Type: Pellet Pistol Manufacturer:Diana. Model:Bandit Materials: Wood and Metal, some plastic. Weight: 2.2 pounds (1000 grams). Total Length: 20.1 inches (51 cm) Barrel: 9.5 inches (24 cm), metal rifled. Propulsion: PCP. Action: Bolt. Ammunition Type: .177 & .22 Caliber pellets. Ammunition Capacity: Single shot to 9 & 7 round magazines.. FPS: 725 (.177) - 630 (.22). Need to test for Canada import version
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on Diana Bandit PCP .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol is single action only meaning in order to cock the internal hammer/striker, you need to cycle the bolt back and forth allowing for a short and light trigger action. It does come with a rotary multi-round magazine that allows for the cycling of the bolt to automatically advance a pellet allowing for much quicker followup shots.
Accuracy: At this point I have not personally tested the Diana Bandit PCP .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol in terms of actual power and accuracy but I expect the Diana Bandit PCP .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol to perform well since in fact this is a target pistol with fairly high claimed fps. In the next few weeks I plan on making my Field Test Shooting Video so stay posted for the results from that video for confirmation of the performance.
Build Quality: The Diana Bandit PCP .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol is made in China which might make you wonder about the overall quality of this target pistol but after taking a good look around and working all the mechanical parts I ma very impressed with the overall quality and chosen material that went into the production of the Diana Bandit PCP .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol. You will finds metal where you need it as in the barrel, bolt and trigger. The pistol grip are made of wood but you will find some portions of the sights are plastic but it would have been nice if they where all metal.
Realism: Realism isn’t really a concern with the Diana Bandit PCP .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol since it is not a Replica Airguns but in terms of looking like a gun it serves that purpose, no mistaken that so no waving it around in public or things may not turn out so good for you…
Pros:
Inexpensive fairly high quality full featured target pistol for the price.
Expect good accuracy!
Metal construction where it needs to be (Bolt, barrel, trigger).
Rifled barrel.
Fully adjustable sights.
Adjustable and light single action trigger.
Dove tail on bolt for adding optical sight.
Nice wood pistol grip.
Good for small pest control because of fairly high fps and expected good accuracy for shot placement ability.
Overall the gun feels really high quality for the price.
Even comes with a nice soft shell case.
Available in both .22 and .177 caliber pellet versions.
Cons:
Grips may be a bit too wide for smaller handed shooters.
Allen key does not fight the trigger adjustment.
Made in China.
Will need a pump or way to pressurize.
Comments:
For the price I don’t think you will find anything out there in terms of a PCP target pellet pistols with as many features as the Diana Bandit PCP .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol. At least in the lower cost price point Diana is offering it at. For that reason it is not going to be the absolute best all around PCP pellet firing target pistol you can get but I am sure bang for your buck you will be happy with this one. Everything about the Diana Bandit PCP .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol feels good quality, I would expect to pay at least double the price for something similar for sure. I have a feeling keeping the Diana Bandit PCP .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol in stock is going to be a challenge for us so if you see it in stock don’t take too long making up your mind or you may be in for a bit of a wait.
My Vimeo Table Top Review for the Diana Bandit PCP .177 Caliber Bolt Action Pellet Pistol:
Type: Archery. Manufacturer: Umarex. Model:AirJavelin & AirSaber. Materials: Metal & polymer construction. Weight: 3.9 pounds / 6.3 pounds no scope. Foot Pounds Energy: 34 ft/lbs / 124 ft/lbs. Total Length: 34 inches / 41 inches. Propulsion: 88 gram CO2 x1 / PCP 3625 PSI, 250 cc. Action: Bolt single action. Ammunition Type: Carbon fiber 190 grain / 350 grain arrows (Field tip can be swapped over to broad-head) Ammunition Capacity: 1 Arrow. Max FPS: 300 / 450.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on both the Umarex AirJavelin and the Umarex AirSaber are both single action that require the bolts to be pulled back in order to shoot them. The Umarex AirJavelin trigger is not as short, light or crisp as the Umarex AirSaber, the Umarex AirSaber for sure feels higher quality as expected.
