I had so much fun getting my modded Drozd Classic Full Auto BB Gun out the other day and shooting it, that I thought I would make some more Full Auto videos for you! So this upcoming week I will be taking a look at some of the following BB guns:
In this "head to head to head" pistol shootout I compare three of my more powerful, or you could say effective air pistols against each other. Shooting at some pop cans from about 30 feet away to see how destructive each one is. I don't generally recommend air pistols for pest control simply because they tend to be less accurate and powerful than rifles, especially out at the longer ranges where a magnified scope is required and notably where the pesky vermin like to hang out.
I would have to say out of the three tested in this video comparison, the Webley Alecto in .22 caliber and the Modified Drozd Full Auto BB Gun would for sure get the job done at closer ranges. The Webley Alecto simply because it can hurl a heavy grain .22 caliber lead pellet right around the 500 fps mark which will take down small pests, again at close ranges.
My second choice or even first choice depending on how active the pest are would be my modified full auto 1200 rounds per minute Drozd that hurls 4.5mm Steel BB's at over 500 fps (under 4.2 foot pounds) at a rate of 20 BB's per second! A 4.5mm Steel BB traveling at 500 fps will penetrate fur and feathers very well and with most of the 20 BB's hitting a target in a matter of 1 second, that is going to humanly put a small to even medium sized pest down for sure. And yes the Drozd becomes a pistol when yuo take the rear stock off ;)
My last choice for the job is the Xisico XSP180 in .177 caliber since like the Webley Alecto it is only a single shot, so you got to make it count and being that it has less overall energy than the Webley Alecto again I would prefer the Alecto over the XSP180.
Watch my "head to head to head" Vimeo video to see how these three pellet pistols compare:
Action: Semi auto non-blowback, double action only.
Ammunition Type: 4.5mm BB's.
Ammunition Capacity: 19 round metal stick magazine.
FPS: 410.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Umarex and TDP 45 TAC is medium to heavy but since it is a double action only trigger, this is to be expected. There is a fair amount of take up with the entire pull being about 8-9 pounds with the release point happening right at the very back of the pull, you get a bit of a clicking sound warning right before it releases. If you are used to shooting other lower priced double action triggers where the barrel protrudes out of the front of the gun when you pull the trigger then you will know what to expect with this this style of DOA trigger as the setup is pretty much exactly the same.
Accuracy: Since the TDP 45 TAC comes with a laser, I opted to use the laser over the open sights even though you have the choice of using open sights as their is an open channel under the sight rail allowing you to see both the rear and front sight pretty clearly. Of course you can mount a scope or red dot sight on the sight rail if you choose to. During my Field Test Shooting portion of this review I would have to say I got around a 2 inch 8 shot grouping but considering I actually took 10 shots, the extra 2 shots spread the grouping out a bit to around 4-5 inches. I do have to recommend you keep a close eye on the laser battery door as mine had a tendency to open up mid shooting. perhaps some black tape is in order? In terms of FPS performance, my Umarex TDP 45 TAC shot really close the claimed 410 fps coming in at 397 with my 5 shot chronograph testing using a brand new CO2. You can expect to get higher feet per second performance on a warmer day since temperatures on my test day where not overly warm.
Build Quality: TheUmarex TDP 45 TAC is built on a two sided plastics shell which you will find has all mechanical parts moulded into it with the exception of the trigger, safety and magazine release. Again, most of the build materials on the gun and the TAC accessories are plastic with the exception of some internal parts like the stick magazine, the barrel and the trigger. Because the gun is fairly light weight, even a hard drop would probably not cause to much harm with the fairly durable plastic and you won't have to worry about any paint wearing off ;)
Realism: The TDP 45 TAC CO2 BB Pistol is not actual replicas of any specific gun in production that I know of, it is styled after todays modern mid to compact sized semi auto pistols but it is hard to pinpoint any one specific gun. The TDP TAC 45 does look like a real gun but it's function is based more around what the easiest way is to build a BB gun rather than how can we make this gun function as close to a real gun as possible. That said it is very efficient and simple in operation which should make it very reliable in the long run.
Nice combination of lots of shots per CO2 with strong FPS and overall decent accuracy.
Universal metal stick magazine works in a variety of guns, can mix and match.
CO2 tab is fairly well hidden.
Comes with sight rail, laser and mock suppressor accessories, some could even be sued on other guns?
Construction screws are less obvious (Smaller and discrete).
Tried and true firing mechanism that works and is reliable.
I like the SA177 style CO2 hatch that opens and pivots.
Cons:
Mostly all plastic shell.
Not a lot of actual working parts except for the trigger, magazine release and magazine. All else is molded in to the plastic.
Double action trigger is a bit long and heavy which can effect accuracy.
Battery cover on my laser could be tighter and less likely to open up accidentally.
Comments:
For $60 you get a lot of fun and versatility for what you are spending. You could even take some of the Tactical accessories off like the sight rail and laser and sue them on some of your other air pistols with rails. No the Umarex TDP 45 TAC is not the most realistic or highest quality airgun out there but I bet you will get tired of shooting it before it wears out on you because it has such a simple internal firing mechanism. You can change the look by either taking some of the accessories off or adding even more, the choice is up to you!
Watch my YouTube Table Top and Field Test Reviews for the Umarex TDP 45 TAC CO2 BB Pistol:
I originally reviewed my first generation Umarex PX4 Storm CO2 Blowback Pellet Pistol back in August of 2010. Mine was actually one of the first PX4's to come into Canada. Since it has been almost 4 years since I first got my hands on this pellet pistol, I though it might be worth taking a revisit of it and comparing a first generation version to a current generation version of the Umarex PX4.
Cosmetically they are really close, I found it hard to tell them apart visually, My first generation had perhaps a slightly lighter colored slide? Other than that they look identical. When I loaded them both up with pellets I did notice that my 4 year old PX4 magazine was tighter in terms of loading the pellets, So in other words, the new Umarex PX4 magazine has slightly larger diameter holes. I don't think this really made much of a difference while shooting, it's just a bit easier to load the newer magazines.
In terms of shooting performance, both Umarex PX4 Storms performed very similarly, getting almost the exact feet per second rating on my Chronograph. (First generation had 363 average fps versus current version with 357 average fps). By the way I was using 7 grain flat head RWS pellets for both my Chronograph and target testing.
Both pistols also shot really nice groupings, form side to side there was about a 1.5 inch spread but vertically the groupings seemed to get more into around the 3 inch spread range. This could be perhaps because of shooting heavy grain pellets and the variation in fps which will make a heavy grain pellet drop a bit. My first generation PX4 did seem to shoot a bit higher on target then my current generation PX4 which seemed to like to shoot right in the bulls eye area.
Both pistols have a really nice snappy and hard hitting blowback action especially using a new CO2, they are also a bit on the louder side so be aware of this when shooting in residential areas. You can expect to get around 4 decent magazines or 64 shots per CO2 but there will be some power drop near the end of the CO2.
Overall the Umarex PX4 Storm CO2 Blowback Pellet Pistol is a great looking replica of the real steel PX4 and also performs very well in terms of power, accuracy and shots per CO2 for such a hard hitting blowback pellet pistol. It is is also one of our best priced Pellet Pistols in my books for value versus cost spent.
Watch my Vimeo Video Umarex Beretta PX4 Storm Blowback Pellet Pistol First Generation Versus New Head to Head Showdown:
Make sure to also checkout my full Table Top Review where you will find more details and specifications for the KWC Luger P-08 Airsoft replica pistol which is virtually the same gun as the 4.5mm BB version with the only real difference being the ammo type and the amount of rounds per magazine (21 rounds for the 4.5mm BB version and 15 rounds for the 6mm Airsoft version).
Basically in this YouTube video, I shoot the 4.5mm Steel BB version of the KWC P-08 Luger head to head against the Airsoft Version to see how they compare in terms of Feet Per Second speed and Accuracy from30 feet away from a paper target using a semi rested shooting stance. As expected the heavier 4.5mm Steel BB's shot a bit slower but did seem to have a slight advantage in the accuracy department.
Watch my YouTube Field Test Head to Head Shooting video of the KWC Luger P-08 CO2 Blowback Replica Pistols to see how they both compared:
Some updates to share with you, first off we have the KWC Luger P-08's back in stock. And that would be for the 6mm Airsoft and 4.5mm Steel BB versions. get them while you can, our last batch ran out fast!
I also show off the Umarex TDP 45 Tac which is the tactical version of the TDP 45 and comes with the additions of a threaded barrel that houses a removable mock silencer, a sight rail for adding a red dot scope and a removable laser. All of this for around $60 so great value for sure!
I also wanted to revisit the Umarex PX4 Storm Blowback Pellet Pistol since I reviewed this gun way back and my personal Umarex PX4 Storm was one of the first to enter Canada and as I saw with the Umarex CP99 Compact, Umarex made some slight tweaks to it and improved the overall performance. So perhaps a side by side comparisons in order, first generation versus present generation.
I also mention the ASG Bersa Thunder Pro 9 because I actually forgot I had reviewed it and was going to review it again. Guess I am either getting old and losing losing my mind or I have made way too many videos and can not keep track anymore, perhaps a bit of both, anyways ignore that part of the video, you can already watch my Table Top Review and Filed Test Review for the ASG Bersa Thunder Pro 9.
This topic of Blowback Airguns Versus Non-blowback Airguns comes up often so I thought I would address it a second time around since I get a lot of new visitors and subscribers daily who may not have watched my first video explanation on this topic. You can also checkout my first video on this subject since there may be some stuff I missed out in this video second video ;)
There are really two types of people asking or commenting on Blowback Airguns Versus Non-blowback Airguns. The first type of person who genuinely wants to know which is best and for what reasons. Then there is the other kind of person who makes a narrow minded statement that one type is clearly better than the other type, based on their own preferences and interests but not considering that there are other people out there with different opinions and preferences than them. You know who you are and we all know you are not going to change cause that would require an open mind...
Here is a list of the Pros and Cons I go over for each style of Airgun:
Pros:
Blowback guns simulate recoil.
Blowback guns can have better and more true triggers compared to their real steel counterparts.
Blowback guns can be better suited for action shooting.
Blowback guns are better as prop guns.
Blowback guns are generally more realistic in terms of mechanics.
Non-blowback guns generally use less CO2 per shot.
Non-blowback guns generally have higher fps.
Non-blowback guns can be more accurate.
Non-blowback guns can be more reliable.
Non-blowback guns can be less expensive.
Cons:
Blowback guns generally get less shots per CO2.
Blowback guns generally have lower fps.
Blowback guns can be less accurate.
Blowback guns can be less reliable.
Blowback guns can be more costly.
Non-blowback guns do not simulate recoil.
Non-blowback guns do not have true single action only triggers.
Non-blowback guns generally have heavier triggers that slow down shooting performance.
Non-blowback guns are generally not as good for prop use and or training.
Non-blowback guns generally are not as realistic compared to their real steel counterparts.
Watch my Vimeo video where I go into detail on Blowback Airguns Versus Non-blowback Airguns again ;)
In this Vimeo video, I go over a common question I get pertaining to the recoil effect of Airguns and Blank Guns. Many people want to know if Airguns and Blank Guns have similar recoil effects to a Real Guns and if so, how much recoil will you feel from an Airgun or Blank Gun?
The short answer is yes, there is some recoil with both Airguns and Blank Guns since whenever there is a force in one direction there will be a somewhat similar force in the opposite direction creating what we feel as recoil. With Airguns since the force from the CO2 or compressed air is rather small in comparison to that of the gun powder blast from a Real Guns or even a Blank Gun, the recoil is very slight. Blank Guns have similar gun powder charges to a Real Gun and so the recoil is more noticeable but unlike a Real Gun, a Blank Gun does not really push against a sizable object like a bullet, a Blank Gun only pushes against the air in front of the barrel which has very limited resistance and so there will be much less felt recoil from a Blank Gun than the recoil from a Real Gun pushing on a heavy grain bullet.
With semi auto Guns like Blowback Pellet and BB Guns and semi auto Blank Guns, there is also the momentum and mass of the slide to consider as it moves backwards and forwards which also gives the effect of recoil and in the case of an Airgun accounts for most of the recoil felt by the shooter.
Watch my Vimeo video on this subject where I go into much more detail and explain the effect of recoil when shooting Airguns and Blank Guns:
Great news, we just received our shipment of KWC P-08 Luger CO2 Blowback Pistols and yes we have them in both 4.5mm Steel BB and 6mm Plastic Airsoft so this news should make everyone very happy!
The KWC Mauser is still a bit of a ways off since it was still a sample product when I tested it.
So make sure to pick yours up ASAP before we sell out of them as we have limited supplies and if you haven't already watched my Table Top Video and Field Test Video for the KWC P-08 Luger then make sure to do so.
We have just added the Swiss Arms 4 inch & 6 inch Full Metal Revolvers to the US Store, these are basically teh KWC made guns licensed through Cybergun with the Swiss Arms licensing so you can check out my Umarex Colt Python 357 since it too is the same base gun made by KWC.
Here are the specs for these Shell loading 357 styled CO2 4.5mm BB Revolvers.
Some of you may have already watched my Tanfoglio Gold Custom Field Test Video which is basically the same gun but with a sight rail and a compensator up front. In theory both guns should perform very similarly depending on the outside temperature and of course the shooters ability that day :)
During this field test for the KWC Mdoel 75 Tac BB Pistol, I put 5 shots through my Chronograph using a brand new CO2 and 5.1 grain Umarex zinc Coated BB's. I averaged just a slight bit under the factory claimed 325 fps but not by much coming in at 315 which was pretty good considering it was far from a warm summer day, perhaps about 15 Celsius?
Stepping back to my 30 foot mark, I shot 10 rounds at a paper target using a semi rested position (Sand bag up front and standing in the back). There was a 7 shot noticeable 1.5 inch group with 3 of the 10 shots hitting just outside that tighter group stretching it out to a bit over 2 inches. I was shooting a bit high and the left wiht the KWC Model 75 Tac Blowback BB Pistol but this could easily be corrected by trimming up the full adjustable rear sight.
Just like the Cybergun Tanfoglio Gold Custom, the KWC Model 75 Tac Blowback BB Pistolhas a very smooth, short and light single action trigger along with a nice crisp blowback action and a great overall balance. With this none sight rail and compensator version you do get the rear fully adjustable sight along with a more compact overall pistol that performs in much the same manor as its larger brother. Either version will allow for very quick and accurate shooting none the less.
Action: Semi auto blowback, single action double action hybrid.
Ammunition Type: .177 caliber pellets and 4.5mm steel BB's.
Ammunition Capacity: 16 round magazine.
FPS: Up to 492 using 5.1 grain ammo.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the ASG CZ P-09 DUTY is similarly to the Umarex PX4 Storm and Gamo Blowback Pellet Pistols. All three Pellet shooting pistols use double sided stick based rotary magazines that hold 8 rounds in each end. They also all shoot with a single action hammer (set to the cocked position by the blowback action) while the first stage of the trigger rotates the rotary magazine and indexes a round. So I would consider them to be single/double action hybrids. The trigger pull in general is not overly heavy but it is long and there are noticeable sticky points when the magazine is rotating and the hammer is being released.
Accuracy: During my Field Shooting Test I decided to allocate 8 rounds for each test station since the magazine holds 8 rounds on each end. During my Chrony test the ASG CZ P-09 Duty started out in the high 300's and then dropped to the low 300's with an average 8 shot velocity of 334 fps. From the 30 foot mark shooting on a paper target using a semi rested position (Sand bag up front and standing in the back), I was impressed to see 7 of my 8 shots to all hit within 1 inch of each other while the oddball got away a bit and extended the grouping out to about 2 inches. The ASG CZ P-09 Duty CO2 Blowback Pellet-BB Pistol did shoot a hair low and to the left a bit but not too extreme.
Build Quality: Overall I found the ASG CZ P-09 Duty to have a good solid build quality to it, everything functioned as it should with the exception of the front sight vibrating lose and almost popping out. I would recommend checking the front sight on your CZ P-09 and making sure to super glue it in place if you find it to be loose or you could lose it while shooting the pistol and once it falls off I doubt you would find it again? The only other questionable design is the way the CO2 cover fits on this pistol. It kind of clips in place but seemed like it could loosen up over time.
