Can I use Airsoft BB's in my BB Pistol? I would have to say this is by far the number one question I get asked in the comments section of my Vimeo videos. I have made several videos where this question gets addressed within the video but so far to date I have not made a stand alone video just covering Airsoft BB use in BB Guns.
So here it is, and now I have a video I can link to this so very common question, if you where wondering about this yourself than please watch my YouTube Video on this topic as it goes into a fair amount of detail about it.
The short answer to this question is no, you can not use 6mm Airsoft BB's in a 4.5mm Steel BB Pistol or Rifle. For the simple reason that 6mm is larger than 4.5mm and so the physical diameter of a6mm Plastic Airsoft BB is just to large to fit inside of a 4.5mm Steel BB magazine or barrel.
People have commented about using a 4.5mm plastic Airsoft BB in a 4.5mm BB gun and yes this could in theory be an option but I discuss why I feel this is not a good idea based on size and mass.
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.
Trigger Pull: The trigger on the G&G GR14 Type 57 R.O.C. is like most AEG Airsoft Rifles, being that it is essentially an electric on off switch and not a mechanical one. So it is light with not much take up. You will notice a bit of delay from the time your press the trigger till a BB is released since the electric motor must first pull back the spring and release it.
Accuracy: So far I have not tested out the G&G GR14 AEG Type 57 R.O.C. Walnut Wood Stock Airsoft Rifle. When I get the chance, I will have to set my paper target up further out than my usual 30 feet! I am also expecting the fps to be a bit higher than the stated factory default since this G&G GR14 AEG Airsoft Rifle is marked as being the "High Muzzle Velocity Version"! Stay tuned for my future Field Test Shooting video for the G&G GR14 AEG Type 57 R.O.C. Walnut Wood Stock Airsoft Rifle.
Build Quality: The G&G GR14 AEG Type 57 R.O.C. Walnut Wood Stock Airsoft Rifle looks to extremely well made with most of the build materials being metal and wood. The only none metal or wood noticeable parts would be the upper hand guard which is made out of some sort of nylon or plastic. I believe the original M14 Rifle upper hand guard was made out of fiberglass. Then Walnut Wood Stock is nicely finished and the metal parts function and look really great.
Realism: In terms of realism the G&G GR14 AEG Type 57 R.O.C. Walnut Wood Stock Airsoft Rifle is extremely authentic in terms of looks, weight and even overall length and barrel length! Most of the parts operate exactly as they would on the real M14 rifle including the selector switch, safety, magazine release, shoulder rest adjustable sights and bolt.
Lots of metal and wood parts where they would be on the real M14.
True realistic 9 pound weight.
High capacity magazine at 470 rounds.
Sights are adjustable for elevation and windage.
Semi and Full Auto selectable.
Real Walnut Wood Stock.
Flip up metal shoulder rest.
Engraved with "The Republic of China" Chinese Text Markings.
25000 rpm Hi-torque Long axis Motor with 7/8 mm Bearings.
8.4v Large Tamiya Battery System.
Cons:
Does not come with battery or charger.
Not setup as is for a scope.
Comments:
History of the M14 this rifle is based on - "The M14 rifle, formally the United States Rifle. M14 is an American selective fire automatic rifle firing 7.62x51mm NATO (.308 Winchester) ammunition. It was the standard issue U.S. rifle from 1959 to 1970. The M14 was used for U.S. Army and Marine Corps basic and advanced individual training and was the standard issue infantry rifle in CONUS, Europe, and South Korea, until replaced by the M16 rifle in 1970."
So the M14 has a place in our history books and also a place in many of our war veterans hearts. This G&G GR14 AEG Type 57 R.O.C. Walnut Wood Stock Airsoft Rifle replica is an excellent example of such a great piece of history, to have one in a working Airsoft version may be the next best option to having the real deal.
My YouTube Review Video of the G&G GR14 AEG Type 57 R.O.C. Walnut Wood Stock Airsoft Rifle:
Whether you like it or not, most of us have come across an Airgun with an ugly orange tip on it at some point. In most cases you will find the intrusive orange or red tips on Airsoft guns that shoot plastic BB's, in some cases you will even find them on Airguns that shoot either lead pellets and/or steel BB's.
It really comes down to where you live as to what your local gun laws have determined is required for your area. You may even live in a region where Airguns and Airsoft guns are not allowed at all! So for you a red or orange tip on the front would be welcome if it would allow you to own an Airgun or Airsoft gun. What about the entire gun being painted a bright color, well that is the case for some folks so again having a red or orange tips may not be as bad as it originally seemed...
In Canada where I live, we used to only be allowed Airsoft guns that had clear sections as our replica gun laws are very strict and all black Airsoft guns would have fallen iinto the "replica" category if they did not have large clear plastic see-through sections on them. This clear section law was revised somewhat over the last several years to allow for all black Airsoft guns here in Canada. It was determined that many Airsoft guns with higher fps limits could cause a serious injury to a human, making them less of a toy in the eyes of the law and more of a weapon. Because of this, Airsoft guns that are capable of shooting a .20 gram plastic BB at a velocity of 360 fps or "higher" are now considered to be similar in the eyes of the law to a regular steel BB or lead pellet shooting Airgun. In Canada, Pellet and Steel BB guns are actually considered firearms of a sort so this allows the higher fps Airsoft guns to be all black since it can not be a replica of a firearm if it is in fact considered to be a firearm by law.
The long and short of all of this is that here in Canada we do not require our Airsoft guns to have orange or red tips since they are considered more or less to be just like any other Airgun and our Airguns do not have red or orange tips either.
Getting back to the title of this article "No Orange Tip On Your Airsoft Gun! Are You Insane?" I often get folks from the US giving me heck for removing the orange tips from my Airsoft guns or asking me why my Airsoft guns don't have them in the first place. These people even state that I could get in a lot of trouble for this! Perhaps they think I live in the US or that US laws govern Canada as well? I am not sure but I can say for the record that I am not breaking any laws at least here in Canada where I live.
I know in the US that wholesalers and retailers by law have to sell Airsoft guns with the affixed orange tips on them, once the end user receives that gun and depending on which state they live in, it may or may not be legal to remove the orange tip. Again, you will need to look into your local state laws as they are different from state to state in the US.
In this Video Review I show you around the G&G CM16 Raider and Carbine AEG Airsoft Rifle's. Since these AEG Airsoft AR Rifles are a bit large to showcase using my traditional Table Top location I move into my gym and take each gun out of its box to have a good look at them. I talk about some of the main features and specification. The main features being these G&G CM16 AR15 / M16 AEG Airsoft Rifles are all really well priced but also very well made for their rather low overall cost. They do have a primarily all Nylon Fiber build even in the receivers but they still have a nice 4.6 to 5.7 pound weight to them, and once dressed up with a few accessories they come in at a perfect weight that is not too heavy to carry around in just about any game situation. The Nylon material in some way is a better choice in terms of getting scratched and dinged since they will not mark up as easily as painted metals will.
I don't often review target and or hunting rifles since for the most part Replica Airguns is all about well... replica airguns :) I have reviewed some of my own personal spring piston and pump rifles since I have them and there is a cross over in folks that like both the replica airguns and airguns meant for target and or hunting purposes.
We do have a small selection of spring piston rifles in our Replica Airguns Canada store suitable for target and small game so I thought I would point some of them out in this preview video.
Materials: Metal and plastic (polymer) construction.
Weight: 5.3pounds (2400 grams).
Length: Open 24.8 inches (630mm) - Closed 15.6 inches (395mm).
Propulsion: AEG.
Action: Semi and full auto.
Ammunition Type: 6mm Airsoft BB's
Ammunition Capacity: 100 round magazine.
FPS: 312+.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the ASG B&T BT5 PDW 6mm AEG Airsoft Gun is what you would expect from most AEG Airsoft guns since it is basically an on off switch for the electric circuit. It is fairly light and relatively short. As with most AEG Airsoft guns there is a noticeable sight delay from the time you press the trigger till the gun actually fires a BB since the electric motor must first pull the spring plunger back and then release it to fire a round. Higher output batteries will make this less noticeable since the electric motor will run much quicker.
