In this performance Field Test Shooting Video for the John Wayne Marshal CO2 BB Revolver, I test out what the fps velocity is using a fresh standard 12 gram CO2 cartridge and shooting 4.5mm Steel BB’s through my Chronograph. I then setup a paper target 30 feet down range and shoot 10 rounds into it using the Single Action Only Trigger 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 John Wayne Marshal CO2 BB Revolver, then make sure to do so for details and specifications along with some nice close up video.
First up for my velocity fps test of the John Wayne Marshal CO2 BB Revolver, I shot 5 rounds through my Chronograph. The slowest fps was 354 and the fastest shot hit an fps of 368, this result averaged 358 fps which was a somewhat under the claimed “up to” 420 fps from AirVenturi, still an OK velocity for shooting pop cans and the likes up to 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 John Wayne Marshal CO2 BB Revolver. In warmer temperatures you can expect higher velocities…
I then placed my paper target on my pellet trap 30 feet downrange and using my standard semi rested shooting position (hands rested on a sandbag up front and sitting on a stool in the back), I proceeded to shoot 10 rounds into the target with the John Wayne Marshal CO2 BB Revolver and I was able to get about a 4 inch grouping well centered up and down but pushed to the left about 3 inches. I am not sure why this shot grouping spread out so much for me as my Crosman Forty Filed Test Review gave me a much better grouping and these guns are literally the same gun with different branding being the only real differences. Maybe I was just off on this day? Hey it happens sometimes!
The John Wayne Marshal CO2 BB Revolver is a lower cost mostly plastic Single Action Army Revolver with a fair amount of plastic in the build, but it does feel fairly well built and fairly solid other than being a bit lighter weight. It should produce close to 400 fps velocities in warmer conditions which is more than enough for plinking and pop can shooting which is really what it is built for. I do have to mention that this John Wayne Marshal CO2 BB Revolver for whatever reason is double the price of the Crosman Fortify CO2 BB Revolver I reviewed earlier, so if you don’t care about the John Wayne Licensing, than maybe consider the Crosman version for a lower priced option.
Type: BB Pistol. Manufacturer: Distributed by AirVenturi. Model: John Wayne Marshal. 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 John Wayne Marshal CO2 BB Revolver is a single action only trigger, so you will have to cock the hammer back with each shot which does take away most of the trigger pull length and weight, making the Marshal trigger short and light and easy to shoot. Ideal for slowed down accurate shot placement, but less effective as an action shooter unless you have a very quick thumb!
Accuracy: I have not tested out the John Wayne Marshal CO2 BB Revolver but it should perform exactly like the Crosman Fortify revolver as they are literally the exact same gun with the exception of the branding and licensing. In my Field Test Shooting Review for the Crosman Fortify CO2 BB Revolver it did shoot a little bit lower than the claimed 420 fps and shot around a 2 inch 10 shot grouping at a target setup 30 feet away. You can watch that video here but I will be making a dedicated Field Test Shooting Video for the John Wayne Marshal CO2 BB Revolver shortly…
Build Quality: When it comes to the build for the John Wayne Marshal CO2 BB Revolver, there is not a lot to get overly excited about. It is basically a mostly all plastic gun with some metal parts internally like the barrel, trigger, hammer and CO2 area. The John Wayne Marshal 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 on the light side at around just over a pound. Overall there are not a lot of moving parts so it should be reliable enough just for that reason alone. All the mechanical components do what they need to do and feel solid enough.
Realism: The John Wayne Marshal 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 much less at about half. The lack of actual bullet holes in the cylinder looking from the front of the revolver does take away from its realism. I guess I am really used to the new generation revolvers with working cylinders and real loadable and removable shells, but these guns are more expensive and hold less ammo as they are genuine to the 6 shooter capacity.
Pros:
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 you always have it on hand and will not lose it.
John Wayne licensed for those old west John Wayne fans.
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.
Twice the price of the Crosman Fortify which is basically the same Airgun.
Comments: The John Wayne Marshal CO2 BB Revolver is for sure an option if you are looking for an old west single action cowboy BB shooter and specifically if you are a John Wayne fan. If you don't care about the John Wayne licensing and want to save about half of the price then my recommendation is to go for the Crosman Fortify as it is the same exact CO2 BB Revolver at the end of the day minus the john Wayne licensing on it. You also have the option of buying one of the many Shell Loading Single Action Army Revolvers available but they are a bit more money and will shoot a little slower with less ammo capacity but the trade of is a lot more realism.
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…
What you can expect from this Field test Shooting Video for the Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle are two things for sure. I test out the velocity with both 4.5mm Steel BB’s and .177 caliber lead pellets, I also chuck both of these rounds downrange to see if one may be more accurate than the other and how close I can get a 5 shot grouping for each ammunition type. If you are looking for details and specifications and perhaps some more close up video of the Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle then you may want to watch my Table Top Video for it here.
If you have watched any of my hundreds of Field Test Videos, then you already know I start off shooting 5 or so rounds through my Chronograph to see what the average velocity is going to be. In this Field Test I shoot 3 rounds of each ammo type, 3 BB’s and 3 pellets since it is a pump Airgun and they tend to be more consistent than a CO2 Airgun. Barra claims around 350 fps, I am not sure if this is for BB’s or Pellets or both? As it turns out (spoiler alert), both ammo types performed about the same in both the velocity and accuracy portion of my testing. For BB’s, my chronograph testing got 303, 316 and 316 for an average of 312 fps. For pellets my chronograph results were 309, 309, 314 for an average of 311, so only 1 fps off between the two. Keep in mind the BB’s weigh around 5.1 grain while the pellets I was using were around 7 grain, so the pellets will be carrying more energy downrange and hit a bit harder. By the way they are also harder to load so I would suggest just shooting the steel BB’s in this one since you can keep the fun times flowing better...
Next up for my accuracy test of the Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle, I again shot both ammo types, but 5 rounds of each and just like the velocity test they matched each other almost exactly. Both the steel BB’s and lead pellets I was using shot really well centered left to right, maybe just a hair to the left and both shot just about an inch or so high on the bullseye I was aiming at 30 feet away. The 5 BB’s grouped nicely for me at about an inch while the pellets did get a slightly tighter 3/4 inch grouping for me in this test. I was using a semi rested shooting position sitting on a stool in the back with the rifle rested on a sand bag up front.
The Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle really surprised me in how it performed, It’s not going to be the most powerful BB/pellet cowboy rifle out there but compared to a Red Ryder it does have a bit more punch and in terms of accuracy I found it shot better for me than at least I can do with a Red Ryder type BB rifle. You also have the option of shooting BB’s or Pellets but I would recommend shooting BB’s since you have that 50 round hopper and the BB’s auto load when you pull the bolt back which is much easier than loading pellets with a pair of tweezers which is what I needed to do to get them in with my sausage fingers. One more thing to mention is I do not recommend pumping this air rifle more than 1 time, not only does the manual say not to, but there is little benefit in pumping it more times with only the risk to damaging the airgun. I pumped it 4 times and only got about 20 fps more out of it so just don’t do it. If you want a Cowboy style Air Rifle with a little more realism than say a Red Ryder but that shoots about the same then checkout the Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle.
Type: Lever/Pump Dual Ammo Rifle Manufacturer: Distributed by Barra. Model:Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle. Materials: Mostly plastic, some metal. Weight: 4.1 pounds (1859 grams). Total Length: 36 inches (91.44mm). Barrel: 18 inches (45.7cm) metal rifled. Propulsion: Pump Compressed Air. Action: Lever/Pump Ammunition Type: .4.5mm steel BB’s & .177 Caliber Pellets. Ammunition Capacity: 50 BB’s in hopper, single shot Pellets. FPS: Claimed 350-400.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle is respectable at about 5 pounds with a medium to short pull length. I would say it is perfect for novice shooters as it is not overly light so as not to go off easily by accident and not too heavy for youth shooters with less finger strength than adults. When you pull the bolt back to reload the ammo, the internal cocking mechanism is activated allowing for single action type shooting. You do need to activate the bolt with each shot.
Accuracy: My dedicated field test shooting video is planned for this week, so for now I have no idea what to expect in terms of velocity and accuracy from the Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle, other than it is claimed to shoot around 350 fps when using pellets. It does have an 18 inch rifles barrel which should contribute to helping a lot with accuracy, so I do have high expectations especially since it has a pretty good trigger and when looking down the sights they allow for a nice tight fix on the target. The rear stock is short but not so short that it feels cramped for an adult shooter which should also help when I perform my accuracy test.
Build Quality: The Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle is nothing special when it comes to materials being used in it. It is for the most plastic with the exception of the inner and outer barrel along with the rear sight and I would imagine some other internal parts. It does feel not so bad as it is a bit over 4 pounds and is smaller in nature so it feels solid enough in the hand. I wish the Pump/Lever was metal as it would of felt a bit more solid and would have added a bit more additional weight to the Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle. Fit and finish is good and overall the gun looks and feels good.
Realism: The Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle is essentially styled after the Old West Lever Action Cowboy Rifle, and it has everything we would expect other than loading shells which is available in other Lever Action Air Rifles if you don’t mind paying a premium for one. The lever is actually not a lever but more of a pump so the action and look of the lever is not exactly as you would expect from a true lever action rifle, but when it is locked in place it does look the part. The gold receiver and rifle band looks sharp and I feel matches up with the dark imitation wood stock nicely. One point to make is that the hammer is not the hammer but actually the safety and the bolt not only opens the breach area but also acts as the cocking mechanism for the internal hammer.
Pros:
Super easy to pump.
Fit and finish looks decent for a mostly plastic airgun.
In terms of realism it does look like a more compact lever action rifle for the most part
Can shoot either BB’s or Pellets.
Holds 50 BB’s in the hoper for quicker follow up shooting.
Metal octagon outer barrel adds addition weight to a mostly plastic gun.
Rear sight is metal and is also adjustable for elevation.
Trigger pull is pretty decent, not too light but is short and about 5 pounds.
Recessed barrel for added realism.
Made for kids but the shoulder pull length and sight placement works for adults too.
The gold receiver looks good and gives it a unique look.
Cons:
Mostly plastic build.
Manual says only one pump but I wonder why this is the case or perhaps just to deregulate it?
Pellets are hard to load especially if you have larger hands and fingers.
Comments:
The Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle is a competitor for products like the Red Ryder but it has a bit more realism in terms of looking more like a replica of a real steel Lever Action Cowboy Rifle. It also allows for shooting pellets and has an actual rifled barrel so hopefully this helps with accuracy. You can still kind of shoot it Lever Action Style when shooting BB’s but there is the addition of charging the bolt with each shot over and above working the Lever / Pump, so it will take a bit more time to get those follow up shots as compared to a Red Ryder BB Rifle. One other point to make is that the lever is actually not a lever but more of a pump since this is not spring powered but instead has an air reservoir which on this version only allows for one pump, but on the non-junior version you can pump it up to 10 times and get a claimed 800 fps out of it (US Version). I am going to try pumpkin the Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle up to three times to see if there is any difference in power but this could void your warranty if you damage the air reservoir by over pressuring it. So be good and only pump yours once as instructed in the manual.
I have reviewed many of the Shell Loading Revolvers in the past and I always enjoy shooting them anytime one shows up on my desk for review. So here I go again but this time with a product from Crosman but with the Remington License on it. As always, I test out the power using my Chronograph by shooting several rounds through it and averaging them out. I also setup a paper target 30 feet down range and generally put an entire cylinder or mag into it or 10 rounds depending on the capacity of the magazine or cylinder. In this Field test Shooting Video I did all of that but times two as the Crosman Remington 1875 CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver shoots both 4.5mm Steel BB’s and .177 Caliber lead pellets. If you are more interested in details and specifications along with more close up video of this item then watch my Crosman Remington 1875 CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver Table Top Review.
Starting with the velocity, or power for the Crosman Remington 1875 CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver, I measured using my Chronograph using a brand new 12 gram CO2 and I shot three rounds of BB’s and four rounds of pellets and averaged them out. Here are my BB Chronograph results in FPS: 423, 407, 398 (409 average). Here are my pellet Chronograph results in FPS: 300, 274, 270, 271 (279 average). I was using standard lead pellets which should be right around 7 grain while my 4.5mm Steel BB’s were around 5 grain. Temperature was average room temperature I would say.
For my Accuracy test I shot a full 6 round magazine of each ammo type or at least I tried to, but for some reason I was missing a round in my pellet test so I only shot five rounds for that one. For BB’s all shots were fairly well centered on the target but they did spread out to about 2.5 inches. Pellets dropped a bit perhaps as they were moving a lot slower? My pellet result was about the same at around 2.5 inches of spread between all 5 shots. The spread with the pellets was wider compared to the spread of the BB’s which was more vertical.
I have gotten more accurate results with other shell loading revolvers build in a similar fashion as the Crosman Remington 1875 CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver so I was expecting a little bit better results, but it could have been me that was the problem on this day? Still a close to two inch shot group at 30 feet away will generally nock pop cams over or other similar sized targets and this CO2 Revolver is really only meant for plinking fun and not so much match grade shooting. The Crosman Remington 1875 CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver is a real looker at the end of the day and if your want a single action only classic Western Revolver than look no further.
In this performance Field Test Shooting Video of the Barra Cowboy Series 1858 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 in the Replica Airguns Sea Can Indoor Shooting Range. I then setup a fresh paper target 30 feet down range and shoot 10 rounds into it shooting 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 Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver then make sure to check that one out for details and specifications along with some more close up video.
First up for my velocity or fps test of the Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver, I shot 6 4.5mm Steel BB’s through my Chronograph. The slowest velocity was 327 fps and the fastest shot hit an fps of 351, this result averaged 345 fps which was a bit under the claimed “up to” 400 fps from Barra, still a usable velocity for shooting pop cans and the likes at 30-40 feet down range. The temperature in the Sea Can was I would say around 20 degrees Celsius which is 68-69 degrees Fahrenheit, so a decent temperature to get middle of the road performance from a CO2 Airgun like the Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver. In warmer temperature you can expect closer to the claimed 400 fps.
I then placed my fresh paper target on the pellet trap 30 feet downrange and using my standard 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 2.5 inch shot grouping shooting in Single Action of course. I did notice the Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver liked to shoot a bit high, almost 4-5 inches higher than I was aiming but it did center left to right fairly well.
The Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver is a lower cost and almost all plastic Single Action Revolver with only a few internal meat parts in the build, that said it does feel well built and fairly solid in the hand. It may produce that claimed 400 fps velocity by Barra in warmer conditions which is more than enough for plinking and pop can shooting which is really what the Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver is designed to do. I found it to be accurate enough for it’s intended purpose but it did push a little high on the target out of the box, at least my demo unit would require me to aim a little under my intended target by about 4-5 inches at 30 feet away for near bullseye shots as there is no way to adjust the sights manually. The Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver will provide lots of shots per CO2 and has a much higher capacity magazine holding 18 rounds as compared to other shell loading revolvers that only hold 6 rounds. If you’re OK with a bit less realism, then the Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver may even outperform the more expensive and more realistic Single Action Army Revolvers on the market at a less expensive price point.
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.
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.
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!
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.
Starting the year off with a Preview Unboxing Update Video of three CO2 Air Pistols. One from Gamo is a NBB CO2 Dual Ammo (Pellet/BB) Semi Auto style pistol called the Gamo P-27. The other two are for Crosman and are both Revolvers but from very different aras. The First Revolver I look at is the Crosman SNR357 which is essentially an early revision rebranded Dan Wesson in a 2.5 inch barrel. You can use either .177 caliber pellets or 4.5mm BB’s with it loading them into the 6 shells that come with it. A new comer I have never seen is the Crosman Fortify styled after the classic Single Action Army Colt 45 old West Revolver. Unlike many of today shell loading CO2 Revolvers, the Crosman Fortify has an internal tube fed magazine with a spring follower that holds 18 4.5mm Steel BB’s.
Watch my Preview Unboxing Update Video where I take a quick look and go over some basic specifications along with my initial thoughts…
I have already reviewed several Crosman 357 Pellet/BB Revolvers in the past like the Crosman Vigilante which also has the ability to shoot both .177 caliber pellets and 4.5mm Steel BB’s, (Really they all are with the right magazine). With the Vigilante my pellet chronograph tests got similar results but with Steel BB’s the Crosman Vigilante did a lot better than my Crosman Triple Threat CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver using a similar 6 inch barrel. As expected both the Crosman Vigilante and the Crosman Triple Threat did about the same in terms of accuracy getting better results with pellets over Steel BB’s.
Starting with the velocity portion of my Indoor Field Test Shooting video, I placed a brand new 12 gram CO2 into the Crosman Triple Threat CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver and tested out some 7 grain .177 caliber Lead Pellets. I averaged 382 fps in what I would consider normal indoor temperature ranges so you can expect a bit higher velocities in warmer conditions. Moving on to 4.5mm 5.1 grain Steel BB’s, I averaged quite a bit lower velocity at 288 fps. I was surprise since it was almost 100 fps lower than the heavier 7 grain lead pellets. The logical reason for this is that lead Pellets fit the barrel much more snug, stoping any CO2 from getting around them which helps increase the velocity over Steel BB’s which are a hard metal and need to be slightly smaller in diameter and therefore do let some CO2 get by reducing the pressure behind them.
For the accuracy porting of the the Indoor Field Test I shot 10 rounds for my pellet magazine first and then 6 rounds for the BB magazine, simply because this is how many rounds each magazine holds… Makes sense right? Even with the pellet magazine holding 10 rounds over the BB magazine’s 6 rounds, the Pellet magazine was still able to get a much tighter grouping at around 1 inch over the BB target which was closer to 3 inches. BB’s seemed to really like to hook a bit with the Crosman Triple Threat CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver, so I would for sure go with pellets if accuracy is importatn to you. Both pellets and BB’s shot a little bit high and to the left from the bulls-eye but that can easily be adjusted with the fully adjustable rear sight.
The Crosman Triple Threat performed rather as expected and was not a big surprise other than the BB’s really having a much lower velocity this time around. It is clear to me that I would not waste my time shooting Steel BB’s unless this is all I had on hand as they where not only much slower but also a lot less accurate. Over time the steel BB’s could damage the rifled steel barrel effecting future pellet accuracy. The Crosman Triple Threat CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver offers a lot of options with ammo choice and barrel choice that alter it’s looks and even performance to some degree but if you want a Crosman 357 type CO2 Revolver than it for sure gives you the most flexibility.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Crosman Triple Threat CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver like pretty much all of the 357 type Crosman Revolvers is rather nice in single action with virtually zero take-up and it has a not too light weight with a predictable feel to it. In double action it does get much longer and heavier but still very usable. If you have larger thicker finger then you may want to start off in single action as the finger opening is a bit tight.
Accuracy: I have not specifically tested out the Crosman Triple Threat so far but I would be very surprised if it was any different than the standard Crosman 357 and the Crosman Vigilante I have already done Field Test Reviews for. Other than the shape of the outer barrel, both of these guns are virtually the same including the frame and the 6 inch barrels. Back in 2012 when I tested out the Crosman 357 I averaged around 400 fps using mid grain lead pellets and was able to get a 1 to 1.5 inch multi-shot grouping at 30 feet away from my paper target. I will be making an update Field Test Shooting Video so we will see if I can replicate these results with the standard Crosman 357 and Vigilante CO2 Pellet and BB Revolver.
Build Quality: The CCrosman Triple Threat CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver is a fairly basic pistol that incorporates a variety of length plastic outer barrels and inner steel barrels (3/6/8 inches), the grips are also plastic as expected and so are the magazines and sights. Most everything else is metal including the receiver, trigger and hammer. This line of Crosman 357 pistols has been around for decades so you can expect hours of fun and reliable shooting with their multi-barrel dual ammo version.
Realism: There are for sure a lot more realistic looking Replica Revolvers out there with swing out cylinders that eject the shells just like their real steel counterparts, but where the Crosman Triple Threat shines is in performance, reliability and consistency. You will get more shots per CO2, higher fps and better accuracy with the Crosman Triple Threat CO2 Pellet and BB Revolver over other more realistic Revolvers on the market.
Pros:
Inexpensive Pellet revolver with a proven track record that goes back decades.
Good usage of metal parts where you need them most. (Metal trigger, hammer, frame, barrel, CO2 Tab screw
Single and double action trigger for action and more focused shooting.
Excellent accuracy and good power with a reasonable amount of shots per CO2 (based on similar versions).
Fully adjustable rear sight.
Riffled steel barrels (All three of them).
3 different barrel choices (3/6/8 inches) depending on the look and how compact you want it to be.
CO2 and tab are nicely hidden and use all metal.
Come with both a Pellet and BB magazines..
Cons:
Outer barrels are plastic but very solid. Metal would have added a bit more weigth perhaps better balance?
Grips and trigger pull length may be a bit long for smaller handed people when shooting in double action.
Not your most real revolver out there in terms of replicas out there but probably more usable then most.
No white dots on the sights.
Comments: The Crosman Triple Threat CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver is basically another reskinned Crosman 357 at the end of the day with a ton of options including 3 different barrel lengths that will change the look, size and power depending on your needs. You also have the choice of what ammo you want to use, cheaper 4.5mm Steel BB’s or more accurate and even higher velocity lead pellets for greater downrange energy and precision. If you are not sure which Crosman 357 type revolver to get? The standard 357… the Vigilante or the Triple Threat, maybe go with the Triple Threat at the end of today as it offers the most options and variety of configurations.
I love making these Mystery Box Unboxing Videos as many of the items inside are actually real mysteries to me, some I may have an idea of but even these items are new to me so it’s fun to open them up and check them all out. In this October 2023 Mystery Box Video I checkout 9 items ranging from AEG Airsoft Rifles to Airsoft , BB and Pellet Pistols. There is even a new Steel BB product from Sig Sauer that is a compact rifle with a 3 round burst option when shooting.
In this Indoor Field Test Shooting Video I test out the Umarex T4E TR68 .68 Caliber Paintball Revolver to see what the real world velocity is and what kind accuracy I can get shooting at a paper target 30 feet away. For this Video Review I use a brand new CO2 along with .68 caliber Rubber Balls. I have already made a Table Top Video for the Umarex T4E TR68 so check that out if you’re interested in specifications and details along with more closeup video of this Paintball Revolver. And for fun I also made an interesting outside shooting video using actual Paintballs that highlights this Revolver along with the Umarex T4E HK VP9 .43 Cal. Paintball Pistol.
So let’s get straight to the shooting results! For my Chronograph test, being indoors the temperature was about room temperature, maybe a bit lower at around 19-20 Degrees Celsius or 66-68 Degrees Fahrenheit. Temperature can affect velocity as CO2 performs better in warmer conditions. My fastest Chronograph result was 205 fps while my slowest shot hitting 190 fps resulting in a average of 198 fps . Keep in mind the .68 caliber Rubber Balls have a lot more weight to them than the smaller .50 or .43 Caliber Balls used in other Umarex T4E Paintball Airguns.
Next I performed the accuracy portion which for me is the fun part, I often shoot 10 rounds in to my paper targets setup 30 feet down range, since the Umarex T4E TR68 .68 Caliber Paintball Revolver magazines only holds 5 rounds, I did have to make a quick magazine change half way through my Accuracy Test. I was also using a semi-rested shooting position with my hands resting on a sandbag up front and sitting on a stool in the back. There was also one other disruption in my shooting worth mentioning as I had to go up and put the paper target back on as it was dislodged by the energy of these larger Rubber Balls. That all said, I was able to get about a 5 inch grouping from my 10 rounds which is pretty good for a Paintball Airgun. I am confident you will be able to get all your shots on a body sized target at 30 feet out with a little bit of practice. Most of the shots were pretty well centered, perhaps just a little bit under the bullseye.
Even though the Umarex T4E TR68 .68 Caliber Paintball Revolver is a lot larger than the somewhat similar Umarex T4E TR50 .50 Caliber Paintball Revolver, I prefer it as I found it to shoot a bit more reliably and with good accuracy. It is maybe a bit large for some people as compared to the TR50 but I feel the extra size is worth it for the increased energy at point of impact and again the superior accuracy and reliability.
