Here is my full Field Test Shooting Performance Video Review for the ANT (Advanced Novelty Tech) CO2 HPA Conversion Kit.

Make sure to watch my Table Top Preview for the ANT CO2 HPA Conversion Kit where I talk more about the features and benefits of a Bulk Air system like this and show you exactly what you get in the package.

My main goal in this Shooting Performance Test was to see how the ANT Advanced Novelty Tech CO2 HPAConversion Kit performed side by side with a standard 12 gram CO2. Keep in mind that you can also switch over at any time to a regular 12 gram CO2 even after installing the ANT adaptor system in the gun or magazine.

My choice of Airgun for this test was the KWC - Cybergun Mini UZIConverted to Full Auto. I chose this Blowback 4.5mm CO2 BB Gun because it uses a lot of CO2 with each shot and when shooting in full auto it literally eats CO2. I knew this airguns would really put the ANT Advanced Novelty Tech CO2 HPA Conversion Kit to the test.

My first performance test was to comparing both systems using a Chronograph so I could see how the fps velocity slowed down because of the CO2 cool down effect. The 12 gram CO2 did pretty well emptying a full 25 round magazine but keep in mind I was shooting in semi auto only for the sake of using a Chronograph. I did notice a drop in velocity from a high of over 300 fps to a low of around 260. When I switched over to the Bulk CO2 ANT System and performed the same test the fps started out a bit lower but stayed pretty much about the same with a few ups and downs. The initial lower fps may have been a result of using separate magazines for each test since the valves in each magazine are most likely tuned a bit differently to let out more or less CO2 with each shot.

My second and most impressive test was to empty a full 25 round magazine in full auto mode! Again a started out using the standard 12 gram CO2 and to make this a real world test, I did not replace the 12 gram CO2 form the previous test. I figured 50 shots was a realist amount of shots to get from a single 12 gram CO2 and after all I was only shooting in semi auto which uses a lot less CO2 then shooting in full auto.

My KWC Blowback Mini UZI rocked pretty good using the 12 gram CO2 until it hit about a third the way through the magazine and then it stated to slow down and pretty much stop dead in its tracks with about 5-6 rounds still left in the magazine. The CO2 was all gone and I was left a bit unsatisfied :(

Without any significant break time to let my KWC Mini UZI warm up again, I switched over to the ANT Advanced Novelty Tech CO2 HPA Conversion Kit magazine and unloaded the full magazine in no time with no cycle rate slow down at all, even after the magazine was deprived of Steel BB's I kept squeezing the trigger and letting the blowback hammer my shoulder for several more satisfying bursts. Now that is what you expect from a full auto Blowback BB Machine gun!

In conclusion, when shooting in semi auto you will see better fps consistency using the ANT Advanced Novelty Tech CO2 HPA Conversion Kit but where this system really shines at least for me is I can shoot as fast as as long as I want and it will feel same as the very first shoot I take even when using a full auto system. No more switching out 12 gram CO2 every few magazines, just speed load some more BB's in and your good to go.

I was sent a really cool new product form a company called ANT (Advanced Novelty Tech). Their CO2/HPA Converter allows you to hook up either a large CO2 tank or High Pressure Air system using standard Paintball hose system.

What's kind of neat with the Advanced Novelty Tech CO2 HPA Conversion Kit, is that you can still interchange your 12 gram CO2 if you want to even after modifying your gun to use Bulk CO2 or HPA!

The ANT Advanced Novelty Tech CO2 HPA Conversion Kit works with well over 100 BB, Pellet and Airsoft guns most of which would be Pistols but some rifles are included in this list.

The main advantages over using standard 12 gram CO2 cartridges would be a significant lower cost for CO2, along with less fps velocity fall off, so better performance overall.

The Advanced Novelty Tech CO2 HPA Conversion Kit  is fairly easy to install and ANT even has some inctructional videos showing you how to do this.

Stay posted as I will be making a field test performance test using the ANT Advanced Novelty Tech CO2 HPA Conversion Kit with my KWC Mini UZI Full Auto BB Machine gun :)

Not Airsoft:

First off we are not talking about 6mm Plastic Airsoft Guns but rather 4.5mm Steel BB versus .177 caliber Pellet.

Same but Different:

Generally speaking a BB CO2 Pistol and a Pellet CO2 Pistol are very similar, they just shoot a bit different types of ammo, that will determine a couple mechanical differences in both guns. You may come across a CO2 Pistol that can shoot both Pellets and BB's but these are not as common.

Magazine Types:

The fist main difference is usually the magazine design, since lead pellets don’t stack on top of each other very well compared to steel BB’s, action CO2 BB and Pellet pistols will have a very different types of magazine designs. Pellet CO2 Pistols will generally use a rotary type magazine while BB Pistols will use a stick or stacked ammo magazine. In terms of realism, a stick or stacked magazine is better suited than a rotary magazine. Some Action Pellet Pistols will have what looks like a stick magazine, but the stick will actually have two rotary magazine on either side. You will often find higher capacity magazines in BB CO2 Pistols since Rotary magazines usually only offer around 8 rounds (16 on a double sided stick style).

Another downside to a rotary magazine is knowing when you are out of ammo, a rotary magazine does not allow for this, it will just keep turning around and around no matter if there is ammo in it or not, so you need to listen to the the sound of the CO2 gun to determine when a rotary type magazine is empty. BB Action shooters do not have this problem since in most cases the magazine BB spring follower acts exactly the same as real steel gun follower locking back the slide on the last shot, stopping any follow up shots from happening.

Ammo Size:

Steel BB’s traditionally only come in 4.5mm which is the same as .177 caliber. Lead pellets can come in a myriad of sizes, the most comma being .177, .20 and .22 caliber but they can go as large as 50 caliber for PCP air rifles used to hunt even large game.

Barrel Rifling:

Another common difference between BB and Pellet CO2 Pistols is the rifling inside the barrels. Lead pellets need to spin in order for them to shoot straight. Steel BB’s on the other hand fly pretty true thought the air weather they spin or not. Rifling is most often not used in steel BB pistols because the hardened steel can damage the rifling and since there is little to no benefit in adding rifling to a BB guns barrel in terms of accuracy, then why even have it. Pellet pistols with their softer lead ammunition need to have the rifling in order to create the spin that keeps the pellet true and straight while in flight.

Accuracy:

Even though many BB CO2 Pistols can shoot accurately at close to medium ranges, they are not as accurate as a Pellet CO2 Pistol, especially as the distance become greater to your target. Not only does the spinning of the pellet help accuracy, but also the added mass of the lead pellet keeps them from being as effected by cross winds and airborne debris.

Hunting and/or Pest Control:

In most cases I do not recommend using a pistol for pest control because, plain and simple they are harder to shoot accurately. This is because there is no stock on a pistol to help steady the gun, and the front and rear sight are much closer together on a pistol than compared to rifle sights which means there is more margin for error when signing in a target. Pistols are generally lower powered than rifles which also plays a roll when considering a pistol for pest control since it may not have enough power to get the job done humanly. That said, there are pellet pistols deigned with power in mind, usually these are spring piston, or pressurized air powered air guns which can have a lot more power than a standard CO2 BB or Pellet Pistol.

Pistols versus Rifles:

This is not the forum for a full pistol versus rifle comparison. I can tell you that you will find a lot more pellet rifles than your will find BB rifles, they both exist but for the most part rifles are geared more towards target shooting and hunting. Most of the BB rifles available would be styled after replicas so the focus is not necessarily on power and or accuracy in these models.

Abundance:

In terms of Replica Action Shooters, BB Pistols outweigh the Pellet pistols by a land-slide. BB’s just work better in action pistols because the round hard steel ammo operates much easier and more reliably than the softer lead pellets, at least for action shooters. And the point of Replica Action Shooters is not so much power and accuracy but more so towards rapid fire good old back yard fun shooting.

Which is Best?

Well… Neither one is best, it just depends what you are looking for. 

• Do you want accuracy at longer ranges - if so maybe get a Pellet CO2 Pistol.

• Do you want more realism in terms of magazine loading and your slide locking back on the last shot - then you may be in the market for a BB CO2 Pistol.

• Do you want more power down range - heavy pellets are going to hit harder and truer than lighter Steel BB’s.

• Do you want trouble free shooting - hard steel BB’s rarely miss-feed or misfire compared to softer Lead Pellets especially in action shooters.

The best is what’s best for you and not always what's best for me…

While the weather is still nice, I decided to setup some clay pigeon targets at varying further out ranges than the typically 30 feet I shoot on my deck. So I figured 40-60-80-100 foot ranges would be a good test to see if a 4.5mm Steel BB rifle could effectively hit targets at any of these ranges.

I did do a similar test earlier on using my Umarex Steel Force but I think the Steel Force may have been a bit underpowered for the 80-100 foot shots.

So today I brought out my Drozd Blackbird since it has a bit of power and what it may lack in accuracy it for sure makes up in volume! As with many of my shooting videos I captured all the fun using a bunch of different cameras and camera angles and today I even wore a dedicated lapel mic which I have a min-review for coming up shortly!

So make sure to watch my YouTube video and see how the Baikal Drozd Blackbird does shooting clay pigeons up to 100 feet away...

Buy the Drozd BlackBird Machine Gun in the Canada Store 

Buy Drozd BB Guns in the Canada store

If you have been watching my Full Auto Fun Videos, then you will have noticed that I have recently been using Clay Pigeons as my go-to targets. Generally Clay Pigeons are shot from launchers and used with shotguns since the flight of the Clay Pigeon simulates a bird in flight nicely.

So I thought, why not use them as reactive targets for my Airguns and Airsoft guns? It turns out they work pretty darn good, well at least with 4.5mm Steel BB pistols and I would imagine even better with pellet guns. What about Airsoft guns, will the Airsoft lighter weight plastic BB's have enough mass to get the job done?

You'll have to watch this video to find out the answer to that question when I unload a full magazine of .20 gram Airsoft BB's into some Clay Pigeons using my KWC .50 Desert Eagle...

Buy KWC Airsoft Desert Eagle in Canada

Buy KWC Silver Desert Eagle in Canada 

Full Auto Fun video number three this week and this one is perhaps the craziest one! When you take a Drozd Blackbird that already has a 800-1000 round BB magazine, convert it to 1200 rounds of full auto, add a custom JimC Barrel to it, some bulk CO2 and a bunch of other cosmetic accessories... Well you get the most ridiculous full auto BB gun you can ask for.

Since I had an extra 800-900 BB's more than I am used to when making these full auto videos, I decided to add a few additional targets over and above the clay pigeons I have been using so far. I picked up a nice fairly heavy gauge Santa tin and a rather solid hard wax candle from the dollar store that proved to add some drama to this Full Auto Fun video!

Make sure to also watch my first two Full Auto Fun videos:

• KWC CYBERGUN MINI UZI 4.5MM STEEL BB MODIFIED FULL AUTO FUN

• RAP4 RAP5 MP5 4.5MM STEEL BB MODIFIED FULL AUTO FUN

If you like what you see in this video and want an absolutely crazy BB gun, then checkout our Replica Airguns Store where we Sell the Drozd BB gun and some add ons for it!

Buy the Drozd BB Guns in the Canada Store

Video number two in a summertime series I'm calling "Full Auto Fun". My first video featured the KWC/Cybergun CO2 BB Blowback Mini UZI. The KWC Mini UZI has lots of kick and is a bit hard to figure out where exactly the sweet spot is but once you find it, it really tares up the targets in full auto mode!

In this "Full Auto Fun" video I bring out my RAP4 - RAP5 MP5 Full auto BB Rifle. The RAP5 MP5 started out life as a .43 caliber paintball gun but I bought it converted in the factory to 4.5mm Steel BB. RAP4 converts it by adding a barrel sleeve adaptor and includes some plastic casings that allow you to place 4.5mm Steel BB's into a kind of donut shaped shell that is then placed into the 21 round magazines. The plastic Donut BB shells eject from the gun like a real shell casing which is super cool!

Like my KWC Mini UZI Full Auto Fun video, I shoot up a bunch of clay pigeons but this time using my RAP4 - RAP5 MP5 4.5mm Steel BB Full Auto Rifle which I found to be very accurate but perhaps a bit thirsty when it comes to CO2 usage. Some bulk air would be a nice combination with this BB shooter, maybe in another video...

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I had so much fun getting my modded Drozd Classic Full Auto BB Gun out the other day and shooting it, that I thought I would make some more Full Auto videos for you! So this upcoming week I will be taking a look at some of the following BB guns:

• Full Auto Modded Umarex Walther PPK

• Full Auto Modded Cybergun GSG 92

• Full Auto Modded Cybergun UZI

• Full Auto TYREX PPA-K01

• Full Auto Burst Umarex Steel Strom

• Full Auto RAP5 MP5

Stay tuned... Not sure exactly what I am going to do in terms of shooting tests and comparissons but I do know it will be fun :)

Buy Full Auto BB Guns in Our Store in Canada

Buy Full Auto BB Guns in Our Store in the US

In this "head to head to head" pistol shootout I compare three of my more powerful, or you could say effective air pistols against each other. Shooting at some pop cans from about 30 feet away to see how destructive each one is. I don't generally recommend air pistols for pest control simply because they tend to be less accurate and powerful than rifles, especially out at the longer ranges where a magnified scope is required and notably where the pesky vermin like to hang out.

I would have to say out of the three tested in this video comparison, the Webley Alecto in .22 caliber and the Modified Drozd Full Auto BB Gun would for sure get the job done at closer ranges. The Webley Alecto simply because it can hurl a heavy grain .22 caliber lead pellet right around the 500 fps mark which will take down small pests, again at close ranges.

My second choice or even first choice depending on how active the pest are would be my modified full auto 1200 rounds per minute Drozd that hurls 4.5mm Steel BB's at over 500 fps (under 4.2 foot pounds) at a rate of 20 BB's per second! A 4.5mm Steel BB traveling at 500 fps will penetrate fur and feathers very well and with most of the 20 BB's hitting a target in a matter of 1 second, that is going to humanly put a small to even medium sized pest down for sure. And yes the Drozd becomes a pistol when yuo take the rear stock off ;)

My last choice for the job is the Xisico XSP180 in .177 caliber since like the Webley Alecto it is only a single shot, so you got to make it count and being that it has less overall energy than the Webley Alecto again I would prefer the Alecto over the XSP180.

Watch my "head to head to head" Vimeo video to see how these three pellet pistols compare:

A very common occurrence with CO2 Airguns and Airsoft guns are leaky CO2 seals. Usually this occurs right where the CO2 cartridge connects to the main valve area. This can be either in the gun or in the magazine depending on the setup of the airgun.

There are many reasons why this can happen, but the most common reasons are a worn-out or dried up seals or even a seal that has been imprinted or misshapen from the constant pressure of the tip of the CO2 pressing against it.

When this happens you may encounter a leaking CO2, the severity of the leak can vary from mild slow leaks to leaks that can be so bad that the gun is unusable. Keep in mind there can be other problems not related to the CO2 seal such as in the valve area, the fix I show you in this YouTube video will not fix a leaking valve, you can try using something like Crosman Pellgun oil for a problem like that.

Watch my below Vimeo video where I show you how you can easily use some Plumbers Teflon Tape to improve the contact points between your CO2 and CO2 main seal and eliminate leaking CO2 in your Airgun.

A very common question I get asked is "How Long Can I Leave CO2 in My Airgun?" So what do I do when I get asked a question over and over again... Well I make a video and give you my answer to the question.

Some CO2 Related Questions I seem to get over and over again are:

1. Can I leave an unused CO2 in my Airgun and for how long is it safe?

2. Can I reuse a C2 once it is empty?

3. Can I use my gun without CO2?

In this YouTube video I address questions 1 and 2, I kind of forgot about question number 3 since it is not as often but it does come up from time to time believe it or not and the answer to being able to use a CO2 airgunwith out CO2 is "NO", It's kind of like trying to drive a car without gas, or turn on a light without electricity or stay alive without food...

So anyways, watch my below Vimeo video for answers to questions one and two:

This may be a bit controversial for some people who don't like the thought of using an gun for hunting or extermination of unwanted pests. But weather or not it is accepted by all, it is a practice that many people still embrace including myself when done in a humane way.

Let's start off by addressing this topic by asking some questions and filling in some of the answers. Keep in mind I go into much more detail in my Vimeo video below.

What is the reason that you need to Shoot or Hunt an Animal?

Are you shooting an animal out of need or just for fun, sure there is a thrill in the sport of hunting but after taking down your prey, the animal should not be killed in vain as the meat should be eaten. There are also times when pesky critters get into your gardens, tree farms, feeding stations garbages and who knows what else? I personally think shooting an animal that has not done you any harm or that you don't plan on eating is not ethical. So question your motives wisely?

Can you use an Airgun for Hunting and or Pest Control?

The short answer is yes! As long as you choose the correct Airgun for the job, one that has enough power and accuracy to get the job done in a humane manner. Using an underpowered or inaccurate gun of any type for the chosen target will lead to the animal being wounded and possibly getting away to suffer unnecessarily.

What about Pistols versus Rifles?

Given the choice, a rifle will always be your best bet, rifles tend to be more accurate since they are more stable to hold and the fact that the sights are further apart which improves the guns accuracy. Most rifles also allow for enhanced sighting systems like red dots or magnified scopes for even further accuracy improvements. There are some pistols made specifically for hunting and target shooting that can be accurate but I would limit their use to shorter ranges.

What about Pellet guns versus BB guns?

BB guns in general are not meant for hunting or pest control, and in most cases they are underpowered and not as accurate as their pellet shooting counterparts, especially out at longer ranges where most pests keep their distances to. If you plan on doing some hunting and or pest control, please invest in an adequate pellet rifle to get the job done humanly.

What type of Ammo is best for Hunting and Pest Control?

There are lots of types of pellets available, pointed, rounded, flat, hollow-point and even pellets that have nylon tips. At the end of the day, use the pellet that is the most accurate in your Airgun because shot placement will win over pellet shape any day of the week. The reality is that as long as that pellet hits the target with adequate velocity, it doesn't matter what shape it is, it's more than likely going to pass right through the animal.

What is the lowest FPS that I can use?

I would rather ask the question, what is the highest fps I can get away with since more fps will give you more margin for error, since it will have a flatter trajectory and will do more damage even if your shot is off a bit. An experienced shooter could make a kill shot on a small pest even with a 400 fps airgun but the shot would have to be perfect and the range would have to be close. Of course when shooting larger game, you will need larger caliber pellets with higher velocities. Also when using a high velocity airgun you need to consider what is beyond your target, if you miss, where is that pellet or bullet going to end up? You need to make sure you do not injure anyone by mistake as pellets/bullets can travel a long distance.

How large of an Animal can an Airguns Kill?

This is really dependent on the Airgun being used, Airguns come in many different calibers, from .177 right up to .50 caliber, some PCP Airguns can even take down a deer! You need to do your research and make sure the Airgun you choose has both the power and accuracy you need for the intend prey.

Where can I use an Airgun for Hunting and or Pest Control?

This is a question you need to ask your local authorities as laws and hunting regulations are different just about everywhere. Even shooting pests on your property may require a permit so be careful to obey your local laws.

In many of my reviews I show the loading process of each gun but sometimes I either skim over this part or assume most people already know how to load an Air Pistol and skip it entirely. Well as it turns out not everybody does know how to load up an Airgun or they are unclear on certain areas, like do you actually need the CO2 and how long can you leave CO2 in an airgun?

So I made a video specifically to cover how to load CO2, BB's and/or Pellets into your Air Pistol.

Now even though this video is targeted at 4.5mm Steel BB and Lead Pellet Pistols, there is a crossover with 6mm Airsoft Pistols so this video may also help an Airsoft shooter.

Our Family Bearded Dragon (Dijon) was looking rather sad and lonely today so I figured he could hang out while I made the video, he really doesn't do much of anything most of the time so why not give him a special appearance in one of the Replica Airguns Videos ;)

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

This video should go "Hand in Hand" (pun intended) with my Best Two Handed Pistol Grip Tutorial Video that I did last year back in August. After that video I had several people ask me to talk about how to aim a gun. I guess if you have been shooting guns for a while you kind of take it all for granted but after teaching my kids the proper way to aim a gun at a target, this info is not naturally born into us ;)

This video demonstrate how and where to place your open gun sights on a target and also how you can compensate for a gun that may not be perfectly sighted in.

This is take 2 of my Modification to my F1 Chrony Chronograph. The purpose of this modification is to improve the low light FPS readings. In my first attempt I used LED Puck Lights but they where the kind that used flat panel LED's and they only had 4 panels per LED Puck which made each LED panel kind of bright. I did get OK with my first mod using LED Puck Lights but not as good as I would like to see.

So here we are with take 2 of F1 Chrony Chronograph LED Puck Light modification and this time around I am using standard bulb styled LED lights and to improve my chances of this working I went with and LED Puck that contained 24 LED bulb lights per puck, this way each light on it's own is a bit dimmer which I feel will give a more diffused lighting effect and hopeful consistent fps readings.

By the way I got these LED Puck Lights at my local dollar store for $2.50 each so not a very expensive modification, especially if they work.

Well... Watch the video and see how they perform...

This video was made to show you the results I got by mounting LED puck lights to the top of my F1 Chrony Chronograph defuser panel in order to improve the low light Feet Per Second readings when using 4.5mm Steel BB's.

I have been struggling with my F1 Chrony Chronograph during the fall and winter months as tit becomes overcast and dark where I live. There have been days where I have gone out to shoot my field test shooting video and not been able to get any Chronograph fps results which is very frustrating because much time and effort goes into the planning setup of each video.

I was given advice from several of my viewers to mount an LED puck style light on the back side of my Chronograph defuser panel and that this helps the Chronograph to read much better in low light situations.

I bought a multipack of the LED puck lights from my local Costco but they did not work as well as I expected them to as they had a panel style of LED rather than the bulb shaped LED which I think may diffuse the light a bit more. My next experiments will be done using LED Puck lights but with the bulb styled LED.

You can watch my video to see how my first attempt using an LED Puck light with my F1 Chrony Chronograph worked out.

So it's 2014 but I still needed to make my 2013 Airgun, Airsoft Gun and Blank Gun Collection Favorites for 2013. It's become a tradition I guess you could say. No I do not show all the guns in my collection but I do cover most of my favorites and also some new guns I picked up in 2013.

Here's a peek but make sure to watch the YouTube video bellow where I go over all my top picks for 2013. You can also buy many of the guns I show in this YouTube video over in our Canada and US Replica Airguns Store!

2013 BB Pistols

2013 Pellet Pistols

2013 Airsoft Pistols

2013 Blank Pistols

2013 Rifles

In this informative video I go over the very basics of gun "handling" safety. I don't talk about gun storage or even shooting of the gun, I strictly go over the main aspects of handling a gun in a safe manor.

These are the four main points I demonstrate in this video:

• Fingers off the trigger till you are ready to shoot.

• Keep the gun unloaded till you are ready to shoot it.

• Assume your gun is loaded at ALL times.

• Always point your gun in a safe direction.

Hopefully this video will prevent some unfortunate accidents, even airgun related accidents can cause serious injuries which in most cases can be prevented with the correct gun handling information.

I have made a

similar safety video

where I talk about general gun safety and speak more about storing and also some gun shooting safety tips.

You really need to watch my Vimeo Video to see how easy it is to take a brand new out of the box gun and give it that weathered, old, worn and used look that you would find in a classic vintage gun like a Luger P.08, Colt 45 1911 or any other classic firearm. Of course this is something you would do to a new gun that you want to make look old :)

This is a great way to take a gun that already has some wear marks on it and really give it the full worn in look, kind of an alternative to having to touch it up or refinish it.

Here is a hint... I use something magical to do it!

Buy the Umarex Luger P.08