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Type: BB Air pistol.
Distributer: Crosman.
Model: MAKO.
Materials: Metal and polymer build.
Weight: 1.71 pounds (775 grams).
Barrel: 6 inches, non-rifled.
Total Length: 8.6 inches
Propulsion: CO2 x1.
Action: Semi auto blowback, double action only.
Ammunition Type: 4.5mm Steel BB's.
Ammunition Capacity: 20 rounds.
FPS: 425.

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Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Crosman MAKO Blowback CO2 BB Pistol is a little on the heavy side since it is double action only and it is also longer again being double action only. That said it is fairly smooth and not super heavy which shoudl allow for decent action shooting. It would have been cane if the hammer could be engaged for single action shooting but the design of the Crosman MAKO Blowback CO2 BB Pistol does not allow for this and therefore the hammer is just for show in this case.

Accuracy: I have performed my Field Test Shooting Video for the Crosman MAKO Blowback CO2 BB Pistol which can be found here. I won’t get into too much detail but overall you can expect velocity to be in the 400 fps range with a brand new CO2 and accuracy was decent form 30 feet away but could be a bit tighter. I was surprised at how snappy the blowback action was for a light weight slide with a light spring in it.

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Build Quality: The Crosman MAKO Blowback CO2 BB Pistol feels solid enough in the hand and the materials used I am sure are on par with most Airguns out there but the gun may come across as being on the cheaper side as it lacks some of the more full features of more realistic functioning blowback Airguns. Just don’t let that make you think it is not well made as it is well made and may even be more reliable over time..

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Realism: The Crosman MAKO Blowback CO2 BB Pistol looks the part of a beretta M92 at first glance but when you get a little closer you can really tell it is an Airgun at heart which is not a bad thing since that’s exactly what it is. You will find working parts like the magazine release and slide catch release and the slide does function since it is a blowback Airguns but the Crosman MAKO Blowback CO2 BB Pistol does have that funny inner barrel that pops out of the front every time you pull the trigger and parts like the slide safety are moulded into the slide and the hammer is just for show.

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Pros:

• Fairly inexpensive.

• High FPS rating for a blowback BB pistol.

• Easy to see Fiber Optic front and rear sights.

• Multi tone color scheme looks good.

• Has a pleasing tactic look to it.

• CO2 tab is nicely hidden inside grip under magazine but plate.

• Double action trigger pull is long but not too firm.

• Picatinny rail for adding accessories.

• Notched grips for a firm hold (best for larger hands)

• Has a working side catch release that locks back after the last shot.

• Has a surprising decent blowback action to it.

Cons:

• Slide action feels clanky.

• Hammer is just for show, does not do anything, no single action shooting ability.

• Grips are large and will be to bog for smaller hands.

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Comments:
All in all the Crosman MAKO Blowback CO2 BB Pistol is a fun inexpensive CO2 Blowback BB Pistol that surprised me a bit when I actual got to shoot it. I originally though ti would feel kind of cheap to shoot but the snappy and firm blowback action and higher fps than usually found on blowback Airguns was surprising! The fiber optic sights making lining up target super easy and for a double action only shooter the trigger is not too bad so if you're a Beretta and Crosman fan then perhaps this is the pistol for you.

My Vimeo Video for the Crosman MAKO Blowback CO2 BB Pistol:

• Buy the Crosman MAKO Blowback CO2 BB Pistol in Canada

• Buy Crosman Blowback Airguns in the US

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In this Field Test Review Video I test out the performance of the Crosman MAKO Blowback CO2 BB Pistol to see what the real world velocity and accuracy is for this Crosman Blowback BB Pistol. Crosman States 425 fps which is fairly high for a Blowback Airgun so we’ll see if I can get close to it!

Starting with my Velocity Test, I place 5 rounds through my Chronograph using a brand new CO2 with Daisy Zinc coated 5.1 grain Steel BB’s and averaged 390 fps withy the fastest shot hitting 403 fps and the slowest shot going down to 384 fps. It was not super warm in the sea can so I imagine with a bit warmer temperature this number would have been a little bit higher, maybe just up and over 400 which is still impressive for a blowback BB Pistol.

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Moving on to my accuracy test, I placed 11 shots (meant to shoot 10) on a fresh paper target 30 feet down range and was able to get all shots within about a 3 inch grouping slightly low and to the left of the bullseye but not far off. I was shooting from a seated position with my hands resting on a sand bag for stability but of course some human factor is involved here.

Overall the Crosman MAKO Blowback CO2 BB Pistol performed decent for a fairly low cost and basic Blowback Airgun. The Blowback action is crisp with a long but not super heavy trigger. I like the fiber optic sights that make lining targets up super easy on virtually any background you are shooting on. This Airgun does have a large grip so keep that in mind if you have smaller hands but other than that it is a really fun Airguns to shoot!

• Buy the Crosman MAKO Blowback CO2 BB Pistol in Canada

• Buy Crosman Blowback Airguns in the US

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Type: BB Air pistol.
Distributer: Umarex.
Model: Smith & Wesson M&P9 M2.0.
Materials: Metal and polymer build.
Weight: 1.45 pounds (658 grams).
Barrel: 3.6 inches, non-rifled.
Total Length: 7.5 inches
Propulsion: CO2 x1.
Action: Semi auto blowback, single/double action.
Ammunition Type: 4.5mm Steel BB's.
Ammunition Capacity: 18 rounds.
FPS: 375.

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Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Umarex S&W M&P 9 M2.0 Blowback CO2 BB Pistol is about medium weight and is on the longer side to allow for the internal mechanism that pushes a BB for the magazine into the breach of the gun with each pull of the trigger. This does add a bit of additional resistance especially when the magazine is full of BB’s. As the magazine empties the spring resistance becomes less and makes the friction on the trigger less noticeable. When the slide blows back this does cock the internal hammer/striker allowing for less trigger pull then if the hammer is not actuated but I would say the trigger feels more like a double action trigger than a single action trigger even though most shots will be fired in single action.

Accuracy: I have not performed my Field Test Shooting Video for the Umarex S&W M&P 9 M2.0 Blowback CO2 BB Pistol so stay posted for that. Umarex has claimed an velocity of around 375 FPS adn this Airgun shoudl be abel to achieve that with it’s partial blowback more effect use of CO2. In terms of accuracy well I guess we will find out when I make my shooting review…

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Build Quality: The Umarex S&W M&P 9 M2.0 Blowback CO2 BB Pistol build quality is fairly decent , fit and finish looks good with not too much slide wiggle and the materials used are both metal and plastic or polymer that look to be good quality.

Realism: The Umarex S&W M&P 9 M2.0 Blowback CO2 BB Pistol in terms of looking like the real steel version of its counterpart is very close for sure, would be hard to tell without further investigation. Umarex has done a great job of making this Blowback Airguns look believable by covering the CO2 screw, recessing the barrel and even working the manual safety into the right side slide catch release. In terms of operation the Umarex S&W M&P 9 M2.0 Blowback CO2 BB Pistol functions as you would expect other than it can not be easily filed striped and the blowback operation does not cycle back as much as a full blowback gun would.

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Pros:

• Very accurate replica of the S&W M&P 9 M2.0.

• Fairly accurate weight and feel to it.

• Metal and plastic parts where you find them on the real steel version, fit and finish is good.

• Working trigger and manual safety and working slide catch and release.

• Full size dropout metal magazine that holds BB's and CO2.

• Warning instructions are discreet under the trigger guard.

• Recessed barrel and hidden CO2 screw for more realistic look

• Fully Smith & Wesson licensed via Umarex.

• Rail for add on accessories.

• White dot sights for easy target acquisition.

• Comes with three sizes of interchangeable grips S/M/L.

• Higher fps and more shots per CO2 than full blowback versions.

Cons:

• Not full blowback but uses partial blowback.

• Manual safety worked into right side slide catch release (Maybe good, maybe bad).

• Sight are not adjustable.

• Trigger is more like a double action trigger.

Comments:
Overall the Umarex S&W M&P 9 M2.0 Blowback CO2 BB Pistol makes for a nice replica Blowback Airgun version of the S&W M&P 9 M2.0. There are some compromises with this version mainly the partial blowback operation that does make the trigger a bit heavier and longer than a true single action trigger would be, the slide does not cycle as fully as expected either and y9ou can not easily field strip this version. That said the shorter blowback action and the way the BB is pushed forward into the breach before each shot means that the Umarex S&W M&P 9 M2.0 Blowback CO2 BB Pistol will have a high FPS and will also get more shots per CO2. So you decide what may be more important to you at the end of the day? True realism or better performance?

My Vimeo Videos for the Umarex Smith & Wesson M&P9 M2.0 CO2 Blowback BB Pistol:

• Buy the Umarex S&W M&P 9 M2.0 Blowback CO2 BB Pistol in Canada

• Buy the Umarex S&W M&P 9 M2.0 Blowback CO2 BB Pistol in the US

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UPDATE: All Umarex Glock 17 Gen 4 and Glock 19 Gen 3 GBB Airsoft Pistols now ship with the Shorter Barrels!!

In this Field Test Shooting Video I test out the Umarex Glock 17 Gen 4 GBB Airsoft Pistol in the Replica Airguns Indoor Sean Airgun Shooting range. This product now comes with the longer sticking out barrel to increase the FPS for import into Canada to get it up and over the 360 FPS requirement using a .20 gram Airsoft BB. In my previous video I test out the Umarex Glock 19 Gen 3 GBB Airsoft Pistol but swapped out the longer barrel for the shorter barrel to see how much the sorter barrel reduces velocity and also if there is an impact on accuracy? Make sure to watch that video to get the scoop on the shorter barrel with both the Umarex Glock 17 dam Glock 19 GBB Airsoft Pistols

For the velocity portion of this test I placed several .25 gram Airsoft BB’s through my Chronograph and was please to get a very consistent 355 average FPS reading which is very close to the claimed 360 FPS when using .20 gram Airsoft BB’s so if I had been using a lighter BB I would have for sure seen velocity up and over the 360 FPS.

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In terms of accuracy the Umarex Glock 17 Gen 4 GBB Airsoft Pistol also performed really well, maybe not as well as the short barrel Glock 19 Gen 3 I tested just last week that seemed to group just a little bit tighter and was a little bit more well vented on the target. Both the Glock 17 and Glock 19 shot a bit low but I am sure a slight hop-up tweak could rectify that. I did however manage to get around a 2 - 2.5 inch 10 shot grouping.

So in summary both the Umarex Glock 17 Gen 4 and Glock 19 Gen 3 GBB Airsoft Pistols at least for now come with the longer barrels only and so you options are to either cut down the existing barrel or buy a shorter barrel and replace it, that is unless you like the look of the long sticking out barrel ;) You will get a velocity drop of around 75 FPS with the shorter barrel installed but I would say accuracy should be about the same at the end of the day.

• Buy the Umarex Glock 17 Gen 4 GBB Airsoft Pistol in Canada

• Buy the Umarex Glock 19 Gen 3 GBB Airsoft Pistol in Canada

• Buy Glock Airsoft Pistols in the US

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UPDATE: All Umarex Glock 17 Gen 4 and Glock 19 Gen 3 GBB Airsoft Pistols now ship with the Shorter Barrels!!

In this Field Test Shooting Video I test out the Umarex Glock 19 Gen 3 GBB Airsoft Pistol in the Replica Airguns Indoor Sean Airgun Shooting range. This product now comes with the longer sticking out barrel to increase the FPS for import into Canada to get it up and over the 360 FPS cut off using a .20 gram Airsoft BB. I wanted to see how much of a difference the shorter barrel would make so I will be comparing the short barrel with the long barrel to find out the FPS and accuracy differences. In the Video I only shoot the Umarex Glock 19 Gen 3 GBB Airsoft Pistol with the short barrel but in my next video I Shot the Umarex Glock 17 Gen 4 GBB Airsoft Pistol with its included long barrel for comparison.

For the velocity portion of this test I placed 5 .25 gram Airsoft BB’s through my Chronograph and was please to get a very consistent 276 average FPS reading with the slowest shot hitting 274 FPS and the fastest shot hitting 278 FPS so really close. Keep in mind I was using .25 gram Airsoft BB’s rather than .20 gram Airsoft BB’s so I would imagine the Umarex Glock 19 Gen 3 GBB Airsoft Pistol even using the shorter barrel should hit closer to 300 FPS with the lighter Airsoft BB’s.

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In terms of accuracy the Umarex Glock 19 Gen 3 GBB Airsoft Pistol also performed really well, I did not make any adjustments to the gun after installing the shorter barrel not even to the hopup. I was pleased to see a fairly well centered 10 shot grouping mostly within a 2 inch grouping with perhaps one flyer extending that group to about 2.5 inches. All shots where well centered left to right but just a light bit under the target, a quick hopup adjustment should rectify that.

My next Vimeo Video will be focusing on the Umarex Glock 17 Gen 4 GBB Airsoft Pistol with its included long barrel to see what kind of velocity gains we get for it and if the longer barrel helps with accuracy at all so look for that video early next week!

• Buy the Umarex Glock 17 Gen 4 GBB Airsoft Pistol in Canada

• Buy the Umarex Glock 19 Gen 3 GBB Airsoft Pistol in Canada

• Buy Glock Airsoft Pistols in the US

I made an Appeal to YouTube several days ago regarding their “Counterfeit Complaint” and subsequent termination of our Replica Airguns YouTube Channel but have not yet heard back from them yet?

If anyone out there has any sort of connection or influence with the powers that be within YouTube, I ask that you reach out to them on our behalf. Our Replica Airguns Channel and future presence within the Airgun community is hanging on a thread as we had so much of our business invested with YouTube.

Below is a copy of the Channel Termination Appeal I sent to YouTube, it would have been longer but it needed to stay within 1000 characters as per their limitations:

“I was notified July 22nd that because of a Counterfeit Complaint our YouTube channel of some 15 years with 350,000 subscribers, a half a billion videos views and 1000+ videos published had been terminated.

On the charge of a Counterfeit Complaint. We have never had such a claim made to our channel as we do not sell or promote counterfeit products on our YouTube channel, online store, or website.

www.replicaairguns.ca

www.replicaairguns.us

We only sell licensed products that we buy directly from companies that own licenses to sell such products. For example: Umarex, Crosman, Daisy, ASG, Sig Sauer, Gletcher, Air Venturi, Cybergun… to name a few.

If we are in violation of a Counterfeit Claim then all the above mentioned companies should also be in violation and have their YouTube channels terminated? Along with every other YouTube channel that reviews/sells any Airgun/Airsoft gun that resembles a real gun and that also sells such products from the above mentioned licensed companies.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dear (MP),

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Find your local MP:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Use an HPA large caliber rifle.

• Use a full auto high capacity Airgun.

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

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

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

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

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

Comparison of Price:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Way back in the beginning of 2011 I posted some video reviews on a Chinese made AK-47 CO2 BB gun I owned and also at the time sold in the Replica Airguns Store. Unfortunately I had to pull these videos off of YouTube and the Replica Airguns Website because there was a police investigation related to these CO2 BB rifles.

I decided to repost these videos now that some time has gone by and the sting from this experience has lessoned for me a bit.

For those of you that want to know a bit more background on the reason why I removed the videos you can read on... Without going into a huge amount of detail, the police thought that for some reason these CO2 BB guns where being illegally imported into Canada and could be somehow converted into real working AK-47's. The police even believed that people like myself who owned and sold them had some sort of underground conversion operation going on? All of this make believe nonsense sent the RCMP down a path that led to over a dozen Airgun resellers like myself getting a visit from their local SWAT detachment, getting arrested, and spending some time at police HQ trying to figure out what in the world we where being arrested for? This all took place in October of 2011.

To give you an idea of the extent of the raid, there where at least 40-50 police officers at my house, police cars lined up down the street, SWAT members clearing rooms, a team of police going through all my personal belongings gathering guns, computers, network gear, cameras, drives and other evidence. I can not even imagine how much this would have cost Canadian tax payers just at my house alone never mind the other dozen or so simultaneous raids going on?

What makes all of this so silly is that the CO2 BB AK-47's in question where legally imported into Canada with the CBSA's seal of approval and to top it off the company that imported them was the same company that also sold the police their real firearms. You would think the police would have done a little bit of research checking into the background of where these AK-47 CO2 BB Rifles came from instead of jumping headlong into a very costly sting operation that did not even include a visit to the warehouse that imported them into Canada legally in the first place.

Even though I was arrested I was never charged with anything since the police quickly realized the error in their assumption. But still the police confiscated all my guns, my firearms license, my computers, my network gear, my hard drives, cameras and memory cards and kept all of it for a over a month. Perhaps next time they could of just asked a few resellers where they got their guns from rather than causing a huge disruption in peoples lives and business. 

The icing on the cake is that these scary CO2 BB AK-47's could not be converted to fire live ammo but even still the RCMP declared them "prohibited" and went about tracking down as many buyers and owners as they could and confiscating their BB guns without any sort of compensation to the owners who bought them legally. No accountability was ever put on the CBSA who allowed them to be imported in the first place and no compensation has ever been paid out to the law abiding Canadians who spent their hard earned money on these BB guns (about $300-$400 each).

Anyways, I tell this story not to get people riled up and mad at the RCMP and/or CBSA, most of these folks are very good people with good intentions. After all, everyone makes mistakes from time to time. My problem is that my kids watched me get arrested and hand cuffed, yet I had done nothing wrong. At no point in time did the police give me any kind of apology or send some one over to talk to my kids and let them know that their Daddy was not a bad person and that it was all just a big misunderstanding? I hope that whoever masterminded this so called sting operation got some sort of reprimand since it would of cost Canadian tax payers a boat load of money just to get a bunch of BB guns off the streets!

What is a Blank Gun?

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

Why Would You Want a Blank Gun?

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

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

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

Signalling Devices:

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

Gun Handling and Training:

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

Dog Training:

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

Movies, Video TV and Stage:

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

Collectors:

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

Celebration:

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

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

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

Here is a Press Release taken from the NFA website, I have also made a YouTube Video going over all of this in my own words and what it really means for us law abiding airgun owners in Canada so make sure to watch my video below for further explanation...

"On Wednesday, November 5, the Supreme Court of Canada issued its ruling R. v. Dunn, finding that most air guns are considered “firearms” for all purposes in the Criminal Code except for licensing and registration.

The Court affirmed the previous decision of the Ontario Court of Appeal, which itself had overruled a decade of its own jurisprudence in finding that air guns are “firearms”. Prior to this case, the courts had held that air guns are not treated as “firearms” unless they are used for some offensive or unlawful purpose.

This decision applies to all air guns that are capable of causing serious bodily injury or death. Most courts have found that any air gun with a velocity of more than 214 feet-per-second meets this threshold. The vast majority of air guns sold across the country are capable of such a velocity.

This decision will have numerous significant impacts on those who buy and use air guns lawfully in Canada.

First of all, the Criminal Code provisions regarding careless storage, use and transportation of firearms now apply to air guns. Therefore, it is an offence to store or transport an air gun in a “careless” manner. However, because the ordinary firearms Storage Regulations do not apply to air guns, air gun owners are left with absolutely no guidance as to what precisely constitutes careless storage of an air gun.

It will be left up to police, prosecutors and courts to determine what charges will be laid, which will be prosecuted and ultimately who will be found guilty of this nebulous and ambiguous offence.

Moreover, as air gun owners do not require a license or a firearms safety course to possess these items, law-abiding Canadians will not be put on notice of the new legal requirements for air gun use, storage, transportation, etc.

Secondly, the offence of “carrying a concealed weapon” now applies to air guns, regardless of whether or not the air gun owner acts in an otherwise lawful manner. Placing an air gun in a backpack, a pocket or other concealed place will now be a criminal offence.

As the Supreme Court has ruled on this issue, the only route forward is through legislative amendment. Canada’s National Firearms Association has been extremely active on this front and will continue to pressure the government and provide all assistance in order to see that this decision be responded to by Parliament."

Canada’s National Firearms Association is this country’s largest and most effective advocacy organization representing the interests of firearms owners and users.

My big concern with this new Supreme Court of Canada ruling is that it really only effects law abiding Canadians. The criminals are not going to be worrying about how they store, transport and handle an airgun and since this new "airgun rule" does not change how an airgun can be purchased, or the fact that a criminal can still be charged with a gun crime while using an airgun in a crime, nothing has really changed by this new law from a criminals perspective.

Even more disturbing is the fact that the vast majority of airgun owners are now criminals since most will not be storing their airguns in the same way a firearm needs to be stored. Most Airgun owners do not have a PAL Firearms license, so they will have no idea of this new airgun ruling or even be educated on firearms handling and regulations, making most airgun owners criminals because for the most part, they will be storing, transporting and handling airguns in an unlawful manner now according to this new airgun ruling.

Links:

• RCMP on Airguns
• Safe Storage and Handling of Firearms
• NFA Press Release

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

Main points covered:

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

• What is an Uncontrolled Airgun and Airsoft Gun?

• What is an Uncontrolled Blank Gun / Starter Pistols?

• What about Fully Automatic Airguns and Airsoft Guns?

• What about Replica Guns?

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

MEMORANDUM D19-13-2

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Replica firearms:

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

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

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

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

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

RCMP Website "Air Guns"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Below is an outline of YouTube video that follows:

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

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

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

NOTES: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Questions we need to ask ourselves:

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

What is so damaging about all this:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Is an Airgun Good for Self Defense? Another one of those questions I get asked fairly often that's a bit hard to answer in a few sentences... Not all of us have easy access to a 9mm pistol or even a rifle but many of us can get our hands on an airgun fairly easily and they look real enough, I guess that is one thing they have going for them.

But what if the mere sight of what looks like a gun does not scare an intruder off? If you where hoping that would be enough, you may just be out of luck and what if you just brought an Airgun to a "real" gun fight? You are going to be drastically "outgunned" pun intended and here's why. A 4.5mm Steel BB weighs about 5.1 grains and generally you are looking at about 2-3 foot pounds of energy from a CO2 BB gun. Even a .177 caliber lead pellet is only marginally heavier at around 7-8 grains and if you're really lucky you might just get 4 foot pounds of energy out of a CO2 pellet pistol.

So let's take a look at a fairly conservative "real pistol" rounds, the 9mm. The 9mm rounds come in different bullet weighs but you can get a 120 grain 9mm in a plus p ammo with as much as 400 foot pounds of energy and even with that much raw power, many people claim that a 9mm round does not always have enough stopping power to put down a person even when shot multiple times center mass. It just depends what vital organs or arteries you hit that determines if he gets lucky or you get lucky.

Your 5.1 grain 4.5mm Steel BB is not going to do anything if it hits any type of clothing and even if you find some flesh it's just going to piss off the intruder.

My suggestion is to consider a bat or a golf club or a really big knife or just about anything other than an airgun because if the sight of the airgun replica does not scare an intrude away then you are really buggered.

Keep in mind that you need to abide by any laws regarding the use of self defense in your areas. Even just physical force could be considered a crime and at the end of the day you are ultimately accountable for your actions.

Two questions that come up over and over again and to be honest I just hate answering, mainly because both of these questions to me are kind of common sense questions. I feel if someone where to stop and actually think about teh question, the answers would become obvious.

That said, common sense has to be learned somewhere and not all of us are exposed to the same life experiences so here goes...

The two questions are:

• Will this Ammunition Work in my Gun?

• Can I Convert a Blank Gun to a Real Gun?

The answer for both of these question is actually the same! Use the ammo made for your gun and do not try to use anything other than the ammo that was made for your gun. Do not try to modify your gun to shoot anything other than the ammo that was made for it, if you do, you may be breaking the law and could land yourself in jail. If you can follow these rules then your ammo and gun will work as intended :)

So that's pretty much it in a nutshell, watch my YouTube video below as I show you examples of ammo types with visuals on exactly why you need to use the ammo made for your gun. I also talk about the dangers of attempting to modify a blank gun to shoot some sort of real bullet and why it is a very bad idea in so many ways to try and convert a blank gun into a real gun.

Buy the ROHM RG-88 9mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol in the Canada Store

Buy the ROHM RG-88 9mm P.A.K. Blank Pistol in the US Store

The CBSA (Canada Customs) has posted some good news for a change about the Reclassification of Airsoft Guns that shoot over 366fps! (Customs Notice 12-005)

So what does this mean? In a nutshell, any Airsoft gun that shoots a .20 gram airsoft BB at over 366 fps is now considered an uncontrolled firearm just like a regular airgun. And so it can be made out of full metal and look exactly like a real gun even without the red tip. (before the threshold was .22 gram BB had to shoot over 407 fps)

This means we will now be able to bring a lot more "All Metal Replica" Airsoft guns into Canada that where previously not allowed because of our much higher feet per second restrictions.

Here is the official statement from the CBSA:

1. The purpose of this notice is to advise of changes affecting the classification of 6mm calibre airsoft guns.

2. Section 2 of the Criminal Code defines a firearm as “a barrelled weapon from which any shot, bullet or other projectile can be discharged and that is capable of causing serious bodily injury or death to a person, and includes any frame or receiver of such a barrelled weapon, as well as anything that can be adapted for use as a firearm”.

3. As outlined in Memorandum D19-13-2, Importing and Exporting Firearms, Weapons and Devices, it was previously established that an airsoft gun, firing a .22g 6mm plastic pellet, must have a muzzle velocity in excess of 124 m/s (407 fps), in order to be considered a firearm.

4. Based on the latest research, it is now established that the muzzle velocity at which a .20g 6mm plastic airsoft projectile is capable of causing serious bodily injury is 111.6 m/s (366 fps).

5. Airsoft guns, firing a .20g 6mm plastic pellet, with a muzzle velocity above 111.6 m/s (366 fps), will be classified as firearms. Please refer to D19-13-2 for the import requirements of low muzzle velocity firearms, including low muzzle velocity “uncontrolled” firearms.

6. If an airsoft gun, firing a .20g 6mm plastic pellet, shoots below 111.6 m/s (366 fps), and resembles with near precision an existing make and model of a firearm, other than an antique firearm, it will be classified as replica firearm. Replica firearms are prohibited devices and must meet import requirements as listed in D19-13-2.

7. Inquiries and comments about this notice should be directed to: Other Government Department Programs Unit Programs Branch Canada Border Services Agency E-mail: faw-aaf@cbsa-asfc.gc.ca

Update on 2012-03-03 07:19 by Michael Kaye

Here is the direct link to this Customs Notice 12-005 on the CBSA website!