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Airguns are not toys and as so require proper storage, transportation and handling so as not to cause an accident that could be minor or even deadly.

No matter if you are handling an Airgun or a “Real Gun”, they should both be handled in the same manner even if the consequences from an accident with an Airgun may be less serious. Life long injuries like the loss of an eye are nothing to be taken lightly.

For the most part, what I talk about in this Airgun Safety 101 video can also be applied to a “Real Gun” although most countries will have stricter laws and guidelines in the storage, transportation and handling of “Real Guns” over an Airgun.

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Storing Your Airgun:

In Canada an unregulated Airgun does not have any real specific safe storage guidelines but common sense should be used and I recommend that you at the bare minimum keep your Airgun in some sort of locked space whether it be a safe, cabinet or room that is locked all of the time.

You can also put a trigger lock on your Airgun if you do not have a lockable storage location for it.

You should also make sure to store your Airgun unloaded, at least when it comes to BB’s and or Pellets. If there is some unused CO2 in it, or it is charged with Compressed Air, but unloaded in terms of ammunition, that is OK, but again keep it in a safe location away from anyone that may be able to get their hands on it and hurt themselves or others.

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Transporting Your Airgun:

Again, in Canada an unregulated Airgun does not have any real transportation guidelines but if you keep your Airgun out in the open and someone sees it, they will most certainly call the police and more than likely you may find yourself staring down the wrong end of a police firearm, at least until they sort it all out. This is very serious as unfortunately people have died as a result of handling their Airguns out in the open and underestimating what kind of police response that may entail.

For that reason alone, always keep your Airgun out of sight in a case or backpack or the trunk of your car. Never transport your Airgun loaded and it is best if you can lock it in a case or put a trigger lock on it for added safety when transporting it.

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Shooting Your Airgun:

Shooting your Airgun is always the most enjoyable part of owning an Airgun, so don’t do something stupid and turn that experience into a nightmare. Treat your Airgun as if it is deadly at all times, never point it at anything you do not intend on shooting.

Keep your safety on until you are ready to shoot. Never put your finger on the trigger until you are ready to shoot it and only shoot it in a safe location with an appropriate background and backstop.

Think of the barrel of your Airgun as a light saber that if it crosses even your arm, it could cut it off. Even a BB to the arm is a serious matter. I had a friend that shot himself in the arm with a BB Gun and the BB lodged in the tendons of his wrist requiring an operation to remove it. He was a violin player so this could have ended his violin playing, but luckily he was OK.

When Your finger is not on the trigger it should be held across the trigger guard in a straight position to ensure no accidental misfires.

Wear eye protection, Steel BB’s will bounce back when they hit a hard surface and can come back with enough force to injure an eye easily. Generally Airguns do not require ear protection but some can be loud enough that you may want to wear some sort of ear protection as a precaution.

Only shoot with others that are responsible and take Gun Safety very seriously. Young people will need constant supervision and it is best to go through all of this first before even considering handing them an Airgun for the first time. Perhaps start them off with something like an Airsoft gun which will have less consequences if an accident were to take place.

Airguns are awesome in so many ways and allow for a similar shooting experience to a “Real Gun”. They can be used in more situations, with less overall cost and are a great way to learn proper gun handling and how to improve your shooting ability even if you are a “Real Gun” owner. Always be responsible with your Airgun not only for yourself but for others as it only takes a few idiots to ruin things for the rest of us. Don’t be that Idiot please!

• Buy Airguns in Canada

• Buy Airguns in the US

I am personally very interested in what the origins of a company are, at least companies that I am interested in. Where did the idea for the company come from,? How did the company first start up? What steps did they take to get to where they are now? Where there any road black along the way?

I don’t believe I have every talked about how Replica Airguns came to be in any of my videos, where and when it all started, so why not talk about it now…

And I don’t have any Airguns to review at the moment so I need to make a video of some sort…

• Buy Airguns in Canada

• Buy Airguns in the US

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Cost:

Airguns are generally cheaper to buy and for sure cheaper to shoot. Airguns can cost as little as $50-100 to buy while real guns in similar models will cost many time more. Cost of ammo is so much less expensive than Real Gun ammo by a mile!

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Difficulty to Obtain:

Airguns in most countries do not require any licensing or registration. Generally there are more available options in Airgun choices than Real Gun choices as restrictions often prohibit many Real Guns to be obtained.

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Places to Shoot:

Unless you live in a super remote locations and your laws allow you to shoot Real Guns in those locations, then in most cases you can shoot an Airgun almost anywhere within reason. You can even shoot certain Airgun models in your basement. Airsoft is a great option for indoor shooting as the plastic ammo does not carry very much energy so with minimal effort you can make a backstop that will trap the ammo very well.

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Trigger Time:

Because ammo is much less expensive and places you can shoot are easier to find, you can get a lot more Trigger Time under your belt which will also improve your shotgun with Real Guns and after all it’s just fun to shoot guns even if they are Airguns.

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Safety:

I am not talking about safety in terms of protection. I am talking about safety as in if you do something stupid and your Gun goes off accidentally. If you accidentally fire your Airgun indoors, the bullet will not travel through floors or walls and potentially harm or kill someone on the other side. If you do manage to shoot yourself with an Airgun, the consequence are much less severe than shooting yourself with a Real Gun. That said, always treat an Airgun as if it was a Real Loaded Gun, as server injury and even death can occur even with an Airgun.

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Ware Games and Training Situations:

There is no way you can use a standard Real Gun to shoot at people, unless extensively altered with special parts that make the Real Gun unusable to shoot live ammo. With Airguns you have the choice of using an Airsoft or Paintball gun that are both designed specifically for this purpose.

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Pest Control:

If you have the need for pest control in an urban area where you do not want a stray bullet to travel too far or penetrate buildings if a shot where to go awry, then an Airgun designed for accuracy and power may be perfect for the job. Accuracy with target and hunting Airguns is on par if not better than many Real Guns and are have powerful enough to kill a pest humanely without having too much power for the job and having to worry as much about your background.

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Prop Guns:

As mentioned already, Airguns can look a lot like Real Guns, so they are perfect to be used as a stand-in or Prop Gun when you need to simulate the look and function of a Real Gun. Again they are easier and cheaper to obtain and if something does go wrong, the consequences are much less severe.

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Social Stigma:

Unfortunately Real Guns and perhaps any gun these days are looked upon with a social stigma as being the cause of the Crime rather than a tool used in a Crime. And so people blame Guns for these crimes rather than the people committing these crimes. If a person is motivated enough to do something bad, they are going to do it either way and will use whatever means is available to them to commit these Crimes. Including other means like: Knives, Blunt Objects, Poisons, Vehicles, Explosives… Sad but true! Airguns are not used in homicides or mass shootings as they are completely underpowered for a crime like this. They can however be used in crimes as a show of threat, as they do look a lot like real guns, generally people that use Airguns for real crimes, if challenged will give up immediately as they are completely outgunned. Don’t bring an Airgun to a Real Gun fight, you have better chance with a knife!

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Gun Safeties generally are going to be similar for all types of guns, so Safeties used with Airguns are often the same types as used with Real Steel Guns. Some guns will have no Safeties at all while other guns many have multiple Safeties on them. In this informative video I go over six of the more common types of Gun Safeties used in Real Steel Guns and Air Guns.

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Here is a list of the more common types of gun Safeties.

• Trigger Safety

• Cross Bolt Safety

• Slide Safety

• Frame Safety

• Grip Safety

• Magazine Safety

In this Replica Airguns Video I talk about the latest Canadian Temporary Handgun Ban What it Means for Airguns. I talk about what I think abut it and what it means for Replica Airguns now and in the future.

Canada puts in place temporary handgun import ban!

From: Global Affairs Canada

News release

August 05, 2022 - Toronto, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

Canadians deserve to feel safe in their communities. That is why the Government of Canada has a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and more

resources into our communities. A central part of this is the recently introduced Bill C21. The bill addresses the alarming role of guns in gender based violence, gets tough on organized crime and most significantly introduces a national freeze on the sale,

transfer and ownership of handguns, anywhere in Canada.

The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Honourable Marco Mendicino, Minister of Public Safety, today announced a temporary import ban on the importation of restricted handguns. This will help bring the ultimate impact of the national handgun freeze into force sooner. This temporary ban means that individuals and businesses will no longer be able to import handguns into Canada, subject to narrow exceptions that mirror those in Bill C-21. These restrictions will take effect on

August 19th, 2022, and will last until the national freeze comes into force. No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence on its own. That is why Bill C-21 and the national freeze on handguns are two of the many elements in the Government’s comprehensive plan to keep Canadians safe. This begins at our borders, where we’ve added resources to fight smuggling and stop guns from coming into Canada. We’re also investing in prevention programs to tackle the root causes of gun crime and stop it before it starts. Finally, we banned assault-style weapons like AR15s, and will soon begin a buyback program to get these weapons of war out of our communities once and for all.

Quotes

“We know that one Canadian killed by gun violence is one too many. As a government, it is our duty to ensure that Canada remains one of the safest places to live in the world. The import ban announced today will help to keep guns stay off our streets as we work towards implementing Bill C-21, reducing gun violence in the immediate term.

- Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs

“My top priority as Minister is keeping Canadians safe in their communities. Today’s announcement is further proof that we are using all tools at our disposal to fight gun crime in this country. It is a key pillar of our plan to address it, along with investments in prevention, action at our borders, a ban on assault-style weapons and Bill C-21 –Canada’s most significant action on gun violence in a generation.”

- Marco Mendicino, Minister of Public Safety

I made a video a little bit ago talking about how Canada’s new Bill C-21 will affect pretty every gun owner in Canada including even airgun owners of BB, Pellet Airsoft and even Paintball Guns. Make sure to watch that video first called Bill C-21 Canada is Going After Your Red Ryder BB Gun.

This video is all about how you can get involved in making some waves by signing two online petitions along with contacting your local Member of Parliament and letting them know your disapproval of Bill C-21 and all that it imposes on law abiding Canadian gun owners.

Probably the most important online petition to sign would be the House of Commons Petition E-3201 Bill C-21 so make sure to sign that one!

The other online e-petition we need to sign is the change.org petition.

And lastly but also super important is to send an email to your local member of Parliament again let them know your disapproval of Bill C-21. I have included a link to the web[age where you can locate your local MP and below that is a template of what you could include in your email to them.

https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Sign/e-3201

Dear (MP),

I am a constituent in your riding. I am writing to you to voice my concerns over the new provisions that were announced under the proposed Bill C-21, and how this will impact myself, my community and many other Canadians.

"Criminal Code 1 (1) The definition replica firearm in subsection 84(1) of the Criminal Code is replaced by the following:

replica firearm means any device that is designed or intended to exactly resemble, or to resemble with near precision, a firearm that is designed or adapted to discharge a shot, bullet or other projectile at a muzzle velocity exceeding 152.4 m per second and at a muzzle energy exceeding 5.7 Joules, and that itself is not a firearm, but does not include any such device that is designed or intended to exactly resemble, or to resemble with near precision, an antique firearm; (réplique)

(2) Section 84 of the Act is amended by adding the following after subsection (3.1): Certain firearms deemed to be prohibited devices

(3.2) For the purposes of sections 99 to 101, 103 to 107 and 117.03, a firearm is deemed to be a prohibited device if

(a) it is proved that the firearm is not designed or adapted to discharge a shot, bullet or other projectile at a muzzle velocity exceeding 152.4 m per second or at a muzzle energy exceeding 5.7 Joules; and (b) the firearm is designed or intended to exactly resemble, or to resemble with near precision, a firearm, other than an antique firearm, that is designed or adapted to discharge a shot, bullet or other projectile at a muzzle velocity exceeding 152.4 m per second and at a muzzle energy exceeding 5.7 Joules."

The long and short of it, Bill C-21 is an attack on law abiding Canadian gun owners and goes so far as to include the Daisy Red Ryder BB gun and many other Airguns as a Prohibited Firearm in Canada.

I am not a Lawyer or Bureaucrat so this video is my personal take on how I perceive the new Gun laws and Bill C-21. Please do your own investigation on these new laws and come to your own conclusions.

I don’t ask this often, please like and share this video with as many people as you can in Canada and outside of Canada. This is a new level of attack on Canadian Gun rights and we need to stand up for our gun rights or there will be no more guns in Canada eventually. This could happened in your country and has already happened in many others.

Make sure to also sign the change.org petition and call/email your local MP’s and Firearms Officers

https://www.change.org/p/canadian-government-stop-bill-c-21

Make sure to also sign ePetition e-3201 to put a stop to Bill C-21:

https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Sign/e-3201

Find your local MP:

https://www.ourcommons.ca/Members/en/search#

So how did we get here… Back in May of 2020 Trudeau (without going through Parliament) banned some 1500 (what he referred to as) Assault rifles. For the most part but not exclusive to, anything that looks scary with a semi auto action. Many rifles with semi auto actions that did not look scary where not on this banned list. Some bolt action rifles and even shotguns made it to this banned list of guns deemed by Trudeau as dangerous Assault Rifles.

Bill C-21 is now going after handguns in a similar capacity along with any Airgun that looks like a Firearm. 

In this video I am going to focus mainly on the Airgun side of how Bill C-21 effects Canadians so we are talking about BB Guns, Pellet Guns, Airsoft Guns, even Paintball Guns. But do understand if you own a handgun or even a rifle, Bill C-21 is coming after many of those guns as well making them literally impossible to own and use in any capacity other than keeping them in a safe at all times until you die in which it has to be relinquished without payment to the government.

How does Bill C-21 effect Airguns? Previously most Airguns where classified as Firearms but where unregulated so they didn’t require registration or even a Firearms license to sell, buy, own or use. Bill C-21 wants to make any Airgun that looks like a firearm (other than an antique firearm) prohibited. This means you will not be able to import, sell, or buy them in Canada. You will be able to keep your existing Prohibited Airguns but with extensive limitations on how you can keep and use them. Basically no use at all.

For the most part you will want to keep your now prohibited Airguns in a gun safe at home at all times or you risk having them confiscated from you since if you are transporting or using an Airgun, the police have the right to ask you to produce a Prohibited Firearms license which if I am not mistaken has not been made available since 1991, so the vast majority of gun owners especially none license holding Airgun owners do not have a Prohibited Firearms license nor is there any way to obtain such a license. How convenient!

Who does Bill C-21 effect? Firearms in Canada is a Multi Billion dollar industry and Airguns are an ever growing part of that industry. Bill C-21 effects Importers, Wholesalers, Retailers, Gun Ranges, Airsoft Fields, Gun Organizations, Gun Groups and of course every Firearm and Airgun owner in Canada. Bill C-21 wants to eliminate many aspects of the firearms Industry in Canada putting large and small business out of business. Replica Airguns will be gone if Bill C-21 passes in Canada, a business I founded and have been part of for over 15 years affecting many employees, families and of course customers.

How will Bill C-21 by eliminating the vast majority of Airguns in Canada keep Canadians safer and save lives as it proposes? I’m tryin to wrap my head around this one… So please tell me how many Pellet Rifles where used in mass shootings? How many drive by shootings involved Paintball guns? How many suicides have there been with BB pistols? How many police officers have died at the hands of an Airsoft wielding mad person? I’m going out on a limb here to say probably zero. And if any of these Airguns had been used in any of these situations that would have been a good thing because no lives would have been lost perhaps except for the user of the Airgun.

I want to end this video off with an example and an analogy of just exactly how ridiculous Bill C-21 is and how it will do absolutely zero to protect Canadians from criminals.

• Daisy Red Ryder BB Rifle (1940) Will now be a Prohibited Firearm in Canada

• Crosman 38T Pellet Revolver (1964) Will now be a Prohibited Firearm in Canada

• Crosman 357 Pellet Revolver (1983) Will now be a Prohibited Firearm in Canada

• Air-Ordnance SMG 22 Caliber Full Auto Machine Gun (Modern Airgun) Currently and even after Bill C-21 will be an Unregulated Firearm in Canada with no license or registration required.

Analogy of how Bill C-21 is supposed to Make Canadians Safer:

Bill C-21 is going after law abiding Licensed and Registered gun owners and only allowing them to keep their now Prohibited Guns but not allowed them to use their prohibited guns in any capacity. Prohibited guns must be in a safe at all times unloaded and locked. You are not allowed to transfer them anywhere, you are not allowed to sell, loan or give them to another person, and upon death the prohibited gun/s must be relinquish to the Government. According to Bill C-21 this is apparently going to help stop non license holding non gun registered criminals from committing gun related crimes that for the most part do not obtain their firearms legally.

This is like saying that ICBC (Canadas Vehicle Insurance Agency) has looked into motor vehicle accidents and found that a high majority of vehicle accidents are caused by people that do not have drivers licenses and that do not have registered or insured vehicles, furthermore ICBC has come to the conclusion that vehicles related to these accidents often times are import sedans that have been lowered and tuned. So in order to reduce car accidents ICBC will be focusing on drivers with drivers licenses and registered and license vehicles that fit this description and any other vehicle they deem a possible threat , these registered and licensed vehicle owners will still be allowed to own their vehicles that fit this criteria and have them registered but they will not be allowed to drive their vehicle/s anymore. Their vehicle/s must be kept in the garage at all times and never driven. You can not sell or loan your vehicle/s to anyone and these vehicle/s will not be allowed to be imported, bought or sold anymore in Canada. Once you die your vehicle/s are relinquished by the Government without payment no matter what their assessed value.

Please make sure to sign the change.org petition and call/email your local MP’s and Firearms Officers

https://www.change.org/p/canadian-government-stop-bill-c-21

In this video I answer some commonly asked questions I get in many of the comments section about Airgun ammunition.

Here is a list of the topics I go over in this video:

• Can you remove a partially used 12 gram CO2 cartridge once you use it?

• Can you reuse a CO2 cartridge?

• Why is FPS consistency so inconsistent with CO2 cartridges?

• What is the difference between Green Gas and CO2?

• Why do pellet firing Airgun magazines not lock back after the last shot?

• Can you use steel BB's in an Airsoft gun and plastic BB's in a BB gun?

• What is the difference between (4.5mm and .177 caliber) and (6mm and .22 caliber)?

• What is the difference between hypervelocity pellets and standard lead pellets?

• What is the difference between copper coated steel BB's and zinc coated steel BB's?

• What are the best pellets to use? Wad cutters vs domed vs hollow point vs pointed?

• What is the best weight pellet to use with my Airgun?

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A while back I made a Vimeo Video named” Is an Airgun Good for Self Defense?” It’s been pretty popular on YouTube getting over 2 million video views and I get a lot fo feedback from my viewers with varying opinions on this issue. I like constrictive feedback and enjoy hearing what my YouTube viewers have to say as long as everyone is being civil about it and not just trying to start an argument.

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In my first video on this subject I pretty much go on the record saying I don’t think Airguns are a good choice for self defense and there are for sure way better alternatives but many of you disagreed with me and so I decided to make this update or revisit video and go over some of the top pushback comments I get and see if they have some merit to them.

Here are the top 4 pushback comments I get the most often:

• When the bad guy sees the airgun they are going to run away thinking it’s a real gun.

• Just shoot the bad guy in the eyes / face.

• Use an HPA large caliber rifle.

• Use a full auto high capacity Airgun.

Watch my “Is an Airgun Good for Self Defense Revisit” Vimeo video to see how I address these pushback comments.

We often think that something that is more expensive and perhaps built with what we consider to be better materials is going to be the best option. That's not always the case! In this Vimeo Video I talk about some of the Pros and Cons to buying a Plastic Airgun versus a Metal Airgun. Of course this applies to BB, Airsoft and Pellet shooters.

Price
In most cases a Plastic Airgun is going to be less expensive, so if you have limited funds then your only option may be a Plastic Airgun and at the end of the day both airguns are going to probably get the job done much the same.

Realism
Generally speaking, most Metal Airguns are going to have more moving parts, often times with working slides and even blowback operation. This is not always the case but even a Metal Airgun that has few working parts will still feel more realistic simply because of the additional weight to the Airgun. Metal has that cold hard feel to it that makes you feel like you're holing something of substance. Plastic Airguns on the other hand can feel light and cheap and usually are very simple in design with less working parts.

Shooting an Airgun with blowback operation simulates the recoil action and in many cases allows for true single action operation of the trigger and hammer. This is going to feel a lot more realistic than shooting a non-blowback Airgun which again is generally what you get with Plastic Airguns.

Durability
Most people assume that because an Airgun is Meta, it is going to be stronger and more durable. This would be true if the Metal used in the Airgun was actually hardened steel but with almost Metal Airguns, they are made using a zinc alloy metal (Pot Metal) that is much softer then hardened steel and can wear and break a lot easier. When you also consider a Metal Airgun is going to be a lot heavier than a Plastic Airgun, a drop onto a hard surface will have a lot more impact which can cause breakage a to a heavy Metal Airgun versus a Plastic light weight Airgun.

Plastic surfaces are also a lot less prone to showing scratches since the Plastic material will usually be black all the way through versus a Metal Airgun that has a painted surface that when scratched hard enough will show through right to the bare metal. You also get wear marks on painted Metal Airguns that will make it look used and older, some people like this look but other do not.

Reliability
Again people are going to assume a Metal Airgun is going to be more reliable simply because it has more metal parts and metal parts are stronger right? Not the case if the parts are made out of zinc alloy. Now some companies will upgrade some high use parts in Airguns to hardened steel but it's hard to know for sure. You can use a magnet to determine what parts are Metal and what parts are hardened steel.

As we mentioned before, Plastic Airguns are generally pretty simple in design, less working parts means less to go wrong at the end of the day so just because you have a Plastic Airgun it doesn't mean it's going to break on you quickly. Actually it may even outlast your Metal Airgun since all those working parts will eventually wear out.

Now I am the first person to admit that I prefer Metal Airgun over Plastic Airguns, I don't mind spending the extra money for more realism and I'm willing to accept the fact that it's not going to last forever but the fact remains, a Plastic Airgun does have some advantages going for it so don't rule them out completely.

This is not to say that a “Real Gun” is not as good as an Airgun or better in other ways, in this video I’m just pointing out how an Airgun in some cases can actually be better suited than a Real Gun.

Availability: What I mean by this, is that in many countries Real Guns can be very hard to acquire and often require safety course and applications before one can purchase a Real Gun. I have no problem with this but it is a reality that must be considered. Having an Airgun versus not having a gun at all makes it a better option for people that live in countries that have strict gun laws. Here in Canada we are allowed Real Guns, even pistols but we do have restriction on our pistols and so I can only get certain guns in an Airgun version. As a collector this is better than not having the gun at all.

Price to Buy: Generally speaking you can pickup an enter level Airgun for much less money than a real gun.

Cost to Shoot: Real gun ammo prices have been steadily increasing to the point that a day out shooting can cost several hundred dollars just on the ammunition alone.

Comparison of Price:

• 50 rounds of 9mm ammo will cost around $18.00

• 6000 rounds of 4.5mm Steel BB will cost about $18.00

• CO2 is a bit less than $1 per 12 gram Cylinder which can yield up to 100 shots each.

• To shoot 100 rounds of 9mm will cost close to $40 versus 100 shots of 4.5mm steel BB at around $1.

• For this reason alone an Airgun can make a lot of sense even for Real Gun owners looking to get more cost effective practice time.

Access to Shooting Locations: Depending on where you live you will have to consider your local laws and where you are allowed to shoot both types of guns but typically you can shoot an Airgun safely just about anywhere as long as you implement some backstop safety precautions. Here in Canada we can only shoot a pistol at designated gun ranges, where as Airguns have a lot more allowances to shot them as long as you are not braking any city bylaws.

Training Guns: Even if you plan to eventually step up to a Real Gun at some point, an airgun is a great option to first learn proper gun handling skills since if you where to make a mistake, the consequences are much less severe. Airguns are also a lot less intimidating than a real gun since they are much quieter and have less recoil, you don’t even need to wear ear protection with most Airguns which means an instructor can communicate to his pupil on the range a lot easier.

Prop Guns: Since Replica Airguns look so much like real guns these day, they can often be used as a safer substitute for use in Movie, TV or other Photo and Video productions. Using a Real Gun on set generally requires a certified “Gun Wrangler” be on hand as Real Guns must be transported, stored and handled using very strict regulations. Airguns generally do not need to follow the same rigid regulations that Real Guns are bound to.

Tactical Training with Live Targets: Obviously shooting a real gun at a live target would not fair well for anyone involved, so that is completely out of the question. Airsoft Airguns are however perfect for Tactical Training and other weapons based simulations. All that is required for safety when using Airsoft guns is the use of eye protection and generally some heavy clothing.

I am sure there are some more areas in which Airguns may have the advantage over a Real Gun but these are the main ones that I could think of.

I'm getting close to uploading 600 videos now over on the Replica Airguns Vimeo channel, so there are bound to be a lot of similar questions and popular discussions. In this Replica Airguns Vimeo Video I address what I feel are my Top 10 Most Common Airgun Questions and Discussions.

1. Can I shoot my CO2 gun without CO2? (1:00)

2. Can I refill CO2 Cartridges? (2:08)

3. Will XYZ BB gun kill a bird, rat, rabbit, gopher…? (3:33)

4. Can I shoot Airsoft BB’s in my BB gun? (5:58)

5. Can I use my Airgun for self defense? (7:47)

6. Do Airguns & blank guns have recoil? (10:42)

7. Why play around with Airguns, just buy a real gun?(12:50)

8. Can I have a free gun? (17:15)

9. Which gun should I get? (19:10)

10. Mike, can you do a review of such and such a gun? (20:05)

Whether you like it or not, most of us have come across an Airgun with an ugly orange tip on it at some point. In most cases you will find the intrusive orange or red tips on Airsoft guns that shoot plastic BB's, in some cases you will even find them on Airguns that shoot either lead pellets and/or steel BB's.

It really comes down to where you live as to what your local gun laws have determined is required for your area. You may even live in a region where Airguns and Airsoft guns are not allowed at all! So for you a red or orange tip on the front would be welcome if it would allow you to own an Airgun or Airsoft gun. What about the entire gun being painted a bright color, well that is the case for some folks so again having a red or orange tips may not be as bad as it originally seemed...

In Canada where I live, we used to only be allowed Airsoft guns that had clear sections as our replica gun laws are very strict and all black Airsoft guns would have fallen iinto the "replica" category if they did not have large clear plastic see-through sections on them. This clear section law was revised somewhat over the last several years to allow for all black Airsoft guns here in Canada. It was determined that many Airsoft guns with higher fps limits could cause a serious injury to a human, making them less of a toy in the eyes of the law and more of a weapon. Because of this, Airsoft guns that are capable of shooting a .20 gram plastic BB at a velocity of 360 fps or "higher" are now considered to be similar in the eyes of the law to a regular steel BB or lead pellet shooting Airgun. In Canada, Pellet and Steel BB guns are actually considered firearms of a sort so this allows the higher fps Airsoft guns to be all black since it can not be a replica of a firearm if it is in fact considered to be a firearm by law.

The long and short of all of this is that here in Canada we do not require our Airsoft guns to have orange or red tips since they are considered more or less to be just like any other Airgun and our Airguns do not have red or orange tips either.

Getting back to the title of this article "No Orange Tip On Your Airsoft Gun! Are You Insane?" I often get folks from the US giving me heck for removing the orange tips from my Airsoft guns or asking me why my Airsoft guns don't have them in the first place. These people even state that I could get in a lot of trouble for this! Perhaps they think I live in the US or that US laws govern Canada as well? I am not sure but I can say for the record that I am not breaking any laws at least here in Canada where I live.

I know in the US that wholesalers and retailers by law have to sell Airsoft guns with the affixed orange tips on them, once the end user receives that gun and depending on which state they live in, it may or may not be legal to remove the orange tip. Again, you will need to look into your local state laws as they are different from state to state in the US.

What is a Blank Gun?

The best way to describe a Blank Gun is to imagine it as a real gun in just about every way except one… There are no dangerous bullets flying out the front of it. That’s right, a Blank Gun just like a real gun uses a brass or metal shells, loaded with a primer and gun powder, but for what ever reason reason, some rocket scientists forgot to put a bullet at the end of the Blank shell. 

Why Would You Want a Blank Gun?

Isn’t the entire purpose of a gun to shoot something? So why on earth would you buy a gun that doesn't  shoot anything at all, what purpose would it serve? Even Nerf guns, water guns, potato guns all shoot something…

One way to look at a Blank Gun is to imagine it as a cap gun, but for grown ups. Similar to how kids like to shoot their cap guns because they go bang and sparks and smoke fly out of them, Blank Guns do the same thing but on a much grander scale and in most cases they look and sound a lot more like a real gun than a cap gun does.

So Blank Guns don’t actually do the main function of a real gun (that is to shoot a bullet), but they do look and sound the part of a gun. So how could this be of practical use to anyone?

Signalling Devices:

First off, have you ever heard of a Starter Pistol or a Flare Gun? Blank Guns have been historically used to signal the start of races. Many Blank Guns also have the ability to shoot flares by adding a flare adaptor to them so a person can shoot a flare into the air to signal distress if they are lost or hurt.

Gun Handling and Training:

Since many Blank Guns look, operate and feel almost exactly like real guns, Blank Guns are a great place to start out when training a person on proper gun handling and operation. If they make a mistake while using a Blank Gun, the consequences are far less severe than with a real gun. There is also much less kick from a Blank Gun so shooting a Blank Gun is less scary or intimidating for new shooters.

Dog Training:

Dogs used for police, military and hunting are required to stay calm around loud noises like gun shots, trained dogs also need to get used to the presence of guns and even how to attack the gun hand of a person who could be a potential threat. Again using Blank Guns in this training situation is a much better option than using a real gun for obvious reasons.

Movies, Video TV and Stage:

Introducing live ammunition on a movie set would be ridiculous, there is absolutely no need to shoot a bullet in this type of situation. Blank Guns make perfect stage props since they again look the part and sound the part without the dangerous bullets flying all over the place…

Collectors:

Many collectors want to own guns but for reasons like gun restrictions in their area, they may not be able to own a real gun or certain types of real guns. Blank Guns can offer a person with heavy gun restrictions in their area the ability to own similar Blank Gun versions. Perhaps they can own real guns but just simply don’t want to go through the licensing and registration hassle of owning a real gun. Blank Guns can generally be purchased for far less money than a real gun which is appealing to collectors who in many cases may not even shoot them.

Celebration:

In places like Turkey, people celebrate holidays and events by shooting Blank Guns into the air, at one time they actually shoot real guns, but people where getting injured or even killed by the falling bullets. Because of this, Blank Gun production became an industry in places like Turkey as Blank Gun manufacturers like EKOL, Retay and Zoraki (also know as ATAK Arms) are Turkish companies.

So now you know some of the reasons why a person would want to own a Blank Gun. I have Blank Guns and I also own real guns too. One reason is because there are many Blank Guns I own that I can not own in their real steel versions because of Canadian gun restrictions so obtaining a similar version in a Blank Gun allows me to own these models.

If a Blank Gun is not for you, then by all means get a real gun, but please understand that there is a place for Blank Guns, and in those environments, a Blank Gun is actually a better choice than a real gun.

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…

Type: Blank Pistol.

Manufacturer: ME.

Model:ME 8 General 1911 (Colt 1911 A1 Replica).

Materials: Mostly Metal with some steel parts.

Weight: 2.9 pounds loaded. (1355 grams)

Barrel: Front firing. (No Red Tip)

Propulsion: Gun powder.

Action: Single action only.

Ammunition Type: 8mm P.A.K. Blanks.

Ammunition Capacity: 10+ rounds.

FPS: N/A.

Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the ME 8 General 8mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol is exactly what you would expect from a single action only 1911 styled semi auto pistol, short and light. But not super light, it's far from a hair trigger, perhaps more of a medium pull weight for a 1911 SAO.

Accuracy: NA.

Build Quality: The overall build quality of the ME 8 General 8mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol is really very good, nothing fancy at all going on with this pistol and a lot less actual moving parts than you would find on a real steel 1911 so much less to go wrong but the metal quality and fit and finish are very good overall. You will not find a lot of actual steel in this gun other than the magazine, screws, pins and springs but again the metal is good quality and the ME 8 General 8mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol even sports real wood grips.

Realism: The ME 8 General 8mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol is a very realistic looking 1911in terms of overall looks and true to scale size and weight. As mentioned already, many of the parts are not operational but actually moulded into the gun. Like the Safety, side trigger mounted magazine release and back strap safety. You will find the actual magazine release on the bottom of the pistol grip and even thought the slide catch release is operational, there is no spring assist to lock it in the up and open position when the magazine is empty so if you want to lock the slide back you will need to manually do this.

Purchase from: Private collector.

Pros:

• Well made, materials fit and finish is all very good even though very little use of hardened steel.

• 10+ round single stack magazine is very hi-capacity.

• For a used gun it is in very good condition, not many rounds through it and well kept.

• Front firing and came with flare adaptor.

• Real wood grips.

• Made in Italy.

• It's a 1911!

Cons:

• Slide catch release, must be engaged manually.

• Many working parts are simply moulded into the gun.

• Not easily field strip-able.

Comments:

So the ME 8 General 8mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol is not the most accurate replica of a 1911 in terms of all parts being operational but it hits the major ones for me like: It's front firing, the slide will lock back, it has a true 1911 SAO trigger and for the most parts it looks and works like a 1911. Finding 1911 blank guns here in Canada is super hard and I am a big fan of 1911's so when the opportunity to pickup this gun came around I was interested even if it was not cheap. Blank guns are getting harder and harder to find here in Canada and I guess that's what is making them so appealing. Don't forget we sell the ROHM Blank guns here in our Canada Online Store and they are very good quality guns so check them out if you are in the market for a blank shooter.

My Vimeo Full Video Table Top Review for the ME 8 General 8mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol:

Buy Blank Guns in the Canada Store 

Buy Blank Guns in the US Store

This Article and Video expresses my views and opinions on this matter and should not be taken as legal advice.

Main points covered:

• Uncontrolled Firearms do not require a Firearms License within Canada to own and operate.

• What is an Uncontrolled Airgun and Airsoft Gun?

• What is an Uncontrolled Blank Gun / Starter Pistols?

• What about Fully Automatic Airguns and Airsoft Guns?

• What about Replica Guns?

NOTE: Controlled Firearms require a POL (Possession Only License) , PAL (Possession Acquisition License) or R-PAL (Restricted Possession Acquisition License) within Canada to own and operate. 

MEMORANDUM D19-13-2

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

“Uncontrolled”firearms are those devices that, although falling within the definition of a firearm in the Criminal Code, are exempt from specific legal requirements of the Firearms Act and its regulations, as well as from other legislative provisions. “Uncontrolled” firearms should not be subdivided into any of the non-restricted, restricted, or prohibited classes. The following types of firearms are deemed “uncontrolled”:

Flare, blank, rivet and industrial guns: Any device that is designed exclusively for signaling, for notifying of distress, or for firing blank cartridges or for firing stud cartridges, explosive-driven rivets or other industrial projectiles, provided that the importer intends to use it only for the purpose for which it is designed.

NOTE: (Toy guns and starter pistols do not generally qualify as firearms. However, some toy or model guns and starter pistols may be designed with very realistic mechanisms or appearances (e.g., color, size, scale, translucency) and resembling a real make and model of a firearm. In such cases, they may be considered replica firearms even if they are made of plastic, die cast zinc, or other material.)

Low muzzle velocity/energy guns: Any barreled weapon that is not designed or adapted to discharge projectiles at a muzzle velocity exceeding 152.4 meters per second (500 feet per second) and at a muzzle energy exceeding 5.7 Joules, or to discharge projectiles that are designed or adapted to attain a velocity exceeding 152.4 meters per second (500 feet per second) and an energy exceeding 5.7 Joules. Both thresholds of 152.4 mps and 5.7 Joules must be exceeded for the firearm to be considered “controlled”. This requirement exempts firearms that fire below the threshold velocity with a standard projectile, but exceed the threshold velocity when fired with a high-velocity projectile. 

Airsoft guns and certain types of paintball guns or markers may qualify as a replica firearm, if the muzzle velocity of the projectile does not cause serious bodily harm and their external features are clearly designed to resemble a specific and readily identifiable make and model of a firearm. To be considered a firearm, within the meaning of the Criminal Code, an airsoft gun must have a muzzle velocity in excess of 111.6 meters per second (366 feet per second).

NOTE: This memorandum used to state when using a .20 gram BB but does not specify this BB weight anymore?

NOTE: The term air gun is a colloquial term referring to BB or pellet guns. Such guns operate either as spring- powered, gas-powered, or electrically powered. If the muzzle velocity of the air gun is less than 152.4 mps (500 fps)/5.7 joules but still able to cause serious bodily injury to a person, it may be considered an “uncontrolled” firearm. Airsoft guns and certain types of paintball guns may qualify as a replica firearm (see paragraph 49 of this memorandum).

Replica firearms:

“Replica firearm” is defined as any device that is designed or intended to exactly resemble, or to resemble with near precision, a firearm, and that itself is not a firearm, but does not include any such device that is designed or intended to exactly resemble, or to resemble with near precision, an antique firearm.

For a device to be a replica firearm it must meet all three requirements:

• (a) it cannot be a firearm, meaning it does not discharge a projectile with sufficient energy to cause serious bodily injury or death to a person. If the device is a firearm, then it cannot be a replica firearm (and vice versa);

• (b) it must resemble exactly, or with near precision, a real existing firearm of an identifiable make and model. With respect to visual examination, note that the maximum observing distance is one at which the equivalent make and model of the firearm can be identified. This distance will vary from one firearm make to the next. For example: A Luger pistol has a very distinctive silhouette as compared to other makes and is therefore more readily identified from further away. The examination of the object is something more than casual, but less than detailed. The device does not need to be so close that markings are identifiable; and

• (c) it cannot be designed or intended to exactly resemble, or to resemble with near precision, an antique firearm. 

RCMP Website "Air Guns"

1. Air guns that are "Controlled" Firearms for purposes of both the Firearms Act and the Criminal Code

These are air guns with both a high muzzle velocity (greater than 152.4 meters or 500 feet per second) and a high muzzle energy (greater than 5.7 joules or 4.2 foot-pounds). The "muzzle velocity" is the speed of a projectile at the instant it leaves the muzzle of a gun, normally expressed in meters per second or feet per second. The "muzzle energy" is the energy of a projectile at the instant it leaves the muzzle of a gun, expressed in joules or foot-pounds. Air guns need to meet both standards to be classified as "Controlled" firearms for purposes of the Firearms Act.

These high-powered air guns are subject to the same license and registration requirements as a conventional "Controlled" firearm. Owners and users are also required to store, transport, display and handle them safely in accordance with the regulations supporting the Firearms Act.

Usually, the manufacturer's specifications are used to determine what muzzle velocity and muzzle energy an air gun was designed to have. This information may be available in the user's manual or on the manufacturer's website. If the information is not available, individuals can call the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Canadian Firearms Program (CFP) at 1-800-731-4000 and ask to speak to a firearm technician to find out if the air gun is considered to be a firearm for purposes of the Firearms Act.

High-powered air rifles are generally classified as non-restricted firearms. However, the classification depends on the exact design of the air gun. Air rifles manufactured to resemble an assault rifle could be non-restricted, restricted or prohibited depending on the exact model imitated. High-powered air rifles would also be prohibited firearms if fully automatic or if they have a sawed-off barrel. They could also be restricted firearms if they have a folding stock that reduces the overall length to less than 660mm. 

Additional thought on this subject: Even though Uncontrolled Firearms are not governed by the same laws that apply to Controlled Firearms within the Firearms act and do not need to be handled or stored similar in the same way you are required to handle, transport and store a Controlled Firearm, we need to treat our Uncontrolled Airguns, Airsoft Guns and Blank guns with care and go over and above what is expected when had handle, transport and store them.

This YouTube video was made to touch upon the tragic shooting and death of a young man at the Beavercreek Walmart in the US. The tragedy was the result of poor judgment and misunderstanding of the situation that started with John Crawford (22) deciding to walk around a Walmart store with a very realistic looking replica Air Rifle. Subsequently in the midst of all the excitement as customers ran out of the store, Angela Williams (37) had a medical emergency that also cost her her life. 

Below is an outline of YouTube video that follows:

John Crawford 22 Years old was shot  by police in a Beavercreek Walmart while holding a Crosman MK-177 Pellet BB gun.

Another death as a result: Angela Williams, 37, was with her 9-year-old daughter and suffered a medical emergency and died as a result as people attempted to flee the store amongst the panic.

John Crawford is Survived by: LeeCee Johnson, 22 Mother of Crawford's children (Believe he had 2 children)

NOTES: 

• Walmart US keeps these guns on shelf in the box generally, but not locked up or behind glass.
• In Canada Most places keep even Airguns behind locked glass. 

The weapon (Crosman MK-177), which can shoot both pellets and BBs, had been removed from its original packaging, was this done by John Crawford or was it already unpackaged when he picked it up?

Ronald Ritchie made the original 911 call, I listened to two of the police 911 phone call recording and he seemed to be talking level headed and not making it out to be anything more than what he saw which was a black man walking around a Walmart with what looked like a real rifle. John Crawford was holding the rifle while he had his phone between his shoulder and ear, John was fiddling with the rifle and looked to be trying to load it. Ronald Ritchie said John was periodically pointing it at people (which may or may not have been intentional).

LeeCee Johnson, 22, who identified herself as the mother of Crawford’s children, said she was talking to Crawford on her cell phone at the time of the shooting:

“We was just talking. He (John) said he was at the video games playing videos and he went over there by the toy section where the toy guns were. And the next thing I know, he said ‘It’s not real,’ and the police start shooting and they said ‘Get on the ground,’ but he was already on the ground because they had shot him,” she said. She added she “could hear him just crying and screaming” and said officers “shot him down like he was not even human.”

First and Foremost, this event is very tragic and my condolences go out to the families and friends of John Crawford and Angela Williams.

Questions we need to ask ourselves:

• Why was John Crawford walking around the Walmart with what looked like an "assault rifle" in a very public location?
• With all the public shootings these days, why would you walk around a public Walmart with what looks like a very real and threatening rifle, similar to the kinds used in these types of shootings in the past?
• Why did the police seem so quick to shoot John down? Where they a bit eager or hyped up? It would be very interesting to see the surveillance video for this tragedy?
• Why are very realistic Airguns on open display and so easy to attain? Keep in mind even a regular break barrel Airgun looks like a real rifle to most people.

What is so damaging about all this:

• This will add "ammunition so to speak" for bureaucrats and authorities to question if Airguns should look realistic, or if they now need to have bright colored markings all over them so people will assume they are not reel? Or perhaps outlaw them completely or make them very hard to attain for the average person.
• Now the general public will have yet another reason to have a negative view on Airguns. I fear that putting more restrictions on airguns is just a stepping stone to more restrictions on real guns and more restrictions on our rights overall.

What ever happened to common sense? It has become uncommon these days…

 Based on how easy it is for a person to get their hands on very realistic looking Airguns in most US based retail stores, I am surprised this tragedy has not happened already, or more often.

Would you walk around your neighborhood with what looks like an Assault rifle? So why walk around a Walmart with one?

Unfortunately we can not protect everyone from themselves, the more failsafes we put in place, the less reasonability people have for themselves and the more responsibility it seems is placed on businesses, government, organizations, parks and events…

We even need warning labels on our coffee telling us it's hot, or to not put poison in our mouths, there are railing and barriers around any bit of water or slight ledge.

Society is programing people to think less fore themselves and trust that everything is going to be OK.

Well it's not true, there is still something called survival of the fittest no matter how many safety nest are in place.

We need to spend more time teaching our kids how to act and behave and how to think for themselves and not be so dependent on everyone else to protect them from themselves. Don't  leave it up to the TV, movies, video games or even their just as oblivious friends. 

Some more answers to some of your commonly asked questions. In this second Q&A Questions and Answers YouTube video I discuss some more of your questions, specifically:

• What's going on with my order?

• Do I need to clean and oil my airgun?

• What is the most powerful blowback BB gun? 

• I don't live in Canada or the US, do you ship to other countries?

So make sure to watch my second installment for the Replica Airguns Viewer Q&A Questions and Answers.

Here we go with the first installment of the Replica Airguns Q&A Questions and Answers! Below are some of the questions I answer for some of my YouTube subscribers and followers.

1969triumph:

I find your vids very informative. One Quick question. All of the pistols I have are all close copies of real guns :- PPK ,1911 etc. What I would really like now is a western 6 shooter. Are there any in the pipeline ? Thanks Paul.

Kevin Men:

Will you be selling the Kalashnikov AK47 co2 bb gun? I heard it was made of real AK 47 parts and it might be banned in the US! Do you think the gun will be for sale ever again?

WindandWood:

When is the KWC Luger P-08 4.5 BB version going to be for sale in your USA store? Thanks!

Knight Rider:

Hey i found on a store two types of CO2 cartridge for a bb gun and i want to know if I can use bought in the same gun? One CO2 cartridge has lubrication in it and the another one is just a normal cartridge?

LOLfailblogger:

Will you get the pellet version of the Dan Wesson revolver available for purchase in the Canadian store?

ELinktricTears:

When are you going to make a how to get buff channel?

I also talk about generic gun repair questions.