The question comes up often about which Airgun to buy. Customers are wondering when they are looking at a specific Airgun and they see several similar products but from different companies, are they the same gun and if so which one should they decide to buy?
One of the biggest Airgun suppliers out there is for sure KWC, their BB and Airsoft guns are redistributed through companies like Umarex, Crosman, Sig Sauer, ASG, Gletcher and more. Often times the companies that redistribute KWC Airguns hold licensing agreements with real gun manufacturers like Smith & Wesson, Glock, Colt, Beretta, Sig Sauer, Taurus to name a few… KWC makes the Airguns in their Taiwanese factory but they are not allowed to put a real gun manufacturer license on the Airguns they distribute directly so KWC distributed Airguns will generally be all black.
I have also seen companies like Umarex distribute a new KWC Airgun that I have not seen yet from KWC, I believe KWC works with these big name Airgun companies directly and will build a new gun or variation of an existing KWC Airgun for them and give that Company an exclusive for a period of time. KWC will eventually regain the rights to sell that Airgun model directly after 6 months to a year.
Now that you know a little bit more on how it all works let’s get back to whether you should buy a KWC branded Airgun or other Brands same Airgun. It really comes down to I would say three factors. Do you want a Licensed version of the Airgun you are buying? Is there a price difference? Which gun is available to buy when I am ready to buy?
When you buy the Licensed version of the KWC Airgun redistributed through a third part Airgun Company you will often get a lot more writing on the Airgun than just the Gun Manufacturers name. Warning information comes to mind and does not look all that attractive on the slide where it is usually found in bright white lettering. If you like a cleaner look and don’t mind the lack of licensing then the KWC distributed version will generally be all back, nice and clean looking.
You would think buying the KWC Version that is sold more directly to the end customer would be the less expensive of the options because less hands are involved in the selling process. This is not always true, it is more about supply and demand, if more people want the cleaner looking KWC version but it’s harder to get ahold of than the price of the KWC version may actually be higher than say the Umarex or Crosman version. So shop around if price is the deciding factor as the guns are going to be mechanically the same with just some slight cosmetic differences between them.
Lastly, availability maybe what eventually leads you to buy a KWC version over an Umarex, or Crosman or Sig version since if the gun is not in stock well you may have limited options and so the one in stock is going to be perhaps your only option! Don’t feel like you got short changed, again these guns are virtually all the same at the end of the day no matter if you buy it from KWC, Umarex, Crosman, Sig Sauer, ASG, Gletcher or whomever.
Here we go again with another Favorite Airgun Video of 2018, this time I show you my Air Rifle Favorites! There are usually a lot less Air Rifles that come out than Air Pistols but this year was’t too bad for new and interesting Ari Rifles. As per usually there where more 4.5mm Steel BB Rifles and I am sorry to say nothing really came out at least in the Replica Air Rifle department but of course there where 6mm Airsoft rifles too.
I do mainly focus on the 4.5mm BB rifles but throw in the group a very well made and ultra realistic Airsoft Rifle that was for sure in this years Top Five!
Next in this video I take a look at what I can say was my number one pick this year, the Crosman DPMS SBR Steel BB Rifle! When Crosman announced the Crosman DPMS SBR Steel BB Rifle at SHOT Show I was a bit surprised since Crosman is not known best for their Replica Airguns. Not only did Crosman decide to come out with an M4 Replica Air Rifle but they in fact made what I believe is the best one out there at least in 4.5mm Steel BB. It covers all the check boxes I am looking for. It’s very well made, shoots in semi and full auto with a working internal blowback bolt. All the mechanical parts work in the same way as a real M4 including being able to take apart the upper and lower receivers. I really hope Crosman took note of how popular this style of Airgun is and keeps making more product like the Crosman DPMS SBR Steel BB Rifle.
Another 4.5mm Steel BB M4 Replica that came out in 2018 is the Air Venturi HellBoy CO2 BB M4 Air Rifle. The HellBoy may not be as full featured as the Crosman DPMS SBR but it is worthy of this years Top Five. The Air Venturi HellBoy CO2 BB M4 Air Rifle is similar to how the Cybergun AK 47 BB rifles are built, using a magazine design that is basically the bulk of the working mechanism, it hold the CO2, CO2 Valve, BB’s, and even part of the trigger mechanism. The Air Venturi HellBoy CO2 BB M4 Air Rifle may not be as ultra realistic as the Crosman DPMS SBR but it’s an excellent full metal M4 Replica with decent shooting performance.
My only Airsoft contribution to this years list is the KWA LM4 RIS PTR Full Metal GBB Airsoft Rifle. I just love this Airsoft Rifle, It may not be the cheapest M4 GBB Airsoft Rifle out there but it sure is worth it. When you pick it up it just feels like quality and when you shoot it you know it’s quality, the shooting performance is awesome for a GBB Rifle. I barely noticed any cool down even when shooting off the entire magazine in full auto. If you want the most realistic M4 Air Rfile out there than the KWA LM4 RIS PTR Full Metal GBB Airsoft Rifle is going to be the one.
Last up to showcase in this years Favorite Air Rifles is the Umarex Legends MP40 CO2 BB Weathered Submachine Gun. I know the Umarex Legends MP40 CO2 BB Submachine Gun kinda came out last year but I did not get my hands on the Weathered version till only recently so I decided to put it in this years Top Five pick. The Umarex Legends MP40 CO2 BB Submachine Gun is another fine 4.5mm Steel BB Rifle in this case it’s more of a Submachine Gun. The Umarex Legends MP40 CO2 BB Submachine Gun also offers semi and full auto select fire and is a very close replace to the real steel MP40 in almost every way. The Weathered Finish and included Leather Sling really finish it off to make it super believable.
There has been some confusion when it comes to the KWC made Mini UZI regarding semi and full auto abilities and also when it comes to build materials. But before we get into that if you have one of these Mini UZI Blowback BB or Airsoft guns then most likely yours is made by KWC even if it was distributed through RWS, Umarex, Gletcher, Cybergun or some other company. When it comes to the build materials used they are all made by KWC so they are all built the same with plastic and metal in the same places.
Let’s first talk about why some of these Mini UZI’s only come in semi auto with the Full auto selection not available out of the box. This is most likely because in some countries a full auto BB and/or Airsoft gun can be illegal so to play it safe many airguns that are originally made to shoot in both semi and full auto are modified to only shoot full auto. This is the case with most of the companies that redistribute the KWC Mini UZI under their own brand name. That said if you buy the KWC Mini UZI in either 4.5.mm Steel BB or 6mm Plastic Airsoft from our Replica Airguns Canada or US Online Stores, you will be getting a full auto ready out of the box airgun!
If your MINI UZI Airgun is not full auto ready then checkout my Full Auto Mod Video but make sure before you do this modification it is legal in your country to do so or you could be looking at jail time :(
When it comes to build materials the KWC Mini UZI is often described on websites as being full metal which is close but not entirely true. It is accepted that most full metal airguns will have plastic grips but the KWC Mini UZI also has a plastic shroud around the main receiver that is am all in one piece that makes o=up the front and back sights. This might lead you to think that the gun is mainly plastic which is far from the case since all other parts like the receiver block, bolt, top plate, barrel, rear stock, trigger and magazine are metal. This give the KWC Mini UZI its sold 4.8 pound weight. The heavy metal internal bolt really makes this blowback airgun rock when you shoot it simulating very close recoil action to a 22LR. The KWC Mini UZI for sure has the most blowback recoil out there.
If you are looking for the most bad ass and action packed full auto BB or Airsoft Gun then I would highly suggest you consider getting one of these KWC Mini UZI’s. Just be sure to have lots of CO2 and BB’s on hand because you will go through both like crazy…
Some other very cool news, we are now selling KWA Airsoft Guns, I have been a big fan of KWA for a long time and enjoy visiting their booth at SHOT Show, they have excellent high quality detailed Airsoft guns and carry a great combination of Blowback and AEG Airsoft Guns. Once I get through my Crosman and Gletcher reviews I will focus on showcasing the new KWA lineup we are selling.
Let's keep it short and simple and get right to my results. My five shot Chronic Testing to find out the real world velocity for the Gletcher TT-A Tokarev CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol shooting 5 rounds of .20 gram plastic Airsoft BB's with a brand new CO2 resulted in an average of 434 fps, not bad at all for a Blowback Airsoft Pistol!
For some reason I thought the Gletcher TT-A Tokarev CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol was shooting high so I originally time my first 10 shots at the bottom ring on my paper target and pretty much missed the target with every shot. My second go around aiming dead center on the target setup 30 feet away was much better resulting in 9 out of the 10 shots hitting all within about 3 inches of each other pretty well centered but just a tad bit low. Respectable for sure!
The Gletcher TT-A Tokarev CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol blowback is fairly heavy and it also has a fair mount of power for a CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol so you may want to use it more in an outdoor setting where you are not so close up and personal. The double action trigger is a little bit heavy but not bad and easy enough to get shots off quickly. Not a bad pistol overall and worth considering.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Gletcher TT-A CO2 Airsoft Tokarev is single action only, the blowback action cocks the hammer after each shot but you will need to either draw the hammer back or rack the slide on the first shot. I did find the the SAO trigger to be rather heavy for a single action type trigger? Perhaps it will loosen up a bit over time? The take-up is kind of long since there is no real reset that takes place after the hammer is drawn back. The release point is sudden but does take some effort to release the trigger.
Accuracy: So far I have only Field Tested the 4.5mm Steel BB version and of dun it shot in the upper 300 fps range with a pretty decent accuracy shooting a 10 shot group form 30 feet back all within 1.5 inches. Hopefully the Airsoft version can produce similar results...
Build Quality: The Gletcher TT-A CO2 Airsoft Tokarev is really nicely made overall, pretty much the entire pistol is metal except for the grips which are plastic of course. The finish looks really nice and the fit is good, not a lot of slide wiggle and all the mechanical parts function smoothly with the exception of the rather strange two piece trigger design. You really need to watch my video to see what I mean here!
Realism: I am lucky enough to own a Tokarev type semi auto real steel pistol and looking at the two of them side by side they look very much the same. Of course my Norinco Tokarev (Type 54) Model 213 is made out of hardened weapons grade steel and so it is heavier but the Gletcher TT-A CO2 Airsoft Tokarev does feel solid in the hand with it's all metal design. The working slide catch, magazine release and hammer are all in the right places and function as they should. Gletcher even made sure to have a recessed barrel and hidden CO2 screw which adds to the realism. The only real giveaways are again that rather strange looking single action trigger and the two pins near the lower front of the slide. Not a deal breaker!. I do have to mention the way the safety was implemented on this Gletcher TT-A CO2 Airsoft Tokarev, Gletcher placed it just inside the Slide Stop Retainer Clip in a kind of unobtrusive location.
Pros:
One of the only 6mm Airsoft BB shooting Tokarev replicas I have come across so far
Very solid and weighty gun for it’s size. Mostly all metal.
CO2 is well hidden.
13 round all metal stick magazine once installed looks full size.
Blowback operation, slide locks back on last round.
Did a good job of making the safety discreet.
The Tokarev reminds me of a smaller more compact 1911 which is another gun I like.
Cons:
SAO trigger is rather heavy.
Trigger looks a bit funky compared to a real Tokarev trigger.
Would have liked to have seen a full size drop out metal magazine on this gun.
Comments:
So far I have liked all the Gletcher guns that I have come across, it's great that Gletcher offers a lot of unique guns from the past, for me the Tokarev is near and dear to my heart since it is very 1911 like and I truly love the 1911 design. It only makes sense that I would own not only a real steel 1911 but also the Russian Tokarev. I'm not really sure how the Gletcher TT-A CO2 Airsoft Tokarev is going to perform using the chronograph and during my paper target testing from 30 feet out but I am popgun ti will shoot a bit harder than the claimed 263fps and if it can get similar accuracy as the 4.5mm steel BB version that will be great!
My Vimeo Table Top Video of the Gletcher TT-A Tokarev CO2 Airsoft Pistol:
In this Classic Legends Airguns comparison video I look at a number of different Classic or Legendary BB Airguns and compare them to each other to determine which one I personally feel is the best . My final choices are of course based on my own personal opinion and in this video I end up picking two as they where kind of each in their own class.
In this Makarov comparison video I look at a variety of different versions of Makarov BB Airguns and compare them to each other to determine which one I feel is the best in their class. My final choice is of course based on my own personal opinion and even then I found it hard to pick a clear winner.
This year at SHOT Show 2017 in Las Vegas, I found there wasn’t a lot of new Airgun products but as always there are some that stood out for me. If you want more info on each Airgun Company then make sure to watch my full interviews for this years SHOT Show 2017. So without prolonging this video any longer let’s get right into it…
Umarex Legends MP CO2 Full Auto German MP40 Replica Machine-gun:
What’s not to like about the Umarex Legends MP? It has lots of metal parts weighing in at 7.7 pounds, a 60 round steel BB magazine with a dual 12 gram CO2 system. You also get your choice of shooting either in semi auto or full auto at up to 400 fps. Personally the Umarex Legends MP was the most interesting Airgun at the show this year for me and I really think it is going to be a hit!
Umarex SA10 Blowback Pellet and BB CO2 Pistol:
Another interesting product from Umarex this year was the SA10, I am not really sure what it is exactly styled after, it’s more of a futuristic looking gun with slide venting and a thread barrel for adding a mock suppressor or compensator. What appealed to me most about the Umarex SA10 was the new magazine design that incorporates a full size drop out metal magazine with 4 rotary 8 round magazines that can be loaded with either pellets or BB’s. When you empty one 8 shot magazine you simply drop the entire mag out and swap your empty 8 shot rotary magazine for a full one. The SA10 has a nice weight of around 2 pounds and shoots up to 426 fps.
Sig Sauer ASP P320 CO2 Blowback Pellet Pistol:
Sig Sauer introduced their new Sig Sauer ASP P320 CO2 Pellet Pistol this year that will be replacing the P250. Like the P250 the Sig P320 has a metal slide and polymer frame but instead of a double sided 16 shot rotary magazine, the Sig ASP P320 has a newly designed and very unique 30 round belt fed magazine. That’s nearly double the capacity without having to flip the magazine around part way through shooting. It’s great to see innovations like this happening in the airgun market.
Crosman Remington 1875 Shell Loading CO2 Pellet and BB Revolver:
Crosman introduced their own Single Action Old West Revolver this year in the form of the Remington 1875. Like the super popular Umarex Single Action Army Revolvers, the Remington 1875 is also shell loading and uses 12 gram CO2. You have the option of shooting either Pellets or BB’s out of its smooth bore barrel. I expect the Crosman Remington 1875 Shell Loading Revolver to be another popular Old West Airgun Revolver.
Crosman PSM45 Single Shot Spring Powered BB Pistol:
The Crosman PSM45 at first glance may not seem that interesting, after all it’s all plastic on the outside and only shoots about 200 fps! On the plus side it kind of looks like a Glock and we all know how hard it is to find airguns these days that resemble a Glock. I also like the fact that there is no need for any CO2, and most springers out there look like springers while the Crosman PSM45 looks like a real semi auto pistol. The PSM45 even has pretty decent weight to it since there are lots of internal metal parts and a full size drop out metal magazine which was a real surprise in such an entry level low cost pistol. If you’re looking for a fun inexpensive replica plinker than the Crosman PSM45 should fit the bill. On a side not the PSM45 would also make a really great low cost prop since the slide does work and it has that full size drop out magazine!
ASG Dan Wesson 715 2.5 and 4 inch Shell Loading CO2 Revolvers:
The ASG Dan Wesson Revolver has always been a popular choice, and then the Dan Wesson 715 came out improving on the design by adding extra weight and smoothing out the mechanics. How do you top that? Well by giving us some more options like barrel lengths. You now have your choice of a 2.5, 4 or 6 inch barrel for the Dan Wesson 715 and of course you will be able to buy your 715 pick in 4.5mm Steel BB, 6mm Plastic Airsoft or .177 Caliber Pellet ammunition versions. My personal choice may be the 4 inch Dan Wesson 715 since it has the addition of an integrated accessory rail machined into the outer barrel for lasers or tach lights.
Gletcher M1944 Mosin Nogant CO2 BB Rifle:
The Gletcher M1944 Mosin Nogant CO2 BB Rifle is not a new replica gun this year but it has been a hard one to get your hands on. In fact up until SHOT Show 2017 I had never seen one in person and so the Gletcher M1944 is new to me. I was very impressed with the quality of the Gletcher M1944 Mosin Nogant, it has a lot of metal parts including the swing out bayonet and even the simulated wood stock looks like real wood. I even had to take a second look and ask before confirming that the stock is in fact plastic on the Gletcher M1944 Mosin Nogant. I am looking forward to reviewing this rifle in the future when I do finally get one!
Of course there where other interesting products at SHOT Show 2017 this year but those are the products that stood out the most for me. Again make sure to watch my full interview videos to find out more about all the new products at this years SHOT Show.
My last Interview for SHOT Show 2017 in Las Vegas, well at least till next year and I am already looking forward to going back and doing it all over again :) I met with Boris Shekhman from Gletcher and Boris showed me several of their Gletcher Airguns along with a new accessory introduced this year.
Probably the highlight at the Gletcher booth was the Gletcher M1944 Mosin Nagant CO2 4.5mm Steel BB Bolt Action full stock air rifle! I already reviewed the Gletcher M1891 short stock version but have been really looking forward to seeing the Gletcher M1944 Mosin Nagant in person. Interestingly, Boris was asked by the SHOT Show staff to remove the Gletcher M1944 Mosin Nagant from his display because the real metal swing out bayonet was a concern for them. Boris was kind enough to bring out the Gletcher M1944 for me to see and video for everyone. The full stock however is not real wood but you need to look super close to figure this out as the reproduction is incredible.
We took a look at another Gletcher Airgun I have reviewed in the past, the Gletcher NGT and Gletcher NGT R which are very acurate Steel BB and Pellet shooting reproductions of the Belgian Nagant Revolver. Both these BB and Pellet shooting NGT's are getting a slight make-over with the addition of a safety on them, the real steel versions do not have a safety but some dealers felt it was a concern so Gletcher moving forward will be including a safety on all new NGT's. So if you want a more original Gletcher NGT Nagant Revolver then hurry up and pickup the older non-safety versions while they are still available!
Last on the list of new products from Gletcher are some really great looking leather holsters that not only work for several Gletcher airgun products but can also be used for the same real steel versions. Some of the pistols these new leather holsters will accommodate are the Gletcher TT Tokarev, 1911, Grach, PM 1951 Makarov, and the Stechkin.
This Vimeo Video Preview covers three really nice CO2 Pistols recently added to our Replica Airguns Canada Store. One is a pellet pistol from Gletcher called the Gletcher NGT R which is for the most part the same as the standard 4.5mm Steel shooting NGT but the R model is made to shoot .177 caliber pellets so it also has a rifled barrel. I am expecting pretty decent accuracy with this pistol!
Last but perhaps the best or at least most anticipated gun I am showing off today is the Umarex S&W M&P40 Full Blowback CO2 BB Pistol. This is a really nice acurate replica of the real steal S&W M&P40 with full licensing and pretty much every part operational like it would be on the .40 caliber version.
Here are some basic Specifications for all of these fine Co2 Airguns...
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Gletcher GOLD APS Stetchkin is nice in both double and single action modes. Double action is fairly light as the hammer spring tension is moderate. The blowback operation will of course pre-cock the hammer allowing for single action shooting on almost all of your shots but the trigger pull length remains the same in both single and double action. The only difference is that in single action mode, the first part of the trigger pull, or should I say the take-up portion is much lighter until it gets to the hammer release point where you will notice more pressure and a short crisp release point.
Accuracy: I have already done a field test shooting review for the standard blowback Gletcher APS Stechkin which other than the finish is the same gun and will perform exactly the same. Make sure to checkout that shooting review for more info on how the Gletcher APS performed. In summary, I was able to get very close to the claimed 400 fps even on a rather cool early spring day (under 10 degree Celsius). I also shot with around a 2 inch 10 shot grouping from my standard target setup of 30 feet back in a semi rested position.
Build Quality: The Gletcher GOLD APS Stechkin CO2 Blowback BB Pistol is well made, the Gold and black etched finish looks really nice but may not be to everyones personal taste, kind of a love it or hate situation when it comes ot Gold guns ;) The fit is good, not a lot of slide wiggle and pretty much the entire pistol is metal including the frame, slide, trigger, slide catch-release, safety, hammer, magazine and inner barrel. The only plastic parts would be the grips, outer barrel and some internal seals and o-rings.
Realism:The GOLD CO2 BB Gletcher APS is a 1 to 1 replica of the Stechkin Soviet Military sidearm, all the mechanical parts function just like you would find on the real steel version other than the full auto mode located on the safety, which has been disabled, perhaps for the European markets where full auto airguns are not allowed. The barrel opening and the stick magazine are the real only tell-tale signs that this is the airgun version rather than a real Stechkin.
Pros:
Come in a nice Velvet lined Wooden Box.
Gold Plated with etching )either love it or hate it)
Very solid and weighty gun. Mostly all metal.
High capacity 22 round all metal stick magazine
Blowback operation is pretty heavy, slide locks back on last round.
Operational parts all work like they should (slide catch, safety, hammer, elevation adjustment, mag release)
Field Strippable.
May be able to attach a stock on it?
Shooting performance, good trigger pull, around 400 fps and got about a 2 inch grouping from 30 feet away.
Cons:
No reassessed barrel opening.
Would have liked to have seen full size drop out metal magazine on this gun.
Full auto feature disabled on safety.
Gold version is a lot more expensive than the standard blowback version. ($349 versus $179)
Comments:
When I saw this pistol in the Gletcher catalog, I did not realize how large it actually was, I was expecting the Gold Gletcher APS Stechkin to be a bit larger than the Makarov but it really does dwarf the Makarov. Being that it is a large pistol it does have some weight to it but it does not feel heavy for its size. The grips are long front to back but not overly thick side to side so even medium sized hands should be OK shooting this BB air pistol. I am really happy to see another historic airgun added to the available Replica Airguns at our disposal and it's a bonus that we also get this one with blowback operation. You do have your choice when it comes to what you are looking for in terms of finish and operation, there is of course the APS GOLD blowback BB Version being reviewed in this video, the standard black/grey none blowback APS BB version, the black/grey blowback APS BB version which again is mechanically exactly the same as the GOLD. If your prefer Airsfot you can even find a Gletcher APS Blowback Airsoft model to fit your needs. All you have to decide is which one is for you!
My Vimeo Table Top Video of the Gletcher APS Stechkin CO2 Blowback BB Pistol:
Another preview video with some pistols from Umarex, ASG and Gletcher. Two of these Airguns I got to see whiel I wa sin SHOT Show this year so it was nice to be able to spend a bit more time with each one now that I have them in person for review :)
Lets start off with the ASG Dan Wesson 715, mine happens to be the Stainless version in 4.5mm Steel BB. What an upgrade over the original Dan Wesson Revolver and I thought those where already really good! The all new ASG Dan Wesson 715 is super solid coming in close to three pounds with its mostly solid metal construction.
Next up is the Umarex Combat Vet 1911 which is essentially a KWC 1911 distributed and Colt licensed via Umarex. The Umarex Combat Vet 1911 is a limited edition product made to look weathered and used and it does look amazing!
Lastly the Gletcher Stechkin in a Gold finish shipped in a real wood box with velvet lining. This is the same Airgun as the Gletcher APS but blinged out a bit, the Gold finish is lined with black etching to really make this gun look unique.
This is the Field Test Shooting Review for the Gletcher P08 Luger CO2 Blowback BB Pistol, to view my Table Top Review with features and specifications click on this link.
During this Field Test Shooting Video Review of the Gletcher P08 Luger CO2 Blowback BB Pistol, I test the actual real world velocity using my Chronograph and then conduct an accuracy test using paper targets from a controlled shooting position.
I shot 5 rounds through my Chrony Chronograph and got an average of 374 fps which was pretty decent for a blowback CO2 BB pistol on a not so warm early spring day (Around 10 degrees Celsius) I could see this Gletcher P08 BB Pistol getting around 400 fps on a warm summer day. I should be able to get around 80-100 shots from a single CO2 cartridge.
Next I performed my accuracy test from 30 feet back in a semi rested position, I was able to get a 1-5 to 2 inch grouping with 10 shots. The Gletcher P08 Luger CO2 Blowback BB Pistol does have a single action trigger which makes the release smooth and light but there is a bit of a sticky rough early trigger stage where a BB is loaded. When shooting fast this will not be as noticeable but when slowing down your shooting for accuracy it is noticeable for sure. I didn't seem to effect my accuracy all that much which was nice and I was able to get a pretty well centered grouping (just a tad to the left) with the none adjustable sights.
This Field test of the Gletcher P08 Luger BB Pistol goes to show that a blowback CO2 BB pistol can have both good feet per second performance and accuracy.
During this Field Test Shooting Video Review I take a look at the actual real world velocity of the Gletcher TT Tokarev Replica using my Chronograph along with some accuracy testing using paper targets with a controlled shooting position.
My Chronograph test did not go as smoothly as I would have liked but I did get enough shots to get a realistic 5 shot average 342 fps for this Gletcher TT Tokarev BB Pistol. My 5th shot was a bit lower than the first 4 since I had already shot off about 15 shots and because of the cool temperate outside the gun had cooled down a bit. On a warmer day I would expect to get close to 400 fps out of the Gletcher TT Tokarev CO2 Blowback BB Pistol.
Again this Field Test was plagued with difficulties, I actual performed my accuracy test twice for the cameras because during my first go at it, one of the cameras ran out of battery! Hey, it happens! Perhaps I felt a little rushed on my second target shooting test, since I didn't get as tight of a group as I did on the first test. The Gletcher TT is however capable of getting around a 1.5 inch grouping from 30 feet away and the TT shot very well centered for me which is good news since the sights are none adjustable.
I like the snappy blowback action, the Gletcher TT Tokarev Replica is not an overly large pistol and for such an old school design it really feels good in the hand while shooting. I also like the traditional post and notch sights. The Gletcher TT Tokarev CO2 Blowback BB Pistol is a single action only gun but I did find that the release of the trigger was a bit heavy which will take some getting used to.
Overall, the Gletcher TT Tokarev is a really nice Blowback CO2 BB Pistol and if you are into the classic BB Replica guns then it is a must have for sure.
This video focuses only on the shooting performance of the Gletcher APS. I test the (FPS) Feet Per Second performance first using my Chronograph to see what the actual real world velocity is and then I take my Gletcher APS Blowback BB pistol out to the 30 foot range and shoot 10 rounds on a paper target from a semi rested position.
So how did the Gletcher APS Stechkin CO2 Blowback BB Pistol do? Pretty decent overall. Gletcher claims around a 400 fps max velocity and got an average 5 shot reading of 394 fps on what I would consider to be a rather cool day (under 10 degree Celsius). I was of course using a brand new CO2 to get optimal results.
When I tested the accuracy for the Gletcher APS Stechkin from my standard semi rested 30 foot position, I got failry typical results for a BB pistol at right around a 2 inch grouping, more than adequate enough for shooting small to medium sized targets around the yard.
The Gletcher APS Stechkin CO2 Blowback BB Pistol is bigger than I thought it would be, you can see this in my Table Top Review where I show it side by side to my 2013 Baikal Makarov BB Pistol. The Gletcher APS weighs in at over 2 pounds and has larger than average grips so small handed shooters may not be comfortable shooting the Gletcher APS. I found the blowback action to have a nice firm snap too it and the trigger pull was long but had a good feel and nice and easy to predict release point.
Overall I found the Gletcher APS Stechkin CO2 Blowback BB Pistol to be a really fun gun to shoot, it felt good in the hand with nice blowback operation, fairly high fps for a blowback gun and decent accuracy.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Gletcher APS Stetchkin is nice in both double and single action modes. Double action is fairly light as the hammer spring tension is moderate. The blowback operation will of course pre-cock the hammer allowing for single action shooting on almost all of your shots but the trigger pull length remains the same in both single and double action. The only difference is that in single action mode, the first part of the trigger pull, or should I say the take-up portion is much lighter until it gets to the hammer release point where you will notice more pressure and a short crisp release point.
Accuracy: I have done no preliminary shooting with this pistol so other than how the trigger feels I can not comment on the performance. The Gletcher APS Stechkin CO2 Blowback BB Pistol has a fairly long barrel length so it should get close to the claimed almost 400 fps and since the rear sight is adjustable for elevation I will be abel to make aim point adjustments up and down if need be. The slide does snap back with decent firmness so I am also expecting there to be a decent amount of blowback feel.
Build Quality: The Gletcher APS Stechkin CO2 Blowback BB Pistol is well made, the metallic dark grey finish looks really nice and the fit is good, not a lot of slide wiggle and pretty much the entire pistol is metal including the frame, slide, trigger, slide catch-release, safety, hammer, magazine and inner and outer barrel. The only plastic parts would be the grips and some internal seals and o-rings.
Realism:The CO2 BB Gletcher APS is a 1 to 1 replica of the Stechkin Soviet Military sidearm, all the mechanical parts function just like you would find on the real steel version other than the full auto mode located on the safety, which has been disabled, perhaps for the European markets where full auto airguns are not allowed. The barrel opening and the stick magazine are the real only tell-tale signs that this is the airgun version rather than a real Stechkin.
Pros:
One of the only 4.5mm BB shooting Stechkin replicas I have come across.
Very solid and weighty gun. Mostly all metal.
High capacity 22 round all metal stick magazine
Blowback operation seems heavy, slide locks back on last round.
Operational parts all work like they should (slide catch, safety, hammer, elevation adjustment, mag release)
Field Strippable.
Should be able to put a stock on it?
Shooting performance pros yet to be determined…
Cons:
No reassessed barrel opening.
Would have liked to have seen full size drop out metal magazine on this gun.
Full auto feature disabled on safety
Shooting performance cons yet to be determined…
Comments:
When I saw this pistol in the Gletcher catalog, I did not realize how large it actually was, I was expecting the Gletcher APS Stechkin to be a bit larger than the Makarov but it really does dwarf the Makarov. Being that it is a large pistol it does have some weight to it but it does not feel heavy for its size. The grips are long front to back but not overly thick side to side so even medium sized hands should be OK shooting this BB air pistol. I am really happy to see another historic airgun added to the available Replica Airguns at our disposal and it's a bonus that we also get this one with blowback operation.Let's hope the Gletcher APS Stechkin shoots as well as it looks!
My Vimeo Table Top Video of the Gletcher APS Stechkin CO2 Blowback BB Pistol:
More guns to show off! Good for you and me! In this update video I show you some very interesting guns indeed! As many of you are aware, the Baikal Makarov MP-654K CO2 4.5mm Steel BB pistol has been really hard to find new here in Canada, making the price of used ones escalate up into the $700+ price range for one in as new condition. Well for those looking to buy a Baikal Makarov MP-654K we have located some and have them for sale now in our Canada Replica Airguns store (Very limited supply). These are the 2013 PM new design models with the narrow grips and mags, they also have the recessed barrels and cut out extractor. We sell them in the blued version only.
Another CO2 BB pistol that has been out of stock for some time is the EKOL ES series. I reviewed the ES 55 CO2 BB Pistol a while back but until now have not been able to show off the ES 66 Series which is more browning high power looking in design. The good news is we have both the ES 55 and ES 66 CO2 4.5mm Steel BB Pistol in stock in our Canada Store. These guns are mostly metal with full size drop out metal magazines that hold the CO2 and BB's, they also shoot in both single and double action and have pretty decent power! We are now selling both the ES 55 and ES 66 series of guns in our Online Canada Store.
I've looked at several Gletcher Airguns over the last little while and finally got my hands on the Gletcher APS Blowback CO2 BB Pistol which is a replica of the Russian Stechkin Soviet Military sidearm introduced back in the 50's. It's kind of a bigger brother version of the Makarov, i was surprised at how large it actually was when i got my hands on it! The real steel version had the ability to shoot in both semi and full-auto but my Gletcher APS 4.5mm BB replica only shoots in semi auto. Again, checkout the full line of Gletcher Products in our Canada Replica Airguns Store.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Gletcher P08 Luger is medium pull for a SAO style trigger, it has a fairly shot take-up with a nice release point. The trigger definitely looks the parts with it's crescent shape and exposed spring. I would expect this pistol to behave well in the target accuracy department, at least the trigger will not be the problem.
Accuracy: I have not done any preliminary shooting so far with this Gletcher P08 due to some pretty awful weather conditions in my area. We will have to see how well the Gletcher P08 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol performs in terms of accuracy and velocity once I get out and do a real shooting test with it
Build Quality: The Gletcher P08 CO2 BB Pistol is really well made overall, pretty much the entire pistol is metal except for the grips of course and has a really nice weight to it. The finish looks really nice and the fit is good, the toggle feels nice and tight and all the mechanical parts function smoothly.
Realism: With the exception of the metal stick magazine, the Gletcher seems to have all it's other parts in order, even a working Toggle with Blowback, although the toggle does not lock back on the last shot! The Gletcher P08 certainly looks the part of a Luger P08, Gletcher has hidden 4.5mm the inner barrel by recessing it little bit and the CO2 screw is well hidden under the magazine. It would have been nice to have been able to field strip the Gletcher P08 but perhaps people will get into less trouble losing parts without this ability.
Pros:
Mostly all metal, nice and heavy at 2 pounds.
CO2 is well hidden.
Recessed barrel adds to realism.
21 round all metal stick magazine.
Realistic blowback toggle operation.
Lots of working parts.
True a very realistic SAO trigger design that seems to have a nice light trigger pull.
Shooting performance pros yet to be determined…
Cons:
Does not seem to be easily field strippable
Painty at the rear of the toggle seems to have chipped off a a bit.
Would have liked to have seen a full size drop out metal magazine on this gun.
Shooting performance cons yet to be determined…
Comments:
This is the third Gletcher pistol I have reviewed and I am really liking the products from Gletcher! I like that they offer some very unique Airguns that many other companies are not addressing. My Gletcher P08 does have some competition from Umarex and KWC but it has its own selling points for sure, I figure it fits in nicely right between the Umarex and KWC P08's in terms of offering realism and practicality. So now we have a few choices when it comes to purchasing a 4.5mm CO2 BB firing P08 Luger, choice is a good thing!
My Vimeo Table Top Video of the Gletcher P08 Luger CO2 BB Pistol:
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Gletcher TT CO2 BB Tokarev is single action only, the blowback action cocks the hammer after each shot but you will need to either draw the hammer back or rack the slide on the first shot. I did find the the SAO trigger to be rather heavy for a single action type trigger? Perhaps it will loosen up a bit over time? The take-up is kind of long since there is no real reset that takes place after the hammer is drawn back. The release point is sudden but does take some effort to release the trigger. I am not sure how this going to effect the accuracy?
Accuracy: I have only done some very preliminary shooting so far with this Gletcher TT due to some pretty awful weather conditions. Mainly just some freehand shooting to see how the blowback action felt. The blowback is rather fast and kind of mild but does offer some recoil effect and of course the ability for a single action trigger. We will have to see how well the Gletcher TT Tokarev performs once I get out and do a real test.
Build Quality: The Gletcher TT CO2 BB Pistol is really nicely made overall, pretty much the entire pistol is metal except for the grips of course. The finish looks really nice and the fit is good, not a lot of slide wiggle and all the mechanical parts function smoothly with the exception of the rather strange trigger design. You really need to watch my video to see what I mean here!
Realism: I am lucky enough to own a Tokarev type semi auto real steel pistol and looking at the two of them side by side they look very much the same. Of course my Norinco Tokarev (Type 54) Model 213 is made out of hardened weapons grade steel and so it is heavier but the Gletcher TT does feel solid in the hand with it's all metal design. The working slide catch, magazine release and hammer are all in the right places and function as they should. Gletcher even made sure to have a recessed barrel and hidden CO2 screw which adds to the realism. The only real giveaways are again that rather strange looking single action trigger and the two pins near the lower front of the slide. Not a big deal for me though. I do have to mention the way the safety was implemented on this Gletcher TT Tokarev, Gletcher placed it just inside the Slide Stop Retainer Clip in a kind of unobtrusive location.
Pros:
One of the only 4.5mm BB shooting Tokarev replicas I have come across.
Very solid and weighty gun for it’s size. Mostly all metal.
CO2 is well hidden.
Recessed barrel adds to realism.
18 round all metal stick magazine.
Blowback operation, slide locks back on last round.
Did a good job of making the safety discreet.
Shooting performance pros yet to be determined…
Cons:
SAO trigger is rather heavy.
Trigger looks a bit funky compared to a real Tokarev trigger.
Would have liked to have seen a full size drop out metal magazine on this gun.
Shooting performance cons yet to be determined…
Comments:
So far I have liked all the Gletcher guns that I have come across, it's great that Gletcher offers a lot of unique guns from the past, for me the Tokarev is near and dear to my heart since it is very 1911 like and I truly love the 1911 design. It only makes sense that I would own not only a real steel 1911 but also the Russian Tokarev. I'm not really sure how the Gletcher TT Tokarev is going to perform using the chronograph and during my paper target testing from 30 feet out but to be honest I really don't care all that much because this Tokarev BB pistol is not so much about performance or getting everything absolutely perfect, the Gletcher TT Tokarev BB Pistol is more about offering yet another BB pistol replica of one of the classic pistols at an affordable price and with quality in mind.
My Vimeo Table Top Video of the Gletcher TT Tokarev CO2 BB Pistol:
