Ammunition Capacity: 16 shot drop out double sided magazine.
FPS: 450 (with Gamo's PBA® Platinum Pellets.)
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull for the Gamo MP9 Blowback CO2 Pellet and BB Tactical Airgun is stated to be a single and double action trigger which is kind of true and false at the same time. Yes you can pull the charging handle back which does pull the internal hammer back for a single action hammer release but you can not shoot this pistol in double action only unless the charging hammer has been pulled back technically making the Gamo MP9 a single action only pistol? On the other hand, even with the hammer back, the trigger has to rotate the pellet magazine with each shot making it a double action only trigger? So what is it really, kind of both and kind of neither? Well who really cares about all that... In the end the trigger even though stated to be around 9.5 pounds of pull feels much lighter than that 9.5 pounds and has a pretty short action so shooting this gun rapid-fire is pretty easy and not too tiring on the finger. Another bonus is that the trigger safety also works, it's not just for show!
Accuracy: I will be following this table top review with a full field test shooting review shortly but I did have the chance to take my Gamo MP9 Blowback CO2 Pellet and BB Tactical Airgun out for a test drive so I would be able to give you some of my initial shooting feedback. I started off with a full CO2 using RWS 7 grain flathead lead pellets and placed a full 8 shots through my Chronograph, the first 4 shot a bit over 400 fps with the fastest shot being right around 430 fps, the last 4 shot a bit under 400 fps with the slowest shot hitting around 370 fps. Since it is December the weather outside was a bit frosty ;) so I would expect to get most shots in or above 400 fps in warmer weather. Moving on to some target results, my main goal was to sight my red dot in so I shot 4 shot grouping till I got my NcSTAR red dot centered and each 4 shot group seemed to produce consistent 1 inch groups for me from 30 feet away using a semi rested position. Not bad at all. Stay posted for my official Field Test Shooting video!
Build Quality: TheGamo PM9 Pellet/BB Pistol seems to be made fairly well, fit and finish is very good, the overall weight is good and like the real B&T MP9 has both a metal and polymer construction. The obvious metal parts are the trigger, rear stock swivel, CO2 magazine, internal barrel and I am sure lots of other internal parts. This Gamo pellet shooter is made for Gamo in Japan and is licensed by ASG.
Realism: The Gamo MP9 Blowback CO2 Pellet and BB Tactical Airgun looks pretty much exactly like a real B&T MP9, the size is right and the weight is close. All the parts are where they should be but not all of them work as many are moulded into the plastic shell. The working parts are the charging handle, fold out stock, standard safety, trigger safety and adjustment for the rear sight. There are magazine releases for both the pellet magazine and CO2 magazine but they are not in the traditional locations. It would have been nice if the ejection port cycled when being fired but it is also moulded into the polymer shell.
Very well made and has good weight and feel to it.
Blowback action gives a bit of recoil feel.
Rear sight is adjustable for windage, can also easily add a red dot.
Pre-test shooting results seems to be positive.
CO2 and magazine are both well covered to complete the realism of this replica.
Decent looking replica, fully Licensed B&T MP9.
Trigger feels pretty decent even though it is claimed to be 9.5 pounds of pull.
Lots of rail accessory mounting locations.
Working charging handle.
Fold out stock.
Cons:
Fold out stock is a bit flexible, would have been better in more solid plastic or even metal.
Pellet magazine release is a bit awkward.
No slide catch release or any way to know you are out of pellets other than counting or listening to the sound change.
Looks to have pretty low shots per CO2 like the other Gamo blowback pellet shooters.
Comments:
Overall, I really like the Gamo MP9 Blowback CO2 Pellet and BB Tactical Airgun, unlike the PT-85 and P-25, the Gamo MP9 is an actual replica and a fully licensed one. Not only that, the Gamo MP9 pellet pistol is a very good replica in terms of looks and function. I was able to get decent power and very good accuracy when I performed my pre-test. It's really great to see Gamo come out with a pellet gun replica this time around and what better gun to base it on other than the B&T MP9!
My Vimeo Table Top & Shooting Review for the Gamo MP9 Blowback CO2 Pellet & BB Tactical Airgun:
It's a bird, it's a plan, no wait... It's a pellet gun, no it's a cap gun, or is it a blank gun or maybe it's a real gun? Well it shoots lead bullets out of the barrel using gun powder so who really know's what we should call it? At least here in Canada you don't need a license to buy or own the Pedersoli Derringer Guardian #11 4.5mm .177 Pellet Pistol so that's a good thing :)
So on with the Field Test Shooting Review results... Right off the top, I have no Chronograph test result, try as I did I could not get my Chronograph to read the pellet speed in the rather low light situation I had today, even with a bunch of added extra lights :( I would say off hand that it was shooting somewhere in the 350-450 fps range and when I do get a brighter day I will pop outside and shoot a couple rounds off and post the updated info here for you all, so check back in a bit if this interests you.
What I can tell you for sure is how this gun shot in terms of accuracy. I was expecting to spray pellets all over the target because there is no back sight on the Pedersoli Derringer Guardian #11 4.5mm .177 Pellet Pistol, there is just a post sight up front. I was not even sure if I was going to get all the pellets on the paper. I even setup my target at the 20 foot mark just to be safe and as per usual I was using a semi-rested position by placing a sand bag to rest my hands on and then sitting on my knees in the back, pretty stable all around.
I started off the target test by aiming dead center but quickly found that I was shooting about 6 inches high, so my next 5 shots I aimed 6 inches below the bullseye and low and behold 4 out of 5 of the shots landed within 1.5 inches of each other. So I guess having a rear sight is over rated! If you can figure this gun out, the rifled barrel will direct each pellet straight and true so I think it really comes down to knowing how to line up the front sight with an imaginary rear sight and don't try to shoot really small targets far away. Once you get used to where to point the Pedersoli Derringer Guardian #11 4.5mm .177 Pellet Pistol, you should easily be able to hit a pop can out to 20-30 feet with no problems.
Of course you have to reload this pistol before each shot which consists of cocking the hammer, placing a pellet in the front of the barrel and pushing it to the back with the loading ram rod and then positioning a #11 percussion cap on the primer nipple. Not a rapid fire gun at all but you do appreciate each shot considering the work involved. I also found pre-rolling the back side off my pellets helped to reduce the rear diameter so that the pellets loaded into the barrel much easier. You may have to blow out some residue between each shot which is not something I would recommend with most guns but it's very clear that this pistol is safe since in order to see the barrel obstruction there would be no percussion cap loaded onto the gun.
The Pedersoli Derringer Guardian #11 4.5mm .177 Pellet Pistol is a very unique pellet pistol and actually kind of fun to shoot since it involves a bit of work for each shot and of course some hands on time to figure out exactly how and where to point it to get accurate target results.
Make sure to watch my second Chronograph Test where I was able to get some readings for you!
It's that time of the year again where I dread having to go outside and do my Field Test Shooting Reviews, it's way too cold so the CO2 guns are not performing at their very best, neither am I since all I'm thinking about is "let's get this over so I can go inside and warm up with a nice cup of coffee ;)". It's also dark and dreary which means the lighting is not so good for the cameras or the chronograph, even with a bunch of extra lights setup, it's just not the same as what a nice bright day can do to spruce up the video and get the chrony to read the pellet speeds.
After some playing around with the lighting, I did manage to get my Chronograph to read a couple of shots and it shot just a bit above 350 fps, I would imagine the Daisy Power Line 2003 Blowback Pellet Pistol should get 400" fps easy on a warm day with a fresh CO2. At least we have an idea of whereabouts it shoots.
Once I finished playing around with my temperamental chronograph, I headed back to the 30 foot mark and took aim at my paper target using a semi rested position (sand bag rest up front, standing in the back). I shot the rest of the magazine, which was around 10 rounds left since I was originally loaded up with 30 rounds and ended up using a lot of them trying to get my Chronograph to read for the first part of the field shooting test.
Even with the fairly wide open sights, I managed to get a very consistent 1.5 inch grouping out my Daisy Power Line 2003 Blowback Pellet Pistol which kind of surprised me since I did not really feel the sight picture was suited for accuracy. Too much open space side to side but none the less it shoot straight and true and even very well centered on target with only a bit of pull to the left.
In terms of shoot-ability, the Daisy Power Line 2003 Blowback Pellet Pistol felt pretty good, the trigger is not the lightest for a single action only trigger but it is short and the break is clean. I had no miss-feeds or jams which I have heard this gun is prone to with some pellets. I did notice when shooting rapid fire without any pellets in the gun, it wanted to go into short full auto bursts, this may have been the cold weather and/or low CO2 playing into things.
