I wanted to cover some basic Airgun, Airsoft Gun, Blank Gun and Paintball Gun information on what do they all shoot, what makes them shoot and some other miscellaneous info thrown in along the way...

Your should also watch the video attached at the bottom of this post as it goes into a fair amount of detail.

Let's begin with the types of ammo used:

Airgun Ammo

• Airgun ammo for the most part is broken down into BBs and Pellets, the most standard size BB and Pellet is the 4.5mm or .177 caliber Steel BB and Lead Pellet. You can also get Pellets in other calibers and even other materials other than lead such as steel or aluminum, some can have plastic skirting around a metal interior.

• Pellets also come in a variety of caliber's like .177, .20. 22. 25 and even larger but then I would start considering them to be bullets as they will take on the shape of a bullet when they get into the larger sizes.

• Airgun Ammo is not be fired at people, it is primarily used for target and hunting small game.

• Airguns can use Spring Pistons, CO2, Compressed Air and Multi-pump propulsion systems.

Airsoft Gun Ammo

• Airsoft Guns for the most part shoot round 6mm (.22 caliber) plastic BBs which come in a variety of weights ranging from .12 grams up to .48 grams. There are larger Airsoft BBs such as 8mm and even larger.

• There are biodegradable and even tracer florescent Airsoft BBs available.

• Airsoft Ammo is traditionally used for Airsoft battles and can be fired at people using protective gear. Airsoft Ammo can also be used for target shooting.

• Airsoft Guns can use Spring Pistons, Spring Piston - AEG (Electric Motor) CO2, Gas (Green, Red, Propane) and Compressed Air propulsion systems.

Paintball Gun Ammo

• Paintball Guns or "Markers" have been historically used for the sport of Paintball but their whereabouts came from the need of ranchers and forestry workers to mark trees. Hence the name "Marker"

• Paintball ammo comes in a variety of sizes ranging with the most common being .43 and .68 caliber. They are generally made from a gelatin outer coating containing primarily polyethylene glycol, other non-toxic and water-soluble substances, and dye, they are usually biodegradable.

• Paintball Guns can also shoot a variety of Paintball Ammo that can be made out of Rubber, Plastic, Glass and they can also contain Powders and even Pepper for use in non lethal defense.

• Paintball Guns can generally use either CO2 or Compressed Air as their propellant.

Blank Gun Ammo

• Blank Guns are just like Real Guns but without the dangerous bullet at the end of the brass shell. Other than that they work exactly the same as a Real Gun!

• Blank Guns are used when a bullet is not required or even wanted. For instance... Gun safety, gun training, training animals to be around guns and/or loud noises, Props for Movies - Stage -  Film - TV, Collectors that do not want the red tape associated with owning a Real Gun or when owning a Real Gun is prohibited.

• Blank Guns can shoot a variety of sized ammo, most common are .22 caliber crimped, .380 crimped, 8mm P.A.K. and 9mm P.A.K.

• Blank Guns use gun powder as their means of operation.

Here are the most common forms of propulsion used in the guns we discussed earlier:

CO2

• CO2 is the most common propellant in Airguns (BB and Pellet), it is also used in Airsoft Guns and Paintball Guns.

• CO2 is a compressed gas which expands when released, it requires a warm environment to fully expand and tends to cool it's surroundings quickly when shot fast or in full automatic which can slow the velocity of the projectile and even freeze up the gun being used.

• The most common reusable CO2 cartridges are 12 and 88 gram but you can get larger CO2 tanks in a variety of sizes that can be refilled with CO2.

Gas

• Gas is used primarily in Airsoft Guns, I have not personally seen an Airgun that is made to use Gas other than CO2.

• Gas is similar to CO2 in that it is a compressed gas that expands when releases, it also cools down the gun it is being used in and requires a warm environment.

• Gas comes in a variety of names, Green Gas, Red Gas and Propane Gas. Green Gas contains Propane as it's base but has additives in it like silicone for lubrication .

• Red Gas is know to be a bit more powerful than Green Gas as it has Chlorodifluoromethane or HCFC-22, R22 or Freon 22 used in refrigeration which turns to a liquid under a slightly higher pressure giving you slightly higher fps.

• Many people use propane gas with an adapter that allows the mixture of silicone as propane is cheaper to buy.

Compressed Air (HPA)

• Compressed Air (HPA - High Pressure Air) is most commonly used in Airguns and Paintball Guns but some people use it for their Gas based Airsoft guns.

• The compressed air comes from high PSI tanks that can be purchased in a variety of sizes and contains compressed air at pressures up to 5000psi.

• These tanks are reusable and usually need to be refilled at a paintball or scuba shop, some people buy their own compressors or large scuba tanks for refilling purposes.

• Some Compressed Air (HPA) guns have their own built in tanks that can be filled with a compressor or even a manual pump.

• Compressed air does not cool down the gun it is being used in and is a great option for high output or fully automatic guns.

Multi-Pump Pneumatic

• Multi-Pump Pneumatic systems are most commonly used in Pellet and/or BB guns.

• Multi-Pump Pneumatic guns use the same principle as HPA - High Pressure Air guns in that they require pressurized air as the propellant. The main difference with Multi-Pump Pneumatic guns, is that you do all the work by pumping the gun between shots. Generally speaking you pump the gun 3-10 times, take a shot and repeat this process.

• Multi-Pump Pneumatic guns are not effected by air temperature and are great for target and small pest control.

Spring Piston

• Spring pistons are generally found in Pellet Rifles and Pistols but some Airsoft Guns also use a Spring Piston System and generally speaking Spring Piston Guns are single shot only or in other words, the Spring needs to be drawn back before each shot. Spring Piston Guns can have magazines that allow for quicker repeat shots.

• Spring Piston Guns come in many cocking configurations, Brake Barrel and Side lever to name a couple.

• The Spring can be a Mechanical Spring or a Gas Spring.

• Spring Piston Guns are not effected by temperature and are often used for small game hunting and target shooting.

Automatic Electric Guns (AEG)

• Automatic Electric Guns  are generally found in Airsoft Rifles but there are some Airsoft Pistols (AEP) that use this same system.

• Automatic Electric Guns use a similar system to a Spring Piston gun but have an electric motor that does all the work of drawing back the spring. You can even have fully automatic AEG guns.

• The power for the electric motor comes from removable batteries, so it is a combination a battery supplying the motor with the power to draw back the spring that creates a pillow of air that shoots the BB.

• AEG Airsoft Guns are great for situations when you require high capacity magazines with full auto capability. 

Gun Powder

• Gun powder is used in Blank Guns, in the same manor that it is used in a Real Gun, the charge from the Gun Powder supplies the force required to operate the blowback in most semi auto Blank Pistols, it also creates the sound of a live round along with the muzzle flash which makes Blank Guns great for training and as Props for Movies and Film.

• Because the kinetic energy from a blank gun is the same as a real gun, blank guns can be very dangerous when used in close proximity to an object, see my "Are Blank Guns Dangerous Video"!

Some other Gun Relevant Terminology:

Blowback

• Blowback operation is when some of the force of the propellant is used to move the slide backwards, which in most cases cocks the hammer for single action and can also pickup and chamber a round into the barrel.

• The slide spring supplies the energy for the return to the forward position of the slide.

• Blowback Guns do rob some power from the bullet force and in the case of CO2 or Gas Guns the also reduce the amount of shots per CO2 or Gas fill.

Revolver, Semi Automatic

• Revolver: Revolvers feed ammunition via the rotation of a cartridge-filled cylinder, in which each cartridge is contained in its own ignition chamber, and is sequentially brought into alignment with the weapon's barrel by a mechanism linked to the weapon's trigger (double-action) or its hammer (single-action)

• Semi Automatic:  semi-automatic pistols use the energy of one shot to reload the chamber for the next. Typically recoil energy from a fired round is mechanically harnessed. After a round is fired, the pistol will cycle, ejecting the spent casing and chambering a new round from the magazine, allowing another shot to take place immediately.

Single Shot, Repeater, Semi Automatic & Fully Automatic

• Single Shot: A Single Shot Gun needs to be reloaded each time it is shot.

• Repeater: Repeating action Guns are single barreled guns containing multiple rounds of ammunition. These rounds are loaded from a magazine by means of a manual or automatic mechanism, and the action that reloads the rifle also typically re-cocks the firing action. The term repeating rifle is most often applied to weapons in which the next cartridge is loaded by a manual action, as opposed to semi-automatic rifles, in which the force of one shot is used to load the next.

• Semi Automatic: A semi-automatic, or self-loading, firearm is a weapon that performs all steps necessary to prepare the weapon to fire again after firing.

• Fully Automatic: A Gun that uses either its recoil or a portion of the gas propelling the projectile to remove the spent cartridge (in the case of a gun-shell), fire again repeatedly, as long as the trigger is held down or until the magazine is exhausted. Automatic Guns are distinguished from semi-automatic Guns in their ability to fire more than one shot in succession once the trigger is pulled.

Single, Double Action, SA/DA

• Check out my post explaining Single and Double action!

• Single-Action (SA): trigger performs the single action of releasing the hammer or striker to discharge the firearm each time the trigger is pulled.

• Double-Action (DA): The trigger both cocks and releases the hammer or striker

• SA-DA:  A SA/DA firearm combines the features of both mechanisms. You can pull the trigger in Double Action when the hammer is down which cocks and releases the trigger or you can cock the hammer with your thumb and then release the trigger using Single Action to fire the weapon. 

Lever Action, Pump Action, Bolt Action

• Lever Action: In a classic lever-action firearm, rounds are individually loaded into a tubular magazine parallel to and below the barrel. A short bolt is held in place with an over center toggle action. Once closed, the over center action prevents opening solely by the force on the bolt when the weapon is fired. This toggle action is operated by a hand grip that forms part of the trigger guard. When operated, a spring in the tubular magazine pushes a fresh round into position. Returning the operating lever to the home position chambers the round and closes the breach.

