I'm trying to remember if I have ever reviewed a Gas Operated Bolt Action Airsoft Rifle before or not? I know I have reviewed Spring Operated Bolt Action Airsoft Rifles but I think this is a first for me. With Spring Bolt Action Airsoft Rifles there is some work involved in the back and forth movement of the bolt since the power is coming from the spring tension, compared to a Gas Bolt Action Airsoft system there is virtually no resistance in the bolt so you can get off your follow up shots a lot quicker.
I would like to get out and test the KJWorks M700P Gas Bolt Action Airsoft Rifle at a much longer distance than here in my Indoor Sea Can Airgun Range but the weather outside right now is kind of cold and wet. Perhaps in the summer I can do a revisit of the KJWorks M700P Gas Bolt Action Airsoft Rifle and test it out at amuch longer range using heavier Airsoft BB's.
For this indoor short range testing I used .20 gram Plastic Airsoft BB's and placing 5 shots through my Chrony Chronograph I got a an average of 382 fps. The gas magazine was fully topped up using propane gas and the temperate was around 15 degrees Celsius (60 degrees Fahrenheit).
Again using .20 gram Plastic Airsoft BB's I then performed my close range accuracy test (about 30 feet away) and the KJWorks M700P Gas Bolt Action Airsoft Rifle shot about a 1.5 inch grouping with one outlier that went kind of low, perhaps a bad Airsoft BB? With most sniper style Airsoft rifles you will want to use heavier gram Airsoft BB's which should help with accuracy so I would expect the KJWorks M700P Gas Bolt Action Airsoft Rifle to tighten up a bit using a .30 or higher gram BB.
This year at SHOT Show 2018 I had the please of again interviewing Dani Navickas from Sig Sauer. Dani Showed me several new pistols and a new break barrel rifle Sig Sauer is offering this year. The Sig ASP20 Break Barrel rifle will come in both .177 and .22 caliber pellet shooting versions. The ASP20 has a lighter than most cocking effort of only 33 pounds using their proprietary GlideLite system, along with an adjustable ASP MatchLite trigger.
Another Target pellet airgun from Sig Sauer this year is the .177 caliber pellet shooting Super Target, styled after the Sig Sauer P210 firearm. The Sig Super Target is a single pump pneumatic single shot pistol designed for 10 meeter shooting with adjustable sights and a crips short light trigger.
Sig like several other companies has rebranded their own version of the KWC 1911 CO2 Blowback BB pistols. The Sig Sauer licensed BB 1911 is based on Sigs We the People line to celebrate the American people and their Constitution.
Another new Blowback Pellet firing Sig Sauer Air Pistol was also introduced at SHOT Show, the Sig Sauer X-Five. The X-Five uses their 20 round belt fed magazine and also has Sig's Cam Lever CO2 loading mechanism. You will also find a rear adjustable sight on the Sig Sauer X-Five Pellet Pistol.
Last but not least and perhaps one of the most interesting new products coming out later this year from Sig Sauer is the P320MHS APS which is another new rotary magazine Blowback Pellet Pistol. What's a bit different with the new Sig P320MHS is that it has a full size drop out magazine that holds the CO2 and belt fed pellet magazine. The P320MHS can also be fully field striped, has an open ejection port and is styled after Sig's real Steal M17 firearm.
Type: Multi-pump Pellet-BB rifle. Manufacturer: Umarex USA. Model:NXG APX. Materials: Metal and polymer parts. Weight: 3.4 pounds (1.54 kg). Barrel: 20 inches, rifled. Propulsion: Multi-pump. Action: Single shot pellets/repeater BB's. Ammunition Type: .177 caliber pellets & 4.5mm steel BB's. Ammunition Capacity: 75 BB's in hopper. FPS: up to 490.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Umarex NXG APX Multi-pump Pellet-BB Rifle is not too bad, I would not say it's overly light but not on the heavy side either. Essentially it has a single action trigger since you need to pre-charge the bolt to engage the trigger. There is a little bit of take-up and then a fairly noticeable break point where you will feel the most trigger weight right before it releases.
Accuracy: So far I have not performed my Field Test Shooting review for the Umarex NXG APX Multi-pump Pellet-BB Rifle so I do not have any velocity or accuracy information to share at this point. I do plan on making that Shooting video Review this week so stay posted for that one.
Build Quality: The Umarex NXG APX Multi-pump Pellet-BB Rifle is not going to be one of your highest quality airguns but it does get the job done and feels solid enough with all the working parts feeling tight and secure. Most of the Umarex NXG APX Multi-pump Pellet-BB Rifle is plastic, even the bolt and trigger but you will find more metal inside where it counts like the inner steel barrel and the outer steel barrel shroud. The stock is plastic and that's OK, I do like the addition of the rubber butt pad and cheek rest as they work well and help to make the Umarex Umarex NXG APX Multi-pump Pellet-BB Rifle feel comfortable to hold in position and shoot.
Realism: Since the Umarex NXG APX Multi-pump Pellet-BB Rifle is not a replica, realism is not really a factor here but it does look like a gun so treat it as if it was a real gun since most people will not know the difference. Always transport and store any airgun safely and discreetly.
Pros:
Low cost air rifle with a lot of features.
Iron sights actually look really usable with the fiber optic red dot up front.
Comes with an 4x15 optical sight which should help with accuracy at longer ranges.
Super easy to pump even when getting close to the 10 pump max.
Built in auto safety.
Stock and cheek rest position feel really good.
Choice of shooting pellets or BB’s.
Trigger feels pretty good, not too heavy.
Mostly an ambidextrous design so good for lefties too.
Has a rifled barrel.
Overall a good looking air rifle.
Cons:
Mostly plastic, not the highest quality build.
Included 4x15 scope is super low budget but will work till you can upgrade it down the road.
Comments: I really hope the Umarex NXG APX Multi-pump Pellet-BB Rifle shoots well as it is kind of a cool air rifle with a lot of features at a low price tag and would make a great little target and maybe even small pest air rifle if it turns out to be accurate and hit that near 500 fps mark with pellets. The Umarex NXG APX Multi-pump Pellet-BB Rifle is not going to win any quality or design awards but from a usability stand point it works well and feels good to hold and shoot, the rear stock and cheek rest are in a perfect piston for me and this is a pretty small airgun overal. Personally I would invest in an upgraded scope, something like the Walther 4x32 would be perfect and not too expensive.
Type: Break barrel pellet rifle. Manufacturer: Umarex USA. Model:Ruger Explorer. Materials: Metal and polymer parts. Weight: 4.45 pounds (2.5 kg). Barrel: 12 inches, metal rifled. Propulsion: Spring piston. Action: Single shot. Ammunition Type: .177 caliber pellets. Ammunition Capacity: 1. FPS: 495.
Trigger Pull: I found the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle to have a fairly light trigger, there is some initial take up with a smooth almost undetectable break or release point, I found that as I shot the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle the trigger seemed to be breaking in a bit which made it a bit hard to figure exactly when the trigger was going to release but I feel over time and once the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is broken in the trigger will become more predictable.
Accuracy: Since I have already made a shooting or field test video for the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle, I can comment on its performance n this review! With 6 grain lead pellets (on the lighter side), I was able to get a 5 shot Chronograph average velocity of 485 fps. Using heavier 7-8 grain pellets the velocity slowed down a bit to around 400 fps. In terms of accuracy the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle performed well getting about a 1 inch 10 shot grouping on my paper target setup 30 feet down range. I know the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle can do better than this once the trigger settles down a bit since some shots went off unexpectedly.
Build Quality: The Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is not an expensive air rifle and is more or less an entry level spring piston pellet shooter. That said it is built fairly well with a metal receiver, barrel and trigger setup. The modern looking stock is polymer and the steel barrel is coated in a synthetic soft plastic to help with long term durability. The real fiber optic sight is plastic so you will have to be careful with it as it does protrude a bit from the air rifle.
Realism: Since the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is not a replica realism is not really a factor here but it does look like a gun so treat it as if it was a real gun since most people will not know the difference. Always transport and store any airgun safely and discreetly.
Pros:
Really great looking air rifle with a modern look to it.
Finish is very durable with its polymer stock and plastic/rubber coated barrel.
Fully adjustable fiber optic sights are easy to sight in and use.
Receiver is notched for ring mounts so you can add an optical sight or red dot to it.
Trigger is fairly light, just need some break in time with it.
Cocking effort is fairly easy at 16.5 pounds.
Great size gun for all ages.
Power and accuracy were good for an entry level air rifle.
Cons:
I did find the trigger break/release point to be a bit unpredictable but I feel this is a break-in issue and will become more consistent over time.
You have to remember to push that safety in with ever shot.
Comments: The Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is marketed as a Youth air rifle but in reality it would be great fun for all ages. I am a fairly large person at 6 feet tall and I had no problem dealing with the slightly shorter configuration. The trigger guard is nice and open and allows for large fingers which is not always the case with airguns designed for smaller individuals. The overall quality you get with the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle for the lower entry level price tag is very good and in terms of performance I feel you for sure get your monies worth with the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle.
I don't do a lot of Springer (Spring Piston) Air Rifle shooting tests or even reviews for that matter. Mainly for a couple of reasons: Number 1, my content is mostly focused around Replica style Airguns and Number 2, it's kind of hard to test out the longer range airguns in my 30 foot airgun range. That said I felt the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle would be a really great airgun to review since it is both affordable and even though it is targeted for the youth market, it really does make a great shooter for all ages.
I have not done a Table Top Review for the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle but plan to shortly so stay posted for more detailed info on the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle down the road in that review.
So how'd we do during my Field Test Shooting Video for the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle? Not bad I would say! Using about 6 grain rather light weight .177 caliber lead pellets I was able to get really close to the 500 fps claimed fps mark coming in just under at a 5 shot testing average of 485 fps. I did put a couple heavier grain pellets through my Chrony Chronograph and got closer to the 400 fps mark, still not bad for this lighter sprung spring piston air rifle.
In terms of accuracy, shooting at my paper target setup 30 feet down range in my Sea Can Airgun Range, I shot about a 1 inch 10 shot grouping. I was finding the trigger break-in to be a bit unpredictable during this testing which led to some premature shots going off so I do feel once the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is broken in and me getting use to the trigger break, I should be able to improve on this result.
Overall the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is a really nice entry level airgun perfect for all ages and not just the youth market. It looks really cool, is easy to cock and has a very resilient finish. Oh ya it shoots pretty good to!
Yet another retest for an airgun I have already reviewed. But some airguns need another "shot"! Today I just kind of felt like shooting a springer and the Baikal MP-53M Break Barrel .177 Pellet Air Pistol came to mind. I'm not the best at shooting spring pistons airguns since they take a more softer relaxed grip and I tend to hold guns with a bit of a firmer grip.
As always in my new Sea Can Shipping Container I perform a Chronograph velocity test to see what the real world feet per second is and then I perform a followup accuracy test shooting 10 rounds at a paper target 30 feet down range using a rested seated position. During the velocity Chrony test for the Baikal MP-53M Break Barrel .177 Pellet Air Pistol I was able to get an average of 405 fps which was much higher than my previous testing where I averaged 319 fps. I was using different 7 grain lead pellets but I don't think they where that much different in weigth since the Diabolo pellets should have been around 6-7 grain.
Moving onto the accuracy portion of my Field Test review, this time around my shots stayed a little tighter than last time stretching out to about 2 inches but most of the 10 shots where all within 1 to 1.5 inches. The trigger on the Baikal MP-53M Break Barrel .177 Pellet Air Pistol is really great, super light with just a little take-up and virtually a hair trigger after that with zero friction.
I also wanted to mention that cocking the Baikal MP-53M Break Barrel .177 Pellet Air Pistol is fairly easy and that I did find I needed to set the rear sigh to the all the way down position to get my shots to hit close to the bullseye as this gun seemed to like to shoot rather high out of the box.
So I decided to revisit the Gletcher M1891 Sawn Off Mosin Nagant Rifle CO2 BB Gun and retest the accuracy in my new Sea Can using paper targets setup 30 feet away using a rested and lated shooting position. I also redid my Chronograph velocity test siren my new Chromo setup is working so well.
I did get very similar results with my velocity Chromo Test, my first test I averaged about 430 fps and this time I got 428 fps shooting a 5 shot string. Moving onto the accuracy potion of my Field Test Shooting Review for the Gletcher M1891 Sawn Off Mosin Nagant Rifle CO2 BB Gun, I did notice that it was shooting a little bit to the left, elevation was bang on but unfortunately with the Gletcher M1891 Sawn Off Mosin Nagant Rifle CO2 BB Gun you can only adjust elevation and not windage?
Even so I was able to get about a 1.5 inch grouping with 10 shots on target with the Gletcher M1891 Sawn Off Mosin Nagant Rifle CO2 BB Gun. But there was one mystery shot that seemed to for sure hit the target but left no indication of where it hit, perhaps I hit the same hole as my first shot?
The Gletcher M1891 Sawn Off Mosin Nagant Rifle CO2 BB Gun is a really cool rifle, I would love to test out the Gletcher M1944 longer version but so far I have not been able to get my hands on one and have only seen it so far at SHOT Show. Keep checking our Replica Airguns online stereo for stock as our Gletcher inventory does go in and out of stock at times.
I was a bit surprised by the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol, it actually shot a lot better than I was expecting it to perform. I did have to aim rather low since the Umarex DX-17 BB Pistol likes to shoot on the high side but if you are shooting at closer in ranges then you won't have to adjust your aim point so high.
Getting into my performance testing for the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol, I placed 5 shots through my Chrony Chronograph and averaged 210 fps which again was very close to the Umarex claimed 200 fps, even a little bit higher! he DX-17 is a single shot repeater but because of the BB reservoir you can quickly reload follow up shots by simply point the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol a little upward while pulling the slide back and pushing it forward to active the spring piston and load a BB at the same time.
As I mentioned the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol shot on the high side, at 30 feet it's a good 8-9 inches high but I have a feeling that this is about as high as the BB's will rise since they are not going that fast and gravity will start bringing them back down. At about 10-15 feet out from a target the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol seemed to shoot about 3-4 inches high so not nearly as bad and this can be adjusted pretty easy by simply aiming a bit under the target you are shooting at. In terms of a 10 shot grouping theUmarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol got about a 4 inch grouping which I have to say kind of surprised me as I was expecting a much larger spread.
So for about $20 you kind of get what you pay for but I really think with the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol you perhaps get a little more! It has a really good trigger, seemed to be built pretty tuff, shot exactly right on the claimed fps mark and was even able to keep a reasonable grouping. And to keep costs down even more you never need to buy CO2 so that's another bonus.
Trigger Pull: The single action only trigger pull on the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol is actually pretty good. It's fairly short with only a little bit of very light take up and then an easy release that has no added friction. So you will have to get use to when and where the release happens but it is a really decent trigger for such an inexpensive airgun.
Accuracy: I have only shot the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol a few times to get use to the mechanical operation of using this spring powered pistol since there is a very specific order in which you need to cock and load the Umarex DX-17 for proper operation. I did find the DX-17 shot a bit high for me at 30 feet out so I had to adjust my aim point about 5-6 inches lower to hit targets at this range. For further out shooting you many not need to do so since the fps is fairly low and I would expect the BB to drop pretty quickly. In terms of power being that the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol is only rated at 200fps, well it seems sufficient enough for plinking away at targets and should have no problem getting through a pop can.
Build Quality: I was expecting this $20 low cost BB airgun to be fairly low quality in general but when I took it out of the plastic clamshell packaging I was pleasantly surprised by the overall quality and how the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol felt in my hand. It has a good weight to it and the fit and finish are really good. Mechanical parts tolerances feel snug and the plastic used feels of good quality.
Realism: The Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol as far as I know is not a replica of any specific real steel gun in production but it does kind of remind me of a Browning Hi-power at least the back half and the way the frame angles up a bit in front of the trigger. Other than that it looks the part of a real gun. The DX-17 has what looks like real working parts on it with the slide catch, magazine release and magazine but plat all moulded into the airgun. Available at the:Replica Airguns Store
Pros:
At $21 Canadian its great value for a target plinker.
It actually looks and feels pretty good in person, better than I expected build quality and weight to it.
No CO2 required so very cheap to shoot.
Single action trigger is actually really decent, better than most airguns.
Accessory rail for adding a red dot or perhaps a tactical light.
15 round reservoir makes followup shots quicker and no fumbling around loading BB’s in-between shots.
Lower fps means if you do do something stupid you are less likely to have to make a trip to the doctor
Cons:
Pretty low fps so don’t expect any long range shooting or great penetration.
Sights are not adjustable and it seems to shoot kind of high.
Why not rifle the barrel and make pellets an option?
Comments:
I rarely review these super low cost airguns especially spring powered ones with low fps, it almost seems like why would you want any of that? But you know the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol is actually a great little airgun and you really can't beat the price tag. You are also going to save a bunch of money not having to buy CO2 and once you load 15 rounds into the BB reservoir you can empty the DX-17 fairly quickly. Sure the power seems a bit low but it gets the job done and like I said if there was an accident, you are less likely to break that window or require medical attention. I think this would be a great add on to an existing order you might be making with us, that way you wouldn't have to pay for shipping for this one item and you get a fun little plinker for only $20 more.
My Vimeo Videos for the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol:
Action: Bolt-action single shot, single action only.
Ammunition Type: .22 caliber pellets.
Ammunition Capacity: 1 round.
FPS: 460.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Crosman American Classic P1322 22 Caliber Pellet Pistol is non-adjustable but is short and fairly light with virtually no creep at all, it's just right there! The Crosman American Classic P1322 will allow for very accurate shot placement with only a little trigger time required to get use to the release tension required.
Accuracy: I found my Original Crosman 1377 (The .177 caliber version of this airgun) to be an amazing target pistol, getting about a 1/2 inch grouping from 30 feet out in a semi-rested position. And I even performed my accuracy test twice with the same result each time. In terms of fps performance, the Crosman American Classic P1322 22 Caliber Pellet Pistol is not required to be detuned for Canada importation so we should see very close to 460 fps even using heavier grain lead pellets! Make sure to look for my upcoming Field Test Shooting video for the Crosman American Classic P1322 22 Caliber Pellet Pistol.
Build Quality: The Crosman American Classic P1322 22 Caliber Pellet Pistol is not a fancy looking airgun but it gets the job done with a mostly all metal design and build. Remember this Croman configuration has been around since 1977 so about 40 years and has pretty much stayed the same so Crosman must be doing something right with the American Classic series if it has stood the test of time with very few changes to its design other than some cosmetics ones.
Realism: The Crosman P1322 American Classic Air Pistol is not a replica of any gun out there. The P1322 is made as a target airgun, so it looks like a target air pistol and is not expected to resemble a tradition real steel pistol of any sort.
Pros:
Fairly inexpensive target pistol (under $100 Canadian - $79 US)
Know to be very accurate.
Ability to regulate power with the amount of pumps.
Mostly all metal construction.
Rifled steel barrel.
Adjustable rear sight.
Light single action trigger.
Would be good for small close shot pest control because of good FPS and good accuracy for shot placement ability.
Lots of mods and upgrades available for this series of Crosman Airguns.
Cons:
The trigger is a bit thin (Can be upgraded).
Rear sight is adjustable but is hard to setup.
All black sights are hard to aim on darker targets.
Pumping is fairly firm and will take some time for max 10 pump power.
Comments:
The Crosman American Classic P1322 22 Caliber Pellet Pistol is a bit of a sleeper target pistol. It has been around for a long time and for this reason can be overlooked. It also is a super flashy looking airgun that requires a bit of manual pumping to get to maximum power. There is also the kind of finicky sight setup required to get this air pistol to shoot on target. If you can put all that aside you have yourself a super accurate and rather powerful little target or even small pest control airgun for a lot less money than some other pellet target pistols out there. And to be honest I would trade having to pump this gun up over a springer for the main reason that the recoil is so much less violent on a pump gun allowing for better accuracy at the end of the day. When you factor in all the mods that are available for this line of Crosman Airguns the sky is the limit allowing for a ton of customization in performance and looks.
My Vimeo Video Review of the Crosman P1322 American Classic .22 Caliber Target Pistol:
First off, I want to thank Crosman for providing these two guns for review! Now they're not exactly new guns by any means but for sure worth showing and doing some update reviews for.
Starting with the Crosman PFAM98 Taurus PT-92:
The Crosman PFAM98 Taurus PT-92 is essential a KWC made M92 also branded as the same gun as the Cybergun GSG 92 and the Swiss Arms P92.
So for all intense and purposes if you have watched any of my other revise on this line of KWC Beretta /Taurus BB pistols and even Airsoft versions then this BB gun should be really familiar to you.
History of the Taurus PT-92:
It is often referred to as a Berate 92 copy but in fact it is a Taurus PT-92 replica. The Taurus PT-92 is a product of Brazil, Taurus actually bought the entire Brazilian Beretta factory back in 1980 including drawings, tooling, machinery, and a very experienced work force to make the guns. Taurusimmediately sought to improve on the Beretta design, resulting in the popular and acclaimed Taurus PT-92.
Specifications for the Crosman PFAM98 Taurus PT-92:
Crosman use to make a similar version of the Crosman American Classic P1322 called the Back Packer which had a slightly longer barrel and came with a removable stock. You can kind of replicate this gun by adding the stock but it will have a shorter barrel. Keep in mind there are a ton of mods available for this series of Crosman airguns including barrels, bolts, trigger, Internals stocks, scope mounts…
PHOTOSpecifications for the Crosman American Classic P1322:
Metal and plastic construction.
Pneumatic pump.
.22 caliber lead pellets.
Single shot bolt action.
Rifled metal barrel.
Single action only.
Up to 460fps using lead pellets (10 pumps).
1.88 pounds (853 grams)
Keep posted for my full update reviews for these airguns...
Barrel: 3 inches, metal non-rifled with internal Hop-up.
Propulsion: Spring Piston.
Action: Single Shot, Single Action Only.
Ammunition Type: 6mm plastic Airsoft BB's.
Ammunition Capacity: 11 shot full size drop out magazine with 60 round reservoir.
FPS: 280 using .12 gram BB's.
Trigger Pull: The single action only trigger pull on the Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun is a bit heavier than I expected since generally speaking single action triggers simply just need to release the hammer or striker. There is a little bit of take-up initially but then the release is fairly crisp, just a tad firm but since this is not an action shooter and a full rack of the slide is required to pre charge the internal spring, having a heavier trigger pull is not a big deal and did not seem to effect my accuracy in any way.
Accuracy: I didn't get a lot of shooting time with the Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun but I can say it seemed to be shoot fairly accurately. I tested it out shooting on a paper target from 20 feet back using a non rested standing position. The Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun did shoot a bit high and to the left but my 10 shot grouping was within 1.75 inches with the exception of one stray that shot a little more to the right. I was using .20 gram BB's but they did seem to get to the target pretty quickly and penetrate the paper fairly well. I would say they were traveling well over 200 fps.
Build Quality: The Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun is about a $25 gun so you can't really expect too much in terms of quality materials but that said, the gun does feel solid and well put together. I had no issues shooing it and for the price you should get plenty of good use out of it.
Realism: The Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun is realistic in terms of its shape, operation and even the Walther P99 licensing and trade marks. But as is expected being a clear plastic gun it falls short in terms of feeling and looking the part of a real gun. But that's kind of the point here, this gun is supposed to clearly look like and Airsoft gun and not a real gun including the orange red tip.
Super low cost and even come with an extra mag and some starter BB’s.
Full size drop out mags are nice.
All the parts feel pretty tight, does not feel hokey, even has some metal parts where they are needed.
Has a rail for accessories.
No CO2 required, just your Airsoft BB’s.
Walther licensing and Trademarks.
Slide stays back when out of BB’s.
Has internal Hop-up.
Has a floating barrel like the real steel version would.
Makes a good starter pistol for someone getting into the hobby that may not want a gun that looks too realistic.
Cons:
Is kind of on the light side at about half a pound.
The single action trigger is a bit heavy but works fine, you're not going to be shooting rapped fire with this one anyway.
Being a clear gun obviously takes away from the realism but that is the point of this gun so as not be confused with a real gun.
Shoots a bit high and to the left.
Comments:
Right from the get go I was not expecting much from the Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gunbeing a bit of an Airgun snob and personally tending to stay away from the like of these clear plastic non-blowback super low cost Airsoft pistols. But after playing around with it for a bit I could really see how a first time Airsoft buyer could really enjoy the Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun. It shoots just fine and costs next to nothing to buy and shoot. And I know there are many younger folks that watch my video reviews and perhaps their parents may be sitting on the fence about allowing them to buy an Airsoft gun out of fear that so many of them look so real. The Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun clearly looks like an Airsoft gun which makes it pretty hard to get in trouble with yet you can still enjoy the Airsoft shooting experience without freaking your parents out!
My Vimeo Video Review for the Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun:
Power Sources Covered in this review: CO2 - Spring Piston - Variable Pump -HPA (High Pressure Air)
Pro’s:
CO2 Airguns allow for fast repeat shooting, great for action shooters, generally CO2 Airguns will supply a medium power range. No need to pump or cock your CO2 powered weapon in-between shots and a CO2 power source can allow for a very realistic action of the gun you are shooting.
Spring Piston Airguns are best suited of single shot situations, they can provide low to high power output depending on the spring used. Spring Piston Airguns are very low cost to operate since you only need to buy the Pellets or BB’s. Spring Piston Airguns are not greatly effected by outside temperatures.
Variable Pump Airguns allow you to decide how much power your gun will have and can offer very high power output depending on the Airgun. Variable Pump Airguns are very low cost to operate since you only need to buy the Pellets or BB’s. Variable Pump Airguns are not greatly effected by outside temperatures. Variable Pump Airguns generally have very low recoil and vibration.
HPA (High Pressure Air) Airguns generally do not require pumping or cocking in-between shots and some even come in semi automatic or bolt action. HPA Airguns can have very high power output and even be used on larger game using large caliber ammunition. HPA Air Rifles have lower recoil and low vibration. HPA Airguns can be charged ahead off time so they are ready for use when you need them.
Con’s:
CO2 Airguns require the additional cost to buy the CO2 as they do not function without it. CO2 Airguns have a limited power output and lose power as you shoot and use up the CO2. CO2 Airguns are effected by hot and cold temperatures and will have less power in colder temperatures and may not even work in super cold environments.
Spring Piston Airguns require cocking before each shot. Spring Piston Airguns can have a lot of recoil and vibration, so much so that special optics must be considered when buying an optical sight. The action of the spring recoil can effect accuracy, especially if you are not use to the vibration and recoil or have spent some time practicing using a Spring Piston Airgun.
Variable Pump Airguns will require multiple pumps to achieved maximum power output which can take some time in-between shots. So you are going to have to work for each shot.
HPA (High Pressure Air) Airguns require the use of a manual pump to fill their built in air tank to maximum pressure and it does take a lot of time to manual fill an HPA tank. Alternatively you can have the air tank filled at a shop or buy a pressurization system similar to a scuba tank out paintball setup, the cost of this setup can be very high but will save you the castle of manually pumping air in to your HPA Airgun. HPA Airguns are generally a little more bulky then other Airgun systems since they have to accommodate fairly large air pressure tanks.
Power: Generally speaking a longer barrel is going to allow for more power. If you compare most CO2 pellet pistols to CO2 Pellet Rifles, you will find that the CO2 Pellet Pistol will generally shoot about 300-400 fps using a standard lead Pellet. On the other hand many CO2 Pellet Rifles can get up to as high as 600 fps which is much better speed for humanly shooting some smaller pests.
If you are talking about Springer or Variable Pump Air Pistols versus their Air Rifle counterparts, again the Air rifles will generally shoot with much more power. I have seen some none CO2 Air Pistols shoot up into the 500-600 fps range but again compered to none CO2 Air Rifles, they can even double these numbers.
Some of you may ask about Steel BB Pistols and Rifles. I personally would never really sue this type of ammunition for pest control simply because most BB Rifles have much less raw power than Pellet Rifles and steel BB’s will not be as accurate at any type of longer distance.
Stability: When holding any rifle from the shoulder, you have three point of contact with your body spread out in a much longer distance than a two handed pistol grip. Holding steady even without a rested position is much easier using a rifle. Even when using a rested position, the rifle will more stable.
Accuracy: A big factor in accuracy is stability but there are also other factors to consider. Barrel length its self does not make the gun more accurate, you only need a few inches of barrel length to get constant accurate results from a gun. What makes longer barreled guns more accurate is the distance between the rear and front sight. The closer the sights are together, the more margin for error there is, the longer you spread out the sights from each other, the more accurate the sighting system becomes.
Overall More Humain: When you consider Air Rifles tend to have higher power, better accuracy and overall more consistency than shorter barreled Air Pistols. The logical choice for humanly shooting a Pest is to use the Air Rifle. The last thing you want to do is make any animal suffer, even if it has been causing a lot of havoc around your home or farm or place of business.
This is not to say that a “Real Gun” is not as good as an Airgun or better in other ways, in this video I’m just pointing out how an Airgun in some cases can actually be better suited than a Real Gun.
Availability: What I mean by this, is that in many countries Real Guns can be very hard to acquire and often require safety course and applications before one can purchase a Real Gun. I have no problem with this but it is a reality that must be considered. Having an Airgun versus not having a gun at all makes it a better option for people that live in countries that have strict gun laws. Here in Canada we are allowed Real Guns, even pistols but we do have restriction on our pistols and so I can only get certain guns in an Airgun version. As a collector this is better than not having the gun at all.
Price to Buy: Generally speaking you can pickup an enter level Airgun for much less money than a real gun.
Cost to Shoot: Real gun ammo prices have been steadily increasing to the point that a day out shooting can cost several hundred dollars just on the ammunition alone.
Comparison of Price:
50 rounds of 9mm ammo will cost around $18.00
6000 rounds of 4.5mm Steel BB will cost about $18.00
CO2 is a bit less than $1 per 12 gram Cylinder which can yield up to 100 shots each.
To shoot 100 rounds of 9mm will cost close to $40 versus 100 shots of 4.5mm steel BB at around $1.
For this reason alone an Airgun can make a lot of sense even for Real Gun owners looking to get more cost effective practice time.
Access to Shooting Locations: Depending on where you live you will have to consider your local laws and where you are allowed to shoot both types of guns but typically you can shoot an Airgun safely just about anywhere as long as you implement some backstop safety precautions. Here in Canada we can only shoot a pistol at designated gun ranges, where as Airguns have a lot more allowances to shot them as long as you are not braking any city bylaws.
Training Guns: Even if you plan to eventually step up to a Real Gun at some point, an airgun is a great option to first learn proper gun handling skills since if you where to make a mistake, the consequences are much less severe. Airguns are also a lot less intimidating than a real gun since they are much quieter and have less recoil, you don’t even need to wear ear protection with most Airguns which means an instructor can communicate to his pupil on the range a lot easier.
Prop Guns: Since Replica Airguns look so much like real guns these day, they can often be used as a safer substitute for use in Movie, TV or other Photo and Video productions. Using a Real Gun on set generally requires a certified “Gun Wrangler” be on hand as Real Guns must be transported, stored and handled using very strict regulations. Airguns generally do not need to follow the same rigid regulations that Real Guns are bound to.
Tactical Training with Live Targets: Obviously shooting a real gun at a live target would not fair well for anyone involved, so that is completely out of the question. Airsoft Airguns are however perfect for Tactical Training and other weapons based simulations. All that is required for safety when using Airsoft guns is the use of eye protection and generally some heavy clothing.
I am sure there are some more areas in which Airguns may have the advantage over a Real Gun but these are the main ones that I could think of.
It has been a while since I picked out some of my favorite guns, after all my favorite gun picks change on a daily basis since there are so many awesome guns out there to pick from.
This Vimeo video is a little different since I pick out my favorites from a bunch of mostly replica gun categories including Steel BB, Pellet, Airsoft, Revolvers and Blank Pistols.
You may notice most of my picks happen to be blowback guns but to me airguns are all about being as realistic as possible and having blowback operation to me help to simulate the realism that much more. The exception in this video is in the pellet gun category since I decided on a pellet gun that was more about function and purpose over being any type of real replica.
Hopefully you take the time to watch my entire Vimeo video since I also bring out some close runner ups but here is a list of my top picks on this day, tomorrow it could be a completely different list of guns ;)
In short the MatisX is a Firearms Training System uses motion sensing technology to monitor how you hold your pistol before, during and after you shoot it, the Mantis MantisX Firearms Training System can determine areas that you may need to work on, like your Grip, Trigger Pull, Hesitation, Anticipation and many other common shooting mistakes.
In this Field Test Review for the Mantis MantisX Firearms Training System I setup my MantisX and take it through my first trial shots with it, you will see I am learning how to use it as I go but by the time I finished shooting the video I had a pretty good idea on how it all worked.
Two main areas the Mantis MantisX Firearms Training System directed me to correct where my pistol grip as I was potentially tightening up as I pulled the trigger and also my trigger pull was a bit uneaven, On my second round of shooting I made some corrections in this area and it did give me a much tighter shot grouping so the Mantis MantisX Firearms Training System at least for me did improve my shooting to some degree.
I plan to use the MantisX some mroe and find out other posible areas I can improve upon but overal I feel the Mantis MantisX Firearms Training System will help improve most people shooting skills or at least hlep them to figure out where they are going wrong.
**Make sure to use Coupon Code "ReplicaAirguns" to get free shipping! http://mantisx.com**
First off I want to thank Mantis for sending me this MantisX for review!
By the way, use Coupon Code "ReplicaAirguns" to get free shipping!
This time is not currently in the Replica Airguns Store for sale but it looked really cool so I could not pass up this opportunity to try it out and perhaps we even cary it down the road.
What is the Mantis MantisX Firearms Training System?
MantisX is a revolutionary patent-pending handgun attachment that helps firearms enthusiasts and professionals train more efficiently. While attached to a handgun, it analyzes every shot and generates actionable data you can use to improve your shooting mechanics.
You get a very high quality Pelican Water proof case to store your Mantis MantisX.
You get the instructions.
How does the Mantis MantisX Training System Work?
First you Connect MantisX to any Picatinny-enabled handgun, just like you would any other firearm attachment.
Then install the MantisX smartphone application, turn on MantisX, and pair the device with a phone via Bluetooth. Available for both Android and iOS.
All that’s left is to collect the data and evaluate shooting performance, identify areas of improvement, and track progress over time.
What Exactly does the Mantis MantisX Training System Do?
Analyzation:MantisX detects each shot you make, analyzes the movement of the firearm during the trigger pull, and assigns a score to each shot that signifies deviation from the aiming position.
Coaching: Based on the movement patterns of the firearm, MantisX identifies areas of improvement and provides coaching that will improve your mechanics, your score, and your precision.
Tracking: MantisX keeps track of all your shooting sessions and generates useful reports that will help you identify your shooting trends, gauge your progress, and set adequate improvement goals.
Who is the Mantis MantisX Training System Made For?
Individuals: With MantisX, practice anytime and anywhere. Analyze each shot you make, keep tabs on your performance overtime, and hone your shooting mechanics by following our data-driven suggestions. Can be used with virtually any gun that has a rail system, even airguns like Airsoft and BB pistols
Instructors: As an instructor, manage your students more efficiently with MantisX, spending more time on actually coaching rather than watching people shoot. MantisX also provides hard data for students to see.
Agencies: Agencies help their cadets and employees gain and maintain excellent marksmanship skills necessary for military and law enforcement service. MantisX also assists in training for qualification exams.
Next I am going to play around with the Mantis MantisX Training System and see who it works, I am not sure if I will have the chance to use it with my “real guns” but I kind of wanted to focus more on who it works with Airguns related products anyways.
Use Coupon Code "ReplicaAirguns" to get free shipping!
I am showcasing here on the Replica Airguns website and over on the Replica Airguns YouTube channel a series of videos I will be making for the purpose of selling some guns out of my personal collection. I simply have no more room for the new guns and in some cases I either have duplicate guns or very similar versions so there is no need to have both. Some guns I am less attached to and as I already stated I need to make room for some of the new stuff I will be reviewing and or buying for myself.
In this second Mike's Personal Guns For Sale video I am offering three rifles, two of which will require a Canada PAL Firearms License since one is a 22LR rimfire rifle and the other is a high powered .22 caliber break barrel pellet rifle. The last item up for bid is an AK-47 styled .68 caliber paintball rifle.
Make sure to watch my above YouTube video to see these three rifles I am selling and instructions on how you can take part in the sale and purchase of them. By the way I am only selling to Canadian residents since shipping cross borders is a little sketchy.
Here is a list of the these three rifles I am selling from my personal gun collection:
In this 2016 SHOT Show Interview I talk with Chip Hunnucutt from Crosman Corporation. Chip was eager to show off Crosman's new Airbow which is a essentially a hybrid PCP Air Rifles combined with a Crossbow. SO take away the bow and replace the power source with a 3000 PSI compressed air system that is capable of shooting standard archery arrows at 450 fps with 160 foot pounds of energy using 375 grain arrows.
The Crosman Airbow on a full 3000 PSI charge can deliver 8 consecutive shots @ the regulated 450 fps. The Airbow also weighs in at 7 pounds and being that it is a Bullpup design it is only 33.5 inches long so nice and compact for an arrow shooter.
Since the power is generated by the PCP compressed air system there is no heavy cocking rope so a simple lift of the ambidextrous cocking bolt is all that is needed to charge the Crosman Airbow. The Airbow also comes standard with a CenterPoint® 6x40 mm scope specially designed with the Airbow in mind.
Since the Crosman Airbow is technically an under 500 fps airgun, it should be considered an uncontrolled firearm here in Canada which means no PAL license will be required to buy and own the Crosman Airbow in Canada. In terms of using the Airbow for hunting as it is not a bow but rather an Airgun, that is yet to be determined here in Canada.