Realism: The ASG CZ P-09 Duty CO2 Blowback Pellet - BB Pistol is a close replica to the real steel CZ P-09 Duty, the only real giveaway is the ejection port that is not cut out but rather moulded into the slide. I would have liked to have seen an open ejection port like the Umarex PX4. The CZ licensing and recessed barrel do help to make this a very believable Pellet shooting replica.
Shot a nice tight group for me, about 1 inches with 8 shots.
Like the white dot sights, easy to sight in on most backgrounds.
Can use both Pellets and BB's if you choose to.
Fully CZ Licensed.
Lots of metal where it needs to be: Slide, barrel, trigger, hammer, safety and slide catch/release.
Nice heavy blowback action.
Cons:
Slide catch release is non-functioning, don't know when you are out of ammo?
Sights are non-adjustable and almost lost the front sight while shooting it.
Not sure I like the CO2 cover, seems a bit flimsy
Ejection port is not cut out.
Comments:
It's nice to see another Pellet shooting blowback replica air pistol and one that has really great accuracy as well. There are a few shortcoming on the ASG CZ P-09 Duty like the moulded ejection port and the kind of lose fitting CO2 cover but overall the ASG CZ P-09 Duty is a blowback pellet pistol worth looking into. In terms of looking the part of a CZ P-09 Duty, the ASG pellet version does this very well with it's full CZ licensing and attention to detail throughout.
My Vimeo Video Review for this versatile ASG Pellet and BB action blowback shooter:
Manufacturer: KWC. Licensed and Distributed by Umarex
Model: Colt Commander 1911.
Materials: Almost all metal.
Weight: 2 pounds.
Barrel: Metal non-rifled.
Propulsion: CO2 x 1.
Action: Semi auto blowback, single action only.
Ammunition Type: 4.5mm BB's.
Ammunition Capacity: 18-19 round full size drop out metal magazine.
FPS: 325.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Umarex Colt Commander CO2 Blowback 4.5mm BB Pistol is exactly what you would expect from a true single action 1911 styled pistol. It has a short take up and then a nice light and crisp pull and release. Because of the similar mechanics not only to the trigger but other aspects of this gun, it would make a truly awesome low cost trainer to be used when your real 1911 is not practical and also to save on the high cost of real 45 semi auto shells.
Accuracy: I shot the Umarex Colt Commander BB gun at a target from 30 feet away in a semi rested position, and it performed well getting an 8 shot 1.5 inch grouping very close to the bulls-eye that extended a little larger with three additional rounds that came outside the smaller 8 shot grouping. The sights are non-adjustable even thought they kind of look like they are so it was nice to see that this BB pistol was already dialed in pretty good! My initial Chrony testing puts this gun right in the 300-325 fps range getting a 5 shot average of 306 fps which is just fine for this style of heavy full realistic blowback action BB shooter. The outside temperature was 22 Celsius (72 Fahrenheit) so the Colt Commander should shoot a bit quicker on a warmer day. You can expect to get three good magazines worth of shots with some extra CO2 left over for a potential 4th magazine. If you slow your shooting down and let the gun and CO2 warm up between magazines you can get 4 magazines with this BB gun for sure.
Build Quality: Like the other KWC 1911's, the Umarex Colt Commander version is overall a well built and mechanically sound BB pistol. Tolerances are good and the finish may even be a bit better than what KWC makes for its own non-licensed versions of this very popular 1911 series.
Realism: The Umarex Colt Commander CO2 Blowback 4.5mm BB Pistol is as close as you can get to a real steel 1911 styled 45 semi auto but with a slight modern Tactical look to it, the Colt Commander version has the addition of a: Tac style trigger and hammer, and upgraded white dot sights. This gun is nearly all metal with a very heavy blowback action that simulates the more sluggish and delayed blowback of a real steel 1911. And the true 1911 single action trigger will not disappoint you either.
All metal construction - Good weight and solid feeling gun.
Nice heavy blowback action that replicates a 1911 very well.
Very Accurate 1911 replica in terms of looks and mechanical aspects.
True 1911 single action trigger, excellent pull, very smooth and light.
Working safety and grip safety.
Decent accuracy, not too bad amount off shots for this style of gun about 3+ good magazines.