• Pump Action: With a pump-action firearm, the action is operated by a movable fore-end that goes backwards and forwards to eject, extract, and chamber a round of ammunition. Pump-actions are usually associated with shotguns.

• Bolt Action: The bolt opens and closes the breech end of the barrel and contains the firing pin. The bolt is held in place with a lever that fits into a notch. Moving this lever out of the notch will release the restraint on the bolt, allowing it to be drawn back. An extractor removes the spent cartridge, which is then ejected through the lever slot. A spring at the bottom of the magazine pushes up the reserve rounds, positioning the topmost between the bolt and the chamber at the base of the barrel. Pushing the bolt lever forward chambers this round and pushing the lever into the notch locks the bolt and enables the trigger mechanism.

Magazine vs Clip

• Magazine: A magazine is an ammunition storage and feeding device within or attached to a repeating firearm. Magazines can be removable (detachable) or integral to the firearm. The magazine functions by moving the cartridges stored in the magazine into a position where they may be loaded into the chamber by the action of the firearm. The detachable magazine is often referred to as a clip, although this is technically inaccurate.

• Clip: A clip is a device that is used to store multiple rounds of ammunition together as a unit, ready for insertion into the magazine or cylinder of a firearm. This speeds up the process of loading and reloading the firearm as several rounds can be loaded at once, rather than one round being loaded at a time. The term "clip" is also frequently used to refer to a detachable magazine, though such usage is incorrect.

I managed to get my hands on a pair of brand new Kimar Lady K PPK 9mm P.A.K. Front Firing James Bond inspired Blank Pistols. One in Silver (Chrome) and the other in Matte Black. They come in plastic hard shell cases along with manuals and cleaning rods. They shoot in both single and double action and field strip just like the real Walther PPK.

To get in on the bidding, simply Email Me Here with your highest bid by no later than July 5th 2013 by midnight. At the conclusion of this Silent Auction I will notify the winner and they will have 24 hours to make payment before I move onto the next highest bidder.

This Rare Blank Gun Silent Auction is open to my Canada customers since we sell Kimar blank guns in the US Replica Airguns store, Canadian Customers will pay an additional $17.99 for Shipping/Handling plus their local provincial sales Tax. Good luck to everyone! 

• You can watch my earlier Kimar Lady K Review here.

Check out my video showing off these two Silent Auction Kimar Lady K Front Firing 9mm P.A.K. Blank Pistols:

• Checkout my Table Top Review for the ASG Dan Wesson 6 Inch Silver CO2 Airsoft Revolver:

I've had the opportunity to review and shoot my Dan Wesson 4.5mm Steel BB Version so I kind of knew what to expect with the Airsoft version, much of the same but with perhaps a little bit less accurate further out shooting since the plastic BB's will tend to drift a bit more.

I already did my pretest for the ASG Dan Wesson 6 Inch Silver CO2 Airsoft Revolver while making my Table Top Review and shot right around the 400 fps mark, but it was a colder day then, I also shot my ASG Dan Wesson Airsoft Revolver from a closer up 20 feet for the pretest and got a nice tight 1.5 inch shot group.

On the actual Field Test Shooting day it was much warmer (tank top weather ;) and so as would be expected, this time my ASG Dan Wesson 6 Inch Silver CO2 Airsoft Revolver shot a bit faster at closer to a 420 fps average with 6 shots put through it. There is even room for some more fps still as it was only about 22 degrees Celsius or about 72 Fahrenheit on the test day.

Accuracy from 30 feet out was not as tight as my pretest 20 foot testing and I would imagine this will spread out even more the further back we go with the Airsoft ASG Dan Wesson, as is the case with Airsoft BB's. Airsoft BB's are just not as accurate as steel BB's especially when shooting at longer ranges. I would expect this Airsoft Dan Wesson version should still be very effective on a "man sized target" up to about 60 feet or so. Keep in mind there is no hop-up in this revolver so teh Airsoft BB's will drop much more than a gun that has hop-up.

Like the 4.5mm BB shooting version you can expect a good 100 or more shots from this Airsoft BB Shooting Dan Wesson CO2 Revolver. Having tradition revolver single and double action makes for both precise and action styled shooting. All in all a really nice Airsoft pistol from ASG.

Watch my Field Test Shooting Video for the ASG Dan Wesson 6 Inch Silver CO2 Airsoft Revolver:

Buy ASG Airsoft Pistols in Canada  -  Buy ASG Airsoft Pistols in the US

• Checkout my Field Test Review for the ASG Dan Wesson 6 Inch Silver CO2 Airsoft Revolver:

Type: Airsoft Revolver.

Manufacturer: ASG.

Model:Dan Wesson 6 inch Sliver Airsoft.

Materials: Mostly metal.

Weight: 2.25 pounds. (968 grams)

Barrel: Metal non-rifled.

Propulsion: CO2 x 1.

Action: Revolver, single and double action.

Ammunition Type: 6mm plastic Airsoft BB's.

Ammunition Capacity: 6 rounds.

FPS: 453.

Trigger Pull: The ASG Dan Wesson Airsoft Revolver has a predictable trigger with the single action being a bit lighter and more consistent, not just in feel but also in fps. Double action shooting is very usable without a lot of extra pressure required and makes for fun consecutive shooting albeit you will run our of ammo pretty quick compared to many high capacity semi auto styled airguns.

Accuracy: I shot the Dan Wesson Airsoft Revolver at a target from 20 feet away in a semi rested position, and it performed excellent, getting a 1.5 inch 6 shot grouping dead center in the bullseye! The sights are fully adjustable for elevation and windage so getting these guns centered on the bullseye if you where out a bit would be very easy. My Chrony testing for the Dan Wesson Airsoft Revolver with a six shots averaged result was 399 fps.

Build Quality: This detailed revolver is extremely well built! All the Dan Wesson Revolvers are almost all metal with just a few components made out of plastic, like the handle and CO2 screw tab. The handle feels like a cross between plastic and rubber but is basically plastic with a coated paint on it that can wear off with long term use so try and go easy on the grips. The finish on the six inch silver Dan Wesson is amazing and looks just like polished stainless steel. Very nice indeed!

Realism: The ASG Dan Wesson BB revolvers are as close as you can get to a real six shooter, ASG didn't leave out any details and has really brought us an extremely believable CO2 revolver that mimics the real steel in almost every way! Loading and ejecting actual brass shells into the cylinder makes you feel like this gun is much more then an unassuming airgun!

Purchased From: The Replica Airguns Store.

Pros:

• It's a revolver with actual brass shells giving you the feeling of a real 6 shooter!

• Almost all metal design.

• lots of detail in this gun, very well made, fit and finish is excellent.

• Good power and good accuracy.

• Fully adjustable sights.

• Can mount a scope of some sort on it with the rail attached.

• Right amount of power, even for some indoor CQB style airsoft games

Cons:

• Plastic CO2 screw tab (but is well hidden and protected).

• Grips can wear a bit with extended use.

• Red tip on the US version :(

Comments:

I wasn't really a revolver person until I got my Dan Wesson's! They are really fun to shoot and yes you only get to fire off 6 shots at a time but the reloading is kind of fun and adds to the realism of shooting a revolver styled gun. The other benefit to taking breaks every 6 shots to reload is the time it allows your CO2 and gun to warm up which increases the overall FPS and shots per CO2. I am not sure if a large six shot revolver is the way to go when in a high intensity Airsoft game but I can tell you when you're on the other end of the barrel of one of these you are probably not thinking how many shots does he have left :)

My Vimeo Video Table Top Review for this amazingly real Airsoft Revolver:

Buy ASG Airsoft Pistols in Canada  -  Buy ASG Airsoft Pistols in the US

Here is a quick Update video of three Airsoft guns, two of which I have touched upon before but have not gotten around to doing any actual Table Top or Field Test Shooting videos for you (The ASG Dan Wesson Airsoft Revolver and the Umarex P99 Blowback Airsoft Pistol). I also show you a new Umarex Airsoft Gas Blowback PDW, the H&K MP7 A1, a very realistic version I am sure will be of interest to many of my Airsoft fans.

I will be doing proper Table Top and Field Test Videos for each of these Airsoft guns as soon as I can get to them all, starting with the Umarex Gas Blowback H&K MP7 A1 Airsoft PDW so stay posted for these upcoming video reviews...

Buy ASG Airsoft Pistols in Canada  -  Buy ASG Airsoft Pistols in the US

Buy this Airsoft Pistol in Canada  -  Buy this Airsoft Pistol in the US

Buy this Airsoft Machine Pistol in Canada  -  Buy this Airsoft Machine Pistol in the US

We have been taking preorders on many of our ASG Airguns and Airsoft guns for our Canada Replica Airguns Store, we where expecting them to be back in stock right around the end of the month. The good news is we got them a bit early so we are now filling back orders and most of our ASG inventory is now showing as in stock and ready to ship!

So if you've been waiting for an ASG gun, make sure to grab yours now before we run out again...

• Buy ASG Air Pistols in the Canada Store
• Buy ASG Airsoft Pistols in the Canada Store

One question that comes up often is the danger attached to blank gun use and the most common question I get is about the danger of shooting a blank gun at a person. Blank guns have many uses, one of which is to be used as a prop in a movie or reenactment. In this situation one may want to point and shoot a blank gun at a person to make teh scene more believable it. If the person is far enough away there is usually no cause for concern but with that said I would personally point the gun just off to one side in the event that something might come loose within the gun barrel or perhaps a fragment of something where to be fired and cause an injury to the person the gun is directed towards. With creative camera angles you shouldn't need to actually point a blank gun directly at anyone.

People also assume that because a blank gun does not actually fire a bullet that it is relatively harmless. This is not true at all, in the larger caliber blanks there is about the same amount of energy to what your would find in a real bullet, this is so the blank gun will sound about as loud as a real bullet being fired. The difference with how the energy is released in a blank round versus a real bullet is that the bullet caries most of the energy with it and when the bullet hits its intended target, the bulk of the energy is transferred to that target.

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

The energy from a blank round dissipates almost immediately after it leaves the gun barrel but the energy right at the barrel tip is very similar to that of a real bullet, especially if it has nowhere to go but directly into an object. So yes a blank gun round can be lethal at very close ranges and unfortunately several people have paid with their lives finding this out for themselves.

With this newfound information about blank gun danger, some people might say... get rid of these dangers to society! Before we head in that direction think about how many other non vital things we have in our lives that I would have to say have claimed way more lives than blank guns could even come close to: Off-road pleasure vehicles, Skydiving, Skying, Pools, Real Guns to name a few! Blank guns also serve very useful purposes like being used to signal a warning or distress, send out flares, ward off wild animals, train people on how to use a real gun, and of course dog training. I am sure the good outweighs the bad here.

That's enough politics for now, juts watch the video and see for yourself why you should not point a blank gun at anyone, especially if the person is very close in proximity to you!

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

Type: Blank Pistols.

Manufacturer:ROHM (RÖHM).

Model:RG-300, RG 3

Materials: Mostly Metal.

Weight: 1 / .75 pounds.

Barrel: Front firing semi plugged.

Propulsion: Gun powder.

Action: Double action only.

Ammunition Type:.22 Caliber Crimped.

Ammunition Capacity: 10 / 6 rounds.

FPS: N/A.

Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the RG-300 and RG 3 is double action only and a bit on the heavy side so you will need to hold the gun firm and apply an even and long pull to fire the these blank guns, after a few shots you get the hang of it. If you do not pull the trigger the entire way back until the hammer releases, the shot will not fire but the blank will index and move onto the next round so you may have an unused blank when you pull out the magazine.

Accuracy: NA.

Build Quality: The overall build quality for the ROHM RG-300 and RG 3 blank pistols is very good, being German made they are built to last and the fit and finish is very good. The only real plastic would be the grips on both models which is to be expected. Both guns worked perfectly for me during my testing and with the exception of a bit of a heavy DOA trigger pull since the trigger first has to index the magazine and then fire the round.

Realism: The ROHM RG-300 and ROHM RG 3 are not exact replicas of any given guns in production as this would make importing them into Canada even more difficult. The ROHM RG-300 does however share some similarities in looks to that of a Sig Sauer but in a much smaller form factor !

Purchase from: The Replica Airguns Canada Store.

Pros:

• German made quality, materials fit and finish is all excellent.

• Almost all metal with some reenforced steel parts.

• Very safe double action triggers, will not accidentally misfire on you.

• Both are front firing.

• Come with flare adaptors and cleaning rods.

• Available for import into Canada.

Cons:

• Not actual exact replicas of any specific guns in production.

• Double action trigger pull is a bit tough and takes some getting used to.

• Expensive due to them being harder to get and in high demand in Canada.

Comments:

One nice point with the .22 caliber blank shooters is the lower cost to shoot them, .22 caliber crimped blanks work out to be much cheaper than the 8mm &  9mm P.A.K. or .380 crimped blanks. Sure they are a bit quieter but louder than you might think, especially when coming out of a short barrel. Another selling point is how compact both of these guns really are which makes them easy to pack around if you want to take one with you on a hike or outing as a deterrent for any wildlife that may get a bit too close to you. The RG-300 and RG 3 are two very nice additions to the ROHM blank guns we sell in the Canada Replica Airguns Store.

Buy ROHM Blank Pistols in Canada

I like to show off some of my acquisitions from time to time even if they are guns I don't necessarily have for sale, I am a collector and some items are not always common enough or even popular enough to keep in our Replica Airguns Store.

Today I show you two blank guns I picked up from a recent gun show I attended in Chilliwack BC. There where not many blank guns at the show, the two I found may have been the only blank guns there, at least that I saw? The ROHM RG300 .22 Caliber Blank Pistol and RST MOD. 1966 .22 Caliber Blank Revolver I picked up for a pretty good price, at least in my mind, $55 for the ROHM and $20 for the RTS. A nice addition to my blank gun collection!

I have been contemplating between a PCP (Pre Charged Pneumatic) or a really good Multi-pump air rifle for pest control around my house, I have been using a spring piston rifle but the combination of my limited skills with spring piston rifles and the fact that most pests in my area stay a good 50+ yards back, means I need an airgun with pin-point accuracy. At the end of the day I decided on the Sheridan Silver Streak because it was a bit more affordable than a PCP air rifle and also the Sheridan is such a classic air rifle but still with the right amount of power and accuracy to get the job done.

Checkout some more photos...

Watch my Vimeo Preview Video of these three guns:

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

Type: Blank Pistols.

Manufacturer:ROHM (RÖHM).

Model:RG-88, RG-59

Materials: Mostly Metal.

Weight: 1.3 / 1 pounds.

Barrel: Front firing semi plugged.

Propulsion: Gun powder.

Action: Single & double action.

Ammunition Type: 9mm P.A.K. / .380 Crimped.

Ammunition Capacity: 7 / 5 rounds.

FPS: N/A.

Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the RG-88 and RG-59 in single action is very light with the RG-59 having virtually no take up at all while the RG-88 has some take up but then a noticeable and predictable release point. Both guns have medium to heavy yet smooth double action triggers.

Accuracy: NA.

Build Quality: The overall build quality for the ROHM RG-88 and RG-59 blank guns is excellent, being German made they are built to last and the fit and finish is very good. There are steel parts where they need to be like in the barrel, pins, screws and reenforcing parts, the rest of the gun is generally made out of a zinc metal with only the grips being plastic.

Realism: The ROHM RG-88 and ROHM RG-59 are not exact replicas of any given guns in production as this would make importing them into Canada even more difficult, but they do share similarities with some real guns in production. The RG-88 semi auto looks to be based around a Walther PPK design while the RG-59 has that Smith & Wesson Snub Nosed Revolver look to it. As for looking like and working like real guns, they do this very well, with the exception of the dangerous bullet coming out of the barrel!

Purchase from: The Replica Airguns Canada Store.

Pros:

• German made quality, materials fit and finish is all excellent.

• Almost all metal with some reenforced steel parts.

• Nice light single action triggers on both guns with double action ability wehn needed.

• Both are front firing with semi plugged barrels.

• Come with flare adaptors and cleaning rods.

• Seem to be some of the only blank guns we can get here in Canada right now.

Cons:

• Not actual exact replicas of any specific guns in production.

• The RG-59 only works with the .380 crimped, 9mm P.A.K. balnks are a bit too long.

• Expensive due to them being harder to get and in high demand in Canada.

Comments:

As with pretty much all blank guns, they are mostly for show so it all comes down to how do they look and do they go bang when they are supposed to! In both cases they get top marks. Both the RG-88 semi auto and RG-59 revolver feel solid and the mechanical parts are tight and smooth giving a confident feeling when holding them. I like the larger caliber blanks over the .22 crimped blanks as they have a bigger bang but they will set you back in the cost department a bit more as the price for 9mm P.A.K. and .380 blanks will be a lot more than .22 crimped so keep this in mind when choosing a blank gun. If you're looking for a well made and dependable blank pistol then you really can not go wrong with any of the ROHM blank guns we sell in the Canada Replica Airguns Store.

My Vimeo Full Video Review for the ROHM RG-88 and RG59 Blank Pistols:

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

Buy the ROHM RG-59 Blank Revolver in Canada

I wanted to make sure anyone waiting for some of our ROHM Blank guns to come in to the Canada Replica Airguns Store got a heads up, we just got in a bunch of ROHM RG-88 Semi Auto Style 9mm P.A.K blank pistols alongs with some extra magazine for them. We also received some more ROHM RG-56 and Little Joe Revolvers in .22 crimped blank versions.

If you want one, make sure to grab one, they don't last long around here...

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

Buy the ROHM RG-56 Blank Revolver in Canada

Buy the ROHM Little Joe Blank Revolver in Canada

We've just added a bunch more US blank Guns to the US Replica Airguns Store:

• M92F Nickel - Blank Firing Replica Gun
  
• 8mm Mcombat Nickel - Blank Firing Replica Gun
  
• MVP - Black with Gold Fittings - Blank Firing Replica Gun
  
• MVP Chrome - Blank Firing Replica Gun
  
• MVP - Gold - Blank Firing Replica Gun
  
• MVP - Nickel with Gold Fittings - Blank Firing Replica Gun
  
• P29 Chrome - Blank Firing Replica Gun
  
• P29 Gold - Blank Firing Replica Gun
  
• P29 Nickel With Gold Fittings - Blank Firing Replica Gun
  
• 8mm Police - Black - Blank Firing Replica Gun
  
• Python 4" - Blank Firing Replica Gun - 9mm
  
• Rohm RG 3 - Blank Firing Replica
  
• V85 Black with Gold Fittings - Blank Firing Replica Gun
  
• V85 Chrome - Blank Firing Replica Gun
  
• V85 Gold - Blank Firing Replica Gun
  
• V85 Nickel with Gold Fittings - Blank Firing Replica Gun
  
• V85 Nickel - Blank Front Firing Replica Gun
  
• V92F Magnum Chrome Finish - Blank Front Firing Replica Gun
  
• V92F Compact Black - Blank Firing Replica Gun
  
• V92F Compact Black with Gold Fittings - Blank Firing Replica Gun
  
• V92F Compact Chrome - Blank Firing Replica Gun
  
• V92F Compact Gold - Blank Firing Replica Gun
  
• V950 Chrome - Blank Firing Replica Gun
  
• VCOMBAT Black With Gold Fittings - Blank Firing Replica Gun
  
• VCOMBAT Gold - Blank Firing Replica Gun
  
• VCOMBAT Nickel With Gold Fittings - Blank Firing Replica Gun
  
• Volga Chrome - Front Fire Blank Firing Replica Gun

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

In our quest to bring you even more of the good stuff we are constantly adding to our Replica Airguns Store, we have recently added to our US Replica Airguns Store some more Blank Guns, Blank Gun Ammo and Blank Gun Magazines. We also added a new item, "Stock Badges".

New US Store Blank Guns

• Ruger RedHawk Black
• EKOL ARAS Chrome
• EKOL ARAS Compact Black Finish
• EKOL ARAS Compact Black With Gold Fittings
• EKOL ARAS Compact Chrome Finish
• EKOL ARAS Gold
• EKOL 8mm Arda Dog Trainer Chrome Finish
• EKOL Jackal Chrome - Full Auto Machine Gun
• EKOL Jackal Compact Black Finish - Full Auto Machine
• EKOL Jackal Compact Chrome - Full Auto Replica
• Kimar M1911 .45 Government
• Kimar M75 Nickel 
• Kimar M85 Black 

New US Store Blank Gun Magazines 

• 1911 Magazine 8mm
• 75 Auto Magazine 8mm
• M85 Magazine 8mm
• Mcombat MAG 8mm
• SAVA/ARAS Magazine 9mm
• V85 Magazine 9mm
• V950 (Tuna) Magazine 8mm

New US Store Blank Gun Ammo

• .22 Long Blanks - 100 Rounds
• HALF LOAD .380 Blanks - 1 Box - 50 Rounds
• 9mmPA MAX Blanks - 50 Rounds

New US Store Stock Badges

• 435 Concealed Handgun Permit Anniversary Edition - Antique Gold
• 435 Concealed Handgun Permit Anniversary Edition - Gold
• 435 Concealed Handgun Permit Anniversary Edition - Silver
• 435 Concealed Handgun Permit - Gold
• 435 Concealed Handgun Permit - Gunmetal
• 435 Concealed Handgun Permit - Silver

This is the official Field Test or Shooting Video Review for the Umarex Smith & Wesson 357 686 CO2 Pellet Revolver. If you haven't checked out my Table top Video Review for the Umarex Smith & Wesson 357 686, make sure to do so as I have some more photos there and also all the specifications and details including the Pros & Cons for the Smith & Wesson 357.

In this part of the review I test the Smith & Wesson 357 CO2 Pellet Revolver using my Chronograph to see what the 5 shot feet per second average is using a brand new CO2. I got pretty close to the factory (even a bit over) claimed 425 fps using RWS 7 grain lead pellets on this rather cold day so you can expect better fps on a nice warm summer day.

I also take the Smith & Wesson 357 686 CO2 Pellet Revolver back 30 feet and shoot it at a target using a semi rested position (sand bag up front, standing in the back) and again although I did not get teh same half inch grouping I got in my preliminary testing, I did manage to get a nice tight grouping , keep in mind the Umarex Smith & Wesson 357 is an action shooter but is capable of target pistol like accuracy.

All in all the Umarex Smith & Wesson 357 686 CO2 Pellet Revolver performed very well. That said I was able to get tighter groups and higher fps so expect this Umarex high grade CO2 pistol to perform very well for you.

Watch my Field Test Shooting Vimeo Video Review for the Umarex Smith & Wesson 357 686:

Buy Umarex S&W CO2 Pellet Revolveres in Canada

It would not be the end of another year without another Airgun, Airsoft Gun and Blank Gun Collection video for you. This year I'm not showing all my guns, I started to take them out and quickly realized there where just way too many and this years video would have been several hours long and would have taken most of the week for me to shoot and edit...

So this year I have hand picked some of my top favorites and most notable replica Airgun, Airsoft Gun and Blank Guns. They may not all be the best made or hardest shooters or even all that accurate but each one has some significants to me.

So if you have about 30 minutes to kill, then join me in this years roundup of my most favorite Collection of guns for 2012!

Watch my Vimeo Video Airgun, Airsoft Gun and Blank Gun Collection Favorites for 2012

We have a  few ROHM (RÖHM) RG-88 9mm P.A.K. Front Firing Blank Pistol we juts got in stock but supplies are very limited so grab one while you can...

Enough said, here are some more photos:

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

• Also checkout my Field Test Shooting Video Review for the Umarex S&W 357 686.

Type: Pellet Revolver.

Manufacturer: Umarex.

Model:686.

Materials: Mostly all metal.

Weight: 2.75 pounds.

Barrel: 6 inch, rifled.

Propulsion: 12 gram CO2.

Action: Revolver - single and double action.

Ammunition Type: .177 caliber pellets.

Ammunition Capacity: 10 shot rotary magazine.

FPS: 425+.

Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Umarex Smith & Wesson 357 686 Revolver is very light and smooth in both single and double action. Single action is much shorter and a bit lighter with just a very short take up to it. In double action it does get a hair heavier and much longer as is expected but still very usable and easy to shoot quickly and with accuracy.

Accuracy: I found the Umarex S&W 686 pellet revolver to have some of the best accuracy I have tested out of a pistol, getting about a half inch grouping from 30 feet out in a semi rested position (sand bag up front, standing in the back). I also put 5 rounds through my Chrony Chronograph and the Umarex 357 686 averaged right around 450 fps using RWS 7 grain lead pellets which is even better than the claimed 425 fps from Umarex.

Build Quality: The Umarex Smith & Wesson 357 686 CO2 Pellet Revolver is almost entirely metal with the acceptation of the rubber grips and front removable sight, it has a very substantial overall weight and feel to it coming in at just under three pounds. Keep in mind this is one of the higher end German made Umarex guns and you can tell in the workmanship and fit and finish. All the mechanical parts work flawlessly and have very tight tolerances, the finish is also superb. Yes the price is up there but this is a an airgun you will most likely be passing down to future generations one day as a collectors item, and I would imagine also in working condition. 

Realism: The Umarex S&W 686 is a replica of the real stell Smith & Wesson 357 Magnum and overall looks pretty similar in shape and style. It would have been nice to have seen a full swing our cylinder but this would have meant a more complicated design with potentially less performance? In a perfect world, loadable shell casings like the Dan Wesson would have been very cool but keep in mind this is an airgun that really performs in terms of power and accuracy. Mine was the silver version, I would have liked to have seen a color matched magazine but since it is metal it could be color matched after the fact. The Smith & Wesson licensing and markings along with the heavy weight, hidden CO2 Tab and recessed barrel help to give the Umarex S&W 686 a very believable look and feel.

Available in the:Replica Airguns Store.

Pros:

• Comes in a nice hard shell moulded case.

• Pretty much all metal, has a nice solid feel and good weight.

• Higher than claimed fps (right around 450 fps)

• Amazing accuracy, one of my best pistols tested to date.

• Very high quality German made workmanship.

• Very comfortable rubber grips.

• Fully adjustable rear sight (windage and elevation).

• Well hidden CO2 tab.

• Full S&W licensing, good overall replica.

• Single and double action with a nice trigger in both SA and DA.

• Magazines are removable for easy loading and have a high 10 shot load capacity. 

Cons:

• A bit on the expensive side of things.

• Rotary magazine is not color matched on the Silver version.

• On the low side of shots per CO2 (About 60-70).

• No rail mount for a accessories of any type.

Comments:

The Umarex Smith & Wesson 686 CO2 Pellet Revolver is not for everyone and I say that because the $250 plus price point is going to be just too much for many buyers. If you can find a way to get past the price then you will have a very high quality German made air gun on your hands, not only are the Smith & Wesson 568/686 CO2 Pellet revolvers very well made but they also perform as good if not better in terms of accuracy and velocity then even some dedicated target air pistols I have tested. Looks will not let you down either and I would not be surprised that this gun if well taken care of can be passed down to future generations as a working collectors item. If you are looking for a high quality, excellent performing replica pellet revolver then make sure to consider the Umarex Smith & Wesson 586 and 686 line of CO2 replica pellet revolvers.

Buy Umarex S&W 357 686 CO2 Pellet Revolver in Canada

Buy Umarex S&W 357 686 CO2 Pellet Revolver in the US

Sometimes we all get caught up in which gun is brand new and has the most realistic features. I wanted to put the focus back on a few high quality German made Umarex Airguns that where designed from the ground up to be very good replicas but also take into consideration that yes, they are airguns and so they should be designed to operate like an airgun and have excellent build quality, and performance. Quality and performance sometimes gets sacrificed on newer guns that just go after realism and can sacrifice form over function.

Sure these German made Umarex air pistols are not cheap, but hold one in your hand and shoot it and you will quickly see that they are built to last a lifetime, these guns are an investment!

I have already reviewed the Colt Government 1911 A1 (Satin version), I wanted to also show you how it looks in the all black model. Two other Umarex German made guns I have been asked often to review are the Walther CP99 and Smith & Wesson 586/686 Revolvers. I am happy to inform you that I have these guns on hand and will be reviewing them shortly for you.

You can watch my Update video to see a bit of a preview of these very fine German made Umarex pellet shooters:

Buy Umarex Airguns in Canada!

Buy Umarex Airguns in the US!

We where out of stock for a bit but now we have some more ROHM (RÖHM) RG-56 Blank Revolvers back in stock (Limited Supplies!)

These are the 7 shot .22 caliber blank front firing versions, very high German quality, come in a nice presentation box and include the flare adaptor! Grab yours before they are gone again...

Buy the ROHM Le Petit RG-56 Blank Revolver in Canada