Accuracy: At this point I have not yet tested the ASG B&T BT5 PDW 6mm AEG Airsoft Gun so I do not have any Chronograph fps velocity or paper target accuracy information to provide to you. I plan on performing my Field Test Shooting Review fairly soon so stay posted for that.
Build Quality: The ASG B&T BT5 PDW 6mm AEG Airsoft Gun is a Chinese made Airsoft gun but I have to say it looks and feels really well built in general. I would say easily as good as any Taiwanese gun I have come across! The fit and finish both are excellent and there is a ton of metal in this gun including the main frame, sights, but plate, charging handle, barrel extension, sling mount and magazine release.
Realism: The ASG B&T BT5 PDW 6mm AEG Airsoft Gun is is very true to scale, size and weight to that of the real steel MP5 PDW as far as I can tell without actually having a real MP5 PDW in my hands . I am pretty sure Brügger & Thomet does not actually have an MP5 version in their product lineup or as this ASG model is named BT5 rather than MP5? That said the ASG B&T BT5 PDW 6mm AEG Airsoft Gun is really simply a replica of an HK MP5 PDW and based on that, it's really close in almost every way.
Lots of metal parts for good overall weight and feel.
Semi and full auto selectable.
Comes with battery and charger.
Folding stock.
Adjustable rear metal sight.
Working Cocking Handle
B&T Licensed.
Cons:
No blowback.
Does not come with rail clamp.
Would of liked a longer higher capacity magazine.
Mine had the wrong charger.
Comments:
I am really looking forward to performing my Field Test Shooting review for the ASG B&T BT5 PDW 6mm AEG Airsoft Gun and hope it performs as good as it looks and feels. I really like my 4.5mm Steel BB Umarex HK MP5K PDW but find it to be a little bit on the lighter side since it is mostly plastic. The ASG B&T BT5 PDW 6mm AEG Airsoft Gun fixes that problem with it's mostly metal build and I also get the added benefit of having full auto that is missing from the Umarex version.
Watch my Vimeo Table Top Review of the ASG B&T BT5 PDW 6mm AEG Airsoft Gun:
I thought I would post this video of my recent Victoria Cup Men's Physique Fitness Contest for my Airgun fans that are also interested in what I am doing over on my fitness related YouTube Channel and Website GetFitOver40.com.
Don't worry - More Airgun videos coming next week when I get back from my trip.
Materials: Plastic (polymer) and some metal construction.
Weight: 2.7 pounds (1200 grams).
Length: 27.5 inches (700mm).
Propulsion: Spring.
Action: Pump.
Ammunition Type: 6mm Airsoft BB's
Ammunition Capacity: 30 shots per shell.
FPS: 280 (3 shot burst) using .20 gram BB's.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the ASG Franchi SAS 12 feels a bit heavy at first, but since this is not a rapid fire Airsoft gun and needs to be pumped between shots, your finger does not get tired and you will only get 10 shots (3 shot bursts each) off between reloading another full shell. That said the takeup is rather short and the release is predictable once you get used to it being a bit on the heavy side.
Accuracy: Keeping in mind that the ASG Franchi SAS 12 Spring Powered Airsoft Shotgun is in fact a "Shotgun", I did not expect to get sniper rifle accuracy from it and in fact I wanted the three burst rounds to spread out just a bit, similar to how a real shotgun blast would perform. I was very happy with the overall accuracy and spread I got when shooting from 30 feet out in a free standing position.I simple used the open iron sights and all the rounds seemed to center well and spread out just enough to get good coverage on my paper target. In terms of Feet Per Second performance I was not sure what ot expect since three .20 gram BB's where being shot out all at once. I was very happy to see consistent 280 fps velocities which was actually a bit more than I expected considering .60 grams of Airsoft BB's are being shot out with each shot.
Build Quality: This is an almost all external polymer Airsoft Shotgun with the excepting of the outer and inner barrel and a few other parts like the ring mounts, loading bay door and perhaps a few more internal parts being made out of metals. Overall the ASG Franchi SAS 12 feels solid but a bit on the lighter side. I would of liked to have seen more metal parts to perhaps get the weight up a bit but being that the ASG Franchi SAS 12 Short Barreled Airsoft Shotgun is on the light side makes it a great choice as a backup gun that you could easily sling over your back and not be bothered by it all that much.
Good accuracy and fps performance. BB's spread out just right
Light weight and short so great for packing around in tight quarters.
Full Metal Barrel Assembly.
No need for batteries or gas, just load with BB’s and away you go!
Comes with speed loader, extra shell, jam rod and sling strap.
Can also get it with a full stock.
Cons:
May get a bit tiring on the arm after a lot of repetitive shooting.
Would of been nice to include a few more extra shells.
Sights are none adjustable but it centered well for me
Trigger is a bit on the heavy side.
Comments:
The ASG Franchi SAS 12 Short Barreled Airsoft Shotgun is a super fun low cost Airsoft Pump Action Spring Powered Shotgun that shoots pretty hard considering it blast three rounds at a time and the Airsoft BB's hit their mark every time! It's light enough to use in most close quarter combat situations or even strap on your back as a secondary backup weapon. The best part is all you need is a bag of Airsoft BB's and you can shoot all day long, no need for batteries or gas.
Watch my Vimeo Table Top Review of the ASG Franchi SAS 12 Short Barreled Airsoft Shotgun:
Model: M16A4 with Heavy BRRS (Bolt Recoil Shock System).
Materials: Metal & Nylon.
Weight: 7.7 pounds (3500 grams).
Length: 43 inches (1100mm).
Propulsion: AEG with Heavy BRSS
Action: Semi/full auto, single action.
Ammunition Type: 6mm Plastic Airsoft BB (recommend using undersized BB's).
Ammunition Capacity: 300+ round magazine.
FPS: 360+.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the BOLT Airsoft M16A4 is fairly short and light as it is essentially just an on off switch for the internal electronic components. You can shoot this gun very quickly in semi auto mode, and of course in full auto when full auto position is selected. As is with all AEG rifles there is a bit of a delay while the spring is retracted and released, this is not as noticeable in full auto mode and also when using higher voltage 11.1 volt batteries.
Accuracy: I tested the BOLT M16A4 BRSS Airsoft rifle first on my Chronograph to see what kind of real world fps I would get from it using .20 gram Airsfot BB's. The BOLT M16A4 produced consistent 350 fps shots which is perfect for indoor or outdoor Airsoft events. I then stepped back roughly 30 feet and place 10 rounds on my paper target using a semi rested position and was able to get a nice tight 2 inch grouping. When switching up to full auto mode the grouping pretty much stayed exactly the same, right in that 2 inch pocket.
Build Quality: The Bolt M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle is very well made with a full Metal upper and lower receiver, along with metal and polymer parts exactly where they would be on the real steel version of an actual M16 or AR styled riffle. The only rubber or nylon components are the stock and the grips and perhaps some internal parts. I really could not find anything to complain about other than making sure to use the right sized ammo as the barrel is a true 6mm barrel and so when using actual 6mm BB's they can get jammed up. I had great results when I used 5.95mm Airsfot BB's.
Realism: As with many Airsoft guns, there is great attention to realism and the Bolt Airsoft BRSS M16A4 AEG is another great example of an Airsoft rifle based on the Colt M4 platform. It is an AEG but because of the Heavy BRSS (Bolt Recoil Shock System) you get a very nice compromise between a conventional AEG and a GBB (Gas Blow Back Airsoft) gun. In other words, like a standard AEG I get that endless stream of consistent BB's flying down range on target but unlike a true Gas Blow Back Airsoft gun, I don't get that drop off in power and limitation to about 30 usable rounds per magazine. What I do get similar to a GBB is that recoil action that helps make the shooting experience so much more believable! Even the sound from the Bolt M16A4 is much snapper than a standard AEG and more like a GBB. I also like the fact that the charging handle and forward assist work similarly to a real AR and also the dust cover cleverly exposes the bolt and internal hop-up for easy adjustment along with the bolt cycling just like a GBB rifle would cycle which is similar to a real steel AR.
Pros:
AEG Performance with GBB like Recoil.
Very high quality materials and workmanship throughout.
Lots of forward rails to place accessories on and just looks cool in general.
The fixed classic M16 stock is very comfortable and grows on you over time.
Can shorten the gun by removing the barrel extension if you like.
Can use 11.1V Li-Po or 9.6V Ni-mh or Ni-Cd batteries.
Fully Adjustable Hop-up.
Semi and Full Auto.
Cons:
BRSS system will drain the batteries faster than a standard AEG.
Can not switch out the stock as the BRSS system extends back into it.
Need to use undersized 6mm Airsoft BB’s because of the tight barrel.
Comments:
The BOLT M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle with BRSS Recoil is a great compromise for the avid Airsofter looking for a practical skirmish weapon, but also craving the realistic experience of having blowback with recoil similar to a Gas Blow Back systems. I really like this concept and find it great fun to shoot even if its just for plinking in the yard. The overall quality is very excellent and you just have to love the AR platform it's based on. If you're into customizing you can mix and match many external and internal parts with other existing Airsoft mechanical parts and I would imagine real steel accessories. It's great to be able to use an Airsoft rifle in virtually any weather condition and still get that Gas Blowback Feel but with AEG performance and consistency.
My Vimeo Video Review for the Bolt M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle with BRSS Recoil:
My first impressions with the Bolt M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle where not so good as it was miss feeding and miss firing terribly for me. A quick communication with BOLT Airsoft and I was informed that perhpas my BB choice was the wrong one. The Bolt M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle has a true 6mm barrel so it is a tight fit with BB's that are 6mm since many can actually be a bit larger making them get stuck in the breach area.
BOLT Airsoft suggested I switch my Airsfot BB choice to a slightly under sized 6mm Airsfot BB so I tried some of my 5.95mm Airsoft BB's and all I can say is it was like shooting a different gun. Not only did it feed and shoot perfectly, but the Bolt M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle with Heavy BRSS Recoil also became instantly more accurate for me. The moral of this story is always make sure to use the right ammo in your gun :)
So getting back to my Field Test Shooting Review for the Bolt M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle with BRSS Heavy Recoil... In this video Field Test Review I shoot several rounds through my Chronograph to test out the fps velocity of the Bolt M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle. Which by the way came in around the mid 300's. I also step back 30 feet and shoot some semi auto rounds into a paper target to see how accurate the Bolt M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle is. Since the Bolt M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle is a semi and full auto AEG Airsoft rifle, I also had to replicate my accuracy in full auto to see if my groupings would stay consistent even at a high rate of fire. I was very impressed with the accuracy in both semi and full auto, form 30 feet out you will get within 2 inches all day long.
It is fair to note that I was using 11.1 volt Li-po batteries with .20 gram BB's for the entire testing so this did effect my motor speed giving me quicker trigger response and faster full auto rate of fire. I would suggest using a high capacity battery setup since the BRSS Heavy Recoil does use up some additional battery power but boy is it worth it. The BRSS Recoil is not going to be as heavy as a true gas blowback system but it is close and does give you a nice shoulder tap but with the benefit of high capacity AEG magazines and consistent AEG performance.
In a nutshell, if you want the dependability, consistency and none stop shooting performance of an AEG Airsoft AM16 but with the blowback action of a gas system then make sure to give the Bolt M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle with BRSS Heavy Recoil a good look into.
A while back, BOLT was kind enough to send me one of their B.R.S.S. Recoil AEG Airsoft Rifles for review, make sure to watch my full review of the BOLT B4A1 BRSS Recoil Blowback AEG Airsoft Rifle.
Well again BOLT came through and sent me their latest offering, the BOLT AEG M16A4 Blowback Airsoft Rifle with B.R.S.S. Heavy Recoil system. B.R.S.S. stands for BOLT Recoil Shock System. The new BOLT Heavy Recoil system has a fixed stock which houses the improved recoil unit giving a more direct and solid recoil effect to the users shoulder. The BOLT M16A4 is a long length AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle also suitable for snipers.
Here are some of the specifications:
Blowback B.R.R.S Heavy
Adjustable Hop-up
Semi & Full Auto
Standard AR 70 & 300 round magazines
312 fps & 393 fps versions
Aluminum, ABS, Nylon & Glass Fiber and Steel construction.
