I sometimes mention in my review videos that a gun is either Full Blowback or Partial Blowback and some people may not understand exactly what this means and how it effects the Airguns Blowback Action and Performance so I figured it would be best to make a dedicated video talking about the differences and also some of the Pro’s and Con’s of each type of Blowback Action.
In the video I obviously go into a fair amount of detail and show you around each type of Airgun and Magazine as they do differ a fair amount but to summaries for you here in this written form, the main difference is going to be how much the slide moves back and forth. With Full Blowback Airguns the slide will move much longer back and forth on the frame of the Airgun much like a real gun does and the slide Catch/Lock generally locks back further too. With a Partial Blowback Airgun the slide generally has a shorter range of movement back and forth on the frame with the slide locks usually about half of the distance compared to a Full Blowback Airgun.
The magazines are also very different as a Full Blowbacks Airgun generally has a partially exposed BB which is pushed into the barrel by the nozzle with each slide cycle. With a Partial Blowback Airgun the BB is generally not exposed and either the trigger action or simply the CO2 force is required to transfer the BB in the breach of the Airgun.
Another point to mention is that Full Blowback Airguns tend to use more CO2 and have a slightly lower velocity as compared to Partial Blowback Airguns but this is not a rule.
There are many types of magazines used in Airguns and some of this is dependent on the ammunition used.
For instance a stacked type of magazine often used for Steel BB and Airsoft can not be used for Pellets as pellets tend to deform when stacked in such a way since there is no metal casting protecting them from mashing into each other.
So what type of magazines do we generally see in Airguns? The most common Airgun magazines are as follows:
Simple Stick Magazine
Mostly used with Steel BB but also found in some Airsoft Airguns.
Some Pellet Airguns use a type of stick magazine with a rotary magazine on each end.
Used in non-blowback and blowback Airguns.
Can be made from plastic or steel or a combination of both materials.
Full Size Drop Out Magazine
Used with Steel BB and Airsoft guns.
Generally you will find these types magazines hold both the BB’s and CO2.
Used in non-blowback and blowback Airguns.
Commonly used with Airsoft Rifles in mid to high capacity.
Can be made from plastic or steel or a combination of both materials.
Rotary magazine
Used with Steel BB, Airsoft and Pellet Airguns.
Used in non-blowback and blowback Airguns.
Can be made from plastic or steel.
Can often use mixed ammo types as in both 4.5mm Steel BB and .177 caliber pellet.
Belt Fed Magazine
Like rotary magazine belt fed magazine can accommodate Steel BB, Pellet and Airsoft but are most often used with Pellet Airguns.
Usually found in a full size magazine that also holds the CO2.
Used in non-blowback and blowback Airguns.
Can be made from plastic or steel or a combination of both materials.
Internal Magazine
Used with Steel BB, Airsoft.
Can have a hopper built in hat feeds a spring fed magazine.
Usually found in lesser expensive Airguns but not a rule.
In this Video I go through each type of Airgun Magazine and talk about their differences and uses.
I have another Full Auto Fun Video this one focusing on 4.5mm Steel BB Versus 6mm Plastic and which one is better in terms of accuracy and shredding power. I perform this super scientific test by shooting obviously in full auto two comparable Steel BB and Plastic Airsoft Rifles at a paper target setup 20 feet away with a magazine as a backer so I can see what the accuracy is like and how much of the paper magazine gets shredded by each ammo being tested.
I have split this video into three separate videos, in video one I compare two similar AR styled rifles, a CO2 powered Blowback 4.5mm BB Rifle to a Gas Blowback 6mm Airsoft Rifle. In video two I compare two AK type Blowback Rifles to each otters, again a CO2 4.5mm Steel BB along with a Gas 6mm Airsoft.
And lastly in Video three I compare my top picks for each category which include a non-Blowback CO2 4.5mm BB Machine gun to an AEG 6mm Airsoft Rifle.
I have another Full Auto Fun Video this one focusing on 4.5mm Steel BB Versus 6mm Plastic and which one is better in terms of accuracy and shredding power. I perform this super scientific test by shooting obviously in full auto two comparable Steel BB and Plastic Airsoft Rifles at a paper target setup 20 feet away with a magazine as a backer so I can see what the accuracy is like and how much of the paper magazine gets shredded by each ammo being tested.
