Earlier this week my father called me up and asked if I wanted to head out with him to go do some hunting/shooting. He has his bear tag but for the most part, hunting with my Dad consists of driving around in his truck hoping to stumble on something since he can not walk all that far these days.
We had a great time just enjoying each others conversation and of course the beauty of Canada BC's Harrison Lake area. We also got to shoot some guns to "make sure they where sighted in and working correctly". I brought my Norinco 12 Gauge Homeland Security 780 which I needed to test out and I'm glad I did since it needs some TLC to get working smoothly. I also brought along my little Henry Lever Action 22LR which is always a blast to shoot. My Dad brought his Savage Arms 7mm Magnum just in case we did see a bear on this outing.
Long story short we didn't bring any meat back home with us but we did see some out of season doe and of course had some nice father-son time together...
I am happy to report back to you on all the new cool stuff I got to see at this years 2013 SHOT Show in Las Vegas. Make sure to also watch my Vimeo video at the bottom of this post for some first person styled play by play of my experience at the Vegas SHOT Show 2013. (like you're there with me ;)
First up I want to cover a new gun from ASG, I have been wanting to get my hands on the 4.5mm Bersa BP9CC and I finally got to, not only did I get my hands on it but ASG was kind enough to supply me with one to take home for review. You can get the Bersa BP9CC in both Blowback and non-blowback versions and also in either BB or Airsoft. I opted for the 4.5mm BB Blowback version. I will be reviewing this BB gun very soon!
ASG also had a very cool prototype of an Airsoft CZ Scorpion EVO 3A1 hopefully coming out soon.
While roaming around SHOT Show 2013, I came across an interesting booth from FlashFog Security. I often get people asking me about using an airgun as a home defense weapon and I strongly advise against this. If the intruder is not scared off by the gun there is little an airgun can do to actually stop them. The FlashFog system works by rapidly filling a room with dense fog combined with a strobe light effect which blinds and disorients intruders completely. There is little an intruder can do other then try and get the heck out of there!
UPDATE: FlashFog just added a new section to their website specifically for School Security to help keep our schools safer from potential safety threats! So check it out: School Security Smoke Screen
I was a bit surprised by Gamo this year, they tend to stay away from actual Replica's and generally make BB/Pellet guns that look like popular guns but not any gun in particular. Gamo has a new BB/Pellet MP9 based machine pistol that uses a similar mechanism to their P-25 and PT-85 so it can shoot both 4.5mm BB's and .177 caliber Pellets using a double ended 16 shot rotary magazine. It also has an internal blowback system so it should have some recoil feel to it! I am pretty sure it is semi auto only but still a nice addition to their lineup!
Gamo also brought out a new 4.5mm BB Blowback pistol called the C-15 which has a metal slide and plastic frame, it kind of reminds me of the Umarex HPP in how it looks and feels.
Umarex had several new products that I am sure everyone is going to like! One that I think will do really well is the Steel Force, the Steel Force is designed around the 4.5mm BB shooting Steel Storm platform so it has a 6 round burst blowback operation and holds the 2x12 gram CO2 in the magazine while the BB's go in a 300 round hopper that feeds into a 30 round spring fed internal magazine. Like the Steel Storm it will shoot around 430 fps. The Steel Force has the advantage of being styled after the AR platform so it has a collapsible stock which will make shooting very easy.
Another often asked for airgun replica is the historic German Luger. This year Umarex stepped up to the plate and introduced the Umarex P.08 4.5mm BB pistol. Sorry, no blowback or even a working slide on this one but it is all metal and has a very good weight and feel to it.
If you're a fan of the entry level Umarex XBG then you may be interested in the new Umarex T.D.P. 45 which is very similar to the XBG in looks and features but with a slightly different look to it.
If you've ever wanted to turn your pistol into more of a PDW styled gun, you may be able to depending on which Umarex gun you have? Umarex added a very cool accessory called the T.A.C Converter that converts your Umarex HK USP (BB-Airsoft), SW MP40 (BB), XBG (BB), CZ Enforcer (Airsoft) and Walther P99 DOA (Airsoft) into more of a tactical (PDW) or Personal Defense Weapon complete with for-grip, adjustable rear sight, lots of rail options and a foldable stock.
I am assuming the Crosman M4-177 Pellet/BB Rifle has been doing well for Crosman as they have expanded with some more similar assault styled air rifles. The Crosman MSR77NP pretty much looks like a classic M16 but is in fact a Nitro Piston break barrel pellet rifle able to shoot .177 caliber pellets at 1200 fps (I hope there is a 499 fps Canada version planned too?).
A new takeoff of the M4-177 is the MK-177 which also shoots .177 caliber pellets and 4.5mm BB's using a multi-Pump System but it uses an upgraded more efficient pump system that squeaks out more fps with less pumps. The Crosman MK-177 is designed after the FN SCAR and is available in an adjustable iron sight version or a Red Dot equipped kit version.
One thing you can never get enough of in my opinion is another 1911 pistol! Crosman is introducing their GI Model 1911BB Blowback 4.5mm CO2 pistol, the one they had on hand was more of a prototype so the slide was not operational but it will feature an all metal design, blowback operation, 450 fps and a 20 round drop out magazine. I am sorry to say but it looks like the Crosman C51 has been dropped from Crosman's lineup but if you want a similar styled gun you can checkout the KWC SW40F which is a very close airsoft version.
We recently started carrying G&G Armament Airsoft guns, you can checkout my review of the Xtreme 45. I did stop by their booth and they had some new products on display, the M1 Grand (all wood stock) Airsoft had it's magwell all wrapped up as G&G had a propriety magazine system they did not want their competition to see. G&G also had some very interesting targets that light up, when shot they would react by individually turning off so you could see if you hit it or not.
There was a rather large crowd at the KWA booth but it was a shared booth so it's hard to say what everyone was looking at, the KWA area was pretty full, I did talk to the KWA rep and asked him point blank if KWC and KWA where the same or sister companies and the answer was not at all. There are often a lot of guns that look like they could be from the same company, I guess there is a lot of copying going on ;) One gun from KWA I would love to get my hands on is the Kriss SMG!
Now keep in mind many of these guns I have highlighted today are not available yet and a lot of them should be coming out in the spring time frame so please try to refrain from repeatedly asking when I will review them and have them in the store, it takes time and as much as we all want them now, they get here when they get here!
Watch my Vimeo video of the Replica Aiguns at SHOT Show Vegas 2013
For my Canadian Blank Gun collectors, I'm not going to list these ones as Silent Auction items this time around so if you're looking for an EKOL blank gun, I have one of each of the following versions for sale:
I first want to say this isn't exactly a review, more of an overview. I do show you around this Chinese made Norinco Type 54 Model 213 9mm Tokarev copy but I don't shoot it or even talk too much about shooting it. I have shot my Norinco M213 and it's quit nice, especially when you consider this gun was designed back in 1930. The Original Russian made Tokarev was built to replace the aging Nagant M1895 revolver that the Soviet troops used as their sidearm.
The Tokarev looks a lot like the Browning FN Model 1903 and was more than likely based off of it but it is different internally utilizing a short recoil dropping barrel similar to what is used in a 1911. The original Tokarev was not normally chambered in 9mm but rather the Russian made 7.62mm round. Being that the original 7.62 round is longer than a 9mm Lugar, Norinco had to place a block inside the magwell to accommodate the smaller magazine. I think it's a good tradeoff so I can use my readily available 9mm rounds in it. Each magazine hold 7 rounds as they are single stack design, this does make the profile of the entire gun very slim.
Another feature to note, that is found on the Chinese Norinco Type 54 Tokarev copy is the addition of a safety. The original Tokarev did not have a safety on it. The safety is similar to what you would find on a Makarov.
I have several Norinco guns and from what I have seen, people either love them or hate them and it's usually the people that own them that love them and the people that don't own them that don't like them. This may be based on first impressions as many Norinco guns are not as refined as what you would see in a Smith & Wesson, Sig Sauer and many other higher end firearms. With that said the Norinco firearms kind of remind me of many Russian made guns which are more about how they work and less about how they look. The Norinco metal is tuff as nails and has a very high nickel content in it which is what makes it harder to refine.
Even today the Tokarev is a decent gun and I really love the history behind it, once you get used to it's unusual looks it really does start to grow on you and you can pick one up for pretty cheap these days, I only paid just over $200 for mine and it even came with 4 magazines.
Watch my Vimeo Video Overview of the Norinco Type 54 Model 213 9mm Tokarev:
Time is runnig out! Just in cased you missed my EKOL Arda & Dicle - Bruni Mod. 92 PAK Blank Gun Silent Auction video last week or perhaps didn't get a chance to bid on anything, this is your last chance as this silent auction ends tonight at midnight (Friday May 11th).
You can check out the original post and watch my YouTube video for these items located here.
I've been talking a lot about some blank gun offering for my Canada based customers and I didn't want to leave out my US located customers. So I've added a few 1911 styled blank pistols to the Replica Airguns US Store. Now keep in mind these 1911 blank guns are all top venting but they still function and field strip much like a real gun!
It's always good to start the week off with an update video so everyone knows what's happening short-term and long-term...