7.4V & 11.1V (Li-Po) or 9.6V (Ni-mh / Ni-Cd)
7.7 pounds (3500 grams)
43 inches long (1100mm)
Comes in Black / Tan
In this YouTube Preview video for the BOLT M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle I show you around the gun a bit and do a quick shooting test. Unfortunately I was using 6mm Airsoft BB's which I later found out where a bit to large in diameter since the BOLT M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle has a true 6mm barrel. After the video when I received this information from BOLT I switched to 5.95mm Airsoft BB's and the BOLT M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle worked perfectly for me :)
Stay tuned for my Full Table Top and Field Test Shooting videos for the BOLT M16A4 AEG Blowback Airsoft Rifle:
My main goal in this Shooting Performance Test was to see how the ANT Advanced Novelty Tech CO2 HPAConversion Kit performed side by side with a standard 12 gram CO2. Keep in mind that you can also switch over at any time to a regular 12 gram CO2 even after installing the ANT adaptor system in the gun or magazine.
My choice of Airgun for this test was the KWC - Cybergun Mini UZIConverted to Full Auto. I chose this Blowback 4.5mm CO2 BB Gun because it uses a lot of CO2 with each shot and when shooting in full auto it literally eats CO2. I knew this airguns would really put the ANT Advanced Novelty Tech CO2 HPA Conversion Kit to the test.
My first performance test was to comparing both systems using a Chronograph so I could see how the fps velocity slowed down because of the CO2 cool down effect. The 12 gram CO2 did pretty well emptying a full 25 round magazine but keep in mind I was shooting in semi auto only for the sake of using a Chronograph. I did notice a drop in velocity from a high of over 300 fps to a low of around 260. When I switched over to the Bulk CO2 ANT System and performed the same test the fps started out a bit lower but stayed pretty much about the same with a few ups and downs. The initial lower fps may have been a result of using separate magazines for each test since the valves in each magazine are most likely tuned a bit differently to let out more or less CO2 with each shot.
My second and most impressive test was to empty a full 25 round magazine in full auto mode! Again a started out using the standard 12 gram CO2 and to make this a real world test, I did not replace the 12 gram CO2 form the previous test. I figured 50 shots was a realist amount of shots to get from a single 12 gram CO2 and after all I was only shooting in semi auto which uses a lot less CO2 then shooting in full auto.
My KWC Blowback Mini UZI rocked pretty good using the 12 gram CO2 until it hit about a third the way through the magazine and then it stated to slow down and pretty much stop dead in its tracks with about 5-6 rounds still left in the magazine. The CO2 was all gone and I was left a bit unsatisfied :(
Without any significant break time to let my KWC Mini UZI warm up again, I switched over to the ANT Advanced Novelty Tech CO2 HPA Conversion Kit magazine and unloaded the full magazine in no time with no cycle rate slow down at all, even after the magazine was deprived of Steel BB's I kept squeezing the trigger and letting the blowback hammer my shoulder for several more satisfying bursts. Now that is what you expect from a full auto Blowback BB Machine gun!
In conclusion, when shooting in semi auto you will see better fps consistency using the ANT Advanced Novelty Tech CO2 HPA Conversion Kit but where this system really shines at least for me is I can shoot as fast as as long as I want and it will feel same as the very first shoot I take even when using a full auto system. No more switching out 12 gram CO2 every few magazines, just speed load some more BB's in and your good to go.
Way back in the beginning of 2011 I posted some video reviews on a Chinese made AK-47 CO2 BB gun I owned and also at the time sold in the Replica Airguns Store. Unfortunately I had to pull these videos off of YouTube and the Replica Airguns Website because there was a police investigation related to these CO2 BB rifles.
I decided to repost these videos now that some time has gone by and the sting from this experience has lessoned for me a bit.
For those of you that want to know a bit more background on the reason why I removed the videos you can read on... Without going into a huge amount of detail, the police thought that for some reason these CO2 BB guns where being illegally imported into Canada and could be somehow converted into real working AK-47's. The police even believed that people like myself who owned and sold them had some sort of underground conversion operation going on? All of this make believe nonsense sent the RCMP down a path that led to over a dozen Airgun resellers like myself getting a visit from their local SWAT detachment, getting arrested, and spending some time at police HQ trying to figure out what in the world we where being arrested for? This all took place in October of 2011.