All metal full size dropout magazine that holds the BB's and CO2.
Nice addition of some Tactical features (Tac style trigger and hammer, white dot sights)
Chrome coated barrel and breach not only look really nice but wear better.
Cons:
Sacrifice fps and shots per CO2 because of the heavy blowback but worth it.
Not a big fan of the white "S & F" on the safety or the white warning instructions on the slide.
Comments:
Sure the Umarex Colt Commander CO2 Blowback 4.5mm BB Pistol is yet another KWC made 1911 but Umarex has really captured the classic 1911 style without taking it too far into the Tactical realm. The addition of the modernized white dot sights, along with the machined trigger and hammer and the chrome barrel and breach give this BB shooting blowback 1911 a well balanced look. If you're looking for a traditional 1911 A1 but with just a few modernized tweaks, then check out the Umarex Colt Commander.
My Vimeo Video Review for this quality Umarex Realistic Full Blowback BB Pistol:
This Field Test Shooting video is not going to have any big surprises but even so I really like shooting these KWC made CO2 Blowback BB 1911 Replicas and the Umarex Colt Commander is no exception.
So let's get right to the test results! I started off by shooting 5 rounds through my Chronograph using a brand new CO2 with Umarex 5.1 grain zinc coated 4.5 mm Steel BB's. My 5 shot average velocity was 306 fps and the temperature on this day was fairly average at 22 Celsius (72 Fahrenheit). So on a warmer day you can expect to get a bit higher fps out of the Umarex Colt Commander CO2 Blowback 4.5mm BB Pistol.
Moving on to the Target accuracy performance, I shot 10 rounds from the Umarex Colt Commander from 30 feet back using a semi rested position (Sand bag in the front, standing in the back). I was able to place the bulk of the shots within a 1.5 inch group but three came out extending the group somewhat, overall the placement was fairly well centered on target and the white dot sights make sighting the Umarex Colt Commander CO2 Blowback 4.5mm BB Pistol really easy on just about any color background.
The single action 1911 type trigger is exactly what you would expect from a 1911, short, light and crisp. The blowback action is solid and like a real 1911 almost has that delayed sluggish feel to it.
I finally got the opportunity to shoot the ASG CZ P-09 Duty CO2 Blowback Pellet/BB Pistol that I saw back in January of this Year while I was attending the SHOT Show in Vegas. Essentially the ASG CZ P-09 Duty is built similarly to the Umarex PX4 Storm and Gamo Blowback Pellet Pistols. They all use double sided stick based rotary magazines that hold 8 rounds in each end. They also all shoot with a single action hammer (set to the cocked position by the blowback action) while the first stage of the trigger rotates the rotary magazine and indexes a round. So I would consider them to be single/double action hybrids.
Anyways, on with this field test shooting review... As per my normal field test shooting reviews, I shoot some rounds through my Chronograph to get an average fps rating and I also step back 30 feet from a paper target and use a semi rested position to place a series of rounds downrange. I decided to allocate 8 rounds for each test station since the magazine holds 8 rounds on each end. During my Chrony test the ASG CZ P-09 Duty started out in the high 300's and then dropped to the low 300's with an average 8 shot velocity of 334 fps.
From the 30 foot mark I was impressed to see 7 of my 8 shots to all hit within 1 inch of each other while the oddball got away a bit and extended the grouping out to about 2 inches. The ASG CZ P-09 Duty CO2 Blowback Pellet-BB Pistol did shoot a hair low and to the left a bit but not too extreme.
All in all the blowback is fairly heavy, at least enough to shake the front sight around so much that it almost fell off the gun so be careful of this and perhaps super glue yours in before you lose it somewhere.
The trigger on the CZ P-09 Duty is pretty much the same as all the other blowback rotary mag pellet airguns on the market, kind of long but not too heavy yet still very usable.
Two new CO2 Blowback Airguns to preview for you today that I will of course be doing full Table Top and Field Test Shooting reviews down the road for each of them.
In this Field Test Shooting Video I do my traditional Chronograph test where I shoot a series of 4.5mm Steel BB's using a brand new CO2 cartridge to see what kind of real word Feet Per Second performance I can get out of the Umarex Colt Python. On this day I averages right around 390 fps which was very close to the claimed 360 fps form Umarex. The temperature was right around 24 Celsius or 75 Fahrenheit so it was neither cold or hot.
Moving on with the Accuracy Shooting Test, I set myself up 30 feet away using a semi-rested stance (Sand bag up front, standing in the back) I got one of my best ever 6 shot groups from the Umarex Colt 357, coming in at just under 1 inch. During my previous pretest, the Umarex Revolver did well but seemed to spread out a bit vertically, this may have been due to the plastic tips on the shells needing to break in for a more consistent BB fit.
The Umarex Colt Python 357 has taken it up a notch by adding just a bit more overall weight than most comparable shell loading BB revolvers, a smother trigger and hammer mechanism and styling this revolver on the Classic Colt Python platform. If you're a revolver fan, make sure to grab one of these and if you're not a revolver fan, this pistol may just change your mind :)
In this Field Test Shooting Video I do my traditional Chronograph test where I shoot five 4.5mm Steel BB's using a brand new CO2 cartridge to see what kind of real word Feet Per Second performance we get out of the Umarex Walther PPS. On this day I averages right around 370 fps which is not bad considering it is claimed to have 360 fps. The temperature was right around 24 Celsius or 75 Fahrenheit so it was neither cold or hot.
Moving on with the Accuracy Shooting Test, I set myself up 30 feet away using a semi-rested stance (Sand bag up front, standing in the back) I did not get my best grouping in this test, with my 10 shot group spreading out to almost 3.5 inches. During my previous pretest, I was able to shoot a tighter 2 inch group with 10 well placed shots using the Umarex Walther PPS.
Even with my less then best results in the accuracy department, I still love this pistol, it has a reasonable trigger with a nice snappy blowback that is a bit surprising from such a tiny BB pistol, FPS is also good considering its size and I know this gun is able to shoot much tighter than I performed during this test.
Materials: Mostly metal with some plastic construction.
Weight: 2.75 pounds (1218 grams).
Barrel: 5.5 inches, non-rifled.
Propulsion: 12 gram CO2.
Action: Revolver, single & double actions.
Ammunition Type: 4.5mm steel BB's.
Ammunition Capacity: 6 rounds.
FPS: 400fps.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Colt Python 357 CO2 BB Revolver is good in both single and double action, even better than the Dan Wesson and S&W 327 TRR8 shell loading revolvers, most likely because the spring tension that pushes the inner barrel to make contact with the cylinder is noticeably lighter on the Umarex Colt Python 357. Even the hammer is smoother and has less wiggle, just a better trigger and hammer mechanism overall.
Accuracy: The results I got shooting my 6 round group from a 30 foot out semi rested position where good overall. Vertically there was about a 2 inch spread while horizontally there was about a 1 inch spread. I did find the plastic tips on the brass shells seemed to be a bit tight at first and this is when I did most of my Chronograph and target shooting. I believe the tightness effected the consistency of the FPS which also effected the accuracy especially up and down. I did get one shot out of the Umarex Colt Python 357 well over the claimed 400 fps but again the fps was rather erratic most likely because of the snug BB fit due to shell break-in.
Build Quality: The Umarex Colt Python 357 being mostly metal, you would expect it to have a decent build quality and I am happy to say it does, perhaps again even better than the Dan Wesson and S&W 327 TRR8 shell loading revolvers, even the weight of the Colt Python came in close to a half of a pound more! The only real plastic I could find was in the grips and the shell tips. Fit and finish was also good with no noticeable paint wear or sloppy workmanship.
Realism: The Colt Python 357 CO2 BB Revolver overall is a close copy of the real steel Colt Python 357. I did notice the rear portion of the receiver (between the rear cylinder and hammer) to be a bit longer perhaps to accommodate the CO2 valve length, but other than that this pistol is super close to the original revolver it is based and licensed on. Agin being all metal gives this CO2 BB revolver very realistic weight and feel and the loadable brass shells make using this gun almost exactly like using a real shell loading revolver but for much less cost per shot and of course a lot less recoil on the hands.
It's a revolver with actual shells! Give you the feeling of loading and shooting a real revolver.
Mostly all metal design.
lots of detail, well made, fit and finish is very good.
Good overall weight, heaviest out of all the shell loaders.
Good overall power, accuracy and shots per CO2.
Fully adjustable sights for windage and elevation.
Well hidden CO2 Screw.
Recessed barrel.
Nice easy Trigger pull in both single and double action.
Cons:
Grips are a bit rough.
All black sights not great on dark backgrounds.
FPS seemed to fluctuate a bit
Comments:
The ASG Dan Wesson shell loading revolvers reintroduced me to the joy of loading and shooting a revolver which up until that point was not that realistic of an experience when using a BB or Pellet revolver. The Umarex Colt Python 357 has taken it up a notch by adding just a bit more overall weight, a smother trigger and hammer mechanism and styling this revolver on the Classic Colt Python platform. And all of this for even less than the cost of the original Dan Wesson shell loading series CO2 BB revolvers. If you're a revolver fan, make sure to grab one of these and if you're not a revolver fan, this pistol may just change your mind :)
My Vimeo Table Top Review for the Umarex Colt Python 357 CO2 BB Revolver:
Ammunition Capacity: 18 round drop out metal stick magazine.
FPS: 360 claimed.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Umarex Walther PPS is pretty good overall. This pistol mechanically is very similar to the ASG Bersa BP9CC so it shares a similar trigger system that picks up a BB during the first part of the trigger pull allowing the BB to enter the barrel and then on the second part of the trigger pull the internal hammer is released. The hammer is set in the cocked position from the blowback action so the actual trigger pull is fairly light. You can feel a bit of friction when the BB is being moved into the barrel but it is not drastic. Overall trigger pull length is about medium with a very predictable release point.
Accuracy: I did my pre-test of the Umarex Walther PPS CO2 Blowback BB Pistol from 30 feet back shooting at a paper target using a semi rested position (sand bag up front and standing in the back). My 10 shot grouping was just a bit below the center bulls eye and very well centered left and right All 10 BB's stayed within 2 inches with a nice even spread. The Umarex Walther PPS also shot right around the 360 fps range on this not so warm spring day so I would expect it to hit significantly higher than the claimed 350 fps on hot summer days.
Build Quality: The Umarex Walther PPS for it's rather low retail price is very good quality, again comparable to the ASG Bersa BP9CC since I believe both guns are made in the same factory. Fit is very good, everything works well and the slide has next to no wobble, I especially like the way the allen key is built into the CO2 hatch which allows for no need to a CO2 tab to have to accommodate with a bulkier but plate. The finish is also very nice, I did not see any wear mark appear with use and the plastic used in the frame seems to be very high quality.
Realism: The Umarex Walther PPS BB Pistol is a fully licensed replica of the real steel Walther PPS compact cary pistol. It is an extremely close copy in both looks and feel, has a nice snappy blowback action and has a working slide catch release that hold back when the magazine is empty. The slide movement is shorter than expected but this does allow for better power and CO2 usage, it also would have been nice to have a full size drop out magazine but the stick magazine with it's full size but plate does a nice job of still making this replica Airgun look very believable.
Well priced for what you get in our Canada Store, less cost than the ASG Bersa BP9CC.
Nice accuracy, power for such a small short barreled pistol.
Really nice replica of the original Walther PPS and fully licensed.
Great small size weight and feel to it.
Fit and finish is very good.
Decent blowback action for such a small pistol.
Working slide catch and release.
Love the built in Allen Key.
Stick mag hits the CO2 screw nicely.
Cons:
Not field strip-able.
Only partial blowback action.
Has a stick magazine rather than a full size magazine.
Comments:
I really liked the ASG Bersa BP9CC when I review it because it was such a well rounded gun in a very compact and well built design. The Umarex Walther PPS perhaps exceeds the Bersa BP9CC since it is even more compact, seems to have a bit more blowback recoil while still retaining decent fps and accuracy, and the Umarex PPS has a superior design when it comes to the built in allen key for tightening the CO2. You even get all of this for less cost then the ASG BErsa BP9CC. Don't get me wrong, I would not be without either gun, but if I could only have one it would be the Umarex Walther PPS.
Watch my Vimeo Review for the Umarex Walther PPS CO2 Blowback BB Pistol:
