you need to cock the bow in order for the trigger to be engaged. The trigger mechanism basically just pushes the bow string up and over the lip of the rail releasing the bow, so there is a bit of friction and I would guess it is about 8-10 pounds maybe a bit less. There is no actual safety on the Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical so you will have to practice appropriate finger control so as to not accidentally fire a bolt unintentionally.
Accuracy: I have not recorded my Field Test Shooting Video for the Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical and so I am not sure what to expect. I have shot a similar bow, the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow so it should perform a lot like that one but without the auto loading bolt system. If you want, you can check that Field Test Shooting Video out here, I expect the Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical to have perhaps slightly less power over the Bear X Desire XL as it is rated to have a 55 pound draw as compared to the 60 pounds of the Bear X Desire XL. In terms of accuracy I do not expect anything similar to a pellet or even BB rifles or pistol but I hope to get somewhere near a 6-8 inch grouping with the 6 bolts loaded in the internal magazine.
Build Quality: The Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical is overall well made but does consist of a lot of plastic or polymer, that said it feels sturdy enough when holding it in the hand. The bow itself is fiberglass and the only real metal I can confirm is the cocking rail, mostly everything else other than the nuts, bolts, safety are some sort of plastic. Fit and finish is good. I am hoping the auto bolt loading system will perform well and be consistent but we will find out when I make my Field Test Shooting Video for it soon.
Realism: The Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical is not a Replica pistol or rifle, it is a target bow that one could perhaps use of small game if you become proficient with shooting it. I do think this is a crossover product in terms of interest with people that are also interested in Airguns or target shooting. The other benefit is that it has a lot more power than a non regulated Airgun as the it uses nice heavy 142 grain bolts traveling at near 200 fps which gives an energy rating of around 12 foot pounds, the speed may be less than an Airgun but the energy is a lot higher. If raw power is what you are interested in, then this is your best option for something still compact and quiet if you do not have a firearms license or want to avoid that hassle and the legalities around regulated firearms.
Pros:
Light weight and compact.
More power than an airgun yet still quiet to shoot so can use discreetly just about anywhere with a good back stop setup.
Auto loading system for quick follow up shots.
Easy to draw the bow using the stock for leverage.
Top and bottom Picatinny rail mounting options for sights and accessories.
Fiber optic mid sight setup.
Ambidextrous bolt safety easy to engage and disengage.
6 bolts included to fully load the internal magazines.
180 fps (10ft/lbs).
Comes with standard fore grip.
5 portion AR compatible adjustable rear but stock.
Cons:
Fairly expensive.
Sights are not adjustable, mid sight is not as easy to sight in.
Will need a good backstop or will lose lots of bolts.
Takes a little bit of time to set it up but not too hard, just follow the steps in the manual.
Comments:
The Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical is an interesting product, the autoloading system with built in 6 round magazines turns this from a simple target bow into a bit of an action shooter once you get the reloading down. As a potential pest control solution it for sure has the power as long as you can harness it by practicing to the point where you can get those 142 grain bolts on target and make a humane shot at the ranges you plan on using it for. Having quick follow up shots I feel is necessary just in case the first shot does not quite get the job done. If you don’t need external 10 round magazines or the upgraded accessories found on the Steambow M10 Tactical and want something a little more affordable than check the AR-6 Stinger out as it is very versatile as a compact Recurve Crossbow.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Steambow M10 Tactical Recurve Crossbow is a single action only trigger as you need to cock the bow in order for the trigger to be engaged. The trigger mechanism basically just pushes the bow string up and over the lip of the rail releasing the bow, so there is a bit of friction and I would guess it is about 8-10 pounds maybe a bit less. There is a metal bolt style safety just above where the trigger releases that is ambidextrous, push it forward for safe and back for fire.
Accuracy: I have not recorded my Field Test Shooting Video for the Steambow M10 Tactical Recurve Crossbow and so I am not sure what to expect so far. I have shot a similar bow, the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow so it should perform a lot like that one but without the auto loading bolt system. If you want, you can check that Field Test Shooting Video out, I expect the Steambow M10 Tactical Recurve Crossbow to have a bit more power over the Bear X Desire XL as it is rated to have a 75 pound draw as compared to the 60 pounds of the Bear X Desire XL. In terms of accuracy I do not expect anything similar to a pellet or even BB rifles or pistol but I hope to get somewhere near a 6-8 inch grouping with the 10 bolts.
Build Quality: The Steambow M10 Tactical Recurve Crossbow is well made but does consist of mostly plastic or polymer, that said it feels sturdy enough when holding it and is one of the heavier compact recurve Crossbow systems at 4 pounds. The bow itself is fiberglass and the only real metal I can confirm is the cocking rail, mostly everything else other than the nuts, bolts, safety and sling ring are some sort of plastic. Fit and finish is good. I am hoping the auto bolt loading system will perform well and be consistent but we will find out when I make my Field Test Shooting Video for it
Realism: The Steambow M10 Tactical Recurve Crossbow is not a Replica pistol or rifle, it is a target bow that one could perhaps use of small game if you become proficient with it. I do think there is a crossover product in terms of interest with people that are also interested in Airguns. The other benefit is that it has a lot more power than a non regulated Airgun as the it uses nice heavy 142 grain bolts traveling at near 200 fps which gives an energy rating of around 12 foot pounds. If raw power is what you are interested in, then this is your best option for something still compact and quiet if you do not have a firearms license or want to avoid that hassle and the legalities around it.
Pros:
Light weight and compact.
More power than an airgun yet still quiet to shoot so can use discreetly just about anywhere with a good back stop setup.
Auto loading system for quick follow up shots.
Easy to draw the bow using the stock for leverage.
Comes with bow pre-strung and ready to mount.
Lots of Picatinny rail mounting options for sights and accessories.
Fiber optic front sight with two rear sight options (grove and peep).
Ambidextrous bolt safety easy to engage and disengage.
20 bolts included to fully load both 10 round magazines.
190-200 fps (11-12ft/lbs).
Comes with upgraded fore grip.
6 portion AR compatible adjustable rear but stock with cheek adjustment.
Cons:
Fairly expensive.
Sights are not adjustable.
Will need a good backstop or will lose lots of bolts.
Takes a little bit of time to set it up but not too hard, just follow the steps in the manual.
Comments:
The Steambow M10 Tactical Recurve Crossbow is an interesting product, the autoloading system with 10 round magazines turns this from a simple target bow into a bit of an action shooter once you get the reloading down. As a potential pest control solution it for sure has the power as long as you can harness it by practicing to the point where you can get those 142 grain bolts on target and make a humane shot. Having quick follow up shots is necessary just in case the first shot does not quite get the job done. The upgraded add on accessories you get with the Steambow M10 Tactical Recurve Crossbow really give it a quilty feel and it is nice you not only have a fully adjustable AR compactly rear stock with a cheek rest but you have the option of a peep or grove rear sight to line up the fiber optic front sight. The price is on the high side but if you want the most ultimate Compact Recurve Crossbow auto loading system with maximum ammo then this is for sure the product for you.
I did my unboxing vide for both the Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical and M10 Tactical already which is generally a preview of the products I am unboxing but with these types of compact crossbows, they generally need a bit of setup before they are complete and ready to view and use.
For that reason I wanted to make a quick combined Preview Video for Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical and M10 Tactical Crossbows so you can see what they look like all put together, and what the main differences are between the two of them. This way you can figure out which one might be the best choice if you are in the market for a product like this.
Let’s go over the main specifications and differences to determine what you get with each one:
Distributed by: Steambow GmbH Austria.
Materials: Mostly plastic with some metal parts.
Weight: M10 4 pounds / AR-6 2.6 pounds.
Lengt: M10 24.2 inches / AR-6 22 inches.
Width: M10 17.5 inches / 17.5 inches.
Magazine Capacity: M10 10 bolts per external magazine / AR-6 6 bolts per internal magazine.
Another Mystery Box to share with everyone but this time I peaked a bit so it’s not as much of a mystery for me, but it will be for you. I was glad I peaked as the items inside where not the usual assortment and it was good I was able to get a bit of pre-intel on them before I jumped into this unboxing, as there was a lot to discover about each of the three items in the Mystery Box. I hope they appeal to some of you, I think they are very interesting and after checking them out, some of you may decide to add one or two of them to your collection.
The first two items I looked at are from an Austrian based company called Steambow. They are both compact crossbows that offer a unique reloading system with built in Magazines that hold either 6 or 10 rounds depending on the version you buy. The Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical is the less expensive yet still “kind of expensive” version with a built in 6 round magazine While the AR Series Steambow M10 Tactical has an upper that accepts 10 round magazines you can preload. The Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical comes with a 55 pound pre-strung bow that produces around 10 foot pounds of energy, while the Steambow M10 Tactical come with a 75 pound pre-strung bow which should produce close to 12 or more foot pounds of energy. Both incorporate fiber optic slights, lots of rail mounting options, AR style rear stocks which shoulder mount easy and quick cocking to make the most of the automatic bolt loading systems.
Another Archery based item also in this months Mystery Box was the Umarex AirJavelin FishR PCP based arrow launcher designed for anglers. It is intended to work with a fishing real of your choice and comes with a single retrievable barbed arrow, so a lot like bow fishing but with a PCP propulsion system. The Umarex AirJavelin FishR has a built in 4500 psi tank that is regulated to 800 psi and the arrow is a whopping 1250 grain to cut through the water with ease. The entire system is salt water resistant so you can use it in both fresh and salt water conditions. There are both picatinny and M-LOK mounting options for sights and accessories.
Stay posted for my Table Top and Field Testing Video Reviews coming shortly…
In this Field Test Shooting Video conducted in the Replica Airguns Sea Can indoor Shooting Range, I test the Umarex Markpoint Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol’s power in velocity using my Chronograph along with the accuracy shooting at a Paper Target setup 30 feet away. If you are also interested in details, specifications and more close up video of the Umarex Markpoint Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol, then make sure to watch my Table Top Video I already made for it here…
When I placed 6 pellets from the Umarex Markpoint Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol through my Chronograph, I removed the fastest and slowest recorded shots, and got an average of 290 fps, there was a fairly big range in fps as some dieseling may have been occurring, since this Pellet Pistol had not been shot before and there may have been some oils in the barrel. Here are my recored velocities for all 6 shots: 213, 286, 308, 270, 304, 298. I was using lead flathead pellets that weighed 8.2 grain each. So you will for sure get much higher velocities using 5 grain alloy pellets, probably very close to the 400 claimed fps.
Moving on to my accuracy test, the Umarex Markpoint Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol did pretty good. I was not sure how it would shoot for me as the trigger is pretty firm, which can cause the shooter to pull a shot or two. I was able to keep my shots pretty consistent with perhaps one shot getting a bit away from me. That said, out of the 10 shots I placed on the paper target setup 30 feet down range, I managed to get 9 of them all within about 2 inches of each other with the larger spread being elevation, windage was within about 3/4 of an inch, so consistent velocity may have played a roll here. I did use a semi rested shooting position with my hands resting on a sand bag up front, and sitting on a stool in the back to help stabile me as much as possible. I was happy that out of the box the aim point was pretty well centered just a bit to the right if anything.
All in all the Umarex Markpoint Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol performed as much as I could have expected for a $50 Canadian low cost pellet shooter. I really wish an add on sight of some sort was possible, as there does not seem to be anyway of adjusting the sights on the Umarex Markpoint Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol, so hopefully yours shoots well centered for you also. I do not recommend this Air Pistol for people with smaller hands as it is a bulky Airgun with very wide and large grips. The trigger also does take a bit of finger strength so not a gun for younger shooters perhaps. For the price it is a very unique Pellet Pistol with a very modern and futuristic look to it which may or may not appeal to everyone.
Type: Pellet Pistol. Manufacturer:Umarex Model:Markpoint. Materials: Mostly plastic with some metal. Weight: 1.79 pounds (812 grams). Barrel: 9.75 inch (24.8 cm) Rifled steel barrel. Total Length: 17 inches (43.2 cm). Power Source: Spring piston. Action: Break Barrel - Single Action Only. Ammo Type: .177 caliber pellets. Ammo Capacity: Single shot. FPS: 395 with alloy pellets, 300 with lead pellets.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on Umarex Markpoint Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol is single action only and you will have to break the barrel and fully cock it to activate the trigger in order to shoot it. You will have to also insert a pellet for each shot when the barrel is in the open position. The trigger itself is a bit on the heavy side with a short takeup. It is not super heavy but I would not consider it light or even medium weight. There is a grip safety that needs to be pressed in at the back of the grip, or the trigger will not function. This is a nice additional safety feature.
Accuracy: So far I have not had the opportunity to test the Umarex Markpoint Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol, but the plan is to get to my Field Test Shooting Video shortly and see how it performs in terms of power and accuracy. The Umarex Markpoint Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol does have a nice long rifled steel barrel so it has the potential to be very accurate. My main concern is with the sights as they are none adjustable and if it is not well centered out of the box then the only way to adjust it will be by adjusting your aim point to correct any off center shots. There is also no way that I can see to mount a red to or scope of some sort. It looks like there is a rail system on the barrel but it is just cosmetic and there is no way to mount a picatinny accessory to it. I am not sure why Umarex simply did not make the rail a true picatinny rail?
Build Quality: For around a $50 Canadian pellet pistol that has the potential to be a pretty decent entry level target pistol, the Umarex Markpoint Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol is pretty well made and feels very solid and mechanically tight. It is mostly plastic but does not feel cheap at all. It is a rather large pistol, especially the grips being fairly wide, so for people with small hands, it may be a bit hard to hold.
Realism: The Umarex Markpoint Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol is not a copy or replica of any real steel pistol in production that I know of. To be honest Umarex was not trying that hard to make it look like a real steel pistol as it has it’s very own look to it that I would say is modern and kind of futuristic looking. It for sure has its own style to it, and you are either going to like it to not? I do like that Umarex added the ejection port and vented barrel which does add to the cool factor and makes it feel more like a real gun.
Pros:
Feels well built and solid.
Overall look is good, kind of futuristic if you like that sort of thing.
I like the red highlights, not typical on a real steel gun but looks good on this design.
Expect it to have good accuracy, hope the sights are on point?
Easy to cock spring piston system.
Sights are easy to line up .
Grip safety is a nice safety feature.
Fake ejection port is a nice touch, not something you would normally see on a target pistol like this.
Nice low price tag for some fun target shooting.
Cons:
Trigger is a bit heavy but in terms of length and break is OK.
Sights are not adjustable and no way to add a red dot or other sighting system.
Grip may be a bit wide for smaller handed shooters.
Comments:
For me I think the deciding factor on how I feel about the Umarex Markpoint Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol is going to come down to how it performs as I have my reservations on how accurate it is going to be and if it shoots true out of the box. I really hope the sights are dialed in out of the box since there is no way to adjust them or add a red dot or other sighting system. The heavy trigger will take a bit of getting use to also but once adjusted to it I should be able to get some decent groupings. For the price, if it turns out to be a decent shooter and you like the look of it, then by all means it would make a great target plinker that you should be able to get proficient at shooting with. I will leave my final thoughts for the Field Test Shooting video on this one…
In this Mystery Boxing Video I get to take a look at 4 new Airgun Products and give you my first impressions along with a few specifications about each of them but not in a lot of details as I have not had an opportunity to research any of them as this my first time seeing them.
First out of the Mystery box is a new Umarex T4E .43 Caliber CO2 Blowback Paintball Pistol with Walther licensing called the Umarex T4E PDP. I have reviewed similar styled T4E .43 caliber CO2 Blowback Pistols in the past and this one should perform and function similarly.
The next Airgun I pulled out out of the box was the EMG SAI 2011 DS 4.3 CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol, a really nice 1911 styled Airsoft Pistol with a stainless finish and gold barrel with a CO2 Magazine. This one looks and feels really nice.
Staying with the pistols that came in this Mystery Box, I got my first look at the Umarex Markpoint .177 Caliber Break Barrel Pellet Pistol that has a bit of a utilitarian look and feel to it. This one is the longer barrel version and has a claimed fps of 395 using alloy pellets so we will see what it can get with more traditional lead pellets when I make my Field Test Video for it down the road a bit.
The last item out of the Mystery Box was another Umarex product, a fun CO2 BB Rifle with H&K licensing called the HK416. This semi auto and 6 round Burst internal Blowback CO2 BB Rifle is a lot like the Steel Storm and Steel Strike from Umarex but a little bit larger I would say and with H&K Licensing so more of a true Replica Airgun.
I will be making full Table Top and Field Test Videos for all of these items shortly so keep an eye out for those videos but for now you can at least get an idea what these Airgun Products will offer.
I have only tested out another similar Crossbow setup one other time so this is not my normal Field Test Review. Like last time when I made my Bear X Desire XL Crossbow Field Test Video, in this Field Test Video I record my Chronograph velocity for the CenterPoint Hornet Recurve Compact Crossbow at the same time as I shoot at the target so I did not have to make two separate video segments and basically did it all in one go. I did have a bit of a brain fart and forgot I needed to setup two separate cameras, one on the Chronograph and one on the Target, as I generally only need one camera at a time for my usually two segment Field Test Videos. So getting to the point, I did not have dedicated camera on the target while shooting and in hind sight it would have been better to have the camera on the Target rather than the Chronograph as my camera glasses generally record the Chronograph readings for me too. I do walk up to the Target at the end of the video so we do get to see exactly where all the bolts landed, so I can show you the final result at the end of the day.
In terns of velocity, CenterPoint claims a velocity of 191 fps. I was able to get consistently just over 180 fps so pretty close. My Chrono readings using the included 147 grain 6.5 inch aluminum bolts ranged from 180 to 182 fps so very consistent. This gave an overall Foot Pound energy of 10.61 foot pounds so velocity and foot pound energy were just a little bit under the claimed rating! This is enough for small pests for sure, it really comes down to accuracy at this point as you will want to get either a head or shoulder area shot for a humane kill, and I am not sure if this bow is up of the job? You will have to see how accurate it will be for you and make that decision for yourself..
In terms of accuracy I found the CenterPoint Hornet Recurve Compact Crossbow to be fairly accuracy on the windage side (left and right), basically with all the bolts only being about 2 inches apart side to side. Where it did not perform as well was in elevation with the bolts ranging about 8 inches top to bottom. I am not sure why this was the case as the velocity is very consistent and generally less consistent velocities account for elevation changes. All the bolts hit the target using the included red dot with no pre adjustments but it did shoot just a bit to the right and maybe overall a bit low. This can easily be corrected using the red dot windage and elevation adjustments.
Interestingly the CenterPoint Hornet Recurve Compact Crossbow has a higher claimed velocity over the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow I tested a while back, yet the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow actually shot a bit faster hitting 190+ fps, not a huge difference but an interesting observation. The CenterPoint Hornet Recurve Compact Crossbow does come with a red dot but both have Picatinny Rails so Red Dots will fit on both Crossbows no problem. I am going to address the elephant in the room, if you compare both of these Crossbows they are virtually the same with the exception of the branding and distribution of them. So I would say get either one, the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow is actually less money as it does not come with an included Red Dot but at least right now it is out of stock so your only option may the the CenterPoint Hornet Recurve Compact Crossbow, both are a lot of fun and pack a lot more punch than your standard non regulated Air Rifle.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the CenterPoint Hornet Recurve Compact Crossbow is a single action only trigger as you need ot cock the bow in order for the trigger to be engaged. The trigger mechanism basically just pushes the bow string up and over the lip of the rail releasing it so there is a bit of friction and I would say it is about 10 pounds maybe a bit less. The safety is also engaged when you cock the bow requiring you to take the CenterPoint Hornet Recurve Compact Crossbow off safe before shooting as an added layer of safety.
Accuracy: I have not made my Field Test Shooting Video for the CenterPoint Hornet Recurve Compact Crossbow and so I am not sure what to expect from it. I have shot a similar bow, the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow so it should perform similar to that one if you want to check that Field Test Shooting Video out, but I expect the CenterPoint Hornet Recurve Compact Crossbow to have a little bit more power as it has a rated fps and draw weight a little bit higher than the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow, we will see?
Build Quality: The CenterPoint Hornet Recurve Compact Crossbow is actually made pretty decently, yes it is mostly plastic and light weight but feels sturdy enough to hold, the bow itself is fiberglass and the only real metal I can confirm is the cocking rail, mostly everything else other than the nuts and bolts that hold it together are some sort of plastic, The only part that does not feel up to par with the quality is the included red dot, it is fairly entry level but I am sure it will get the job done, and if it stops getting the job done at some point you can upgrade it then, or simply use the included rear iron sight which is fully adjustable.
Realism: The CenterPoint Hornet Recurve Compact Crossbow is not a Replica as is what I usually review here on the channel. But I think there is a crossover in terms of interest for a product like this with people that are also interested in Airguns. The other benefit is that it has a lot more power than a non regulated Airgun as the CenterPoint Hornet Recurve Compact Crossbow uses nice heavy 146 grain bolts traveling at almost 200 fps which gives an energy rating of around 12 foot pounds. So if raw power is what you are after, then this is your best option for something still compact if you do not have a firearms license.
Pros:
Fairly inexpensive.
Super light weight and compact.
More power than an Airgun yet still quiet to shoot so you can use discreetly just about anywhere with a good back stop setup.
Easy to draw the bow using the stock for leverage.
Safety is automatically engaged.
Picatinny rail already has iron fully adjustable rear sight and comes with a very basic red dot sight to get you started.
Fiber optic front sight.
3 bolts included.
191 fps (12ft/lbs).
Comes with fore grip.
5 portion adjustable rear but stock.
Cons:
Will need a good backstop or will lose lots of bolts.
Takes a little bit of time to set it up but not too hard, just follow the steps in the manual.
Careful not to wash you hadn't or thumb with the string (Ouchy).
Comments:
The CenterPoint Hornet Recurve Compact Crossbow is a nice crossover product that appeals to Airgun enthusiasts as it does not require a firearms license and can be used in a lot more locations than a standard gun. It also has decent power as compared to a non regulated Airgun hitting 12 foot pounds which is at least 4x more than most non regulated Airguns can achieve. In terms of pest control, it does have the power required for small pests but accuracy is not going to be as good as an Airgun so hitting the rather small sweet spot on a small pest is not going to be easy and you want to be humane about it, so make sure if you do plan on using this for some sort of pest control, that you practice your accuracy and are confident in your shot placement. Personally I would just enjoy shooting it as a target bow that literally cost you nothing after purchase as long as you don’t lose the bolts.
Another box showed up at my door and this time I had no idea what was inside it, I asked the boys in the warehouse to surprise me and send some new product as I was low on review items, and in a couple of days later this tall somewhat large box showed up. In this Replica Airguns June Mystery Box Unboxing Video I open the box and take a look at what’s inside. I recommend you just watch the video and enjoy the suspense with me, but if you want to cheat and find out now, then look below at quick breakdown of each item…
Type:Blowback BB Pistol. Manufacturer: Made and Distributed by ASG. Model:CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow. Materials: Mostly all Metal. Weight: 2.37 pounds (1076 grams). Barrel: 4.5 inches (114mm) metal non-rifled. Total Length: 8.26 inch (210mm). Propulsion: 1 x Co2. Action: Semi auto blowback, single & double action trigger. Ammunition Type: 4.5mm steel BB's. Ammunition Capacity: 17 round drop out full size metal magazine. FPS: Claimed 312.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the ASG CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow Blowback CO2 BB Pistol is both single and double action, by either pulling the slide or hammer back you engage the single action trigger which is nice and short and light with a medium take-up. You will need to pull the slide back to load a BB into the breach area for your first shot or you will simply be shooting CO2 on that first shot. If you drop the hammer down once a BB is in the breach, you can shoot in double action which is much heavier but it is fairly smooth without any noticeable sticking points.
Accuracy: I have not shot the ASG CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow Blowback CO2 BB Pistol or made my Field Test Shooting Video for it, that will happen next week. So for now I can not comment on the true velocity or accuracy of this product. It is very well made so I expect it to perform like most Full Blowback CO2 BB pistols which means it should shoot around a 1-2 inch 10 shot grouping at 30 feet away, and I expect it to achieve a velocity close to the manufacturers claimed fps, so around 300 fps or just above. We will find out for sure next week!
Build Quality: TheASG CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow Blowback CO2 BB Pistol is distributed by ASG but I am not 100% sure who makes it for them. I feel it could be either KJWorks or KWA. In either case both companies make very high quality Airguns and that is present with the ASG CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow Blowback CO2 BB Pistol. Fit and finish are excellent and the entire gun is virtually all metal. It weighs in at almost 2.5 ponds and has a very solid feel to it.
Realism: The ASG CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow Blowback CO2 BB Pistol is a 1 to 1 copy of the real steel CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow and side by side it would be very hard to tell them apart. It features full blowback operation and can by fully field stripped. All the mechanical parts work like the real steel version adding to the realism of shooting this CO2 Blowback BB Pistol. Again it is almost all metal which not only helps it look the part, but also feel the part. It is a very realistic replica and to make it even more believable, ASG has provide the CZ licensing to add all the correct markings to this product.
Pros:
Single and double action trigger with a nice light short single action trigger.
Fit and finish is excellent, very little slide wiggle, all metal build.
This pistol is pretty heavy at just under 2.5 pounds!
Extremely close replica of the real steel CZ SP-01 Shadow in both looks and function.
Well priced for a quality Airgun.
Fiber optic front sight helps with quick target acquisition.
I like the stainless barrel, it won’t be as prone to scratches and wear marks.
Deep recessed barrel for added realism.
Full size 17 round metal magazine holds the CO2 and BB’s and adds additional weight.
Rail for adding accessories like a laser or tac light.
Most mechanical parts work just like the steel version and can be easily field stripped to access the hop-up.
Heavy slide spring with fast blowback action, great for action shooting.
Licensing all over this gun, true to the real steel version.
Cons:
Rear sight is not adjustable.
FPS is perhaps a bit low at 312?
May be a bit heavy for some people.
Comments:
I am pretty sure that the ASG CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow Blowback CO2 BB Pistol started out life as a 6mm Airsoft Pistol, and then this version was simply converted over to shoot 4.5mm Steel BB’s by more than likely swapping out the barrel, perhaps changing the nozzle and modifying the magazine to allow for 4.5mm BB’s over the 6mm Airsoft BB’s. And that is OK with me as I really like how Full Blowback Airsoft Pistols recreate that realistic shooting experience. The downside to all of this is a bit of a perforce hit since Full Blowback Airsoft Pistols use up a lot of CO2 to create that full heavy blowback experience. You also lose some power along the way. I am fine with that but some people may not be. Overall I really like the ASG CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow Blowback CO2 BB Pistol. It is high quality and looks awesome. Now I just need to find out how it shoots :)
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.
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!
30 feet is not really a long enough distance to test out a Spring Piston Break Barrel Air Rifle but it’s been pretty rainy outside as the weather here in British Columbia has progresses into full on rainy fall weather. So we will have to make do with the 30 foot limitation I have here in the Replica Airguns Sea Can Indoor Shooting Range. At least it is warm and the lighting is perfect :) In this Filed Test Shooting Video for the Beeman Black Panther Dual Caliber Break Barrel Pellet Rifle I test out the velocity in fps along with the accuracy at 30 feet away. For both of these tests I use 15.43 grain .22 caliber Gamo lead pellets. If you are more invested in details and specifications along with some closer up video then watch my Table Top Video for the Beeman Black Panther.
Beeman claims just under 500 fps for the Beeman Black Panther Dual Caliber Break Barrel Pellet Rifle but it is unclear if this is with .177 caliber or .22 caliber pellets and what kind of pellet are being used? Light weigth Alloy or standard Lead pellets. I decided to go with the .22 caliber barrel for all my testing but may try out the .177 caliber barrel in a future update Field Test Video. I placed 5 shots through my Chronograph using the 15.43 grain .22 caliber lead pellets and was able to get an average velocity of 422 fps. The slowest shot was 418 fps with the fastest shot hitting a max of 429 fps so all fairly close together. In terms of energy output, a pellet that weighs 15.43 grain travelling at 422 fps has a foot pound energy of 6.1.
I am not the best shot when it comes to sprig Piston Air Rifles, but I did my best here. I shot a total of 8 shots on the paper target and the main group was about 1 inch in diameter, this consisted of 6 pellets in that main group with 2 pellets that came out one shot a bit high and one shot a bit to the right. I was using the built in post and notch fiber optic sights rather than installing the 4x32 scope. After all the target was only 30 feet away. I am pretty sure one could easily get a .5 inch grouping at this range with perhaps a 1 inch grouping at distances closer to the 50-60 foot mark, which should make this a decent pest control option when using the .22 caliber ammo as I feel it would get the job done with a bit more authority.
The Beeman Black Panther Dual Caliber Break Barrel Pellet Rifle comes with two barres offering the ability to shoot using .177 caliber pellets or .22 caliber pellets with a quick barrel change. .177 caliber pellets could be used for smaller pest control but I would mainly use the .177 barrel for basic target practice as .177 caliber pellets are definitely cheaper than .22 caliber pellets. When you do require that slight additional stopping power, then go with the .22 caliber barrel for sure!
In this Replica Airguns Unboxing Video I take a look at 6 Airguns consisting of 2 Paintball Pistols, 3 Airsoft Rifles and one Pellet Rifle. This is not a full review in any way but is rather a preview of what i will be doing full Reviews for over the next several weeks.
Airguns are generally cheaper to buy and for sure cheaper to shoot. Airguns can cost as little as $50-100 to buy while real guns in similar models will cost many time more. Cost of ammo is so much less expensive than Real Gun ammo by a mile!
Difficulty to Obtain:
Airguns in most countries do not require any licensing or registration. Generally there are more available options in Airgun choices than Real Gun choices as restrictions often prohibit many Real Guns to be obtained.
Places to Shoot:
Unless you live in a super remote locations and your laws allow you to shoot Real Guns in those locations, then in most cases you can shoot an Airgun almost anywhere within reason. You can even shoot certain Airgun models in your basement. Airsoft is a great option for indoor shooting as the plastic ammo does not carry very much energy so with minimal effort you can make a backstop that will trap the ammo very well.
Trigger Time:
Because ammo is much less expensive and places you can shoot are easier to find, you can get a lot more Trigger Time under your belt which will also improve your shotgun with Real Guns and after all it’s just fun to shoot guns even if they are Airguns.
Safety:
I am not talking about safety in terms of protection. I am talking about safety as in if you do something stupid and your Gun goes off accidentally. If you accidentally fire your Airgun indoors, the bullet will not travel through floors or walls and potentially harm or kill someone on the other side. If you do manage to shoot yourself with an Airgun, the consequence are much less severe than shooting yourself with a Real Gun. That said, always treat an Airgun as if it was a Real Loaded Gun, as server injury and even death can occur even with an Airgun.
Ware Games and Training Situations:
There is no way you can use a standard Real Gun to shoot at people, unless extensively altered with special parts that make the Real Gun unusable to shoot live ammo. With Airguns you have the choice of using an Airsoft or Paintball gun that are both designed specifically for this purpose.
Pest Control:
If you have the need for pest control in an urban area where you do not want a stray bullet to travel too far or penetrate buildings if a shot where to go awry, then an Airgun designed for accuracy and power may be perfect for the job. Accuracy with target and hunting Airguns is on par if not better than many Real Guns and are have powerful enough to kill a pest humanely without having too much power for the job and having to worry as much about your background.
Prop Guns:
As mentioned already, Airguns can look a lot like Real Guns, so they are perfect to be used as a stand-in or Prop Gun when you need to simulate the look and function of a Real Gun. Again they are easier and cheaper to obtain and if something does go wrong, the consequences are much less severe.
Social Stigma:
Unfortunately Real Guns and perhaps any gun these days are looked upon with a social stigma as being the cause of the Crime rather than a tool used in a Crime. And so people blame Guns for these crimes rather than the people committing these crimes. If a person is motivated enough to do something bad, they are going to do it either way and will use whatever means is available to them to commit these Crimes. Including other means like: Knives, Blunt Objects, Poisons, Vehicles, Explosives… Sad but true! Airguns are not used in homicides or mass shootings as they are completely underpowered for a crime like this. They can however be used in crimes as a show of threat, as they do look a lot like real guns, generally people that use Airguns for real crimes, if challenged will give up immediately as they are completely outgunned. Don’t bring an Airgun to a Real Gun fight, you have better chance with a knife!
Type: Pellet Pistol. Distributer:Umarex. Model:Stainless Ruger Mark IV. Materials: Metal and polymer build. Weight: 1.56 pounds (708 grams). Barrel: 5.3 inches (135mm). Total Length: 11 inches (279mm). Propulsion: Spring Piston. Action: SAO Break Barrel. Ammunition Type: .177 caliber pellets. Ammunition Capacity: 1 round. FPS: 320.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Stainless Ruger Mark IV Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistolis not too bad, I feel it is a around 6-7 pounds or so without measuring. In comparison to a real steel 22LR semi auto SAO trigger pistol, the trigger is much heavier but most of these 22LR pistols of this nature have what I would consider to be near perfect triggers. Over time once you get use to the pressure and release point accuracy with this pistol it is for sure possible.
Accuracy: I have tested out the all black version of this pistol which will perform exactly the same or should I say is expected to perform the same since they are virtually the exact same Pellet Pistol but in different finishes. You can watch my Field Test Shooting Video for the all black version but in case you don’t make it there I will fill you in on the basic results… In terms of velocity I averaged 312 fps using 7 grain lead pellets and got around a 2 inch 7 rounds grouping but expect with a bit more trigger time to get closer to 1 inch.
Build Quality: The Stainless Ruger Mark IV Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistolis a low cost target plinker that also doubles as a licensed Replica for that coolness factor so you won’t get an all metal super top quality build here. That said metal and plastics are well used and for sure details in the fit and finish have been improved over the Buck Mark URX version where I found the barrel felt a bit sloppy and the trigger was plastic. The Umarex Ruger Mark IV Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol has a much tighter barrel fit when closed and the trigger is now metal! Maybe Umarex watched my video back in the day and took some notes?
Realism: The Umarex Ruger Mark IV Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol most resembles the Mark IV Hunter edition and is pretty much bang on in terms of being a replica other than the tell tail hinge just under the barrel required for a spring piston design, there really is no way to get around this so I’m not going to criticize this minor difference. The real steel version is almost 3 pounds and so the pellet shooting version is a bit under weight so it would have been to have had more metal perhaps in the barrel and lower frame. Again since the pellet shooting version is a springer you will not have any working bolts or slide catches or a built in magazine.
Pros:
It's a decent Ruger Mark IV Replica!
Feels well built overall.
Expect it to have really good accuracy like the Umarex Browning Buck Mark URX since they share similar mechanical design.
Barrel locks into place much better than the Umarex Browning Buck Mark URX did.
Fully adjustable rear sight with fiber optic front sight.
Auto locking safety, just don’t forget to unlock before each shot
Actual metal trigger in this version.
Nice and compact, not too heavy.
Full Ruger licensed via Umarex.
Fairly low price tag.
Cons:
No built in rail for a sight system like the Umarex Browning Buck Mark URX.
Would have liked a metal trigger and maybe a slightly lighter trigger pull to match the real Buck Mark's very light trigger pull.
A bit more metal would have been nice.
Significantly more expensive than the black version which is the same exact gun in a different color.
Comments: The Stainless Ruger Mark IV Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol is a decent looking replica and a decent pellet shooting target pistol and if you own the real steel version in 22LR you may just want to get your hands on one of these Break Barrel Replica Pellet shooters. The only real question is do you get the Stainless version with simulated wood grips or the all black version? If you like the look of the stainless version and don’t care about money whatsoever, then pickup that one up since it is a Limited Edition version that will only go up in value over time. If you are on a budget and don’t mind the look of the all black versions or maybe even prefer it then by all means grab one since at the end of the day they will both perform exactly the same.
My Vimeo Table Top Review Videos for the Umarex Stainless Ruger Mark IV Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol:
This time I have a tiny Mystery Box to unpack and show you guys, this time there are only two pistols, one is a Spring Piston Single Shot .177 Caliber Pellet Pistol and the other is a 6mm Airsoft Blowback BB Pistol, both are Licensed Replicas for Umarex. If you want to find out more about each Air Pistol then make sure to watch this Mystery Box Unboxing Preview Video!
This will be my only video this week as I am in what is called Peak Week in preparation for the Vancouver Fall Calssic Fitness show I am competing in this upcoming weekend. Peak Week really takes a lot out of me and is rather time consuming with the physical activity I am doing and daily blog styled videos I am posting for my other channel www.GetFitOver40.com.
If you are interested in what I do fitness wise then checkout that channel and follow me along this week as I hope to kick some but competing against dudes half my age.
Starting with my velocity test, I shot 3 rounds through my Chronograph using .177 caliber 7 grain lead pellets achieving 482, 489 and 466 fps with an average of 479 for the three shots. Not bad for a fairly compact Break Barrel Airgun. This is perhaps fast enough for small game like mice and small rats but you would need to get proficient on your shot accuracy to make sure you got a good head or lung shot to make it a more humane pest control.
For the accuracy portion of this Field test Shooting Review I proceeded to fire 6 rounds into a paper target setup 30 feet away. I use a semi rested shooting position with the Umarex HK MP7 .177 Cal Break Barrel Pellet Gun resting on a sand bag up front and me sitting on a stool for stability. My 6 shot grouping was all within around 1.5 inches but I feel like this Pellet gun can do better with me getting a bit more use ot it, still not bad out of the box and with my first round shooting it.
I really like the Umarex HK MP7 .177 Cal Break Barrel Pellet Gun as not only a Replica but it also shoed itself ot be a decent target Airgun at the end of the day. I do have to say the trigger is a bit long but not heavy at all, it has a smooth pull with a soft release. Most pimple should be able towel with this just fine. SO if you are looking for a Replica but also want an Airgun that can shoot hard and with decent accuracy then look no further than the Umarex HK MP7 .177 Cal Break Barrel Pellet Gun.
Type:Pellet Rifle. Manufacturer: Umarex Model:HK MP7 .177. Materials: Metal and Polymer. Weight: 4.4 pounds (2kg). Barrel: 11.7 inches (29.7cm). Total Length: 31 inches (78.7cm). Propulsion: Break Barrel Spring Piston. Action: Single Action Single Shot. Ammunition Type: .177 Caliber Pellets. Ammunition Capacity: 1. Max FPS: 490 Claimed.
Trigger Pull: The trigger on the Umarex HK MP7 .177 Cal Break Barrel Pellet Gun is single action only requiring you to break the barrel and compress the internal spring piston before you can shoot it. The actual trigger pull is pretty decent overall. There is very little take-up but the creep is on the longer side but fairly smooth requiring medium pressure. The release is a bit hard at first to predict but nothing some trigger time can’t get you use to.
Accuracy: I have not performed any shooting tests with the Umarex HK MP7 .177 Cal Break Barrel Pellet Gun so far. I hope to make that Video Review next week. I expect the Umarex HK MP7 .177 Cal Break Barrel Pellet Gun to perform well in the accuracy department especially with the included Red Dot Optical Scope installed. I hope the velocity rating from Umarex is based on lead pellets and not hyper velocity light weight pellets but we will find out the story when I perform my Field Test Shooting Video shortly!
Build Quality: The Umarex HK MP7 .177 Cal Break Barrel Pellet Gun is a China made Airgun but looks to be well made. It has lots of metal parts as you would expect from a Spring Piston Rifle which adds a nice weight and feel to it. I did however have an issue with the front plastic mock Suppressor/Compensator as it does not seem to be attached to the metal barrel very well other than being pressure fit which is not going to cut it with all the vibration a spring piston system makes. My first shot loosened the mock Suppressor/Compensator so I will either have to hold it when shooting or find another way to make sure it stays in place.
Realism: The Umarex HK MP7 .177 Cal Break Barrel Pellet Gun is kind of unique in this department as most break barrel rifles are not Replicas, especially the more compact sub machine gun styled ones. Umarex did good job making the Umarex HK MP7 .177 Cal Break Barrel Pellet Gun look like a real HK MP7 for the most part. Of course it is a Spring Piston Rifle at its core so exceptions had to be made to make this work including molded non working parts like the magazine release, sector switch and, bolt/ejection port. That said all in all it is a decent looking replica considering it is a Break Barrel Airgun under the skin.
Pros:
Not many Replica Pellet Rifles on the market, especially in a more compact gun.
Comes with Red Dot sight.
Lots of rails for adding accessories to it.
Full HK Licensed by Umarex.
Collapsible Wire Stock.
Nice high claimed 490 fps.
No need for CO2 so low cost to cooperate.
Not effected by temperature like a CO2 Airgun.
Should have better accuracy than most BB Replica Airguns.
Very solid feel to it, good overall weight and feel.
Cons:
Not going to be an action shooter, have to reload after each shot.
A good overall Replica but not as Realistic or full operation as a BB version would be.
Mock Suppressor/Compensator poorly attached to barrel.
Comments: The Umarex HK MP7 .177 Cal Break Barrel Pellet Gun is an interesting product, on one hadn't it is a Replica Airgun and most people expect a Replica Airgun to have all of the appropriate working parts similar to what would be found on the real steel version. But since this is a Break Barrel Airgun at the core the Umarex HK MP7 .177 Cal Break Barrel Pellet Gun will not function the same as the Real Steel version so as long as you don’t expect it to and appreciate the fact that it should be a nice accurate low cost to operate target rifle then I think you will understand this product and enjoy it for what it is… A Single Shot Pellet Rifle that looks a lot like a HK MP7.