Accuracy: This is going to be very interesting as I have never shot anything like this before but from what I was told at SHOT Show this year I can expect very accuracy results from both the Umarex AirJavelin and the Umarex AirSaber Archery CO2 and PCP Arrow Rifles. I’m not sure if I will test the Umarex AirSaber unless I can make a safe shooting range for it, luckily I live out on average so as long as I can setup a good backstop I should be able to test them both.
Build Quality: The build quality of the Umarex AirJavelin and the Umarex AirSaber Archery CO2 and PCP Arrow Rifles is very good overall, the Umarex AirJavelin is mostly plastic and is not very heavy but the fit and finish is good all round. The Umarex AirSaber on the other hand has a lot of metal used in the construction, the only real plastic found on the Umarex AirSaber would be in the stock. The Umarex AirSaber is for sure a step up in quality over the Umarex AirJavelin but will cost you almost double in the end.
Realism: This is going to be pretty short section since both the Umarex AirJavelin and the Umarex AirSaber Archery CO2 and PCP Arrow Rifles are not replicas of any actual gun in production. Their primary use is going to be for hunting and or pest control I would say.
Pros:
Only Canada non PAL Airguns with enough power to hunt medium and larger game.
Overall price point is good, nothing like this to compare to.
Arrows are propelled from the front, no archers paradox when aiming.
Arrows come with field tip arrows but can be unscrewed and replaced with broad tip arrows for hunting.
Easy to use cross bolt safeties.
Pistol grips allow for easy hold and control.
Fit and finish is very good and excellent on the AirSaber.
AirJavelin: 88 Gram CO2 for quick easy use.
AirSaber: PCP for more power and larger game options.
AirJavelin: White dot up front with fully adjustable peep sight on back.
AirJavelin: M-Lock on sides for adding accessories.
AirSaber: Picatinny rails on top for scope, sides and bottom for accessories.
AirJavelin: Adjustable AR-style rear stock.
AirJavelin: Rubber buttplate for added comfort.
Cons:
No scope or sights with base model AirSaber so you will need to get one for it.
Not a lot of shots per 88 gram CO2, will need a pump for the PCP AirSaber.
Arrows are not cheap so make sure of your shots.
Comments: The Umarex AirJavelin and Umarex AirSaber Archery CO2 and PCP Arrow Rifles are very interesting in that they are really the only Canada legal “firearms” that can actually put down small, medium and even large game without requiring a firearms license (PAL). This is because they do not exceed 500 fps, they do exceed the foot pound energy limit of 4.2 foot pounds but since both of these rifles do not exceed the 500 fps limit they do not exceed both requirements to place them in the regulated firearms category that requires a firearms license. This is great news for anyone in Canada without a PAL license that wants to be able to hunt various game or take care of pests humanly. Umarex has also been kind enough to bring us two variations on this design. The Umarex AirJavelin more economical and easier to use CO2 powered version designed for small to medium sized game and the Umarex AirSaber higher quality PCP powered big brother version designed to be used even for larger game. Both are great, all you need to do is pick which one is right for you!
My Table Top Review for the Umarex AirJavelin and AirSaber Archery CO2 and PCP Arrow Rifles:
I want to thank Drew from Tippmann Armory/Air Ordnance for sending me this unit for review. I have been wanting to get my hands one of these Air-Ordnance SMG 22 .22 Caliber Full Auto Pellet Machine Guns for several years now and super glad I happened finally :) I really don’t think there is any airgun out there like it. I am really hoping that we will be able to have this one in both our Canada and US Online Replica Airguns Stores.
So what exactly is the Air-Ordnance SMG 22 .22 Caliber Full Auto Pellet Machine Gun? It’s a PCP powered semi/full auto .22 caliber pellet firing Airgun and it is available in a Canada legal version that shoots just under 500 fps allowing it to be classified here in Canada as an unregulated Firearm. Unregulated Firearms do not require a license or registration and do not have to abide by the same rules that regulated firearms have to such as full auto limitations, magazine capacities and size limitations. So in other words if you want a full auto .22 caliber Machine gun here in Canada this is going to be your only option at least for now.
Some other cool features about the Air-Ordnance SMG 22 .22 Caliber Full Auto Pellet Machine Gun is the trigger setup, pull it light and quick and you get a single shot, pull and hold using medium force and you get full auto but not at a super high rate of fire. Press and hold the trigger down hard and you get full auto with a much faster rate of fire so you control the rate of fire by how hard you press the trigger down. Air-Ordnance SMG 22 .22 Caliber Full Auto Pellet Machine Gun also has an adjustment to set the maximum rate of full auto fire.
The Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle is one that you are really going to want to take outside and set targets up around 50-60 feet await make it a little more challenging adn I do plan on getting outside with the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle in a bit once the weather gets a bit nicer and have some fun shooting at longer ranges. For now I wanted to at least get out my Indoor Field Test Shooting Video where I can Chronograph the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle and also see what it can do shooting at 30 feet out.
Sig claims the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle to shoot .22 caliber lead pellets at up to 700 fps with a power output of 12 foot pounds. Using 14.5 grain lead pellets I placed 6 rounds though my Chronograph and averaged 585 fps with the fastest shoot hitting 611 fps. Keep in mind there are much lighter lead pellets out there and when it comes to alloy pellets they drop in weight even more so hitting 700 fps with a light grain lead or alloy pellet is very realistic. What about Sigs claimed 12 foot pounds of energy? I did the math and using a 14.5 grain pellet with a maximum velocity of 611 fps, these numbers produce just a hair over 12 foot pounds! Mission accomplished :)
What about accuracy, I have seen a few claims online that the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle is not the most accurate Pellet rifle out there and you know what I don’t think that was the absolute intension when Sig thought this one up. After all it is a semi auto high capacity Airgun replica, not a target rifle. I still like to find things out for myself so of course I performed my accuracy test for the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle shooting 10 rounds into a fresh paper target from 30 feet back using a seated and rested shooting position. For this test I was using a red dot scope with a 3x magnifier on it. My first 10 rounds did OK producing just over a 1 inch grouping, not super great but most of the rods (8 of them) all struck the target within about 3/4 of an inch.
At this point decided to empty the rest of the magazine so about 15 rounds on the same target to see if the grouping stayed the same or maybe even speed out a bit. I was a bit surprised to find that my second 15 shot grouping all stayed within the higher 10 shot group again producing about a 3/4 inch grouping with just those two first test outliers? Maybe it was me, maybe it was the pellets, maybe it was the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle? The good news is you have 30 rounds to hit your target so even if a couple of them stray a bit you still got 28 left to get the job done.
The Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle is one of the coolest Air Rifles I have tested and now own, not only is it a great Replica Airgun but it also performs well and can be used for plinking or small pest control. All at even a fraction of the cost of shooting 22LR rounds and that’s not even that expensive compared to 9mm and larger ammo. Let’s hope Sig Sauer makes a detuned Canada version so we can offer it up in our Canada Replica Airguns Store and if you live in the US then checkout the US Store for Sig Sauer buying options.
Type: Pellet Rifle. Manufacturer: Sig Sauer ASP Model: Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP Materials: Metal and Nylon Fiber build. Weight: 7.5 Pounds (3.4 kg). Barrel: 17.5 inch steel rifled. Propulsion: PCP comes with an 3000 PSI 1100 PSI regulated (206 BAR) tank 213 cc. Action: Semi auto with internal blowback. Single stage trigger single action trigger. Ammunition Type: .22 caliber pellets. Ammunition Capacity: 30 rounds belt fed. FPS: Claimed up to 700 fps with 12 foot pounds of energy.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle is actually pretty light and smooth when you consider the first part of the trigger pull is used to advance the belt fed 30 round magazine. I was expecting more added friction from the belt but this does not seem to be the case. There is some internal blowback action going on but it is only used to cock the internal bolt/striker which does lesson the overall amount of trigger pull required. The trigger pull is fairly short considering all that is going on and it's not overly heavy so quick and predictable action shooting is more than possible with the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle.
