Third time is a charm or so they say? Now that we are on the third version of the Umarex “Steel” series of BB CO2 Blowback Semi and 6 Round Burst Air Rifles what can we take away from this Field Test Shooting Video? Does the Umarex Steel Strike CO2 Blowback BB Rifle measure up to its predecessors? Without a full on spoiler alert I would have to say the Umarex Steel Strike CO2 Blowback BB Rifle did not let me down…
Starting off with the Chronograph Velocity portion of my Indoor Sea Can Airgun Shooting Test, things did not start off so good, first shot out of the Umarex Steel Strike CO2 Blowback BB Rifle was below 200 fps? I think this is because the duel CO2 system needs a least a couple of shots to get primed up because the Umarex Steel Strike CO2 Blowback BB Rifle only seemed to get better with each shot which is the opposite of what happens with most CO2 Airguns. After several shots the Umarex Steel Strike CO2 Blowback BB Rifle seemed to settle into a nice 390 fps range and the temperature was only 18 degree Celsius or 64 degrees Fahrenheit. In warmer conditions I would expect to get at least the 400 fps claimed by Umarex.
Moving onto the accuracy portion of the Field Test Shooting Review for the Umarex Steel Strike CO2 Blowback BB Rifle, I was very pleased with the results. Placing 10 semi auto shots 30 feet down range into my paper target using a rested seated position I was able to get just under a 1 inch grouping. And this was using the built-in flip up none adjustable peep sights which I do fins a little bit hard to use with my aging eyes… The Umarex Steel Strike CO2 Blowback BB Rifle even shot well centred just a little bit low and slightly to the left but very close to the bullseye. When I flipped the selector switch to 6 round burst things did spread out a bit but this was mainly because of the vibration that caused me to pull the gun to the right with each 6 round burst.
At the end of the day the Umarex Steel Strike CO2 Blowback BB Rifle is a really fun CO2 Blowback “full Auto” BB Rifle that has a crazy 6 round burst rate of fire and shoots pretty hard with good accuracy. You get all of this at a pretty affordable price. Are there other Full auto capable BB rifles that look a little bit better than the Steel Strike? I’m thinking about the Crosman DPMS SBR… Sure but in terms of performance the Umarex Steel Strike CO2 Blowback BB Rifle isn not lacking anything in this department. It may depend on your budget and if you’re simple just looking for a fun full auto CO2 BB rifle at the end of the day.
Type: BB Machine Gun/Rifle. Manufacturer: Umarex USA. Model: Steel Strike (AR Platform). Materials: Plastic shell with internal metal parts. Weight: 3.8 pounds (1720 grams). Barrel: 9 inch Metal non-rifled. Propulsion: CO2 x 2 (housed in b uffer tube) Action: Semi and 6 round burst blowback, single action only. Ammunition Type: 4.5mm BB's. Ammunition Capacity: 900/30 round drop out hopper/magazine. FPS: 400.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Umarex Steel Strike CO2 BB Rifle is single action only, so you will need to charge the rifle by pulling back the charging handle first, once this is done the trigger is reset and the gun is ready to shoot. The blowback operation charges the internal bolt automatically after each shot so keep this in mind as the gun is going to be live and ready to shoot until you either run out of ammo or CO2. Make sure to place it in safe mode when not in use especially when you have CO2 in the gun.
Accuracy: I have not shot the Umarex Steel Strike CO2 BB Rifle yet but will remaking a Field test Shoting video very soon for it. But for a reference I did shoot the Umarex Steel Froce which is a very similar product and this is how it performed for me:
Shooting the Umarex Steel Force at a target from 30 feet away in a semi rested position using both the semi auto and 6 round burst modes, the Steel Force performed very good getting around a 1.5 inch 10 shot grouping in semi auto and then spreading out a bit in 6 round burst mode which was to be expected, still a respectable grouping. Shots where well centered on the target but I did have the advantage of using a red dot scope, I found when using the none adjustable open sights that come with the Umarex Steel Force that I was shooting under the target at closer ranges. My Chrony testing did not go exactly as planned due to my temperamental Chronograph but I was able to get two shots to read and they average out at 466 fps, well over the 430 claimed fps.
Build Quality: The Umarex Steel Strike CO2 BB Rifle is mostly plastic on the outside with most of it's metal parts on the inside, pretty much everything you can see on the outside is going to be plastic except for maybe the magazine release and selector switch. The plastic seems durable enough but it has just a bit too much shine for me which I think makes it look less like metal and more like plastic. Everything seemed to function as expected but again I would have liked to have seen a bit more metal, not necessarily the outer shell, but I feel the flash hider, trigger, flip up sights and charging handle could have been made out of metal and would have given this Umarex Umarex Steel Strike CO2 BB Rifle a bit more weight and balance to it.
Realism: The Umarex Steel Strike CO2 BB Rifle is designed on the AR platform and for the most part is about the right size shape and look of an AR 15 / M16 type rifle. Even the selector switch, magazine release, rear adjustable stock and Charging handle function just like a real AR 15! Some parts are molded in just for looks like the bolt release, dust cover and forward assist but at least they look the part. The plastic for me was the real tell here as it kind of looks like plastic where as some plastic guns are really hard to tell they are not metal, but other than that this is a pretty decent replica of an AR Rifle.
Will get a decent amount of shots with its dual CO2 configuration.
Removable and 2 position adjustable stock.
Flip up sights with optical sight top rail option.
Lots of rials for adding on accessories.
Not a bad replica of an AR platform gun.
Full auto has a very high rate of fire.
Internal blowback does give a bit of recoil feedback feel.
CO2 in the buffer tube makes more sense?
Price point is good for a fun full auto BB rifle.
Cons:
Pop up sights are non adjustable.
Plastic finish could have been a bit higher grade, like what most Airsoft AR's use.
Just a bit more metal would have been nice and added to the overall weight a bit. (Switches, Sights, Charging handle.
No sling mounts.
Comments:
The Umarex Steel Strike CO2 BB Rifle looks to be an improvement over the Steel Storm and Steel Force, I like the new placement of the duel CO2 into the buffer tube and changing the location of the BB’s from the upper receiver and into the drop out magazine which is where we would normally expect them to be. We also get a magazine hopper capacity of up to 900 rounds with the new Umarex Steel Strike CO2 BB Rifle so no having to refile int for several CO2 swap-outs. I think the overall looks ahed improved and the tighter aperture of the pep sight shoudl make getting BB;s on target with more accuracy a bit easier. I look forward to seeing what kind of performance I get out of the Umarex Steel Strike CO2 BB Rifle when I test it out during my upcoming Field Test Shooting Video.
My Vimeo Table Top Videos for the Umarex Steel Striker BB Rifle:
This review was plagued with nothing but recording issues during the target accuracy portion of the review. I had to record it 6 separate times for reasons like: Two battery issues, one wrong setting in my camera, a memory card issue (wasn’t reading) and in one test I had a piece of cardboard covering a camera lens!!! Anyway I did get it done in the end but it was very frustrating!
So how did the KWC K17 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol perform for me during this Field Test Shooting Video? I would have to say a bit hot and cold. In terms of velocity, the KWC K17 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol was bang on averaging right around 325 fps which was right in line with KWC’s 328 fps claim. And the temperature was not super hot inside the Sea Can Indoor Airgun Shooting Range. About 15 degrees Celsius or around 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Moving on to the target portion of this Field Test Review I did manage to get a 4 inch 10 round grouping during my first test (which had recording issues) but for the shooting test that made it to this video my grouping spread out a fair amount closer to 6-8 inches. I did play around with the internal hop-up because the KWC K17 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol likes to shoot low and to the right, so I thought that if I adjusted the hop-up up, I would be able to get shots a little higher on target but this adjustment only seemed to make the gun shoot a little bit less accurately for me? As always I was shooting using me rested seated position from 30 feet down range.
Type: Blowback BB Pistol. Manufacturer: Made and Distributed by KWC. Model:K17. Materials: Metal & Polymer. Weight: 1.68 pounds (760 grams). Barrel: 4.3 inches metal non-rifled. Propulsion: 1 x Co2. Action: Semi auto blowback, single action only trigger. Ammunition Type: 4.5mm steel BB's. Ammunition Capacity: 17 round drop out full size metal magazine. FPS: Claimed 329.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the KWC K17 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol is short with only a little bit of take up, the release is light and crips. The blowback action resets the internal Hammer / Striker with each shot for that true single action trigger and it’s also nice that the trigger does have a working trigger safety.
Accuracy: At this point I have not shot the KWC K17 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol so I can only quote what KWC is saying in terms of FPS which is around 330. For a full blowback action steel BB pistol like many other KWC Blowback Air Pistols this is about what you are going to expect. It may sound low but to be honest 300+ is fast enough at 30 feet to only notice a slight delay from the time you press the trigger till the steel BB hits the target and you can expect to put holes in pop cans all day long. In terms of accuracy I should be able to get at least a 2 inch 10 shot grouping from 30 feet down range if the KWC K17 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol is on point for me.
Build Quality: TheKWC K17 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol feels really good, I’m going to say it’s probably one of the nicest KWC CO2 blowback pistols I have had in my hands to date. The finish is really nice, the polymer frame is flawless and fit is really good with nice tight tolerances throughout.
Realism: The KWC K17 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol being a full blowback Airguns is supper realistic in terms of looking like and functioning like a real steel gun. All the parts function as you would expect them to including the ability to filed strip the KWC K17 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol which gives you easy access to the hop-up. In terms of the KWC K17 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol being a replica it does look similar to Glock with some differences like the trigger guard, slide cut-outs, extended beaver tail and straighter pistol grip. Available From: The Replica Airguns Store.
Pros:
Good weight with very solid feel to it.
Full blowback action will produce good recoil effect.
Full size drop out metal magazine.
Short and light single action only trigger.
No ugly markings or warnings.
Has some bling with the gold barrel and vented slide.
Field strips like the real steel version.
White dot sights front and back.
Adjustable hop-up to adjust for elevation as needed.
Working trigger safety along with serial number safety.
Cons:
Full blowback action will produce lower fps and use up more CO2.
Not sure I like the Gold barrel?:
Comments:
I really like the KWC K17 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol, it may even be one of my favorite CO2 Blowback BB Pistols from KWC to date. That will be somewhat determined by how it shoots of course. The only thing I’m not a huge fan on is the Gold barrel but that’s a personal preference thing. You amy really like the Gold Bling! I could easily polish the barrel to more of a stainless finish if I wanted to and maybe I will? All in all if you’re looking for that Modern Pistol design than the KWC K17 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol is going to fit the bill. And by the way if you’re more into Airsoft then you can get the Airsoft version of the KWC K17 CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol in our Canada Online Store!
Type: Blowback CO2 BB Pistol. Manufacturer: Distributed by Umarex. Model:Glock 17 Gen 3. Materials: Metal & Polymer. Weight: 1.6 pounds (726 grams). Barrel: 4 inches metal non-rifled. Propulsion: CO2 x 1. Action: Semi auto blowback, double action only trigger. Ammunition Type: 4.5mm steel BB's. Ammunition Capacity: 18 round drop out full size metal magazine. FPS: Claimed 365.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Umarex Glock 17 Gen 3 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol is in a way a single action trigger since the blowback action pre-cocks the internal hammer allowing for a much lighter single action type trigger pull. I call it a a double action trigger mainly because there is an indexing of a BB from the magazine into the breach area every time you pull the trigger which means the take up is long and there is a little bit of friction from the mechanical mechanism that indexes a BB.
Accuracy: At this point I have not shot the Umarex Glock 17 Gen 3 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol so I can only quote what Umarex is saying in terms of FP2 which is 365. That's sounds reasonable based on other similar guns like this that have that parcial blowback action and BB indexing system to allow for a more sealed system. We will find out when I perform my Field Test Shooting video for the Umarex Glock 17 Gen 3 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol shortly.
Build Quality: TheUmarex Glock 17 Gen 3 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol seems well made overall, Fit and finish are nice and slide wiggle is minimal. There is a bit of a clanky sound when the slide cycles but since pretty much all of these types of airguns are made out of pot metal with a high con ten of zinc alloy this is kind of expected.
Realism: The Umarex Glock 17 Gen 3 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol absolutely looks the part of a Glock 17 3rd Generation, sitting on the table and even holding it in your hand you are going to think it's the real deal until of course you drop the magazine and see that it is a Co2 mag. Mostly everything operates like a real Glock 17 but the slide is not a full blowback meaning it only goes back about 3/4 as much as a real Glock 17 slide would. One other noticeable difference is the ability to quickly field strip the Umarex Glock 17 Gen 3 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol, you will need to remove a pin since the take down tabs are non functioning and moulded into the frame. Available From: The Replica Airguns Store.
Pros:
Great weight and feel to it, build quality seems good.
Really nice looking replica of the original Glock 17 Gen 3.
Fully Glock licensed.
Easy to see white dot sights front and back.
Recessed barrel for added realism.
Accessory rail for adding a laser or tactical light.
Full size drop out metal magazine that holds the CO2 and 18 4.5mm steel BB’s.
Safety built into the serial number plate area keeps it well hidden.
Warning instruction are nice and discreet under trigger guard
Not bad feeling double action only trigger as the blowback pre-cocks the internal hammer/strike.
365 fps is decent for a blowback BB gun.
Cons:
Does have blowback action but not full blowback.
Slide sound is a bit clanky.
Sight are non-adjustable which is common with low cost airguns like this one.
Would have liked to have seen more pristine packaging from Glock.
Comments:
Since there release of the Umarex Glock 17 Gen 3 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol we have all been waiting for a blowback version and now we have it in the Umarex Glock 17 Gen 3 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol! Defiantly another step in the right direction when it comes to a Licensed Glock. Am I looking forward to the Glock 17 Gen 4 Blowback BB Pistol, sure but if you’re a Glock fan why not have them all and this version will get you a bit higher fps and more shots per CO2 while still offering blowback action with a decent trigger!
In this Vimeo Preview Video I show off three new Glock and Glock-like Air Pistols. Two of them are from Umarex and are Glock Licensed, one being a GGB Airsoft Pistol and the other is a CO2 Blowback BB Pistol. I also show an unlicensed Glock-like CO2 Blowback BB Pistol from KWC that kind of looks like a glock but has several key differences that do make it deviate a fair amount from that of a true Glock pistol.
