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I think this may be a record for me, I mean following up a Table Top Review with a Field Test Shooting video within a day of each other! If you have not already watched my Table Top Review for the ROHM RG-46 22 Caliber Blank Revolver than make sure to do give it a look.

Shooting Field Tests of blank guns are really pretty simple. There is no accuracy or chronograph test to consider since there is no bullet coming out of the barrel, kind of makes it hard in this case. This may even seem a little bit weird since what is there left to actually test? I guess as long as I pull the trigger and it goes "BANG" each time then we have ourselves a winner on our hands :)

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I can attest that the ROHM RG-46 22 Caliber Blank Revolver was a clear winner on this day. I loaded 7 rounds into the 7 shot cylinder and then pulled the trigger 9 times. And as you can imagine the first 7 trigger pulls went "BANG" each pull while the last 2 trigger pulls went click-click as expected...

All fun aside the ROHM RG-46 22 Caliber Blank Revolver Field is a really nice quality blank revolver great for many situations like; Gun training, animal training, scaring off pests, stage or movie props or just collecting for fun.

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Type: Blank Revolver.
Manufacturer: ROHM (RÖHM).
Model: RG-49
Materials: Mostly Metal.
Weight: 439 grams 15.5 ounces.
Barrel: Removable - Front firing designed for flares.
Propulsion: Gun powder.
Action: Single & double action.
Ammunition Type: .22 caliber crimped.
Ammunition Capacity: 7 rounds.
FPS: N/A.

Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the ROHM RG-46 22 Caliber Blank Revolver in single action is very light having virtually no take up at all. The double action trigger pull is much heavier with a smooth release. Mechanically the trigger feels really good.

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Accuracy: NA.
Build Quality: The overall build quality for the ROHM RG-46 22 Caliber Blank Revolver is excellent, being German made its built to last and the fit and finish is typical German quality. There are steel parts where they need to be like in the barrel, pins, screws and reenforcing parts, the rest of the gun is generally made out of a zinc metal with only the simulated wood grips being made out of plastic.

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Realism: The ROHM RG-46 22 Caliber Blank Revolver is not an exact replica of any given gun in production as this would make importing it into Canada even more difficult, but it is styled after a Smith & Wesson Snub Nosed Revolver. As for looking like and working like a real gun, the ROHM RG-46 22 Caliber Blank Revolver looks and sounds like a real gun, with the exception of the dangerous bullet coming out of the barrel!
Purchase from: The Replica Airguns Canada Store.

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Pros:

• German made Quality.

• All metal gun with reenforced steel in some areas.

• Front firing and capable of shooting flares.

• .22 caliber blanks are less expensive and not as loud to use.

• Comes with removable Flare adaptor & Cleaning rod.

• Super compact and portable.

• Highest capacity ROHM Revolver with 7 round cylinder.

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Cons:

• Smaller caliber blanks are not as loud or powerful.

• Can be considered a bit expensive due to blank guns in general being hard to get and in high demand in Canada.

Comments:
The main purpose of the ROHM RG-46 22 Caliber Blank Revolver is to make noise along with the added ability to shoot flares and that's exactly what you're getting here. The ROHM RG-46 22 Caliber Blank Revolver may not be as elegant as the other ROHM revolvers with their nicer barrels but with the ROHM RG-46 22 Caliber Blank Revolver you are getting the most compact 7 round shooter and at a bit lower price than the other full sized ROHM Blank Guns. 

My Vimeo Full Video Review for the ROHM RG-46 22 Caliber Blank Revolver:

This year at SHOT Show 2018 I had the please of again interviewing Dani Navickas from Sig Sauer. Dani Showed me several new pistols and a new break barrel rifle Sig Sauer is offering this year. The Sig ASP20 Break Barrel rifle will come in both .177 and .22 caliber pellet shooting versions. The ASP20 has a lighter than most cocking effort of only 33 pounds using their proprietary GlideLite system, along with an adjustable ASP MatchLite trigger.

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Another Target pellet airgun from Sig Sauer this year is the .177 caliber pellet shooting Super Target, styled after the Sig Sauer P210 firearm. The Sig Super Target is a single pump pneumatic single shot pistol designed for 10 meeter shooting with adjustable sights and a crips short light trigger.

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Sig like several other companies has rebranded their own version of the KWC 1911 CO2 Blowback BB pistols. The Sig Sauer licensed BB 1911 is based on Sigs We the People line to celebrate the American people and their Constitution.

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Another new Blowback Pellet firing Sig Sauer Air Pistol was also introduced at SHOT Show, the Sig Sauer X-Five. The X-Five uses their 20 round belt fed magazine and also has Sig's Cam Lever CO2 loading mechanism. You will also find a rear adjustable sight on the Sig Sauer X-Five Pellet Pistol.

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Last but not least and perhaps one of the most interesting new products coming out later this year from Sig Sauer is the P320MHS APS which is another new rotary magazine Blowback Pellet Pistol. What's a bit different with the new Sig P320MHS is that it has a full size drop out magazine that holds the CO2 and belt fed pellet magazine. The P320MHS can also be fully field striped, has an open ejection port and is styled after Sig's real Steal M17 firearm.

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This was the first time shooting a blank gun in the new Sea Can and I can tell you it was pretty loud inside but of course I was wearing ear protection! In this Blank Gun Shooting video I test out the ARAL Model 1453 and 622K 9mm PAK Blank Guns and put 3 rounds through each of them.

Not everything went as planned. First off my high speed slow motion camera decided to not work :( and secondly I had some technical issues with both guns, well sort of...

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Since the manual for the ARAL Model 1453 does not cover what I believed to be a safety on the back of the slide, I had no idea and was surprised to find out that rather than a safety, this selector switch is actually a semi and full auto selector which is kind cool but not so much when you're not expecting your blank gun to be shooting in semi auto :) Keep in mind this semi-full auto switch is only on the all black ARAL Model 1453 and not the two tone version.

Moving on to the ARAL Model 622K 9mm PAK Blank, I have a feeling that perhaps a different brand of ammo may have worked better in it. The 9mm PAK Blanks I used worked OK but I did get a failure to eject and the last round seemed to also not eject properly probably because there was no bullet in the mag too help direct it out of the breach area.

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What do yo know, a new Blank Gun Review! It's been a while since I actually saw some new Blank Guns other than our ROHM selection that made it past our wonderful Canada Customs.

So how do the ARAL Model 1453 and ARAL 622K compare to our ROHM Blank Guns? Well to be honest they don't. Our ROHM Blank Guns are much better quality and made in Germany rather than Turkey.

But still it's nice to hold a new Blank Gun in my hands even if it's not the best quality. The two ARAL blank guns I take a look at in this Table Top Video Review are the ARAL Model 1453 and ARAL 622K 9mm PAK versions. Both are front venting and both have double stack 14 round magazines. They also have threaded inner barrels however no flare adaptor came with either on of them and I only got an included manual with the ARAL Model 1453.

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In terms of what exactly real steel guns do they look like or resemble? The ARAL Model 1453 is kind of like a big chunky and somewhat ugly looking Glock. I have nick named mine the RoboGlock :)

The ARAL 622K resembles a CZ 75 but it's a fair bit smaller in size and much shorter. The finish on my ARAL 622K is really bad, it looks like someone took a can of spray paint and painted it themselves. But still they are working blank guns, well let's hope so when I test them out in my upcoming Field Test Shooting video... Fingers crossed!

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Type: Break barrel pellet rifle.
Manufacturer: Umarex USA.
Model: Ruger Explorer.
Materials: Metal and polymer parts.
Weight: 4.45 pounds (2.5 kg).
Barrel: 12 inches, metal rifled.
Propulsion: Spring piston.
Action: Single shot.
Ammunition Type: .177 caliber pellets.
Ammunition Capacity: 1.
FPS: 495.

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Trigger Pull: I found the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle to have a fairly light trigger, there is some initial take up with a smooth almost undetectable break or release point, I found that as I shot the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle the trigger seemed to be breaking in a bit which made it a bit hard to figure exactly when the trigger was going to release but I feel over time and once the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is broken in the trigger will become more predictable.

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Accuracy: Since I have already made a shooting or field test video for the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle, I can comment on its performance n this review! With 6 grain lead pellets (on the lighter side), I was able to get a 5 shot Chronograph average velocity of 485 fps. Using heavier 7-8 grain pellets the velocity slowed down a bit to around 400 fps. In terms of accuracy the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle performed well getting about a 1 inch 10 shot grouping on my paper target setup 30 feet down range. I know the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle can do better than this once the trigger settles down a bit since some shots went off unexpectedly.

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Build Quality: The Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is not an expensive air rifle and is more or less an entry level spring piston pellet shooter. That said it is built fairly well with a metal receiver, barrel and trigger setup. The modern looking stock is polymer and the steel barrel is coated in a synthetic soft plastic to help with long term durability. The real fiber optic sight is plastic so you will have to be careful with it as it does protrude a bit from the air rifle.

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Realism: Since the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is not a replica realism is not really a factor here but it does look like a gun so treat it as if it was a real gun since most people will not know the difference. Always transport and store any airgun safely and discreetly.

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Pros:

• Really great looking air rifle with a modern look to it.

• Finish is very durable with its polymer stock and plastic/rubber coated barrel.

• Fully adjustable fiber optic sights are easy to sight in and use.

• Receiver is notched for ring mounts so you can add an optical sight or red dot to it.

• Trigger is fairly light, just need some break in time with it.

• Cocking effort is fairly easy at 16.5 pounds.

• Great size gun for all ages.

• Power and accuracy were good for an entry level air rifle.

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Cons:

• I did find the trigger break/release point to be a bit unpredictable but I feel this is a break-in issue and will become more consistent over time.

• You have to remember to push that safety in with ever shot.

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Comments:
The Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is marketed as a Youth air rifle but in reality it would be great fun for all ages. I am a fairly large person at 6 feet tall and I had no problem dealing with the slightly shorter configuration. The trigger guard is nice and open and allows for large fingers which is not always the case with airguns designed for smaller individuals. The overall quality you get with the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle for the lower entry level price tag is very good and in terms of performance I feel you for sure get your monies worth with the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle.

Buy Ruger Explorer Youth Air Pellet Rifle in Canada

Buy Ruger Explorer Youth Air Pellet Rifle in the US

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I don't do a lot of Springer (Spring Piston) Air Rifle shooting tests or even reviews for that matter. Mainly for a couple of reasons: Number 1, my content is mostly focused around Replica style Airguns and Number 2, it's kind of hard to test out the longer range airguns in my 30 foot airgun range. That said I felt the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle would be a really great airgun to review since it is both affordable and even though it is targeted for the youth market, it really does make a great shooter for all ages.

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I have not done a Table Top Review for the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle but plan to shortly so stay posted for more detailed info on the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle down the road in that review.

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Even at 30 feet out, shooting the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle should give us an idea of the ballpark this gun is able to shoot within, I also only used the adjustable fiber optic open sights for this review but I would suggest a low powered optical Scope or even a Red Dot since the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is grooved for scope mounts.

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So how'd we do during my Field Test Shooting Video for the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle? Not bad I would say! Using about 6 grain rather light weight .177 caliber lead pellets I was able to get really close to the 500 fps claimed fps mark coming in just under at a 5 shot testing average of 485 fps. I did put a couple heavier grain pellets through my Chrony Chronograph and got closer to the 400 fps mark, still not bad for this lighter sprung spring piston air rifle.

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In terms of accuracy, shooting at my paper target setup 30 feet down range in my Sea Can Airgun Range, I shot about a 1 inch 10 shot grouping. I was finding the trigger break-in to be a bit unpredictable during this testing which led to some premature shots going off so I do feel once the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is broken in and me getting use to the trigger break, I should be able to improve on this result.

Overall the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is a really nice entry level airgun perfect for all ages and not just the youth market. It looks really cool, is easy to cock and has a very resilient finish. Oh ya it shoots pretty good to!

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Buy Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle in Canada

Buy Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle in the US

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I was a bit surprised by the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol, it actually shot a lot better than I was expecting it to perform. I did have to aim rather low since the Umarex DX-17  BB Pistol likes to shoot on the high side but if you are shooting at closer in ranges then you won't have to adjust your aim point so high.

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Getting into my performance testing for the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol, I placed 5 shots through my Chrony Chronograph and averaged 210 fps which again was very close to the Umarex claimed 200 fps, even a little bit higher! he DX-17 is a single shot repeater but because of the BB reservoir you can quickly reload follow up shots by simply point the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol a little upward while pulling the slide back and pushing it forward to active the spring piston and load a BB at the same time.

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As I mentioned the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol shot on the high side, at 30 feet it's a good 8-9 inches high but I have a feeling that this is about as high as the BB's will rise since they are not going that fast and gravity will start bringing them back down. At about 10-15 feet out from a target the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol seemed to shoot about 3-4 inches high so not nearly as bad and this can be adjusted pretty easy by simply aiming a bit under the target you are shooting at. In terms of a 10 shot grouping theUmarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol got about a 4 inch grouping which I have to say kind of surprised me as I was expecting a much larger spread.

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So for about $20 you kind of get what you pay for but I really think with the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol you perhaps get a little more! It has a really good trigger, seemed to be built pretty tuff, shot exactly right on the claimed fps mark and was even able to keep a reasonable grouping. And to keep costs down even more you never need to buy CO2 so that's another bonus.

Buy the Umarex DX17 Spring BB Pistol in the US

Buy the Umarex DX17 Spring BB Pistol in Canada

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Type: BB air pistol.
Distributer: Umarex.
Model: DX-17.
Materials: Mostly plastic build.
Weight: 1.6 pounds (726 grams).
Barrel: 4.27 inches, non-rifled.
Propulsion: Spring.
Action: Single shot.
Ammunition Type: 4.5mm Steel BB's.
Ammunition Capacity: 15 round BB reservoir.
FPS: 200.

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Trigger Pull: The single action only trigger pull on the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol is actually pretty good. It's fairly short with only a little bit of very light take up and then an easy release that has no added friction. So you will have to get use to when and where the release happens but it is a really decent trigger for such an inexpensive airgun.

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Accuracy: I have only shot the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol a few times to get use to the mechanical operation of using this spring powered pistol since there is a very specific order in which you need to cock and load the Umarex DX-17 for proper operation. I did find the DX-17 shot a bit high for me at 30 feet out so I had to adjust my aim point about 5-6 inches lower to hit targets at this range. For further out shooting you many not need to do so since the fps is fairly low and I would expect the BB to drop pretty quickly. In terms of power being that the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol is only rated at 200fps, well it seems sufficient enough for plinking away at targets and should have no problem getting through a pop can.

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Build Quality: I was expecting this $20 low cost BB airgun to be fairly low quality in general but when I took it out of the plastic clamshell packaging I was pleasantly surprised by the overall quality and how the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol felt in my hand. It has a good weight to it and the fit and finish are really good. Mechanical parts tolerances feel snug and the plastic used feels of good quality.

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Realism: The Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol as far as I know is not a replica of any specific real steel gun in production but it does kind of remind me of a Browning Hi-power at least the back half and the way the frame angles up a bit in front of the trigger. Other than that it looks the part of a real gun. The DX-17 has what looks like real working parts on it with the slide catch, magazine release and magazine but plat all moulded into the airgun.
Available at the: Replica Airguns Store

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Pros:

• At $21 Canadian its great value for a target plinker.

• It actually looks and feels pretty good in person, better than I expected build quality and weight to it.

• No CO2 required so very cheap to shoot.

• Single action trigger is actually really decent, better than most airguns.

• Accessory rail for adding a red dot or perhaps a tactical light.

• 15 round reservoir makes followup shots quicker and no fumbling around loading BB’s in-between shots.

• Lower fps means if you do do something stupid you are less likely to have to make a trip to the doctor

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Cons:

• Pretty low fps so don’t expect any long range shooting or great penetration.

• Sights are not adjustable and it seems to shoot kind of high.

• Why not rifle the barrel and make pellets an option?

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Comments:

I rarely review these super low cost airguns especially spring powered ones with low fps, it almost seems like why would you want any of that? But you know the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol is actually a great little airgun and you really can't beat the price tag. You are also going to save a bunch of money not having to buy CO2 and once you load 15 rounds into the BB reservoir you can empty the DX-17 fairly quickly. Sure the power seems a bit low but it gets the job done and like I said if there was an accident, you are less likely to break that window or require medical attention. I think this would be a great add on to an existing order you might be making with us, that way you wouldn't have to pay for shipping for this one item and you get a fun little plinker for only $20 more.

My Vimeo Videos for the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol:

Buy Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol in Canada 

Buy Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol in the US

First off I want to say it’s hard to trouble shoot technical or mechanical problems over the internet regardless of if ithas to do with guns, cars, computers or pretty much anything where unless you are there in person it’s really hard to figure out the problem.

But I will attempt to address some of the more common issues why a blank gun may not be functioning properly.

Why is my Semi Auto Blank Gun Not Cycling or Ejecting Shells?

One very common reason a blank gun may not be cycling the shells properly is because the owner has removed the barrel restrictor plug. People usually do this to make the barrel opening look more realistic but the barrel restrictor is a necessary component to increase the back pressure allowing the slide to cycle fully to the rear position so it can eject and pickup a new shell.

The blanks you are using may not have enough gun powder in them. Some blank guns require banks with more gun powder than others, again this additional internal pressure forces the slide all the way back, if the blank does not have enough gun powder in it then only a partial slide motion happens and so the discharged shell may not eject properly, in this case the user would have to clear the blank gun manually so another shell can then be picked up and loaded into the breach.

If your blank guns is dirty or not lubricated then it may act sluggish again restricting the full movement of the slide which will effect correct operation. Make sure to thoroughly clean and lubricate your blank gun, that may be a quick fix for you!

You may have a faulty extractor? The extractor is like a hook that grabs the discharged shell while the slide is in the reward position pulling or extracting the shell out of the breach. If the extractor is worn or broken then the empty shell will not be ejected from the breach so when a new shell is picked up from the magazine it has nowhere to go and usually you will get a jam-up in the ejection port area.

One final situation that can cause your blank gun to not cycle properly is to strong of a slide spring, some blank guns out of the box just come with a really heavy slide spring, so much so that even blanks with lots of gunpowder in them are still not strong enough to make the slide operate full motion. Your only option here would be to replace the heavy slide spring with a lighter one.

Why Are My Blanks Not Firing?

This is a situation where you pull the trigger and nothing happens. Lets get the obvious causes right out of the way here… Did you put blanks in your gun and are they new blanks? Did you chamber the first round in your semi auto pistol?

So now that that’s out of the way let’s look at some other reasons why your blank gun may not be firing a blank. Perhaps the firing pin is broken? Most blank guns are not made out of carbon steel and even the firing pins can be lesser quality than what you would find in a real gun so blank guns are more prone to breaking than real guns. I have seen broken firing pins in blank guns first hand so make sure to check the firing pin and that it is fully operational.

Try changing up your blanks to another brand? Again blank gun ammunition is not made to the same higher standards that real firearm ammo is made and some primers may require a little more pressure than your gun is providing. Even with real guns an ammo change may help the gun operate better.

Why is the Trigger or Hammer Not Operating Properly?

I have come across blank guns where there are mechanical problems in the trigger and hammer areas, you may be able to address this yourself but I would recommend taking your blank gun to a gunsmith since you will have to take the gun pretty much full apart to fix a problem in the trigger and hammer areas.

Of course make sure your gun is clean and lubricated, this can help a lot with the mechanical areas of your blank gun.

One problem I saw with a few EKOL Special 99’s was specifically with the single action potion of the trigger, when I would pull the hammer back it would not lock back and the hammer would often slip and fire randomly, this is rather dangerous. When I took the gun apart I found that the table top or step that the trigger was supposed to catch on was worn down on the edge so it would simply slip off. I was able to fix this by filing a new edge on the step area. Again this can happen because blank guns are not made out of as high quality metal materials as real guns.

Why does the Flame Come out the Top of My Blank Gun and Not the Front?

If you find that the flame or discharge comes out of the top of your blank gun and not the barrel, this usually does not mean anything is wrong with your blank gun. All it means is you own a top venting blank gun and not a front firing blank gun. In some countries front firing blank guns are not allowed but front venting blank guns are. The same may also be reversed in some countries, for instance here in Canada we can only import front firing blank guns with flare adaptors since our blank guns are imported under the assumption that they are to be used as signaling or flare devices.

Can I Convert my Top Venting Blank Gun into a Front Venting Blank Gun?

I really don't recommend altering a blank gun in any way as it may be a violation of your local laws and it could cause the blank gun to malfunction in a very bad way causing serious injury or even death!

In theory I suppose it may be possible to convert your Top Venting Blank Gun into a Front Venting Blank Gun but again you would need to allow for just the right amount of back pressure so a wide open barrel would not work unless it was a revolver. You can not simply remove the red plug and bingo you have a front firing blank gun because in most cases the barrel will be completely plugged in the frontal region. Not only would you need to drill out the plugged portion of the barrel but you would also have to somehow fill in the top venting area and again makes sure to allow for just enough back pressure to cycle the slide back and forth.

Hopefully this has helped some of you with blank gun issues. If you’re looking for a blank gun make sure to come down to www.ReplicaAirguns.ca and www.ReplicaAirguns.us and have a look in our blank gun area of our online stores.

Power Sources Covered in this review: CO2 - Spring Piston - Variable Pump -HPA (High Pressure Air)

Pro’s:

• CO2 Airguns allow for fast repeat shooting, great for action shooters, generally CO2 Airguns will supply a medium power range. No need to pump or cock your CO2 powered weapon in-between shots and a CO2 power source can allow for a very realistic action of the gun you are shooting.

• Spring Piston Airguns are best suited of single shot situations, they can provide low to high power output depending on the spring used. Spring Piston Airguns are very low cost to operate since you only need to buy the Pellets or BB’s. Spring Piston Airguns are not greatly effected by outside temperatures.

• Variable Pump Airguns allow you to decide how much power your gun will have and can offer very high power output depending on the Airgun. Variable Pump Airguns are very low cost to operate since you only need to buy the Pellets or BB’s. Variable Pump Airguns are not greatly effected by outside temperatures. Variable Pump Airguns generally have very low recoil and vibration.

• HPA (High Pressure Air) Airguns generally do not require pumping or cocking in-between shots and some even come in semi automatic or bolt action. HPA Airguns can have very high power output and even be used on larger game using large caliber ammunition. HPA Air Rifles have lower recoil and low vibration. HPA Airguns can be charged ahead off time so they are ready for use when you need them.

Con’s:

• CO2 Airguns require the additional cost to buy the CO2 as they do not function without it. CO2 Airguns have a limited power output and lose power as you shoot and use up the CO2. CO2 Airguns are effected by hot and cold temperatures and will have less power in colder temperatures and may not even work in super cold environments.

• Spring Piston Airguns require cocking before each shot. Spring Piston Airguns can have a lot of recoil and vibration, so much so that special optics must be considered when buying an optical sight. The action of the spring recoil can effect accuracy, especially if you are not use to the vibration and recoil or have spent some time practicing using a Spring Piston Airgun.

• Variable Pump Airguns will require multiple pumps to achieved maximum power output which can take some time in-between shots. So you are going to have to work for each shot.

• HPA (High Pressure Air) Airguns require the use of a manual pump to fill their built in air tank to maximum pressure and it does take a lot of time to manual fill an HPA tank. Alternatively you can have the air tank filled at a shop or buy a pressurization system similar to a scuba tank out paintball setup, the cost of this setup can be very high but will save you the castle of manually pumping air in to your HPA Airgun. HPA Airguns are generally a little more bulky then other Airgun systems since they have to accommodate fairly large air pressure tanks.

Power:
Generally speaking a longer barrel is going to allow for more power. If you compare most CO2 pellet pistols to CO2 Pellet Rifles, you will find that the CO2 Pellet Pistol will generally shoot about 300-400 fps using a standard lead Pellet. On the other hand many CO2 Pellet Rifles can get up to as high as 600 fps which is much better speed for humanly shooting some smaller pests.

If you are talking about Springer or Variable Pump Air Pistols versus their Air Rifle counterparts, again the Air rifles will generally shoot with much more power. I have seen some none CO2 Air Pistols shoot up into the 500-600 fps range but again compered to none CO2 Air Rifles, they can even double these numbers.

Some of you may ask about Steel BB Pistols and Rifles. I personally would never really sue this type of ammunition for pest control simply because most BB Rifles have much less raw power than Pellet Rifles and steel BB’s will not be as accurate at any type of longer distance.

Stability:
When holding any rifle from the shoulder, you have three point of contact with your body spread out in a much longer distance than a two handed pistol grip. Holding steady even without a rested position is much easier using a rifle. Even when using a rested position, the rifle will more stable.

Accuracy:
A big factor in accuracy is stability but there are also other factors to consider. Barrel length its self does not make the gun more accurate, you only need a few inches of barrel length to get constant accurate results from a gun. What makes longer barreled guns more accurate is the distance between the rear and front sight. The closer the sights are together, the more margin for error there is, the longer you spread out the sights from each other, the more accurate the sighting system becomes.

Overall More Humain:
When you consider Air Rifles tend to have higher power, better accuracy and overall more consistency than shorter barreled Air Pistols. The logical choice for humanly shooting a Pest is to use the Air Rifle. The last thing you want to do is make any animal suffer, even if it has been causing a lot of havoc around your home or farm or place of business.

This is not to say that a “Real Gun” is not as good as an Airgun or better in other ways, in this video I’m just pointing out how an Airgun in some cases can actually be better suited than a Real Gun.

Availability: What I mean by this, is that in many countries Real Guns can be very hard to acquire and often require safety course and applications before one can purchase a Real Gun. I have no problem with this but it is a reality that must be considered. Having an Airgun versus not having a gun at all makes it a better option for people that live in countries that have strict gun laws. Here in Canada we are allowed Real Guns, even pistols but we do have restriction on our pistols and so I can only get certain guns in an Airgun version. As a collector this is better than not having the gun at all.

Price to Buy: Generally speaking you can pickup an enter level Airgun for much less money than a real gun.

Cost to Shoot: Real gun ammo prices have been steadily increasing to the point that a day out shooting can cost several hundred dollars just on the ammunition alone.

Comparison of Price:

• 50 rounds of 9mm ammo will cost around $18.00

• 6000 rounds of 4.5mm Steel BB will cost about $18.00

• CO2 is a bit less than $1 per 12 gram Cylinder which can yield up to 100 shots each.

• To shoot 100 rounds of 9mm will cost close to $40 versus 100 shots of 4.5mm steel BB at around $1.

• For this reason alone an Airgun can make a lot of sense even for Real Gun owners looking to get more cost effective practice time.

Access to Shooting Locations: Depending on where you live you will have to consider your local laws and where you are allowed to shoot both types of guns but typically you can shoot an Airgun safely just about anywhere as long as you implement some backstop safety precautions. Here in Canada we can only shoot a pistol at designated gun ranges, where as Airguns have a lot more allowances to shot them as long as you are not braking any city bylaws.

Training Guns: Even if you plan to eventually step up to a Real Gun at some point, an airgun is a great option to first learn proper gun handling skills since if you where to make a mistake, the consequences are much less severe. Airguns are also a lot less intimidating than a real gun since they are much quieter and have less recoil, you don’t even need to wear ear protection with most Airguns which means an instructor can communicate to his pupil on the range a lot easier.

Prop Guns: Since Replica Airguns look so much like real guns these day, they can often be used as a safer substitute for use in Movie, TV or other Photo and Video productions. Using a Real Gun on set generally requires a certified “Gun Wrangler” be on hand as Real Guns must be transported, stored and handled using very strict regulations. Airguns generally do not need to follow the same rigid regulations that Real Guns are bound to.

Tactical Training with Live Targets: Obviously shooting a real gun at a live target would not fair well for anyone involved, so that is completely out of the question. Airsoft Airguns are however perfect for Tactical Training and other weapons based simulations. All that is required for safety when using Airsoft guns is the use of eye protection and generally some heavy clothing.

I am sure there are some more areas in which Airguns may have the advantage over a Real Gun but these are the main ones that I could think of.

It has been a while since I picked out some of my favorite guns, after all my favorite gun picks change on a daily basis since there are so many awesome guns out there to pick from.

This Vimeo video is a little different since I pick out my favorites from a bunch of mostly replica gun categories including Steel BB, Pellet, Airsoft, Revolvers and Blank Pistols.

You may notice most of my picks happen to be blowback guns but to me airguns are all about being as realistic as possible and having blowback operation to me help to simulate the realism that much more. The exception in this video is in the pellet gun category since I decided on a pellet gun that was more about function and purpose over being any type of real replica.

Hopefully you take the time to watch my entire Vimeo video since I also bring out some close runner ups but here is a list of my top picks on this day, tomorrow it could be a completely different list of guns ;) 

• Steel BB - Umarex/KWC Smith & Wesson M&P 40 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol

• Pellet - Webley & Scott Tempest .22 Caliber Pellet (Spring Piston)

• Airsoft - KJWorks KP-11 1911 Hi-Capa 1911 CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol

• Blank - ROHM RG-88 9mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol

• Revolver - Dan Wesson 715 Revolver (BB, Airsoft, Pellet Versions)

Buy Umarex/KWC Smith & Wesson M&P 40 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol in Canada

BuyUmarex/KWC Smith & Wesson M&P 40 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol in the US

BuyWebley & Scott Tempest .22 Caliber Pellet (Spring Piston) in Canada

Buy KJWorks KP-11 1911 Hi-Capa 1911 CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol in Canada

Buy ROHM RG-88 9mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol in Canada

Type: Blank front firing pistol.

Manufacturer: SM.

Model: Mod 110 8mm.

Materials: Mostly metal with plastic grips.

Weight: 11.75 Ounces (332 grams) Unloaded.

Barrel: Front firing.

Propulsion: Gun powder.

Action: Semi auto, single action only

Ammunition Type: 8mm P.A.K. blanks.

Ammunition Capacity: 5 rounds.

FPS: NA.

Trigger Pull: The trigger on the SM Mod 110 8mm Blank Pistol is single action only so you will need to rack the slide to not only chamber a round but also cock the internal hammer / striker, follow up shots will case the slide to cycle on it own allowing for single action shooting. The trigger is rather nice with just a slight bit of take-up followed by a light release.

Accuracy: NA.

Build Quality: The SM Mod 110 8mm Blank Pistol was made in West Germany sometime back in the Mid 70's so this pistol is 30-40 years old and still looks great. Mine does have some slight pitting on the right side I am assuming from sitting in the box up against the manual which more than likely may have an acidic property to it. Even so this pitting is minor and the gun is in good condition overall. Like most blank pistols much of the gun is made out of pot metal (a zinc alloy) but it does have hardened steel parts where they need to be (Barrel, ejector, hammer, pins, screws and magazine).

Realism: The SM Mod 110 8mm Blank Pistol is not a true replica as far as I can tell is not an actual replica of any real steel semi-auto pistol in production but it does look a bit like the American Derringer LM5. In terms of looking like a gun it looks like what you would expect a small caliber sub compact pistol should look like and all operation is exactly like a semi auto pistol with the exception that the SM Mod 110 only shoots blanks since the barrel is obstructed with a metal rod.

ROHM Guns Available in the: Canada Replica Airguns Store

Pros:

• German made with high quality materials.

• Very small and compact.

• Front firing.

• Nice light and short single action trigger. 

Cons:

• Hard to find one in North America.

• Only holds 5 rounds.

• Slide does not stay back when empty.

Comments:

I really like unique blank guns since they are so hard to locate here in Canada. When I saw this sitting on the table at my local gun show I kind of wondered if someone had accidentally left out a prohibited firearm but once I inspected it I quickly realized it was a blank shooter and decided right there and then I had to have it. I did pay close to $200 for it but to me it is worth it simply because this little blank shooter is a rare find and it was also in really good condition and even came with the original 8mm self defence pepper blanks. The SM Mod 110 8mm Blank Pistol is for sure a blank shooter I will be holding onto for some time...

My Vimeo Table Top Review for the SM Mod 110 8mm Blank Pistol:

Buy ROHM Blank Guns in Canada

I try and make it to my local gun show which is held in Chilliwack BC about this time each year. It is put on by the Historical Arms Collectors Society of BC and there are generally a lot of used long guns (rifles) some pistols, lots of accessories, knives, hunting gear, knick·knacks and even some antique items. I tend to be looking for airguns or blank guns that are rare or a good deal.

This year I came across a few items that caught my eye. The first item was a Daisy replica 4.5mm BB pistol, I am not a big fan of Daisy replica gun in general as they are usually a far cry from the originals but this Daisy Powerline Model 400 was actually a really good copy of a Desert Eagle in size and looks. Sure it had a lot of plastic in it but it was made in Japan and even being around 20 years olds was holding up really well. This Daisy Powerline 400 even had Blowback which back then was not all that common.

The Daisy Powerline 400 BB Desert Eagle has a 20 round removable magazine that fits along the top of the barrel and it has a claimed fps. It is almost all high grade plastic with the exception of the single action only trigger, safety, hammer, barrel and several internal parts.

The next interesting item I found was a little compact 8mm blank shooter originally made in West Germany. So this blank gun is close to 30 years old. The SM Model 110 8mm Blank Pistol kind of reminds me of my EKOL Tuna in terms of size and functionality since both have the same half slide and magazine release system.

The SM Mod 110 8mm Blank Pistol is front venting and pretty much all metal with reinforced steel areas, it has a 5 round single stack magazine and shoots in single action only.

My last purchase for this show was a new item, here in Canada we generally are not allowed much in the way of items specifically labeled for self defense. There are some work arounds for instance we can carry a knife as long as it is not concealed entirely and we only intend to use it as a tool. We can also carry pepper spray again only for use on animals. Generally speaking we have not been allowed stun guns or tasers here in Canada and even importing them can land you in a lot of trouble! Again it seems a work around has been made, as long as the Stun Gun or Taser is at least 480mm in length then it is not considered a concealable weapon and as long as you have it out on display and only intend to use it on animals that may be a threat to you then all is good :)

The Stun Gun I purchased is basically a baton with a flashlight on the front and a 1 million volt taser on the front of it. You have several options with this device if harm is eminent. You can try blinding the threat with the built in flashlight which is not all that powerful but good for finding your way in dark areas, you can give the attacker a whack with the baton baseball bat style and if none of that is working well let em have the 1 million volt sandwich! We should be getting some of these Stun Baton Flashlights in our Canada Replica Airguns Store at some point so stay posted for that item.

I am showcasing here on the Replica Airguns website and over on the Replica Airguns YouTube channel a series of videos I will be making for the purpose of selling some guns out of my personal collection. I simply have no more room for the new guns and in some cases I either have duplicate guns or very similar versions so there is no need to have both. Some guns I am less attached to and as I already stated I need to make room for some of the new stuff I will be reviewing and or buying for myself.

In this second Mike's Personal Guns For Sale video I am offering three rifles, two of which will require a Canada PAL Firearms License since one is a 22LR rimfire rifle and the other is a high powered .22 caliber break barrel pellet rifle. The last item up for bid is an AK-47 styled .68 caliber paintball rifle.

Make sure to watch my above YouTube video to see these three rifles I am selling and instructions on how you can take part in the sale and purchase of them. By the way I am only selling to Canadian residents since shipping cross borders is a little sketchy.

Here is a list of the these three rifles I am selling from my personal gun collection:

ISSC MK22 22LR (FN SCAR) Rifle - $625 PAL Required

Benjamin Sheridan Super Streak .22 Caliber Break Barrel Rifle $250 PAL Required

Tacamo T68 AK-47 .68 Cal. Paintball Rifle $275

I will be showcasing here on the Replica Airguns website and over on the Replica Airguns YouTube channel a series of videos I will be making for the purpose of selling some guns out of my personal collection. I simply have no more room for the new guns and in some cases I either have duplicate guns or very similar versions so there is no need to have both. Some guns I am less attached to and as I already stated I need to make room for some of the new stuff I will be reviewing.

To start this series off my first video is to highlight the blank guns I am selling, there are only 4 of them, all of which are really hard to get here in Canada so I am not going to let them go cheap. By the way I am only selling to Canadian residents since shipping cross borders is a little sketchy.

Make sure to watch my above YouTube video to see the blank guns I am selling and instructions on how you can take part in the sale and purchase of them.

Here is a list of the blank guns I am selling from my personal gun collection:

EKOL ASI 9mm Full Auto Front Firing Blank Machine Pistol $725

EKOL Lady Chrome 9mm Front Firing Blank Pistol $400

EKOL Arda 8mm Blank Front Firing Compact Revolver $200

Bruni ME Ranger 1873 SAA .380 Blank Revolver $300

This is my SHOT Show 2016 Teaser Video! You will get to see some new gun highlights from companies like Umarex, ASG, Crosman, Sig Sauer, KWA and ISC. I will be following up this video with some interview videos very soon so do make sure to check back for those uploads. All I can say about the show is it’s huge! So much to see, so much walking and too much to take in…

ASG:

As always, ASG had some new products this year. The all new Dan Wesson 715 357 Magnum shell loading Revolver! This gun feels absolutely amazing in the hand and will be available in Steel BB, Airsfot and even Pellet shooting versions. Also new are the CZ P-09 and CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow Full Blowback BB and Airsoft Pistols.

Crosman:

Big at Crosman this year was their PCP Airbow, Crosman put a lot of focus on this product and even had a lot of crossbows on display to go with their new PCP Airbow. Crosman also introduced their low cost entry level Benjamin Maximus PCP rifle in .177 and .22 calibers offerings. Not really much in the way of replica pistols from Crosman this year, but then again last year was kind of the same?

Sig Sauer:

I finally made it to the Sig Sauer Booth this year to checkout their new CO2 Pellet gun line. All new Sig Airguns are made true to size and weight with similar trigger actions as their real steel versions. The Sig MPX is their more compact (shorter barreled) pellet shooting CO2 rifle with internal blowback and belt fed 30 round magazine. The Sig MCX is the longer barreled rifle version but built much the same as the MPX. Sig also introduced two new pellet shooting CO2 Blowback Pistols, the P226 and the P250. Both use similar double ended rotary magazines as the Umarex PX4.

Umarex:

Umarex always seems to have some new exciting Airguns products to offer at SHOT Show. The PPK is back with a few updates including no more ugly CO2 tab sticking out of the bottom! And yes the Beretta Model 92A1 will finally be shipping soon, I believe in February! My favorite product this year from Umarex would have to be the Full Blowback, Full size drop out magazine S&W M&P 40 CO2 BB Pistol. Umarex released yet another 1911 on the market, this version does come with a stick mag and sports pretty high fps and more shots per CO2 then the KWC based 1911’s. The super popular Colt SAA Revolver is now available in a pellet shooting version with a rifled barrel :) Umarex had on display another low cost revolver, the ultra futuristic looking Brodax CO2 BB Revolver.

KWA:

KWA always has really nice high quality products to showoff at there booth each year, we may even start carrying some of KWA's products this year, fingers crossed on that one… New to the KWA line are some AEG rifles with simulated blowback action, I really liked the Blowback AEG AK they had on display. KWA also released a new Airsoft shell loading revolvers that had some of the nicest looking brass and aluminum shells. On display under a glass cover was a very solid Gas Blowback Thompson Machine-gun with real wood stock, it was absolutely gorgeous!

ISC:

ISC known for their top quality AEG internals, had their full line of high quality Airsoft rifles on display. And new this year to ICS was their first ever Airsoft pistol, the blowback BLE Alpha. The BLE should be out mid year and looked and felt really nice. The trigger on it was super short and light.

I have some really awesome Interview videos I’m working on, I will be uploading them shortly so stay tuned for those…

When I say Airguns, I am referring to pretty much all BB, Airsoft, Pellet, Paintball and even Blank guns for most of the topics listed here.

Do’s:

1. Treat your Airgun just like you would a real gun. If something goes wrong, perhaps the outcome will not be as severe but do you really want to take a trip down to your local emergency ward to get a BB or Pellet removed?

2. Always assume your airgun is loaded, for some reason it always seems those empty guns are the ones that do the most damage.

3. Be discrete, If it looks like a gun other people will think it is a gun so don’t flash your airguns around in public. Keep it in a case when transporting and shoot it in an area that will not alarm other people.

4. Always wear eye protection when shooting your Airgun. Do you really want to shoot your eye out? No Joke!

5. Be aware of your surroundings like windows, hard objects that could make your ammo bounce back at you. Make sure you are shooting your Airgun in a safe direction at all times, know your target and beyond.

6. Use Airguns to teach others and learn how to safely and effectively shoot a gun. Airguns can be less intimidating then a real gun (Not so loud and very little recoil) and make for great start out and transitions guns.

7. Use Airguns to get more inexpensive trigger time and become a more experienced shooter. Airguns cosy only pennies per round to shoot and can be shot in way more areas than a real gun can, practice makes perfect so get shooting!

8. Use Airguns in areas where real guns may not be allowed or safe to use. Again, Airguns can be shot in all kinds of places, in your back yard or even in a properly setup indoor home range.

9. Use Airguns with adequate power for safe and humane pest control where real guns may be prohibited.Airguns are quiet and less likely for the bullet to travel long ranges which makes them ideal for close range pest control in areas where real guns are too loud and to powerful.

Don’ts:

1. Do not assume because it is an airgun it is not dangerous or simply a toy. Many Deaths have been caused by Airguns along with a lot of pain and suffering so treat your Airgun with respect. It is not a toy or you would find them in the toy department at your local store along with yo-yos and stuffed animals.

2. Do not point or shoot at people unless of course you are using an Airsoft gun in an Airsoft field or facility. Yes Airsoft guns are meant to shoot at each other (with appropriate attire like eye protection and full body clothing), but steel BB and Pellet can cause serious injury especially at close range and on direct skin contact.

3. Do not leave your Airgun loaded, you never know who is going to come across it and accidentally discharge it. Remember, a loaded gun is a dangerous gun in the wrong hands. You may know better than to assume the gun is undulated but children and even adults without any gun training will most definitely handle the airgun without consideration of the danger it poses.

4. Do not use an Airgun for self protection. See my related video. Simply put, Airguns are not practical for self defense because they rarely have enough Stopping Power. The ones that do have enough power need to be pre-charged and in most cases are only single shot meaning if you miss or don’t get the job done no the first shot then you are done.

5. Do not use an underpowered Airgun for pest control. See related video. Using a low powered BB pistol for pest control is cruel, you will only injure the animal making it suffer unnecessarily. Use a high powered pellet rifle to get the job done.

6. Do not take your gun apart, in most cases this will void the warranty and the reality is that airguns rarely need to be cleaned since no dirty gun powder is used. lead pellet rifles may require occasional barrel cleaning to keep the rifled barrel free of debris.

7. Do not over oil your Airgun, a little goes a long way and too much oil will just attracted dirt, use the right airgun oil and just enough to keep part functioning smoothly.

8. Do not over pump an Airgun. Over pumping an Airgun can cause damage to valves and seals and in a worse case situation a rupture the air pressure reservoir or even cause the airgun to explode!