What do you do when you have some nice weather and a brand new Umarex Shell Loading Colt Single Action Historic CO2 BB Revolver that you are itching to try out! Well you go shoot it, that's what you do! So I thought I would setup a bunch of miscellaneous targets along with some cameras and record the fun so you all could join me :)
I did use steel BB's for the most part but I also gave some lead BB's I had lying around a try, the lead BB's are a bit larger in diameter so they fit fairly snug, I would not recommend using them on anything other than a brand new CO2 cartridge or they could get stuck in a shell or the barrel. The lead BB's are also much heavier than steel BB's so they do not go as fast but seemed to work pretty good for me. A great option if you are shooting at metal targets with your Umarex Colt Peacemaker!
I also discovered that one can simply load BB's directly into the back of each shell without having to actually take the shells out of the Umarex Colt Single Action Army Revolver, so if you only have 6 shells and want to keep the shooting moving along then just pop the BB's directly into the shells.
I finally got my hands on one of the Umarex Colt Single Action Historic Revolvers! Rather than making you wait for my full Table Top and Field Test Reviews I thought I would post a quick unboxing preview video. Of course my full Table Top and Field Test videos will follow...
In this unboxing preview video of the Umarex Colt Peacemaker Single Action Army Revolver I show you around the CO2 4.5mm BB Revolver Replica and even compare it to a few similar revolvers I have lying around.
The Umarex Shell Loading Colt Peacemaker is an amazing replica and simulates the old west cowboy Single Action Only Revolvers in almost every detail. I love the hammer action and the ratchet sound it makes as you draw it back. The Single Action Only Trigger is very light at under 2 pounds just as it should be.
This is my Official Field Test Shooting Review video for the Gletcher CLT B25 CO2 BB Shell Loading Revolver. This pistol is actually made by KWC and is the same base gun that Umarex uses in their Licensed Colt Python 357 6 inch barrel version.
In this Shooting video I performance various Field Tests on the Gletcher CLT B25 using my Chronograph to get a true live performance reading of the velocity in fps. I also shoot 6 rounds at a paper target positioned 30 feet from my semi-rested position (Sand bag up front and standing in the back).
Velocity wise, the Gletcher CLT B25 CO2 BB Revolver shot a little low while using standard 5.1 grain zinc coated steel BB's coming in with a 5 shot average of 280 fps. the claimed the fps from Gletcher is 100 m/s which works out to 328 fps so there is room for some improvement, perhaps on a warmer day I may see these numbers?
I then moved back to my 30 feet shooting position to test out the accuracy using paper target, the Gletcher CLT B25 CO2 BB Shell Loading Revolver produced n OK 6 shot grouping that was just over 2 inches in diameter. Not supper but also not too bad considering the short barrel and how tight the front and back sights are together. I'm pretty sure I can do a bit better as one of the shots did pull a bit out form the rest making the grouping larger than it could have been.
Overall, the Gletcher CLT B25 CO2 BB Revolver shot pretty has a nice feel to it when shooting, the trigger/hammer setup is nice in both single and double action, the grips and balance feels good and overall this is a very fun shell loading BB revolver to shoot.
This is my Official Field Test Shooting Review video for the Gletcher SW R25 CO2 Shell Loading Pellet Revolver. At this time we are out of stock, I am not sure exactly when we are going to have them back in stock.
In this Field Test Shooting video I test out the performance of the Gletcher SW R25 using my Chronograph to get an actual Feet Per Second velocity rating, I also shot 6 rounds at a paper target setup 30 feet away using a semi-rested position (Sand bag up front and standing in the back).
Velocity wise, the Gletcher SW R25 CO2 Pellet Revolver shot pretty hard considering I was using 7 grain lead pellets (as compared to 5.1 grain steel BB's) and this was the shortest barreled version at 2.5 inches. The Gletcher SW R25 averaged a 337 fps 6 shot velocity with its highest fps shot of 351.
I then stepped back 30 feet and shot at a paper target, the Gletcher SW R25 CO2 Shell Loading Pellet Revolver produced a nice tight 6 shot grouping that was really close to 1 inches in diameter. Considering how short the barrel is and how close together the front and back sight are to each other, this is not a bad result at all. I am sure the rifled barrel helped a lot here. I did shoot a bit high and to the left but this can easily be corrected by adjusting the rear sight for windage and elevation.
Overall, the Gletcher SW R25 CO2 Pellet Revolver shot pretty hard and with good accuracy for a shell loading pellet revolver. It will be interesting to see how well the 8 inch version of this Gletcher Shell Loading Pellet Revolver does when I test it out shortly?
I always like getting and shooting the airguns I review and the Gletcher NGT CO2 BB Revolver was no disappointment! The Gletcher NGT is a fairly small air revolver and so pretty much anyone should be able to shoot this air pistol even if you have smaller hands, I did find that pre-cocking the hammer for single action shooting was a bit of a stretch when reaching over with the thumb, but you can just as easily shoot in double action, both trigger pulls are nice and light with the double action being a bit longer.
Loading the 7 round cylinder will take longer than your standard stick magazine BB pistol since you first need to pop some 4.5mm Steel BB's into each shell and then individually load each shell into the Gletcher's metal cylinder while you index it.
In terms of FPS performance, the Gletcher NGT Silver CO2 BB Revolver shot right about where I thought it would shoot getting about a 342 fps average 7 shot velocity. Claimed is up to 350 so the NGT hit it's marks in this category even on a rather cool day. I found that the little Gletcher NGT had a pretty loud crack to it and could even feel a small amount of push back with each shot.
I really felt comfortable using the rather old school fixed open post and notch sights, the sliver finish on the white background of the targets I was using did make it a bit tuff to line up but I was able to get a pretty nice close to 2 inch grouping that was very well centered on target. the Gletcher NGT Revolver would be great for knocking pop cans off of fence posts :)
I would definitely recommend the Gletcher NGT CO2 BB Revolver in either silver or black, what ever your preference? Not only is it a real looker but it also has the performance to back it's looks.
So getting back to this ASG Dan Wesson 6 inch Silver & 8 Inch Black Pellet Revolver Field Test Review, how did they perform? Well not that well in my books, the fps performance was just way too low and way too inconsistent, with a 6 shot Chronograph Test I got an average fps of 259 for the 6 inch and 188 for the 8 inch, that's right the longer barrel revolver actually performed worse! My explanation is that just not enough CO2 is being released by the CO2 valve to get the heavier and more snug lead pellets to a high enough velocity. And having a longer barrel is actually creating more resistance slowing down the lead pellets. If more CO2 was introduced, more expansion would take place which would take full advantage of the longer barrel.
Once I setup 30 feet back for my paper target testing, I kind of had a felling that I was not going to see great results, pellets moving inconsistent around 200 fps are not going to shoot as accurately as more consistent pellets traveling at 300+ fps. The variation in velocity from both Dan Wesson Pellet Revolvers I was getting really effected the elevation of the pellets landing on the target. Because of teh slow velocity of the pellets, there was a really long delay between shooting the gun and the actual pellets hitting the target, I could even hear variations in this delay as the fps fluctuated up and down :(
I did want to mention that the temperature was not overly warm on my test day but I did keep both guns nice and warm inside prior to my testing them, on a hotter day there would be a slight increase in fps performance but not a radical one that would make a huge difference.
If you are wondering if perhaps the problem may be due to the CO2 I used or my Pellet selection? ASG was kind enough to send me some of their CO2 and Diablo approved Pellets to use for this Field Test Shooting Review.
To be perfectly honest, I would rather shoot the Steel BB version of the Dan Wesson Revolvers since they performed much better in terms of feet per second velocity and target accuracy. Even loading the BB versions is much easier and quicker for more time spent shooting.
I generally like to focus more on the good and less on the bad when it comes to the guns I review and sure the Dan Wesson Pellet Revolvers are really sexy Airguns but when it comes to actual shooting results I was disappointed with them. I think ASG needs to take another look at their Dan Wesson Pellet Revolver design and perhaps work on some higher fps and more consistent fps performance.
Watch my Full Vimeo ASG Dan Wesson 6 inch Silver & 8 Inch Black Pellet Revolver Field Test Review:
First off let’s get one thing straight! What I’m looking for in a BB gun is more than likely going to be way different than what someone else is looking for in what they think is the “Best BB Gun” available.