I recently acquired a couple new items that I will be reviewing in the near future (along with several other reviews that I will be trying to get to ASAP!) First off is the Crosman M4-177 which is basically a multi-pump pellet and BB shooting replica of an AR or M4 styled carbine used by the US military. The Crosman M4-177 is mostly plastic on the outside but on first inspection seems to be built fairly well. It has removable metal sights and the magazine is also detachable but is not used as a magazine but rather a compartment for storage. The unit I have is the Canadian detuned version which shoots .177 caliber lead pellets and 4.5mm steel BB's at under 500 fps.
I also received my first old west blank shooting revolver (M1873), I have wanted one of these for a while and finally got my hands on one :) Unfortunately this one has a plugged barrel so it vents out of the cylinder area which may get a bit messy. I may see about making this one a front venting gun if possible and of course as long as it's within the law as I plan to make sure the cylinder stays semi plugged so no actual rounds could ever be shot out of it. The Old West M1873 Blank Revolver holds six .380 crimped blanks and is an all metal and wood construction. This should be a fun review!
I also touch upon a few other guns on the list of items I need to review and by the way in an attempt to get caught up I will be doing my Table Top and Shooting reviews combined.
Here are some of the guns that I will be reviewing over the next while...
Gamo P-25 & PT-85 .177 Caliber Blowback Pellet pistols (This one will get done this week!)
Another great opportunity for some of my Canadian based customers to get yourself a blank firing gun here in Canada. Today I bring you three models, two front firing blank pistols from EKOL in Gloss Black (Arda and Dicle) and one Italian made top venting Bruni Model 92 in Chrome.
Lastly we have a stunning Bruni Mod. 92 in Chrome:
Top venting.
8mm P.A.K. blanks.
15 round capacity.
Single and double action.
Comes with hard case.
Excellent condition!
All these guns are up for silent auction and this is how it works:
Send me an email with your top price as you will be bidding against others for the top offer. (Taxes and shipping will be added to your bid)
If you want more than one of these blank guns, please bid on each gun individually.
You have till Friday May 11th midnight to get your top bid in place.
Once the top bidder has been selected I will send them an email to notify them that they are the top bidder and Payment will be required within 24 hours or the next top bidder will be selected and notified.
I wanted to make a quick video to showcase a few items I will be reviewing and some of which are also for sale in the Replica Airguns Store.
First off we have a few of the new front firing Kimar Model 85's (Orange Slide) left in Canada. I stated out with 9 and I am not down to 3 so hurry on this one if you want one in Canada. If you are in the US, I also have them for sale in my US Replica Airguns Store in both Black and Nickel.
Next up I just wanted to show you a Kimar Lady K that will show up some time down the road in a video review, this item is now in my personal collection and sorry it is not for sale in either my Canada or US store at this time.
I have had lots of requests to review the Daisy Powerline 5501 and to be honest I have wanted to get this one for some time and even though it is available for sale in our US Replica Airguns Store I have not had the opportunity to pick one up until now so look forward to that review again some time down the road...
Last but not least I wanted to give you a closer look at the new Turkish made high powered Webley Tempest I have available in the Canada Store, these ones shoot as hard as legally possible within our Canada limitation to be classified as uncontrolled firearms and they make great compact pest control pistols that you can keep handy for when required.
OK, so that's it for now and be sure to watch the full reviews of these guns when I get to them shortly!
As most of you Canadian blank enthusiasts are aware, blank guns are next to impossible to find in Canada right now, let alone a brand new blank gun! I have acquired "at substantial cost" 8 brand new Kimar Model 85 8mm P.A.K. Front Firing Blank Pistols that I will sell to the first 8 buyers, I will not be getting any more of these as this was purchased from a suppliers back-stock inventory.
As is with all rare items - they will not be sold cheap, this version also only comes with the orange painted slide which by the way is fairly easy to paint black or strip to a nickel finish. I stripped mine and I didn't even have any paint remover around - I simply used some paint thinner and my dremel for the stubborn areas, followed up with some Autosol metal polish to brighten it up.
The Kimar Mod. 85 Blank Pistol closely resembles the Beretta Cheetah hand gun in looks, and functionality. The Kimar Mod. 85 comes with an 8 round single stack magazine and has an orange painted slide. This model is perfect if you like the look of the Beretta 92 FS but want something just a bit smaller. The Kimar Model 85 comes with a flare adaptor and cleaning rod.
Another slap in the face to my Canada Customers :( But for my US customers this is great news, I pretty much added the entire EKOL - Voltran linup of blank guns in a variety of styles and finishes to the US Replica Airguns Store.
Here is a complete listing of the EKOL - Voltran lineup:
