This will be my final Interview Video for SHOT Show 2025. I did get to talk with someone from Crosman but the Daisy rep was not around totally with so I did my best to talk about a couple of the Daisy products that I felt were interesting. If you are not aware, Crosman and Daisy have now joined forces together along with Gamo, Benjamin and SPLATRBALL so all of these product were on display at the Crosman Daisy Booth. I focussed on the Crosman M1 Full Auto Carbine and their updated all black ST1 Full Auto BB Rifle. We then took a look at some of the Game Face Airsoft Products and then I performed my own Interview/Review for Daisy talking about the Woodland Trail Model 1911 and Model 25 Lever and Pump Action BB Rifles.
We recently picked up the Steambow line of Compact Crossbows and I have already made a Table Top Review for some of their products. So far I had not shot or tested any of the Steambow product line yet and so it was nice to get the chance to shoot a few different models over in the Archery Pavilion at SHOT Show and also talk with Tobias their product specialist. I did get the chance to drop by the Steambow Booth and talked with the Steambow team and founder about some of their new products coming out including a new Rubber Ball crossbow they are working on that should be coming out in the near future.
Luckily I was able to find some time with James again this year and James gave us all the new details on some of the KWA updated and new products. Starting with the KWA ATP-Z Blowback Airsoft Training Pistol added recently to the KWA lineup, James also showed us a few versatile Carbine Pistol Kits made specifically for the ATP-Z and ATP-GT Pistols. Not yet fully released, James went over their updated TAC-9 hopefully coming out this year. We then got a nice tour of the updated Radian Model 1 AEG Airsoft Rifle with built in recoil system also built into KWA’s Q10 AEG Airsoft Rifle.
I spoke with Jacob from Barra and he went over a lot of new products adn updated products Barra is introducing this year. We discussed some new PCP Air Rifles with Canada import options, Jacob went over some new updates to their 1866 Muti-pump BB and Pellet Lever Action Rifle, and he went over Barra’s Gen 2 400e AEG BB rifle which include a higher capacity magazine, an increased velocity and unproved internal tolerances for smoother BB flow. Lastly Barra is introducing high grade 4.5mm BB’s that a re procession ground to be more uniform for improved accuracy and better BB feeding. Great for full auto guns.
It was nice to run into ASG (Action Sports Games) right away and talk with Bob for ASG. Bob always has a great understanding of the ASG product line and each year I Interview him and find out all the news and updated product in the ASG lineup. This year Bob’s goes over the new ASG CZ P-10 C CO2 Blowback BB Pistol, the Action Army C1 Pro Bolt Action CO2 Airsoft Rifle, ASG’s new Frag Impact Sound Grenades, along with some new additions to the Shadow 2 Series of Airsoft Pistols. Was a great start to this years SHOT Show 2025!
I’m back from SHOT Show 2025 Las Vegas and finished transferring and uploading all the video from all the cameras we shot it all on. We had a great time, we met a lot of great folks at the booths and it’s now time to put it all together and make some videos for everyone so I can share the experience!
I always like to put out a “Teaser Video” with some quick clips of the entire experience including some of the travels, a bit of the resort we stayed at, shots of Vegas and of course lots of the SHOT Show 2025 experience along with the booths we visited. Enjoy this quick preview and stay posted for my upcoming Interview Videos shortly…
Trigger Pull: The single action only trigger pull on the Umarex DSX 45 Spring BB Pistol is actually pretty decent. I would say it has a short to medium length with only a little bit of light take up and then an easy release that has no additional friction. You will have to cock the slide back for each shot which also cocks the hammer back allowing for a true single action trigger. The trigger its self is not like a traditional 1911 trigger in terms of looks but it does work well.
Accuracy: I have briefly shot the Umarex DSX 45 Spring BB Pistol so I could make some initial comments about its performance as it is a very new product to me. I will be making a full Field Test Shooting Video down the road but for now I can say it performed a lot better than I was expecting. The claimed 240 fps seems believable to me as shots at 20 feet hit the target with very little delay and even at 30 feet the delay was acceptable. In terms of accuracy, out of the box, for the most part hit the target at both 20 adn 30 feet very close to where I was aiming which is what you are hopping for.
Build Quality: Build quality for the Umarex DSX 45 Spring BB Pistol is also better than I would expect from a $29 Canadian almost all plastic BB Pistol. Everything felt nice and tight and fit and finish was good in general. There is even some metal where they could have gone with cheaper plastic, for example it has a metal trigger and slide catch release that is actually the safety. Of course the barrel and some other internal parts are going to be metal along with screws and such.
Realism: The Umarex DSX 45 Spring BB Pistol is a fairly believable replica of a more modern 1911 45 caliber semi auto pistol. Other than it being mostly plastic and much lower in weight, at around 1.25 pounds, the Umarex DSX 45 Spring BB Pistol does look the part with a working slide (for cocking the spring), a full size drop out magazines, a recessed barrel and a lot of detail in the finishing of it. I find it to be a little bit wider than a real 1911 would be in the grips and even the main frame and slide by just a bit.
Pros:
Super low coast to buy and shoot, no CO2 required, just need 4.5mm Steel BB’s and away you go.
Shoots pretty good, BB’s got to the target a lot faster than I was expecting them to and they shot where I was aiming in general.
Decent looking Replica of a modern 1911 Semi Auto Pistol.
Has a picatinny rail for adding accessories if you want to.
Single Action Trigger is pretty decent, a bit of take up but medium light weight to it.
Has a close to full size magazine that looks the part.
Magazine has a 200 round hopper capacity with 13 rounds being loaded into the feeder at a time.
Safety is worked into the slide catch release which adds to the realism in terms of looks.
Recessed barrel for added realism.
Actual working hammer you can de-cock if you want to for a bit of added safety.
Cons:
Almost all plastic other than some internal metal parts like the barrel and spring and some other stuff I am sure.
Takes a bit of effort to cock it which is required for each shot.
Sights are not adjustable and are all black with no white dots.
A bit beefy for smaller handed shooters.
Comments:
The Umarex DSX 45 Spring BB Pistol is a super inexpensive BB Pistol but don’t let that stop you from considering it to add to your collection. It has a lot going for it in my opinion. First off the price is super low to buy and to shoot, you only need a bunch of BB’s and you can shoot all day for a couple of bucks. It looks pretty believable as a 1911 Replica. The build quality and detail is a lot better than you should get for only $30 dollars here in Canada and when I quickly tried it out, it actually shot pretty hard for a spring BB Pistol and it seemed to hit the target right where I aimed even at 30 feet away. It even has a full size magazine that holds 200 rounds with a quick load 13 round spring feeding system to keep the fun going. Kind of a no brainer if you’re looking for a cheap and fun time.
This video was made right at the end of December 2024 but I am posting it in the new year so we will call it a late December video… That makes two Mystery Box Videos for December 2024 which means a lot of new products on my plate to review this new year. Hopefully I can get a bunch of them done before I head out to SHOT Show this year in a couple of weeks as I will have a lot of videos and interviews to post for SHOT Show as is always the case when I get back.
At least in this unboxing videos I can give you an idea of some of the new products we have in the Replica Airgun online Stores usually in both the Canada and the US Replica Airgun Stores. In this Unboxing Video I received 5 new products to show you. A Less Lethal Pistol and Spring Piston BB Pistol from Umarex, a Carbine Airsoft Rifle from KJWorks, a Multi-barrel super compact Airgun from Alias Airguns out of Canada, and Bug Exterminator from a company called Skell Inc. Here are some of the basics for each of them:
Type: CO2 Air Pistol. Manufacturer:Alias Airguns. Model: Gem. Caliber: Multi Barrel Comes with 4.5mm Steel BB adn 6mm Airsoft. Power Source: Single 8g CO2 Cartridge or 12 gram with adaptor. Magazine Capacity: Single shot. Buy the .50 Caliber Paintball Barrel Set: AA1002. Buy the Rocket Barrel Set: AA1003. Buy the 12 Gram CO2 Adaptor: AA1004.
Type: Spring Air BB Pistol. Manufacturer:Umarex. Model: DSX 45. Ammo Type:4.5mm Steel BBs. Power Source: Spring Air. Magazine Capacity: 13 Rounds (Rapid Load) with 200 Round Reservoir.
Type: Pump Action Bug Exterminator. Manufacturer: Skell Inc. Model: Bug-A-Salt 3.0. Ammo Type: table Salt. Power Source: Spring Air. Magazine Capacity: a bunch.
you need to cock the bow in order for the trigger to be engaged. The trigger mechanism basically just pushes the bow string up and over the lip of the rail releasing the bow, so there is a bit of friction and I would guess it is about 8-10 pounds maybe a bit less. There is no actual safety on the Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical so you will have to practice appropriate finger control so as to not accidentally fire a bolt unintentionally.
Accuracy: I have not recorded my Field Test Shooting Video for the Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical and so I am not sure what to expect. I have shot a similar bow, the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow so it should perform a lot like that one but without the auto loading bolt system. If you want, you can check that Field Test Shooting Video out here, I expect the Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical to have perhaps slightly less power over the Bear X Desire XL as it is rated to have a 55 pound draw as compared to the 60 pounds of the Bear X Desire XL. In terms of accuracy I do not expect anything similar to a pellet or even BB rifles or pistol but I hope to get somewhere near a 6-8 inch grouping with the 6 bolts loaded in the internal magazine.
Build Quality: The Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical is overall well made but does consist of a lot of plastic or polymer, that said it feels sturdy enough when holding it in the hand. The bow itself is fiberglass and the only real metal I can confirm is the cocking rail, mostly everything else other than the nuts, bolts, safety are some sort of plastic. Fit and finish is good. I am hoping the auto bolt loading system will perform well and be consistent but we will find out when I make my Field Test Shooting Video for it soon.
Realism: The Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical is not a Replica pistol or rifle, it is a target bow that one could perhaps use of small game if you become proficient with shooting it. I do think this is a crossover product in terms of interest with people that are also interested in Airguns or target shooting. The other benefit is that it has a lot more power than a non regulated Airgun as the it uses nice heavy 142 grain bolts traveling at near 200 fps which gives an energy rating of around 12 foot pounds, the speed may be less than an Airgun but the energy is a lot higher. If raw power is what you are interested in, then this is your best option for something still compact and quiet if you do not have a firearms license or want to avoid that hassle and the legalities around regulated firearms.
Pros:
Light weight and compact.
More power than an airgun yet still quiet to shoot so can use discreetly just about anywhere with a good back stop setup.
Auto loading system for quick follow up shots.
Easy to draw the bow using the stock for leverage.
Top and bottom Picatinny rail mounting options for sights and accessories.
Fiber optic mid sight setup.
Ambidextrous bolt safety easy to engage and disengage.
6 bolts included to fully load the internal magazines.
180 fps (10ft/lbs).
Comes with standard fore grip.
5 portion AR compatible adjustable rear but stock.
Cons:
Fairly expensive.
Sights are not adjustable, mid sight is not as easy to sight in.
Will need a good backstop or will lose lots of bolts.
Takes a little bit of time to set it up but not too hard, just follow the steps in the manual.
Comments:
The Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical is an interesting product, the autoloading system with built in 6 round magazines turns this from a simple target bow into a bit of an action shooter once you get the reloading down. As a potential pest control solution it for sure has the power as long as you can harness it by practicing to the point where you can get those 142 grain bolts on target and make a humane shot at the ranges you plan on using it for. Having quick follow up shots I feel is necessary just in case the first shot does not quite get the job done. If you don’t need external 10 round magazines or the upgraded accessories found on the Steambow M10 Tactical and want something a little more affordable than check the AR-6 Stinger out as it is very versatile as a compact Recurve Crossbow.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Steambow M10 Tactical Recurve Crossbow is a single action only trigger as you need to cock the bow in order for the trigger to be engaged. The trigger mechanism basically just pushes the bow string up and over the lip of the rail releasing the bow, so there is a bit of friction and I would guess it is about 8-10 pounds maybe a bit less. There is a metal bolt style safety just above where the trigger releases that is ambidextrous, push it forward for safe and back for fire.
Accuracy: I have not recorded my Field Test Shooting Video for the Steambow M10 Tactical Recurve Crossbow and so I am not sure what to expect so far. I have shot a similar bow, the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow so it should perform a lot like that one but without the auto loading bolt system. If you want, you can check that Field Test Shooting Video out, I expect the Steambow M10 Tactical Recurve Crossbow to have a bit more power over the Bear X Desire XL as it is rated to have a 75 pound draw as compared to the 60 pounds of the Bear X Desire XL. In terms of accuracy I do not expect anything similar to a pellet or even BB rifles or pistol but I hope to get somewhere near a 6-8 inch grouping with the 10 bolts.
Build Quality: The Steambow M10 Tactical Recurve Crossbow is well made but does consist of mostly plastic or polymer, that said it feels sturdy enough when holding it and is one of the heavier compact recurve Crossbow systems at 4 pounds. The bow itself is fiberglass and the only real metal I can confirm is the cocking rail, mostly everything else other than the nuts, bolts, safety and sling ring are some sort of plastic. Fit and finish is good. I am hoping the auto bolt loading system will perform well and be consistent but we will find out when I make my Field Test Shooting Video for it
Realism: The Steambow M10 Tactical Recurve Crossbow is not a Replica pistol or rifle, it is a target bow that one could perhaps use of small game if you become proficient with it. I do think there is a crossover product in terms of interest with people that are also interested in Airguns. The other benefit is that it has a lot more power than a non regulated Airgun as the it uses nice heavy 142 grain bolts traveling at near 200 fps which gives an energy rating of around 12 foot pounds. If raw power is what you are interested in, then this is your best option for something still compact and quiet if you do not have a firearms license or want to avoid that hassle and the legalities around it.
Pros:
Light weight and compact.
More power than an airgun yet still quiet to shoot so can use discreetly just about anywhere with a good back stop setup.
Auto loading system for quick follow up shots.
Easy to draw the bow using the stock for leverage.
Comes with bow pre-strung and ready to mount.
Lots of Picatinny rail mounting options for sights and accessories.
Fiber optic front sight with two rear sight options (grove and peep).
Ambidextrous bolt safety easy to engage and disengage.
20 bolts included to fully load both 10 round magazines.
190-200 fps (11-12ft/lbs).
Comes with upgraded fore grip.
6 portion AR compatible adjustable rear but stock with cheek adjustment.
Cons:
Fairly expensive.
Sights are not adjustable.
Will need a good backstop or will lose lots of bolts.
Takes a little bit of time to set it up but not too hard, just follow the steps in the manual.
Comments:
The Steambow M10 Tactical Recurve Crossbow is an interesting product, the autoloading system with 10 round magazines turns this from a simple target bow into a bit of an action shooter once you get the reloading down. As a potential pest control solution it for sure has the power as long as you can harness it by practicing to the point where you can get those 142 grain bolts on target and make a humane shot. Having quick follow up shots is necessary just in case the first shot does not quite get the job done. The upgraded add on accessories you get with the Steambow M10 Tactical Recurve Crossbow really give it a quilty feel and it is nice you not only have a fully adjustable AR compactly rear stock with a cheek rest but you have the option of a peep or grove rear sight to line up the fiber optic front sight. The price is on the high side but if you want the most ultimate Compact Recurve Crossbow auto loading system with maximum ammo then this is for sure the product for you.
I did my unboxing vide for both the Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical and M10 Tactical already which is generally a preview of the products I am unboxing but with these types of compact crossbows, they generally need a bit of setup before they are complete and ready to view and use.
For that reason I wanted to make a quick combined Preview Video for Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical and M10 Tactical Crossbows so you can see what they look like all put together, and what the main differences are between the two of them. This way you can figure out which one might be the best choice if you are in the market for a product like this.
Let’s go over the main specifications and differences to determine what you get with each one:
Distributed by: Steambow GmbH Austria.
Materials: Mostly plastic with some metal parts.
Weight: M10 4 pounds / AR-6 2.6 pounds.
Lengt: M10 24.2 inches / AR-6 22 inches.
Width: M10 17.5 inches / 17.5 inches.
Magazine Capacity: M10 10 bolts per external magazine / AR-6 6 bolts per internal magazine.
Another Mystery Box to share with everyone but this time I peaked a bit so it’s not as much of a mystery for me, but it will be for you. I was glad I peaked as the items inside where not the usual assortment and it was good I was able to get a bit of pre-intel on them before I jumped into this unboxing, as there was a lot to discover about each of the three items in the Mystery Box. I hope they appeal to some of you, I think they are very interesting and after checking them out, some of you may decide to add one or two of them to your collection.
The first two items I looked at are from an Austrian based company called Steambow. They are both compact crossbows that offer a unique reloading system with built in Magazines that hold either 6 or 10 rounds depending on the version you buy. The Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical is the less expensive yet still “kind of expensive” version with a built in 6 round magazine While the AR Series Steambow M10 Tactical has an upper that accepts 10 round magazines you can preload. The Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical comes with a 55 pound pre-strung bow that produces around 10 foot pounds of energy, while the Steambow M10 Tactical come with a 75 pound pre-strung bow which should produce close to 12 or more foot pounds of energy. Both incorporate fiber optic slights, lots of rail mounting options, AR style rear stocks which shoulder mount easy and quick cocking to make the most of the automatic bolt loading systems.
Another Archery based item also in this months Mystery Box was the Umarex AirJavelin FishR PCP based arrow launcher designed for anglers. It is intended to work with a fishing real of your choice and comes with a single retrievable barbed arrow, so a lot like bow fishing but with a PCP propulsion system. The Umarex AirJavelin FishR has a built in 4500 psi tank that is regulated to 800 psi and the arrow is a whopping 1250 grain to cut through the water with ease. The entire system is salt water resistant so you can use it in both fresh and salt water conditions. There are both picatinny and M-LOK mounting options for sights and accessories.
Stay posted for my Table Top and Field Testing Video Reviews coming shortly…
To start things off with my Field Test Shooting Video of the Umarex Marlin Lever Action Spring BB Rifle, I shoot 5 rounds through my Chronograph to see what the real world velocity is in fps. Umarex claims around 300 fps. I was able to average right around 274 fps so not far off of the claim. My lowest performing shot was 270 fps with the fastest shot hitting 278 fps, so all very close in velocity which is typical of a spring piston Airgun, this will help with consistent accuracy especially in terms of elevation.
When it comes to the accuracy, the Umarex Marlin Lever Action Spring BB Rifle did as well or perhaps even better than my other testing using previous Red Ryder type Air Rifles. If I through out one flyer I got, my 10 shot grouping was able to get around a 2 inch grouping that was overall well centered on the target, maybe juts a hair to the right. Even with the flyer the grouping spread out to a 3 inch grouping. I am pretty sure I could do better as this was the first time shooting this rifle. Keep in mind as I have to work the lever action for each shot that requires me to hold the rifle straight up and down in order for proper BB loading, this means I need to fully reset my hands on the sand bag and re-aim for each shot which will effect accuracy consistency a bit. Still a good result.
All in all I do really like the Umarex Marlin Lever Action Spring BB Rifle, mainly as it has a longer shoulder pull more suitable for adults. I feel adults get left out a bit in terms of target marketing with the standard Red Ryder which is a very compact BB Rifle with a short shoulder pull more suited for kids and youth shooters. This makes the Umarex Marlin Lever Action Spring BB Rifle more comfortable to shoot as an adult but will still work for youth and kids as is is not too large in size or heavy or even very hard to work the lever action. Now the whole family can really take part in the fun experience of shooting a Red Ryder type BB Rifle!
Type: Lever Action Rifle Manufacturer: Distributed by Umarex. Model:Marlin Cowboy Lever Action BB Rifle. Materials: Metal and plastic. Weight: 2.59 pounds (1.2kg). Total Length: 36.69 inches (93.2cm). Barrel: 16 inches (40.6cm) metal rifled. Propulsion: Spring. Action: Lever. Ammunition Type: 4.5mm steel BB’s. Ammunition Capacity: 650 in hopper. FPS: Claimed 300.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on Umarex Marlin Cowboy Lever Action BB Rifle is just about right for a rifle like this at 5 pounds with a medium to short pull length. I would say it is perfect for just about all shooter including novice shooters as it is not overly light, so as not to go off by accident and not too heavy so as to affect your accuracy. The Umarex Marlin Cowboy Lever Action BB Rifle trigger is considered a single action only trigger as it is only active after each cycle of the lever action which also is required to chamber a BB round.
Accuracy: My dedicated field test shooting video will be coming up over the next couple of weeks. So for now I have no idea what to expect in terms of velocity and accuracy from the Umarex Marlin Cowboy Lever Action BB Rifle, other than the claimed 300 fps which is what you can expect from the similar Red Ryder BB Rifle. Accuracy in general for a BB Rifle like this can be hit or miss. From past shooting experiences testing out the Red Ryder and first version of the Crosman Marlin Cowboy BB Rifle, they both shot decent from about 30 feet away, but I would have to say the Red Ryder did perform more consistently getting a tighter grouping than the Crosman Marlin Cowboy. Hopefully this Umarex newer version performs up to par.
Build Quality: The Umarex Marlin Cowboy Lever Action BB Rifle has overall good build quality with a metal barrel, receiver, rear sight and lever. The stock is plastic along with the front sight and the trigger but it does look and feel well made with all the mechanical parts feeling solid and tight. It does feel much heavier in the hand than the claimed 2.59 pounds. I would have preferred a metal trigger, not sure why Umarex went with a plastic trigger?
Realism: The Umarex Marlin Cowboy Lever Action BB Rifle is essentially styled after the Old West Lever Action Cowboy Rifle, and it has everything one would expect other than loading shells which is available in other CO2 poweredLever Action Air Rifles if you don’t mind paying a premium for one of them. The lever does not work the cycling of the bolt but rather it pre-cooks the internal spring that provides the air pressure and power. The lever does load a single 4.5mm Steel BB with each crank of the action. I do like that the Umarex Marlin Cowboy Lever Action BB Rifle has a full shoulder pull stock more suitable for larger shooters which does all add to the realism rather than having a super short rear stock.
Pros:
Easy to pump.
Fit and finish looks good for an inexpensive Airguns, seems very well made.
In terms of realism it does look like a classic old west lever action rifle for the most part.
Holds 650 BB’s in the hopper for quicker follow up shooting and virtually unlimited ammo.
Official Marlin licensing and branding via Umarex.
Rear peep sight is metal and is also adjustable for elevation.
Trigger pull is pretty decent, not too light but is medium-short and about 5 pounds.
Metal lever feels a lot better than as plastic one and will be more durable.
Shoulder pull length is much longer than a standard kids type Red Ryder BB Rifle.
Plastic stock has nice texturing that helps with grip and looks.
Cons:
No sight adjustments for windage.
Overall Power is lower than other CO2 BB and Pellet Rifles but still is adequate for it’s intended purpose.
Would have liked a metal front sight and trigger.
Comments:
The Umarex Marlin Cowboy Lever Action BB Rifle in my opinion is really built for adult shooters that want to join in on the fun with perhaps their kids or other youth shooters shooting something like a Red Ryder. The longer shoulder pull feels a lot more natural for larger shooters and I do feel like the Umarex Marlin Cowboy Lever Action BB Rifle just feels a bit more like a full size Lever Action Rifle. Performance wise, I dolt think we are going to see anything much different than what we are already getting from a standard Red Ryder or first generation Marlin Cowboy BB Rifle. That’s really OK since this type of rifle is made for good old fun, blasting pop cans and plastic army men with a friend. And with some time shooting one you can get pretty accurate with one of these BB rifles too.
In this performance Field Test Shooting Video for the John Wayne Marshal CO2 BB Revolver, I test out what the fps velocity is using a fresh standard 12 gram CO2 cartridge and shooting 4.5mm Steel BB’s through my Chronograph. I then setup a paper target 30 feet down range and shoot 10 rounds into it using the Single Action Only Trigger to see how tight of a grouping I can get out of the box. If you have not already watched my Table Top Video Review for the John Wayne Marshal CO2 BB Revolver, then make sure to do so for details and specifications along with some nice close up video.
First up for my velocity fps test of the John Wayne Marshal CO2 BB Revolver, I shot 5 rounds through my Chronograph. The slowest fps was 354 and the fastest shot hit an fps of 368, this result averaged 358 fps which was a somewhat under the claimed “up to” 420 fps from AirVenturi, still an OK velocity for shooting pop cans and the likes up to 30-40 feet away. The temperature in the Sea Can was about 20 degrees Celsius which is around 68 degrees Fahrenheit, so a good temperature to get middle of the road performance from a CO2 Airgun like the John Wayne Marshal CO2 BB Revolver. In warmer temperatures you can expect higher velocities…
I then placed my paper target on my pellet trap 30 feet downrange and using my standard semi rested shooting position (hands rested on a sandbag up front and sitting on a stool in the back), I proceeded to shoot 10 rounds into the target with the John Wayne Marshal CO2 BB Revolver and I was able to get about a 4 inch grouping well centered up and down but pushed to the left about 3 inches. I am not sure why this shot grouping spread out so much for me as my Crosman Forty Filed Test Review gave me a much better grouping and these guns are literally the same gun with different branding being the only real differences. Maybe I was just off on this day? Hey it happens sometimes!
The John Wayne Marshal CO2 BB Revolver is a lower cost mostly plastic Single Action Army Revolver with a fair amount of plastic in the build, but it does feel fairly well built and fairly solid other than being a bit lighter weight. It should produce close to 400 fps velocities in warmer conditions which is more than enough for plinking and pop can shooting which is really what it is built for. I do have to mention that this John Wayne Marshal CO2 BB Revolver for whatever reason is double the price of the Crosman Fortify CO2 BB Revolver I reviewed earlier, so if you don’t care about the John Wayne Licensing, than maybe consider the Crosman version for a lower priced option.
Type: BB Pistol. Manufacturer: Distributed by AirVenturi. Model: John Wayne Marshal. Materials: Mostly plastic, some internal metal parts. Weight: 1 pound (455 grams). Total Length: 10.5 inches (26.6cm). Barrel: 5.55 inches 14cm) metal non-rifled. Propulsion: CO2. Action: Revolver SAO. Ammunition Type: 4.5mm Steel BB’s. Ammunition Capacity: 18 round internal magazine. FPS: Claimed 420.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the John Wayne Marshal CO2 BB Revolver is a single action only trigger, so you will have to cock the hammer back with each shot which does take away most of the trigger pull length and weight, making the Marshal trigger short and light and easy to shoot. Ideal for slowed down accurate shot placement, but less effective as an action shooter unless you have a very quick thumb!
Accuracy: I have not tested out the John Wayne Marshal CO2 BB Revolver but it should perform exactly like the Crosman Fortify revolver as they are literally the exact same gun with the exception of the branding and licensing. In my Field Test Shooting Review for the Crosman Fortify CO2 BB Revolver it did shoot a little bit lower than the claimed 420 fps and shot around a 2 inch 10 shot grouping at a target setup 30 feet away. You can watch that video here but I will be making a dedicated Field Test Shooting Video for the John Wayne Marshal CO2 BB Revolver shortly…
Build Quality: When it comes to the build for the John Wayne Marshal CO2 BB Revolver, there is not a lot to get overly excited about. It is basically a mostly all plastic gun with some metal parts internally like the barrel, trigger, hammer and CO2 area. The John Wayne Marshal has that lower cost Airgun, two halves, screwed together build which generally looks better on the side without the screws showing. As it is mostly plastic it is on the light side at around just over a pound. Overall there are not a lot of moving parts so it should be reliable enough just for that reason alone. All the mechanical components do what they need to do and feel solid enough.
Realism: The John Wayne Marshal CO2 BB Revolver at a glance looks a lot like a Colt Single Action Army Revolver, it has the same shape and size but the weight is much less at about half. The lack of actual bullet holes in the cylinder looking from the front of the revolver does take away from its realism. I guess I am really used to the new generation revolvers with working cylinders and real loadable and removable shells, but these guns are more expensive and hold less ammo as they are genuine to the 6 shooter capacity.
Pros:
A decent looking replica of a Colt Single Action Army revolver.
Single action only trigger is short and light and well suited to careful shot placement shooting.
420 claimed fps is about perfect for plinking at ranges up 30-40 feet.
18 round magazine has a nice high capacity and easy to load when empty
Safety is well thought out and built into an already existing part of the gun rather than simply adding a switch afterwards.
I like the look with the all back frame and bone white grips.
CO2 Allen key is built into grip so you always have it on hand and will not lose it.
John Wayne licensed for those old west John Wayne fans.
Cons:
Mostly plastic builds makes it a bit light in the hand.
No fake shell holes in the front of the cylinder, could have added this for a more genuine look.
Twice the price of the Crosman Fortify which is basically the same Airgun.
Comments: The John Wayne Marshal CO2 BB Revolver is for sure an option if you are looking for an old west single action cowboy BB shooter and specifically if you are a John Wayne fan. If you don't care about the John Wayne licensing and want to save about half of the price then my recommendation is to go for the Crosman Fortify as it is the same exact CO2 BB Revolver at the end of the day minus the john Wayne licensing on it. You also have the option of buying one of the many Shell Loading Single Action Army Revolvers available but they are a bit more money and will shoot a little slower with less ammo capacity but the trade of is a lot more realism.
Another box showed up at my door and this time I had no idea what was inside it, I asked the boys in the warehouse to surprise me and send some new product as I was low on review items, and in a couple of days later this tall somewhat large box showed up. In this Replica Airguns June Mystery Box Unboxing Video I open the box and take a look at what’s inside. I recommend you just watch the video and enjoy the suspense with me, but if you want to cheat and find out now, then look below at quick breakdown of each item…
I have reviewed many of the Shell Loading Revolvers in the past and I always enjoy shooting them anytime one shows up on my desk for review. So here I go again but this time with a product from Crosman but with the Remington License on it. As always, I test out the power using my Chronograph by shooting several rounds through it and averaging them out. I also setup a paper target 30 feet down range and generally put an entire cylinder or mag into it or 10 rounds depending on the capacity of the magazine or cylinder. In this Field test Shooting Video I did all of that but times two as the Crosman Remington 1875 CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver shoots both 4.5mm Steel BB’s and .177 Caliber lead pellets. If you are more interested in details and specifications along with more close up video of this item then watch my Crosman Remington 1875 CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver Table Top Review.
Starting with the velocity, or power for the Crosman Remington 1875 CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver, I measured using my Chronograph using a brand new 12 gram CO2 and I shot three rounds of BB’s and four rounds of pellets and averaged them out. Here are my BB Chronograph results in FPS: 423, 407, 398 (409 average). Here are my pellet Chronograph results in FPS: 300, 274, 270, 271 (279 average). I was using standard lead pellets which should be right around 7 grain while my 4.5mm Steel BB’s were around 5 grain. Temperature was average room temperature I would say.
For my Accuracy test I shot a full 6 round magazine of each ammo type or at least I tried to, but for some reason I was missing a round in my pellet test so I only shot five rounds for that one. For BB’s all shots were fairly well centered on the target but they did spread out to about 2.5 inches. Pellets dropped a bit perhaps as they were moving a lot slower? My pellet result was about the same at around 2.5 inches of spread between all 5 shots. The spread with the pellets was wider compared to the spread of the BB’s which was more vertical.
I have gotten more accurate results with other shell loading revolvers build in a similar fashion as the Crosman Remington 1875 CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver so I was expecting a little bit better results, but it could have been me that was the problem on this day? Still a close to two inch shot group at 30 feet away will generally nock pop cams over or other similar sized targets and this CO2 Revolver is really only meant for plinking fun and not so much match grade shooting. The Crosman Remington 1875 CO2 Dual Ammo Revolver is a real looker at the end of the day and if your want a single action only classic Western Revolver than look no further.
In this performance Field Test Shooting Video of the Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver, I find out what the velocity in fps is using a brand new standard 12 gram CO2 cartridge shooting 4.5mm Steel BB’s through my Chronograph in the Replica Airguns Sea Can Indoor Shooting Range. I then setup a fresh paper target 30 feet down range and shoot 10 rounds into it shooting in Single Action to see how tight of a grouping I can get out of the box. If you have not already watched my Table Top Video Review for the Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver then make sure to check that one out for details and specifications along with some more close up video.
First up for my velocity or fps test of the Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver, I shot 6 4.5mm Steel BB’s through my Chronograph. The slowest velocity was 327 fps and the fastest shot hit an fps of 351, this result averaged 345 fps which was a bit under the claimed “up to” 400 fps from Barra, still a usable velocity for shooting pop cans and the likes at 30-40 feet down range. The temperature in the Sea Can was I would say around 20 degrees Celsius which is 68-69 degrees Fahrenheit, so a decent temperature to get middle of the road performance from a CO2 Airgun like the Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver. In warmer temperature you can expect closer to the claimed 400 fps.
I then placed my fresh paper target on the pellet trap 30 feet downrange and using my standard semi rested shooting position (hands rested on a sandbag up front and sitting on a stool in the back), I shot 10 rounds into the target and was able to get a respective 2.5 inch shot grouping shooting in Single Action of course. I did notice the Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver liked to shoot a bit high, almost 4-5 inches higher than I was aiming but it did center left to right fairly well.
The Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver is a lower cost and almost all plastic Single Action Revolver with only a few internal meat parts in the build, that said it does feel well built and fairly solid in the hand. It may produce that claimed 400 fps velocity by Barra in warmer conditions which is more than enough for plinking and pop can shooting which is really what the Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver is designed to do. I found it to be accurate enough for it’s intended purpose but it did push a little high on the target out of the box, at least my demo unit would require me to aim a little under my intended target by about 4-5 inches at 30 feet away for near bullseye shots as there is no way to adjust the sights manually. The Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver will provide lots of shots per CO2 and has a much higher capacity magazine holding 18 rounds as compared to other shell loading revolvers that only hold 6 rounds. If you’re OK with a bit less realism, then the Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver may even outperform the more expensive and more realistic Single Action Army Revolvers on the market at a less expensive price point.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver is a single action only trigger, so you will need to cock the hammer back before each shot which does take away almost all of the trigger pull length and weight, making it short and light and easy to shoot. Perfect for slowed down accurate shot placement, but less effective as an action shooter.
Accuracy: I have not tested out the Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver but it is a lot like the Crosman Fortify SA CO2 BB Revolver so I am thinking it will perform at lot like that CO2 BB Revolver, if you want to get an idea on how the Barra 1858 might perform, you can watch my Crosman Fortify Filed Test Shooting Video to get a heads up before I make my official Filed Test Shooting Video for the Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver.
Build Quality: When it comes to the build for the Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver, there is not a lot to really get super excited about. It is basically a mostly all plastic gun with some metal parts internally like the barrel, trigger, hammer and CO2 area. The Barra 1858 has that lower cost Airgun, two halves, screwed together build which generally looks better on the side without the screws showing. As it is mostly plastic it is very light in the hand at only just about a pound or so. Overall there are not a lot of moving parts so it should be reliable enough just because there is not much to break or go wrong. All the mechanical components do what they need to do and feel solid enough.
Realism: The Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver at a glance looks a lot like a Remington 1858 Single Action Revolver, it has the same shape and size but the weight is way less being mostly plastic. The lack of actual bullet holes in the cylinder looking at it from the front of the revolver also takes away from the realism. I guess I am really used to the new generation revolvers with working cylinders and real loadable shells but these guns are more expensive and hold less ammo as they are genuine to the 6 shooter capacity. The barrel is however recessed which is nice.
Pros:
Inexpensive revolver as compared to other shell loading styled revolvers out there.
A decent looking replica of a Remington 1858 Revolver.
Single action only trigger is short and light and well suited to careful shot placement shooting.
400 claimed fps is about perfect for plinking at ranges up 30-40 feet.
18 round magazine has a nice high capacity and easy to load when empty.
Should get lots of shots per CO2 as there will be very little CO2 leakage with a non shell loading design.
Safety is well well hidden just in front of the trigger so easy to get to.
Has a recessed barrel for added realism.
CO2 Allen key is built into grip so always have it on hand and will not lose it.
White markings as an warnings are not super obvious, could be a little lighter.
Comes with two starter CO2’s and some 4.5mm Steel BB’s.
Cons:
Almost all plastic builds makes it a bit light in the hand.
No fake shell holes in the front of the cylinder, could have added this for a more genuine look.
Sights are non adjustable but fairly normal for an inexpensive plinker.
Comments: The Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver is a completely new concept in design over what we have become use to in todays Single Action Legend Revolvers with their shell loading design, the Crosman Fortify as I have mentioned is the only other new classic cowboy Revolver on the market like it so perhaps there will be more in the future. My shooting experience with the Crosman Fortify CO2 BB Revolver was about what I expected, it shot pretty close to the claimed fps and got around a 2 inch 10 round grouping shooting at a paper target 30 feet down range. So we will see if the Barra Cowboy Series 1858 CO2 BB Revolver performs about the same which was respectable. For a low cost BB Revolver you kind of get what you pay for here, which is not a bad deal at the end of the day considering the lower cost to get you up and shooting.