To give you an idea of the extent of the raid, there where at least 40-50 police officers at my house, police cars lined up down the street, SWAT members clearing rooms, a team of police going through all my personal belongings gathering guns, computers, network gear, cameras, drives and other evidence. I can not even imagine how much this would have cost Canadian tax payers just at my house alone never mind the other dozen or so simultaneous raids going on?
What makes all of this so silly is that the CO2 BB AK-47's in question where legally imported into Canada with the CBSA's seal of approval and to top it off the company that imported them was the same company that also sold the police their real firearms. You would think the police would have done a little bit of research checking into the background of where these AK-47 CO2 BB Rifles came from instead of jumping headlong into a very costly sting operation that did not even include a visit to the warehouse that imported them into Canada legally in the first place.
Even though I was arrested I was never charged with anything since the police quickly realized the error in their assumption. But still the police confiscated all my guns, my firearms license, my computers, my network gear, my hard drives, cameras and memory cards and kept all of it for a over a month. Perhaps next time they could of just asked a few resellers where they got their guns from rather than causing a huge disruption in peoples lives and business.
The icing on the cake is that these scary CO2 BB AK-47's could not be converted to fire live ammo but even still the RCMP declared them "prohibited" and went about tracking down as many buyers and owners as they could and confiscating their BB guns without any sort of compensation to the owners who bought them legally. No accountability was ever put on the CBSA who allowed them to be imported in the first place and no compensation has ever been paid out to the law abiding Canadians who spent their hard earned money on these BB guns (about $300-$400 each).
Anyways, I tell this story not to get people riled up and mad at the RCMP and/or CBSA, most of these folks are very good people with good intentions. After all, everyone makes mistakes from time to time. My problem is that my kids watched me get arrested and hand cuffed, yet I had done nothing wrong. At no point in time did the police give me any kind of apology or send some one over to talk to my kids and let them know that their Daddy was not a bad person and that it was all just a big misunderstanding? I hope that whoever masterminded this so called sting operation got some sort of reprimand since it would of cost Canadian tax payers a boat load of money just to get a bunch of BB guns off the streets!
First off we are not talking about 6mm Plastic Airsoft Guns but rather 4.5mm Steel BB versus .177 caliber Pellet.
Same but Different:
Generally speaking a BB CO2 Pistol and a Pellet CO2 Pistol are very similar, they just shoot a bit different types of ammo, that will determine a couple mechanical differences in both guns. You may come across a CO2 Pistol that can shoot both Pellets and BB's but these are not as common.
Magazine Types:
The fist main difference is usually the magazine design, since lead pellets don’t stack on top of each other very well compared to steel BB’s, action CO2 BB and Pellet pistols will have a very different types of magazine designs. Pellet CO2 Pistols will generally use a rotary type magazine while BB Pistols will use a stick or stacked ammo magazine. In terms of realism, a stick or stacked magazine is better suited than a rotary magazine. Some Action Pellet Pistols will have what looks like a stick magazine, but the stick will actually have two rotary magazine on either side. You will often find higher capacity magazines in BB CO2 Pistols since Rotary magazines usually only offer around 8 rounds (16 on a double sided stick style).
Another downside to a rotary magazine is knowing when you are out of ammo, a rotary magazine does not allow for this, it will just keep turning around and around no matter if there is ammo in it or not, so you need to listen to the the sound of the CO2 gun to determine when a rotary type magazine is empty. BB Action shooters do not have this problem since in most cases the magazine BB spring follower acts exactly the same as real steel gun follower locking back the slide on the last shot, stopping any follow up shots from happening.
Ammo Size:
Steel BB’s traditionally only come in 4.5mm which is the same as .177 caliber. Lead pellets can come in a myriad of sizes, the most comma being .177, .20 and .22 caliber but they can go as large as 50 caliber for PCP air rifles used to hunt even large game.
Barrel Rifling:
Another common difference between BB and Pellet CO2 Pistols is the rifling inside the barrels. Lead pellets need to spin in order for them to shoot straight. Steel BB’s on the other hand fly pretty true thought the air weather they spin or not. Rifling is most often not used in steel BB pistols because the hardened steel can damage the rifling and since there is little to no benefit in adding rifling to a BB guns barrel in terms of accuracy, then why even have it. Pellet pistols with their softer lead ammunition need to have the rifling in order to create the spin that keeps the pellet true and straight while in flight.
Accuracy:
Even though many BB CO2 Pistols can shoot accurately at close to medium ranges, they are not as accurate as a Pellet CO2 Pistol, especially as the distance become greater to your target. Not only does the spinning of the pellet help accuracy, but also the added mass of the lead pellet keeps them from being as effected by cross winds and airborne debris.
Hunting and/or Pest Control:
In most cases I do not recommend using a pistol for pest control because, plain and simple they are harder to shoot accurately. This is because there is no stock on a pistol to help steady the gun, and the front and rear sight are much closer together on a pistol than compared to rifle sights which means there is more margin for error when signing in a target. Pistols are generally lower powered than rifles which also plays a roll when considering a pistol for pest control since it may not have enough power to get the job done humanly. That said, there are pellet pistols deigned with power in mind, usually these are spring piston, or pressurized air powered air guns which can have a lot more power than a standard CO2 BB or Pellet Pistol.
Pistols versus Rifles:
This is not the forum for a full pistol versus rifle comparison. I can tell you that you will find a lot more pellet rifles than your will find BB rifles, they both exist but for the most part rifles are geared more towards target shooting and hunting. Most of the BB rifles available would be styled after replicas so the focus is not necessarily on power and or accuracy in these models.
Abundance:
In terms of Replica Action Shooters, BB Pistols outweigh the Pellet pistols by a land-slide. BB’s just work better in action pistols because the round hard steel ammo operates much easier and more reliably than the softer lead pellets, at least for action shooters. And the point of Replica Action Shooters is not so much power and accuracy but more so towards rapid fire good old back yard fun shooting.
Which is Best?
Well… Neither one is best, it just depends what you are looking for.
Do you want accuracy at longer ranges - if so maybe get a Pellet CO2 Pistol.
Do you want more realism in terms of magazine loading and your slide locking back on the last shot - then you may be in the market for a BB CO2 Pistol.
Do you want more power down range - heavy pellets are going to hit harder and truer than lighter Steel BB’s.
Do you want trouble free shooting - hard steel BB’s rarely miss-feed or misfire compared to softer Lead Pellets especially in action shooters.
The best is what’s best for you and not always what's best for me…
Some of you have been waiting on back orders and to also make new orders of ASG products, we just received an ASG order so many ASG items are now back in stock! Any back orders will be taken care of first and then new orders will be processed, as always, stock is limited especially on certain items so act fast!
It's that time once again for an end of the year Gun Collection video. And no I will not be showing off all of my guns, to show and explain them all (Approximately 200 or so?) would simply take a really long time to make and a really long time for you to watch ;)
It has been way too long since I got to go to the gun range and shoot my "big boy" guns! I say that sarcastically, sure my real steel guns are fun to shoot but it sure costs a lot of money and basically all we really do is shoot paper targets. Shooting at papper targets is fun for a while but I kind of enjoy shooting my airguns at pretty much any type of target I choose to shoot at. And of course any time I want to and for pennies per shot.
So getting back to Range Day shooting my real steel big boy guns ;) I went with a couple of buddies of mine and we shot a nice variety of guns. My Norinco NP-30 double stack 45 cal 1911, my Wyoming Arms Parker 10mm, a couple of my friends Glock 40 cals, my Norinco NP-34 P228 and Norinco Tokarev Type 54 9mm pistols, my Chiappa 1911-22 and ISSC M22 22LR pistols, a nice Sig Mosquito 22LR, my buddies S&W M&P 15-22 22LR rifle along with my ISSC MK22 SCAR 22LR rifle and my friends mighty custom Ruger Mini 14 in .223 caliber...
It was a cold day but a really fun day and it gave me a chance to really use my iPhone 6 plus camera for its slow-motion capabilities in a decent lighting situation.
Enjoy the footage of these "real guns" shooting in real time and slowed down.