Many people will determine the Best BB Gun as the BB gun that has the highest price tag, usually you get better quality the higher the price goes up but not always, there are times when perhaps you are paying for a name brand or cosmetic add ons that don’t always make the gun better or the best.
On the other hand, some people will determine the best BB gun as the one that is the least cost since they may not have a lot of money to spend, and an expensive BB gun is a BB gun that that person would not be able to afford or even own, far from an ideal or the Best BB Gun for them.
Many people only look at the specifications to determine if that particular BB gun is the outright best BB Gun. One specification that people seem to fixate on is how powerful is the BB gun in question? If it has the highest FPS then surely it must be the best BB Gun! That Pop can never saw it coming! What about cost of operation, so things like reliability and how many shots per CO2 you can get out of a BB gun. All important features to consider when picking out the Best BB Gun!
Style is another important part of what makes a BB Gun the Best option for you, are you wanting a classic BB Pistol? Perhaps a Modern BB Gun, Maybe even a BB gun that you can not get in your area because of gun laws? Style is a very individual preference and what looks good to me may look terrible to someone else.
One aspect that is very important to me, is realism, does the BB Gun operate the same and does it have similar metal and plastic parts as the real steel version? Does the BB gun I am considering have blowback operation and a true single or double action trigger like it’s big brother? What about a full size drop out magazine and the ability to field strip the BB Gun?
Some people want their BB gun for simple backyard good old fun shooting and so as long as it shoots pretty straight and works as it’s supposed to, then that is all they care about. Many real steel shooters want a BB Gun to operate exactly like their real steel version, so they can practice with it to get in more trigger time when going to a gun range is not an option.
Of course there are aspects like Reliability, Performance, Fit and Finish, Licensing and Build Quality that all determine what makes the Best BB Gun and again it really depends which of these qualities are most important to you that will determine which BB Gun is the best BB Gun.
So how do you determine which is the Best BB Gun? Make a list of what you are looking for in a BB Gun. Attributes like Cost, Performance, Build Quality, Style, Realism, Availability…
Once you have narrowed down your Best BB Gun list, get as much information on each BB Gun you are considering, to narrow the list down even more. There are tons of Youtube videos you can watch for your Best BB Gun final short list to help you determine your ultimate choice.
So please don’t ask me what the Best BB Gun is? I can not even tell you which one I like the best since my wish list changes from day to day…
First off we are not talking about 6mm Plastic Airsoft Guns but rather 4.5mm Steel BB versus .177 caliber Pellet.
Same but Different:
Generally speaking a BB CO2 Pistol and a Pellet CO2 Pistol are very similar, they just shoot a bit different types of ammo, that will determine a couple mechanical differences in both guns. You may come across a CO2 Pistol that can shoot both Pellets and BB's but these are not as common.
Magazine Types:
The fist main difference is usually the magazine design, since lead pellets don’t stack on top of each other very well compared to steel BB’s, action CO2 BB and Pellet pistols will have a very different types of magazine designs. Pellet CO2 Pistols will generally use a rotary type magazine while BB Pistols will use a stick or stacked ammo magazine. In terms of realism, a stick or stacked magazine is better suited than a rotary magazine. Some Action Pellet Pistols will have what looks like a stick magazine, but the stick will actually have two rotary magazine on either side. You will often find higher capacity magazines in BB CO2 Pistols since Rotary magazines usually only offer around 8 rounds (16 on a double sided stick style).
Another downside to a rotary magazine is knowing when you are out of ammo, a rotary magazine does not allow for this, it will just keep turning around and around no matter if there is ammo in it or not, so you need to listen to the the sound of the CO2 gun to determine when a rotary type magazine is empty. BB Action shooters do not have this problem since in most cases the magazine BB spring follower acts exactly the same as real steel gun follower locking back the slide on the last shot, stopping any follow up shots from happening.
Ammo Size:
Steel BB’s traditionally only come in 4.5mm which is the same as .177 caliber. Lead pellets can come in a myriad of sizes, the most comma being .177, .20 and .22 caliber but they can go as large as 50 caliber for PCP air rifles used to hunt even large game.