I have split this video into three separate videos, in video one I compare two similar AR styled rifles, a CO2 powered Blowback 4.5mm BB Rifle to a Gas Blowback 6mm Airsoft Rifle. In video two I compare two AK type Blowback Rifles to each otters, again a CO2 4.5mm Steel BB along with a Gas 6mm Airsoft.
And lastly in Video three I compare my top picks for each category which include a non-Blowback CO2 4.5mm BB Machine gun to an AEG 6mm Airsoft Rifle.
I have another Full Auto Fun Video this one focusing on 4.5mm Steel BB Versus 6mm Plastic and which one is better in terms of accuracy and shredding power. I perform this super scientific test by shooting obviously in full auto two comparable Steel BB and Plastic Airsoft Rifles at a paper target setup 20 feet away with a magazine as a backer so I can see what the accuracy is like and how much of the paper magazine gets shredded by each ammo being tested.
I have split this video into three separate videos, in video one I compare two similar AR styled rifles, a CO2 powered Blowback 4.5mm BB Rifle to a Gas Blowback 6mm Airsoft Rifle. In video two I compare two AK type Blowback Rifles to each otters, again a CO2 4.5mm Steel BB along with a Gas 6mm Airsoft.
And lastly in Video three I compare my top picks for each category which include a non-Blowback CO2 4.5mm BB Machine gun to an AEG 6mm Airsoft Rifle.
For this Video 2 Accuracy Test I shoot all of the above listed Airguns at a paper target setup 30 feet down range using a semi rested shooting position with my hands resting on a sand bag up front and seated on a stool in the back. It’s not perfect but works well enough. I didn’t take a ton of time with each gun since there where 4 to shoot in this Field Test Shooting Video so accuracy may have been a bit better if I took a little more time with each gun.
In Video 2 I test the power and penetration of each Airgun option shooting at a pop can, a soup can and a toilet paper roll so make sure to watch that video if you have not already watched it.
For this Video 1 Power Test I shoot all of the above listed Airguns first at a pop can, then a soup can and then a toilet paper roll. The ides is to test penetration abilities with the pop and soup can and then raw force shooting the toilet paper as it will absorb all the energy from each airgun round and by gauging how much the toilet paper reacts or moves it should tell us which airgun has the most raw power or energy.
In Video 2 I will be testing accuracy using my standard 30 round paper target setup in the Replica Airguns Sea Can so stay posted for that upcoming video shortly…
This is Video 2 of the Full Auto Fun 2022 video series where I shoot my Crosman AK1 Duel CO2 Full Auto BB Machine Gun at some water filled cans and a paper gel target just for some good old fun times! In Video 1 which is already posted, I tested out the Crosman A4-P Duel CO2 Full Auto BB Gun. And in Video 3 which I have not posted yet I will be shooting the Air Ordnance SMG .22 which is a PCP powered Full Auto .22 Caliber Pellet Machine Gun to finish this 2022 Full Auto Fun Series off.
In this years 2022 Full Auto Fun Video series I take three Full auto Airguns outside in the yard and have some fun with them shooting at water filled cans and a gel target. I picked two Full Auto CO2 4.5mm Steel BB Guns from Crosman, the A4-P AR-15 Pistol and the AK1 Rifle which is a modernized AK 47. The Crosman A4-P representing my most compact entry with the Crosman AK1 representing my mid size entry even though it is fairly large. I end this series with the Air Ordnance SMG .22 which is a PCP powered Full Auto .22 Caliber Pellet Machine Gun and yes this represents my large or at least most powerful choice for this years 2022 Full Auto Fun Video.
In this video, (Video 1 of the series) I have some Full Auto Fun with the Crosman A4-P, watch and enjoy along with me as I place 100 rounds down range ripping up some water filled cans and putting holes in my gel target.
In this Field Test Shooting Video I go outside for a bit of a change and test out the Beeman Longhorn II 10611 .177 .22 Break Barrel Pellet Rifle Combo to see what the real world velocity is and what kind of accuracy I can expect shooting at much further out ranges than my Sea Can Airgun Range offers me. If you want to know more about specifications and details for this Break Barrel Spring Piston Air Riffle make sure to watch my Table Top Video for information along with more closeup video.
Starting with the velocity for the Beeman Longhorn II 10611 .177 .22 Break Barrel Pellet Rifle Combo, Beeman claims up to 495 fps but does not say weather thesis for the .22 or .177 caliber barrel? I placed 5 rounds through my Chronograph using the .22 Caliber barrel option and was able to average 432 fps using 14.3 grain lead pellets which gave me an energy of 5.93 foot pounds. I would say it is safe to say that you can hit close to the claimed velocity of 495 fps with .22 Caliber lead pellets but would need to be using a bit light grain pellets closer to around 10 or 11 grain. I did not test .177 caliber pellets but they are even lighter and will have an even higher velocity most likely be over 500 fps.
While I was testing velocity to make things more efficient I also placed my shots on a paper target setup around what I estimate to be around 80 feet down range. Now I admit I am not the best long range shooter especially with Spring Piston Air Rifles but I was able to get around a 4 inch grouping at this distance with two shots on top of each other and the other three where more sporadic but I’m pretty sure the spreed was mostly because of my shooting skills with a rifle like this. I was using the provided Beeman 4x30 optical scope for this test rather than the open sights. My pellet choice was .22 Caliber Crosman Premier Hollow Point 14.3 grain lead Pellets.
What I like about the Beeman Longhorn II 10611 .177 .22 Break Barrel Pellet Rifle Combo is for sure the smooth trigger, the ability to change barrel to either .177 Caliber or .22 Caliber and I like the feel of the stock with its modern look and pistol grip for a comfortable hold. I was not a fan of the 4x30 scope as it seemed a bit fuzzy to me, maybe the optics where off on mine as the other Beeman 4x30 scope that came with the 1042 I tested was super crisp? Lastly I have to say the break barrel on this spring piston does take some arm strength so if you are smaller or not as strong then you may have difficulty cocking the Beeman Longhorn II 10611 .177 .22 Break Barrel Pellet Rifle Combo. All in all it’s a good overall springer with lots of features for a relatively low cost.
Type:Pellet Rifle. Manufacturer: Beeman Model:Longhorn II 10611. Materials: Metal and Polymer. Weight: 8.5 pounds (3.77kg). Barrel: 18 inches (45.7mm). Propulsion: Spring Piston. Action: Single Action Single Shot. Ammunition Type: .177 and .22 Caliber Pellets. Ammunition Capacity: 1. Max FPS: 495 Claimed.
Trigger Pull: The trigger on the Beeman Longhorn II 10611 .177 .22 Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is single action only requiring you to break the barrel and compress the internal spring piston before you can shoot it. This will also engage the safety which you have to disengage for each shot manually as an added safety measure. The actual trigger pull is pretty good overall. There is very little take-up but the creep is on the longer side but very smooth not requiring too much pressure. The release is also smooth but will take a bit of time to learn just exactly when it is going to release. There is an adjustment screw for the trigger but it is not advertised or explained in the manual exactly how this effects the trigger pull so a bit of trial and error may improve the trigger feel.
Accuracy: I have not performed any shooting tests with the Beeman Longhorn II 10611 .177 .22 Break Barrel Pellet Rifle so far, I hope to make that Video Review next week “weather permitting” as I want to get outdoors for this test to be able to shoot it at longer ranges. I expect the Beeman Longhorn II 10611 .177 .22 Break Barrel Pellet Rifle to perform well in the accuracy department especially with the 4x32 optical scope installed. In terms of power I did notice that the spring does seem ot be fairly strong so I am hoping to get close to the claimed 495 fps even using .22 caliber heavier grain pellets.
Build Quality: The Beeman Longhorn II 10611 .177 .22 Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is a China made Air Rifle but looks to be well made. It is mostly metal other than the synthetic modern stock, even the iron fiber optic sights are full metal front and back. I am not a big fan of the stock texture patter but it does work to add extra grip.
Realism: The Beeman Longhorn II 10611 .177 .22 Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is not a copy of any real steel gun in production but does have that overall rifle shape to it so yet it looks like a gun but most people will be able to immediately see that it is a Pellet Rifle and that is exactly what it is since it is not trying to be anything other than that.
Pros:
Comes with two barrels for .177 and .22 caliber pellets.
Comes with included 4x32 scope and ring mounts.
Durable synthetic stock with modern look and pistol grip.
Can also shoot using included iron metal fiber optic adjustable sights.
Automatic trigger safety system.
Rated at 495 fps using .22 caliber pellets so top out at max Canada legal power without a firearms license.
Nice rubber butt-pad looks good and adds to shooting comfort.
Has a scope stop so your scope will stay nicely in place.
Really well priced for what you get which is two rifles one.
Cons:
Changing out barrels does require tools.
Not a big fan of the stock texturing pattern.
Made in China.
Comments: The Beeman Longhorn II 10611 .177 .22 Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is a very affordable Break Barrel Spring Piston Pellet Rifle that offers two Airguns in one with it’s interchangeable barrel system allowing you to shoot either .177 or .22 Caliber pellets. You also have the option of using the already installed Fiber Optic fully adjustable sights or you can install the included 4x32 Optical Scope for potential longer range shooting. The modern looking synthetic stock with it’s pistol grip and rubber butt-pad will make shouldering this Air Rifle super comfortable and I would imagine help with accuracy at the end of the day.
Type:Airsoft Rifle. Manufacturer: Tokyo Marui. Model:CQBR Block1. Materials: Metal and Polymer. Weight: 9.97 pounds (4.52kg). Barrel: 9.84 inches (250mm). Propulsion: Gas Blowback. Action: Semi & Full Auto - SAO trigger. Ammunition Type: .6mm plastic Airsoft BB’s. Ammunition Capacity: 35 Max FPS: 350 Tested (.20 gram).
Trigger Pull: The trigger on the Tokyo Marui CQBR Block1 GBB Airsoft Rifle is single action only so the charging handle will need to be engaged on your first shot un less the bolt is already back for a preview empty magazine and reload. The trigger is light and short with virtual no makeup but then just a bit of creep before releasing the internal striker and firing a round.
Accuracy: I did already perform my Field Test Shooting Video for the Tokyo Marui CQBR Block1 GBB Airsoft Rifle so I do have some information to share relating to the shooting abilities of this Gas Blowback Airsoft Rifle. During my Velocity Chronograph Test I was able to average 332 fps using .20 gram Airsfot BB’s with my highest velocity shot hitting 350 fps. My 10 shot grouping at 30 feet away yielded a 1.5 inch spread and when I placed the Tokyo Marui CQBR Block1 GBB Airsoft Rifle in full auto it did open up a fair amount since the blowback action really rocks this gun around a lot making full auto shooting spread out much monroe than semi auto shooting but still so much fun to shoot in full auto :). You can watch my full Field Test Shooting Video here!
Build Quality: The build quality of the Tokyo Marui CQBR Block1 GBB Airsoft Rifle is one of the highest out there with high quality metal parts throughout this GBB AIrsfot Rifle both inside and out. Some of the internals include a heavy duty 19mm blowback piston, New mechanism Z-system to prevent wear and tear of bolt catch, piston absorber and friction relief bolt roller to reduce the burden on internal parts due to bolt operation.
Realism: The Tokyo Marui CQBR Block1 GBB Airsoft Rifle is a near perfect replica of a Colt licensed AR 15 and Tokyo Marui has a ton of detail to the fit and finish including the unique and multiple finishes on the external parts: The rail hand guard, front sight, and stock reproduce the difference in FDE color tone applied to each part as in the real thing. The metal rail hand guard reproduces the color by alumite treatment with excellent scratch resistance. In addition, the upper / lower frame and bolts are made of Ceracoat, which has a strong coating film and excellent scratch resistance.
Pros:
Super high quality GBB Airsoft Rifle.
Bolt locks back for easy hop-up adjustments.
Very heavy blowback operation.
Lots of metal parts, mostly everything except the stock, fore grip and pistol grip.
Lots of mounting points with it’s quad rail setup.
Awesome internals: Heavy duty 19mm blowback piston, New mechanism Z-system to prevent wear and tear of bolt catch, piston absorber and friction relief bolt roller to reduce the burden on internal parts due to bolt operation.
Attention to detail goes beyond expectation! Color reproduction and special surface treatment is a good example of this.
Easy to mount a sling with it’s QD tactical sling mounts on handguard, lower receiver, and stock.
Adjustable hop-up as expected.
6 portion rear stock.
Removable and fully adjustable rear sight.
Great for close and mid range shooting situations with a 350 average fps using .20 gram BB’s.
Accuracy was good at 30 feet getting around a 1.5 inch 10 shot grouping.
Cons:
My magazine did not seem to seal very well in the nozzle area when filling with propane but mag seemed to fill OK, just seemed to waste a bit of gas while filling.
Heavy blowback makes full auto accuracy move around a fair amount.
Pretty much have sue the included magazine filling tube to load BB’s in the magazine sop will need ot be carried with you in a game.
On the very high end of the price spectrum.
Comments: I am a bit of a sucker for Blowback Airguns in general whether it be Pistol, Rifle, BB, Pellet, Paintball or Airsoft. So right out of the box I loved the Tokyo Marui CQBR Block1 GBB Airsoft Rifle with its heavy blowback recoil. All that aside the Tokyo Marui CQBR Block1 GBB Airsoft Rifle is one of the highest quality Gas Blowback AR 15 type Airsoft Rifles you will be able to get your hands on assuming if you can find it in stock. It is a near perfect Airsoft Replica of a real steel Colt AR with only the best finishes and parts available for such a GBB Rifle.
Type:Airsoft Rifle. Manufacturer: Sig Sauer Model:ProForce MCX Virtus. Materials: Metal and Polymer. Weight: 7 pounds (3kg). Barrel: 11.6 inches (295mm). Propulsion: AEG. Action: Semi & Full Auto - SAO Electronic trigger. Ammunition Type: .6mm plastic Airsoft BB’s. Ammunition Capacity: 120 (Mid cap). Max FPS: 408 Tested (.20 gram).
Trigger Pull: The trigger on the Sig Sauer ProForce MCX Virtus AEG Airsoft Rifle is essentially a Single Action Only electric on off switch that can allow for semi and full auto shooting along with a safety position based on the sector switch position. Because of this it is fairly short and light weight. There can be a slight delay from the time you pull the trigger to when the BB is released as since the electric motor needs to first pull back the internal spring before being released. A higher voltage battery will shorten the time between your trigger pull and the Airsoft BB release. Higher voltage battery also increases the full auto cycle rate.
Accuracy: I did already perform my Field Test Shooting Video for the Sig Sauer ProForce MCX Virtus AEG Airsoft Rifle so I do have some information to share relating to the shooting abilities of this AEG Airsoft Rifle. During my Velocity Chronograph Test I was able to average 408 fps using .20 gram Airsfot BB’s, that was using the out of the box installed 120 spring. In terms of accuracy, my 10 shot grouping at 30 feet away yielded a 1.5 inch spread and when I placed the Sig Sauer ProForce MCX Virtus AEG Airsoft Rifle in full auto it did not open up that much more, only to around 2 inches since there is virtually no recoil to throw off full auto shot placement. You can watch my full Field Test Shooting Video here!
Build Quality: The build quality of the Sig Sauer ProForce MCX Virtus AEG Airsoft Rifle is exceptional with high quality material inside and out, this Airsoft Rifle is mostly metal with a CNC machined receiver and a hefty 7 pound weight to it. Internally you will find VFC Avalon Gearbox featuring improved bearings, quick change spring system, built in MOSFET, and powered by high torque neodymium magnet motors.
Realism: The Sig Sauer ProForce MCX Virtus AEG Airsoft Rifle is designed and licensed by Sig Sauer to be as close to their real steel version of the MCX Virtus as possible in every way. As expected you will find Sig Sauer and Virtus licensing all over, size, handling and weight are also true to the original.
Pros:
Super high quality AEG Airsoft Rifle.
Bolt locks back for easy hop-up adjustments.
Sig Sauer designed and licensed.
Lots of metal parts including the CNC machined metal receiver, rear stock guide rails and most mechanical moving parts.
Lots of mounting points with it’s full length picatinny top rail with M-LOK handguard.
Awesome internals, VFC Avalon Gearbox, quick change spring system, built in MOSFET, high torque neodymium magnet motors.
Easy to mount a sling with it’s QD tactical sling mounts on handguard, lower receiver, and stock.
Performed well in the Field test hitting close to claimed fps and easily shooting a 1.5 inch 10 shot group for 30 feet away.
Cons:
No included sights so you will need to add your own iron, red dot or optical sight.
Battery area is a bit tight so you will need fairly compact batteries.
Comes with orange flash hider but can be swapped out.
On the high end of the price spectrum.
Comments: The Sig Sauer ProForce MCX Virtus AEG Airsoft Rifle is not only a looker but also a performer and is one of the higher quality AEG AR Styled Airsoft Rifles out there. I know there are a ton of AR AEG Airsoft Rifles to pick from but if you want something a little bit different then the rest than the Sig Sauer ProForce MCX Virtus AEG Airsoft Rifle is for sure one to look at. It is a bit more money up front but will offer exceptional performance and the high quality internals will not only perform well but will last the test of time saving you money long term.
Starting with my velocity test, I placed 6 rounds through my Chronpgrah using .20 gram Airsoft BB’s with a fully gassed up magazine. The slowest shot was 332 fps while the fastest shot was 350 fps for a 6 shot average of 337 fps, the temperature was not overly warm in the Sea Can for this Field Test so I would imagine in a warmer shooting conditions the velocity would be a little bit higher.
Switch to my Accuracy test for the Tokyo Marui CQBR Block1 GBB Airsoft Rifle I set myself up using a rested seated shooting position with a sand bag up front for stability. My fresh paper target was 30 feet down range for this test. I was able to place 10 rounds in semi auto all within about 1.5 inches slightly high on the target but well centered left to right. This is just using out of the box already setup hop-up and sight adjustments. I then shot the remaining 25 rounds left in the magazine using several full auto bursts until the magazine was empty and as expected the grouping opened up more since this Gas Blowback Airsoft Rifle really does have some kick and does move around a fair bit.
I really enjoyed testing out the Tokyo Marui CQBR Block1 GBB Airsoft Rifle in the Replcai Airguns Sea Can Indoor Airgun Shooting Range. It performed exactly how I was hoping with mid range velocity and excellent accuracy in semi auto. If you are looking for one of the more realistic and higher quality GBB Airsoft AR-15 type Airsoft Rifles on the market you really can not go wrong with the Tokyo Marui CQBR Block1 GBB Airsoft Rifle as it checks all these boxes!
Yet another Indoor Field Test Shooting Video performed in the Replica Airguns Sea Can Airgun Shooting Range. Today I put the Sig Sauer Proforce MCX Virtus AEG Airsoft Rifle through its paces and it came out a winner for sure! I really like the way this AR15 type AEG Airsoft Rifle looks and feels and was hoping to get a good result today, I was not disappointed! I have not yet made my Table Top Video for the Sig Sauer Proforce MCX Virtus AEG Airsoft Rifle but plan for this next week, you can watch my Preview Video for some details and specifications in the mean time…
As I always do, I first tested out the Sig Sauer Proforce MCX Virtus AEG Airsoft Rifle by shooting several rounds through my Chronograph to see what the actual velocity is in fps. I used .20 gram Airsoft BB’s for this test and was able to get a 6 shot average of 408 fps so perfect for most shooting situations as this is not too hot or too cold. My slowest shot was 402 fps while the fastest shot was 410 so pretty consistent for sure.
Next I placed a fresh paper target 30 feet down range on my ammo trap and proceeded to shoot around 10 rounds into it using a rested seated shooting position with a sand bag up front to help with stability. The first shot out of the barrel felt and sounded like a double shot and this one did strike the target just a tad low so I left that one out of the test results. All the other Airsoft BB’s shot easily within 1.5 inches maybe even a bit tighter and all where well centered left to right but just a bit low on the target most likely because I was using a red dot with a riser that places the sights fairly high. Since the Sig Sauer Proforce MCX Virtus AEG Airsoft Rifle can also shoot in full auto I had to give it a try and pretty much emptied the magazine until the target actually fell off the ammo trap. The full auto grouping did open up just a slight bit as expected but only marginally.
