Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Gletcher GOLD APS Stetchkin is nice in both double and single action modes. Double action is fairly light as the hammer spring tension is moderate. The blowback operation will of course pre-cock the hammer allowing for single action shooting on almost all of your shots but the trigger pull length remains the same in both single and double action. The only difference is that in single action mode, the first part of the trigger pull, or should I say the take-up portion is much lighter until it gets to the hammer release point where you will notice more pressure and a short crisp release point.
Accuracy: I have already done a field test shooting review for the standard blowback Gletcher APS Stechkin which other than the finish is the same gun and will perform exactly the same. Make sure to checkout that shooting review for more info on how the Gletcher APS performed. In summary, I was able to get very close to the claimed 400 fps even on a rather cool early spring day (under 10 degree Celsius). I also shot with around a 2 inch 10 shot grouping from my standard target setup of 30 feet back in a semi rested position.
Build Quality: The Gletcher GOLD APS Stechkin CO2 Blowback BB Pistol is well made, the Gold and black etched finish looks really nice but may not be to everyones personal taste, kind of a love it or hate situation when it comes ot Gold guns ;) The fit is good, not a lot of slide wiggle and pretty much the entire pistol is metal including the frame, slide, trigger, slide catch-release, safety, hammer, magazine and inner barrel. The only plastic parts would be the grips, outer barrel and some internal seals and o-rings.
Realism:The GOLD CO2 BB Gletcher APS is a 1 to 1 replica of the Stechkin Soviet Military sidearm, all the mechanical parts function just like you would find on the real steel version other than the full auto mode located on the safety, which has been disabled, perhaps for the European markets where full auto airguns are not allowed. The barrel opening and the stick magazine are the real only tell-tale signs that this is the airgun version rather than a real Stechkin.
Pros:
Come in a nice Velvet lined Wooden Box.
Gold Plated with etching )either love it or hate it)
Very solid and weighty gun. Mostly all metal.
High capacity 22 round all metal stick magazine
Blowback operation is pretty heavy, slide locks back on last round.
Operational parts all work like they should (slide catch, safety, hammer, elevation adjustment, mag release)
Field Strippable.
May be able to attach a stock on it?
Shooting performance, good trigger pull, around 400 fps and got about a 2 inch grouping from 30 feet away.
Cons:
No reassessed barrel opening.
Would have liked to have seen full size drop out metal magazine on this gun.
Full auto feature disabled on safety.
Gold version is a lot more expensive than the standard blowback version. ($349 versus $179)
Comments:
When I saw this pistol in the Gletcher catalog, I did not realize how large it actually was, I was expecting the Gold Gletcher APS Stechkin to be a bit larger than the Makarov but it really does dwarf the Makarov. Being that it is a large pistol it does have some weight to it but it does not feel heavy for its size. The grips are long front to back but not overly thick side to side so even medium sized hands should be OK shooting this BB air pistol. I am really happy to see another historic airgun added to the available Replica Airguns at our disposal and it's a bonus that we also get this one with blowback operation. You do have your choice when it comes to what you are looking for in terms of finish and operation, there is of course the APS GOLD blowback BB Version being reviewed in this video, the standard black/grey none blowback APS BB version, the black/grey blowback APS BB version which again is mechanically exactly the same as the GOLD. If your prefer Airsfot you can even find a Gletcher APS Blowback Airsoft model to fit your needs. All you have to decide is which one is for you!
My Vimeo Table Top Video of the Gletcher APS Stechkin CO2 Blowback BB Pistol:
We have a select few popular KWC Full blowback BB and Airsoft pistols reduced to clear in our Canada Replica Airguns Store, these won't last long so act fast!
I try and make it to my local gun show which is held in Chilliwack BC about this time each year. It is put on by the Historical Arms Collectors Society of BC and there are generally a lot of used long guns (rifles) some pistols, lots of accessories, knives, hunting gear, knick·knacks and even some antique items. I tend to be looking for airguns or blank guns that are rare or a good deal.
This year I came across a few items that caught my eye. The first item was a Daisy replica 4.5mm BB pistol, I am not a big fan of Daisy replica gun in general as they are usually a far cry from the originals but this Daisy Powerline Model 400 was actually a really good copy of a Desert Eagle in size and looks. Sure it had a lot of plastic in it but it was made in Japan and even being around 20 years olds was holding up really well. This Daisy Powerline 400 even had Blowback which back then was not all that common.
The Daisy Powerline 400 BB Desert Eagle has a 20 round removable magazine that fits along the top of the barrel and it has a claimed fps. It is almost all high grade plastic with the exception of the single action only trigger, safety, hammer, barrel and several internal parts.
The next interesting item I found was a little compact 8mm blank shooter originally made in West Germany. So this blank gun is close to 30 years old. The SM Model 110 8mm Blank Pistol kind of reminds me of my EKOL Tuna in terms of size and functionality since both have the same half slide and magazine release system.
The SM Mod 110 8mm Blank Pistol is front venting and pretty much all metal with reinforced steel areas, it has a 5 round single stack magazine and shoots in single action only.
My last purchase for this show was a new item, here in Canada we generally are not allowed much in the way of items specifically labeled for self defense. There are some work arounds for instance we can carry a knife as long as it is not concealed entirely and we only intend to use it as a tool. We can also carry pepper spray again only for use on animals. Generally speaking we have not been allowed stun guns or tasers here in Canada and even importing them can land you in a lot of trouble! Again it seems a work around has been made, as long as the Stun Gun or Taser is at least 480mm in length then it is not considered a concealable weapon and as long as you have it out on display and only intend to use it on animals that may be a threat to you then all is good :)
The Stun Gun I purchased is basically a baton with a flashlight on the front and a 1 million volt taser on the front of it. You have several options with this device if harm is eminent. You can try blinding the threat with the built in flashlight which is not all that powerful but good for finding your way in dark areas, you can give the attacker a whack with the baton baseball bat style and if none of that is working well let em have the 1 million volt sandwich! We should be getting some of these Stun Baton Flashlights in our Canada Replica Airguns Store at some point so stay posted for that item.
Some more of my Personal airgun pistols for sale! I am showcasing here on the Replica Airguns website and over on the Replica Airguns YouTube channel a series of videos I am making for the purpose of selling some guns out of my personal collection. I simply have to make room for the new guns I will be testing and reviewing for everyone, my collection has gotten a little bit out of hand and needs to be thinned down a bit :)
In this 6th Mike's Personal Guns For Sale video, I am offering three of my Airsoft pistols, the super popular Dan Wesson 6 Inch Silver in pretty much brand new condition complete with the box, manual, speed loader and shells. I also have tow rather hard to get Airsoft guns that are in somewhat limited working condition and need a little TLC. But the simple fact that they are not easily obtained here in Canada does bring up their value a little bit.
Make sure to watch my above YouTube video to see these Airsoft Pistols I am selling and instructions on how you can take part in the sale and purchase of them. By the way I am only selling to Canadian residents since shipping cross borders is a little sketchy.
Here is a list of the Airsoft Pistols I am selling from my personal gun collection:
Yes, I have more of my personal guns for sale, now we are getting into the pistols! I am showcasing here on the Replica Airguns website and over on the Replica Airguns YouTube channel a series of videos I am making for the purpose of selling some guns out of my personal collection. I simply have to make room for the new guns I will be testing and reviewing for everyone, my collection has gotten a little bit out of hand and needs to be thinned down a bit :)
In this 5th Mike's Personal Guns For Sale video, I am offering some of my pellet pistols in a variety of models ranging from some classic Crosman SAA .22 caliber revolvers to more modern CO2 blowback pistols like the Umarex Beretta PX4 Storm
Make sure to watch my above YouTube video to see these Pellet Pistols I am selling and instructions on how you can take part in the sale and purchase of them. By the way I am only selling to Canadian residents since shipping cross borders is a little sketchy.
Here is a list of the Pellet Pistols I am selling from my personal gun collection:
Type: BB air pistol. Manufacturer: Umarex - KWC. Model: Colt Combat Vet Limited Edition 1911. Materials: Pretty much all metal build. Weight: 2 pounds. Barrel: 4.38 inchesBrass, non-rifled. Propulsion: CO2 x1. Action: Semi auto blowback, single action only. Ammunition Type: 4.5mm Steel BB's. Ammunition Capacity: 18-19 rounds. FPS: 320.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Umarex Colt Combat Vet Limited Edition 1911 is like all the other KWC made CO2 full blowback 1911's, it's exactly what you would expect from a real 1911 single action only pistol which helps to make this replica 1911 a great trainer. So in other words the trigger pull is super short, super light with very little take-up and a nice crisp break.
Accuracy: I have not shot this "version" of the Umarex - KWC 4.5mm BB 1911 but it will undoubtedly perform exactly like all the others. I can expect decent under 2 inch groupings from 30 feet out and will get a little over 300 fps on a full CO2 cartridges. Depending on how fast I shoot off my magazines, I should expect to get around 3 good mags and if I slow things down a bit I should get a forth magazine so anywhere from 50-70 good or so shots per CO2 out of the Umarex Colt Combat Vet Limited Edition 1911.
Build Quality: Very good, with almost all metal construction, good weight and craftsmanship, the KWC 1911 line of pistols have proven themselves over time and even though some of the original first run units had some CO2 valve issues, this seems to have been fixed over the years. You will find most of these KWC pistols in general have a rather thin coating for a finish and so they tend to wear a bit on the high spots but with this weathered Umarex Colt Combat Vet Limited Edition 1911 that really isn't a concern!
Realism: This is as close as you can come to the look, weight, feel, and action of the real 1911 in virtually almost every way including the ability to field strip this pistol! All the mechanical parts work just like they do on a real steel 1911 including the grip safety. I'm not sure what more you could ask for? The Umarex Colt Combat Vet Limited Edition 1911 even has that real gun wear and tear look to it which in my opinion even adds to the realism.
Extremely realistic airgun replica of an original Colt 1911 A1 styled 45 auto.
All metal construction - Good weight and solid feeling gun.
Would make an excellent training gun as it functions just like the real steel 1911 45 handgun.
Blowback action is very firm adding to the realism of shooting this weapon.
Field strips just like the real 1911 45 auto.
True 1911 Single action only trigger, excellent pull, very smooth and light.
Working grip safety.
Colt Licensed by Umarex
Weathering gives this pistol a very authentic look to it.
Warning instructions are nicely out of the way.
Cons:
It goes through CO2 very fast as do all the KWC full blowback pistols.
Sights are non-adjustable.
Umarex decided to label the safety, perhaps for legal reasons but it detracts from the finish.
Comments:
You would think by now I would be getting tired of reviewing yet another variation of the KWC made 1911? Nope! The Umarex Colt Combat Vet Limited Edition 1911 with it's Umarex Colt licensed and Weathered appearance adds just enough to respark my interest in these awesome CO2 Blowback 1911 replicas and every time I pick one up I get a little excited and want to go out and shoot some rounds through one :) If for some reason you have not picked up one of these 1911's to date then make sure to grab the Umarex Colt Combat Vet Limited Edition 1911 before they are all gone!
My Vimeo Videos for the Umarex Colt Combat Vet Limited Edition 1911 BB Pistol:
Trigger Pull: The ASG Dan Wesson 357 Revolver has a smoother trigger than the previous non 715 Dan Wesson Revolvers. There seems to be less of that friction while the cylinder rotates past the spring engaged inner barrel. Even the Hammer has a nicer fell to it with less side to side wiggle. Single action is really nice with a very short take up and light release point.
Accuracy: I have not had a chance to test out the ASG Dan Wesson 715 6 Inch Silver CO2 BB Revolver so far since the outside whether has been rather cold and wet. In terms of accuracy I would expect at least a 1-2 inch grouping from 30 feet out and the clamed fps of 430 seems to be in line with what we should see from the 4.5mm BB shooting Dan Wesson 715. I guess we will have to find out later on when I do my Field Test Shooting video to be sure...
Build Quality: I thought the previous generation Dan Wesson Revolvers where built really nice but the new Dan Wesson 715 takes this up several notches higher. All you need to do is pick this gun up and immediately you are in a state of wow! You almost need to ask yourself if it is in fact the Real Steal Dan Wesson 715 357 Magnum Revolver it feels that good. ASG has beefed up the barrel assembly to a solid component that adds a lot of forward weight which would be just like what you would expect from the 357 Magnum shooting version. To balance it all off the forward weight, the grips section is also reinforced with metal underneath the Hogue Styled rubber finger grips which again are another huge improvement over the plastic pistol grips found on previous models of the ASG Dan Wesson's. The stainless finish is of course awesome and this guns simply looks and feels great!
Realism: Again referencing the new ASG Dan Wesson 715 6 Inch Silver CO2 BB Revolver to it's predecessors, the Dan Wesson 715 is a true replica of the Dan Wesson 715 357 Magnum Revolver in almost every aspect and not just the Dan Wesson name. I could tell you everything that was the same but it's simply much easier to point out the only real difference I was able to point out and that would be the two pins that connect the barrel assembly to the frame of the BB version of the Dan Wesson 715. Not a deal breaker by any means and the pins really don't take away from this gun in my opinion.
Another great shell loading revolver, perhaps one of the nicest modern BB revolvers to date!
Almost all metal design, super heavy, feels like a real gun in the hand.
Lots of detail in this gun, very well made, fit and finish is excellent.
Dan Wesson Licensed and an excellent replica overall.
Adjustable rear sight for windage and elevation.
Rubber Hogue style finger grips, huge improvement over previous Dan Wesson grips.
Well hidden CO2 screw and Allen key built into the removable grip.
Much improved hammer and trigger action, smoother trigger and less wiggle in hammer.
Barrel opening is very realistic, even has simulated rifling.
Safety design is well hidden and easy to use.
Cons:
Two pins to attach the barrel assembly to the frame are not in line with the real steel version.
Trigger still has a bit of that initial friction in double action mode because of the spring loaded internal barrel.
Comments:
I was already a big fan of the Dan Wesson line of Revolvers, this new 715 version of the Dan Wesson takes it to a whole new level! In terms of the modern shell loading CO2 Revolvers out there the ASG Dan Wesson 715 6 Inch Silver CO2 BB Revolver is by far my new favorite. ASG completely redesign their new ASG Dan Wesson 715 6 Inch Silver CO2 BB Revolver basing it entirely on the real steel version and capturing the quality, look and feel nearly exactly. if you already have a Dan Wesson Revolver and think that perhaps you can pass the new version by, well I would think again or you may be missing out on one of the best BB Revolvers out there at this time.
My Vimeo Video Table Top Review for the Dan Wesson 715 CO2 BB Revolver:
For those of you not familiar yet, I am showcasing here on the Replica Airguns website and over on the Replica Airguns YouTube channel a series of videos I am making for the purpose of selling some guns out of my personal collection. I simply have to make room for the new guns I will be testing and reviewing for everyone, my collection has gotten a little bit out of hand and needs to be thinned down a bit :)
In this forth Mike's Personal Guns For Sale video, I am offering two AR style Airsoft rifles, both are AEG with the classic AR 15 look including carry handles and adjustable tactical stocks and metal receivers. I have one for sale from King Arms in a higher fps version and a model from BOLT with BRSS Recoil and blowback operation.
Make sure to watch my above YouTube video to see these Airsoft rifles I am selling and instructions on how you can take part in the sale and purchase of them. By the way I am only selling to Canadian residents since shipping cross borders is a little sketchy.
Here is a list of the Airsoft Rifles I am selling from my personal gun collection:
