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…

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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.

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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?

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

• 48kHz/16bits Audio Recording, One-click Intelligent Denoise.

• Support On-board Recording with 16G Internal Memory（About 48 hour).

• Support Recording File's High-speed Transmission and Copy.

• Support Digital&Analog Output Mode, Universal for Camera, Phone and Computer.

• Safety Channel for Ultimate Flexibility in Post-production.

• Visual Power, Audio Dynamic Monitor and Other Display Function.

• M/S Switch, Real-time Audio Monitor, Mute and Volume Control.

• Internal and External MIC Two Input Modes.

• RF Technology, Auto Freq. Adjustment, Stable Transmission.

• Low Latency < 20ms, Working Range Up to 100m(Open Area).

• Designed with Multi-functional Belt Clip and Compact.

Buy Airguns in Canada

Buy Airguns in the US

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.

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Type: Compact Recurve Crossbow.
Manufacturer: CenterPoint.
Model: CenterPoint Hornet.
Materials: Fiberglass, metal & plastic.
Weight: 2.25 pounds (1 kilograms).
Length: 22-24 inches.
Propulsion: Recurve Bow.
Action: Single action trigger.
Ammunition Type: Aluminum bolts (Comes with 3x 146 grain).
Ammunition Capacity: 1.
FPS: 191fps.
Draw weight: 80 pounds.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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).

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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.

• Buy the CenterPoint Hornet Recurve Compact Crossbow Kit in Canada

• Buy Compact Crossbows in the US

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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.

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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.

This is not exclusive to Airguns since trends of Airguns are highly influenced by what type of Real Steel Pistols are popular to people. This is often based on what people see portrayed in movies and TV Series, and also promoted online. There is for sure an overlap in what is popular and it is hard to say what is influencing what? Is it the popularity of Pistols out in the real world that influences what we see being used in the movies and on TV? Or is it what we see in Movies and TV that influences our choices of pistols out in the real world? Perhaps it is a combination of both?

My list is based on my own personal experience and does not represent the entirety of types of Pistol designs available.

• Glock

• Sig Sauer

• 1911

• Beretta 92 / 84

• S&W M&P

• Makarov / Walther PPK

• 357 / 44 Magnum / Colt Single Action Army

• Desert Eagle

• UZI

Buy Airguns in Canada

Buy Airguns in the US

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Cost:

Airguns are generally cheaper to buy and for sure cheaper to shoot. Airguns can cost as little as $50-100 to buy while real guns in similar models will cost many time more. Cost of ammo is so much less expensive than Real Gun ammo by a mile!

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Difficulty to Obtain:

Airguns in most countries do not require any licensing or registration. Generally there are more available options in Airgun choices than Real Gun choices as restrictions often prohibit many Real Guns to be obtained.

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Places to Shoot:

Unless you live in a super remote locations and your laws allow you to shoot Real Guns in those locations, then in most cases you can shoot an Airgun almost anywhere within reason. You can even shoot certain Airgun models in your basement. Airsoft is a great option for indoor shooting as the plastic ammo does not carry very much energy so with minimal effort you can make a backstop that will trap the ammo very well.

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Trigger Time:

Because ammo is much less expensive and places you can shoot are easier to find, you can get a lot more Trigger Time under your belt which will also improve your shotgun with Real Guns and after all it’s just fun to shoot guns even if they are Airguns.

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Safety:

I am not talking about safety in terms of protection. I am talking about safety as in if you do something stupid and your Gun goes off accidentally. If you accidentally fire your Airgun indoors, the bullet will not travel through floors or walls and potentially harm or kill someone on the other side. If you do manage to shoot yourself with an Airgun, the consequence are much less severe than shooting yourself with a Real Gun. That said, always treat an Airgun as if it was a Real Loaded Gun, as server injury and even death can occur even with an Airgun.

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Ware Games and Training Situations:

There is no way you can use a standard Real Gun to shoot at people, unless extensively altered with special parts that make the Real Gun unusable to shoot live ammo. With Airguns you have the choice of using an Airsoft or Paintball gun that are both designed specifically for this purpose.

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Pest Control:

If you have the need for pest control in an urban area where you do not want a stray bullet to travel too far or penetrate buildings if a shot where to go awry, then an Airgun designed for accuracy and power may be perfect for the job. Accuracy with target and hunting Airguns is on par if not better than many Real Guns and are have powerful enough to kill a pest humanely without having too much power for the job and having to worry as much about your background.

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Prop Guns:

As mentioned already, Airguns can look a lot like Real Guns, so they are perfect to be used as a stand-in or Prop Gun when you need to simulate the look and function of a Real Gun. Again they are easier and cheaper to obtain and if something does go wrong, the consequences are much less severe.

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Social Stigma:

Unfortunately Real Guns and perhaps any gun these days are looked upon with a social stigma as being the cause of the Crime rather than a tool used in a Crime. And so people blame Guns for these crimes rather than the people committing these crimes. If a person is motivated enough to do something bad, they are going to do it either way and will use whatever means is available to them to commit these Crimes. Including other means like: Knives, Blunt Objects, Poisons, Vehicles, Explosives… Sad but true! Airguns are not used in homicides or mass shootings as they are completely underpowered for a crime like this. They can however be used in crimes as a show of threat, as they do look a lot like real guns, generally people that use Airguns for real crimes, if challenged will give up immediately as they are completely outgunned. Don’t bring an Airgun to a Real Gun fight, you have better chance with a knife!

This video is primarily for my viewers over on the Replica Airguns channels as I have not posted anything about what's been going on with me the last month and a bit. My Airgun channel does not have very much personal content like my GetFitOver40 channel does, so I wanted to fill them in on where I have been and what's been going on.

In this video I talk about being in the hospital for a month because I was experiencing shortness of breath and a feeling of pressure in my diaphragm area which was later found out to be a heart problem.

Unknown to me I had been born with a Congenital Heart Defect where my Aortic Valve was defective which over time had cause the Aortic Root area to double in size (3cm normal to 6cm).

This defect caused my heart to work a lot harder then normal making it enlarge over time which is not good and reduces it's pumping ability. Before my operation my heart function was below 20%, a normal healthy heart is around 60%.

While in the hospital I had open heart surgery on my Aortic valve replacing it along with a section above it. I also had a Pacemaker/Defibrillator put in. There where a lot of concerns because my heart was also enlarged and not functioning that well, the doctor even said they may not be able to get me off of bypass which would then require an emergency heart transplant. The good news is the operation went well and no need for a new heart at least for now...

I was in the hospital for longer than normal because of my enlarged heart and because of all the stress to it. I was in and out of what's called Atrial Fibrillation. This is when the heart beats very irregularly and faster than normal. It can be short term or longer term and can sort itself out or require intervention to help get back to a Sinus Rhythm. At the time of this post I believe it has gone back to the normal Sinus Rhythm, so fingers crossed it stays this way.

As you can imagine, this has been a life changing event and means my lifestyle will be changing a bit. I will not be doing anything to overstress my heart but that does not mean no more fitness for me, just a different fitness approach. Perhaps a more scaled back approach but I am always up for a challenge and this is no different in terms of how I would approach any challenge in my life.

So if you are a Replica Airguns follower and want to follow my "Road to Recovery" you can do that over on my GetFitOver40 channels. Other than that I will be making regular Airgun Videos moving forward now that I am at home.

Different Types of Airgun Sights

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Sights for guns in general are the same for Airguns as is with real steel guns for the most part and can be mixed and matched with a couple of exceptions. Spring piston rifles for instance are an exception because of the unique vibration the spring makes and how it can damage a standard optical sight, so in this case you’re best to use an optical sight designed for a spring piston Airgun. In most other cases sights can be used on all types of guns.

In this Airgun Sights video I will go over the various types of sights that either come as part of the gun design or can be added afterwards using a rail or mounting system.

Types of Airgun Sights most commonly used.

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Iron Sight (Fixed or removable).

Iron Sight (Adjustable).

Iron Sight (White Dot, Fiber Optic).

Come in Post/Notch, Post/Aperture (Peep).

Common on Pistols and Rifles

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Laser Sight:

Generally added to a rail or can sometime be integrated into the design of the gun.

Common on both Pistols and Rifles.

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Red Dot and Holographic:

Generally not magnified.