Starting with the KWC 17. At first glance you may think it looks a lot like a Glock but on closer inspection it has the following differences: Notched out trigger guard, extended thumb guard or beaver tail, straight pistol grip with no finger indents, cut out on slide, slide serration on front. The KWC 17 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol is a full blowback Airgun with a full size drop out metal magazine that holds the CO2 and 17 rods of 4.5mm steel BB’s. You can expect to get around 330 fps for it.
Another Blowback CO2 BB Glock is the Umarex Glock 17 Gen 3 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol which is fully Glock licensed and also features a full size drop out metal magazine that hold 18 4.5mm steel BB’s. The Glock 17 Gen 3 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol is a partial blowback Airgun so you can expect a little bit higher velocity of around 365 fps and additional shots per CO2.
Lastly I show you the Umarex Glock 17 Gen 4 GBB Airsoft Pistol, another fully Glock Licensed airgun with full blowback operation and a full size drop out metal magazine that holds 20 6mm plastic Airsfot BB’s and the either Green Gas or Propane Gas. Velocity will be around 300 fps on this one.
Pickup one of these Glock and Glock-like Airguns form either our Canada or US online Replica Airgun stores!
This year at SHOW Show 2019 Bob from ASG had a lot to show me so make sure to watch the full Interview Video for all the details and information.
Bob and I first go over a new ASG CZ Airsoft Pistol called the Shadow 2 kind of like a modernized SP-01 Shadow. The ASG CZ Shadow 2 is a competition stile pistol with adjustable sights and trigger and will come in both CO2 and Green Gas magazine options.
Next up Bob showed me the CZ75 SP01 ACCU Shadow with some special edition features like: Ergonomic anodized aluminum grips with grip tape, match style high sights, oversized slide release and ambidextrous safety and a tunable anodized aluminum trigger.
ASG being the exclusive partner with ICS had some new ICS Pistols to show us. First up was the Airsoft ICS XPD, a compact Gas Blowback System that will come with shorter compact magazines and extended magazines that will hold more green gas. Both Gas magazines will feature a new valve system called the Revo system.
If you like the feel of a 1911 but perhaps want something a bit more modern then checkout the New ASG Korth PRS Airsoft Pistol, you can even put real 1911 grips on it!
Not new to ASG this year is the CZ Scorpion Evo 3 A1 but ASG has enhanced this Airsoft rifle by working with a designer to adding an M-Lok Handguard, Magwell Grip and Fore Grip that will be a three part system you can customize.
Last Bob showed me around the CQR Hera Arms Airsoft Rifle that is a collaboration of ASG, Hara Arms, ICS. It will come in standard Mosfet and Triple-S (Smart Shooting System).
Looking forward to getting my hands-on some of these new ASG
Air Venturi announced their new Springfield Armory lien of BB and Airsoft guns at SHOT Show 2019 and of course I stopped by to talk with Scott and see what these new products where all about!
First off we have the Springfield Armory M1 Carbine Rifle. You will be able to get it in either 4.5mm Steel BB or 6mm Airsoft versions. Both will have full drop out metal magazines that hold the 12 gram CO2 and either 15 BB or Airsoft rounds. You can expect around 40-60 shots per CO2 since the Springfield Armory M1 Carbine is a full blowback Airgun. The standard version will come with a synthetic wood stock that is very believable but for around $100 more you will have the option of a real wood stock which does add a bit to more weight to the rifle.
Continuing on with some more Springfield Armory Airguns. Air Venturi will be distributing the XDM pistol in a compact and full size configuration, again both 4.5mm Steel BB and Airsoft versions. There will be a solid black version and a two tone silver slide version so lots of options to pick from. The 4.5mm Steel BB version will use a 12 gram CO2 while the Airsoft version will allow for Green Gas or CO2 mags.
I wanted to mention one more product Scott showed me that is still in production, a reactive target system called the Bata-Bang that connects to your phone via Bluetooth allowing you to time your shooting and play shooting games with it and others even online. Hopefully we see this product soon from Air Venturi!
This may be a bit confusion to some of you but Crosman has done a bit of a rebrand and is now going by the name of Velocity Outdoor. This is because Crosman has been acquiring more and more products over the years that are not necessarily airgun related and felt that putting all the brands under the name Velocity Outdoor made more sense from a company stand point. Of course in this video we are going to focus in on the Crosman Products within Velocity Outdoor.
So what’s new? Well an even better Crosman DPMS SBR! How can you make the Crosman DPMS SBR even better? By creating an updated or version 2 called the Bushmaster MPW. It comes in two tone black and false dark earth with a shorter hadnguard yet it keeps it’s barrel leith by extending the barrel right to the end of the mock suppressor. Tis can also swap out the but stock with any AR but stock and the Bushmaster MPW comes with a red dot sight. Internally the Bushmaster MPW and the Crosman DPMS SBR are the same.
Some of you may remember the Crosman Night Stalker CO2 Pellet Rifle? That product was retired years ago but Crosman has used the name in a new CO2 BB Pistol called the Night Stalker. The Crosman Night Stalker Pistol has a built in guide rod styled laser, has blowback operation along with a stick magazine. This should be a fun plinker with its laser sight.
Going even further back to the old Crosman 357 days, this revolver styled CO2 air pistol just seems to live on and on being revamped just a little each time by Crosman. Now you can get it in their Triple Threat package. Basically it’s the same Crosman 357 frame that comes with three barrels you can swap out as needed. You get a three inch snub nosed barrel, a six inch barrel similar to the Vigilante and then an eight inch Dirty Hairy styled barrel. Who says you can’t have it all?
This year at SHOT Show Las Vegas 2019 Umarex introduced some new Glock's, a New Beretta and a new Pellet Rifle which unfortunately was not brought to my attention when I did my Interview so sorry now coverage of the Ruger 10/22 CO2 Pellet Rifle :(
Starting with two new CO2 Blowback 4.5mm BB Glocks, Umarex now has a Glock 17 Generation 3 partial blowback CO2 BB Glock with a full size drop out metal magazine. This setup will increase the fps a bit since it uses the more efficient partial blowback system. If you would rather have a full Blowback CO2 BB Glock then Umarex has it in a Glock 17 Generation 4 version that functions pretty much like a traditional Airsoft Blowback gun but instead this one uses 4.5mm steel BB’s.
In terms of Blowback Airsoft Glocks Umarex has a two Glock 17’s, yo can get them in generation 3 or 4 an both are full blowback with full size drop out metal magazines.
Umarex introduced a really nice M9A3 Beretta this year at SHOT Show 2019. The Umarex Beretta M9A3 comes in the FDE color scheme and has an extended threaded barrel that should be able to take a much suppressor. The Beretta M9A3 is full blowback with a full size dropout metal magazine and can be shot in semi or full auto.
Now for the Umarex Ruger 10/22 Pellet Rifle I completely missed at the Umarex booth… Well if you didin’t know there was a pellet version of this rifle you would be hard pressed to be abel to tell the difference between it and the real 22LR version! The Umarex Ruger 10/22 Pellet Rifle utilizes twin 12 gram CO2 cartridges to fire .177 caliber pellets. It has a 10 round drop out magazine with interchangeable rotary nmagzines that can be pre-loaded. And yes the Umarex Ruger 10/22 Pellet Rifle is a blowback Airgun!
Here we go, the first SHOT Show Interview for 2019 and why not kick things off with Sig Sauer. After all Sig Sauer has been super dedicated to bringing new Airgun designs to the airgun community year after year and this year at SHOT Show was no exception!
My favorite item from Sig Sauer this year at SHOT Show was the Sig Sauer P365 ASP, as the name suggests it is based on their 9mm firing real steel Sig Sauer P365 and somehow similar to how they fit 10 rounds of 9mm ammo into such a compact magazine and gun, the BB version also manages to jam a 12 gram CO2 cartridge into a very tiny drop out metal magazine! Really looking forward to getting my hands on this one!
Sig Sauer launched several Airsoft guns, an AEG Airsoft Rifle called the MCX Virtus and two GBB Airsoft Pistols, the M17 and P226. All of them fully licensed and also should be Canada import ready.
Last up but something that we have all been waiting for in an ASP Pellet firing rifle, the Virtus 22 Caliber PCP Rifle. Well the name says it all. It’s basically an MCX Pellet Rifle but now in 22 caliber and with a PCP tank built into the rear stock. In Canada you will need a PAL to buy one but import into Canada should not be a problem for license holders since the 22 Virtus PCP will quality as a long gun.
I’m back from SHOT Show Las Vegas 2019 and as always I had an awesome time. I love January since I get to go to SHOT Show each year. What an awesome job!
This year was another great show with lots of new products from the Airgun companies. I managed to get seven interviews in this year so I have my work cut out for me editing and uploading all of these informative YouTube Videos.
For now here is a SHOT Show Las Vegas 2019 Teaser Video along with some photos…
In this December Update Video I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. If you have other beliefs and perhaps don’t celebrate Christmas in the traditional Canadian fashion then I wish you a Happy Holiday!
I received a number of products lately and really don’t have time to do full reviews of them as the Holliday season is on us which is going to limit how many videos I can pump out over the next couple of weeks so hopefully this Update video will keep everyone excited about the future Replace Airgun Videos.
Here are the items I talk about in this December 2018 Update Video:
Here we go again with another Favorite Airgun Video of 2018, this time I show you my Air Rifle Favorites! There are usually a lot less Air Rifles that come out than Air Pistols but this year was’t too bad for new and interesting Ari Rifles. As per usually there where more 4.5mm Steel BB Rifles and I am sorry to say nothing really came out at least in the Replica Air Rifle department but of course there where 6mm Airsoft rifles too.
I do mainly focus on the 4.5mm BB rifles but throw in the group a very well made and ultra realistic Airsoft Rifle that was for sure in this years Top Five!
Next in this video I take a look at what I can say was my number one pick this year, the Crosman DPMS SBR Steel BB Rifle! When Crosman announced the Crosman DPMS SBR Steel BB Rifle at SHOT Show I was a bit surprised since Crosman is not known best for their Replica Airguns. Not only did Crosman decide to come out with an M4 Replica Air Rifle but they in fact made what I believe is the best one out there at least in 4.5mm Steel BB. It covers all the check boxes I am looking for. It’s very well made, shoots in semi and full auto with a working internal blowback bolt. All the mechanical parts work in the same way as a real M4 including being able to take apart the upper and lower receivers. I really hope Crosman took note of how popular this style of Airgun is and keeps making more product like the Crosman DPMS SBR Steel BB Rifle.
Another 4.5mm Steel BB M4 Replica that came out in 2018 is the Air Venturi HellBoy CO2 BB M4 Air Rifle. The HellBoy may not be as full featured as the Crosman DPMS SBR but it is worthy of this years Top Five. The Air Venturi HellBoy CO2 BB M4 Air Rifle is similar to how the Cybergun AK 47 BB rifles are built, using a magazine design that is basically the bulk of the working mechanism, it hold the CO2, CO2 Valve, BB’s, and even part of the trigger mechanism. The Air Venturi HellBoy CO2 BB M4 Air Rifle may not be as ultra realistic as the Crosman DPMS SBR but it’s an excellent full metal M4 Replica with decent shooting performance.
My only Airsoft contribution to this years list is the KWA LM4 RIS PTR Full Metal GBB Airsoft Rifle. I just love this Airsoft Rifle, It may not be the cheapest M4 GBB Airsoft Rifle out there but it sure is worth it. When you pick it up it just feels like quality and when you shoot it you know it’s quality, the shooting performance is awesome for a GBB Rifle. I barely noticed any cool down even when shooting off the entire magazine in full auto. If you want the most realistic M4 Air Rfile out there than the KWA LM4 RIS PTR Full Metal GBB Airsoft Rifle is going to be the one.
Last up to showcase in this years Favorite Air Rifles is the Umarex Legends MP40 CO2 BB Weathered Submachine Gun. I know the Umarex Legends MP40 CO2 BB Submachine Gun kinda came out last year but I did not get my hands on the Weathered version till only recently so I decided to put it in this years Top Five pick. The Umarex Legends MP40 CO2 BB Submachine Gun is another fine 4.5mm Steel BB Rifle in this case it’s more of a Submachine Gun. The Umarex Legends MP40 CO2 BB Submachine Gun also offers semi and full auto select fire and is a very close replace to the real steel MP40 in almost every way. The Weathered Finish and included Leather Sling really finish it off to make it super believable.
2018 was another great year for Airguns and so I wanted to take a look at some of my favorite Air Pistols from 2018. There where many to choose for and perhaps some of them could just as easily been in my top five list but at some point I have to narrow it down and make a video for you all.
Here they are in no particular order, you may notice that most of them are from Umarex, and no I am not trying to promote Umarex over the other Airgun companies. Umarex simply brought out a lot of new products this year! I will be making a similar Favorite Air Rifle Video for 2018 so we’ll see if some of the other companies get more of a highlight…
First up we have the Umarex HK USP CO2 Blowback BB Pistol which is another full blowback full size drop out metal magazine BB Pistol that is an outstanding replica of the real steel HK USP in not only looks but also in function.
Next is the Umarex Glock 19 CO2 BB Pistol. Now it may seem that the Umarex Glock 19 is a fairly basic BB pistol in that it does not have blowback operation and uses a standard stick magazine. Not always what we are looking for in a replica airgun. What the Umarex Glock 19 CO2 BB Pistol offers that no other airguns has been able to accomplish so far is to bring a Glock approved license to an Airgun. Yes there are other “Glock Replicas” out there but Glock did not approve or license them so these imposters are made without Glock’s golden seal of approval. Counterfeits if you may… This Umarex breakthrough with Glock will allow for many more new Glock licensed Airguns in the future so if you want a full blowback full size mag Glock Airgun then just wait a bit and you will have one.
A nice compact CO2 Blowback BB Pistol that came out this year is the Umarex Walther PPS M2 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol. It’s basically the new version to the Standard Walther PPS. I simply just like the look and size of this Air Pistol and appreciate the engineering that went into such a small compact airgun with limited space for airgun components like a 12 gram CO2 and the CO2 valve mechanism.
One last Umarex product in my top five lineup is the Umarex SA10 CO2 Blowback BB and Pellet Air Pistol. The Umarex SA10 is very different than most other Air Pistols out there. First off it’s a blowback Airguns that shoots both BB’s and Pellets which may not be totally unusual, but it has a very unique full size magazine that stores extra rotary magazines that you can preload for easy and quick reloading. The Umarex SA10 is an all metal Airgun with a heavy construction and during my Field Test Shooting Review it performed rather well especially in the accuracy department.
Last and would you believe not an Umarex product is the Sig Sauer X-Five ASP CO2 Blowback Pellet Pistol. The Sig X-Five Pellet Pistol like the Umarex SA10 is full metal, has blowback operation and shoots Pellets, but the Sig Sauer X-Five ASP has a 20 round belt fed magazine which is something that Sig Sauer has been utilizing in their Pellet Airguns. Sure there are some other companies that have attempted to make Airguns with belt fed magazine but usually these Airguns have very heavy triggers making them almost painful to shoot. I like the fact that Sig Sauer is breaking new ground and trying to bring unique concepts and ideas to the Airgun Market.
In this video I do get in nice and close with the camera so you can see how awesome the Weathered finish and Leather Sling look. Just keep in mind you will pay a bit more of a premium for the Umarex Legends MP 40 Weathered version.
Type: Blowback CO2 BB Pistol. Manufacturer: Distributed by Umarex. Model:HK VPN. Materials: Metal & Polymer. Weight: 1.42 pounds (644 grams). Barrel: 4.13 inches, metal non-rifled. Propulsion: CO2 x 1. Action: Semi auto single and double action trigger. Ammunition Type: 4.5mm steel BB's. Ammunition Capacity: 18 round drop out full size metal magazine. FPS: Claimed 350.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Umarex HK VP9 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol is fairly decent. When the slide cycles it sets the internal striker ready for single action shooting but there is a first stage of the trigger that moves the CO2 nozzle in the magazine forward pushing a BB into the breech area of the barrel while also sealing off the magazine into the barrel allowing for more effect CO2 usage and extra power. This movement of the magazine nozzle does add a slight bit of friction to the first stage of the trigger pull but not a lot. Keep in mind the trigger pull is a bit longer than most single action triggers to account for this.
Build Quality: TheUmarex HK VP9 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol is a well made gun which we have come to expect from Umarex. The Umarex HK VP9 is made of metal and polymer similar to the real steel version with a metal slide and polymer frame. You will find more metal parts in the Umarex HK VP9 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol as in the slide catch release, magazine ejector, barrel, magazine and also several internal parts. Fit and finish is good, I had no issues shooting the Umarex HK VP9 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol when I tested it out.
Realism: The Umarex HK VP9 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol is a very close copy of the real steel H&K VP9 9mm pistol, you will even find HK licensing throughout the gun. Some details that make the Umarex HK VP9 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol very believable are the blowback action, full size drop out metal magazine, the cut out ejection port with 9mm markings on it, the recessed barrel, a working slide catch release and trigger safety. One giveaway that the Umarex HK VP9 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol is not the real deal is the safety switch on the right hand side of the frame. It is fairly small so it does not catch the eye to easily. Available From: The Replica Airguns Store.
Pros:
Nice Crisp blowback action.
Full size drop out all metal magazine.
Metal parts where where you would expect them to be: Slide, magazine, barrel, slide catch/release, magazine ejector and of course several internal parts.
Fairly accurate looking replica of the original HK VP9.
HK Licensed via Umarex.
White dot sights easy to sight in your target on most backgrounds.
Working trigger safety.
Rail for accessories like lasers and tac lights.
Warning instructions are nice and discreet!
Well priced for what you get.
Cons:
Not a fan a of the clamshell packaging, makes the gun seem cheap even before you actually hold and feel it.
Sights are none adjustable.
Did not perform great in my accuracy test, a bit spread out.
Comments:
The Umarex HK VP9 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol reminds me a lot of the ISSC M22 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol in terms of how it operates, they both have that same full size dop out metal magazine that has that moving nozzle for more efficient CO2 usage. Both BB guns also both have that “half” or reduced cycle blowback operation which again probably increases CO2 efficiency and power. The Umarex HK VP9 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol looks and feels great in the hand and has a nice snappy blowback operation with easy to use sights and a smooth trigger. I just wish I was able to get a little bit tighter grouping during my field test shooting video but sometimes it’s just me, sometimes it can just be that specific gun. Let me know how yours performs for you?
In this Field test Shooting Video of the Gletcher M1944 Mosin Nagant CO2 BB Rifle I test out its velocity in feet per second and also what kind of accuracy I can get shooting at a paper target 30 feet away from a rested seated position with a sand bag up front.
Starting with the Gletcher M1944 Mosin Nagant CO2 BB Rifle’s power I first placed 5 shots through my Chronograph using a brand new 12 gram CO2 and RWS 5.1 grain zinc coated steel BB’s. The lowest fps shot was 334 and the highest was 363 fps, averaging 344 for the 5 shots. Not all that fast for a CO2 BB rifle but keep in mind the inner barrel is the same length as the shorter barreled Gletcher M1891 which actually shot a m much higher average fps of 428. I was shooting the Gletcher M1891 on a much warmer day which will effect velocity with CO2 airguns but by nearly 100fps? Seems a little bit off?
Next I cleared my shooting bench and setup a fresh paper target 30 feet back and proceeded to see what kind of grouping I could get with the Gletcher M1944 Mosin Nagant CO2 BB Rifle. I did not sight the gun in so I was only really interested in how close the BB’s would place together, not so much if I could hti bulls eyes. Perhaps I should have made sure I was close to the bulls eye since out of the box I was noticeably shooting low and to the left. It is really easy to adjust the sights to shoot higher but not so much for windage. That said I got about a 4 inch 10 shot grouping shooting the Gletcher M1944 Mosin Nagant CO2 BB Rifle. Again compared to the Gletcher M1891 Sawn Off little brother version the Gletcher M1944 didn’t perform as well in this test since I was able to get closer to a 2 inch grouping with the Gletcher M1891 in my earlier testing.
So what did I learn today? Maybe bigger is not always better? There are all sorts of things to consider when performing these test. Temperature, CO2 and BB’s being used but probably a lot of times it’s just me not exactly on my game that day. For me the main reason why I would buy the Gletcher M1944 Mosin Nagant CO2 BB Rifle is not as much for how it shoots but more because where else can you get a historic bolt action BB rifle like this. And for some people that may be the only version they may are able to buy where they are located or if they don’t want the hassle of getting a firearms license.
Let’s get right into it. I placed 6 shots through my Chronograph and averaged 312 fps which was lower than what AW Custom claims at 370 fps. It was not super warm in the Sea Can since it is October and the weather is getting colder by the day, but I do keep it relatively heated and it was around 15-16 degrees Celsius or 61 degrees Fahrenheit. I was also using a brand new 12 gram CO2 cartridge along with 5.1 grain RWS zinc coated steel BB’s.
For my accuracy test I placed a brand new paper target up 30 feet down range and put 10 shots into it (well sort of) using a rested seated position with a sandbag up front. I have to be honest about the results, I was very disappointed in the accuracy of the AW Custom Black Ace HX2003 Hi-Capa CO2 Blowback BB Pistol. It was literally one of the worse I have seen in terms of getting BB’s to place well in a 10 shot grouping. Most CO2 Blowback BB gun will at least get a 4 inch grouping if not even a 2 inch grouping on a good day but the AW Custom Black Ace HX2003 Hi-Capa CO2 Blowback BB Pistol just seemed to spray the ammo all over, 2 shots did not even hit the paper and the rest where literally all spread out on it. I would guess that I got around an 10-12 inch grouping which at 30 feet is not good at all?
My guess is that the barrel is perhaps too large? Everything else about the gun is really great. It’s made very well and looks awesome, fps performcaen is about what I would expect from a full blowback CO2 BB gun so that is fine. But when it comes to accuracy the AW Custom Black Ace HX2003 Hi-Capa CO2 Blowback BB Pistol just fails completely. I may try using another brand of BB’s but I am not expecting to get a much better result…
In this Field Test Shooting Video Review I test out the Umarex HK VP9 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol in my Sea Can Indoor Airgun Shooting Range. It’s getting a bit colder now that’s it’s mid October here in Canada BC but inside the Sea Can I keep things at least around 15-16 degrees Celsius (61 degrees Fahrenheit) while testing out my airguns. Temperature aside the Sea Can Indoor Airgun Shooting range is dry and well light, perfect for multi-camera video recording.
As always I put 5 shots through my Chronograph to see what kind of real world velocity I can get using my test airguns which in this case was the Umarex HK VP9 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol. Now Umarex claims 350 fps and I averaged 325, this is pretty close keeping in mind the temperature was not all that warm so I expect higher velocity from the Umarex HK VP9 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol in warmer conditions. I did use a brand new CO2 along with RWS. 5.1 grain zinc coated steel BB’s.
In terms of accuracy I was a little bit let down by the Umarex HK VP9 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol getting over a 4-5 inch grouping shooting 10 shots on my paper target 30 feet away. My rested shooting position (Sand bag up front seated in the rear) usually allows for at least a 2-3 inch groupings for most CO2 BB pistols at this distance. I’m not sure why the shoots where so spread out, it was almost like I got two operate tighter groupings from my 10 shots?
Even with the somewhat poor accuracy the Umarex HK VP9 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol is a nice overall airgun, with a nice smooth Double Action Only trigger and solid blowback action recoil feel. The metal slide and all metal full size drop out metal magazine gives the Umarex HK VP9 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol a nice balance to it and good weight. Stay tuned for my Table Top Review coming soon.