Barrel Rifling:
Another common difference between BB and Pellet CO2 Pistols is the rifling inside the barrels. Lead pellets need to spin in order for them to shoot straight. Steel BB’s on the other hand fly pretty true thought the air weather they spin or not. Rifling is most often not used in steel BB pistols because the hardened steel can damage the rifling and since there is little to no benefit in adding rifling to a BB guns barrel in terms of accuracy, then why even have it. Pellet pistols with their softer lead ammunition need to have the rifling in order to create the spin that keeps the pellet true and straight while in flight.
Accuracy:
Even though many BB CO2 Pistols can shoot accurately at close to medium ranges, they are not as accurate as a Pellet CO2 Pistol, especially as the distance become greater to your target. Not only does the spinning of the pellet help accuracy, but also the added mass of the lead pellet keeps them from being as effected by cross winds and airborne debris.
Hunting and/or Pest Control:
In most cases I do not recommend using a pistol for pest control because, plain and simple they are harder to shoot accurately. This is because there is no stock on a pistol to help steady the gun, and the front and rear sight are much closer together on a pistol than compared to rifle sights which means there is more margin for error when signing in a target. Pistols are generally lower powered than rifles which also plays a roll when considering a pistol for pest control since it may not have enough power to get the job done humanly. That said, there are pellet pistols deigned with power in mind, usually these are spring piston, or pressurized air powered air guns which can have a lot more power than a standard CO2 BB or Pellet Pistol.
Pistols versus Rifles:
This is not the forum for a full pistol versus rifle comparison. I can tell you that you will find a lot more pellet rifles than your will find BB rifles, they both exist but for the most part rifles are geared more towards target shooting and hunting. Most of the BB rifles available would be styled after replicas so the focus is not necessarily on power and or accuracy in these models.
Abundance:
In terms of Replica Action Shooters, BB Pistols outweigh the Pellet pistols by a land-slide. BB’s just work better in action pistols because the round hard steel ammo operates much easier and more reliably than the softer lead pellets, at least for action shooters. And the point of Replica Action Shooters is not so much power and accuracy but more so towards rapid fire good old back yard fun shooting.
Which is Best?
Well… Neither one is best, it just depends what you are looking for.
Do you want accuracy at longer ranges - if so maybe get a Pellet CO2 Pistol.
Do you want more realism in terms of magazine loading and your slide locking back on the last shot - then you may be in the market for a BB CO2 Pistol.
Do you want more power down range - heavy pellets are going to hit harder and truer than lighter Steel BB’s.
Do you want trouble free shooting - hard steel BB’s rarely miss-feed or misfire compared to softer Lead Pellets especially in action shooters.
The best is what’s best for you and not always what's best for me…
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull for the Little Joe blank revolver is single action only, you must pre-cock the hammer first to rotate advance the cylinder and ready the hammer to fire. I very short medium weight trigger pull with virtually no take-up is required to fire this tiny revolver at that point.
Accuracy: NA.
Build Quality: Even though in general blank/signal guns do utilize scaled down metals like zinc alloy (not high pressure gun steel), the ROHM line of blank pistols are made very well and many of the internal mechanical parts, pins and screws are solid steel. The fit and finish is excellent and when I tested my none belt buckle Little Joe it shot flawlessly for me. Don't expect much recoil from the small acorn .22 rounds.
Realism: The ROHM Little Joe Belt Buckle 6mm Flobert Blank Gun is not a true replica of any real steel revolver in production but it does look a bit like the North America Arms NAA22s Mini-Revolver chambered in .22 short. North America Arms even has a belt buckle version of their own!
Hard to get the Belt Buckle version here in Canada.
Not sure about legalities actually wearing the belt buckle in Canada?
Comments:
I already thought the standard ROHM Little Joe Blank firing mini revolver was a really cool gun, to actually find one that fits into a belt buckle is even cooler! I wish we had these for sale in our Canada Replica Airguns Store but it's probably best we don't since I know some people will decide to wear theirs which is bad news since it's only a matter of time before a call is made and a lot of explaining is in order... The good news is we do sell the none belt buckle version of the Little Joe .22 Caliber (6mm Flobert) Mini Revolver in our Canada Replica Airgun Store along with many other ROHM German quality blank pistols so check them out for sure!
My Vimeo Table Top Review for the ROHM Little Joe Belt Buckle 6mm Flobert Blank Revolver:
Some of you have been waiting on back orders and to also make new orders of ASG products, we just received an ASG order so many ASG items are now back in stock! Any back orders will be taken care of first and then new orders will be processed, as always, stock is limited especially on certain items so act fast!
More guns to show off! Good for you and me! In this update video I show you some very interesting guns indeed! As many of you are aware, the Baikal Makarov MP-654K CO2 4.5mm Steel BB pistol has been really hard to find new here in Canada, making the price of used ones escalate up into the $700+ price range for one in as new condition. Well for those looking to buy a Baikal Makarov MP-654K we have located some and have them for sale now in our Canada Replica Airguns store (Very limited supply). These are the 2013 PM new design models with the narrow grips and mags, they also have the recessed barrels and cut out extractor. We sell them in the blued version only.
Another CO2 BB pistol that has been out of stock for some time is the EKOL ES series. I reviewed the ES 55 CO2 BB Pistol a while back but until now have not been able to show off the ES 66 Series which is more browning high power looking in design. The good news is we have both the ES 55 and ES 66 CO2 4.5mm Steel BB Pistol in stock in our Canada Store. These guns are mostly metal with full size drop out metal magazines that hold the CO2 and BB's, they also shoot in both single and double action and have pretty decent power! We are now selling both the ES 55 and ES 66 series of guns in our Online Canada Store.
I've looked at several Gletcher Airguns over the last little while and finally got my hands on the Gletcher APS Blowback CO2 BB Pistol which is a replica of the Russian Stechkin Soviet Military sidearm introduced back in the 50's. It's kind of a bigger brother version of the Makarov, i was surprised at how large it actually was when i got my hands on it! The real steel version had the ability to shoot in both semi and full-auto but my Gletcher APS 4.5mm BB replica only shoots in semi auto. Again, checkout the full line of Gletcher Products in our Canada Replica Airguns Store.
Barrel: Metal rifled (6 Inch Sliver - 8 Inch Black).
Propulsion: CO2 x 1.
Action: Revolver, single and double action.
Ammunition Type: .177 caliber pellets.
Ammunition Capacity: 6 rounds.
FPS: 426+.
Trigger Pull: The ASG Dan Wesson Pellet Revolvers have predictable triggers with the single action being a bit more consistent since the take up is short, and the release is fairly light. Double action mode is very usable without a lot of extra pressure required. I found I just wanted to shoot this gun in single action mode because it felt more natural being that it is a six shooter.You also want to take your time shooting since loading the pellets into each shell and then the shells into the cylinder takes a bit of time.
Accuracy: This is yet to be determined since I have not to date had the opportunity to get outside and shoot these Pellet firing Dan Wesson's. Based on the exceptional results I got shooting my Dan Wesson Steel BB versions from 30 feet away, I should be abel to crack an inch or two 6 round grouping if my shooting is on. In terms of fps performance, ASG claims the pellet versions to shoot around the same velocity as the steel BB versions. With that in mind, this should give the Pellet shooting Dan Wesson's the advantage for raw power, since the lead pellets are heavier than steel 4.5mm BB's.
Build Quality: Like the entire Dan Wesson Revolver line from ASG, the pellet series is no exception and the fit and finish is very good. Most of the revolver is metal with the exception of the grips which are a plastic with a bit of a rubberized texture to them. The modified rifled barrels are made out of hardened steel and similarly so are portions of the newly designed pellet loading shells. Overall these are improvements to the quality of the Pellet shooting Dan Wesson Revolvers over the BB and Airsoft Dan Wessons.
Realism: The ASG Dan Wesson revolvers are as close as you can get to a real six shooter. Loading and ejecting actual shells into the cylinder makes you feel like this gun is much more then an unassuming airgun! If you want that real revolver experience than a shell loading Dan Wesson is the way to go, and the addition of a rifled barrel and lead pellets to the Pellet firing version should make the shooting experience even better.
It's a revolver with actual shells! Gives 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 very good.
Should have good power and good accuracy. Even better than the BB versions!
Adjustable rear sight for windage and elevation.
Barrel and shell redesign are a big improvement over the BB shooting versions.
Cons:
Has a plastic CO2 screw tab.
Loading pellets does take longer than the BB versions.
May use more CO2 per shot than the BB versions because of heavier ammo.
Comments:
Since I can't comment too much on the shooting experience these Pellet Dan Wessons will offer, I can say I am impressed with how ASG did the redesign of the inner barrel and pellet loading shells. It is obvious that ASG didn't just grab some parts of the shelf and quickly modify a BB version to shoot Pellets. ASG did it right and you can see the new adapted parts are of high quality and are even an improvement over the BB versions in many ways. On paper the Pellet shooting Dan Wesson's should be more accurate especially out at further ranges than the BB shooting Dan Wesson's and the Pellet versions should also hit the target with more force since they shoot a heavier projectile at around the same fps as the 4.5mm Steel BB version.
My YouTube Video Review for these Dan Wesson Pellet shooting Revolvers:
Yes! Some new guns for you, and that's always a good thing for everyone, especially me since I get to play with them! I have been waiting a while to get my hands on some of the .177 caliber pellet shooting versions of the Dan Wesson Revolvers. I was actually introduced to them nearly a year ago at the last SHOT Show back in January of 2014! That's a long wait for sure...
The Pellet version Dan Wesson's look really good, the quality of the pellet shells is top notch and even the redesigned inner rifled barrels look to be very high quality. ASG did not just do a quick part swap, they really though out how they wanted everything to fit together. I am looking forward to seeing how well they shoot and will be Field Testing them both together so we can see how the barrel lengths play an effect on power and accuracy.
Next up we have two Gletcher pistols, both are classic semi auto shooters from the past, the Gletcher TT which is a Replica of the Russian Tokarev, and the Gletcher P08 which is a Luger copy. Both pistols are blowback and shoot 4.5mm Steel BB's.
Both pistols incorporate single action only triggers, metal stick magazines and working safeties, a real steel Tokarev normally would not have a safety other than the half cock hammer, Gletcher added in a discreet switch style safety on the right side of their TT. Again, I look forward to shooting both of these blowback pistols as soon as the weather picks up!
It's that time once again for an end of the year Gun Collection video. And no I will not be showing off all of my guns, to show and explain them all (Approximately 200 or so?) would simply take a really long time to make and a really long time for you to watch ;)
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Gletcher NGT Silver CO2 BB Revolver is nice and crisp in both single and double action, there is virtually no trigger wiggle and the trigger pull is decent in double action while much longer and of course nice and light in single action as expected. You will want to pre-cock the hammer for accurate single action shooting but have the option of shooting double action for any action shooting you may want to do. Keep in mind you will have to individually reload each round.
Accuracy: I have not done any shooting so far with this Gletcher revolver due to some pretty awful weather conditions. I expect it will shoot nice since it has a fairly long sight radius and the open iron sights are conducive to precise shooting.
Build Quality: The Gletcher NGT Silver CO2 BB Revolver is really well made, you can tell by it's solid weight for a fairly small pistol, all of the mechanical parts feel smooth and responsive. Everything that would be metal on the real M1895 Revolver is metal including the solid one piece cylinder. Yes the grips are imitation wood but this is to be expected. The sliver finish looks great and I like the black contrasting parts that really highlight this gun.
Realism: I've have not had the opportunity to actually put my hands on a real steel Nagant M1895 Revolver but from the photos I have viewed online, the Gletcher NGT Silver is very accurate in terms of being a BB replica. Of course the shells fit steel BB's internally and the barrel has been downscale to shoot 4.5mm Steel BB's but other than that it is very difficult to tell it from a real Nagant M1895 Revolver. Even the barrel opening is recessed and looks true to scale for the original rounds used in this revolver and you can remove the one piece cylinder similar to the real version.
Pros:
Beautiful Silver finish.
Very solid and weighty gun.
Hammer and trigger actions are very crisp, virtually no wiggle.
CO2 is well hidden.
Recessed barrel looks great.
7 round cylinder instead of 6 like the other shell loading.
Cylinder can be removed.
Shoots in both signal and double action.
Grip is nice and small so great for shooters with small.
Shooting performance pros yet to be determined…
Cons:
Non adjustable sights. (Perhaps like original)
No speed loading on this one, one shell at a time, so make your shots count.
Shooting performance cons yet to be determined…
Comments:
The Gletcher NGT Silver CO2 BB Revolver is yet another addition of shell loading revolvers like the Dan Wesson and KWC 357 based revolvers, with the exception that the Gletcher NGT is more of a blast from the past and even though it comes in at a much more compact size, it holds an additional round! Another note worthy point is the fact that Gletcher has somehow figured out a way to reduce the CO2 release valve giving the Gletcher NGT a more true to scale frame size, I am talking about the distance between the hammer and the cylinder. This allows for a more realistic and true to dimension replica which in this classic revolver is super important.
My Vimeo Table Top Video of the Gletcher NGT Silver CO2 BB Revolver:
Materials: Mostly metal with some plastic construction.
Weight: 2 pounds (900 grams).
Barrel: 2.25 inches, non-rifled.
Propulsion: 12 gram CO2.
Action: Revolver, single & double actions.
Ammunition Type: 6mm plastic Airsoft BB's.
Ammunition Capacity: 6 rounds.
FPS: 360+.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the KWC 357 2.5 Inch CO2 Airsoft Revolver is good in both single and double action, even better than the Dan Wesson and S&W 327 TRR8 shell loading revolvers, most likely because the spring tension that pushes the inner barrel to make contact with the cylinder is noticeably lighter on the KWC 357's. Even the hammer is smoother and has less wiggle, just a better trigger and hammer mechanism overall.
Accuracy: This is yet to be determined but I did notice on the KWC Airsoft versions of their shell loading Airsoft Revolvers, that they do have a built in preset Hop-up by way of a small rubber bar that goes along the top of the barrel just inside the rear portion. This will create some backspin which will keep the Airsoft BB's trajectory more level but should also help them stay more accurate in general as compared to a plastic Airsoft BB that is not spinning but rather just floating through the air.
Build Quality: The KWC 357 2.5 Inch CO2 Airsoft Revolver being mostly metal has a very good build quality, perhaps even better than the Dan Wesson and S&W 327 TRR8 shell loading revolvers, even the weight of the KWC 357 is noticeably more! The only real plastic or rubber I could find was in the grips and the shell tips. Fit and finish was also good with no noticeable wear or sloppy workmanship.
Realism: The KWC 357 2.5 Inch CO2 Airsoft Revolver overall is a close copy a the real steel 357 styled revolver. I did notice the rear portion of the receiver (between the rear cylinder and hammer) to be a bit longer perhaps to accommodate the CO2 valve length, but other than that this pistol is super close to the original 357 styled revolver it is based on. Again being all metal gives this CO2 Airsoft revolver very realistic weight and feel and the loadable brass shells make using this gun almost exactly like using a real shell loading revolver but for much less cost per shot and of course a lot less recoil on the hands that a real 357 magnum or even when shooting 38 special shells for that matter ;)
Pretty all the parts work as they would in a similar real steel revolver of this type.
Good overall weight, Very dense because of the shorter barrel.
Should have good overall power, accuracy and shots per CO2 (based on Colt Python testing).
Fully adjustable rear sight for windage and elevation.
Well hidden CO2 Screw.
Recessed barrel.
Not much white writing on the gun.
Nice easy Trigger pull in both single and double action.
Cons:
Short 2.25 inch barrel will rob power but the Dan Wesson style long barrel Airsoft revolvers are know to be a bit hot for some Airsoft games so this may be a good thing.
Grips may be a bit large for people with small hands.
All black sights with no white dots are not great on dark backgrounds or low lighting.
Comments:
The KWC 357 2.5 Inch CO2 Airsoft Revolver is yet another addition to the increasing lineup of shell loading revolvers available today in both Steel BB and Airsoft versions. The 2.5 inch reviewed here is meant to be the compact version with its snub nosed barrel but I would have to say it is not a small gun at all coming in at 2 pounds and with rather large grips and a pretty large cylinder to pack around. But then again, that may be just what you are looking for? The shorter barrel will lower the fps a bit which may bring it back in line with the requirements of some Airsoft fields and the addition of the built in preset Hop-up, this pistol should shoot pretty well out at medium and even longer ranges.
My Vimeo Table Top Review for the KWC 357 2.5 Inch CO2 Airsoft Revolver:
Materials: Mostly metal with some plastic construction.
Weight: 2.75 pounds (1218 grams).
Barrel: 5.5 inches, non-rifled.
Propulsion: 12 gram CO2.
Action: Revolver, single & double actions.
Ammunition Type: 4.5mm steel BB's.
Ammunition Capacity: 6 rounds.
FPS: 400fps.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the KWC 357 6 Inch CO2 BB Revolver is good in both single and double action, even better than the Dan Wesson and S&W 327 TRR8 shell loading revolvers, most likely because the spring tension that pushes the inner barrel to make contact with the cylinder is noticeably lighter on the KWC 357. Even the hammer is smoother and has less wiggle, just a better trigger and hammer mechanism overall.
Accuracy:Based on my results shooting the Umarex Colt Python 357 which is essentially the same gun in a different finish. The results I got shooting my 6 round group from a 30 foot out semi rested position where good overall. Vertically there was about a 2 inch spread while horizontally there was about a 1 inch spread. I did find the plastic tips on the brass shells seemed to be a bit tight at first and this is when I did most of my Chronograph and target shooting. I believe the tightness effected the consistency of the FPS which also effected the accuracy especially up and down. I did get one shot out of the Umarex Colt Python 357 well over the claimed 400 fps but again the fps was rather erratic most likely because of the snug BB fit due to shell break-in.
Build Quality: The KWC 357 6 Inch CO2 BB Revolver being mostly metal has a very good build quality, perhaps even better than the Dan Wesson and S&W 327 TRR8 shell loading revolvers, even the weight of the KWC 357 came in close to a half of a pound more! The only real plastic I could find was in the grips and the shell tips. Fit and finish was also good with no noticeable chrome wear or sloppy workmanship. It will be interesting to see how the Chrome finish wears over time...
Realism: The KWC 357 6 Inch CO2 BB Revolver overall is a close copy a the real steel 357 styled revolver. I did notice the rear portion of the receiver (between the rear cylinder and hammer) to be a bit longer perhaps to accommodate the CO2 valve length, but other than that this pistol is super close to the original 357 styled revolver it is based on. Again being all metal gives this CO2 BB revolver very realistic weight and feel and the loadable brass shells make using this gun almost exactly like using a real shell loading revolver but for much less cost per shot and of course a lot less recoil on the hands.
It's a revolver with actual shells! Give you the feeling of loading and shooting a real revolver.
Mostly all metal design.
lots of detail, well made, Chrome looks nice, not sure if it will ear better than the black finish?
Good overall weight, heaviest out of all the shell loaders.
Should have good overall power, accuracy and shots per CO2 (based on Colt Python testing).
Fully adjustable sights for windage and elevation.
Well hidden CO2 Screw.
Recessed barrel.
Nice easy Trigger pull in both single and double action.
Cons:
Grips are a bit rough.
Grips may be a bit large for people with small hands.
Black rear sight may not be great on dark backgrounds or low lighting.
Comments:
The ASG Dan Wesson shell loading revolvers reintroduced me to the joy of loading and shooting a revolver which up until that point was not that realistic of an experience when using a BB or Pellet revolver. The KWC 357 6 Inch CO2 BB Revolver like the Umarex Colt Python 357 has taken it up a notch by adding just a bit more overall weight, a smother trigger and hammer mechanism and styling this revolver on the Classic 357 magnum platform. And all of this for even less than the cost of the original Dan Wesson shell loading series CO2 BB revolvers. If you're a revolver fan, make sure to grab one of these, the Chrome finish is really eye catching and would make a great addition to your revolver collection for sure.
My Vimeo Table Top Review for the KWC 357 6 Inch CO2 BB Revolver:
