You may have noticed a lack of Airgun Video Reviews last week? That is because I went on vacation with my buddy Steve to Oceanside California where we stayed at the WorldMark Oceanside Resort. We spent a full week in Oceanside visiting the surrounding beaches, Mission Beach in San Diego along with Laguna Beach and Newport Beach.
We had a really great time, I was able to capture a variety of video of some of our experiences using my Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, My DJI Neo AI and FPV Drone, and my Meta Glasses. I have put together a video to share Oceanside California and surrounding area in a mostly chronological order for your viewing enjoyment.
I am back to making Airgun Review Videos so stay posted for those videos coming shortly…
Since I use all kinds of cameras for the making of my Replica Airguns Videos including the HoverAir X1 Flying Camera Drone, I though it would be a good idea to share my thoughts on the new DJI NEO Mini Drone which Is replacing my HoverAir X1 at least for now. This is not an unboxing first impression video with basic out of the box test videos. This video is going to go over how the DJI NEO actually performs comparing to the HoverAir X1 and other DJI dedicated Drones and FPV Drones.
I have used different drones to do everything the DJI Neo claims to do, but can the DJI NEO really do it all and if so can it do it all as good or good enough?
The short answer is yes it can do it all but will it meet your specific expectations?
I don’t claim to be a pro at any of the things the DJI Neo can do, but I have at least some experience using the HoverAir X1 for the past year which is a similar experience as what you get with the base model DJI NEO out of the box.
I also have owned and flown standard DJI Drones with remote control setups for taking those cinematic flying around smooth shots. The DJI NEO out of the box can do limited distance and height using your DJI NEO with your phone in Manual Mode. You can also purchase the DJI NEO Fly More Kit that comes with the RC-N3 Controller and unlock almost limitless distance and even more features out of your DJI NEO.
I owned the first generation DJI Avata and flew it with the motion controller similar to what you can do with the DJI NEO when combined with the DJI Goggles 3 and RC Motion 3 Controller. That experience really got me more interested in experimenting with FPV drones.
I now own a bunch of FPV drones in various styles and sizes and use them with my DJI Goggles and Manual Controller to fly in full Manual Acro Mode for a true fps experience.
DJI NEO Compared to the HoverAir X1.
For the most part they both perform a lot of the same Selfie Camera shots like Follow, Droney, Circle, Rocket, Spotlight, Direction Track and some more specific to each unit.
You can fly them without a controller or even your phone by simply turning them on, selecting your flying mode and pressing a button.
They both can use your phone as a simple virtual controller to fly them around in manual mode and get some cool more cinematic shots.
They both can use your phones built in Microphone to record audio while taking out the drones propeller noise.
They are both well under 250 grams closer to 120 to 130 grams.
They both have a one axis gimbal setup.
The cameras in both are comparable. 2.7k 30fps for the HoverAir X1 and 4k 30fps for the DJI NEO.
Both have full prop guards and are very crash resistant.
Where does each one shin in my opinion?
HoverAir X1:
Starting with the HoverAir X1 it came out first and so more of the bugs and settings have been worked out, and you have to give them credit for being first here as DJI did a lot of copying if we are being honest.
The HoverAirX1 has more ability to change settings using the buttons on the drone without going into the phones software to do it.
The HoverAir X1 is better at staying in place when inside and in lower light situations.
The HoverAir X1 can record in portrait mode for social media content.
The HoverAir X1 can use just about any external USB or BT Microphone for recording to get better audio than just by using you phones internal Microphone. The DJI NEO only gives you the option to use their DJI 2 Microphone which starts at $300 Canadian.
The HoverAir X1 can be folded, making it much more portable.
The HoverAir X1 at this time can track a little bit faster than the DJI NEO, but that can change with a softer update in the future.
The HoverAir X1 does not restrict where you can fly as there is no Geo Fencing. The DJI NEO will not give you much of a problem here when in solo mode or when connected to the DJI Fly App without any controllers or Goggles, but when connected to addition DJI accessories, you will have to factor in Geo Fencing limitations and work arounds which can be really annoying.
DJI NEO:
Moving on to the DJI NEO, the NEO has voice command as long as the DJI Fly App is open and your phone screen is on, very useful when wanting to change the drones distance and height in modes like Follow and Direction Tracking.
The DJI software is a bit more intuitive and the Manual Mode allows for much smoother control of the DJI NEO and further distances and height. (60m)
The DJI NEO records in 4k which is a bit better than the HoverAir X1 2.7k, but not by much. There is room for improvement with the NEO in terms of software updates but we will see what DJI does in terms of improving video quality and hopefully the ability to tweak the video settings.
The DJI NEO has built in GPS which allows it to stay in position outside better and even go over water and steep drop-offs.
The DJI NEO has an 18 minute battery run time versus the HoverAir X1 10 minute battery run time. (In real life it is more like 15 versus 8 minutes), so almost double per battery.
The DJI NEO is much more than a one trick pony with its ability to be much more than a Flying Selfie Camera Drone. It can be a full fledged remote controlled drone or even a true FPV drone when adding the additional accessories to it.
And that brings us to the point in this video where I talk about if the DJI NEO can really perform good enough to possibly replace your stand alone drone or even your FPV Drone? And again it depends on what your expectations are and what your end use in these modes is.
In terms of a stand alone drone, when the DJI is connected to the RC-N3 Controller, it can do much of the same tasks you would expect and get many of the same shots. Because of its size it will not be as good in stronger winds and it also does not have the power or speed of a larger dedicated Drone. Most of the DJI Drones also have higher quality cameras with larger sensors and 2 or even 3 axis gimbals with better stabilization. They also have much longer battery run times so you can go farther and longer with them. That said the DJI NEO may be good enough for a non-pro user to get the shots they are looking for.
The DJI NEO has been compared to the DJI Avata series and it does look a lot like a smaller version for sure. In terms of flying ink a DJI Avata, again it is smaller and less powerful so it will be slower and more prone to weather conditions. The camera systems on even the DJI Avata 1 is much better than the DJI NEO with full 4k 60fps ability and the DJI Avata 2 camera is even better than the Avata 1 camera.
As an FPV Drone you can strap on a set of DJI Goggles 3 and and instead of using the Motion Controller 3, you can connect to the RC Motion 3 Controller and get full manual mode FPV flying and hit speeds as high as 60km/h. You do have to be careful as the DJI NEO is not really a freestyle drone, if you push it too hard it will washout and go out of control potentially crashing, especially if you are close to the ground and it does not have time to recover. That said it is a lot of fun to fly if you fly within its limitations.
Some tips when using the DJI NEO based on my experiences:
Record in 4k for best quality except when in FPV Manual mode as the faster motion of FPV flying requires more frame rate speed to capture all of the motion without getting video jitter. Your feed in the DJI Goggles will look a lot better in 1080p 60fps as 1080p is the native resolution and 60fps is much smoother and allows for easier viewing while flying.
Do not use the DJI NEO inside in low light, it simply does not work very well in low light inside and will most of the time just land.
When using a remote like the RC-N3 or the Goggles 3, lower your video sharpness to (-2) for better looking video.
To fly in restricted GEO Zones you will need to go online and make a license request on the DJI Fly-Safe website and then you will need to treansfer that request license to your drone using the DJI Fly App while connected to the DJI NEO with with an internet connect. A bit of a process but after a few times you get the hang of it. I was not able to unlock a Geo Zone on location while in the app even with an internet connection. Hopefully this gets fixed down the road.
First off, Comica was kind enough to send the Comica BoomX-D PRO Wireless Microphone System for free to review. That said the opinions in this review are my own and I do a fairly thorough review testing out the audio of the Comica BoomX-D PRO’s to my Comica Vimo C similar Microphone system. I use a variety of setups including recording into my camera and smart phone via line in and USB in. I also test out the internal recording capability of the Comica BoomX-D PRO’s to see if three is any difference in sound and levels.
One of the main reasons why I was interested in tech Comica BoomX-D PRO Wireless Microphone System is its ability to record directly to internal memory so you do not necessarily need a receiver as you can record direct to internal memory to one or both of the transmitters Microphones and then transfer the audio to you computer or smart phone later to sync with any video you may have recorded to go along with it.
The Comica BoomX-D PRO Wireless Microphone System also comes with lapel Microphones that you can use instead of the built in Microphones on the actual transmitters which can make for a more discreet microphone setup and may improve audio just a little bit. The Comica Vimo C Wireless Microphone System I have been suing for the last two years and which has never let me down and fulfilled pretty much all my audio needs is a bit more compact setup than the Comica BoomX-D PRO Wireless Microphone System but Comica Vimo C’s do not have internal memory to record to our allow for using lapel microphones.
In terms of audio quality, both systems sounds fairly similar, the Comica Vimo C Wireless Microphone System to me sounds like it may be a bit fuller in the bottom end just a little bit but not by much. Both systems have a solid connection between the transmitters and the receiver giving good range with a reliable connection with no cutouts as long as you do not get really far away with objects in-between the transmitter and receiver. I suggest you watch my Full Review Video and decide for yourself how you feel about the audio quality of the Comica BoomX-D PRO Wireless Microphone System and if perhaps it may be the right setup for your audio recording needs. In my opinion they are a well priced system for what you get and are comparable to much higher pried units without compromising quality of build or sound.
Here are some of the key features of the Comica BoomX-D PRO Wireless Microphone System:
2.4G Digital Dual-channel Wireless microphone, Global Free Frequency.
This is not an Airgun related video, I was away for a week on vacation so I made a video of some of the vacation highlights, watch if you want to or wait for some more upcoming Airgun Videos…
My wife and I just came back from a wonderful trip to Whistler BC Canada where we stayed 5 nights, then we traveled a few hours to Birch Bay Washington US for 3 more nights.
We stayed in our WorldMark Timeshare which is always very enjoyable and invited up some good friends and relatives to come and join us for part of each trip. It was a lot of fun being able to spend some of our vacation time with good people!
It was a vacation first and foremost but I like to document my trips al least to some degree with video. So I am able to share parts of the vacation with everyone using my Meta Glasses, HoverAir X1 Selfie Drone, Insta360 X4 and GO2 cameras and even a drone shot of me playing around flying my mini Pavo Pico FPV Drone around the hotel in Whistler.
I hope you enjoy the video of our various walks, outings and just simpel hotel lounging around. If you are thinking of going for a vacation in Whistler or Birch Bay, this video may give you a bit of an idea of what you can expect.
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.
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…
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.
I have been using camera glasses of some sort since the beginning with my www.ReplicaAirguns.com channel, starting off with actual ski type goggles that had a built in camera which was not ideal as they were super bulky. I did eventually get some camera glasses that where actual glasses and looked more or less like oversized sunglasses without the dark lenses but they where a big improvement over the ski goggles I was using. For the past 2-3 years I have been using my iVue Vista Camera Glasses for making these videos and they have worked pretty well for the most part but none of the camera glasses I have used in the past have any type of image stabilization which does make for some erratic video head movement.
So when I came across the Ray Ban Meta AI Smart Glasses, which I quickly learned and saw had some decent stabilization in them I thought maybe it's time to upgrade my camera glasses. The Ray Ban Meta AI Smart Glasses also do a lot more than typical Camera glasses. Not only do they have a stabilized 12mp camera with 1080p+ resolution, the Ray Ban Meta AI Smart Glasses has some very good audio for recording and hearing with a 5 mic setup and some actual usable in arm speakers. On top of the superior audio, the Ray Ban Meta's have "Hey Meta" which is like Siri or Google Assistant but it can also tap into Meta AI and do even more in terms of voice commands. You will even be able to look at something and ask Meta what you are looking at and Meta will tell you all about it.
I do hope to use the Ray Ban Meta AI Smart Glasses for a lot more than when I do my Replica Airguns Shooting Videos, I hope to use them for more spontaneous video recording on my www.GetFitOver40.com channel since they are super easy to use and you always have them ready to record.
I did order the Sunglass version but regretted it almost immediately, and so I have ordered the transitions lens version so I can use my Ray Ban Meta's both inside and out. The other negative feature for me is that the video camera records in prorate mode only and for only up to 1 minute in length. I do think I can work with this limitation as the video quality is good enough to allow for zooming and cropping when need be, and I should be able to work around the 1 minute recording time limitation by recording more selectively and simply starting another 1 min video when I need for additional time.
In this Ray Ban Meta AI Smart Glasses video, watch me Unbox, Setup and record some initial videos. I also talk a bit about why I got them and what my initial thoughts are after checking them out.
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…