Accuracy: So far I have not done my official Field Test Shooting Video for the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle but I did have the chance to put some rounds down range inside my 40 foot Sea Can and I have to say it shoots really hard, even rocking my metal 22LR Metal Target Trap that I was knocking the cardboard and targets right off of . Sig Sauer claims up to 700 feet per second I have no reason not to believe this. In terms of accuracy, I’m not sure just yet what to think since all I did was shoot standing up unrested just to get some basic sighting adjustments in with my optic sights. We will see how the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle performs when I make my actual Filed Test Shooting Video for it!
Build Quality: The build quality for Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle is very good, you can tell Sig Sauer had a lot of hands on in the design and production of this Pellet Shooting Air Rifle! The materials used and fit and finish are top notch and the mechanical function again is really good. I am kind of amazed at how well Sigs belt fed magazine design works in terms of feeding and operation. So far I have not experienced any pellet feeding problems or malfunction of any kind.
Realism: The Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle is a 1 to 1 replica of the real steel Sig Sauer Virtus Patrol model and looks absolutely the part other than the noticeable PCP tank where a standard stock would normally be. What are you going to do since you really can’t hide even a small PCP tank inside a But Stock? This is just something you will have to overlook in order to get the consistency and power from PCP over CO2 based Airguns. Everything else about the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle is pretty much bang on in terms of realism including a fully working ambidextrous selector, magazine release and drop out magazine, charging handle and pop up sights.
Pros:
My new best semi auto pellet rifle replica I have seen and shot to date.
Excellent replica of the real steel Sig Sauer MCX Virtus (Patrol) with the exception of the PCP tank.
Awesome build quality, lots of metal parts and the nylon parts are true to form and very solid.
700 fps and 12 foot pound of energy makes it powerful enough for small pest control.
30 round full size belt fed magazine has super high capacity and works flawlessly.
Full PCP Tank will deliver up to 150 shots.
Trigger feels good, not too long or to heavy and very consistent feel on every shot.
Pop up front and rear sights adjustable for windage and elevation.
Lots of possible rail options with add on M-Lok hardware
Cons:
Will require a PAL Firearms License in Canada but is considered a Iong gun so not restricted or requiring registration.
Internal blowback action does not advance the belt fed magazine but does cock the internal bolt/striker making trigger pull lighter.
Pumping up the 213 cc 3000 PSI tank is a workout for sure but does get you 150 consistent shots..
The PCP tank is a giveaway when it comes to realism but with the tradeoff of more shot power and consistency.
Comments:
Prior to the release of the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle the Sig Sauer MPX .177 Caliber CO2 Powered Pellet Rifle was my favorite pellet based replica rifle since there really was nothing like it out there with a drop out belt fed high capacity magazine. Now with the release of the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle I have a new favorite Action Shooting Replica Pellet Rifle and with its additional velocity and power it can even double as a small pest control Airgun. For this reason I’ve set my Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle up with a traditional red dot for close range vermin termination but I’ve also added a 3x magnifier for when those pesky critters think they can outsmart me by keeping their distance. Not so! It’s too bad our Canada gun laws make it so difficult to have an Airgun like the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle if you are not a PAL owner, let’s hope Sig Sauer makes a slightly detuned version for the rest of the Canadian Market at some point.
My Table Top Review of the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP .22 Caliber Pellet Rifle:
I have two new products from Sig Sauer Airgun devision to share with everyone here on the channel. They are both really different but I really like them both. Before I get into it I want to thank Sig Sauer for sending me both of these Airguns.
First up is the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus .22 Caliber PCP Air Rifle I showed y at SHOT Show this year. Well now it’s shipping and I have one :) At this time the only version of the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus .22 Caliber PCP Air Rifle is the 700 fps 12 not popguns version. This version is legal in Canada but you will need an unrestricted Firearms License since it falls under the definition of a non-centered fired long gun in the Canadian Firearms Act. Perhaps Sig Sauer will come out with a detuned version under 500 fps?
The Sig Sauer MCX Virtus .22 Caliber PCP Air Rifle uses a 13CI-3000PSI tank situated at the rear of the gun as part of the butt stock. You will need some sort of a pump or scuba pressurization system to refill the PCP tank which will get you up to 150 to 200 shots per fill up. The belt fed magazine holds 30 rounds which you can fire as fast as you can pull the semi auto trigger. By the way the trigger pull indexes the belt magazine while the PCP air pressure works the bolt allowing for a fairly smooth trigger pull. You will need to charge the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus .22 Caliber PCP Air Rifle before you start shooting.
The Sig Sauer MCX Virtus .22 Caliber PCP Air Rifle weighs in at 7.5 pounds, has a 17.5 inch barrel and a total length of 37.5 inches.
In this SHOT Show Las Vegas 2020 Interview Video Scott takes us through a range of new products from Air Venturi.
Scott and I talk about the Air Venturi TR5 and how it came about to fill the hole the Baikal MP-61 left behind. We also talk a look at some new Air Rifles, a pumper called the Butterfly with a super cool linkage based system that makes pumping a lot easier. A PCP side lever cocking Air Rifle that I’m not even sure has a name yet but will be available in .177 .22 and .25 caliber pellet for around $299 US.
The only Air Venturi replica we looked at is a new Springfield Armory under lever Spring Piston Air rifle modeled after the M1A. Last up Scott went showed us how the Bada Bang targeting system is shaping up and looks to be almost ready for production.
This year at SHOT Show 2020 Mark from Umarex had a nice variety of new product to go over with us. Mark first went over the new CO2 Blowback Pellet firing Glock 17 which has a similar magazine and loading system as the Umarex SA10 Pellet Pistol.
We then took a look at another Glock replica, the Glock 18C Full Auto GBB Airsoft pistol with extended magazine, this one is sure to be a lot of fun with its selectable full auto feature and high capacity magazine. Perfect for hammering targets downrange or used as a very capable backup Airsoft pistol in the field.
Probably one of my favorites at the Umarex Booth this year was the Umarex Thompson M1A1 Legends Series CO2 Blowback Machine Gun. And yes it’s full auto capable along with blowback operation and a full size drop metal magazine that holds the CO2 and Steel BB’s. A nice addition to the Legends series of Pistols and Rifles.
Something really different this year for Umarex are the AirJavelin and AirSaber, two arrow firing rifles, the AirJavelin is CO2 powered and more tactical looking but still has more than enough power to shoot medium sized game, great for pest control while the bigger and (480 fps 178 foot pound) more powerful AirSaber is PCP powered and can be used for larger game like deer and wild bore. And it even looks like we will be selling these Arrow firing rifles in our Canada Replica Airguns Store with no PAL firearms license required!
This year Sig Sauer was showcasing their Airsoft Pistols with a new line called the Proforce series geared towards high end training. Sig has also included new Reflex Red Dot Sights that can be ordered already on the gun or as an add on accessory. The Proforce Pistol line includes both the M17 and M18 series Sig Sauer pistols.
Last year at SHOT Show 2019 Sig had introduced their Virtus .22 Caliber PCP Semi Auto Rifle but it was not ready at that time. Well now the Sig Sauer Virtus is ready to ship and yours truly will be getting one of these bad boys for review! Since the .22 caliber PCP Sig Sauer Virtus shoots around 700 fps with a 12 foot pound energy level you will need a PAL firearms license if you live in Canada but the Sig Sauer Virtus is a considered a “long gun” so no registration will be required in Canada.
Watch my Sig Sauer SHOT Show 2020 Las Vegas Interview for more info and cool stuff presented by Stephanie from Sig Sauer.