All-in-all the Daisy Power Line 2003 Blowback Pellet Pistol is a nice air pistol to shoot even though it is a bit unorthodox looking, kind of a shame it's no longer in production. If you can find one in good working condition at the right price, pick it up because you may not get another chance.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Daisy Power Line 2003 Blowback Pellet Pistol even though it is single action only, is a bit heavier than you may expect, it is more of a medium pull with a very short take up and then somewhat unexpected release due to the medium to heavy pull. Quick shot succession should be achievable though due to the short trigger pull length.
Accuracy: Well we will have to find out in my followup Field Test Shooting Video Review? And I really hope that this pistol is in working order so I am able to bring that review to you shortly. I am expecting it to produce around 400 fps and some decent accuracy with its rifled barrel.
Build Quality: The Daisy Power Line 2003 Blowback Pellet Pistol is made in the US and is primarily a plastic built air pellet pistol, it does have some metal internal parts along with the screws, barrel, cross-bolt safety and CO2 Tab. Fit and finish seem to be fairly decent, in terms of reliability I have no idea but my hopes are high. I have heard that this pistol can jam if not using pellets that are agreeable with it.
Realism: The Daisy Power Line 2003 Blowback Pellet Pistol is not really a replica so to speak, it does kind of resemble a bloated version of a Browning High Power but is much larger and out of proportion when comparing the two of them. The actual mechanical aspects of this gun are not like any other gun I have every come across, specifically when it comes to the 35 shot rotary magazine as the pellets spiral internally from front to back. The single action blowback mechanism is also very unique to an airgun pellet pistol, it has been said that this pistol can be converted to full auto but I have no intensions of doing so.
If you have a Power Line 2003 then you have a really rare gun from Daisy.
True single action Blowback operation.
One of the only Pellet Pistols that can be converted to full auto.
High capacity 35 round pellet magazine.
Made in the US.
Cons:
No longer in production.
Kind of large for a pistol, not true to scale.
Mostly plastic build materials
None adjustable sights.
Comments:
I have had an interest in the Daisy Power Line 2003 for some time but did not know how or if I would ever get my hands on one and lucky for me it finally happened :) The main interest here is simply that it is the only pellet pistol I know of that has a true single action blowback operation and to top things off it has a 35 round magazine! Sure there is the implication that it can be converted to full auto but for me I really want to keep this pistol in factory condition, I have other guns that shooting in full auto if I feel the urge to go Rambo on anything ;) Definitely stay posted for my Field Test Shooting Review for this rare Daisy pellet pistol.
My Vimeo Table Top Review of the Daisy Power Line 2003 Blowback Pellet Pistol:
Since both the Gold ASG Dan Wesson and the G&G G731 Airsoft Revolvers both have the 2.5 inch barrels on them and in many ways are very similar (at least mechanically), I thought I would not only do my Table Top Review but also my Field Test Shooting Review using both guns side by side so we can really get an idea of how they perform and compare.
As per usual, I test both pistols out on my Chronograph to see what kind of real world feet per second rating I get, since they are 6 shot Revolvers, I fired 6 single action rounds from each gun using .20 gram plastic Airsoft BB's and averaged out the string. Both guns shot a little bit over 400 fps with the Dan Wesson having just a bit of a higher fps over the G&G G731.
Next up was the accuracy test, I decided to setup at my 30 foot mark so that any accuracy differences would be more noticeable, again I shot 6 rounds from each gun while I used a semi rested position, (sand bag for a hand rest and standing in the back). This time I would have to give the slight edge to the G&G G731 as it seemed to shoot just a bit tighter grouping over my Dan Wesson Gold. Both guns shot pretty close to a 2 inch 6 shot group.
Both pistols have pretty decent single and double action triggers, there is a some noticeable friction when shooting in double action due to the way the barrel seals against the cylinder so you may want to shoot in single action when going for the most accurate of shooting.
When it comes to sight picture the Dan Wesson does have a fully adjustable rear sight but the G&G G731 gets the job done with it's simple yet effective grove sight which I kind of preferred with this style of short barreled revolver.
If you want more of that combat look with some Gold Bling than perhaps the Gold ASG Dan Wesson is the one for you? Perhaps you want something like the G&G G731, as compact and simple as it gets that you know you can count on as a backup ready sidearm. There isn't a bad choice here with either of these nice compact Airsoft Revolvers.
Trigger Pull: Both of these pistols have about the same style of triggers, they both shoot in true revolvers style offering single and double action triggers. The double action has a bit of friction to it since the cylinder is being rotate during the first part of the trigger pull and there is a spring fed metal gasket between the barrel and the cylinder that creates a seal but does apply pressure and results in some friction and a heavier trigger pull in double action. Single action is much lighter on both guns.
Build Quality: These detailed revolver are really well built! Both are almost all metal with just a few components made out of plastic, like the handles on both guns and the CO2 screw tab on the Dan Wesson. Both revolvers grips gave me just a bit of concern, you will need to be careful when snapping in the grip on the G&G G731 and the Dan Wesson grips have been known to ware a bit with heavy use. The finish on both of these guns is amazing and while the Silver finish on the G&G looks just like polished stainless steel, the Gold finish on the Dan Wesson offers a very unique and customized finish not found on too many guns. And if you just want classic black then there is always the G&G G731 in standard black as an option.
Realism: The ASG Dan Wesson and G&G G731 revolvers are as close as you can get to real six shooters, all the parts work pretty much like a real revolver, the realistic loading of the metal shells not only make it feel like you are handling a real revolver but also finish off the look making it really hard to tell that both these pistols are in fact Airsoft Revolvers.
G&G G731 is super compact and flush, great out of the way back up side arm.
No Red Tip on the Canada version.
Cons:
Plastic CO2 screw tab on the Dan Wesson (but is well hidden and protected).
A bit of concern with wearing and usage on the grips for both guns.
No adjustable sight on the G&G G731 but super clean looking.
Red tip on the US version :(
Comments:
As with all of these shell loading revolvers, they are just so realistic and really fun to load up and shoot. You actually get a bit of time in-between shooting to take a breath and enjoy the entire experience rather than just unload round after round with some of the other super high round magazine guns. I love the compact size of both guns, perhaps the G&G G731 just a bit more with it's super clean edges and even smaller profile. But on the other hand the Dan Wesson ASG 2.5 inch has that more aggressive combat look if that is more to your liking! Either way, both guns make a great choice for an out of the way revolver styled side arm when you need that extra backup firepower!
My Vimeo Video Table Top Review for these compact realistic Airsoft Revolvers:
Every so often I come across some interesting guns that people are willing to trade or sell me, if the price is right or the trade involves a gun I can part with, then I go for it and hopefully end up with something I may not be able to get new or that for me is hard to acquire in Canada.
My most recent trade added two new guns to the collection, a KSC M11A1 Airsoft Machine Pistol and a Daisy Power Line 2003 .177 Caliber Pellet Pistol.
Both of these guns are very hard to get since the KWC Airsoft M11A1 shoots a bit too week for import into Canada, and the Daisy 2003 is no longer in production.
The KSC M11A1 is a 6mm Airsoft pistol that shoots in both semi and full auto using a Gas Blowback open bolt system, it is a replica of the .380 Caliber Cobra RPB Industries M11-A1. Mine came with a mock suppressor and 7 magazines, although not all of them are in working condition. The KSC M11A1 is in working condition but needs a new Hop-up Rubber Bucking which I have on order.
The Daisy Power Line 2003 seems to be in really good condition but still needs to be tested, it is one of the only true blowback semi auto pellet pistols I know of, what I mean by this, is it has a true blowback system with a true single action trigger which means it can be converted to full auto which is one of the reason Daisy may have discontinued it. The Daisy Power Line 2003 uses a very interesting 35 round rotational magazine. Some say it is loosely styled after a Browning High Power pistol.
Stay posted for reviews on both of these pistols down the road.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Pedersoli Derringer Guardian #11 is pretty light and short since it is a true single action only pistol, the majority of the pull comes from the pre-cocking of the hammer, there is next to no take-up or creep and I would say around a 2-3 pound trigger pull.
Accuracy: This part of the review is yet to be determined, I don't expect anything special here since there is no rear sight, I am guessing I will need to practice a bit with the Pedersoli Derringer Guardian to figure out how to sight it in using the rear chamber area as a sight bridge. Once I can figure it out I should get decent shot placement since the barrel is rifled. At this point I have no real idea what kind of fps to expect since I have not been able to acquire any #11 percussion caps, but I am guessing it will be just under 500 fps to stay Canada legal as an unregulated or uncontolled firearm. UPDATED FIELD TEST SHOOTING RESULTS HERE.
