Some updates to share with you, first off we have the KWC Luger P-08's back in stock. And that would be for the 6mm Airsoft and 4.5mm Steel BB versions. get them while you can, our last batch ran out fast!
I also show off the Umarex TDP 45 Tac which is the tactical version of the TDP 45 and comes with the additions of a threaded barrel that houses a removable mock silencer, a sight rail for adding a red dot scope and a removable laser. All of this for around $60 so great value for sure!
I also wanted to revisit the Umarex PX4 Storm Blowback Pellet Pistol since I reviewed this gun way back and my personal Umarex PX4 Storm was one of the first to enter Canada and as I saw with the Umarex CP99 Compact, Umarex made some slight tweaks to it and improved the overall performance. So perhaps a side by side comparisons in order, first generation versus present generation.
I also mention the ASG Bersa Thunder Pro 9 because I actually forgot I had reviewed it and was going to review it again. Guess I am either getting old and losing losing my mind or I have made way too many videos and can not keep track anymore, perhaps a bit of both, anyways ignore that part of the video, you can already watch my Table Top Review and Filed Test Review for the ASG Bersa Thunder Pro 9.
In this Field Test Shooting Reviews I test out the ASG Bersa Thunder 9 Pro and put five rounds through my Chronograph to get a real world average fps using a brand new CO2. ASG claims around 400 fps and I got pretty close even thought the fall weather here in BC is getting kind of cooler so there may be room for a bit higher fps during warmer summer time weather situations.
I shoot the ASG Bersa Thunder 9 Pro 4.5mm Pistol from the 20 foot range since I hadn't done a pre test to date. While shooting from a semi rested position at 20 feet back, I was able to get a 2 inch 11 shot group and if I eliminated the two fliers it would have been closer to a 1 inch group. The Thunder 9 Pro BB Pistol shot pretty well centered on target getting 9 out of the 11 shots right in the black center ring. The trigger pull is very typical for this style of double action only trigger, kind of long with a slight sticky click in the middle while the BB chambers and then some more trigger pull with a fairly predictable release right near the back.
You can expect to get right around 6-7 consistent magazines worth of shots before having to change the CO2, that's well over 100+ shots! And even on the last magazine the fps seemed to stay pretty consistent.
Overall the ASG Bersa Thunder 9 Pro is well priced yet offers a realistic looking alternative to the real steel Bersa Thunder 9 Pro and still delivers decent power, more than adequate accuracy and lots of shots out of a single CO2.
My Vimeo Field Test Video Review for the ASG Bersa Thunder 9 Pro CO2 BB Pistols:
Materials: Mostly polymer with some metal internal parts.
Weight: 1.2 pounds (530 Grams)
Barrel: Metal non-rifled.
Propulsion: CO2 x 1.
Action: Semi auto non-blowback, double action only.
Ammunition Type: 4.5mm BB's.
Ammunition Capacity: 19 round magazine.
FPS: 400.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the ASG Bersa Thunder 9 Pro has a medium and double action only fairly long pull with no real sticky areas in it. The release is right at the back of the mag well and just before the release there is a slight click where I believe the BB is loaded into the open break, just before it closes on the return of the forward moving internal barrel.
Accuracy: This part of the review is yet to be determined (Click here to watch the Filed Test Review for this ASG BB Pistol), I would expect to get reasonable results in terms of accuracy, power and CO2 usage since the design of this BB pistol is very CO2 efficient. The sights do have white dots front and back which will make target acquisition good but they are non-adjustable so hopefully it shoots well centered. We will have to see how well the ASG Bersa Thunder 9 Pro does during the field test shooting video review...
Build Quality: So far I have not been disappointed with any of the AG airguns or Airsoft guns, even the low cost versions seem to be with durability in mind. The ASG Bersa Thunder 9 Pro is a pretty basic low cost mostly plastic BB pistol so you do get what you pay for. There is a fair bit of metal internally which give the Bersa Thunder 9 Pro some weight, more then you would expect from an all plastic outer shell. The BB stick magazine is also all metal adding some additional weight. Fit and finish all seems good, no complaints and the simple build design with few moving parts means there is not a lot to go wrong or get easily broken.
Realism: The ASG Bersa Thunder 9 Pro is very accurate replica of the real steel version in terms of looks, with full licensed Bersa trademarks and even the 9x19 caliber markings in the slide ejection port area. The only real obvious indication that it is not the real version is the fact that it is plastic and the screw holes on the right side of the gun where the two plastic halves have been married together. At least the slide does not have any crew holes in it.
Decent weight for a mostly plastic gun, good use of metal inside.
Solid metal drop out stick magazine that is somewhat universal.
CO2 screw is very well hidden under the magazine but-plate.
Nice recessed barrel adds to realism.
Cons:
Mostly plastic with most parts molded into the gun.
Non-adjustable sights.
Screw holes on the right side of the frame take away a bit from the realism.
Double action trigger is a bit long and heavy.
Comments:
As you know, my preference is more towards the all metal guns with lots of working parts, full size drip out magazines and blowback action. The problem with these types of realistic airguns, is that they can be expensive and sometimes a bit temperamental with all the working parts designed more for realism and less for simplicity. Generally speaking the more realistic the gun the more of a sacrifice is made to give up things like power, CO2 efficiency and even accuracy. The ASG Bersa Thunder 9 Pro is made to look like the real steal version but it does not try to replicate it mechanically and so as a functional BB pistol it will work very well, yet give you the look and feel a real 9mm Bersa Thunder 9 Pro.
My Vimeo Video Review for this ASG Bersa Thunder 9 Pro CO2 BB Pistol:
Getting back to some more gun videos! In this Vimeo Video I take a look at some lower cost 4.5mm BB and 6mm Airsoft pistols. The two ASG guns coming in at right around $60 and the Umarex BB pistols right at around $40. So very affordable guns to say the least.
When it comes to making these replica pistol reviews I tend to stick with the higher end "flashy guns" with all the metal parts and realistic operation. It takes a bit of prodding before I pick up a low cost gun and review it but that does not mean they are not good value for the money. I just personally don't mind spending a bit more money to get more features and quality, but for some people spending over $100 on an airgun is out of the question. Hey you have to start somewhere and at the end of the day a lower cost gun and higher cost gun still both put BB's down range :)
In this Vimeo Preview Video Review I look at four guns, two from ASG (Bersa Thunder 9 Pro and MK1) and two from Umarex (XBG and TDP 45), three are 4.5mm Steel BB shooters (XBG, TDP 45, and Bersa Thunder 9 Pro) one is a 6mm plastic Airsoft BB shooter (MK1). All are predominantly plastic and none of them have blowback operation. The 4.5mm Steel BB shooters all use CO2 with 19 shot stick metal magazines and the ASG Airsoft MK1 uses Green Gas with a 17 round full size drop out metal magazine. The BB pistols all shoot right around 400-410 fps and for the Airsoft pistol I am not sure so we will find out when I do the review for it in a bit...
All of these pistols look pretty decent and as I said for the money, I think you are getting good value here.
Make sure to watch my Vimeo Video Preview to see all this pistols a bit closer up: