You may have noticed a lack of Airgun Video Reviews last week? That is because I went on vacation with my buddy Steve to Oceanside California where we stayed at the WorldMark Oceanside Resort. We spent a full week in Oceanside visiting the surrounding beaches, Mission Beach in San Diego along with Laguna Beach and Newport Beach.
We had a really great time, I was able to capture a variety of video of some of our experiences using my Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, My DJI Neo AI and FPV Drone, and my Meta Glasses. I have put together a video to share Oceanside California and surrounding area in a mostly chronological order for your viewing enjoyment.
I am back to making Airgun Review Videos so stay posted for those videos coming shortly…
In this Field Test Shooting Video conducted in the Replica Airguns Sea Can indoor Shooting Range, I test the Umarex Markpoint Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol’s power in velocity using my Chronograph along with the accuracy shooting at a Paper Target setup 30 feet away. If you are also interested in details, specifications and more close up video of the Umarex Markpoint Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol, then make sure to watch my Table Top Video I already made for it here…
When I placed 6 pellets from the Umarex Markpoint Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol through my Chronograph, I removed the fastest and slowest recorded shots, and got an average of 290 fps, there was a fairly big range in fps as some dieseling may have been occurring, since this Pellet Pistol had not been shot before and there may have been some oils in the barrel. Here are my recored velocities for all 6 shots: 213, 286, 308, 270, 304, 298. I was using lead flathead pellets that weighed 8.2 grain each. So you will for sure get much higher velocities using 5 grain alloy pellets, probably very close to the 400 claimed fps.
Moving on to my accuracy test, the Umarex Markpoint Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol did pretty good. I was not sure how it would shoot for me as the trigger is pretty firm, which can cause the shooter to pull a shot or two. I was able to keep my shots pretty consistent with perhaps one shot getting a bit away from me. That said, out of the 10 shots I placed on the paper target setup 30 feet down range, I managed to get 9 of them all within about 2 inches of each other with the larger spread being elevation, windage was within about 3/4 of an inch, so consistent velocity may have played a roll here. I did use a semi rested shooting position with my hands resting on a sand bag up front, and sitting on a stool in the back to help stabile me as much as possible. I was happy that out of the box the aim point was pretty well centered just a bit to the right if anything.
All in all the Umarex Markpoint Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol performed as much as I could have expected for a $50 Canadian low cost pellet shooter. I really wish an add on sight of some sort was possible, as there does not seem to be anyway of adjusting the sights on the Umarex Markpoint Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol, so hopefully yours shoots well centered for you also. I do not recommend this Air Pistol for people with smaller hands as it is a bulky Airgun with very wide and large grips. The trigger also does take a bit of finger strength so not a gun for younger shooters perhaps. For the price it is a very unique Pellet Pistol with a very modern and futuristic look to it which may or may not appeal to everyone.
Type: Pellet Pistol. Manufacturer:Umarex Model:Markpoint. Materials: Mostly plastic with some metal. Weight: 1.79 pounds (812 grams). Barrel: 9.75 inch (24.8 cm) Rifled steel barrel. Total Length: 17 inches (43.2 cm). Power Source: Spring piston. Action: Break Barrel - Single Action Only. Ammo Type: .177 caliber pellets. Ammo Capacity: Single shot. FPS: 395 with alloy pellets, 300 with lead pellets.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on Umarex Markpoint Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol is single action only and you will have to break the barrel and fully cock it to activate the trigger in order to shoot it. You will have to also insert a pellet for each shot when the barrel is in the open position. The trigger itself is a bit on the heavy side with a short takeup. It is not super heavy but I would not consider it light or even medium weight. There is a grip safety that needs to be pressed in at the back of the grip, or the trigger will not function. This is a nice additional safety feature.
Accuracy: So far I have not had the opportunity to test the Umarex Markpoint Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol, but the plan is to get to my Field Test Shooting Video shortly and see how it performs in terms of power and accuracy. The Umarex Markpoint Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol does have a nice long rifled steel barrel so it has the potential to be very accurate. My main concern is with the sights as they are none adjustable and if it is not well centered out of the box then the only way to adjust it will be by adjusting your aim point to correct any off center shots. There is also no way that I can see to mount a red to or scope of some sort. It looks like there is a rail system on the barrel but it is just cosmetic and there is no way to mount a picatinny accessory to it. I am not sure why Umarex simply did not make the rail a true picatinny rail?
Build Quality: For around a $50 Canadian pellet pistol that has the potential to be a pretty decent entry level target pistol, the Umarex Markpoint Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol is pretty well made and feels very solid and mechanically tight. It is mostly plastic but does not feel cheap at all. It is a rather large pistol, especially the grips being fairly wide, so for people with small hands, it may be a bit hard to hold.
Realism: The Umarex Markpoint Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol is not a copy or replica of any real steel pistol in production that I know of. To be honest Umarex was not trying that hard to make it look like a real steel pistol as it has it’s very own look to it that I would say is modern and kind of futuristic looking. It for sure has its own style to it, and you are either going to like it to not? I do like that Umarex added the ejection port and vented barrel which does add to the cool factor and makes it feel more like a real gun.
Pros:
Feels well built and solid.
Overall look is good, kind of futuristic if you like that sort of thing.
I like the red highlights, not typical on a real steel gun but looks good on this design.
Expect it to have good accuracy, hope the sights are on point?
Easy to cock spring piston system.
Sights are easy to line up .
Grip safety is a nice safety feature.
Fake ejection port is a nice touch, not something you would normally see on a target pistol like this.
Nice low price tag for some fun target shooting.
Cons:
Trigger is a bit heavy but in terms of length and break is OK.
Sights are not adjustable and no way to add a red dot or other sighting system.
Grip may be a bit wide for smaller handed shooters.
Comments:
For me I think the deciding factor on how I feel about the Umarex Markpoint Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol is going to come down to how it performs as I have my reservations on how accurate it is going to be and if it shoots true out of the box. I really hope the sights are dialed in out of the box since there is no way to adjust them or add a red dot or other sighting system. The heavy trigger will take a bit of getting use to also but once adjusted to it I should be able to get some decent groupings. For the price, if it turns out to be a decent shooter and you like the look of it, then by all means it would make a great target plinker that you should be able to get proficient at shooting with. I will leave my final thoughts for the Field Test Shooting video on this one…
Since I use all kinds of cameras for the making of my Replica Airguns Videos including the HoverAir X1 Flying Camera Drone, I though it would be a good idea to share my thoughts on the new DJI NEO Mini Drone which Is replacing my HoverAir X1 at least for now. This is not an unboxing first impression video with basic out of the box test videos. This video is going to go over how the DJI NEO actually performs comparing to the HoverAir X1 and other DJI dedicated Drones and FPV Drones.
I have used different drones to do everything the DJI Neo claims to do, but can the DJI NEO really do it all and if so can it do it all as good or good enough?
The short answer is yes it can do it all but will it meet your specific expectations?
I don’t claim to be a pro at any of the things the DJI Neo can do, but I have at least some experience using the HoverAir X1 for the past year which is a similar experience as what you get with the base model DJI NEO out of the box.
I also have owned and flown standard DJI Drones with remote control setups for taking those cinematic flying around smooth shots. The DJI NEO out of the box can do limited distance and height using your DJI NEO with your phone in Manual Mode. You can also purchase the DJI NEO Fly More Kit that comes with the RC-N3 Controller and unlock almost limitless distance and even more features out of your DJI NEO.
I owned the first generation DJI Avata and flew it with the motion controller similar to what you can do with the DJI NEO when combined with the DJI Goggles 3 and RC Motion 3 Controller. That experience really got me more interested in experimenting with FPV drones.
I now own a bunch of FPV drones in various styles and sizes and use them with my DJI Goggles and Manual Controller to fly in full Manual Acro Mode for a true fps experience.
DJI NEO Compared to the HoverAir X1.
For the most part they both perform a lot of the same Selfie Camera shots like Follow, Droney, Circle, Rocket, Spotlight, Direction Track and some more specific to each unit.
You can fly them without a controller or even your phone by simply turning them on, selecting your flying mode and pressing a button.
They both can use your phone as a simple virtual controller to fly them around in manual mode and get some cool more cinematic shots.
They both can use your phones built in Microphone to record audio while taking out the drones propeller noise.
They are both well under 250 grams closer to 120 to 130 grams.
They both have a one axis gimbal setup.
The cameras in both are comparable. 2.7k 30fps for the HoverAir X1 and 4k 30fps for the DJI NEO.
Both have full prop guards and are very crash resistant.
Where does each one shin in my opinion?
HoverAir X1:
Starting with the HoverAir X1 it came out first and so more of the bugs and settings have been worked out, and you have to give them credit for being first here as DJI did a lot of copying if we are being honest.
The HoverAirX1 has more ability to change settings using the buttons on the drone without going into the phones software to do it.
The HoverAir X1 is better at staying in place when inside and in lower light situations.
The HoverAir X1 can record in portrait mode for social media content.
The HoverAir X1 can use just about any external USB or BT Microphone for recording to get better audio than just by using you phones internal Microphone. The DJI NEO only gives you the option to use their DJI 2 Microphone which starts at $300 Canadian.
The HoverAir X1 can be folded, making it much more portable.
The HoverAir X1 at this time can track a little bit faster than the DJI NEO, but that can change with a softer update in the future.
The HoverAir X1 does not restrict where you can fly as there is no Geo Fencing. The DJI NEO will not give you much of a problem here when in solo mode or when connected to the DJI Fly App without any controllers or Goggles, but when connected to addition DJI accessories, you will have to factor in Geo Fencing limitations and work arounds which can be really annoying.
DJI NEO:
Moving on to the DJI NEO, the NEO has voice command as long as the DJI Fly App is open and your phone screen is on, very useful when wanting to change the drones distance and height in modes like Follow and Direction Tracking.
The DJI software is a bit more intuitive and the Manual Mode allows for much smoother control of the DJI NEO and further distances and height. (60m)
The DJI NEO records in 4k which is a bit better than the HoverAir X1 2.7k, but not by much. There is room for improvement with the NEO in terms of software updates but we will see what DJI does in terms of improving video quality and hopefully the ability to tweak the video settings.
The DJI NEO has built in GPS which allows it to stay in position outside better and even go over water and steep drop-offs.
The DJI NEO has an 18 minute battery run time versus the HoverAir X1 10 minute battery run time. (In real life it is more like 15 versus 8 minutes), so almost double per battery.
The DJI NEO is much more than a one trick pony with its ability to be much more than a Flying Selfie Camera Drone. It can be a full fledged remote controlled drone or even a true FPV drone when adding the additional accessories to it.
And that brings us to the point in this video where I talk about if the DJI NEO can really perform good enough to possibly replace your stand alone drone or even your FPV Drone? And again it depends on what your expectations are and what your end use in these modes is.
In terms of a stand alone drone, when the DJI is connected to the RC-N3 Controller, it can do much of the same tasks you would expect and get many of the same shots. Because of its size it will not be as good in stronger winds and it also does not have the power or speed of a larger dedicated Drone. Most of the DJI Drones also have higher quality cameras with larger sensors and 2 or even 3 axis gimbals with better stabilization. They also have much longer battery run times so you can go farther and longer with them. That said the DJI NEO may be good enough for a non-pro user to get the shots they are looking for.
The DJI NEO has been compared to the DJI Avata series and it does look a lot like a smaller version for sure. In terms of flying ink a DJI Avata, again it is smaller and less powerful so it will be slower and more prone to weather conditions. The camera systems on even the DJI Avata 1 is much better than the DJI NEO with full 4k 60fps ability and the DJI Avata 2 camera is even better than the Avata 1 camera.
As an FPV Drone you can strap on a set of DJI Goggles 3 and and instead of using the Motion Controller 3, you can connect to the RC Motion 3 Controller and get full manual mode FPV flying and hit speeds as high as 60km/h. You do have to be careful as the DJI NEO is not really a freestyle drone, if you push it too hard it will washout and go out of control potentially crashing, especially if you are close to the ground and it does not have time to recover. That said it is a lot of fun to fly if you fly within its limitations.
Some tips when using the DJI NEO based on my experiences:
Record in 4k for best quality except when in FPV Manual mode as the faster motion of FPV flying requires more frame rate speed to capture all of the motion without getting video jitter. Your feed in the DJI Goggles will look a lot better in 1080p 60fps as 1080p is the native resolution and 60fps is much smoother and allows for easier viewing while flying.
Do not use the DJI NEO inside in low light, it simply does not work very well in low light inside and will most of the time just land.
When using a remote like the RC-N3 or the Goggles 3, lower your video sharpness to (-2) for better looking video.
To fly in restricted GEO Zones you will need to go online and make a license request on the DJI Fly-Safe website and then you will need to treansfer that request license to your drone using the DJI Fly App while connected to the DJI NEO with with an internet connect. A bit of a process but after a few times you get the hang of it. I was not able to unlock a Geo Zone on location while in the app even with an internet connection. Hopefully this gets fixed down the road.
In this Mystery Boxing Video I get to take a look at 4 new Airgun Products and give you my first impressions along with a few specifications about each of them but not in a lot of details as I have not had an opportunity to research any of them as this my first time seeing them.
First out of the Mystery box is a new Umarex T4E .43 Caliber CO2 Blowback Paintball Pistol with Walther licensing called the Umarex T4E PDP. I have reviewed similar styled T4E .43 caliber CO2 Blowback Pistols in the past and this one should perform and function similarly.
The next Airgun I pulled out out of the box was the EMG SAI 2011 DS 4.3 CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol, a really nice 1911 styled Airsoft Pistol with a stainless finish and gold barrel with a CO2 Magazine. This one looks and feels really nice.
Staying with the pistols that came in this Mystery Box, I got my first look at the Umarex Markpoint .177 Caliber Break Barrel Pellet Pistol that has a bit of a utilitarian look and feel to it. This one is the longer barrel version and has a claimed fps of 395 using alloy pellets so we will see what it can get with more traditional lead pellets when I make my Field Test Video for it down the road a bit.
The last item out of the Mystery Box was another Umarex product, a fun CO2 BB Rifle with H&K licensing called the HK416. This semi auto and 6 round Burst internal Blowback CO2 BB Rifle is a lot like the Steel Storm and Steel Strike from Umarex but a little bit larger I would say and with H&K Licensing so more of a true Replica Airgun.
I will be making full Table Top and Field Test Videos for all of these items shortly so keep an eye out for those videos but for now you can at least get an idea what these Airgun Products will offer.
First off, Comica was kind enough to send the Comica BoomX-D PRO Wireless Microphone System for free to review. That said the opinions in this review are my own and I do a fairly thorough review testing out the audio of the Comica BoomX-D PRO’s to my Comica Vimo C similar Microphone system. I use a variety of setups including recording into my camera and smart phone via line in and USB in. I also test out the internal recording capability of the Comica BoomX-D PRO’s to see if three is any difference in sound and levels.
One of the main reasons why I was interested in tech Comica BoomX-D PRO Wireless Microphone System is its ability to record directly to internal memory so you do not necessarily need a receiver as you can record direct to internal memory to one or both of the transmitters Microphones and then transfer the audio to you computer or smart phone later to sync with any video you may have recorded to go along with it.
The Comica BoomX-D PRO Wireless Microphone System also comes with lapel Microphones that you can use instead of the built in Microphones on the actual transmitters which can make for a more discreet microphone setup and may improve audio just a little bit. The Comica Vimo C Wireless Microphone System I have been suing for the last two years and which has never let me down and fulfilled pretty much all my audio needs is a bit more compact setup than the Comica BoomX-D PRO Wireless Microphone System but Comica Vimo C’s do not have internal memory to record to our allow for using lapel microphones.
In terms of audio quality, both systems sounds fairly similar, the Comica Vimo C Wireless Microphone System to me sounds like it may be a bit fuller in the bottom end just a little bit but not by much. Both systems have a solid connection between the transmitters and the receiver giving good range with a reliable connection with no cutouts as long as you do not get really far away with objects in-between the transmitter and receiver. I suggest you watch my Full Review Video and decide for yourself how you feel about the audio quality of the Comica BoomX-D PRO Wireless Microphone System and if perhaps it may be the right setup for your audio recording needs. In my opinion they are a well priced system for what you get and are comparable to much higher pried units without compromising quality of build or sound.
Here are some of the key features of the Comica BoomX-D PRO Wireless Microphone System:
2.4G Digital Dual-channel Wireless microphone, Global Free Frequency.
This is not an Airgun related video, I was away for a week on vacation so I made a video of some of the vacation highlights, watch if you want to or wait for some more upcoming Airgun Videos…
My wife and I just came back from a wonderful trip to Whistler BC Canada where we stayed 5 nights, then we traveled a few hours to Birch Bay Washington US for 3 more nights.
We stayed in our WorldMark Timeshare which is always very enjoyable and invited up some good friends and relatives to come and join us for part of each trip. It was a lot of fun being able to spend some of our vacation time with good people!
It was a vacation first and foremost but I like to document my trips al least to some degree with video. So I am able to share parts of the vacation with everyone using my Meta Glasses, HoverAir X1 Selfie Drone, Insta360 X4 and GO2 cameras and even a drone shot of me playing around flying my mini Pavo Pico FPV Drone around the hotel in Whistler.
I hope you enjoy the video of our various walks, outings and just simpel hotel lounging around. If you are thinking of going for a vacation in Whistler or Birch Bay, this video may give you a bit of an idea of what you can expect.
I have only tested out another similar Crossbow setup one other time so this is not my normal Field Test Review. Like last time when I made my Bear X Desire XL Crossbow Field Test Video, in this Field Test Video I record my Chronograph velocity for the CenterPoint Hornet Recurve Compact Crossbow at the same time as I shoot at the target so I did not have to make two separate video segments and basically did it all in one go. I did have a bit of a brain fart and forgot I needed to setup two separate cameras, one on the Chronograph and one on the Target, as I generally only need one camera at a time for my usually two segment Field Test Videos. So getting to the point, I did not have dedicated camera on the target while shooting and in hind sight it would have been better to have the camera on the Target rather than the Chronograph as my camera glasses generally record the Chronograph readings for me too. I do walk up to the Target at the end of the video so we do get to see exactly where all the bolts landed, so I can show you the final result at the end of the day.
In terns of velocity, CenterPoint claims a velocity of 191 fps. I was able to get consistently just over 180 fps so pretty close. My Chrono readings using the included 147 grain 6.5 inch aluminum bolts ranged from 180 to 182 fps so very consistent. This gave an overall Foot Pound energy of 10.61 foot pounds so velocity and foot pound energy were just a little bit under the claimed rating! This is enough for small pests for sure, it really comes down to accuracy at this point as you will want to get either a head or shoulder area shot for a humane kill, and I am not sure if this bow is up of the job? You will have to see how accurate it will be for you and make that decision for yourself..
In terms of accuracy I found the CenterPoint Hornet Recurve Compact Crossbow to be fairly accuracy on the windage side (left and right), basically with all the bolts only being about 2 inches apart side to side. Where it did not perform as well was in elevation with the bolts ranging about 8 inches top to bottom. I am not sure why this was the case as the velocity is very consistent and generally less consistent velocities account for elevation changes. All the bolts hit the target using the included red dot with no pre adjustments but it did shoot just a bit to the right and maybe overall a bit low. This can easily be corrected using the red dot windage and elevation adjustments.
Interestingly the CenterPoint Hornet Recurve Compact Crossbow has a higher claimed velocity over the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow I tested a while back, yet the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow actually shot a bit faster hitting 190+ fps, not a huge difference but an interesting observation. The CenterPoint Hornet Recurve Compact Crossbow does come with a red dot but both have Picatinny Rails so Red Dots will fit on both Crossbows no problem. I am going to address the elephant in the room, if you compare both of these Crossbows they are virtually the same with the exception of the branding and distribution of them. So I would say get either one, the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow is actually less money as it does not come with an included Red Dot but at least right now it is out of stock so your only option may the the CenterPoint Hornet Recurve Compact Crossbow, both are a lot of fun and pack a lot more punch than your standard non regulated Air Rifle.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the CenterPoint Hornet Recurve Compact Crossbow is a single action only trigger as you need ot 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 it so there is a bit of friction and I would say it is about 10 pounds maybe a bit less. The safety is also engaged when you cock the bow requiring you to take the CenterPoint Hornet Recurve Compact Crossbow off safe before shooting as an added layer of safety.
Accuracy: I have not made my Field Test Shooting Video for the CenterPoint Hornet Recurve Compact Crossbow and so I am not sure what to expect from it. I have shot a similar bow, the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow so it should perform similar to that one if you want to check that Field Test Shooting Video out, but I expect the CenterPoint Hornet Recurve Compact Crossbow to have a little bit more power as it has a rated fps and draw weight a little bit higher than the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow, we will see?
Build Quality: The CenterPoint Hornet Recurve Compact Crossbow is actually made pretty decently, yes it is mostly plastic and light weight but feels sturdy enough to hold, the bow itself is fiberglass and the only real metal I can confirm is the cocking rail, mostly everything else other than the nuts and bolts that hold it together are some sort of plastic, The only part that does not feel up to par with the quality is the included red dot, it is fairly entry level but I am sure it will get the job done, and if it stops getting the job done at some point you can upgrade it then, or simply use the included rear iron sight which is fully adjustable.
Realism: The CenterPoint Hornet Recurve Compact Crossbow is not a Replica as is what I usually review here on the channel. But I think there is a crossover in terms of interest for a product like this 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 CenterPoint Hornet Recurve Compact Crossbow uses nice heavy 146 grain bolts traveling at almost 200 fps which gives an energy rating of around 12 foot pounds. So if raw power is what you are after, then this is your best option for something still compact if you do not have a firearms license.
Pros:
Fairly inexpensive.
Super light weight and compact.
More power than an Airgun yet still quiet to shoot so you can use discreetly just about anywhere with a good back stop setup.
Easy to draw the bow using the stock for leverage.
Safety is automatically engaged.
Picatinny rail already has iron fully adjustable rear sight and comes with a very basic red dot sight to get you started.
Fiber optic front sight.
3 bolts included.
191 fps (12ft/lbs).
Comes with fore grip.
5 portion adjustable rear but stock.
Cons:
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.
Careful not to wash you hadn't or thumb with the string (Ouchy).
Comments:
The CenterPoint Hornet Recurve Compact Crossbow is a nice crossover product that appeals to Airgun enthusiasts as it does not require a firearms license and can be used in a lot more locations than a standard gun. It also has decent power as compared to a non regulated Airgun hitting 12 foot pounds which is at least 4x more than most non regulated Airguns can achieve. In terms of pest control, it does have the power required for small pests but accuracy is not going to be as good as an Airgun so hitting the rather small sweet spot on a small pest is not going to be easy and you want to be humane about it, so make sure if you do plan on using this for some sort of pest control, that you practice your accuracy and are confident in your shot placement. Personally I would just enjoy shooting it as a target bow that literally cost you nothing after purchase as long as you don’t lose the bolts.
What you can expect from this Field test Shooting Video for the Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle are two things for sure. I test out the velocity with both 4.5mm Steel BB’s and .177 caliber lead pellets, I also chuck both of these rounds downrange to see if one may be more accurate than the other and how close I can get a 5 shot grouping for each ammunition type. If you are looking for details and specifications and perhaps some more close up video of the Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle then you may want to watch my Table Top Video for it here.
If you have watched any of my hundreds of Field Test Videos, then you already know I start off shooting 5 or so rounds through my Chronograph to see what the average velocity is going to be. In this Field Test I shoot 3 rounds of each ammo type, 3 BB’s and 3 pellets since it is a pump Airgun and they tend to be more consistent than a CO2 Airgun. Barra claims around 350 fps, I am not sure if this is for BB’s or Pellets or both? As it turns out (spoiler alert), both ammo types performed about the same in both the velocity and accuracy portion of my testing. For BB’s, my chronograph testing got 303, 316 and 316 for an average of 312 fps. For pellets my chronograph results were 309, 309, 314 for an average of 311, so only 1 fps off between the two. Keep in mind the BB’s weigh around 5.1 grain while the pellets I was using were around 7 grain, so the pellets will be carrying more energy downrange and hit a bit harder. By the way they are also harder to load so I would suggest just shooting the steel BB’s in this one since you can keep the fun times flowing better...
Next up for my accuracy test of the Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle, I again shot both ammo types, but 5 rounds of each and just like the velocity test they matched each other almost exactly. Both the steel BB’s and lead pellets I was using shot really well centered left to right, maybe just a hair to the left and both shot just about an inch or so high on the bullseye I was aiming at 30 feet away. The 5 BB’s grouped nicely for me at about an inch while the pellets did get a slightly tighter 3/4 inch grouping for me in this test. I was using a semi rested shooting position sitting on a stool in the back with the rifle rested on a sand bag up front.
The Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle really surprised me in how it performed, It’s not going to be the most powerful BB/pellet cowboy rifle out there but compared to a Red Ryder it does have a bit more punch and in terms of accuracy I found it shot better for me than at least I can do with a Red Ryder type BB rifle. You also have the option of shooting BB’s or Pellets but I would recommend shooting BB’s since you have that 50 round hopper and the BB’s auto load when you pull the bolt back which is much easier than loading pellets with a pair of tweezers which is what I needed to do to get them in with my sausage fingers. One more thing to mention is I do not recommend pumping this air rifle more than 1 time, not only does the manual say not to, but there is little benefit in pumping it more times with only the risk to damaging the airgun. I pumped it 4 times and only got about 20 fps more out of it so just don’t do it. If you want a Cowboy style Air Rifle with a little more realism than say a Red Ryder but that shoots about the same then checkout the Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle.
Type: Lever/Pump Dual Ammo Rifle Manufacturer: Distributed by Barra. Model:Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle. Materials: Mostly plastic, some metal. Weight: 4.1 pounds (1859 grams). Total Length: 36 inches (91.44mm). Barrel: 18 inches (45.7cm) metal rifled. Propulsion: Pump Compressed Air. Action: Lever/Pump Ammunition Type: .4.5mm steel BB’s & .177 Caliber Pellets. Ammunition Capacity: 50 BB’s in hopper, single shot Pellets. FPS: Claimed 350-400.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle is respectable at about 5 pounds with a medium to short pull length. I would say it is perfect for novice shooters as it is not overly light so as not to go off easily by accident and not too heavy for youth shooters with less finger strength than adults. When you pull the bolt back to reload the ammo, the internal cocking mechanism is activated allowing for single action type shooting. You do need to activate the bolt with each shot.
Accuracy: My dedicated field test shooting video is planned for this week, so for now I have no idea what to expect in terms of velocity and accuracy from the Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle, other than it is claimed to shoot around 350 fps when using pellets. It does have an 18 inch rifles barrel which should contribute to helping a lot with accuracy, so I do have high expectations especially since it has a pretty good trigger and when looking down the sights they allow for a nice tight fix on the target. The rear stock is short but not so short that it feels cramped for an adult shooter which should also help when I perform my accuracy test.
Build Quality: The Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle is nothing special when it comes to materials being used in it. It is for the most plastic with the exception of the inner and outer barrel along with the rear sight and I would imagine some other internal parts. It does feel not so bad as it is a bit over 4 pounds and is smaller in nature so it feels solid enough in the hand. I wish the Pump/Lever was metal as it would of felt a bit more solid and would have added a bit more additional weight to the Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle. Fit and finish is good and overall the gun looks and feels good.
Realism: The Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle is essentially styled after the Old West Lever Action Cowboy Rifle, and it has everything we would expect other than loading shells which is available in other Lever Action Air Rifles if you don’t mind paying a premium for one. The lever is actually not a lever but more of a pump so the action and look of the lever is not exactly as you would expect from a true lever action rifle, but when it is locked in place it does look the part. The gold receiver and rifle band looks sharp and I feel matches up with the dark imitation wood stock nicely. One point to make is that the hammer is not the hammer but actually the safety and the bolt not only opens the breach area but also acts as the cocking mechanism for the internal hammer.
Pros:
Super easy to pump.
Fit and finish looks decent for a mostly plastic airgun.
In terms of realism it does look like a more compact lever action rifle for the most part
Can shoot either BB’s or Pellets.
Holds 50 BB’s in the hoper for quicker follow up shooting.
Metal octagon outer barrel adds addition weight to a mostly plastic gun.
Rear sight is metal and is also adjustable for elevation.
Trigger pull is pretty decent, not too light but is short and about 5 pounds.
Recessed barrel for added realism.
Made for kids but the shoulder pull length and sight placement works for adults too.
The gold receiver looks good and gives it a unique look.
Cons:
Mostly plastic build.
Manual says only one pump but I wonder why this is the case or perhaps just to deregulate it?
Pellets are hard to load especially if you have larger hands and fingers.
Comments:
The Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle is a competitor for products like the Red Ryder but it has a bit more realism in terms of looking more like a replica of a real steel Lever Action Cowboy Rifle. It also allows for shooting pellets and has an actual rifled barrel so hopefully this helps with accuracy. You can still kind of shoot it Lever Action Style when shooting BB’s but there is the addition of charging the bolt with each shot over and above working the Lever / Pump, so it will take a bit more time to get those follow up shots as compared to a Red Ryder BB Rifle. One other point to make is that the lever is actually not a lever but more of a pump since this is not spring powered but instead has an air reservoir which on this version only allows for one pump, but on the non-junior version you can pump it up to 10 times and get a claimed 800 fps out of it (US Version). I am going to try pumpkin the Barra 1866 Junior Dual Ammo Pump Cowboy Rifle up to three times to see if there is any difference in power but this could void your warranty if you damage the air reservoir by over pressuring it. So be good and only pump yours once as instructed in the manual.
Kicking off my SHOT Show 2024 Interviews, I present my Umarex Interview with Mark Davis, you may remember Mark from past Umarex SHOT Show Interviews? This is a fairly long interview as Mark had a lot of product to show me including…
The new Marlin Lever Action BB Rifle, the Walther PDP CO2 BB Pistol, the BBX11 1911 Blowback CO2 BB Pistol, the MarkPoint Break Barrel .177 Caliber Pellet Pistol, the Trinity Hi-Cap 2011 Blowback Airsoft Pistol, the Gambler High Stakes Single Action Army CO2 Airsoft Revolver, the Glock 380 GBB Airsoft Pistol, the CQC Elite Force AEG Airsoft Rifle with i-Trace, and the Beretta PMX GBB Airsoft Rifle.
Yep, that’s a lot of products to go over in one Interview, and Mark did a great job! I am really looking forward to getting my hands on these new products from Umarex to review for everyone!
I have been using camera glasses of some sort since the beginning with my www.ReplicaAirguns.com channel, starting off with actual ski type goggles that had a built in camera which was not ideal as they were super bulky. I did eventually get some camera glasses that where actual glasses and looked more or less like oversized sunglasses without the dark lenses but they where a big improvement over the ski goggles I was using. For the past 2-3 years I have been using my iVue Vista Camera Glasses for making these videos and they have worked pretty well for the most part but none of the camera glasses I have used in the past have any type of image stabilization which does make for some erratic video head movement.
So when I came across the Ray Ban Meta AI Smart Glasses, which I quickly learned and saw had some decent stabilization in them I thought maybe it's time to upgrade my camera glasses. The Ray Ban Meta AI Smart Glasses also do a lot more than typical Camera glasses. Not only do they have a stabilized 12mp camera with 1080p+ resolution, the Ray Ban Meta AI Smart Glasses has some very good audio for recording and hearing with a 5 mic setup and some actual usable in arm speakers. On top of the superior audio, the Ray Ban Meta's have "Hey Meta" which is like Siri or Google Assistant but it can also tap into Meta AI and do even more in terms of voice commands. You will even be able to look at something and ask Meta what you are looking at and Meta will tell you all about it.
I do hope to use the Ray Ban Meta AI Smart Glasses for a lot more than when I do my Replica Airguns Shooting Videos, I hope to use them for more spontaneous video recording on my www.GetFitOver40.com channel since they are super easy to use and you always have them ready to record.
I did order the Sunglass version but regretted it almost immediately, and so I have ordered the transitions lens version so I can use my Ray Ban Meta's both inside and out. The other negative feature for me is that the video camera records in prorate mode only and for only up to 1 minute in length. I do think I can work with this limitation as the video quality is good enough to allow for zooming and cropping when need be, and I should be able to work around the 1 minute recording time limitation by recording more selectively and simply starting another 1 min video when I need for additional time.
In this Ray Ban Meta AI Smart Glasses video, watch me Unbox, Setup and record some initial videos. I also talk a bit about why I got them and what my initial thoughts are after checking them out.
In this Field Test Shooting Video I shoot my Crosman 2240 CO2 .22 Caliber Pellet Pistol here in the Replica Airguns Indoor Sea Can Shooting Range and find out just what we can expect in terms of power and accuracy. I do this by first placing 4-5 rounds through mu Chronograph and average them out to see what the fps velocity is. I then shoot 10 rounds at a paper target setup 30 feet away to see just how tight of a grouping I can get! If you are more interested in specifications and details along with some closer up video of the Crosman 2240 CO2 .22 Caliber Pellet Pistol then checkout my Table Top Video located here.
So on with the Filed Test Shooting Video I first placed 4 shots through my Chronograph using a fresh CO2 along with Crosman flathead wadcutter lead pellets that weigh around 15 grain each. The temperature here in the Replica Airguns Sea Can was around 20C or 70F so close to what is considered average room temperatures. My slowest shot through the Chronograph was 412 and my fastest shot was 419 averaging 415 fps. Crosman claims the 2240 CO2 .22 Caliber Pellet Pistol is capable of 460 fps, so we were close and this was with mid weight lead pellets so lighter pellets would for sure hit that claimed velocity.
Next up was the accuracy test where I proceeded to shoot 10 rounds into a fresh pepper target setup 30 feet down range. As always I was using a semi rested shooting position with my hands rested on a paper target up front and seated on a stool in the back which does help me with shot placement but there will still be some human factor to consider as in the one shot that I pulled pretty hard to the right of the main grouping. With that one stray removed from the grouping I was able to get around a 1.25 inch 10 shot grouping with several of the shots hitting right on top of each other. Not bad with open sights and my aging eye sight. I know most people could do better especially with an upgraded sighting system as the Crosman’s stock open sights are pretty basic. Right out of the box without any sight adjustments my grouping hit just a tad high and slightly to the left but the sights on the Crosman 2240 CO2 .22 Caliber Pellet Pistol are fully adjustable but kind finicky so it will take a bit to get this Pellet Pistol dialed in.
for well under a hundred dollars Canadian the Crosman 2240 CO2 .22 Caliber Pellet Pistol is great value and fully capable as a target or even small pest control Air Pistol. You will need to take some time dialing in the sights and getting used to it to get sub 1 inch 30-40 foot shots but it is totally possible. Crosman has been making versions if this Air Pistol for decades so you know it is going to be reliable and consistent and you can mod this gun in so many ways to get even better ease of use and improved performance out of it so if you don’t have a fairly compact target pellet pistol in your collection, than perhaps it is time to pick one up!
Type: Pellet Pistol. Manufacturer: Crosman Model: 2240. Materials: Mostly metal with some plastic. Weight: 1.81 pounds (821 grams). Barrel: 7.5 inches (190.5mm) - metal, rifled. Propulsion: Single 12 gram CO2. Action: Single Shot SAO. AmmunitionType: .22 Caliber Pellets. AmmunitionCapacity: 1. MaxFPS: 460.
TriggerPull: The Single action only trigger pull on the Crosman 2240 CO2 .22 Caliber Pellet Pistol is very good, super light with just a little bit of take-up, the release is very predictable, the actual weight of the trigger pull is only 3.88 pounds which allows for less shooter input equalling more accuracy. The trigger is a bit on the tin side but since it is so light weight it does not affect the shooter much. You can also get aftermarket parts galore for the Crosman 2240 CO2 .22 Caliber Pellet Pistol which include options fro alternative triggers.
Accuracy: I have shot a bunch of the Crosman Series bolt action pistols in this category, most being the pump version but really the only difference is going to be that it takes a bit longer to pump up the gun as compared to simply loading a pellet and the fact that CO2 will be effected by temperature and how much CO2 is let in the cartridge. Accuracy for either version is going to be very good and so I expect when I do my actual Field test Shooting Video for the Crosman 2240 CO2 .22 Caliber Pellet Pistol it will perform as just like the others - good!
BuildQuality: The build quality of the Crosman 2240 CO2 .22 Caliber Pellet Pistol is nothing extraordinary but it has passed the test of time as this design has been sued for several decades in Crosman Air Pistols and riles. The Crosman 2240 is mostly all metal with only the grips and the sights being made out of plastic but again these parts can be upgraded to wood and metal parts if you wish to. A sight upgrade would be recommended as they are a bit hard to adjust but once they are adjusted they will work just fine.
Realism: The Crosman 2240 CO2 .22 Caliber Pellet Pistol is not a replica of any real steel gun in production. It is not mean to be and is made for the sole purpose of target and possible small pest control along with some back yard shooting.
Pros:
Very inexpensive target pistol at well under $100 at this time.
Know to have very good accuracy!
CO2 allows for fairly quick follow-up shots as no pumping is required.
Mostly metal construction.
Fairly long rifled barrel.
Fully adjustable sights.
Really short and light single action trigger
Would be good for small pest control because of .22 caliber pellet and just under 500 fps along with excellent accuracy for shot placement ability at closer ranges.
Lots of mods and upgrades available for this gun from Crosman and other companies.
Grips feel good for both left and right handers.
Cons:
Trigger is a bit thin but Can be upgraded.
Sights are fully adjustable but a bit hard to adjust. Sights are also mainly plastic.
Does require CO2 to us since no pumping. Cold weather will effect velocity.
Comments: The Crosman 2240 CO2 .22 Caliber Pellet Pistol may not be the most impressive looking airgun on the market but it does have an amazing track record for being reliable and an accurate shooter. If you aren’t taken back by its appearance then go ahead and dress it up almost anyway you want to over time. Change the barrel, or trigger or breach or sights or grasp or all of the above. The Crosman 2240 CO2 .22 Caliber Pellet Pistol is by far one of the most upgradeable Air Pistols on the market and honestly as it comes out of the box it really does not need anything to have fun and nail everything you aim at.
I love making these Mystery Box Unboxing Videos as many of the items inside are actually real mysteries to me, some I may have an idea of but even these items are new to me so it’s fun to open them up and check them all out. In this October 2023 Mystery Box Video I checkout 9 items ranging from AEG Airsoft Rifles to Airsoft , BB and Pellet Pistols. There is even a new Steel BB product from Sig Sauer that is a compact rifle with a 3 round burst option when shooting.
30 feet is not really a long enough distance to test out a Spring Piston Break Barrel Air Rifle but it’s been pretty rainy outside as the weather here in British Columbia has progresses into full on rainy fall weather. So we will have to make do with the 30 foot limitation I have here in the Replica Airguns Sea Can Indoor Shooting Range. At least it is warm and the lighting is perfect :) In this Filed Test Shooting Video for the Beeman Black Panther Dual Caliber Break Barrel Pellet Rifle I test out the velocity in fps along with the accuracy at 30 feet away. For both of these tests I use 15.43 grain .22 caliber Gamo lead pellets. If you are more invested in details and specifications along with some closer up video then watch my Table Top Video for the Beeman Black Panther.
Beeman claims just under 500 fps for the Beeman Black Panther Dual Caliber Break Barrel Pellet Rifle but it is unclear if this is with .177 caliber or .22 caliber pellets and what kind of pellet are being used? Light weigth Alloy or standard Lead pellets. I decided to go with the .22 caliber barrel for all my testing but may try out the .177 caliber barrel in a future update Field Test Video. I placed 5 shots through my Chronograph using the 15.43 grain .22 caliber lead pellets and was able to get an average velocity of 422 fps. The slowest shot was 418 fps with the fastest shot hitting a max of 429 fps so all fairly close together. In terms of energy output, a pellet that weighs 15.43 grain travelling at 422 fps has a foot pound energy of 6.1.
I am not the best shot when it comes to sprig Piston Air Rifles, but I did my best here. I shot a total of 8 shots on the paper target and the main group was about 1 inch in diameter, this consisted of 6 pellets in that main group with 2 pellets that came out one shot a bit high and one shot a bit to the right. I was using the built in post and notch fiber optic sights rather than installing the 4x32 scope. After all the target was only 30 feet away. I am pretty sure one could easily get a .5 inch grouping at this range with perhaps a 1 inch grouping at distances closer to the 50-60 foot mark, which should make this a decent pest control option when using the .22 caliber ammo as I feel it would get the job done with a bit more authority.
The Beeman Black Panther Dual Caliber Break Barrel Pellet Rifle comes with two barres offering the ability to shoot using .177 caliber pellets or .22 caliber pellets with a quick barrel change. .177 caliber pellets could be used for smaller pest control but I would mainly use the .177 barrel for basic target practice as .177 caliber pellets are definitely cheaper than .22 caliber pellets. When you do require that slight additional stopping power, then go with the .22 caliber barrel for sure!
Type: Pellet Rifle. Manufacturer: Beeman Model: Black Panther Dual Caliber. Materials: Metal and Synthetic Plastic. Weight: 7.2pounds (2.3kg). Total Length: 44 inches (111.8cm). Barrel: 16.75 inches (42.5cm). Propulsion: Spring Piston. Action: Single Action Single Shot. AmmunitionType: .177 & .22 Caliber Pellets. AmmunitionCapacity: 1. MaxFPS: 495 Claimed.
Trigger Pull: The trigger on the Beeman Black Panther Dual Caliber Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is single action only requiring you to break the barrel and compress the internal spring piston before you can shoot it. This will also engage the safety which you have to disengage for each shot manually as an added security measure. The actual trigger pull is I would say a medium pull with an easy first stage then a more firm second stage. I am pretty sure the Black Panther uses the Sportsman tigger setup which does have some adjustment for trigger pull as far as I am aware of. Once I get a chance to shoot the Beeman Black Panther Dual Caliber Break Barrel Pellet Rifle I will be able to tell you more about how the trigger feels.
Accuracy: I have not performed any shooting tests with the Beeman Black Panther Dual Caliber Break Barrel Pellet Rifle so far, I will be making a Video Review next in the next few weeks “weather permitting” as I want to get outdoors for this test to be able to shoot the Black Panther at longer ranges. I expect the Beeman Black Panther Dual Caliber Break Barrel Pellet Rifle to perform well in the accuracy department using the 4x32 optical scope. In terms of power the spring does seem to take a bit of effort so I am hoping for a decent fps in both .177 caliber and .22 caliber!
Build Quality: The Beeman Black Panther Dual Caliber Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is made in China but looks to be fairly well made. It is mostly metal including the front and rear sights with a synthetic plastic stock and feels good to hold resting the cushioned rubber butt-pad to your shoulder. The stock and trigger guard are a one piece design, that said the trigger guard is fairly thick so it should stand up to some abuse.
Realism: The Beeman Black Panther Dual Caliber Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is not a copy of any real steel gun in production but does have that overall rifle shape to it so it looks like a gun but most people will be able to immediately see that it is a Pellet Rifle and that is exactly what it is since it is not trying to be a Replica Airgun or copy of any real steel rifle in production.
Pros:
All Weather durable ambidextrous synthetic stock.
All metal front and rear fiver optic sights.
Can shoot both .177 and .22 caliber pellets for multi purpose shooting.
Sportsman trigger (adjustable) with automatic safety system.
Comes with included 4x32 scope and mounts.
Very solid build at 9.92 pounds.
Nice cushioned rubber butt-plate looks good and adds to shooting comfort.
Has a scope-stop so your scope will stay nicely in place.
Cons:
Hard to tell if the claimed 495 fps is for .177 or .22 caliber lead or alloy pellets?
Hard to find this exact gun for info, not even on Beeman’s own website.
Made in China.
Comments: The Beeman Black Panther Dual Caliber Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is designed to be a more affordable Break Barrel Spring Piston Pellet Rifle with metal where it counts and a synthetic stock for durability and resiliency to weather conditions. You do have the option of shooting either .177 caliber pellets for a faster flatter trajectory or if you use the .22 caliber barrel, you benefit from perhaps a bit more downrange energy and less effect from windy conditions. You can also choose between shooting with the open fully adjustable metal sights or install the 4x32 scope for longer range shooting. You for sure get a versatile Spring Piston Air Rifle with the Beeman Black Panther Dual Caliber Break Barrel Pellet Rifle at the end of the day.
In this Replica Airguns Unboxing Video I take a look at 6 Airguns consisting of 2 Paintball Pistols, 3 Airsoft Rifles and one Pellet Rifle. This is not a full review in any way but is rather a preview of what i will be doing full Reviews for over the next several weeks.
This is not exclusive to Airguns since trends of Airguns are highly influenced by what type of Real Steel Pistols are popular to people. This is often based on what people see portrayed in movies and TV Series, and also promoted online. There is for sure an overlap in what is popular and it is hard to say what is influencing what? Is it the popularity of Pistols out in the real world that influences what we see being used in the movies and on TV? Or is it what we see in Movies and TV that influences our choices of pistols out in the real world? Perhaps it is a combination of both?
My list is based on my own personal experience and does not represent the entirety of types of Pistol designs available.