I really like the Sig Sauer Proforce MCX Virtus AEG Airsoft Rifle, yes it’s an AR15 at it’s core but Sig has made it their own in terms of looks and styling. The performance was also excellent so this gun is not just for show. You will need a sighting system of some sort when you buy it so keep that in mind. I suggest a red dot of some sort but you could add on iron sights if you like more traditional sights.
In this Field Test Shooting Video for the Beeman P17 2004 Single Stroke .177 Caliber Pellet Pistol I perform two main tests to find out what the velocity and accuracy capabilities are for it first using my Chronograph and shooting several rounds through it averaging out the fps. For the second test I shoot 7 rounds into a fresh paper target 30 feet down range to see how tight of a grouping I can get.
For my Velocity test Beeman claims the P17 2004 Single Stroke .177 Caliber Pellet Pistol is capable of around 410 fps using standard lead pellets which I found to be a very close estimate as my results using 6.9 grain lead pellets achieved a 4 shot average of 404 fps so only 6 fps off the claim. There are lighter lead pellets out there and even lighter alloy pellets so higher velocities are possible using less grain pellets but a decent grain pellet hitting 400+ fps is not bad considering only one pump is required to get max velocity from the Beeman P17 2004 Single Stroke .177 Caliber Pellet Pistol.
Moving on to the accuracy portion of the test I setup a fresh paper target 30 feet away and proceeded to put 7 rounds into it shooting from a seated and rested shooting position (sand bag up front, seated in the back). I was a bit surprised to only get a 1.5 inch grouping but it seemed like there where three separate sub groups that each overlapped within themselves? I think perhaps when I pumped the gun I may have been disrupting the rear sight a bit as it does have some play in it for adjustments so you want to be careful not to place your hands on the rear sight when cooking the Beeman P17 2004 Single Stroke .177 Caliber Pellet Pistol. Out of the box the shot placement was fairly well centered with two of the rounds right dead center of the bulls-eye.
I kind of want to do a retest at some point maybe with a different pellet and also making sure not place my hands over the rear sight when cocking the Beeman P17 2004 Single Stroke .177 Caliber Pellet Pistol as I feel this Target Pellet Pistol is capable of .5 inch groupings. The trigger is really nice and the rifled barrel is a decent length with easy to use sights so this Air Pistol should do a bit better than I was able to get shooting it on this day. Either way it is a really fun gun to shoot and with a bit of time figuring it out I am confident you can get better results than I did.
Trigger Pull: The Single action only trigger pull on the Beeman P17 2004 Single Stroke .177 Caliber Pellet Pistol is excellent, super light with just a little bit of take-up, the release is very predictable, one of the best target pistol triggers I have reviewed for sure. There is no adjustment but I do not feel it is nessisary at all.
Accuracy: Spoiler alert! Before posting the written version of this review I did make the Field Test Shooting Video so I can give you a little bit of a heads up on how well the Beeman P17 2004 Single Stroke .177 Caliber Pellet Pistol in its Field Test Shooting Video. In terms of velocity it was really close to the 410 fps using lead pellets and for accuracy I was pleased with there results but feel the gun can do better than the result I got on this day, perhaps a different pellet choice, some more break in time or maybe just me shooting on a different day. That said I confident this gun is very capable of getting groupings under an inch in the right conditions, maybe even 1/2 an inch.
Build Quality: The build quality of the Beeman P17 2004 Single Stroke .177 Caliber Pellet Pistol is good considering it is a sub $100 target pistol with a great trigger, fully adjustable fiber optic sights and only one pump to get maximum velocity. The outer shell is polymer while the pump and valve body are aluminum with the barrel and main valve made out of steel. the trigger and latch are also metal.
Realism: The Beeman P17 2004 Single Stroke .177 Caliber Pellet Pistol is not really a replica of a real steel gun in production per-say but the pistol grips are very Walther P series looking so if you are Walther owner or like the grips on the Walther P series guns then you will enjoy the hold of the Beeman P17 2004 Single Stroke .177 Caliber Pellet Pistol.
Pros:
Reasonable price for an accurate full featured target pistol.
Safety automatically resets to the safe position when you pump/charge the pistol.
No need for CO2 so very inexpensive to shoot.
Virtually no recoil or vibration like you find in spring piston airguns.
