I thought I would try some Sport Smoke Tactical Airsoft - Paintball Smoke Grenades (TSG) and show you how they work out in an open area and also when in an enclosed area (indoors). These Tactical Smoke Grenades put out a lot of smoke but will require either a non windy day or an area where the smoke can accumulate to give you good coverage. Either way they do a greta job of causing a distraction that will allow you to get into a better position.

Here is some info on the Sport Tactical Smoke Grenades for Airsoft and Paintball:

The Sport Smoke Tactical Smoke Grenade (TSG) is designed to meet the extreme needs of today's paintball and Airsoft enthusiasts. These high quality smoke grenades are very affordable, producing a thick white plume of smoke to cover your movement and provide a major strategic advantage.

• Pull ring igniter.
• Thick white smoke.
• Good hang time.
• Easy to handle and carry.
• Biodegradable.
• Cool burning, Non-Pyrotechnic Smoke.
• Made in the USA.
• Smoke Output: 10,000 cubic feet
• Duration: 75 sec
• Dimensions: 2.75"×1.5"
• Weight (lb.): .2

Right now we sell these bad boys in our Canada Replica Airguns Store!
 

Buy the Tactical Smoke Grenade in the Canada Store

I wanted to cover some basic Airgun, Airsoft Gun, Blank Gun and Paintball Gun information on what do they all shoot, what makes them shoot and some other miscellaneous info thrown in along the way...

Your should also watch the video attached at the bottom of this post as it goes into a fair amount of detail.

Let's begin with the types of ammo used:

Airgun Ammo

• Airgun ammo for the most part is broken down into BBs and Pellets, the most standard size BB and Pellet is the 4.5mm or .177 caliber Steel BB and Lead Pellet. You can also get Pellets in other calibers and even other materials other than lead such as steel or aluminum, some can have plastic skirting around a metal interior.

• Pellets also come in a variety of caliber's like .177, .20. 22. 25 and even larger but then I would start considering them to be bullets as they will take on the shape of a bullet when they get into the larger sizes.

• Airgun Ammo is not be fired at people, it is primarily used for target and hunting small game.

• Airguns can use Spring Pistons, CO2, Compressed Air and Multi-pump propulsion systems.

Airsoft Gun Ammo

• Airsoft Guns for the most part shoot round 6mm (.22 caliber) plastic BBs which come in a variety of weights ranging from .12 grams up to .48 grams. There are larger Airsoft BBs such as 8mm and even larger.

• There are biodegradable and even tracer florescent Airsoft BBs available.

• Airsoft Ammo is traditionally used for Airsoft battles and can be fired at people using protective gear. Airsoft Ammo can also be used for target shooting.

• Airsoft Guns can use Spring Pistons, Spring Piston - AEG (Electric Motor) CO2, Gas (Green, Red, Propane) and Compressed Air propulsion systems.

Paintball Gun Ammo

• Paintball Guns or "Markers" have been historically used for the sport of Paintball but their whereabouts came from the need of ranchers and forestry workers to mark trees. Hence the name "Marker"

• Paintball ammo comes in a variety of sizes ranging with the most common being .43 and .68 caliber. They are generally made from a gelatin outer coating containing primarily polyethylene glycol, other non-toxic and water-soluble substances, and dye, they are usually biodegradable.

• Paintball Guns can also shoot a variety of Paintball Ammo that can be made out of Rubber, Plastic, Glass and they can also contain Powders and even Pepper for use in non lethal defense.

• Paintball Guns can generally use either CO2 or Compressed Air as their propellant.

Blank Gun Ammo

• Blank Guns are just like Real Guns but without the dangerous bullet at the end of the brass shell. Other than that they work exactly the same as a Real Gun!

• Blank Guns are used when a bullet is not required or even wanted. For instance... Gun safety, gun training, training animals to be around guns and/or loud noises, Props for Movies - Stage -  Film - TV, Collectors that do not want the red tape associated with owning a Real Gun or when owning a Real Gun is prohibited.

• Blank Guns can shoot a variety of sized ammo, most common are .22 caliber crimped, .380 crimped, 8mm P.A.K. and 9mm P.A.K.

• Blank Guns use gun powder as their means of operation.

Here are the most common forms of propulsion used in the guns we discussed earlier:

CO2

• CO2 is the most common propellant in Airguns (BB and Pellet), it is also used in Airsoft Guns and Paintball Guns.

• CO2 is a compressed gas which expands when released, it requires a warm environment to fully expand and tends to cool it's surroundings quickly when shot fast or in full automatic which can slow the velocity of the projectile and even freeze up the gun being used.

• The most common reusable CO2 cartridges are 12 and 88 gram but you can get larger CO2 tanks in a variety of sizes that can be refilled with CO2.

Gas

• Gas is used primarily in Airsoft Guns, I have not personally seen an Airgun that is made to use Gas other than CO2.

• Gas is similar to CO2 in that it is a compressed gas that expands when releases, it also cools down the gun it is being used in and requires a warm environment.

• Gas comes in a variety of names, Green Gas, Red Gas and Propane Gas. Green Gas contains Propane as it's base but has additives in it like silicone for lubrication .

• Red Gas is know to be a bit more powerful than Green Gas as it has Chlorodifluoromethane or HCFC-22, R22 or Freon 22 used in refrigeration which turns to a liquid under a slightly higher pressure giving you slightly higher fps.

• Many people use propane gas with an adapter that allows the mixture of silicone as propane is cheaper to buy.

Compressed Air (HPA)

• Compressed Air (HPA - High Pressure Air) is most commonly used in Airguns and Paintball Guns but some people use it for their Gas based Airsoft guns.

• The compressed air comes from high PSI tanks that can be purchased in a variety of sizes and contains compressed air at pressures up to 5000psi.

• These tanks are reusable and usually need to be refilled at a paintball or scuba shop, some people buy their own compressors or large scuba tanks for refilling purposes.

• Some Compressed Air (HPA) guns have their own built in tanks that can be filled with a compressor or even a manual pump.

• Compressed air does not cool down the gun it is being used in and is a great option for high output or fully automatic guns.

Multi-Pump Pneumatic

• Multi-Pump Pneumatic systems are most commonly used in Pellet and/or BB guns.

• Multi-Pump Pneumatic guns use the same principle as HPA - High Pressure Air guns in that they require pressurized air as the propellant. The main difference with Multi-Pump Pneumatic guns, is that you do all the work by pumping the gun between shots. Generally speaking you pump the gun 3-10 times, take a shot and repeat this process.

• Multi-Pump Pneumatic guns are not effected by air temperature and are great for target and small pest control.

Spring Piston

• Spring pistons are generally found in Pellet Rifles and Pistols but some Airsoft Guns also use a Spring Piston System and generally speaking Spring Piston Guns are single shot only or in other words, the Spring needs to be drawn back before each shot. Spring Piston Guns can have magazines that allow for quicker repeat shots.

• Spring Piston Guns come in many cocking configurations, Brake Barrel and Side lever to name a couple.

• The Spring can be a Mechanical Spring or a Gas Spring.

• Spring Piston Guns are not effected by temperature and are often used for small game hunting and target shooting.

Automatic Electric Guns (AEG)

• Automatic Electric Guns  are generally found in Airsoft Rifles but there are some Airsoft Pistols (AEP) that use this same system.

• Automatic Electric Guns use a similar system to a Spring Piston gun but have an electric motor that does all the work of drawing back the spring. You can even have fully automatic AEG guns.

• The power for the electric motor comes from removable batteries, so it is a combination a battery supplying the motor with the power to draw back the spring that creates a pillow of air that shoots the BB.

• AEG Airsoft Guns are great for situations when you require high capacity magazines with full auto capability. 

Gun Powder

• Gun powder is used in Blank Guns, in the same manor that it is used in a Real Gun, the charge from the Gun Powder supplies the force required to operate the blowback in most semi auto Blank Pistols, it also creates the sound of a live round along with the muzzle flash which makes Blank Guns great for training and as Props for Movies and Film.

• Because the kinetic energy from a blank gun is the same as a real gun, blank guns can be very dangerous when used in close proximity to an object, see my "Are Blank Guns Dangerous Video"!

Some other Gun Relevant Terminology:

Blowback

• Blowback operation is when some of the force of the propellant is used to move the slide backwards, which in most cases cocks the hammer for single action and can also pickup and chamber a round into the barrel.

• The slide spring supplies the energy for the return to the forward position of the slide.

• Blowback Guns do rob some power from the bullet force and in the case of CO2 or Gas Guns the also reduce the amount of shots per CO2 or Gas fill.

Revolver, Semi Automatic

• Revolver: Revolvers feed ammunition via the rotation of a cartridge-filled cylinder, in which each cartridge is contained in its own ignition chamber, and is sequentially brought into alignment with the weapon's barrel by a mechanism linked to the weapon's trigger (double-action) or its hammer (single-action)

• Semi Automatic:  semi-automatic pistols use the energy of one shot to reload the chamber for the next. Typically recoil energy from a fired round is mechanically harnessed. After a round is fired, the pistol will cycle, ejecting the spent casing and chambering a new round from the magazine, allowing another shot to take place immediately.

Single Shot, Repeater, Semi Automatic & Fully Automatic

• Single Shot: A Single Shot Gun needs to be reloaded each time it is shot.

• Repeater: Repeating action Guns are single barreled guns containing multiple rounds of ammunition. These rounds are loaded from a magazine by means of a manual or automatic mechanism, and the action that reloads the rifle also typically re-cocks the firing action. The term repeating rifle is most often applied to weapons in which the next cartridge is loaded by a manual action, as opposed to semi-automatic rifles, in which the force of one shot is used to load the next.

• Semi Automatic: A semi-automatic, or self-loading, firearm is a weapon that performs all steps necessary to prepare the weapon to fire again after firing.

• Fully Automatic: A Gun that uses either its recoil or a portion of the gas propelling the projectile to remove the spent cartridge (in the case of a gun-shell), fire again repeatedly, as long as the trigger is held down or until the magazine is exhausted. Automatic Guns are distinguished from semi-automatic Guns in their ability to fire more than one shot in succession once the trigger is pulled.

Single, Double Action, SA/DA

• Check out my post explaining Single and Double action!

• Single-Action (SA): trigger performs the single action of releasing the hammer or striker to discharge the firearm each time the trigger is pulled.

• Double-Action (DA): The trigger both cocks and releases the hammer or striker

• SA-DA:  A SA/DA firearm combines the features of both mechanisms. You can pull the trigger in Double Action when the hammer is down which cocks and releases the trigger or you can cock the hammer with your thumb and then release the trigger using Single Action to fire the weapon. 

Lever Action, Pump Action, Bolt Action

• Lever Action: In a classic lever-action firearm, rounds are individually loaded into a tubular magazine parallel to and below the barrel. A short bolt is held in place with an over center toggle action. Once closed, the over center action prevents opening solely by the force on the bolt when the weapon is fired. This toggle action is operated by a hand grip that forms part of the trigger guard. When operated, a spring in the tubular magazine pushes a fresh round into position. Returning the operating lever to the home position chambers the round and closes the breach.

• Pump Action: With a pump-action firearm, the action is operated by a movable fore-end that goes backwards and forwards to eject, extract, and chamber a round of ammunition. Pump-actions are usually associated with shotguns.

• Bolt Action: The bolt opens and closes the breech end of the barrel and contains the firing pin. The bolt is held in place with a lever that fits into a notch. Moving this lever out of the notch will release the restraint on the bolt, allowing it to be drawn back. An extractor removes the spent cartridge, which is then ejected through the lever slot. A spring at the bottom of the magazine pushes up the reserve rounds, positioning the topmost between the bolt and the chamber at the base of the barrel. Pushing the bolt lever forward chambers this round and pushing the lever into the notch locks the bolt and enables the trigger mechanism.

Magazine vs Clip

• Magazine: A magazine is an ammunition storage and feeding device within or attached to a repeating firearm. Magazines can be removable (detachable) or integral to the firearm. The magazine functions by moving the cartridges stored in the magazine into a position where they may be loaded into the chamber by the action of the firearm. The detachable magazine is often referred to as a clip, although this is technically inaccurate.

• Clip: A clip is a device that is used to store multiple rounds of ammunition together as a unit, ready for insertion into the magazine or cylinder of a firearm. This speeds up the process of loading and reloading the firearm as several rounds can be loaded at once, rather than one round being loaded at a time. The term "clip" is also frequently used to refer to a detachable magazine, though such usage is incorrect.

It would not be the end of another year without another Airgun, Airsoft Gun and Blank Gun Collection video for you. This year I'm not showing all my guns, I started to take them out and quickly realized there where just way too many and this years video would have been several hours long and would have taken most of the week for me to shoot and edit...

So this year I have hand picked some of my top favorites and most notable replica Airgun, Airsoft Gun and Blank Guns. They may not all be the best made or hardest shooters or even all that accurate but each one has some significants to me.

So if you have about 30 minutes to kill, then join me in this years roundup of my most favorite Collection of guns for 2012!

Watch my Vimeo Video Airgun, Airsoft Gun and Blank Gun Collection Favorites for 2012

Type: Paintball Pistol.

Manufacturer:RAP4.

Model:RAP4 RAM P99

Materials: Metal & Polymer.

Weight: 2 pounds.

Barrel: 4 inches, metal non-rifled.

Propulsion: 12 gram CO2.

Action: Semi auto, single & double action with blowback.

Ammunition Type: .43 caliber paintball or rubber bullet.

Ammunition Capacity: 9 round magazine.

FPS: 250-300fps.

Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Real Action Paintball RAP4 X50 is rather nice in single action, being a true blowback gun, the cycling of the slide not only chambers a round but also pre-cocks the hammer allowing for a very smooth and light single action trigger pull. There is also a working de-cocker that allows you to release the internal hammer. Double action is noticeably heavier but would only really be used on the first shot if you had already used the de-cocker.

Accuracy: After my previous review of the RAM X50 I was expecting this gun to perform pretty much the same. I did find it to be a bit more accurate within the 20-25 foot range using the rubber balls but when I got out into the field and switched over to the Paintballs I found that they where really hooking and darting all over the place? Mind you, this gun was right out of the box and not broken in yet. I also got a bit lower fps (right around 250) out of the RAP4 RAM Walther P99 compared to my RAM X50 but again my review unit had not been adjusted in any way and I imagine I could turn it up a bit to get more fps out of it if I wante to. The plus side is I was able to get an astounding 8 magazines worth of shots out of one CO2.

Build Quality: The RAP4 RAM Walther P99 styled Paintball Pistol is built very well, it does have a polymer frame but the gun overall has lots of metal parts and a very good overall 2 pounds weight to it dry. The blowback action is very snappy and all the mechanics and fit and finish all look and function very nicely. The slide spring is nice and firm giving this paintball gun a snappy recoil and the feel closer to a real gun than that of an airgun.

