Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver is a single action only trigger, so you will need to cock the hammer back before each shot which does take away almost all of the trigger pull length and weight, making it short and light and easy to shoot. Perfect for slowed down accurate shot placement, but less effective as an action shooter.
Accuracy: I have not tested out the Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver but it is a lot like the Crosman Fortify SA CO2 BB Revolver so I am thinking it will perform at lot like that CO2 BB Revolver, if you want to get an idea on how the Barra 1858 might perform, you can watch my Crosman Fortify Filed Test Shooting Video to get a heads up before I make my official Filed Test Shooting Video for the Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver.
Build Quality: When it comes to the build for the Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver, there is not a lot to really get super excited about. It is basically a mostly all plastic gun with some metal parts internally like the barrel, trigger, hammer and CO2 area. The Barra 1858 has that lower cost Airgun, two halves, screwed together build which generally looks better on the side without the screws showing. As it is mostly plastic it is very light in the hand at only just about a pound or so. Overall there are not a lot of moving parts so it should be reliable enough just because there is not much to break or go wrong. All the mechanical components do what they need to do and feel solid enough.
Realism: The Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver at a glance looks a lot like a Remington 1858 Single Action Revolver, it has the same shape and size but the weight is way less being mostly plastic. The lack of actual bullet holes in the cylinder looking at it from the front of the revolver also takes away from the realism. I guess I am really used to the new generation revolvers with working cylinders and real loadable shells but these guns are more expensive and hold less ammo as they are genuine to the 6 shooter capacity. The barrel is however recessed which is nice.
Pros:
Inexpensive revolver as compared to other shell loading styled revolvers out there.
A decent looking replica of a Remington 1858 Revolver.
Single action only trigger is short and light and well suited to careful shot placement shooting.
400 claimed fps is about perfect for plinking at ranges up 30-40 feet.
18 round magazine has a nice high capacity and easy to load when empty.
Should get lots of shots per CO2 as there will be very little CO2 leakage with a non shell loading design.
Safety is well well hidden just in front of the trigger so easy to get to.
Has a recessed barrel for added realism.
CO2 Allen key is built into grip so always have it on hand and will not lose it.
White markings as an warnings are not super obvious, could be a little lighter.
Comes with two starter CO2’s and some 4.5mm Steel BB’s.
Cons:
Almost all plastic builds makes it a bit light in the hand.
No fake shell holes in the front of the cylinder, could have added this for a more genuine look.
Sights are non adjustable but fairly normal for an inexpensive plinker.
Comments: The Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver is a completely new concept in design over what we have become use to in todays Single Action Legend Revolvers with their shell loading design, the Crosman Fortify as I have mentioned is the only other new classic cowboy Revolver on the market like it so perhaps there will be more in the future. My shooting experience with the Crosman Fortify CO2 BB Revolver was about what I expected, it shot pretty close to the claimed fps and got around a 2 inch 10 round grouping shooting at a paper target 30 feet down range. So we will see if the Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver performs about the same which was respectable. For a low cost BB Revolver you kind of get what you pay for here, which is not a bad deal at the end of the day considering the lower cost to get you up and shooting.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Crosman Remington 1875 CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver is very good. it its single action only as is expected from a revolver of this era. There is almost zero take up and creep and the weight is light but not super light so as to not accidentally release the trigger before you intend to. I would not want to change this trigger at all.
Accuracy: I have not made my Field Test Shooting Video yet for the Crosman Remington 1875 CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver but will be making it shortly. Until then I can only go on past experiences with similar shell loading single action only revolvers like the Single Action Army Revolvers form Umarex and they generally perform well in both steel BB and pellet versions. Generally they do not have rifled barrels but that does not seem to affect the pellets all that much at least at the ranges I am shooting at which will be around 30 feet away. Stay posted for my upcoming Field Test Shooting Video for this Revolver.
Build Quality: Build quality for the Crosman Remington 1875 CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver is excellent. It is hard to find any plastic on this product as it seems to be entirely made out of metal other than the grips. it weighs in at 2.3 pounds so it feel very solid in the hadn't and the nickel chrome finish looks really good with the bone colored grips. Just expect to do a lot of wiping down if you do not like finger prints on your guns. All the mechanical parts feel tight and work well.
Realism: The new generation shell loading revolvers all look and festoon super realistic with their removable shells and very realistic working parts. It actually feels like you are working with the real deal as you need to load up shells manually and insert them in the gun one by one just like a 6 shooter back in the day. One little detail mistake all of these shell loading six shooters seem to make, is that the shells are most closely similar in size to a .357 or .38 caliber where as real steel versions would be chambered more in a .44 or .45 caliber shell so the shells are not true to scale but this is a very minor point.
Pros:
Almost all metal build with a solid 2.3 pound weight.
A decent looking replica of a Remington 1875 Revolver.
Single action only trigger is short and light and well suited to careful shot placement shooting.
450 claimed fps is about perfect for plinking at ranges up 30-40 feet.
Have the choice of shooting either 4.5mm Steel BB’s or .177 caliber pellets.
Comes with 6 shells for 4.5mm BB’s and 6 shells for .177 caliber pellets.
Safety is well well hidden just in front of the trigger so easy to get to.
Has a recessed barrel for added realism.
CO2 Allen key is built into grip so always have it on hadn’t and will not lose it.
Chrome finishes with bone style grips looks really good.
White markings don’t stand out too much on the chrome finish.
Cons:
Not a big fan of the clamshell packaging as I feel it cheapens the product and initial unboxing joy.
Barrel is not rifled for the pellets.
Sight are non adjustable but fairly normal for an inexpensive plinker.
Comments: The Crosman Remington 1875 CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver is a well rounded shell loading revolver and for me checks a lot of the boxes and would be a good choice if you are looking for a single action only revolver of this era. It gives you the option of shooting either 4.5mm Steel BB’s or .177 caliber Pellets and you even get 12 shells (6 of each). The nickel finish with the bone grips looks really good and I like the slightly longer barrel which does help add to the beefy 2.3 pound feel in the hand of this CO2 Revolver. I wish it came in nicer looking packaging but this won’t matter once you take it out and start shooting.
Another Unboxing Update Video taking a look at two Rifles and two Revolvers. A shell loading CO2 dual ammo 1875 single action Remington branded Revolver from Crosman, an 1858 single action CO2 BB Revolver from Barra, another Barra product kind of like a Red Ryder BB Riffle but in dual ammo version with a much different loading system called the Barra 1866, and lastly a Cybergun CO2 Airsoft MP40 with a very different magazine setup than I have seen before.
I’ve got some new Airguns to show everyone today and all of them are Pistols of some sort or another. I show you three 4.5mm BB Pistols from ASG, a Cybergun 1911 NBB BB Pistol, an Airsoft Full Blowback Pistol from EMG and lastly from Umarex, an HK Full Blowback Airsoft Pistol. This is not a full review by any means, the video is mainly to let you know what is coming up in terms of Table Top and Field Test Videos and that we do have these products at least listed in our Replica Airgun Store.
Type:Blowback BB Pistol. Manufacturer: Made and Distributed by KWC. Model:K17 (Black Barrel Version). 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 Black Barrel 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. You will need to rack the slide for the first shot but then the blowback action takes over for the rest of the shots.
Accuracy: I have already made a Field Test Shooting Video for the Gold Barrel version of this same KWC K17 pistol so you can check out that video here to see how the Black Barrel Version will essentially shoot. If you want to know right here and now the KWC K17 shot right around 325 fps and got a 4 inch grouping at 30 feet away shooting 10 rounds into a paper target. Maybe the Black Barrel Version will shoot a bit differently for me? We will find out soon enough…
Build Quality: TheKWC K17 Black Barrel 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. it may even look better to me than the Umarex Glock version it is similar to?
Realism: The KWC K17 Black Barrel 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 which gives you easy access to the hop-up. In terms of the KWC K17 Black Barrel 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. As I shoe in my Review video the parts even mix and match with the Umarex Glock 17 Gen 4 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol we also sell. 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.
I prefer the more standard look of this Black Barrel Version.
Field strips like the real steel version.
White dot sights front and back.
Adjustable hop-up to adjust for some limited elevation as needed.
Working trigger safety along with serial number safety.
Cons:
Full blowback action will produce lower fps and use up more CO2.
But plate could be more like the Umarex Glock version.
Comments:
I really like the KWC K17 Black Barrel CO2 Blowback BB Pistol as I did the Good Barrel Version, it may even be one of my favorite CO2 Blowback BB Pistols from KWC to date. I am not a huge fan of the Gold barrel version but that’s a personal preference thing. 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. If you are a Glock fan also make sure to checkout our Umarex Glock line of CO2 BB, Airsoft and even Paintball Replica Pistol in our online Replace Airgun stores…
In this Filed Test Shooting Video recorded in the Replica Airguns Indoor Sea Can Shooting Range, I test out the Crosman SNR357 CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver to find out what the real world velocity is in fps shooting both 4.5mm steel BB’s and .177 caliber lead Pellets. I also shoot a full cylinder or 6 rounds of each ammo type into a paper target setup 30 feet down range again using both BB’s and Pellets to see which ammo type may be more accurate out of the Crosman SNR357 CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver? If you are more interested in details and specifications along with some closer up video of the Crosman SNR357 Revolver then make sure to watch my Table Top Video for it.
Let’s get right to the velocity test of the Crosman SNR357 CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver. Crosman claims up to 400 fps but I am not sure if this is for BB’s or Pellets or maybe even light weight alloy Pellets. In any case I used standard 4.5mm 5.1 grain steel BB’s and around 7 grain lead Pellets for this test. Shooting 3 rounds of 4.5mm steel BB’s through my Chronograph I averaged 332 fps with the three shots recording 327, 344, 325 fps. Switching to lead Pellets I averaged 263 fps with the three recorded shots of 263, 276, 251. The 4.5mm steel BB’s as you can see shot faster than the lead Pellets but this was most likely due to the heavier 7 gram weight of the lead pellets.
Typically Pellets are going to be more accurate than BB’s but in the case of the Crosman SNR357 CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver I actually found the BB’s to be a bit more accurate for me? Again starting with 4.5mm steel BB’s I loaded up 6 sheets with steel 4.5mm BB’s and using single action I shot the entire cylinder into a fresh paper target setup 30 feet away. I did use my standard shooting stance of sitting in the back on a stool and placing my hands on a sand bag up front for some stability. I did notice the Crosman SNR357 CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver liked to shoot a slight bit high and to the left with BB’s but I did get really close to a 1 inch grouping with just one shot coming outside that tighter group. Switching to .177 caliber Pellets shot placement did come down bit an where more centered but the grouping got a bit larger to closer to around 3.5 inches, son in the case of the Crosman SNR357 CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver BB’s did perform better in both velocity and accuracy.
The Crosman SNR357 CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver design has been around for a while basically starting out as the Dan Wesson version back in the day. Crosman has now incorporated the same Revolver into their lineup but with their own branding on it. This basic design has worked well and proven to be reliable and is still current with todays more modern Shell Loading Revolvers. It’s also nice that you have the option of shooting both 4.5mm Steel BB’s and .177 Caliber Pellets as the Crosman SNR357 CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver does come with a set of each shells for a total of 12 shells.
In this Filed Test Shooting Video recorded in the Replica Airguns Indoor Sea Can Shooting Range, I test out the GAMO P-27 NBB CO2 Dual Ammo Pistol to find out what the actual velocity is in fps shooting both 4.5mm steel BB’s and .177 caliber lead Pellets. I also put a full side of each magazine into a paper target setup 30 feet down range again using both BB’s and Pellets to see which ammo type may be more accurate out of the GAMO P-27 NBB CO2 Dual Ammo Pistol? If you are more interested in details and specifications along with some closer up video of the GAMO P-27 then make sure to watch my Table Top Video for it.
Let’s get right to the velocity test of the GAMO P-27 NBB CO2 Dual Ammo Shooting 4.5mm Pistol. Gamo does claim up to 430 fps, I am not sure if this is for BB’s or Pellets or maybe even light weight alloy Pellets. In any case I used standard 4.5mm 5.1 grain steel BB’s and around 7 grain lead Pellets for this test. Shooting 3 rounds of 4.5mm steel BB’s through my Chronograph I averaged 342 fps with the three shots recording 349, 342, 334 fps. Switching to lead Pellets I averaged 288 fps with the three recorded shots of 290, 291, 282. The 4.5mm steel BB’s as you can see shot faster than the lead Pellets but this was most likely due to the heavier weight of the lead pellets.
I was interested to find out if the .177 caliber Pellets where going to be more accurate in the GAMO P-27 NBB CO2 Dual Ammo Pistol as pellets traditionally are more accurate than BB’s but in the case of the GAMO P-27 the barrel is not rifled so there may be less of a benefit shooting pellets for accuracy purposes? The best way to find out is to try it out so that’s exactly what I did. Again starting with 4.5mm steel BB’s I place one side of the 16 round magazine, so 8 rounds into a fresh pepper target setup 30 feet away. I did use my standard shooting stance of sitting in the back on a stool and placing my hands on a sand bag up front for some stability. I did notice the GAMO P-27 NBB CO2 Dual Ammo Pistol liked to shoot a bit high and to the left but I did get around a 3.5 inch grouping and if I removed two shots that where on the outside of the grouping I would have had closer to a 2 inch grouping. Switching to the .177 caliber Pellet side of the magazine I then was able to get my 8 rounds a bit tighter hitting around a 1.5 inch grouping with most of the shots all within 1 inch of each other. Pellets at least for me where the better choice in terms of accuracy.
The GAMO P-27 NBB CO2 Dual Ammo Pistol is a fun little BB and Pellet plinker capable of plinking and action shooting at closer up ranges. I would not want to shoot out much further than 30-40 feet or so but it is accurate enough especially with Pellets to hit pop can sized objects at those ranges. I do like that you have the option of shooting both single and double action as the GAMO P-27 NBB CO2 Dual Ammo Pistol does have an actual working hammer and this does lighten up the trigger a bit more for accurate shot placement when shooting in single action. If a fairly affordable NBB dual Ammo Airgun is what you are after than consider grabbing yourself one over at of one of our Replica Airgun Online Stores, Canada or the US.
In this performance Field Test Shooting Video of the Crosman Fortify Single Action Army CO2 BB Revolver, I find out what the velocity in fps is using a brand new standard 12 gram CO2 cartridge shooting 4.5mm Steel BB’s through my Chronograph. I then setup a fresh paper target 30 feet down range and shoot 10 rounds into it in Single Action to see how tight of a grouping I can get out of the box. If you have not already watched my Table Top Video Review for the Crosman Fortify Single Action Army CO2 BB Revolver then make sure to do so for details and specifications along with close up video.
First up for my velocity or fps test of the Crosman Fortify Single Action Army CO2 BB Revolver, I shot 5 rounds through my Chronograph. The slowest fps was 359 and the fastest shot hit an fps of 376, this result averaged 369 fps which was a bit under the claimed “up to” 420 fps from Crosman, still a usable velocity for shooting pop cans and the likes at 30-40 feet away. The temperature in the Sea Can was about 20 degrees Celsius which is around 68 degrees Fahrenheit, so a good temperature to get middle of the road performance from a CO2 Airgun like the Crosman Fortify Single Action Army CO2 BB Revolver.
I then placed my paper target on the pellet trap 30 feet downrange and using a semi rested shooting position (hands rested on a sandbag up front and sitting on a stool in the back), I shot 10 rounds into the target and was able to get a respective 2 inch shot grouping shooting in Single Action of course. I did notice the Revolver liked to shoot a bit to the left but in terms of hight it was right on the mark.
The Crosman Fortify Single Action Army CO2 BB Revolver is a lower cost mostly plastic Single Action Army Revolver with a fair amount of plastic in the build, but is it does feel well built and fairly solid in the hand. It should produce near 400 fps velocities in warmer conditions which is more than enough for plinking and pop can shooting which is really what the Crosman Fortify Single Action Army CO2 BB Revolver is made for. I found it to be fairly accurate but it did push a little to the left so out of the box at least my demo unit would require me to aim a little to the right of my intended target for dead on shots as there is no way to adjust the sights manually. The Crosman Fortify Single Action Army CO2 BB Revolver will provide lots of shots per CO2 and has a much higher capacity magazine holding 18 rounds as compared to shell loading versions that only hold 6 rounds. If you are fine with a bit less realism, then the Crosman Fortify Single Action Army CO2 BB Revolver may even outperform the more expensive and more realistic Single Action Army revolvers on the market at a more affordable price.
My First Field Test Shooting Video since I got back from SHOT Show and it was nice to get some trigger time in with a crisp blowback CO2 BB Pistol! In this performance test of the Barra 009 Full Auto Blowback CO2 BB Pistol I find out what the velocity is using a brand new standard 12 gram CO2 shooting 4.5mm Steel BB’s through my Chronograph. I then setup a fresh paper target 30 feet down range and shoot 10 rounds into it in semi auto to see how tight of a grouping I can get. Since the Barra 009 Full Auto Blowback CO2 BB Pistol can also shoot in full auto I of course give the full auto selector a twist and see if I can get any rounds on the paper shooting a full mag dump. If you have not already watched my Table Top Video Review for the Barra 009 Full Auto Blowback CO2 BB Pistol then make sure to do so for details and specifications.
First up for my velocity test of the Barra 009 Full Auto Blowback CO2 BB Pistol, I shot 6 rounds through my Chronograph but only took the first 5 as they were the highest in fps. The slowest fps was 309 with the fastest shot hitting 325 fps, this averaged 317 fps which is about what I expected from a Full Blowback CO2 BB pistol from KWC. Temperature was about 20 degrees Celsius which is around 68 degrees Fahrenheit by the way so good to get middle of the road performance here.
I then placed my paper target up 30 feet downrange and using a semi rested shooting position (hands rested on a sandbag up front and sitting on a stool in the back), I shot 10 rounds into the target and was abel to get around a 2 inch shot grouping in semi auto. I did end up having to shoot rather high on the target to get near the bullseye so out of the box I would say the Barra 009 Full Auto Blowback CO2 BB Pistol shoots at least 6-8 inches low at 30 feet out. It did however shoot on the mark from side to side. Next I reloaded the magazine with 18 rounds and selected full auto. All I can tell you is the Barra 009 Full Auto Blowback CO2 BB Pistol has a crazy fast rate of fire and the gun was for the most part not very controllable as it was rocking back and forth a ton. I did get a few rounds on the target but do not suggest shooting in full auto unless your target is literally right in front of you as you probably will not hit it.
The Barra 009 Full Auto Blowback CO2 BB Pistol was about what I expected from a KWC Full Blowback CO2 BB Pistol and that’s a good thing. You can expect hard blowback action, a nice single action trigger. Decent accuracy in semi auto mode and enough velocity to put holes in cans 30-40 feet away. It did shoot rather low on the target then I would like to see, so you will have to aim at the top of your target to hit the bottom at least at 30 feet away. If you like a Semi Auto Full Blowback BB Pistol that has the option of shooting in full auto and looks a bit like a Glock, then the Barra 009 Full Auto Blowback CO2 BB Pistol may be a good option for you!
Many Canadians ask about options for what they perhaps could use for home defense since we are not allowed to really use any kind of a weapon to defend ourselves. A product classified as “Less Lethal” may be of interest to people living in Canada. I interviewed Byrna, just such a company that offers alternatives to standard “Lethal Interventions” for self protection and Josh from Byrna was kind enough to go over their pistol and rifle offerings specifically built to shoot paintball type ammunition for the purpose of stopping bad guys.
I am hoping this is a product we will be able to add to our online Replica Airgun Stores, as they do tick the boxes for import into Canada such as shooting well under 500 fps, yet having the ability to cause serious injury so as to allow them to be considered a non regulated firearm.
I don’t believe I have ever interviewed EKOL at SHOT Show in the past. I have dropped by their booth and taken a look at their product line and chatted but this year EKOL had some new and interesting products that I feel fit in nicely with Replica Airguns products and Replica Airgun enthusiasts.
In this EKOL SHOT Show 2024 Interview Omer from EKOL goes over three Airguns that are new for this year. The EKOL ES P92 which is a CO2 BB Blowback Beretta 92 Replica but rather than rebrand a KWC made version, EKOL makes their own in their own factory and it is very unique compared to other CO2 BB Blowback Beretta 92’s on the market.
Another product form EKOL based on the ES P92 Pistol is the EKOL ES P95B which I would call an SMG or submachine gun with a folding stock, but it only shoots in semi auto and is based off of EKOL’s ES 92 mechanically.
Lastly, Omer showed me one of their Replica Pellet Rifles, the EKOL AK which is a break barrel AK Replica Spring Piston Pellet Rifle that really looks a lot like an AK 47. EKOL also makes a very believable AR/M16 Break Barrel Pellet Rifle as well!
We have not carried much if any of the EKOL product line over the last few years so hopefully we can get some of these into our Online Replica Airguns Stores as they should even be legal for import into Canada.
This year at the KWA Booth I had the pleasure of running into John, and we went over a bunch of new items KWA had on display. John was even rocking a similar pair of Ray Ban Meta AI Glasses which made us look a little bit like twins…
In this KWA SHOT Show Interview John higgled the following products from KWA: The KWA ATP-Z and ATP-CT Optics Ready GBB AIrsoft Pistols which are convertible to SMG versions, along with a new prototype TAC-9 GBB Airsoft Rifle.
KWA AIrsoft products have always been one of favoriteAirsoft guns for their quality, looks and performance. They tend to offer a lot of Gas Blowback options which I really appreciate as a Replica AIrgun Collector.
It’s alwasy nice to have a chat with Bob at ASG, I have been interviewing him for years now and really missed not being at SHOT Show the last three years. As always, Bob really knows the ASG product line inside and out and took us through some of the new products and changes to the ASG lineup in 2024.
Some of the products include: The ASG CZ P-10 C CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol, the Steyr L9-A2 CO2/Gas Blowback Airsoft Pistol, the USW Gas Blowback Airsoft Pistol, the new Hybrid Airsoft line including the CO2 Blowback H-22 and the AEG H-15, the ICS Ape SE AEG Airsoft Rifle, and lastly the ICS Carnotaurus, Legacy, ACME High-Capa Pistol Series.
I am looking forward to get my hands-on many of these new ASG products and making reviews for everyone to checkout in the near future…
I’m pretty sure I have never made an Interview for Barra before in any of my past SHOT Show Videos, so I was really happy when I visited their booth and discovered a bunch of really great new products to talk about with GEO. Like many other Airgun companies, Barra does incorporate rebranded products from other manufacturer popular Airguns, but they also have some unique products I have never seen before. They are either working really closely with dedicated manufacturing companies or making these items in house. Either way it’s great to see new and interesting products.
Some of the products Geo went over with me in this SHOT Show 2024 Barra Interview where: The Barra CO2 1866 Lever Action Rifle, some Rifled Pellet Barrel Kits for the Schofield Revolver and 1866 Rifle, the 1858 CO2 BB Revolver, the 357 Shell Loading CO2 Revolver, the 400 AEG Airsoft Rifle and two new nameless Airguns they are still working on and perfecting, a full Blowback Competition Style BB/Airsoft Pistol and a compact AEG Airsoft Rifle.
It was great talking with the team over at the Barra Booth and I look forward to testing out their new items as they become available.
Kicking off my SHOT Show 2024 Interviews, I present my Umarex Interview with Mark Davis, you may remember Mark from past Umarex SHOT Show Interviews? This is a fairly long interview as Mark had a lot of product to show me including…
The new Marlin Lever Action BB Rifle, the Walther PDP CO2 BB Pistol, the BBX11 1911 Blowback CO2 BB Pistol, the MarkPoint Break Barrel .177 Caliber Pellet Pistol, the Trinity Hi-Cap 2011 Blowback Airsoft Pistol, the Gambler High Stakes Single Action Army CO2 Airsoft Revolver, the Glock 380 GBB Airsoft Pistol, the CQC Elite Force AEG Airsoft Rifle with i-Trace, and the Beretta PMX GBB Airsoft Rifle.
Yep, that’s a lot of products to go over in one Interview, and Mark did a great job! I am really looking forward to getting my hands on these new products from Umarex to review for everyone!
I’m back from SHOT Show 2024 and I always like to start off my series of SHOT Show Interview videos with a Teaser Video that not only shows off a few new guns but also gives everyone a vibe of what it feels like to visit Las Vegas and SHOT Show. I can only show you so much because as you know what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas…
I did get the chance to interview several Airgun Companies that I will be putting together Interview Videos for, including Umarex, ASG, KWA, Barra, EKOL and Byrna. Unfortunately Sig Sauer is no longer attending SHOT Show and Crosman had significantly reduced the focus of their booth and really did not have much in the way of Replica Airguns to show.
Type: NBB CO2 BB Pistol - Pellet Pistol. Manufacturer: Distributed by Gamo. Model: P-27. Materials: Plastic & metal. Weight: 1.5 pounds (681 grams). Total Length: 7 inches (178mm) Barrel: 3.75 inches (95mmm) metal non-rifled. Propulsion: CO2 x 1. Action: Semi auto NBB, single and double action trigger. AmmunitionType: 4.5mm steel BB's - .177 Cal. Pellets. AmmunitionCapacity: 16 round (8x8) drop out plastic stick magazine. FPS: Claimed 430.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the GAMO P-27 NBB CO2 Dual Ammo Pistol is fairly good considering there is no blowback action to pre-cock the hammer. In Single action you can manually cock the hammer for a somewhat lighter trigger pull or you can simply pull the trigger in double action mode which cocks the hammer and cycles the rotary magazine. Both shooting modes are about the same trigger length as the first part of the trigger pull advances the rotary magazine and even in double action the trigger is fairly light but not as light as a true single action trigger.
Accuracy: At this point I have not tested or shot the GAMO P-27 NBB CO2 Dual Ammo Pistol but I do plan on making a Field Test Shooting Video as soon as I can which may be a few weeks as I am attending SHOT Show 2024 next week which will be the focus of my attention for the next few weeks. All I can go on is what Gamo claimed which is an fps of 430 using light weight pellets. When I make my Field Test Shooting Video for the GAMO P-27 I will test it out with regular lead pellets and Steel BB’s.
Build Quality: The build quality of the GAMO P-27 NBB CO2 Dual Ammo Pistol is good overall. Yes it does have a pretty much full plastic shell, but there is enough metal inside to give it a decent 1.5 pound weight which for a smaller pistol like this makes it feel solid in the hand. There is no blowback action which reduces the amount of moving mechanical parts which will make the GAMO P-27 less prone to wear and possible malfunction so I would expect it to be reliable for a long time.
Realism: The GAMO P-27 NBB CO2 Dual Ammo Pistol as far as I can tell is not an exact copy of a real steel pistol in production but it does look like a real gun for sure. It does have a working safety on the slide which is not your typical low cost airgun switch and the barrel is slightly recessed. The CO2 tab is also hidden fairly well at least when looking from the side, so unless you get close to the pistol you would think it was real for sure. That said some giveaways would be the moulded into the slide ejection port and the screw holes on the right side of the two plastic halves of the airgun, but again close inspection would only really reveal this .
Pros:
Has a good weight and feel to it, not cheap feeling in the hand.
Can shoot both BB’s and Pellets.
Has a single and double action trigger/hammer.
Uses standard Gamo/Umarex double sided rotary magazines.
White dot sights for easy sight acquisition.
Realistic safety lever on the side of the slide.
Picatinny rail for add on accessories.
Recessed barrel adds to realism.
Claimed decent high velocity of 430fps.
Cons:
Mostly plastic external gun.
Sights are fixed so no adjustment.
No blowback action if that is important to you.
Comments:
As far as I can remember, I have not seen an Airgun that uses this type of double sided rotary magazine that has not had blowback operation so it will be interesting to see how it shoots. I do expect it to be a bit more powerful than its Blowback counterparts. Overall the GAMO P-27 NBB CO2 Dual Ammo Pistol is well built and solid and looks to have a good trigger on it for either double action quick paced shooting or more slowed down accurate shooting in single action. I will for sure be testing it using both BB’s and Pellets, but I have a feeling both will shoot similarly at the end of the day since the barrel is not rifled giving the pellets less of an advantage.
Type: Blowback CO2 BB Pistol. Manufacturer: Distributed by Barra. Model: Barra 009. Materials: Metal & Polymer. Weight: 1.7 pounds (771 grams). Total Length: 7.75 inches (197mm) Barrel: 4 inches (102nn) metal non-rifled. Propulsion: CO2 x 1. Action: Semi & full auto blowback, single action only trigger. AmmunitionType: 4.5mm steel BB's. AmmunitionCapacity: 18 round drop out full size metal magazine. FPS: Claimed 325.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Barra 009 Full Auto Blowback CO2 BB Pistol is single action only so you will need to rack the slide first to not only chamber a 4.5mm Steel BB in the breach area, but to also cock the internal striker system. There is a working trigger safety along with a main safety under the barrel where the serial number is normally located. You can slide this back and forth to activity the safety. The Barra 009 has a nice short and light trigger as you would expect similar to a real steel Glock pistol.
Accuracy: At this point I have not shot the Barra 009 Full Auto Blowback CO2 BB Pistol so I can only quote what Barra is saying in terms of FP2 which is 325. That sounds about right based on other BB Pistols from KWC with full blowback action since much of the CO2 gas is used to work the action of the slide. This not only reduces how many shots you can expect to get out of a single 12 gram CO2 cartridge but a reduction in power over non-blowback or even partial blowback CO2 Airguns. I will be making a full Field Test Shooting Video for this BB Pistol but for now you can check out my Field Test Review for the KWC K17 since it is the same base Air Pistol with a few cosmetic changes.
Build Quality: The Barra 009 Full Auto Blowback CO2 BB Pistol looks to be well made overall with metal and plastic parts where you would find them on a real steel modern Pistol. Fit and finish is typical of a KWC made Airgun and the slide wiggle is next to zero. The slide spring is very heavy and the sound of the slide when racked and released does not have that cheap metallic sound some blowback Airguns have. I am expecting some pretty decent blowback action recoil from the Barra 009 Full Auto Blowback CO2 BB Pistol when I do my Field Test Shooting Review!
Realism: The Barra 009 Full Auto Blowback CO2 BB Pistol looks similar to a Glock but with many cosmetic changes that do differentiate it a fair amount, as in the trigger guard, the grips, the thumb guard shape and the finishing on the slide. Mostly everything operates function similar to what you would expect for a Glock styled pistol including the slide catch release, trigger safety, magazine release and even the take down switches for quick field stripping and access to the adjustable hop-up, yes it is adjustable.
Pros:
Feels very solid in the hand and well made. (Assuming it is a KWC made gun)
Shoots in both semi and Full Auto.
Has full heavy blowback operations similar to an Airsoft Pistol.
Full metal full size drop out magazine that holds the steel BB’s and CO2.
Dual safeties, under the barrel and on the trigger.
White dot sights front and back.
Fully Field Strippable.
Recessed barrel for added realism.
Metal slide with polymer frame similar to a real steal modern firearm.
Picatinny rail for adding on accessories.
If you like that look of a Glock you will probably like the look of the Barra 009.
325 fps is decent for a full blowback BB gun.
Cons:
Full Blowback operation will limit velocity and shots per CO2.
Sights are not adjustable.
Barrel opening maybe a bit under sized?
Comments:
If you want a true Glock Replica Airgun your best bet is going to be one from Umarex as they hold the Glock license and offer several options in Steel BB, Pellet, Airsoft and even Paintball. They do not offer a full auto version as far as I know so if you do want a semi and full auto Glock styled BB Pistol then the Barra 009 Full Auto Blowback CO2 BB Pistol may be one of your only options and to be honest, Umarex is sourcing many of their Glock Airguns from KWC, so you will not be compromising with quality or reliability as the build will be about the same.
Type: BB PistolPellet Pistol. Manufacturer: Distributed by Crosman. Model: SNR357. Materials: Mostly metal, some plastic parts. Weight: 1.92 pound (871 grams). Total Length: 8.13 inches (20.65cm). Barrel: 3 inches (7.6cm) metal non-rifled. Propulsion: CO2. Action: Revolver single and double action. AmmunitionType: 4.5mm BB’s / .177 cal. pellets. AmmunitionCapacity: 6 round cylinder. FPS: Claimed 400.
Trigger Pull: The Crosman SNR357 CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver has both a single and double action trigger, meaning you can pre-cock the hammer and shoot in single action which has a light short trigger pull. Or you can simply shoot in double action by pulling the trigger when the hammer is down and the trigger will cock the hammer and also release it to fire the Revolver. In double action the trigger is noticeably longer and heavier than in single action as your trigger finger now has to do all the work for the action. Having both single and double action is nice as you can shoot in action rapid fire using the double action or slow down and shoot with more accuracy in single action.
Accuracy: I have not tested out this exact Crosman SNR357 CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver but I have reviewed several similar products from Dan Wesson which essentially are the exact same mechanical gun manufactured by Wingun for both ASG and Crosman. I will be making a new Field Test Video for the Crosman SNR357 in a week or two but you can take a look at my recent Field Test Video for the Dan Wesson 2.5 inch Gold version which is mechanically the same gun as the Crosman SNR357 CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver.
Build Quality: When it comes to the build of the Crosman SNR357 CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver, it is alsmot all metal other than mainly the grips and the CO2 tab as far as I can tell. It weighs in at nearly 2 pounds even for a more compact revolver so it feels very hefty in the hand. In similar Dan Wesson models there has been some concerns with the hammer feeling a bit sloppy but this has never caused any concern in terms of functionality. I also am not a fan of the way the grips slide back for access to the CO2 as they can come off and misalign when trying to put them back in place. Other than that this pistol is a solid well made revolver.
Realism: The Crosman SNR357 CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver is styled after a 357 type snub nosed revolver and looks for the most part true to scale and form. As this product design was one of the first shell loading revolvers back in the day, manufacturers had to use parts that where already available as in the CO2 valves which where at the time a bit longer than they can make now. Because of this, the area between the cylinder and the back the revolver is a bit long to accommodate the longer valves made at that time. This does distorts the gun a little bit but to be honest most people will not notice.
Pros:
Design has been around for a while now and so it is well tested.
A decent looking replica of a 357 type revolver.
Single and double action trigger allows for both action and more laid back and precise shooting ability.
400 claimed fps is more than adequate for plinking and action shooting.
Always fun loading up the 6 removable shells and placing them in the cylinder.
Fully adjustable sights for dead center shooting.
CO2 is fully well hidden inside the grips.
Can choose between shooting pellets or BB’s.
Cons:
Barrel is not recessed.
Area between cylinder and hammer is a bit long as it has to accommodate the CO2 valve.
Grip removal can be a bit finicky.
Comments: The Crosman SNR357 CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver is far from a new styled gun on the market, it’s been around for about a decade originally introduced main stream by ASG as their Dan Wesson 357. Being an older styled airgun means any issues it may have had are now for sure worked out so you know you are getting a solid and reliable Air Pistol here. If you are looking for an updated 357 then take a look at the Dan Wesson 715 series as some of the issues I have mentioned with the SNR357 are worked out on the newer style 357 Revolvers.
Type: BB Pistol. Manufacturer: Distributed by Crosman. Model: Fortify. Materials: Mostly plastic, some internal metal parts. Weight:1 pound (455 grams). Total Length: 10.5 inches (26.6cm). Barrel: 5.55 inches 14cm) metal non-rifled. Propulsion: CO2. Action: Revolver SAO. Ammunition Type: 4.5mm Steel BB’s. Ammunition Capacity: 18 round internal magazine. FPS: Claimed 420.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Crosman Fortify Single Action Army CO2 BB Revolver is a single action only trigger, so you will have to cock the hammer back before each shot which does take away most of the trigger pull length and weight, making it short and light and easy to shoot. Perfect for slowed down accurate shot placement, but less effective as an action shooter.
Accuracy: I have not tested out the Crosman Fortify Single Action Army CO2 BB Revolver any capacity, nor do I have any experience with it as the design is new from Crosman and I have not seen it before with any other Airgun on the market. So for now all we can go on is what Crosman claims, which is around 420fps and when it comes to accuracy your guess will be as good as mine so keep checking back for my upcoming Field Test Shooting Video for the Crosman Fortify Single Action Army CO2 BB Revolver were I will test the velocity and accuracy out in the Replica Airguns Indoor Sea Can Shooting Range.
Build Quality: When it comes to the build for the Crosman Fortify Single Action Army CO2 BB Revolver, there is not a lot to write home about. It is basically a mostly plastic gun with some metal parts internally like the barrel, trigger, hammer and CO2 area. The Crosman Fortify has that lower cost Airgun, two halves, screwed together build which generally looks better on the side without the screws showing. As it is mostly plastic it is very light in the hand at around a pound or so. Overal there are not a lot of moving parts so it should be reliable enough just because of this. All the mechanical components do what they need to do and feel solid enough.
Realism: The Crosman Fortify Single Action Army CO2 BB Revolver at a glance looks a lot like a Colt Single Action Army Revolver, it has the same shape and size but the weight is very slight. The lack of actual bullet holes in the cylinder looking from the front of the revolver also takes away from the realism. I guess I am really used to the new generation revolvers with working cylinders and real loadable shells but these guns are more expensive and hold less ammo as they are genuine to the 6 shooter capacity.
Pros:
Inexpensive revolver as compared to other shell loading styled revolvers out there.
A decent looking replica of a Colt Single Action Army revolver.
Single action only trigger is short and light and well suited to careful shot placement shooting.
420 claimed fps is about perfect for plinking at ranges up 30-40 feet.
18 round magazine has a nice high capacity and easy to load when empty
Safety is well thought out and built into an already existing part of the gun rather than simply adding a switch afterwards.
I like the look with the all back frame and bone white grips.
CO2 Allen key is built into grip so always have it on hadn’t and will not lose it.
Cons:
Mostly plastic builds makes it a bit light in the hand.
No fake shell holes in the front of the cylinder, could have added this for a more genuine look.
Safety is rather on the the firm side.
Comments: The Crosman Fortify Single Action Army CO2 BB Revolver is a completely new concept in design over what we have become use to in todays Single Action Army Revolvers. I want to hold my opinion on it till I actually shoot it as that could make or break this one for me. Maybe if it is a really fun shooter then I can excuse some of the shortcomings it has as a Replica Revolver but I guess we will see in a little bit when I get to my Field Test Shooting Review for it. For under $100 it may be worth it to some to try out especially if you don't already own a Single Action Army Revolver in your Airgun collection.
