROHM RG-88 9mm PAK Blank Pistol in Polished Chrome

BB Pistols:

• Umarex Glock 17 4th Gen CO2 Blowback BB Pistol

• Air Venturi Springfield Armory 1911 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol

• Air Venturi Springfield Armory XDM Blowback CO2 BB Pistols

• Sig Sauer P365 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol

• KWC K17 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol

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In a way I have already Field Tested the Air Venturi TR5 .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle, well at least in the Baikal version. The Air Venturi version is pretty much a knock of of the Baikal IZH MP-61 which not only look a lot alike but also performed very similarly for me, checkout my Baikal YouTube Video Review for comparison. All that said we can not get Baikal products here in North America anymore so it’s great that Air Venturi has recreated a very similar product for us to have in Canada and the US.

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Moving on to the Field Test Review for the Air Venturi TR5 .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle, I first placed 5 shots through my Chronograph to see if the Air Venturi TR5 .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle did in fact shoot around 500 fps and in fact I was able to get all 5 shots up and over 500 fps averaging around 513 fps. Still within our Non-regulated firearm laws here in Canada since we where still under the 4.2 foot pound energy limit using 6.9 grain pellets.

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When it came to accuracy I would have liked to have tested out the Air Venturi TR5 .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle over a longer range but in my Sea Can I have a max 30 feet range limit which does give us a decent idea on what to expect for the Air Venturi TR5 .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle. I again shot 5 rounds using the Air Venturi TR5 .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle into my paper target since it has a 5 round magazine. I am not the best springer shooter but I think I did OK as I was able tonged a 1 inch grouping from the Air Venturi TR5 .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle, with 4 of the rounds all within a half inch of each other.

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As mentioned before when I shot the Baikal IZH MP-61 I was able to get very similar results but I did have an optical scope on the Baikal IZH MP-61 as compared to the Air Venturi TR5 .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle where I just used the open sights. In my opinion the Air Venturi TR5 .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle is good value for your money offering a unique design with excellent performance and getting as much power out of a pellet rifle as you can get here in Canada without requiring a firearms license.

Pick one up in our Canada or US Online Replica Airguns stores!

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A while back I made a Vimeo Video named” Is an Airgun Good for Self Defense?” It’s been pretty popular on YouTube getting over 2 million video views and I get a lot fo feedback from my viewers with varying opinions on this issue. I like constrictive feedback and enjoy hearing what my YouTube viewers have to say as long as everyone is being civil about it and not just trying to start an argument.

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In my first video on this subject I pretty much go on the record saying I don’t think Airguns are a good choice for self defense and there are for sure way better alternatives but many of you disagreed with me and so I decided to make this update or revisit video and go over some of the top pushback comments I get and see if they have some merit to them.

Here are the top 4 pushback comments I get the most often:

• When the bad guy sees the airgun they are going to run away thinking it’s a real gun.

• Just shoot the bad guy in the eyes / face.

• Use an HPA large caliber rifle.

• Use a full auto high capacity Airgun.

Watch my “Is an Airgun Good for Self Defense Revisit” Vimeo video to see how I address these pushback comments.

We often think that something that is more expensive and perhaps built with what we consider to be better materials is going to be the best option. That's not always the case! In this Vimeo Video I talk about some of the Pros and Cons to buying a Plastic Airgun versus a Metal Airgun. Of course this applies to BB, Airsoft and Pellet shooters.

Price
In most cases a Plastic Airgun is going to be less expensive, so if you have limited funds then your only option may be a Plastic Airgun and at the end of the day both airguns are going to probably get the job done much the same.

Realism
Generally speaking, most Metal Airguns are going to have more moving parts, often times with working slides and even blowback operation. This is not always the case but even a Metal Airgun that has few working parts will still feel more realistic simply because of the additional weight to the Airgun. Metal has that cold hard feel to it that makes you feel like you're holing something of substance. Plastic Airguns on the other hand can feel light and cheap and usually are very simple in design with less working parts.

Shooting an Airgun with blowback operation simulates the recoil action and in many cases allows for true single action operation of the trigger and hammer. This is going to feel a lot more realistic than shooting a non-blowback Airgun which again is generally what you get with Plastic Airguns.

Durability
Most people assume that because an Airgun is Meta, it is going to be stronger and more durable. This would be true if the Metal used in the Airgun was actually hardened steel but with almost Metal Airguns, they are made using a zinc alloy metal (Pot Metal) that is much softer then hardened steel and can wear and break a lot easier. When you also consider a Metal Airgun is going to be a lot heavier than a Plastic Airgun, a drop onto a hard surface will have a lot more impact which can cause breakage a to a heavy Metal Airgun versus a Plastic light weight Airgun.

Plastic surfaces are also a lot less prone to showing scratches since the Plastic material will usually be black all the way through versus a Metal Airgun that has a painted surface that when scratched hard enough will show through right to the bare metal. You also get wear marks on painted Metal Airguns that will make it look used and older, some people like this look but other do not.

Reliability
Again people are going to assume a Metal Airgun is going to be more reliable simply because it has more metal parts and metal parts are stronger right? Not the case if the parts are made out of zinc alloy. Now some companies will upgrade some high use parts in Airguns to hardened steel but it's hard to know for sure. You can use a magnet to determine what parts are Metal and what parts are hardened steel.

As we mentioned before, Plastic Airguns are generally pretty simple in design, less working parts means less to go wrong at the end of the day so just because you have a Plastic Airgun it doesn't mean it's going to break on you quickly. Actually it may even outlast your Metal Airgun since all those working parts will eventually wear out.

Now I am the first person to admit that I prefer Metal Airgun over Plastic Airguns, I don't mind spending the extra money for more realism and I'm willing to accept the fact that it's not going to last forever but the fact remains, a Plastic Airgun does have some advantages going for it so don't rule them out completely.

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.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Buy Ruger Explorer Youth Air Pellet Rifle in Canada

Buy Ruger Explorer Youth Air Pellet Rifle in the US

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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.

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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.

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Even at 30 feet out, shooting the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle should give us an idea of the ballpark this gun is able to shoot within, I also only used the adjustable fiber optic open sights for this review but I would suggest a low powered optical Scope or even a Red Dot since the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is grooved for scope mounts.

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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.

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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!

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Buy Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle in Canada

Buy Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle in the US

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I was a bit surprised by the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol, it actually shot a lot better than I was expecting it to perform. I did have to aim rather low since the Umarex DX-17  BB Pistol likes to shoot on the high side but if you are shooting at closer in ranges then you won't have to adjust your aim point so high.

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Getting into my performance testing for the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol, I placed 5 shots through my Chrony Chronograph and averaged 210 fps which again was very close to the Umarex claimed 200 fps, even a little bit higher! he DX-17 is a single shot repeater but because of the BB reservoir you can quickly reload follow up shots by simply point the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol a little upward while pulling the slide back and pushing it forward to active the spring piston and load a BB at the same time.

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As I mentioned the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol shot on the high side, at 30 feet it's a good 8-9 inches high but I have a feeling that this is about as high as the BB's will rise since they are not going that fast and gravity will start bringing them back down. At about 10-15 feet out from a target the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol seemed to shoot about 3-4 inches high so not nearly as bad and this can be adjusted pretty easy by simply aiming a bit under the target you are shooting at. In terms of a 10 shot grouping theUmarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol got about a 4 inch grouping which I have to say kind of surprised me as I was expecting a much larger spread.

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So for about $20 you kind of get what you pay for but I really think with the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol you perhaps get a little more! It has a really good trigger, seemed to be built pretty tuff, shot exactly right on the claimed fps mark and was even able to keep a reasonable grouping. And to keep costs down even more you never need to buy CO2 so that's another bonus.

Buy the Umarex DX17 Spring BB Pistol in the US

Buy the Umarex DX17 Spring BB Pistol in Canada

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Type: BB air pistol.
Distributer: Umarex.
Model: DX-17.
Materials: Mostly plastic build.
Weight: 1.6 pounds (726 grams).
Barrel: 4.27 inches, non-rifled.
Propulsion: Spring.
Action: Single shot.
Ammunition Type: 4.5mm Steel BB's.
Ammunition Capacity: 15 round BB reservoir.
FPS: 200.

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Trigger Pull: The single action only trigger pull on the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol is actually pretty good. It's fairly short with only a little bit of very light take up and then an easy release that has no added friction. So you will have to get use to when and where the release happens but it is a really decent trigger for such an inexpensive airgun.

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Accuracy: I have only shot the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol a few times to get use to the mechanical operation of using this spring powered pistol since there is a very specific order in which you need to cock and load the Umarex DX-17 for proper operation. I did find the DX-17 shot a bit high for me at 30 feet out so I had to adjust my aim point about 5-6 inches lower to hit targets at this range. For further out shooting you many not need to do so since the fps is fairly low and I would expect the BB to drop pretty quickly. In terms of power being that the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol is only rated at 200fps, well it seems sufficient enough for plinking away at targets and should have no problem getting through a pop can.

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Build Quality: I was expecting this $20 low cost BB airgun to be fairly low quality in general but when I took it out of the plastic clamshell packaging I was pleasantly surprised by the overall quality and how the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol felt in my hand. It has a good weight to it and the fit and finish are really good. Mechanical parts tolerances feel snug and the plastic used feels of good quality.

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Realism: The Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol as far as I know is not a replica of any specific real steel gun in production but it does kind of remind me of a Browning Hi-power at least the back half and the way the frame angles up a bit in front of the trigger. Other than that it looks the part of a real gun. The DX-17 has what looks like real working parts on it with the slide catch, magazine release and magazine but plat all moulded into the airgun.
Available at the: Replica Airguns Store

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Pros:

• At $21 Canadian its great value for a target plinker.

• It actually looks and feels pretty good in person, better than I expected build quality and weight to it.

• No CO2 required so very cheap to shoot.

• Single action trigger is actually really decent, better than most airguns.

• Accessory rail for adding a red dot or perhaps a tactical light.

• 15 round reservoir makes followup shots quicker and no fumbling around loading BB’s in-between shots.

• Lower fps means if you do do something stupid you are less likely to have to make a trip to the doctor

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Cons:

• Pretty low fps so don’t expect any long range shooting or great penetration.

• Sights are not adjustable and it seems to shoot kind of high.

• Why not rifle the barrel and make pellets an option?

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Comments:

I rarely review these super low cost airguns especially spring powered ones with low fps, it almost seems like why would you want any of that? But you know the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol is actually a great little airgun and you really can't beat the price tag. You are also going to save a bunch of money not having to buy CO2 and once you load 15 rounds into the BB reservoir you can empty the DX-17 fairly quickly. Sure the power seems a bit low but it gets the job done and like I said if there was an accident, you are less likely to break that window or require medical attention. I think this would be a great add on to an existing order you might be making with us, that way you wouldn't have to pay for shipping for this one item and you get a fun little plinker for only $20 more.

My Vimeo Videos for the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol:

Buy Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol in Canada 

Buy Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol in the US

Power Sources Covered in this review: CO2 - Spring Piston - Variable Pump -HPA (High Pressure Air)

Pro’s:

• CO2 Airguns allow for fast repeat shooting, great for action shooters, generally CO2 Airguns will supply a medium power range. No need to pump or cock your CO2 powered weapon in-between shots and a CO2 power source can allow for a very realistic action of the gun you are shooting.

• Spring Piston Airguns are best suited of single shot situations, they can provide low to high power output depending on the spring used. Spring Piston Airguns are very low cost to operate since you only need to buy the Pellets or BB’s. Spring Piston Airguns are not greatly effected by outside temperatures.

• Variable Pump Airguns allow you to decide how much power your gun will have and can offer very high power output depending on the Airgun. Variable Pump Airguns are very low cost to operate since you only need to buy the Pellets or BB’s. Variable Pump Airguns are not greatly effected by outside temperatures. Variable Pump Airguns generally have very low recoil and vibration.

• HPA (High Pressure Air) Airguns generally do not require pumping or cocking in-between shots and some even come in semi automatic or bolt action. HPA Airguns can have very high power output and even be used on larger game using large caliber ammunition. HPA Air Rifles have lower recoil and low vibration. HPA Airguns can be charged ahead off time so they are ready for use when you need them.

Con’s:

• CO2 Airguns require the additional cost to buy the CO2 as they do not function without it. CO2 Airguns have a limited power output and lose power as you shoot and use up the CO2. CO2 Airguns are effected by hot and cold temperatures and will have less power in colder temperatures and may not even work in super cold environments.

• Spring Piston Airguns require cocking before each shot. Spring Piston Airguns can have a lot of recoil and vibration, so much so that special optics must be considered when buying an optical sight. The action of the spring recoil can effect accuracy, especially if you are not use to the vibration and recoil or have spent some time practicing using a Spring Piston Airgun.

• Variable Pump Airguns will require multiple pumps to achieved maximum power output which can take some time in-between shots. So you are going to have to work for each shot.

• HPA (High Pressure Air) Airguns require the use of a manual pump to fill their built in air tank to maximum pressure and it does take a lot of time to manual fill an HPA tank. Alternatively you can have the air tank filled at a shop or buy a pressurization system similar to a scuba tank out paintball setup, the cost of this setup can be very high but will save you the castle of manually pumping air in to your HPA Airgun. HPA Airguns are generally a little more bulky then other Airgun systems since they have to accommodate fairly large air pressure tanks.

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.

I am showcasing here on the Replica Airguns website and over on the Replica Airguns YouTube channel a series of videos I will be making for the purpose of selling some guns out of my personal collection. I simply have no more room for the new guns and in some cases I either have duplicate guns or very similar versions so there is no need to have both. Some guns I am less attached to and as I already stated I need to make room for some of the new stuff I will be reviewing and or buying for myself.

In this second Mike's Personal Guns For Sale video I am offering three rifles, two of which will require a Canada PAL Firearms License since one is a 22LR rimfire rifle and the other is a high powered .22 caliber break barrel pellet rifle. The last item up for bid is an AK-47 styled .68 caliber paintball rifle.

Make sure to watch my above YouTube video to see these three rifles I am selling and instructions on how you can take part in the sale and purchase of them. By the way I am only selling to Canadian residents since shipping cross borders is a little sketchy.

Here is a list of the these three rifles I am selling from my personal gun collection:

ISSC MK22 22LR (FN SCAR) Rifle - $625 PAL Required

Benjamin Sheridan Super Streak .22 Caliber Break Barrel Rifle $250 PAL Required

Tacamo T68 AK-47 .68 Cal. Paintball Rifle $275

This is my SHOT Show 2016 Teaser Video! You will get to see some new gun highlights from companies like Umarex, ASG, Crosman, Sig Sauer, KWA and ISC. I will be following up this video with some interview videos very soon so do make sure to check back for those uploads. All I can say about the show is it’s huge! So much to see, so much walking and too much to take in…

ASG:

As always, ASG had some new products this year. The all new Dan Wesson 715 357 Magnum shell loading Revolver! This gun feels absolutely amazing in the hand and will be available in Steel BB, Airsfot and even Pellet shooting versions. Also new are the CZ P-09 and CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow Full Blowback BB and Airsoft Pistols.

Crosman:

Big at Crosman this year was their PCP Airbow, Crosman put a lot of focus on this product and even had a lot of crossbows on display to go with their new PCP Airbow. Crosman also introduced their low cost entry level Benjamin Maximus PCP rifle in .177 and .22 calibers offerings. Not really much in the way of replica pistols from Crosman this year, but then again last year was kind of the same?

Sig Sauer:

I finally made it to the Sig Sauer Booth this year to checkout their new CO2 Pellet gun line. All new Sig Airguns are made true to size and weight with similar trigger actions as their real steel versions. The Sig MPX is their more compact (shorter barreled) pellet shooting CO2 rifle with internal blowback and belt fed 30 round magazine. The Sig MCX is the longer barreled rifle version but built much the same as the MPX. Sig also introduced two new pellet shooting CO2 Blowback Pistols, the P226 and the P250. Both use similar double ended rotary magazines as the Umarex PX4.

Umarex:

Umarex always seems to have some new exciting Airguns products to offer at SHOT Show. The PPK is back with a few updates including no more ugly CO2 tab sticking out of the bottom! And yes the Beretta Model 92A1 will finally be shipping soon, I believe in February! My favorite product this year from Umarex would have to be the Full Blowback, Full size drop out magazine S&W M&P 40 CO2 BB Pistol. Umarex released yet another 1911 on the market, this version does come with a stick mag and sports pretty high fps and more shots per CO2 then the KWC based 1911’s. The super popular Colt SAA Revolver is now available in a pellet shooting version with a rifled barrel :) Umarex had on display another low cost revolver, the ultra futuristic looking Brodax CO2 BB Revolver.

KWA:

KWA always has really nice high quality products to showoff at there booth each year, we may even start carrying some of KWA's products this year, fingers crossed on that one… New to the KWA line are some AEG rifles with simulated blowback action, I really liked the Blowback AEG AK they had on display. KWA also released a new Airsoft shell loading revolvers that had some of the nicest looking brass and aluminum shells. On display under a glass cover was a very solid Gas Blowback Thompson Machine-gun with real wood stock, it was absolutely gorgeous!

ISC:

ISC known for their top quality AEG internals, had their full line of high quality Airsoft rifles on display. And new this year to ICS was their first ever Airsoft pistol, the blowback BLE Alpha. The BLE should be out mid year and looked and felt really nice. The trigger on it was super short and light.

I have some really awesome Interview videos I’m working on, I will be uploading them shortly so stay tuned for those…

When I say Airguns, I am referring to pretty much all BB, Airsoft, Pellet, Paintball and even Blank guns for most of the topics listed here.

Do’s:

1. Treat your Airgun just like you would a real gun. If something goes wrong, perhaps the outcome will not be as severe but do you really want to take a trip down to your local emergency ward to get a BB or Pellet removed?

2. Always assume your airgun is loaded, for some reason it always seems those empty guns are the ones that do the most damage.

3. Be discrete, If it looks like a gun other people will think it is a gun so don’t flash your airguns around in public. Keep it in a case when transporting and shoot it in an area that will not alarm other people.

4. Always wear eye protection when shooting your Airgun. Do you really want to shoot your eye out? No Joke!

5. Be aware of your surroundings like windows, hard objects that could make your ammo bounce back at you. Make sure you are shooting your Airgun in a safe direction at all times, know your target and beyond.

6. Use Airguns to teach others and learn how to safely and effectively shoot a gun. Airguns can be less intimidating then a real gun (Not so loud and very little recoil) and make for great start out and transitions guns.

7. Use Airguns to get more inexpensive trigger time and become a more experienced shooter. Airguns cosy only pennies per round to shoot and can be shot in way more areas than a real gun can, practice makes perfect so get shooting!

8. Use Airguns in areas where real guns may not be allowed or safe to use. Again, Airguns can be shot in all kinds of places, in your back yard or even in a properly setup indoor home range.

9. Use Airguns with adequate power for safe and humane pest control where real guns may be prohibited.Airguns are quiet and less likely for the bullet to travel long ranges which makes them ideal for close range pest control in areas where real guns are too loud and to powerful.

Don’ts:

1. Do not assume because it is an airgun it is not dangerous or simply a toy. Many Deaths have been caused by Airguns along with a lot of pain and suffering so treat your Airgun with respect. It is not a toy or you would find them in the toy department at your local store along with yo-yos and stuffed animals.

2. Do not point or shoot at people unless of course you are using an Airsoft gun in an Airsoft field or facility. Yes Airsoft guns are meant to shoot at each other (with appropriate attire like eye protection and full body clothing), but steel BB and Pellet can cause serious injury especially at close range and on direct skin contact.

3. Do not leave your Airgun loaded, you never know who is going to come across it and accidentally discharge it. Remember, a loaded gun is a dangerous gun in the wrong hands. You may know better than to assume the gun is undulated but children and even adults without any gun training will most definitely handle the airgun without consideration of the danger it poses.

4. Do not use an Airgun for self protection. See my related video. Simply put, Airguns are not practical for self defense because they rarely have enough Stopping Power. The ones that do have enough power need to be pre-charged and in most cases are only single shot meaning if you miss or don’t get the job done no the first shot then you are done.

5. Do not use an underpowered Airgun for pest control. See related video. Using a low powered BB pistol for pest control is cruel, you will only injure the animal making it suffer unnecessarily. Use a high powered pellet rifle to get the job done.

6. Do not take your gun apart, in most cases this will void the warranty and the reality is that airguns rarely need to be cleaned since no dirty gun powder is used. lead pellet rifles may require occasional barrel cleaning to keep the rifled barrel free of debris.

7. Do not over oil your Airgun, a little goes a long way and too much oil will just attracted dirt, use the right airgun oil and just enough to keep part functioning smoothly.

8. Do not over pump an Airgun. Over pumping an Airgun can cause damage to valves and seals and in a worse case situation a rupture the air pressure reservoir or even cause the airgun to explode!

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)