Realism: The RAP4 RAM Walther P99 was primarily made to simulate real word shooting environments for Police and Military users and even includes Walther branding and licensing, it is a very believable looking and functioning copy of the real steel semi auto pistol it replicates. Other than the exception of the CO2 Cylinder hanging a bit far out of the bottom of the handle. The RAM P99 would be hard to tell from the actual Walther P99, especially when looking down the large .43 caliber barrel. The Blowback action and firm recoil help pull off the believability when shooting this ralistic Paintball Pistol.

Purchase it from:The Replica Airguns Store

Pros:

• Good weight and solid feeling gun.

• Full metal slide with nice heavy blowback recoil.

• All metal heavy 9 round magazines.

• Very Accurate Walther P99 replica including licensing and trademarks.

• Everything works pretty much like the real gun so a great training tool.

• Good accuracy up close and lots of shots per CO2 for such a large round.

• Nice light single action trigger and working de-cocker.

• Fairly affordable.

Cons:

• CO2 cylinder sticks out from the handle and looks a bit odd.

• Paintball accuracy out at range was unpredictable.

• Does not field Strip conventionally.

Comments:

This was my second time testing a RAP4 RAM product and again I took the chance to use it as it was intended to be used - in the field going through simulated tactical situations. My targets where barrels this time but they could have been other people with similar paintball guns shooting back at me which would have put even more pressure on me and forced me to really see where my mistakes are being made. That's the whole point of this type of training airgun, make it as real as it can be without your actual life being in danger so that when you are in danger you will not have to think about what you are doing but simply react based on your previous training. I think anyone who is a gun owner wanting to improve their reactive shooting skills should invest in one of these Paintball guns. One day you may thank yourself but let's hope it does not come to that!

Buy Umarex Pistols in Canada

Buy Umarex Pistols in the US

You may remember my review of the RAP4 RAM X50 (Sig Sauer P226) Blowback Paintball gun? Anyways I have added three models to to the Canada Replica Airguns store. These are really great guns and can be used as training aids because of their excellent realism and of course in paintball wars.

RAP4 RAM X50 Paintball Pistol (Sig Sauer P226)

RAP4 RAM P99 Paintball Pistol (Walther P99)

RAP4 RAM Desert Eagle Paintball Pistol

Right off the bat I have to say I had a great time making this Field Test Video Review of the RAP4 RAM X50 (Sig P226) .43 Caliber Blowback Paintball Pistol. I did something I don't generally do, I went back into my forest area of the property and setup some human sized targets (5 gallon buckets) and did some tactical real world shooting simulation, it was a lot of fun and the RAP4 RAM X50 Paintball Pistol worked perfectly for this as I could very easily see exactly where I was shooting and also did not have to worry too much about rebounding ammo.

This video only covers the shooting performance of the RAP4 RAM X50, so checkout my Table Top Review for things like the Specifications and Features.

In this video I start out by doing a Chronograph Test and shoot not only Paintball rounds but also some Rubber bullet and got very good average FPS results using both ammo types (288 fps using .43 caliber Rubber Balls and 279 fps using .42 caliber Paintballs).

I also tested the accuracy out from 20 feet away in a semi rested position and got about an 8 inch group with a full 9 round magazine, which on a human sized target would do the trick for sure. Keep in mind this is not a target pistol! My Tactical Field or should I say "Forest test", showed that this paintball pistol performs very well when used in a simulated shooting scenario.

I can really see a use for a gun like this, mainly for training oneself on how to acquire targets quickly and how to improve your tactical shooting skills.

Buy RAP4 Paintball Guns in Canada   -   Buy RAP4 Paintball Guns in the US

Type: Paintball Pistol.

Manufacturer:RAP4.

Model:RAP4 RAM X50

Materials: Metal & Polymer.

Weight: 2.2 pounds.

Barrel: 4.63 inches, metal non-rifled.

Propulsion: 12 gram CO2.

Action: Semi auto, single & double action with blowback.

Ammunition Type: .43 caliber paintball or rubber bullet.

Ammunition Capacity: 9 round magazine.

FPS: 250-300fps.

Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Real Action Paintball RAP4 X50 is rather nice, being a true blowback action gun, the cycling of the slide not only chambers a round but also pre-cocks the hammer allowing for a very smooth and light trigger pull in single action mode. There is also a de-cocker that allows you to release the hammer without activating the firing pin and placing the hammer in a half cock position rested about 2mm off the firing pin.

Accuracy: I did not expect amazing result with The RAM X50 Paintball Pistol in my preliminary testing as it does use rather light weight and fairly small caliber Paintballs that will be susceptible to wind gusts and the seems on them will make them a bit more turbulent than a standard Pellet, BB or Airsoft round. Even so I was able to hit pretty much any moderate sized target I shot at and I would assume in a battle situation I could place most shots on a human sized target fairly well as along as I was not too panic stricken ;)

Build Quality: The RAP4 RAM X50 Sig Sauer P226 styled Pistol is built very well, it does have a polymer frame but the gun overall has lots of metal parts and a very good overall 2.2 pounds weight to it dry. The blowback action is very snappy and all the mechanics and fit and finish all look and function very nicely. The only function that was not working on my "used" gun was the slide catching on the last round. I have not looked into it too much to see what may be the problem but I can see some wear on the catch area of the slide that may be causing it. I have no idea how the previous owners may have cared for this Paintball gun but overall it is in good condition.

Realism: The RAP4 RAM X50 was primarily made to simulate real word shooting environments for Police and Military users and even though it is not branded and licensed as such, it is a bang on copy of a Sig Sauer P226 Semi Auto Pistol. Other than the exception of the CO2 Cylinder hanging a bit far out of the bottom of the handle, The RAM X50 would be hard to tell from the Real Steel Sig Sauer P226, especially when looking down the large .43 caliber barrel. The Blowback action and firm recoil help pull off the believability when shooting this Paintball Pistol.

Purchase it from:The Replica Airguns Store

Pros:

• Good weight and solid feeling gun.

• Full metal slide with nice heavy blowback recoil.

• All metal heavy 9 round magazines.

• Very Accurate Sig Sauer P226 replica.

• Everything works pretty much like the real gun so a great training tool.

• Fairly affordable in the US adn Canada.

• Seemed to have Decent accuracy, decent amount of shots, about 3-4 good magazines

• Nice light single action trigger.

Cons:

• CO2 cylinder sticks out from the handle and looks a bit odd.

• My slide does not lock back after the last shot, may be a potential wear problem?

• Does not field Strip conventionally.

Comments:

I have had my eye on this paintball pistol for some time now, the first time I saw it, it was behind the counter in a Paintball store and generally in Canada they sell in retail shops for about $450+ so I have kind of been holding off to see if it woudl come my way a bit more affordably. The time came when I was able to leverage another sought after item I had and I was able to add this gun to my collection. I found that it shoots much like many of my other blowback airguns but perhaps with a bit more force than most. Shooting at targets 20-40 feet away was easy and the Paintball's had no problems breaking on contact with most medium to hard objects. I normally would not have a need for Paintball pistol but heck, why not if it looks this good and next time I go out to a paintball battle, I will have a surprise waiting for when I run out of rifle ammo or need to work in some close combat situations...

Buy Paintball Pistols in Canada 

Buy Paintball Pistols in the US

Some more updates for you, I received some more NcSTAR Accessories for my Canada Replica Airguns Store, some Red Dots, Scopes, Lasers, Tactical Lights, Rails, Bipods and some Vests, Slings and Holsters. I will be updating the Canada Store shortly with these very well priced items shortly so check back soon!

I also have a couple more blank guns that I will be conducting a Silent Auction on shortly: An EKOL Lady in Satin and an EKOL Special 99 in "White", which is more like a soft textured Nickel.

Lastly I also just picked up my first paintball pistol a RAM X50 and it is one I have been after for a while since I am a big Sig fan. It' basically an unlicensed Sig Sauer 226 that uses CO2 and chambers .43 caliber paintball and/or rubber balls. It is blowback and has a drop out 9 round metal magazine.

The CBSA (Canada Customs) has posted some good news for a change about the Reclassification of Airsoft Guns that shoot over 366fps! (Customs Notice 12-005)

So what does this mean? In a nutshell, any Airsoft gun that shoots a .20 gram airsoft BB at over 366 fps is now considered an uncontrolled firearm just like a regular airgun. And so it can be made out of full metal and look exactly like a real gun even without the red tip. (before the threshold was .22 gram BB had to shoot over 407 fps)

This means we will now be able to bring a lot more "All Metal Replica" Airsoft guns into Canada that where previously not allowed because of our much higher feet per second restrictions.

Here is the official statement from the CBSA:

1. The purpose of this notice is to advise of changes affecting the classification of 6mm calibre airsoft guns.

2. Section 2 of the Criminal Code defines a firearm as “a barrelled weapon from which any shot, bullet or other projectile can be discharged and that is capable of causing serious bodily injury or death to a person, and includes any frame or receiver of such a barrelled weapon, as well as anything that can be adapted for use as a firearm”.

3. As outlined in Memorandum D19-13-2, Importing and Exporting Firearms, Weapons and Devices, it was previously established that an airsoft gun, firing a .22g 6mm plastic pellet, must have a muzzle velocity in excess of 124 m/s (407 fps), in order to be considered a firearm.

4. Based on the latest research, it is now established that the muzzle velocity at which a .20g 6mm plastic airsoft projectile is capable of causing serious bodily injury is 111.6 m/s (366 fps).

5. Airsoft guns, firing a .20g 6mm plastic pellet, with a muzzle velocity above 111.6 m/s (366 fps), will be classified as firearms. Please refer to D19-13-2 for the import requirements of low muzzle velocity firearms, including low muzzle velocity “uncontrolled” firearms.

6. If an airsoft gun, firing a .20g 6mm plastic pellet, shoots below 111.6 m/s (366 fps), and resembles with near precision an existing make and model of a firearm, other than an antique firearm, it will be classified as replica firearm. Replica firearms are prohibited devices and must meet import requirements as listed in D19-13-2.

7. Inquiries and comments about this notice should be directed to: Other Government Department Programs Unit Programs Branch Canada Border Services Agency E-mail: faw-aaf@cbsa-asfc.gc.ca

Update on 2012-03-03 07:19 by Michael Kaye

Here is the direct link to this Customs Notice 12-005 on the CBSA website!

Here it is by popular demend, a video of all my Air and Blank Guns, many of which where added in 2011. Thank you to everyone for your suport, without you all, this would not have been posible!

Here is a list of all my Air and Blank Guns so far...

Pistols BB:

• Umarex PPK/S Nickel platted 4.5mm Blowback CO2 BB Pistol (Full Auto Mod).

• Umarex PPK/S 4.5mm Blowback CO2 BB Pistol.

• Umarex CP99 Compact 4.5mm Blowback CO2 BB Pistol.

• Umarex CP99 Compact Recon 4.5mm Blowback CO2 BB Pistol.

• Umarex H.P.P 4.5mm Blowback CO2 BB Pistol.

• Umarex SA177 4.5mm Blowback CO2 BB Pistol.

• Umarex Steel Storm 4.5mm Blowback CO2 BB Machine Pistol.

• Umarex Makarov 4.5mm CO2 BB Pistol.

• Umarex H&K USP 4.5mm CO2 BB Pistol.

• Umarex Colt Defender CO2 4.5mm BB Pistol.

• Umarex Colt Special Combat CO2 4.5mm BB Pistol.

• Umarex Smith & Wesson M&P 4.5mm CO2 BB Pistol.

• Umarex Beretta Elite II 4.5mm CO2 BB Pistol.

• Baikal IZH MP-654K (Makarov) 4.5mm CO2 BB Pistol (Nickel).

• Cybergun P226 X-Five 4.5mm Blowback CO2 BB Pistol.

• Cybergun P226 X-Five (with Sight Rail) 4.5mm Blowback CO2 BB Pistol.

• Cybergun GSG 92 4.5mm Blowback CO2 BB Pistol (Full Auto Mod).

• Cybergun Tanfoglio Witness 1911 4.5mm Blowback CO2 BB Pistol.

• Cybergun Sig Sauer SP2022 (Metal Slide) 4.5mm CO2 BB Pistol.

• Cybergun Sig Sauer GSR Sigarms 4.5mm CO2 BB Pistol.

• Cybergun IWI Jericho 941 4.5mm CO2 BB Pistol.

• Crosman C41 4.5mm CO2 BB Pistol.

• Crosman PRO77 4.5mm Blowback CO2 BB Pistol.

• EKOL ES 55 4.5mm CO2 BB Pistol.

• ASG CZ 75 P-07 DUTY 4.5mm Blowback CO2 BB Pistol.

• ASG Dan Wesson 2.5 inch Silver 4.5mm CO2 BB Revolver.

• ASG Dan Wesson 4 inch Black 4.5mm CO2 BB Revolver.

• ASG Dan Wesson 6 inch Silver 4.5mm CO2 BB Revolver.

• ASG Dan Wesson 8 inch Black 4.5mm CO2 BB Revolver.

• ASG STI Duty One 1911 4.5mm Blowback CO2 BB Pistol.

• ASG Steyr M9-A1 4.5mm CO2 BB Pistol.

Pistols Pellet: 

• Umarex Desert Eagle .177 Cal. Blowback CO2 Pellet Pistol.

• Umarex Beretta PX4 Storm .177 Cal. Blowback CO2 Pellet/BB Pistol.

• Umarex Beretta PX4 Storm (Tactical) .177 Cal. Blowback CO2 Pellet/BB Pistol.

• Umarex PPQ .177 Pellet & 4.5mm BB CO2 BB Pistol.

• Umarex Colt Government 1911 A1 Nickel CO2 .177 Pellet Pistol.

• Umarex CP88 Matte Black CO2 .177 Cal. Pellet Pistol.

• Umarex Beretta M 92 FS  Matte Black CO2 .177 Cal. Pellet Pistol.

• Umarex Beretta M 92 FS  Nickel Wood Grips CO2 .177 Cal. Pellet Pistol.

• Umarex CPSport CO2 .177 Cal. Pellet Pistol.

• Umarex Smith & Wesson M&P 45 .177 Cal. Pellet 4.5mm CO2 BB Pistol.

• Baikal IZH MP-655K (Viking) .177 Cal. Pellet & 4.5mm BB BB Pistol.

• Crosman 1088 .177 Pellet 4.5mm CO2 BB Pistol (Sliver)

• Crosman 2240 Custom .22 Pellet - Wood Grips - Extended Barrel - RJ Machine Bolt.

• Crosman 1377 American Classic .177 Cal. Pellet - Multi-pump.

• Crosman Kimar CK92 Black CO2 .177 Cal. Pellet Pistol.

• Crosman Kimar CK92 Chrome CO2 .177 Cal. Pellet Pistol.