Build Quality: The build quality in the Pedersoli Derringer Guardian #11 is what you would expect from a true firearm, all the metal parts are actual steel, not zinc like you would find in most airguns. The only exception is the grips which are plastic. The fit and finish is very nice with gun bluing on the steel parts and very good quality control and fit throughout. The only improvement would have been actual wooden grips since the rest of the gun is so well made and finished.
Realism: The Pedersoli Derringer Guardian #11 is a Parlor Pistol designed for "indoor" shooting. (These guns were first developed in 1845 when French inventor, Louis Nicolas Flobert, modified a percussion cap to hold a small lead bullet) So in other words it is a real gun, not so much a replica. The #11 Pedersoli Derringer Guardian version is designed to shoot within our Canada Uncontrolled Firearms limitations so this pellet pistol can be sold within Canada to an adult without the requirement of a PAL Firearms license.
Low cost to shoot using standard .177 lead pellets and #11 percussion caps.
Legal in Canada without a PAL Firearms License.
Smallest pellet pistol I know of!
Cons:
No rear sight, will take some practice to get used to.
Plastic grips.
#11 percussion caps are a bit hard to find in stock at times.
Comments:
When I came across the Pedersoli Derringer Guardian #11 I just had to have one! Heck, it's a pellet gun, and It's kind of a blank gun or cap gun all in one, it's also one of the smallest pellet guns I have ever seen. Like most of the other pellet pistols I own, it does not require a PAL or Firearms license here in Canada and can be shot in a lot more places than a "real gun" or Controlled Firearm can because of the low energy levels it produces and of course lower volume of sound it emits. I suppose it could even be shot indoors if you had the right setup in your house or garage. Definitely one of my most unique pellet pistols I own.
My Vimeo Video Review for the Pedersoli Derringer Guardian #11 .177 Caliber Pellet Pistol:
FPS: 750 with Pellets and 800 with BB's for the US version (Up to 495 with Canada version).
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Crosman MK-177 is medium length and fairly light. The trigger mainly releases the bolt so no pre-cocking of the trigger is required. The trigger is plastic but seems to work just fine as there is no real load on the trigger when shooting, you do need to get used to where the release point since there is some take up well before the trigger releases.
Accuracy: I found the Crosman MK-177 Air Rifle to be a very good shooter, getting about a 1 inch 10 shot grouping from 30 feet out in a semi rested position (sand bag up front, standing in the back). I also put 3 rounds through my somewhat failing Chrony Chronograph using 3,5 & 10 pumps and the MK-177 with the maximum 10 pump shot as high as 631 fps using 6.9 grain RWS lead pellets. I would expect the Canadian detuned version to shoot well below the 500 fps Canada limit much like my Canadian Crosman M4-177 I reviewed a while back.
Build Quality: The Crosman MK-177 Multi-pump Air Rifle is mostly molded plastic, but for a $100-ish Military Styled Replica Air Rifle it hits the mark in terms of affordability and if it was an all metal airgun you would more than likely expect to double or tripple this price point! Even though plastic is used throughout this Air Rifle, there are some internal metal parts where they need to be, the fit and finish seems to be good and I do not get the feeling the Crosman MK-177 is cheaply made in any way. The fact that most parts are molded means there is very little that can snap or break off and will make this air rifle even more durable longterm.
Realism: The Crosman MK-177 is a lose replica or copy of an FN SCAR Assault Rifle or ACR. It is not exact in terms of true dimensions to accommodate the pumping mechanism, You will not find very many working parts as just about everything is molded into the plastic on this Crosman MK-177 rifle. Unlike the Crosman M4-177 the lower magazine area is not removable and the rear stock is also none adjustable, I am not sure why Crosman didn't add these features to the MK-177 like they did to the M4-177? I am glad to see another Replica Assault rifle on the market as so few of them are available in Pellet or steel BB shooters.
None red dot version comes with detachable and adjustable iron sights.
Rails on top and sides for accessories.
Option of shooting pellets or BB's, I would stick to pellets and save the barrel since it is not semi auto.
Feels super solid since there are very few moving parts that could break.
Looks like the Crosman M4-177 Pellet magazines are compatible.
Cons:
Mostly plastic and just about everything is molded into the gun.
Bolt and magazine are on opposite sides?
Would of been cool if Crosman made a dedicated BB magazine?
Comments:
The Crosman MK-177 Multi-Pump Pellet/BB Air Rifle is very much like it's brother the Crosman M4-177 with a few plusses and a few minuses when comparing the two of them together. On the plus side the MK-177 has a bit more power and also the pumping is much easier while yielding higher internal pressures. On the downside the Crosman MK-177 is almost entirely molded plastic with no removable lower magazine or adjustable stock, and the bolt has been switched around to what I feel is the wrong side since now you need to index the magazine on one side and work the bolt on the other requiring a less efficient approach. Either way it is nice to have another replica air rifle on the marker and for the relatively low price you get a nice accurate pellet rifle, great for target shooting and even small pest control.
Watch my Vimeo Full Video Review of the Crosman MK-177 Pellet/BB Air Rifle:
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-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.
I wanted to show off a few new items that I will be reviewing, one being the Crosman MK-177 Pellet and BB pneumatic multi-pump air rifle that was very graciously provided to me by Crosman for review. And the other item is something kind of new in terms of the type of gun, since it is not really gun but rather a bow, or crossbow to be exact. We hope to be adding to our Replica Airguns Store a couple variations of the Avalanche Trailblazer 150lb Crossbows in wood stock and polymer stock versions.
Here are a couple key points about each item being looked at in this update video and then I will leave you with some detailed photos to drool over and of course my YouTube Update Video to watch...
Crosman MK-177 multi-pump bolt action .177 caliber BB/pellet air rifle:
Shoots both .177 caliber pellets and 4.5mm Steel BB's
Maximum 800 FPS (US Version being reviewed here)
5 shot pellet magazine and 300+ BB reservoir
Multi-pump single shot bolt action
3-10 pumps per shot
16.75 inch rifled barrel
3.5 pounds
Mostly plastic with some internal metal parts
Avalanche Trailblazer 150lb Crossbow with Wood Stock:
I've had the opportunity to review and shoot my Dan Wesson 4.5mm Steel BB Version so I kind of knew what to expect with the Airsoft version, much of the same but with perhaps a little bit less accurate further out shooting since the plastic BB's will tend to drift a bit more.
I already did my pretest for the ASG Dan Wesson 6 Inch Silver CO2 Airsoft Revolver while making my Table Top Review and shot right around the 400 fps mark, but it was a colder day then, I also shot my ASG Dan Wesson Airsoft Revolver from a closer up 20 feet for the pretest and got a nice tight 1.5 inch shot group.
On the actual Field Test Shooting day it was much warmer (tank top weather ;) and so as would be expected, this time my ASG Dan Wesson 6 Inch Silver CO2 Airsoft Revolver shot a bit faster at closer to a 420 fps average with 6 shots put through it. There is even room for some more fps still as it was only about 22 degrees Celsius or about 72 Fahrenheit on the test day.
Accuracy from 30 feet out was not as tight as my pretest 20 foot testing and I would imagine this will spread out even more the further back we go with the Airsoft ASG Dan Wesson, as is the case with Airsoft BB's. Airsoft BB's are just not as accurate as steel BB's especially when shooting at longer ranges. I would expect this Airsoft Dan Wesson version should still be very effective on a "man sized target" up to about 60 feet or so. Keep in mind there is no hop-up in this revolver so teh Airsoft BB's will drop much more than a gun that has hop-up.
Like the 4.5mm BB shooting version you can expect a good 100 or more shots from this Airsoft BB Shooting Dan Wesson CO2 Revolver. Having tradition revolver single and double action makes for both precise and action styled shooting. All in all a really nice Airsoft pistol from ASG.
Watch my Field Test Shooting Video for the ASG Dan Wesson 6 Inch Silver CO2 Airsoft Revolver:
Trigger Pull: The ASG Dan Wesson Airsoft Revolver has a predictable trigger with the single action being a bit lighter and more consistent, not just in feel but also in fps. Double action shooting is very usable without a lot of extra pressure required and makes for fun consecutive shooting albeit you will run our of ammo pretty quick compared to many high capacity semi auto styled airguns.
Accuracy: I shot the Dan Wesson Airsoft Revolver at a target from 20 feet away in a semi rested position, and it performed excellent, getting a 1.5 inch 6 shot grouping dead center in the bullseye! The sights are fully adjustable for elevation and windage so getting these guns centered on the bullseye if you where out a bit would be very easy. My Chrony testing for the Dan Wesson Airsoft Revolver with a six shots averaged result was 399 fps.
Build Quality: This detailed revolver is extremely well built! All the Dan Wesson Revolvers are almost all metal with just a few components made out of plastic, like the handle and CO2 screw tab. The handle feels like a cross between plastic and rubber but is basically plastic with a coated paint on it that can wear off with long term use so try and go easy on the grips. The finish on the six inch silver Dan Wesson is amazing and looks just like polished stainless steel. Very nice indeed!
Realism: The ASG Dan Wesson BB revolvers are as close as you can get to a real six shooter, ASG didn't leave out any details and has really brought us an extremely believable CO2 revolver that mimics the real steel in almost every way! Loading and ejecting actual brass shells into the cylinder makes you feel like this gun is much more then an unassuming airgun!
It's a revolver with actual brass shells giving you the feeling of a real 6 shooter!
Almost all metal design.
lots of detail in this gun, very well made, fit and finish is excellent.
Good power and good accuracy.
Fully adjustable sights.
Can mount a scope of some sort on it with the rail attached.
Right amount of power, even for some indoor CQB style airsoft games
Cons:
Plastic CO2 screw tab (but is well hidden and protected).
Grips can wear a bit with extended use.
Red tip on the US version :(
Comments:
I wasn't really a revolver person until I got my Dan Wesson's! They are really fun to shoot and yes you only get to fire off 6 shots at a time but the reloading is kind of fun and adds to the realism of shooting a revolver styled gun. The other benefit to taking breaks every 6 shots to reload is the time it allows your CO2 and gun to warm up which increases the overall FPS and shots per CO2. I am not sure if a large six shot revolver is the way to go when in a high intensity Airsoft game but I can tell you when you're on the other end of the barrel of one of these you are probably not thinking how many shots does he have left :)
My Vimeo Video Table Top Review for this amazingly real Airsoft Revolver:
I will be doing proper Table Top and Field Test Videos for each of these Airsoft guns as soon as I can get to them all, starting with the Umarex Gas Blowback H&K MP7 A1 Airsoft PDW so stay posted for these upcoming video reviews...
Materials: Metal and plastic (polymer) construction.
Weight: 1 pound 10.5 ounces (752 grams).
Barrel: 3.3 inches, metal rifled.
Propulsion: CO2 x 1.
Action: Semi auto, single and double action.
Ammunition Type: .177 caliber pellets
Ammunition Capacity: 8 shot rotary magazine.
FPS: 360.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Umarex Walther CP99 is in the mid range for it's double action trigger pull with most of the effort at the beginning and middle stages as it cocks the hammer and indexes the rotary magazine, it does have a predictable release point making it easy to put pellets on target. By racking the rear slide you can put the CP99 in single action mode which makes the trigger pull much lighter and great for very accurate shots.
Accuracy: I shot this air pistol at a target from 20 feet away in a free semi rested position and it performed well getting a nice tight one inch eight shot grouping just to the left on the target. The sights can be adjusted for windage if your aim is off to one side or the other. With my preliminary Chrony Chronograph testing using 6.9 grain RWS lead pellets I got pretty close to the factory claim of 360fps with an average of right around 346 fps.
Build Quality: The Umarex Walther CP99 is a metal and polymer air gun with a good deal of metal components on the inside giving the Walther CPSport a decent overall weight and heft. It's worth mentioning that the Walther CP99 has a full size drop out magazine for holding the CO2 cartridge that gives the air gun some additional weight and functionality. The German made fit and finish is very good on the CP99 and the plastic quality is also very good.
Realism: The Umarex Walther CP99 is licensed by Walther and is based around the Walther P99. The frame is very similar to the P99 but the slide is not as accurate in terms of the real steel but you can definitely tell the Pellet shooting CP99 is a copy of a Walther P99. One of the biggest shortcomings is the safety, the real P99 does not have a safety but Umarex decided to put a rather large safety on the right hand slide area. I do however like the working de-cocker, slide catch for loading magazines and full size drop out magazine which give the Umarex CP99 a more realistic look and feel.
Slide catch and de-cocker are realistic and functional.
Rifled barrel.
Sights are adjustable for windage.
Slide catch and magazine release are fully functional.
Nice full size drop out CO2 magazine.
Good combination of power, accuracy and CO2 efficiency (I got about 100 shots from a CO2)!
Rail for accessories.
Walther licensing.
German Quality.
Cons:
Up in the higher price range.
Double action can have some stickier shots.
Kind of funny safety, not true to the real steel Walther P99.
No recessed barrel
Comments:
The Umarex Walther CP99 Pellet CO2 Air Pistol is a nice step up from the Walther CPSport I reviewed earlier. The CP99 is a much more accurate looking replica of the P99 and it also has more metal parts and a single and double action trigger. These added features do come with an additional $100 price tag but in my opinion are worth it. If you're a fan of the Walther line of pistols than you should probably take a look at the Umarex Walther CP99 as it would make a great addition to your airgun collection.
We have been taking preorders on many of our ASG Airguns and Airsoft guns for our Canada Replica Airguns Store, we where expecting them to be back in stock right around the end of the month. The good news is we got them a bit early so we are now filling back orders and most of our ASG inventory is now showing as in stock and ready to ship!
So if you've been waiting for an ASG gun, make sure to grab yours now before we run out again...
One question that comes up often is the danger attached to blank gun use and the most common question I get is about the danger of shooting a blank gun at a person. Blank guns have many uses, one of which is to be used as a prop in a movie or reenactment. In this situation one may want to point and shoot a blank gun at a person to make teh scene more believable it. If the person is far enough away there is usually no cause for concern but with that said I would personally point the gun just off to one side in the event that something might come loose within the gun barrel or perhaps a fragment of something where to be fired and cause an injury to the person the gun is directed towards. With creative camera angles you shouldn't need to actually point a blank gun directly at anyone.
People also assume that because a blank gun does not actually fire a bullet that it is relatively harmless. This is not true at all, in the larger caliber blanks there is about the same amount of energy to what your would find in a real bullet, this is so the blank gun will sound about as loud as a real bullet being fired. The difference with how the energy is released in a blank round versus a real bullet is that the bullet caries most of the energy with it and when the bullet hits its intended target, the bulk of the energy is transferred to that target.
The energy from a blank round dissipates almost immediately after it leaves the gun barrel but the energy right at the barrel tip is very similar to that of a real bullet, especially if it has nowhere to go but directly into an object. So yes a blank gun round can be lethal at very close ranges and unfortunately several people have paid with their lives finding this out for themselves.
With this newfound information about blank gun danger, some people might say... get rid of these dangers to society! Before we head in that direction think about how many other non vital things we have in our lives that I would have to say have claimed way more lives than blank guns could even come close to: Off-road pleasure vehicles, Skydiving, Skying, Pools, Real Guns to name a few! Blank guns also serve very useful purposes like being used to signal a warning or distress, send out flares, ward off wild animals, train people on how to use a real gun, and of course dog training. I am sure the good outweighs the bad here.
That's enough politics for now, juts watch the video and see for yourself why you should not point a blank gun at anyone, especially if the person is very close in proximity to you!
I don't often get to shoot my airguns out at the 100 foot mark but I purchased my Sheridan Silver Streak .20 Caliber Multi Pump Pellet Rifle mainly to shoot up to and even past this fairly distant range as the Silver Streak is my new vermin gun for pests around the farm. I get a lot of Crows that to be honest are just feathered bullies that pick on all the other friendly birds on the farm, they have also been known to get into my garbage and even attack the Eagles and Hawks in the area. Flying Rats I like to call them.
In this Field test Shooting video I test out my brand new Sheridan Silver Streak on the Chronograph to see just how powerful it really is not just at the maximum 8 pumps but also at 3 and 5 pumps. I was actually very surprised at the very decent power I got from only 3 pumps (460 fps), you could easily take out a small rat with the 14.3 grain .20 caliber lead pellets I was using for my Chrony test. At 5 pumps I gained close to another 100 fps and at 8 pumps I maxed out at just a hair under 640 fps respectively. With the 14.3 grain pellets I was using this worked out to right around 13 foot pounds of energy. (My Sheridan was purchased using a PAL)
I also shot my Sheridan Silver Streak .20 Caliber Pellet Rifle at a target setup 100 feet or just over 30 yards away and was able to get what I felt was a nice 1.5 inch 5 shot grouping. 4 of the 5 pellets where all within 1 inch of each other with my first shot being a bit lower and to the right of the rest spreading the group out to about 1.5 inches. Keep in mind I was also a bit winded from all the pumping and I could feel and see my heartbeat in my 9 power Bushnell scope making my crosshairs bob back and forth ever so slightly.
I have not shot my Sheridan Silver Streak all that much and plan to hone my skills further so when the time comes I will be ready for them pesky crows.
Stay tuned for my future Table Top review of my Sheridan Silver Streak, for now you can checkout my Preview video that has some preliminary info.
