We had a lot of great new Airguns that I reviewed this year at Replica Airguns. Some of them really stood out to me and so I made a video showing my Favorite Replica Airgun Picks of 2019. Of course there where many other Airguns that could has just as easily made this video but I had to draw the line somewhere and pick the ones that in my opinion where the best of 2019. Make sure to watch my Vimeo video where I go into some more details on why I liked each Airgun.
Below is a list of the top Replica Airgun Picks of 2019:
In a way I have already Field Tested the Air Venturi TR5 .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle, well at least in the Baikal version. The Air Venturi version is pretty much a knock of of the Baikal IZH MP-61 which not only look a lot alike but also performed very similarly for me, checkout my Baikal YouTube Video Review for comparison. All that said we can not get Baikal products here in North America anymore so it’s great that Air Venturi has recreated a very similar product for us to have in Canada and the US.
Moving on to the Field Test Review for the Air Venturi TR5 .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle, I first placed 5 shots through my Chronograph to see if the Air Venturi TR5 .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle did in fact shoot around 500 fps and in fact I was able to get all 5 shots up and over 500 fps averaging around 513 fps. Still within our Non-regulated firearm laws here in Canada since we where still under the 4.2 foot pound energy limit using 6.9 grain pellets.
As mentioned before when I shot the Baikal IZH MP-61 I was able to get very similar results but I did have an optical scope on the Baikal IZH MP-61 as compared to the Air Venturi TR5 .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle where I just used the open sights. In my opinion the Air Venturi TR5 .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle is good value for your money offering a unique design with excellent performance and getting as much power out of a pellet rifle as you can get here in Canada without requiring a firearms license.
Pick one up in our Canada or US Online Replica Airguns stores!
Here we have three very different products I Unbox and Preview for everyone. A Spring Piston multi-shot .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle, a single action BB/Pellet revolver that’s not a Colt! And a really nice looking Semi Auto Blank Pistol in a Chrome finish.
Let’s start with the Air Venturi TR5 Spring Piston 5-shot .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle. I think this is a really well thought out Air Rifle. It’s “almost a Bullpup” in design but it does actually load in front of the trigger just a bit, that said most of the spring piston is behind the trigger setup making it really compact yet with a longer than normal barrel compared to regular Break Barrel Spring Piston Air Rifles. The Air Venturi TR5 Spring Piston 5-shot .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle also has a side lever cocking mechanism along with a 5 round auto indexing magazine which makes it much quicker to cock and reload for fast follow-up shots, again compared to a standard Break Barrel Air Rifle, not to mention no barrel droop! The Air Venturi TR5 Spring Piston 5-shot .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle has a claimed fps of up to 500 so we are getting the max amount of velocity possible for our Canadian laws without making it a regulated firearm and requiring a PAL license. And by the way the Air Venturi TR5 Spring Piston 5-shot .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle does come in both a Lime Green and all Black version just in case you are not a fan of the Lime Green finish I show in this video.
Moving onto the Schofield No. 3 BB/Pellet 6 Shot Revolver Replica, if you like single action revolvers then take a look at the Schofield No. 3 BB/Pellet 6 Shot Revolver Replica. It’s a lot more bulky than a Colt Single Action Revolver and also has that top Break design that makes reloading quick and easy. The version we are selling inner Replica Airgun Online Store is the kit version that comes with 6 BB shells and 6 pellet shells so you can take your pick on ammo types. The barrel is not rifled so Steel BB’s will not hurt the Airgun and since pellets are skirted they do not need a rifled barrel to fly straight and true. You can expect around 445 fps for the Schofield No. 3 BB/Pellet 6 Shot Revolver Replica.
I though I would feature the fact that we recently added some of the Tokyo Marui product line to our Canada Replica Airguns Store. Tokyo Marui is said to be one of the best Airsoft products on the market and they have been around for a while so they have had time to get it right! As Tokyo Marui is a Japanese based company they are restricted to only being able to use plastic frames and slides but even with this limitation the Tokyo Marui products that I have personally looked at are extremely well made.
A while back I made a Vimeo Video named” Is an Airgun Good for Self Defense?” It’s been pretty popular on YouTube getting over 2 million video views and I get a lot fo feedback from my viewers with varying opinions on this issue. I like constrictive feedback and enjoy hearing what my YouTube viewers have to say as long as everyone is being civil about it and not just trying to start an argument.
In my first video on this subject I pretty much go on the record saying I don’t think Airguns are a good choice for self defense and there are for sure way better alternatives but many of you disagreed with me and so I decided to make this update or revisit video and go over some of the top pushback comments I get and see if they have some merit to them.
Here are the top 4 pushback comments I get the most often:
When the bad guy sees the airgun they are going to run away thinking it’s a real gun.
Just shoot the bad guy in the eyes / face.
Use an HPA large caliber rifle.
Use a full auto high capacity Airgun.
Watch my “Is an Airgun Good for Self Defense Revisit” Vimeo video to see how I address these pushback comments.
Type: Blowback CO2 BB Pistol. Manufacturer: Distributed by Umarex. Model:Walther PPS M2. Materials: Metal & Polymer. Weight: 1.25 pounds (567 grams). Barrel: 3.34 inches, metal non-rifled. Propulsion: CO2 x 1. Action: Semi auto single action only trigger. Ammunition Type: 4.5mm steel BB's. Ammunition Capacity: 18 round drop out metal stick magazine. FPS: Claimed 340.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Umarex Walther PPS M2 Blowback CO2 BB Pistol is single action only so you will need to rack the slide before you can fire off the first shot. The trigger reset does not change even when cocked so there is a fair amount of take-up but it is very light right up until the release where you then feel the actual trigger pull. The release weight is fairly light.
Build Quality: TheUmarex Walther PPS M2 Blowback CO2 BB Pistol is not super heavy but because of its small size it does feel solid in the hand. Fit and finish are both good and you will find metal parts in all the right places like the slide, trigger, barrel, magazine, slide catch release and lost of other metal parts internally.
Realism: The Umarex Walther PPS M2 Blowback CO2 BB Pistol is a really good replica when compared to the real steel version. For the most part it is really hard to tell them apart just looking at them. One difference is the trigger, you will find a trigger safety on the real steel version versus no trigger safety on the BB firing airgun. I am not talking about the cross bolt safety here as this is also unique to the Airgun version and not on the real still pistol. Available From: The Replica Airguns Store.
Pros:
A lot like the previous version PPS but more modern looking with smoother edges.
Nice overall believable replica of the real steal Walther PPS.
Fully Walther licensed via Umarex.
Easy to use and see white dot sights front and back.
Great small size weight and feel to it.
Working slide catch and release locks back after last shot.
Fit and finish is good.
Smart built in Allen key/spring system.
Stick mag but the butt plate hides the CO2 screw nicely.
Recessed barrel looks the part.
Expect decent blowback feel since it has a heavier slide spring than the previous PPS and that version even had decent blowback recoil for its size.
Cons:
Not field strip-able.
Only partial blowback action with stick magazine.
Comes in clam shall packaging and has ugly warning instructions on slide.
Comments:
I like the format of these small compact conceal cary gun like the ASG Bersa BP9CC, of course the first generation Umarex Walther PPS Blowback and now the new Umarex Walther PPS M2. Small sized compact guns like the Umarex Walther PPS M2 here in Canada are considered Prohibited making them off limits for most Canadians even with valid Restricted handgun licenses so the BB firing version many be as close as you are going to get to owning a prohibited pistol here in Canada. I look forward to putting the Umarex Walther PPS M2 Blowback CO2 BB Pistol though its paces when I do my official Field Test Shooting video here in the Airgun Sea Can Shooting Range.
This John Wayne Lil Duke Giveaway didn't go exactly as planned as we had that YouTube Airgun Channel scare shortly after the original announcement so not as many people knew about it but we said we where going to giveaway two John Wayne Lil Duke BB Rifles and so that's what we are going to do!
Make sure to watch my Youtube video and find out if you won or not and congratulations to the two winners! For those that did not win this time around, you can still get yourself a John Wayne Lil Duke BB Gun by heading over to our Replica Airguns Canada or Replica Airguns US online web store and purchasing one the conventional way!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
First I wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, hopefully you get all the toys you have been wanting! Maybe we can help you out a little with that over on our Online Canada and US Replica Airgun Stores.
I also have a new Red Ryder Type BB Rifle to show off, this one is John Wayne licensed and called the John Wayne Lil Duke. At first glace it looks a lot like a Red Ryder but it has the large loop styled lever which is designed for easier use when wearing gloves, perfect for our Canadian weather ;) The John Wayne Lil Duke Lever Action BB Rifle has a really nice fit and finish, perhaps even a bit better than the classic Red Ryder BB Gun. I really like the real wood stock finish.
Another nice touch is that the John Wayne Lil Duke Lever Action BB Rifle comes with a lasso scope rail that you can attach just behind the rear iron sight to accommodate dove tail scope mounts. Just make sure to really tighten down the rear screw as it comes loose super easy due to the spring vibration. I would even recommend adding a bit of lock tight to the screw to be sure.
Here are some of the main specifications for the John Wayne Lil Duke Lever Action BB Rifle: 4.5mm Steel BB's, leaver action spring piston, 350 fps, 550 round magazine, 2.5 pounds, smooth bore 9.5 inch barrel, adjustable rear sight for elevation, included scope mount for 11mm dovetail rings, metal and wood build.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Yet another retest for an airgun I have already reviewed. But some airguns need another "shot"! Today I just kind of felt like shooting a springer and the Baikal MP-53M Break Barrel .177 Pellet Air Pistol came to mind. I'm not the best at shooting spring pistons airguns since they take a more softer relaxed grip and I tend to hold guns with a bit of a firmer grip.
As always in my new Sea Can Shipping Container I perform a Chronograph velocity test to see what the real world feet per second is and then I perform a followup accuracy test shooting 10 rounds at a paper target 30 feet down range using a rested seated position. During the velocity Chrony test for the Baikal MP-53M Break Barrel .177 Pellet Air Pistol I was able to get an average of 405 fps which was much higher than my previous testing where I averaged 319 fps. I was using different 7 grain lead pellets but I don't think they where that much different in weigth since the Diabolo pellets should have been around 6-7 grain.
Moving onto the accuracy portion of my Field Test review, this time around my shots stayed a little tighter than last time stretching out to about 2 inches but most of the 10 shots where all within 1 to 1.5 inches. The trigger on the Baikal MP-53M Break Barrel .177 Pellet Air Pistol is really great, super light with just a little take-up and virtually a hair trigger after that with zero friction.
I also wanted to mention that cocking the Baikal MP-53M Break Barrel .177 Pellet Air Pistol is fairly easy and that I did find I needed to set the rear sigh to the all the way down position to get my shots to hit close to the bullseye as this gun seemed to like to shoot rather high out of the box.
Another revisit for an inexpensive and fun BB shooter, the Crosman Marlin Cowboy BB Rifle! I have done some previous video reviews and comparisons for the Crosman Marlin Cowboy BB Rifle so make sure to check them out. I also recently did an update Field Test Shooting Video for the Daisy Red Ryder BB gun which is a very comparable airgun to the Crosman Marlin Cowboy BB Rifle.
Here is a quick overview of the Crosman Marlin Cowboy BB Rifle, it's designed for younger smaller shooter with it's short stock but it's still fun of all ages! You can store 700 4.5mm Steel BB's in its internal magazine and Crosman claims a max velocity of 350 fps. Like the Daisy Red Ryder the power source is a spring piston that is activated by the lever action.
Now let's talk about how the Crosman Marlin Cowboy BB Rifle performed in my Sea Can Field Test Shooting test... Crosman claims a max fps of 350, my Chronograph results came in at a 5 shot average of 316 fps which is not bad compared to the Daisy Red Ryder that also has a claimed fps of 350 but only shot around 240 fps.
So the Crosman Marlin Cowboy BB Rifle is the clear winner in terms of velocity over the Daisy Red Ryder but what about accuracy? That's a different story, the Crosman did not perform all that great for me shooting at a paper target 30 feet away using a rested shooting position. I shot 10 rounds at my paper target and got about a 5-6 inch grouping, there was an underlying smaller tight group that was closer to about 3 inches but a god 3-4 of the BB's came out of it spreading out the group significantly. Compare that to the Daisy Red Ryder with a nice tight 2 inch group.
So what do you want? Power or accuracy? I figure since the Crosman Marlin Cowboy BB Rifle is really targeted of the younger more entry level shooter that it should have good accuracy so they know when they are doing it right and less concerned on if the gun is performing as it should. Sure power is fun and smashing your targets does give a certain satisfaction but you have to hit the target first :)
It's been a while since I pulled out the old Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun. And I know I have already done some Vimeo videos for the Red Ryder and the Crosman Marlin Cowboy but I really wanted to make an updated Field Test Video specifically for the Red Ryder and see how it fairs in a more controlled shooting test.
As always with my Field Test Shooting videos I test out the velocity using my Chrony Chronograph and see what the real world fps is compared to what Daisy Claims which by the way is up to 350 fps. I also setup a paper target about 30 feet back and take 10 shots using a rested and seated shooting position to determine what kind of grouping I can get and how well centered the airgun is out of the box.
During my velocity testing the Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun shot well under the claimed 350 fps by around 100 fps. I can say that the Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun was super consistent and shot between 242 fps as a low and 244 fps as a high averaging 243 fps. The Daisy Red Ryder is sure one of the most consistent airguns I have tested to date in terms of velocity constancy! This will help a lot with vertical accuracy.
During my accuracy test I would have to say the Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun shot pretty close to a 2 inch grouping and was pretty well centered with 4 shots hitting the black bullseye , I did pull my last shot a bit which extended the group a little but this was for sure my fault as I new I pulled it as soon as I shot it, the stock actually dropped on my shoulder a little just as I pulled the trigger.
Overall I really enjoy shooting the Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun, it's so simple yet so fun to shoot, there is just something about a lever action rifle that I really like and the super low cost to purchase and shoot a Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun also makes it a must have for anyone no matter how many airguns you own or what type you shoot.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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?
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:
Barrel: 3 inches, metal non-rifled with internal Hop-up.
Propulsion: Spring Piston.
Action: Single Shot, Single Action Only.
Ammunition Type: 6mm plastic Airsoft BB's.
Ammunition Capacity: 11 shot full size drop out magazine with 60 round reservoir.
FPS: 280 using .12 gram BB's.
Trigger Pull: The single action only trigger pull on the Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun is a bit heavier than I expected since generally speaking single action triggers simply just need to release the hammer or striker. There is a little bit of take-up initially but then the release is fairly crisp, just a tad firm but since this is not an action shooter and a full rack of the slide is required to pre charge the internal spring, having a heavier trigger pull is not a big deal and did not seem to effect my accuracy in any way.
Accuracy: I didn't get a lot of shooting time with the Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun but I can say it seemed to be shoot fairly accurately. I tested it out shooting on a paper target from 20 feet back using a non rested standing position. The Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun did shoot a bit high and to the left but my 10 shot grouping was within 1.75 inches with the exception of one stray that shot a little more to the right. I was using .20 gram BB's but they did seem to get to the target pretty quickly and penetrate the paper fairly well. I would say they were traveling well over 200 fps.
Build Quality: The Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun is about a $25 gun so you can't really expect too much in terms of quality materials but that said, the gun does feel solid and well put together. I had no issues shooing it and for the price you should get plenty of good use out of it.
Realism: The Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun is realistic in terms of its shape, operation and even the Walther P99 licensing and trade marks. But as is expected being a clear plastic gun it falls short in terms of feeling and looking the part of a real gun. But that's kind of the point here, this gun is supposed to clearly look like and Airsoft gun and not a real gun including the orange red tip.
Super low cost and even come with an extra mag and some starter BB’s.
Full size drop out mags are nice.
All the parts feel pretty tight, does not feel hokey, even has some metal parts where they are needed.
Has a rail for accessories.
No CO2 required, just your Airsoft BB’s.
Walther licensing and Trademarks.
Slide stays back when out of BB’s.
Has internal Hop-up.
Has a floating barrel like the real steel version would.
Makes a good starter pistol for someone getting into the hobby that may not want a gun that looks too realistic.
Cons:
Is kind of on the light side at about half a pound.
The single action trigger is a bit heavy but works fine, you're not going to be shooting rapped fire with this one anyway.
Being a clear gun obviously takes away from the realism but that is the point of this gun so as not be confused with a real gun.
Shoots a bit high and to the left.
Comments:
Right from the get go I was not expecting much from the Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gunbeing a bit of an Airgun snob and personally tending to stay away from the like of these clear plastic non-blowback super low cost Airsoft pistols. But after playing around with it for a bit I could really see how a first time Airsoft buyer could really enjoy the Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun. It shoots just fine and costs next to nothing to buy and shoot. And I know there are many younger folks that watch my video reviews and perhaps their parents may be sitting on the fence about allowing them to buy an Airsoft gun out of fear that so many of them look so real. The Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun clearly looks like an Airsoft gun which makes it pretty hard to get in trouble with yet you can still enjoy the Airsoft shooting experience without freaking your parents out!
My Vimeo Video Review for the Umarex P99 Compact Clear Spring Airsoft Gun:
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.