• Webley Alecto (Zoraki HP-01) .22 Cal. Pellet Target Pistol (Multi-stroke pneumatic)

• Valtro Airgun 92 - Shoot2 System CO2 .177 Pellet pistol.

• Anics Skif A-3000 CO2 .177 Pellet pistol.

• Xisico XSP180 .22 Cal Break Barrel Pellet (Target Pistol)

Pistols Airsoft:

• Crosman Airmag M50 UZI 6mm Blowback CO2 BB Airsoft Pistol (Full Auto Mod).

Rifles BB:

• Crosman Marlin Cowboy Lever Action Spring BB Rifle.

• Daisy Red Ryder Lever Action Spring BB Rifle.

• Baikal MP-661K Blackbird 4.5mm BB CO2/Air Machine Rifle (Full Auto 1200 RPM Mod.) JimC Barrel.

• Baikal Drozd (Classic) 4.5mm BB CO2/Air Machine Gun (Full Auto 1200 RPM Mod.) JimC Barrel.

• Umarex MP5K PDW 4.5mm BB Blowback CO2 Rifle (Semi Auto).

• Umarex Walther SG9000 CO2 4.5mm BB Shotgun (Semi Auto Single & Three Shot Burst).

• Umarex EBOS CO2 4.5mm BB Machine Gun (Semi/Full Auto 8 Round Burst).

• Cybergun Mini UZI 4.5mm BB Blowback CO2 BB Gun (Full Auto Mod).

• RAP4 "Real Action Paintball" RAP5 MP5 4.5mm BB Blowback Rifle CO2(Semi/Full Auto)

• ZMZ Tyrex PPA-K-01 - 4.5mm BB Blowback Submachine gun CO2(Semi/Full Auto)

Rifles Pellet:

• Crosman Quest 800 .22 Cal. Spring Piston Pellet Rifle (Rodent/Crow Removal).

• Crosman Night Stalker .177 Cal. - Blowback CO2 Pellet Rifle (Small Rodent Removal).

• Crosman Backpacker 2289 .22 Cal. Pneumatic Pellet Rifle (Rodent/Crow Removal).

• Baikal IZH MP-61 .177 Cal. Side Lever Spring Piston Pellet - 5 Shot Magazine

• Umarex CX4 Storm .177 Cal. Blowback CO2 Pellet Rifle (Semi Auto).

• Benjamin Sheridan Super Streak in .22 Cal. Spring Pellet Rifle (Rodent/Crow Removal).

• Kimar Mod. K 760 - .177 Cal Spring Pellet Rifle (Target/Small Pests)

Rifles Paintball:

• Tacamo T68 AK47 Paintball Rifle .68 Cal.

Blank Guns:

• Kimar Lady K (Walther PPK) 8mm P.A.K. Blanks - Semi Auto.

• (Removed from Possession) Zoraki Mod.914 9mm P.A.K. Blanks - Semi/Full Auto.

• (Removed from Possession) Zoraki R1 Revolver (Rossi Snub Nosed) 2.5 inch Barrel - 9mm P.A.K. & Crimped 38 cal. Blanks.

• (Removed from Possession) Zoraki Mod.925 Mini Machine Gun 9mm P.A.K. Blanks - Semi/Full Auto.

• Zoraki M906 (All Black) 9mm P.A.K. Blanks - Semi Auto.

• Zoraki M906 (Silver-Chrome Slide) 9mm P.A.K. Blanks - Semi Auto.

• EKOL ASI (UZI) 9mm P.A.K. Blanks - Semi/Full Auto.

• EKOL Jackal Dual (Beretta 92 FS) 9mm P.A.K. Blanks - Semi/Full Auto.

• EKOL Firat (Beretta 92 FS) 9mm P.A.K. Blanks - Semi Auto.

• EKOL Dicle (Beretta Cougar) 9mm P.A.K. Blanks - Semi Auto.

• EKOL Aras (Browning Hi-Power) 9mm P.A.K. Blanks - Semi Auto.

• EKOL Special 99 (Beretta Cheetah) 9mm P.A.K. Blanks - Semi Auto.

• EKOL Major (Walther PPK) 9mm P.A.K. Blanks - Semi Auto.

• EKOL Volga (Tanfoglio GT27) 9mm P.A(Walther PPK).K. Blanks - Semi Auto.

• EKOL Tuna (Tanfoglio GT27)  8mm P.A.K. Blanks - Semi Auto.

• EKOL Arda (Mini Revolver) 8mm P.A.K. Blanks - Semi Auto.

• Retay CS9 (Smith & Wesson CS9) 9mm P.A.K. Blanks - Semi Auto.

• Retay Baron HK (Sig Sauer P228) 9mm P.A.K. Blanks - Semi Auto.

• Retay Eagle (Desert Eagle) 9mm P.A.K. Blanks - Semi Auto.

You can also check them out here.

Make sure to also checkout my update video for the RAP4-RAP5 where I compare the RAP5 to my Umarex MP5K PDW and also take out a bunch of cans...

Type: BB machine gun.

Manufacturer: RAP4.

Model: RAP5 (H&K MP5).

Materials: Metal & Polymer.

Weight: 6-7 pounds.

Barrel: 9.5 inches, metal non-rifled.

Propulsion: CO2 or bulk air.

Action: Semi & full auto, single action.

Ammunition Type: .4.5mm steel BB.

Ammunition Capacity: 21 round magazine.

FPS: 400fps.

Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Real Action Paintball RAP5 feels kind of like an on/off switch, even though it is not an electronic switch it kind of feels like one a bit and it seems to need some CO2 or Air pressure in order to operate. Once the pressure is there, you can engage the trigger. The trigger is fairly short and nice and light.

Accuracy: I was pretty impressed with the RAP5 BB machine guns overall accuracy. I did not have to play around to much with my Red Dot scope to get it on target and keeping it on target is easy to do in both semi and full auto modes. I was especially impressed with how well it stayed on target in full auto mode. I like the fact that it pumps out BB's very quickly and they go exactly where you want them too go.

Build Quality: I was very impressed with the overall build quality of the RAP5, it has lots of metal parts exactly where they would be metal on the real MP5 giving the RAP4-RAP5 BB machine gun a very solid feel. Even the magazines feel solid and are made with metal. I was bit concerned about how the RAP5 would feed and shoot the BB & casing combination but it really seemed to work well and the combined full auto and ejecting casings makes the RAP5 a total gas to shoot!

Realism: The RAP5 BB machine gun is extremely realistic, you can even mix and match real H&K MP5 accessory parts! The only way you can tell its not the real steel is the small ejection port where the .43 caliber casings fly out, and they really come out with some momentum! Other then that this BB machine gun is very realistic in how it operates, looks and feels.

Purchased From: RAP4 (Real Action Paintball)

Pros:

• Extremely realistic replica of a real H&K MP5.

• Lots of metal on this gun.

• Ejecting casings makes for a realistic experience.

• Semi and full auto selectable with a nice high rate of fire in full auto.

• Can customize with actual MP5 add on parts. (stocks, rails, grips)

• Good accuracy even in full auto mode.

• Can use either CO2 or bulk-air power sources.

• Decent 400fps for a full auto machine gun.

Cons:

• Not a cheap gun!

• Hunting down the ejected casings can be a bit of a chore but they are not expensive to buy.

• .43 caliber ejection port on the side is a bit of a giveaway.

• Would have liked more options of power-sources when purchasing. (Dual 12 gram CO2 adaptor should come standard)

Comments:

When I heard about this BB machine gun, I new I had to have it and mostly because of the way it feeds and ejects the shell casings, much like a real gun! I'm also a big fan of the H&K MP5 styled rifle and PDW version. I was genuinely impressed with everything about this BB shooter; design, quality, realism and shoot-ability and I hope to one day get the RAP4 (M4 styled) version of this gun which uses the same feeding mechanism. If you want the most realistic looking and operating full auto 4.5mm BB machine gun you can get then this is really it.

Buy similar gun in Canada 

Buy similar gun in the US

This may be "News" to some of my regular visitor but if this is your first time here, (perhaps after reading one of the CBC News article related to the imported BB shooting AK-47 airguns). I  would like to welcome you to the Replica Airguns website.

• Replica AK-47 BB guns allowed into Canada
• BB gun inspections to be beefed up at border

First off, Canada is still a somewhat free country and this gives us all the right to freely peruse our legal hobbies and passions even if they are not fully understood by others. For those of you that do not understand what this website is about, I respect that but I also want you to know that your opinion is not all that important to me and most of the people like me that enjoy collecting and shooting replica airguns and blanks guns.

Owning guns in Canada is still our legal right and with this right comes great reasonability, just like driving a car or even drinking alcohol within ones limits. Yes people have died from gun related accidents, just like people have died from vehicles, alcohol, sports and many other mishaps that can happen to any one at any time each and every day. Life is precious and valuable and so are our rights.

The guns sold on ReplicaAirguns.com, although they may look to some to be scary and dangerous, in reality they have a very small bite. In other words, the consequences of being shot with an air gun pail in comparison to being shot by a real gun and although people have died from airguns (usually thigh powered licensed versions not sold on this website), these instances are rare. Airguns must always be taken seriously and treated like any other gun, with respect!

Air guns are one of the best ways to introduce a young person to gun safety. For the most part, it's not the educated gun people who cause the accidents, it's ignorance and stupidity and hiding your head in the sand that causes these accidents and deaths unnecessarily! My children are very young but I have already started to teach them how to respect all types of guns because one day when I am not around to tell them what to do, I know they are going to do the right thing and perhaps save the life of one of their "gun curious" friends who was "Sheltered" from guns and in so was never given the tools to treat them in a safe and respectful manor.

Anyways, this is not a debate, this is my opinion and you don't have to like it! I don't really care and I don't have to like your opionion either ;)

So what brought us to this point? I am not going to say all that much because there is an ongoing investigation and I do not want to interfere with the RCMP investigation in any way.

Here are some facts:

• This incident has not effected the Replica Airguns Store operation as the warehouse that ships the products is still fully functioning and operating at 100%.
• All items sold at ReplciaAirguns.com are legal within Canada and are imported and sold legally at the time of their sale. Everything available in the Replica Airguns Store can be sold to an adult in Canada without the need for a special licence.
• Replica Airguns is not an import company. (We purchase from other importers)
• Yes we perviously sold a legally imported BB shooting AK47 styled air gun that is now being investigated by the RCMP, as they have concerns about it being converted to a real firearm.
• If you have questions or concerns about the BB gun in question then you need to contact the RCMP and ask them your questions as I can not provide you with the answers.
• Was I raided? Yes I was, it was not fun. The police took all my stuff and it disrupted my life and my family, pretty much what you would expect from a police raid… At this time most of my personal airguns and blank guns have been returned to me. I am still waiting for my computer related items and registered firearms to be returned to me.
• I have not been charged with anything at this time and I do not believe I will be charged based on the findings and information provided to me by the police and the fact that I have not done anything wrong.
• Do I still support the police in their efforts? Yes I do! I still feel that their intensions where good even if some of their information may not have been accurate. It is unfortunate that this happened to law abiding people like me across Canada but sometimes good people get caught in the middle and all we can hope for is that in the end it all gets sorted out…

Michael Kaye

As promised, I went out and picked up some Reball (reusable) paintballs to try in my Tacamo T68 AK47 styled paintball rifle. I wanted to see what kind of damage they could inflict on various targets. The purpose of the Reball is mainly for practice or training use with paintball guns, they are also used in some indoor paintball facilities. Reballs have the advantage of not only being reusable but also not making a lot of mess.

Another benefit is that Reballs do not break apart and so they will deliver more energy on target which may be useful in a self defense situation with a high fps Paintball gun. Now I am not recommending these guns in any ways to be used for self defense or non-lethal use but other people have suggested it to me, and I wanted to see what these little rubber balls could do to different targets.

Keep in mind I was not looking for penetration as that is not the purpose of a "traumatic round", such as a rubber bullet. Rubber bullets are not supposed to penetrate but rather stun a person.

I found the Rubber Reball Paintballs to be about the same weight as standard paintballs and so they shoot about the same fps which in my gun was about 350 fps.

In conclusion, I would not want to be shot with a Reball out of a high fps paintball gun, as for stopping an intruder, maybe? You most certainly would be able to pick them out of a police lineup because they would be riddled with red welts :)

Buy this Paintball gun in Canada

I get a fair bit of interest and questions from people in the TV, Movie, Stage, Internet and Photo business looking for guns they can use in their productions, so I thought I would put together an informative video to show them some options available to them at least here in Canada.

The problem is a lot of times a "Gun Handler" is required, as in many cases real firearms are used and very strict guidelines need to be in place for obvious safety reasons. This is most likely the best option in the case of a Matrix styled movie and an extensive amount of guns are required in the production. What if you only need a few guns and you want to keep your budget and complications to a minimum? Well there are other options and that's where I come in.

Watch this short Promotional Video for more information if you are looking for a simplified and easy solution for your realistic gun use in Movie, Stage, Internet and Photo productions.

Type: Paintball air rifle.

Manufacturer: Tacamo (unbranded).

Model: T86 AK47.

Materials: Metal & wood build.

Weight: 8 pounds.

Barrel: 14 inches, non-rifled.

Propulsion: CO2 or compressed air.

Action: Semi auto blowback, single action only.

Ammunition Type: Paintball marker .68 caliber.

Ammunition Capacity: Dependent on hopper system used.

FPS: 350

Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Tacamo T68 AK-47 is what you would expect from a blowback operated single action gun, easy and light with just a bit of creep to it. The action of the bolt gives the gun a nice little snap to it and with the extra CO2 needed to push out the large .68 caliber paintball markers you also get a little bit of recoil adding to the shooting enjoyment.

Accuracy: I'm not going to spend a lot of time talking about accuracy with the Tacamo T68 Paintball gun as I don't really have any other references to base it on but I can say I was pretty impressed with how well it stayed on target considering most paintball ammo is not really uniform in shape which effects accuracy a lot. I was also expecting lower FPS performance closer to the 250-300 FPS range but I got nice consistent 350 FPS shots with the Tacamo T68 AK47.

Build Quality: Very nice, the  Tacamo T68 AK-47 is made of mostly metal and wood with many actual parts from a real AK 47 including the wood handle and stock, rear sight, safety, magazine and authentic strap. The Tacamo Paintball rifle has some weight to it also making the AK 47 replica feel solid and durable.

Realism: Again the Tacamo AK 47 replica is made of lots of real AK47 parts making this gun very realistic, you can't really get around the telltale Paintball marker top loading tube and CO2 hookups but other then that the Tacamo AK47 really looks like a an actual AK47, so if you want to play the bad guy you can definitely pull it off with this replica paintball rifle.

Available From: The Replica Airguns Store

Pros:

• Very believable AK 47 replica.
• Lots of real AK-47 parts
• Mostly metal and wood design.
• Magazine can be used for storage of tools or extra paintballs
• Adjustable sights
• 3 models to choose from with different styled stocks.
• Comes with genuine strap.
• Fun to play the bad guy with this villainous rifle.

Cons:

• Semi auto only, no full auto - would have been nice!
• May be a bit large and heavy compared to other more compact Paintball guns.
• A few paintballs broke in my barrel when shooting, FPS pressure may have been set too high?

Comments:

I really like my Tacamo T68 AK47 Paintball rifle, again I have virtually no experience with Paintball guns so my reasons for liking it are mostly based on the all metal and wood build and real AK 47 look of the Tacamo T68 AK47. That said I thought it performed pretty good overall getting decent accuracy and shooting well into the 300+ FPS. I may pull this one out once in a while even to shot some various targets just because it does have a more realistic recoil feel when shooting then my smaller caliber pellet and BB airguns.

Buy Paintball guns in Canada

Buy Paintball guns in the US

You just have to have the classic AK47 and this one even has the wood foreword stock. I will be reviewing the Under Folding Stock version of this very realistic looking AK47 Paintable Assault rifle.

The Tacamo T68 AK47 Series of Paintball guns are based on the most widely used assault rifle in the world - the AK-47! Tacamo has taken the AK47's classic lines and melded them with the powerhouse T68 internals to create this powerful marker for scenario paintball and military training. The Tacamo marker is designed as the "opposing force” weapon to enhance military combat training, or for when you just want to play a bad guy for the weekend.

The Tacamo T68 Series Paintball Guns are manufactured at a registered weapons factory in the PRC using actual production parts from AK47's where possible!

This Paintball gun is made but Tacamo but does not carry the Tacamo Brand.

• .68 caliber Paintballs
• Adjustable 200-400 FPS
• AK Magazine
• Authentic Metallic Sights
• Realistic Size, Weight
• 14 inch barrel
• Semi auto
• Hopper fed
• Reliable T68 Internal with All-Mechanical Performance—no batteries!
• Accepts CO2 or HPA
• All metal and wood construction
• Comes with authentic sling

Buy Paintball guns in Canada

Buy Paintball guns in the US

I'm trying something new here by adding a few Paintball guns to the store and I do plan on reviewing one of the Tacamo Paintball guns, this will be a new experience for me for sure!

The Tacamo AK RPK Special Products Division-RPK is a real show stopper. The stock and fore-grip are real laminated wood, it comes with a real AK bi-pod, real AK rear sights, and a specially bored 20 inch barrel. The Tacamo AK RPK Special Products Division-RPK also comes with a 75 round drum magazine for that added realistic look.

This Paintball gun is made but Tacamo but does not carry the Tacamo Brand.

• .68 caliber Paintballs
• Adjustable 200-400 FPS
• Semi auto
• Hopper fed
• Realistic Size, Weight
• Reliable T68 Internal with All-Mechanical Performance—no batteries!
• Accepts CO2 or HPA
• All metal and wood construction

Buy this Paintball gun in Canada

OK, right off the bat the title for this post is a bit dramatic but if it gets me a few extra hits why not!

So I went south across the boarder to pickup a few air guns supplied to me for review by UmarexUSA. Umarex is not comfortable sending airguns to me directly in Canada so I have Umarex send it to a place close to the boarder in Blaine that ships and receives items.

Todays trip I was bringing back a couple air guns - the Umarex SG9000 BB Shotgun and the Umarex S&W M&P 45. Both of which shoot under 500 fps and have an energy value of less then 5.7 Joules which classifies them as Un-Controlled Firearms in Canada. And what does this mean? The short of it is that in Canada we are not allowed "Replica guns" and so there are some Police and Border Guards that believe any airgun that looks like a real gun is a "replica gun" and so it is illegal to own or import into Canada.

It is kind of complicated but we have provision in our Canadian Firearms Act that addresses this issue but as I found out today, not all Border Guards are aware of this. Now I do not want to bad-mouth our Canadian Border Guards, for the most part they are very fair and they are just doing their job to the best of their ability.

Here is a link to the entire Memorandum that addresses this issue if you want to read it all (reference: CBSA Memorandum D19-13-2  pages 8-16)

Here are the parts that are important to my story!

Replica Firearm: 

• A device that resembles a real firearm but cannot fire a projectile, or its projectile cannot cause serious bodily harm.  Replica firearms are prohibited devices (most AEG's and GBB pistols).  Prohibited devices are not the same things as prohibited firearms.

Firearm: 

• A barrelled device firing a projectile able to cause serious bodily harm. For CBSA's purpose, all firearms are separated into either controlled firearms, or un-controlled firearms.

Controlled:  

• A firearm with muzzle velocity above 500 FPS AND muzzle energy above 5.7 Joules.  Serial number, registration, Firearm Possession and Acquisition License (PAL) are required to import / purchase and possess any controlled firearms

Un-Controlled: 

• A firearm with muzzle velocity below 500 FPS OR muzzle energy below 5.7 Joules.  There is no serial number, registration, license or permit required to import / purchase / own such un-controlled firearms

Exception:

• The following goods generally do not meet the definition of prohibited weapon, and thus do not fall under tariff item 9898.00.00. Their misuse may nonetheless be punishable under other laws:
• (a) an air gun or BB/pellet gun that resembles a real make and model of a firearm may not be a replica firearm if it is an “uncontrolled” firearm (see “Uncontrolled” firearms).

Sorry to make you read that but it is imperative to the rest of my story so that you understand that a Metal BB or Pellet gun that shoots under 500 fps with an energy level below 5.7 Joules is in fact an Un-Controlled Firearm or a barrelled device firing a projectile able to cause serious bodily harm and can in fact resemble a real make or model of firearm.

Unfortunately I did not print off Memorandom D19-13-2 (Note to self... Print it off before heading across the boarder to pickup Air guns!). Now last time I had no problems at all bringing my Umarex PPQ across the border, I guess my Border Guard that time was on the up and up?

Well this time I got sent right into the main building for "Question and Answer Time".

They took a look at the air guns and came back and said, "I can't let you keep these airguns because they are Replica guns."

So I said, "They are not Replicas, they are Un-Contorlled Firearms making them in fact not a Replica but an actual Firearm.

So they said, "Our documentation says that any airgun that looks like a Firearm, is a Replica and we do not classify airguns as Firearms".

So I said, "So all the places in Canada selling Replica Airguns are doing so illegally and if so, how are they getting all these guns past you guys?"

We went back and forth on this for about a half an hour and I was not disrespectful to the Border Guard and he also took the time to hear me out. After he realized that I was more then just your average uninformed tourist returning from vacation with an airgun keepsake, he went into the back and returned to tell me he had good news. "You can keep your air guns" he said! He had spoken with another Border Guard who knew more about the Airgun - Replica laws and was set straight on the confusing matter.

Yes it was a bit stressful at the time but I still have all my faith in our Border Guards, they where not in any way rude to me, but keep in mind I was not disrespectful to them either. It kind of makes you wonder how many fully legal airguns get confiscated at the border and more then likely destroyed?

So anyways - the good news is I have two more Umarex products that I will be reviewing very soon. So make sure to checkout the Umarex SG9000 BB Shotgun and the Umarex S&W M&P 45 when I do their upcoming reviews.

Buy this gun in Canada   -   Buy this gun in the US

Buy similar guns in Canada   -   Buy this gun in the US

Related Posts:

• UMAREX INTRODUCES THREE NEW REPLICA AIR PISTOLS - PPQ - S&W M&P 45 - S&W M&P R8 REVOLVER
• UMAREX WALTHER PPQ BB AND PELLET CO2 PISTOL
• MORE DETAILS ON THE UMAREX WALTHER PPQ - S&W M&P 45 - S&W M&P R8
• MORE PHOTOS OF THE UMAREX WALTHER PPQ
• UMAREX WALTHER PPQ CO2 PELLET & BB PISTOL REVIEW

I had a little adventure today. I needed to pick up an Umarex PPQ CO2 Pellet Pistol sent to me for review purposes by Umarex USA. The reason it was such an adventure was because Umarex USA was only able to send the PPQ Pellet Shooter to an address in the US and I live in Canada! No problem as I am very used to this No-Canada ship-to policy with many businesses. My work around is to ship to a warehouse in the US that specializes in shipping and receiving products for Canadians just like me.

I recently picked myself up a little 250cc Kawasaki KLX250SF Super Motard for doing my running around and today the weather was actually pretty good so I called up a riding buddy and out we went to pick up my Umarex Walther PPQ. The hardest part is actually getting into the US, if you say anything about business or picking "going to get something", you open yourself up to a hailstorm of questioning so you're always better off to go with the standard "I'm going shopping at the mall" or something like that. I have tried to be honest and every time it ends up being a three hour interrogation... 

So I made it across into the US and picked up my PPQ, stuffed it in my backpack, grabbed some Mexican food for lunch (it's always way better in the US), went for a joy ride, and then we headed back to Canada with my airgun tucked away securely in my backpack.

I know my airgun laws so I was not worried about crossing back into Canada, the worst that could happen at the boarder was getting pulled aside and asked to pay some duty and/or taxes. It was actually kind of funny because the boarder guard asked me to pull the gun out and hand it to him so he could check it out and make sure it wasn't a real gun or "Replica" non-shooting gun.

As I put my hand in the bag I said "do you want me to hand it to you", I wanted to makes sure I had not misheard him, that would have been an uncomfortable situation all around! I was thinking the whole time "I wonder what the people behind me are thinking" as we pass back and forth what looks like a real hand gun and then I just drive off like nothing happened.

Anyways, I have to say the Canadian boarder guards are generally really good about this kind of thing as long as you are honest with them and stay within the law of course.

So now I have this rather nice little pellet shooting Walther PPQ Replica to review for you all tomorrow! Make sure to check out my review! I plan on doing a full review complete with Chronograph fps and an accuracy shooting tests.

Buy the PPQ in Canada 

Buy the PPQ in the US

Can you tell which one is "Real" and which one is an "Air Gun"?

There seems to be a lot of confusion about what is a Firearm, especially in Canada because we have some confusing laws in this area.

First off, I am not an expert on this and this article is just my own personal understanding of how this works so don't quote me on it!

What is the definition of a Firearm? This is what Wiki says:

"A firearm is a device which projects either single or multiple projectiles at high velocity through a controlled explosion. The firing occurs by the gases produced through rapid, confined burning of a propellant. This process of rapid burning is technically known as deflagration. In older firearms, this propellant was typically black powder or cordite, but modern firearms use smokeless powder or other propellants. Most modern firearms (with the notable exception of smoothbore firearms) have rifled barrels to impart spin to the projectile for improved flight stability."

So clearly this does not include air guns because no "burning explosion" is involved.

Here is what Canada says a Firearm is for the purposes of the Canada Firearms act:

"A barrelled weapon from which any shot, bullet or other projectile can be discharged and that is capable of causing serious bodily injury or death to a person, and includes: Any frame or receiver of such a barrelled weapon, as well as, anything that can be adapted for use as a firearm."

Notice that Canada does not limit Firearms to only include weapons that use explosions to propel a projectile. So this means that Air guns  are considered Firearms in Canada! Or does it?

In Canada we have exemptions to what is considered a regular "Controlled Firearm" that change there classification to a "Uncontrolled Firearm" and here they are: 

• Antique firearms.
• Devices designed exclusively for signalling, for notifying of distress, for firing blank cartridges or for firing stud cartridges, explosive-driven rivets or other industrial projectiles;
• Shooting devices designed exclusively for slaughtering domestic animals, tranquilizing animals, or discharging projectiles with lines attached to them;
• Air guns and other barreled weapons designed to have: A muzzle velocity of 152.4 meters per second or less and a muzzle energy of 5.7 joules or less.

So this means Airguns that shoot under 500fps and have a muzzle energy of less than 5.7 joules or 4.2 foot pounds are considered "Uncontrolled Firearms" in Canada! This is good news because if you're 18 years old, you can walk into any sporting goods store and buy an air gun. You also do not have to abide by all the strict rules and regulations a "Controlled Firearm" must.

Keep in mind that if you use an exempted "Uncontrolled Firearm" in a criminal or negligent manner then it will be considered just like a "Controlled Firearm" and your A$$ is going to jail!

What about Blank Guns? It does mention in the exemptions that devices exclusively for firing blank cartridges and/or for signaling "Flare" are also exempt.

But hold on a moment there is another law governing what Canadian law considers "Replicas":

"Replica firearms are prohibited

To be prohibited as a replica firearm, a device must closely resemble an existing make and model of firearm. If it looks like an antique firearm, as defined by the Criminal Code and Criminal Code Regulations, it is not prohibited.

The Canadian Firearms Program receives many enquiries from people wondering whether an imitation firearm would be considered a replica if it resembles a real firearm in many ways, but it is made of clear or brightly coloured plastic, or is much smaller in size.

Many of these devices need to be assessed case by case. As a general rule, however, those made out of clear plastic and those that are a lot smaller than the real firearm are not prohibited replicas. Those that are brightly coloured might be prohibited, depending on other features."

So are Blank Guns that look like real guns replicas and therefore prohibited in Canada? And does that make Replica Air Guns Prohibited too? It's all so confusing...

This is how I understand what our Canadian Gun laws to be:

Air Guns for the sake of the "Canadian Firearms Act" are considered Firearms in the first place and so they are real guns and can look like real guns, the exemption to this rule is based on the fact that they shoot under 500fps and have a muzzle energy of 4.2 foot pounds or less, not on what they look like.

Blank Guns in Canada walk an even finer line. Basically, the ones that are being allowed into the Canada at this moment are classified as "Signal" or "Flare Guns" and they all come with flare adaptors. Secondly, they are not exact replicas of real guns in existence. If you have a blank gun that is the spitting image of a real gun and/or it does not have a flare adaptor and is capable of shooting flares then you have yourself a prohibited weapon which beleive it or not is governed even tighter than an actual restricted Firearm in Canada!

The last thing I want to mention even though I don't really do the Airsoft stuff personally is: "what about Airsoft guns?"

Many Airsoft Guns start out by not being classified as a Firearm because they are not capable of causing serious bodily injury or death to a person. So if they look like a real gun or are a replica of a real gun then they are considered Prohibited. To get around this law, most Airsoft guns in Canada have clear plastic sections and also come with red tipped barrels. There are however, some Airsoft guns that shoot a .20 gram BB over 366fps upgrading them so-to-speak into the same classification as a regular (Pellet/BB) Air Gun because the increased velocity makes them potentially capable of causing serious bodily injury or death to a person. These "high fps" Airsoft guns do not require clear plasitc parts or red tipped barrels. Here is a link to some more updated information specifically on the Airsoft subject.

So now I have cleared this all up for you, or, you're just more confused then when you stated reading this article! Either way these are our Canadian Firearms laws as they pertain to Air Guns, Blank Guns and Airsoft Guns!