Fiber optic front and back sight, also fully adjustable for windage and elevation.
Quality materials where you need them for expected long life and use.
Only requires one pump for full 410 fps power.
Works great for left and right handed shooters.
Good if you like Walther type pistol grips, same shape and feel as many P series pistols.
Excellent trigger feel and pull.
Cons:
Loading pellets is a bit awkward.
Have to pump it for each shot, no action shooting here.
Not rally a replica if that’s what you are after but generally most Spring Piston or Pneumatic Airguns are not replicas with a couple exceptions.
Comments: So the Beeman P17 2004 Single Stroke .177 Caliber Pellet Pistol is not really a Replica or even an action shooter but it does have its place in an airgun collection. I love blasting pop cans just as much as the next person but sometimes I like to slow things down and see how accurate I can get with an Airgun and not be too concerned that the gun is interfering with the accuracy. This is one way to really improve your shooting skills and having to work for each shot makes it that much more rewarding. The Beeman P17 2004 Single Stroke .177 Caliber Pellet Pistol allows you to have a great time honing in your shooting skills for not a lot of cash up front and cost per shot is only whatever the pellets cost you.
In this Preview Unboxing Video I showcase three Pellet Guns from Beeman, one Single Stroke .177 Caliber Pellet Pistol and two Break Barrel .177 and .22 Caliber Pellet Rifles. I don’t go into a lot of details on each Airgun as I am leaving that information for my future Table Top and Field Test Videos. This video is mainly a heads up on these products with links to where you can buy them in our Online Replica Airgun Store.
In this Preview Unboxing Video I take a look at three rifles, two are Airsoft Rifles and one is an Archery Rifle. Then First Airsoft Rifle form Tokyo Marui i s full Gas Blowback all metal build AR 15 of the highest quality and realism while the second Airsoft Rifle from Sig Sauer is an AEG but again a high quality product for sure. Lastly I take a look at Umarex’s lates Airsaber which now sports dual Arrow configuration for quick follow up shots. I do plan to make future more intensive table top and shooting videos for some if not all of thees Rifles but this video will at least wet your appetite a bit.
In this Field Test Review Shooting Video I take the G&G Piranha SL GBB Airsoft Pistol through its paces to find out what we can expect in terms of velocity and accuracy. I perform two main tests, the Chronograph Test where I shoot around 5 rounds and average them out to see what the real world fps is and then I shoot 10 rounds at a paper taggert setup 30 feet downrange to see how tight of a grouping I can achieve with the G&G Piranha SL GBB Airsoft Pistol. I don’t talk much about the specifications and details in this video so if you are interested in that information you can watch my Table Top Video for this Airsoft Pistol here.
Starting first with the Chronograph Velocity Test I loaded .20 gram Airsoft BB’s into both of the supplied magazines and filled them up with propane gas. Often times because the valves may be tuned just a bit differently, you can expect each magazine to shoot a slightly different velocities or fps. This was the case with the G&G Piranha SL GBB Airsoft Pistol as the shorter double stack 25 round magazine averaged 353 fps while the longer single stack 20 round magazine shot a 328 average fps. So 25 fps difference between the two.
Moving on to the accuracy portion of the test I was able to get close to a two inch grouping fairly well centered shooting at a fresh paper target setup 30 feet away from a rested shooting position with my hands on a sand bag up front and sitting in the back. I was having some problems with the shorter double stack 25 round magazine not chambering rounds consistently which meant I had to reset my shooting position many times but even so I was able to get close to a two inch grouping. I did load up a different 25 round magazine from another Piranha Airsoft Pistol I had around and this magazine shot perfectly without any chambering problems so there must be something not exactly right with the short magazine that came with my G&G Piranha SL.
Other than the feeding issue I had for the double stack 25 round short magazine that came with my G&G Piranha SL GBB Airsoft Pistol, the Airsoft gun performed well. It for sure made for an entertaining video spraying Airsoft BB’s all over the Sea Can and trying o figure out why the Airsoft Pisotl was not working as it should. Such is life and at the end of the day it was simply something going on with the one magazine which seemed ot have a problem releasing the Airsoft BB’s into the gas chamber. All that was needed was a new magazine and we where back in business!