Here we go again, another round of SHOT Show videos brought to you direct from Replica Airguns!
As always I like to start off with a Teaser Video with a few quick clips of some of the new products I had the opportunity to take a look at at this years SHOT Show 2020 Las Vegas.
I will be rolling out Interview Videos as quickly as I can edit them and put them together for the following Airgun Related companies:
Sig Sauer
Umarex
Crosman - Velocity Outdoors
ASG
Air Venturi
Chiappa
So sit back and enjoy this years Replica Airguns SHOT Show 2020 Las Vegas Teaser Video!
We had a lot of great new Airguns that I reviewed this year at Replica Airguns. Some of them really stood out to me and so I made a video showing my Favorite Replica Airgun Picks of 2019. Of course there where many other Airguns that could has just as easily made this video but I had to draw the line somewhere and pick the ones that in my opinion where the best of 2019. Make sure to watch my Vimeo video where I go into some more details on why I liked each Airgun.
Below is a list of the top Replica Airgun Picks of 2019:
In a way I have already Field Tested the Air Venturi TR5 .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle, well at least in the Baikal version. The Air Venturi version is pretty much a knock of of the Baikal IZH MP-61 which not only look a lot alike but also performed very similarly for me, checkout my Baikal YouTube Video Review for comparison. All that said we can not get Baikal products here in North America anymore so it’s great that Air Venturi has recreated a very similar product for us to have in Canada and the US.
Moving on to the Field Test Review for the Air Venturi TR5 .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle, I first placed 5 shots through my Chronograph to see if the Air Venturi TR5 .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle did in fact shoot around 500 fps and in fact I was able to get all 5 shots up and over 500 fps averaging around 513 fps. Still within our Non-regulated firearm laws here in Canada since we where still under the 4.2 foot pound energy limit using 6.9 grain pellets.
As mentioned before when I shot the Baikal IZH MP-61 I was able to get very similar results but I did have an optical scope on the Baikal IZH MP-61 as compared to the Air Venturi TR5 .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle where I just used the open sights. In my opinion the Air Venturi TR5 .177 Caliber Pellet Rifle is good value for your money offering a unique design with excellent performance and getting as much power out of a pellet rifle as you can get here in Canada without requiring a firearms license.
Pick one up in our Canada or US Online Replica Airguns stores!
Here we go, the first SHOT Show Interview for 2019 and why not kick things off with Sig Sauer. After all Sig Sauer has been super dedicated to bringing new Airgun designs to the airgun community year after year and this year at SHOT Show was no exception!
My favorite item from Sig Sauer this year at SHOT Show was the Sig Sauer P365 ASP, as the name suggests it is based on their 9mm firing real steel Sig Sauer P365 and somehow similar to how they fit 10 rounds of 9mm ammo into such a compact magazine and gun, the BB version also manages to jam a 12 gram CO2 cartridge into a very tiny drop out metal magazine! Really looking forward to getting my hands on this one!
Sig Sauer launched several Airsoft guns, an AEG Airsoft Rifle called the MCX Virtus and two GBB Airsoft Pistols, the M17 and P226. All of them fully licensed and also should be Canada import ready.
Last up but something that we have all been waiting for in an ASP Pellet firing rifle, the Virtus 22 Caliber PCP Rifle. Well the name says it all. It’s basically an MCX Pellet Rifle but now in 22 caliber and with a PCP tank built into the rear stock. In Canada you will need a PAL to buy one but import into Canada should not be a problem for license holders since the 22 Virtus PCP will quality as a long gun.
I’m back from SHOT Show Las Vegas 2019 and as always I had an awesome time. I love January since I get to go to SHOT Show each year. What an awesome job!
This year was another great show with lots of new products from the Airgun companies. I managed to get seven interviews in this year so I have my work cut out for me editing and uploading all of these informative YouTube Videos.
For now here is a SHOT Show Las Vegas 2019 Teaser Video along with some photos…
I made a similar video about how to hold your airgun a while back but sometimes they get a bit buried in all the video I make. I feel it's really important how you grip your gun even if it's only an airgun with very little kick or recoil. Proper pistol grip is something you should use no matter what so that you can carry it forward to what ever gun you are shooting.
More kick or recoil means a firmer grip is required to hold the gun so when shooting a powder burner with lots of kick grip becomes even more important.
In this video I go over the proper two handed grip to use when holding a pistol, which hand to hold lose and which had to grip tight, how to overlap your fingers and thumbs.
This year at SHOT Show 2018 I had the please of again interviewing Dani Navickas from Sig Sauer. Dani Showed me several new pistols and a new break barrel rifle Sig Sauer is offering this year. The Sig ASP20 Break Barrel rifle will come in both .177 and .22 caliber pellet shooting versions. The ASP20 has a lighter than most cocking effort of only 33 pounds using their proprietary GlideLite system, along with an adjustable ASP MatchLite trigger.
Another Target pellet airgun from Sig Sauer this year is the .177 caliber pellet shooting Super Target, styled after the Sig Sauer P210 firearm. The Sig Super Target is a single pump pneumatic single shot pistol designed for 10 meeter shooting with adjustable sights and a crips short light trigger.
Sig like several other companies has rebranded their own version of the KWC 1911 CO2 Blowback BB pistols. The Sig Sauer licensed BB 1911 is based on Sigs We the People line to celebrate the American people and their Constitution.
Another new Blowback Pellet firing Sig Sauer Air Pistol was also introduced at SHOT Show, the Sig Sauer X-Five. The X-Five uses their 20 round belt fed magazine and also has Sig's Cam Lever CO2 loading mechanism. You will also find a rear adjustable sight on the Sig Sauer X-Five Pellet Pistol.
Last but not least and perhaps one of the most interesting new products coming out later this year from Sig Sauer is the P320MHS APS which is another new rotary magazine Blowback Pellet Pistol. What's a bit different with the new Sig P320MHS is that it has a full size drop out magazine that holds the CO2 and belt fed pellet magazine. The P320MHS can also be fully field striped, has an open ejection port and is styled after Sig's real Steal M17 firearm.
Type: Break barrel pellet rifle. Manufacturer: Umarex USA. Model:Ruger Explorer. Materials: Metal and polymer parts. Weight: 4.45 pounds (2.5 kg). Barrel: 12 inches, metal rifled. Propulsion: Spring piston. Action: Single shot. Ammunition Type: .177 caliber pellets. Ammunition Capacity: 1. FPS: 495.
Trigger Pull: I found the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle to have a fairly light trigger, there is some initial take up with a smooth almost undetectable break or release point, I found that as I shot the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle the trigger seemed to be breaking in a bit which made it a bit hard to figure exactly when the trigger was going to release but I feel over time and once the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is broken in the trigger will become more predictable.
Accuracy: Since I have already made a shooting or field test video for the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle, I can comment on its performance n this review! With 6 grain lead pellets (on the lighter side), I was able to get a 5 shot Chronograph average velocity of 485 fps. Using heavier 7-8 grain pellets the velocity slowed down a bit to around 400 fps. In terms of accuracy the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle performed well getting about a 1 inch 10 shot grouping on my paper target setup 30 feet down range. I know the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle can do better than this once the trigger settles down a bit since some shots went off unexpectedly.
Build Quality: The Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is not an expensive air rifle and is more or less an entry level spring piston pellet shooter. That said it is built fairly well with a metal receiver, barrel and trigger setup. The modern looking stock is polymer and the steel barrel is coated in a synthetic soft plastic to help with long term durability. The real fiber optic sight is plastic so you will have to be careful with it as it does protrude a bit from the air rifle.
Realism: Since the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is not a replica realism is not really a factor here but it does look like a gun so treat it as if it was a real gun since most people will not know the difference. Always transport and store any airgun safely and discreetly.
Pros:
Really great looking air rifle with a modern look to it.
Finish is very durable with its polymer stock and plastic/rubber coated barrel.
Fully adjustable fiber optic sights are easy to sight in and use.
Receiver is notched for ring mounts so you can add an optical sight or red dot to it.
Trigger is fairly light, just need some break in time with it.
Cocking effort is fairly easy at 16.5 pounds.
Great size gun for all ages.
Power and accuracy were good for an entry level air rifle.
Cons:
I did find the trigger break/release point to be a bit unpredictable but I feel this is a break-in issue and will become more consistent over time.
You have to remember to push that safety in with ever shot.
Comments: The Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is marketed as a Youth air rifle but in reality it would be great fun for all ages. I am a fairly large person at 6 feet tall and I had no problem dealing with the slightly shorter configuration. The trigger guard is nice and open and allows for large fingers which is not always the case with airguns designed for smaller individuals. The overall quality you get with the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle for the lower entry level price tag is very good and in terms of performance I feel you for sure get your monies worth with the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle.
I don't do a lot of Springer (Spring Piston) Air Rifle shooting tests or even reviews for that matter. Mainly for a couple of reasons: Number 1, my content is mostly focused around Replica style Airguns and Number 2, it's kind of hard to test out the longer range airguns in my 30 foot airgun range. That said I felt the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle would be a really great airgun to review since it is both affordable and even though it is targeted for the youth market, it really does make a great shooter for all ages.
I have not done a Table Top Review for the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle but plan to shortly so stay posted for more detailed info on the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle down the road in that review.
So how'd we do during my Field Test Shooting Video for the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle? Not bad I would say! Using about 6 grain rather light weight .177 caliber lead pellets I was able to get really close to the 500 fps claimed fps mark coming in just under at a 5 shot testing average of 485 fps. I did put a couple heavier grain pellets through my Chrony Chronograph and got closer to the 400 fps mark, still not bad for this lighter sprung spring piston air rifle.
In terms of accuracy, shooting at my paper target setup 30 feet down range in my Sea Can Airgun Range, I shot about a 1 inch 10 shot grouping. I was finding the trigger break-in to be a bit unpredictable during this testing which led to some premature shots going off so I do feel once the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is broken in and me getting use to the trigger break, I should be able to improve on this result.
Overall the Ruger Explorer Youth Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is a really nice entry level airgun perfect for all ages and not just the youth market. It looks really cool, is easy to cock and has a very resilient finish. Oh ya it shoots pretty good to!
I was a bit surprised by the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol, it actually shot a lot better than I was expecting it to perform. I did have to aim rather low since the Umarex DX-17 BB Pistol likes to shoot on the high side but if you are shooting at closer in ranges then you won't have to adjust your aim point so high.
Getting into my performance testing for the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol, I placed 5 shots through my Chrony Chronograph and averaged 210 fps which again was very close to the Umarex claimed 200 fps, even a little bit higher! he DX-17 is a single shot repeater but because of the BB reservoir you can quickly reload follow up shots by simply point the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol a little upward while pulling the slide back and pushing it forward to active the spring piston and load a BB at the same time.
As I mentioned the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol shot on the high side, at 30 feet it's a good 8-9 inches high but I have a feeling that this is about as high as the BB's will rise since they are not going that fast and gravity will start bringing them back down. At about 10-15 feet out from a target the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol seemed to shoot about 3-4 inches high so not nearly as bad and this can be adjusted pretty easy by simply aiming a bit under the target you are shooting at. In terms of a 10 shot grouping theUmarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol got about a 4 inch grouping which I have to say kind of surprised me as I was expecting a much larger spread.
So for about $20 you kind of get what you pay for but I really think with the Umarex DX-17 Spring Powered BB Pistol you perhaps get a little more! It has a really good trigger, seemed to be built pretty tuff, shot exactly right on the claimed fps mark and was even able to keep a reasonable grouping. And to keep costs down even more you never need to buy CO2 so that's another bonus.