Most common on Rifles but can be used on Pistols.

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Optical Magnified (Telescopic)

Come in a variety of magnifications for different shooting ranges.

Generally for Rifles but can be used on Pistols.

In this Replica Airguns Video I talk about the latest Canadian Temporary Handgun Ban What it Means for Airguns. I talk about what I think abut it and what it means for Replica Airguns now and in the future.

Canada puts in place temporary handgun import ban!

From: Global Affairs Canada

News release

August 05, 2022 - Toronto, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

Canadians deserve to feel safe in their communities. That is why the Government of Canada has a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and more

resources into our communities. A central part of this is the recently introduced Bill C21. The bill addresses the alarming role of guns in gender based violence, gets tough on organized crime and most significantly introduces a national freeze on the sale,

transfer and ownership of handguns, anywhere in Canada.

The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Honourable Marco Mendicino, Minister of Public Safety, today announced a temporary import ban on the importation of restricted handguns. This will help bring the ultimate impact of the national handgun freeze into force sooner. This temporary ban means that individuals and businesses will no longer be able to import handguns into Canada, subject to narrow exceptions that mirror those in Bill C-21. These restrictions will take effect on

August 19th, 2022, and will last until the national freeze comes into force. No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence on its own. That is why Bill C-21 and the national freeze on handguns are two of the many elements in the Government’s comprehensive plan to keep Canadians safe. This begins at our borders, where we’ve added resources to fight smuggling and stop guns from coming into Canada. We’re also investing in prevention programs to tackle the root causes of gun crime and stop it before it starts. Finally, we banned assault-style weapons like AR15s, and will soon begin a buyback program to get these weapons of war out of our communities once and for all.

Quotes

“We know that one Canadian killed by gun violence is one too many. As a government, it is our duty to ensure that Canada remains one of the safest places to live in the world. The import ban announced today will help to keep guns stay off our streets as we work towards implementing Bill C-21, reducing gun violence in the immediate term.

- Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs

“My top priority as Minister is keeping Canadians safe in their communities. Today’s announcement is further proof that we are using all tools at our disposal to fight gun crime in this country. It is a key pillar of our plan to address it, along with investments in prevention, action at our borders, a ban on assault-style weapons and Bill C-21 –Canada’s most significant action on gun violence in a generation.”

- Marco Mendicino, Minister of Public Safety

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I know this is an Airgun channel but when I get something that I feel my audience would be interested I in, I generally share it with everyone. I know many Airgun enthusiasts are interested in Airguns for a few reasons like the lower cost to buy and operate, the fact that there are more situations where you can shoot an Airgun and perhaps availability of these guns in terms of purchasing them without a license and laws pertaining to overall size, barrel lengths, magazine capacities and the likes. My latest acquisition does tick some of these boxes for sure.

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My latest “Birthday” purchase was the GSG-16 which is a 22LR rimefire rifle made by www.GermanSportGuns.com and it is sort of an MP5 copy but this version is more like a Frankenstein version of an MP5 combined with an AR-15 in order to make H&K happy. Previous version of the GSG-16 (the GSG-5 and GSG-522) where too similar to the MP5 and so GSG had to make a third version less MP5-ish.

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That said the GSG-16 has all the same controls as the MP5 so for training purposes it would be very suitable. Personally I like what GSG did in order to bring the GSG-16 to market without legal ramifications from H&K. I like all the rails and the way it kind of looks a bit more like an AR-15 even if the controls are not the same.

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If you do like the MP5 look there are some kits out there for the GSG-16 to turn it back into more of an MP5 looking rifle but for me I don’t need to spend the extra money to be happy with the GSG-16.

No we do not have this item in our Replica Airguns Stores as we really only cater to guns that do not require any sort of lisenceing or permits. The closest thing you can buy I would say would be either the Umarex HK MP5-PDW CO2 BB Rifle, one of the MP5 Airsoft Rifles we have or even the Crosman MPW Blowback CO2 BB Rifle which is more AR based.

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This was an unusual Field Test Review for me to do as I really don’t test out Bows or Crossbows all that much and I don’t have the best backstop setup for doing such reviews. So I spent some time making a backstop that was capable of stopping these just over 6 inch almost 10 gram or 150 grain bolts. It required some layers of foam and cardboard along with a blanket behind just in case, and even with this setup the bolts managed to lodge themselves right up to the Fletching (feather part of the arrow). Also make sure to watch my Table Top Video Review for the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow to see it up nice and close and get all the specifications and features.

I kind of wanted to change up this review just a bit and so I recorded my Chronograph Velocity at the same time as I did my Target or Accuracy Test to simplify things. I used 5 bolts in all and got what I felt was a good result using the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow.

In terns of velocity Bear X claims that the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow will shoot around 175 fps. I was able to get consistent 190+ fps readings using the 147 grain 6.5 inch aluminum bolts with my lowest fps being 192 and the highest being 194 so super consistent. This gave an overall Foot Pound energy of 12.4 foot pounds! This is enough for small pests for sure, it really comes down to accuracy at this point as you will want to get either a head or shoulder area shot for a humane kill.

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I did do a pre test to make sure I was on target and duding this test I was able to get about a 5 inch 5 shot grouping. During my recored Accuracy Test this did open up a bit as one arrow went high and to the right so if I leave that arrow out of the test I did manage to get another 5 inch grouping with three of the arrows all within 1.5 inches of each otter. I figure with high quality arrows and some practice time using the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow, you should be able to use it for small pest control at least at closer in ranges.

All in all the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow surprised me with how powerful it really was and with the accuracy using standard default bolts. This is for sure not a toy and you would never want to accidentally shoot this at someone as it could cause a very serious injury or even death and I mean that since these arrow would for sure pierce several inches into the body. So if you’re looking for something with a bit more raw power than your standard non-regulated Airgun, then check out the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow over in both our Canada and US Online Replica Airguns Stores.

• Buy the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow in Canada

• Buy the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow in the US

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Type: Compact Crossbow.
Manufacturer: Bear X.
Model: Desire XL.
Materials: Metal & plastic.
Weight: 2.3 pounds (1 kilograms).
Length: 20-22 inches.
Propulsion: Bow.
Action: Single action trigger.
Ammunition Type: Aluminum bolts (Comes with 3).
Ammunition Capacity: 1.
FPS: 175fps.
Draw: 60 pounds

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Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow is medium to heavy, it is a single action only trigger as you need ot cock the bow in order for the trigger to be engaged. The safety is also engaged when you cock the bow requiring you to take the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow off safe before shooting as an added layer of safety.

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Accuracy: I have not made my Field Test Shooting Video for the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow and so I have not sea what to expect for it. I have watched a few videos of other people reviewing it and it looks to perform fairly well but until I get a few bolts in a target downrange I can not say for certain the accuracy of the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow. I will have to figure out some sort of a usable back stop in order to make this Field Test Shooting Video but have some ideas already on material to use as my back stop. FPS is claimed ot be around 175 and I will be doing my best to Chronograph the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow so we can confirm that rating for ourselves…

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Build Quality: The Bear X Desire XL Crossbow is actually made pretty decently, yes it is mostly plastic and light weight but feels sturdy enough to hold, 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 bow itself may be a composite material but I am not sure what exactly it is?

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Realism: The Bear X Desire XL Crossbow is not a Replica as is what I usually review here on the channel. But I think their is a crossover in terms of interest for a product like this with people that are also interested in airguns. I know I like the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow and can see a place for it in my collection even if it’s not a replica product.

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Pros:

• Fairly inexpensive.

• Super light weight.

• Can shoot in a variety of situations.

• Easy to draw the bow.

• Safety is automatically engaged.

• Picatinny rail already has iron fully adjustable rear sight but can mount a red dot if you like.

• Fiber optic front sight.

• 3 bolts included.

• 175 fps (not sure of the ft/lbs)?

• Comes with fore grip.

• 3 portion adjustable rear but stock.

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Cons:

• Will need a good backstop or will lose or damage a lots of bolts.

• Takes a little bit of time to set it up but not too hard if you follow the instructions.

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Comments:

The Bear X Desire XL Crossbow is an interesting product that once purchased and if you manage to not lose the bolts will cost virtually nothing to shoot since you can reuse the bolts all day long given you shoot them on target and that target does not damage the bolts. It may not offer the rapid fire action shooting of a replica semi auto CO2 Pistol but still challenges the shooter in terms of getting the best possible accuracy out of it and at the end of the day trigger time is trigger time! If you are looking for something a bit different than your CO2 Air Gun then maybe the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow will fill that requirement.

• Buy the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow in Canada

• Buy the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow in the US

In this Preview Unboxing Vimeo Video I take a look at five very different products! A Spring Piston .177 Caliber Pellet Pistol, an Airsoft GBB Pistol, a Compact Crossbow, a full auto CO2 Blowback BB Pistol and a PPC .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle.

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First up is the Umarex Ruger Mark IV Spring Piston Pellet Pistol which is a single shot replica pellet pistol that shoots .177 caliber pellets at up to 320 fps using a spring piston break barrel system. The Umarex Ruger Mark IV Spring Piston Pellet Pistol is a target plinker with fully adjustable fiber optic sights and should be a lot of fun to shoot!

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Next I take a look at a Gas Blowback Airsoft Pistol from Action Army that closely resembles the Ruger Mark IV pistol with perhaps a more compact look. The Action Army AAP-01 GBB Airsoft Pistol is full blowback a full size drop out magazine and fiber optic sights. It also come with a threaded barrel and barrel extension for adding a longer barrel and much suppressor.

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Next on my list of new items is the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow which is a 2.2 pound compact bolt shooting crossbow that sports a rail system with included adjustable iron sights that also allow for a red dot if you want to really customize it. The Bear X Desire XL Crossbow has a 60 pound draw and shoots arrows/bolts at up to 175 fps.

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Another AR BB Rifle/Pistol from Crosman is the Crosman A4-P Full Auto CO2 BB Pistol which is essentially a pistol version of the AR Platform. If you like the Crosman DPMS SBR, R1, PDW then you will probably also like the Crosman AP-4. Like the others it uses dual CO2’s and shoots 4.5mm Steel BB;s in semi or full auto at 1400 rounds per minute until the 25 round magazine is empty.

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Last included in this preview video is the Air Venturi Avenger Regulated PCP Pellet Rifle. I’m a bit uncertain about this one as I am pretty sure it is the non detuned PAL version that requires a firearms license here in Canada as it shoots at full velocity (.22 caliber pellet at 950 fps). If that’s the case then it will not be available in our Canada Replica Airguns Store but may be available in the US Replica Airguns Store. If it is the detuned version or a detuned version becomes available in Canada then I imagine we will at some point have it in the Canada replica Airguns Store. That said the Air Venturi Avenger Regulated PCP Pellet Rifle uses compressed air and shoots either .177. .22 or .25 caliber pellets using a latch system and rotary magazine.

After about 4 years or so of not getting sick at all, I was almost starting to think I was impervious to viruses and colds and flues and then it finally happened… I got the Rona.

Now I am not 100% sure if it is the Rona since I have not been tested yet but all signs indicate it’s probably Omicron. I have ordered some antibody tests that I expect to come in shortly, I will be checking my blood for Covid-19 Antibodies once I know my body has had enough time to make them after getting sick this time.

In this video I talk about my symptoms and how I felt start to finish getting the Rona. I can say at least for me it was not big deal, the soar throat was probably the worst of it for me.

In this Vimeo Replica Airguns Update Video I take a look at three CO2 Airguns, one is a 4.5mm Steel BB revolver distributed by Barra and two are CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistols distributed by Umarex. All of these CO2 Airguns I have previously reviewed in slightly different versions either barrel length and finish or Steel BB as compared to 6mm Airsoft So checkout why other reviews on similar version Airguns.

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The Barra Barra Schofield CO2 BB Revolver is a replica of the Schofield No. 3 single action revolver and utilizes 6 reloadable shells for a very realistic shooting experience. It is very solid in construction bing made mostly out of metal and weighs in at around 2.4 pounds. This version shots 4.5 mm Steel BBs at a velocity of up to 400 fps. It comes in a variety of barrel lengths and finishes so amen sure to have a look in our Online Replica Airguns Store for what we have available…

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Next up from Umarex is the fully licensed Beretta Pietro Mod. 92 A1 CO2 Blowback Semi and Full Auto Airsoft Pistol, this product is distributed by Umarex but is made by KWC. Another solid metal pistol with a hefty 2.4 pound weigth that holds 21 rounds in its full size drop out metal magazine and offers both semi and full auto shooting at the flick of a switch!

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Again from Umarex I showcase the Elite Force 1911 Tac CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol and like the Beretta Pietro it too is made in the KWC factory for Umarex. The 1911 Tac as the name suggest is a tactical version of the standard Colt 1911 but with some upgrades like a skeletonized hammer and trigger along with an ambidextrous safety, white dot sights front and back and a picatinny rail on the frame for add ons. You can expect velocity to be somewhere in the 400 fps range and the full size drop out metal magazine holds 15 Airsoft BB’s.

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Make sure to also checkout my Table Top Review for the Umarex S&W M&P 9 M2.0 Blowback CO2 BB Pistol.

In this video I test out the Umarex S&W M&P 9 M2.0 Blowback CO2 BB Pistol to see what we can expect in terms of accuracy and velocity. I first shoot several rounds through my Chronograph to get an average fps fooled by an accuracy test where I shoot 10 rounds at a paper target setup 30 feet down range to see how tight of a grouping I can get and if the Airgun out of the box shoots relatively on target.

Starting with my Velocity Test I shot about 9 rounds through my Chronograph to get a 6 shot average using a brand new CO2. The first three shots seemed to be a bit low as the Umarex S&W M&P 9 M2.0 Blowback CO2 BB Pistol is brand new and this was probably the CO2 valve settling in a bit. After the first three shots all the rest of the shots where in the 350-360 fps ranges with an average of 359 fps, fairly close to the Umarex 375 claimed fps on the packaging.

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Next I setup a brand new paper target 30 feet down range and placed 10 rounds carefully on it from a seated and rested shooting position. I was able to get close to a two inch grouping that was a bit to the left of the bullseye but well centered vertically. The sights are not adjustable so at least with this gun I would need to aim juts a little bit to the right to nail targets consistently.

Overall I am impressed with the Umarex S&W M&P 9 M2.0 Blowback CO2 BB Pistol, the fps was right in the ballpark giving better performance than most full blowback BB guns which will ams translate to more shots per CO2. The accuracy was also on point, it just would be nice if some of these lower coat airguns had adjustable sights to get them dead canter. I did find the trigger to be better than expected, it is a bit long as the first part of the trigger is used to shutle a BB into the breach for the magazine but usually this porting of the trigger pull can have a bit of friction to it, not the case with the Umarex S&W M&P 9 M2.0 Blowback CO2 BB Pistol as it felt really smooth. The actual trigger release does require a bit more force but once y9u figure it out the guns world well and would make for good action shooting.

• Buy the Umarex S&W M&P 9 M2.0 Blowback CO2 BB Pistol in Canada

• Buy the Umarex S&W M&P 9 M2.0 Blowback CO2 BB Pistol in the US

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UPDATE: All Umarex Glock 17 Gen 4 and Glock 19 Gen 3 GBB Airsoft Pistols now ship with the Shorter Barrels!!

Type: Blowback GBB Airsoft Pistols.
Manufacturer: Distributed by Umarex.
Model: Glock 17 Gen 4 & Glock 19 Gen 3.
Materials: Metal & Polymer.
Weight: 1.66 Pounds (642 grams) / 1.64 Pounds (634 grams).
Barrel: Smooth bore 10.8 inch barrels.
Propulsion: Green Gas or Propane.
Action: Semi auto blowback, single action only trigger.
Ammunition Type: 6mm plastic Airsoft BB's.
Ammunition Capacity: 22 / 19 round drop out full size metal magazines.
FPS: Claimed 410 with .20 gram Airsoft BB’s.

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Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Umarex Glock 17 Gen 4 and Glock 19 Gen 3 GBB Airsoft Pistols is fairly short with only a little bit of take up, the release is light and crips. The blowback action resets the internal Hammer / Striker with each shot for that true single action trigger and it’s also nice that the trigger does have a working trigger safety like the real steel versions.

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Accuracy: At this point I have not shot either of the long barrel Umarex Glock 17 Gen 4 and Glock 19 Gen 3 GBB Airsoft Pistols so I can only quote what Umarex is saying in terms of FPS which is around 410 using Green Gas or Propane. These longer barreled versions should shoot fairly hot compared to the much shorter barreled versions and since i do have a short barrel Glock 17 Gen 4 I may also compare it at the same time to see what the actual barrel length does in terms of fps velocity. Of course my Field test Shooting video will also focus on accuracy add see what can be accomplished shooting a 10 shot grouping at 30 feet down range.

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Build Quality: The Umarex Glock 17 Gen 4 and Glock 19 Gen 3 GBB Airsoft Pistols seems well made overall. It does seem a little bit underweight but still feels solid enough in the hand, Glocks are not known for being all that hefty. The Slide is metal but has a bit of an unusual finish that makes it look a lot like the plastic frame rather than a more shiny metal look. All the parts seem to fit nicely, maybe even a bit snug at first as I noticed the side had a bit of friction to it but seems to be working in nicely now.

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Realism: The Umarex Glock 17 Gen 4 and Glock 19 Gen 3 GBB Airsoft Pistols look the part of these Glocks all day long. Other then the slightly lighter weight it would be hard to tell off hand until you remove the magazine and take a closer look. All the parts work as you would expect them to, similar to the real steel version and you can even fully field strip the them which makes getting to and adjusting the hop-up easy enough to do.
Available From: The Replica Airguns Store.

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Pros:

• Decent weight and feel to them, build quality seems good.

• Really nice looking replicas of the original Glock 17 Gen 4 / Glock 19 Gen 3.

• Fully Glock licensed via Umarex.

• Easy to see white dot sights front and back with rear sight adjustable for windage.

• Recessed barrel for added realism when cut down.

• Accessory rail for adding a laser or tactical light.

• Full size drop out metal magazines that holds the Green Gas and 6mm Airsoft BB’s.

• Warning instruction are nice and discreet under trigger guard.

• Nice light SAO trigger as the blowback action pre-cocks the internal hammer/striker.

• Working trigger safeties.

• No red tips and more realistic outer barrel size.

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Cons:

• Only comes with the longer barrel so you need to either cut it down or replace it with a shorter barrel.

• No way to put a mock suppressor on it to keep extended barrel.

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Comments:

Getting the Umarex BB versions of the Glock 17 and Glock 19 has for sure been a bit easier since fps velocity is not a factor. So it’s great that we at least have a way to import these two Umarex Glock GBB Airsoft Pistols into Canada! Yes some home modifications may be required to cut down the inner barrel as the long extended barrels are certainly not practical for every day shooting. That said with the extended long barrels I did get out and shoot a few rounds through them and the added barrel length really does allow for a much faster velocity Airsoft BB making these Umarex GBB Airsoft Glocks more like snipper pistols :)

• Buy the Umarex Glock 17 Gen 4 GBB Airsoft Pistol in Canada

• Buy the Umarex Glock 19 Gen 3 GBB Airsoft Pistol in Canada

• Buy Glock Airsoft Pistols in the US

UPDATE: All Umarex Glock 17 Gen 4 and Glock 19 Gen 3 GBB Airsoft Pistols now ship with the Shorter Barrels!!

In this YouTube Update Preview Video I go over a couple new Umarex Glock Licensed GBB Airsoft Pistols that I feel require a bit of explaining. Essentially we already stock these same Umarex Glock Blowback Airsoft Pistols, but in the CO2 magazine versions. The Umarex Glock 17 Gen4 and Umarex Glock 19 Gen3 I highlight in this video come with Green Gas Magazines and both have extended inner barrels to allow for Canada import to increase the velocity to our over 360 fps using a .20 gram Airsoft BB.

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Usually Green Gas Airsoft Pistols with extended inner barrels will have the ability to unscrew the extension and will even come with a shorter replaceable barrel but in this case all you get is the longer one piece inner barrel. My suggestion is to either cut down the long inner barrel to fit within the out barrel or purchase a short inner barrel when they are available.

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At the moment we do not have either one of these Airsoft Pistols listed in our Replica Airguns Stores but they should pop up shortly!

• Buy Glock Airguns in Canada

• Buy Glock Airguns in the US