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.
This Video Review focuses on the shooting aspects of the Baikal MP-53M. I test it out to see what kind of velocity it can achieve and I also perform an accuracy test to see how straight and true it shoots.
My first test, the velocity test I performed using my Chronograph shooting 5 7 grain RWS lead pellets. the fps ranged from 303 to 341 fps with an average 5 shot reading of 319 feet per second. Keep in mind the Baikal MP-53M is strictly a target shooter and is not meant for pest control so these readings are perfectly adequate for this this pistols purposes. The lower velocity also makes for a nice easy cocking effort.
Moving on to the accuracy portion of this field test shooting review, I performed my usual 30 foot paper target test using a semi rested stance standing in the back with a sandbag up front to rest my hands on. This position is fairly stable but not perfect so there is always so human factor to consider and with a springer which I am not super proficient at so there where a couple of shot that I pulled. For the most part the majority of my shots with stayed within about a 1 inch grouping but I know with practice the Baikal MP-53M would shoot under a half inch for sure.
A couple of side notes about the Baikal MP-53M Break Barrel .177 Pellet Air Pistol... It has a super nice trigger which is very light and crisp which will aid in accuracy for sure. I did find that the rear sight moved around a little bit, it seemed to rise a bit and I had to press down on it just a little to keep my shots consistent. The spring is not terribly strong so recoil is minimal for a springer and it is very easy to cock.
I don't often review target and or hunting rifles since for the most part Replica Airguns is all about well... replica airguns :) I have reviewed some of my own personal spring piston and pump rifles since I have them and there is a cross over in folks that like both the replica airguns and airguns meant for target and or hunting purposes.
We do have a small selection of spring piston rifles in our Replica Airguns Canada store suitable for target and small game so I thought I would point some of them out in this preview video.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Baikal MP-53M Break Barrel .177 Pellet Air Pistol is a nice light 2 pounds and the release stage is also crisp, the trigger is not adjustable but it is really nice the way it is with virtually no take-up and a crisp release.
Accuracy: At this point I have only plinked around a bit with the Baikal MP-53M Break Barrel .177 Pellet Air Pistol, I have not really tested it out on a paper target or put any rounds through the Chronograph. It does however seem to have pretty decent power for a low effort springer and I was able to place most shots on my targets down range. Stay posted for my full Field Test Shooting Video where I will put the Baikal MP-53M Break Barrel .177 Pellet Air Pistol through its paces.
Build Quality: The Baikal MP-53M Break Barrel .177 Pellet Air Pistol is made in typical Russian fashion, it may not be super pretty or have the best finishing out there but all the parts are built to last, even the plastic parts are made using weapons grade materials and the 8.5 inch rifled barrel is hammer-forged.
Realism: The Baikal MP-53M Break Barrel .177 Pellet Air Pistol is not a replica gun, it is purely made to be a single shot target pistol for plinking purposes. I would not even recommend the Baikal MP-53M for pest control as it is under powered for that purpose. This pistol is simply for placing lead pellets into targets down range. Nothing more.
Anti-beartrap spring piston mechanism. (No pinched fingers)
Baikal quality hammer-forged rifled barrel.
Fully adjustable sights.
Inexpensive to shoot, all you need is a tin of pellets.
Russian made durability.
Ambidextrous pistol grip.
Easy to cock (only 13 pound cocking effort).
Really light and crisp 2 pound trigger pull.
Cons:
Not supper powerful so not good for pest control.
Trigger is non-adjustable but feels really good anyway.
No easy way to mount a scope or red dot without modifications.
Comments:
The Baikal MP-53M Break Barrel .177 Pellet Air Pistol is a great choice if you're looking for a simple but really well built air springer for target shooting. There are cheaper springers like the Umarex Browning Buckmark and of course there are more expensive springers like the Webley Tempest but if your looking for a reasonably priced, high quality and good overall performing Break Barrel .177 Pellet Air Pistol than the Baikal MP-53M should fit the bill with its hammer-forged rifled barrel, anti-beartrap mechanism, ambidextrous grip and fully adjustable rear sight.
Watch my Vimeo Video Review for this Russian made Spring Piston Air Pistol:
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.
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 :)
This is my Official Field Test Shooting Review video for the Gletcher SW R25 CO2 Shell Loading Pellet Revolver. At this time we are out of stock, I am not sure exactly when we are going to have them back in stock.
In this Field Test Shooting video I test out the performance of the Gletcher SW R25 using my Chronograph to get an actual Feet Per Second velocity rating, I also shot 6 rounds at a paper target setup 30 feet away using a semi-rested position (Sand bag up front and standing in the back).
Velocity wise, the Gletcher SW R25 CO2 Pellet Revolver shot pretty hard considering I was using 7 grain lead pellets (as compared to 5.1 grain steel BB's) and this was the shortest barreled version at 2.5 inches. The Gletcher SW R25 averaged a 337 fps 6 shot velocity with its highest fps shot of 351.
I then stepped back 30 feet and shot at a paper target, the Gletcher SW R25 CO2 Shell Loading Pellet Revolver produced a nice tight 6 shot grouping that was really close to 1 inches in diameter. Considering how short the barrel is and how close together the front and back sight are to each other, this is not a bad result at all. I am sure the rifled barrel helped a lot here. I did shoot a bit high and to the left but this can easily be corrected by adjusting the rear sight for windage and elevation.
Overall, the Gletcher SW R25 CO2 Pellet Revolver shot pretty hard and with good accuracy for a shell loading pellet revolver. It will be interesting to see how well the 8 inch version of this Gletcher Shell Loading Pellet Revolver does when I test it out shortly?
So getting back to this ASG Dan Wesson 6 inch Silver & 8 Inch Black Pellet Revolver Field Test Review, how did they perform? Well not that well in my books, the fps performance was just way too low and way too inconsistent, with a 6 shot Chronograph Test I got an average fps of 259 for the 6 inch and 188 for the 8 inch, that's right the longer barrel revolver actually performed worse! My explanation is that just not enough CO2 is being released by the CO2 valve to get the heavier and more snug lead pellets to a high enough velocity. And having a longer barrel is actually creating more resistance slowing down the lead pellets. If more CO2 was introduced, more expansion would take place which would take full advantage of the longer barrel.
Once I setup 30 feet back for my paper target testing, I kind of had a felling that I was not going to see great results, pellets moving inconsistent around 200 fps are not going to shoot as accurately as more consistent pellets traveling at 300+ fps. The variation in velocity from both Dan Wesson Pellet Revolvers I was getting really effected the elevation of the pellets landing on the target. Because of teh slow velocity of the pellets, there was a really long delay between shooting the gun and the actual pellets hitting the target, I could even hear variations in this delay as the fps fluctuated up and down :(
I did want to mention that the temperature was not overly warm on my test day but I did keep both guns nice and warm inside prior to my testing them, on a hotter day there would be a slight increase in fps performance but not a radical one that would make a huge difference.
If you are wondering if perhaps the problem may be due to the CO2 I used or my Pellet selection? ASG was kind enough to send me some of their CO2 and Diablo approved Pellets to use for this Field Test Shooting Review.
To be perfectly honest, I would rather shoot the Steel BB version of the Dan Wesson Revolvers since they performed much better in terms of feet per second velocity and target accuracy. Even loading the BB versions is much easier and quicker for more time spent shooting.
I generally like to focus more on the good and less on the bad when it comes to the guns I review and sure the Dan Wesson Pellet Revolvers are really sexy Airguns but when it comes to actual shooting results I was disappointed with them. I think ASG needs to take another look at their Dan Wesson Pellet Revolver design and perhaps work on some higher fps and more consistent fps performance.
Watch my Full Vimeo ASG Dan Wesson 6 inch Silver & 8 Inch Black Pellet Revolver Field Test Review:
First off let’s get one thing straight! What I’m looking for in a BB gun is more than likely going to be way different than what someone else is looking for in what they think is the “Best BB Gun” available.
Many people will determine the Best BB Gun as the BB gun that has the highest price tag, usually you get better quality the higher the price goes up but not always, there are times when perhaps you are paying for a name brand or cosmetic add ons that don’t always make the gun better or the best.
On the other hand, some people will determine the best BB gun as the one that is the least cost since they may not have a lot of money to spend, and an expensive BB gun is a BB gun that that person would not be able to afford or even own, far from an ideal or the Best BB Gun for them.
Many people only look at the specifications to determine if that particular BB gun is the outright best BB Gun. One specification that people seem to fixate on is how powerful is the BB gun in question? If it has the highest FPS then surely it must be the best BB Gun! That Pop can never saw it coming! What about cost of operation, so things like reliability and how many shots per CO2 you can get out of a BB gun. All important features to consider when picking out the Best BB Gun!
Style is another important part of what makes a BB Gun the Best option for you, are you wanting a classic BB Pistol? Perhaps a Modern BB Gun, Maybe even a BB gun that you can not get in your area because of gun laws? Style is a very individual preference and what looks good to me may look terrible to someone else.
One aspect that is very important to me, is realism, does the BB Gun operate the same and does it have similar metal and plastic parts as the real steel version? Does the BB gun I am considering have blowback operation and a true single or double action trigger like it’s big brother? What about a full size drop out magazine and the ability to field strip the BB Gun?
Some people want their BB gun for simple backyard good old fun shooting and so as long as it shoots pretty straight and works as it’s supposed to, then that is all they care about. Many real steel shooters want a BB Gun to operate exactly like their real steel version, so they can practice with it to get in more trigger time when going to a gun range is not an option.
Of course there are aspects like Reliability, Performance, Fit and Finish, Licensing and Build Quality that all determine what makes the Best BB Gun and again it really depends which of these qualities are most important to you that will determine which BB Gun is the best BB Gun.
So how do you determine which is the Best BB Gun? Make a list of what you are looking for in a BB Gun. Attributes like Cost, Performance, Build Quality, Style, Realism, Availability…
Once you have narrowed down your Best BB Gun list, get as much information on each BB Gun you are considering, to narrow the list down even more. There are tons of Youtube videos you can watch for your Best BB Gun final short list to help you determine your ultimate choice.
So please don’t ask me what the Best BB Gun is? I can not even tell you which one I like the best since my wish list changes from day to day…
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…
Some of you have been waiting on back orders and to also make new orders of ASG products, we just received an ASG order so many ASG items are now back in stock! Any back orders will be taken care of first and then new orders will be processed, as always, stock is limited especially on certain items so act fast!
Barrel: Metal rifled (6 Inch Sliver - 8 Inch Black).
Propulsion: CO2 x 1.
Action: Revolver, single and double action.
Ammunition Type: .177 caliber pellets.
Ammunition Capacity: 6 rounds.
FPS: 426+.
Trigger Pull: The ASG Dan Wesson Pellet Revolvers have predictable triggers with the single action being a bit more consistent since the take up is short, and the release is fairly light. Double action mode is very usable without a lot of extra pressure required. I found I just wanted to shoot this gun in single action mode because it felt more natural being that it is a six shooter.You also want to take your time shooting since loading the pellets into each shell and then the shells into the cylinder takes a bit of time.
Accuracy: This is yet to be determined since I have not to date had the opportunity to get outside and shoot these Pellet firing Dan Wesson's. Based on the exceptional results I got shooting my Dan Wesson Steel BB versions from 30 feet away, I should be abel to crack an inch or two 6 round grouping if my shooting is on. In terms of fps performance, ASG claims the pellet versions to shoot around the same velocity as the steel BB versions. With that in mind, this should give the Pellet shooting Dan Wesson's the advantage for raw power, since the lead pellets are heavier than steel 4.5mm BB's.
Build Quality: Like the entire Dan Wesson Revolver line from ASG, the pellet series is no exception and the fit and finish is very good. Most of the revolver is metal with the exception of the grips which are a plastic with a bit of a rubberized texture to them. The modified rifled barrels are made out of hardened steel and similarly so are portions of the newly designed pellet loading shells. Overall these are improvements to the quality of the Pellet shooting Dan Wesson Revolvers over the BB and Airsoft Dan Wessons.
Realism: The ASG Dan Wesson revolvers are as close as you can get to a real six shooter. Loading and ejecting actual shells into the cylinder makes you feel like this gun is much more then an unassuming airgun! If you want that real revolver experience than a shell loading Dan Wesson is the way to go, and the addition of a rifled barrel and lead pellets to the Pellet firing version should make the shooting experience even better.
It's a revolver with actual shells! Gives you the feeling of a real 6 shooter.
Almost all metal design.
Lots of detail in this gun, very well made, fit and finish is very good.
Should have good power and good accuracy. Even better than the BB versions!
Adjustable rear sight for windage and elevation.
Barrel and shell redesign are a big improvement over the BB shooting versions.
Cons:
Has a plastic CO2 screw tab.
Loading pellets does take longer than the BB versions.
May use more CO2 per shot than the BB versions because of heavier ammo.
Comments:
Since I can't comment too much on the shooting experience these Pellet Dan Wessons will offer, I can say I am impressed with how ASG did the redesign of the inner barrel and pellet loading shells. It is obvious that ASG didn't just grab some parts of the shelf and quickly modify a BB version to shoot Pellets. ASG did it right and you can see the new adapted parts are of high quality and are even an improvement over the BB versions in many ways. On paper the Pellet shooting Dan Wesson's should be more accurate especially out at further ranges than the BB shooting Dan Wesson's and the Pellet versions should also hit the target with more force since they shoot a heavier projectile at around the same fps as the 4.5mm Steel BB version.
My YouTube Video Review for these Dan Wesson Pellet shooting Revolvers:
Yes! Some new guns for you, and that's always a good thing for everyone, especially me since I get to play with them! I have been waiting a while to get my hands on some of the .177 caliber pellet shooting versions of the Dan Wesson Revolvers. I was actually introduced to them nearly a year ago at the last SHOT Show back in January of 2014! That's a long wait for sure...
The Pellet version Dan Wesson's look really good, the quality of the pellet shells is top notch and even the redesigned inner rifled barrels look to be very high quality. ASG did not just do a quick part swap, they really though out how they wanted everything to fit together. I am looking forward to seeing how well they shoot and will be Field Testing them both together so we can see how the barrel lengths play an effect on power and accuracy.
Next up we have two Gletcher pistols, both are classic semi auto shooters from the past, the Gletcher TT which is a Replica of the Russian Tokarev, and the Gletcher P08 which is a Luger copy. Both pistols are blowback and shoot 4.5mm Steel BB's.
Both pistols incorporate single action only triggers, metal stick magazines and working safeties, a real steel Tokarev normally would not have a safety other than the half cock hammer, Gletcher added in a discreet switch style safety on the right side of their TT. Again, I look forward to shooting both of these blowback pistols as soon as the weather picks up!
It's that time once again for an end of the year Gun Collection video. And no I will not be showing off all of my guns, to show and explain them all (Approximately 200 or so?) would simply take a really long time to make and a really long time for you to watch ;)
The weather has been bad, cold, wet and dark, not conducive for Airgun testing at all but it has been a long time since I got outside to shoot any of my guns and so I braved the storm and setup all my lights and cameras and made a shooting video for you all :)
I was really curious about the Daisy CO2 Pellet/BB shooters I made a table top review of just recently, the Daisy Powerline 617X and Daisy Powerline Model 008. So I loaded some fresh CO2, a mag of 7 grain lead pellets and a mag of 4.5mm Steel BB's for each gun and conducted my Chronograph and Target tests accordingly.
I shot 5 round of pellets and 5 rounds of steel BB's throughout my Chronograph using the Powerline 617X first and then the Powerline 008 secondly. Both guns performed really close during the chrony section shooting the pellets at close to 400 fps and the steel BB's at just over 400 fps. The Daisy 008 seemed to be releasing more CO2 with each shot because it seemed louder and had more kick, but because of the shorter barrel I did not see an increase in fps over the Daisy 617X. I would image the Daisy 617X will get more shots per CO2 in the long run.
As per my usual target accuracy testing I stepped back 30 feet and emptied a magazine again of both lead pellets and 4.5mm steel BB's for each gun into some paper targets using a semi-rested position (sand bag up front and standing in the back). Again the Daisy Powerline 617X seemed to outperform the Daisy Powerline 008 just a bit getting a little bit tighter grouping with both the lead pellets and steel BB's, right around the 1 inch mark with 6 rounds per ammo type. I think the single action trigger may have helped a bit but I do have to say the double action only trigger on the Daisy Powerline 008 is really nice and smooth making shot placement very easy. This may have been the reason for the very respectable 1.5 inch 8 shot pellet grouping I got with the Daisy 008.
All in all two very nice and versatile pellet/BB shooters from Daisy, worth looking into for sure.
Ammunition Type: .177 caliber lead pellets & 4.5mm Steel BB's.
Ammunition Capacity: 6 round rotary magazine.
FPS: 485 fps using steel BB's.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Daisy Powerline Model 617X CO2 Pellet-BB Pistol is pretty decent on both single and double action, single action of course being shorter and lighter. I even found when adding the 6 shot rotary magazine, this did not effect the trigger pull at all. I would not say the trigger pull is light, but it is not heavy either and the release or breaking point is very predictable which should make the Daisy Powerline Model 617X a pretty good shooter in theory.
Accuracy: This is yet to be determined since I have not yet done my Field Test Shooting review for this airgun. I would expect to get just over 400 fps using lead pellets and as much as verging on 500fps using steel BB's. My prediction is that the pellets will perform best in terms of accuracy since the 5 inch barrel is rifled and the trigger feels good. The sights are not adjustable, but I am hoping the Daisy Powerline Model 617X centers well on target but we will have to find out when I do my shooting review.
Build Quality: The Daisy Powerline Model 617X CO2 Pellet-BB Pistol is made in Japan which is know for producing quality products in general. I would have to say by giving the Powerline 617X a good look over that it appears to be well made with good fit and finish even though most of the gun is plastic on the outside. The metal parts are where they need to be, lots internally in structural areas and externally as in the trigger, hammer, safety, and of course the internal metal rifled barrel.
Realism: The Daisy Powerline Model 617X CO2 Pellet-BB Pistol is a replica of a Beretta Model 92 even thought there are no Beretta markings on the gun. Some of the parts are moulded in like the take down lever, slide catch release and magazine release but on the plus side the ambidextrous safety is in the correct location, working and metal. The internal metal frame give the Daisy Model 617X enough weight to feel good in the hand but is much lighter than a real solid steel Beretta 92. Size is comparable and other than the sticking out CO2 tab this gun does look like a Beretta 92 until you get up close and personal.
Fairly low cost with what looks to be decent fps and hopefully good accuracy. (Around $70-80)
Shoot both .177 caliber lead pellets & 4.5mm Steel BB’s.
Both Single and Double action trigger are smooth and not super heavy, easy to predict breaking points.
Red fiberoptic front sight makes it easy to line up targets in different light situations.
Latch holds barrel in place nice and firmly.
Pretty decent replica of a Beretta Model 92.
Made in Japan.
Cons:
No adjustable sights.
Kind of ugly CO2 tab on bottom of grips.
Only has a 6 shot magazine.
Barrel is not recessed
Comments:
I have heard that this Daisy pistol shoots steel 4.5mm BB's at right up around the 500 fps range so even lead pellets should have good velocity out of the Daisy Powerline Model 617X CO2 Pellet-BB Pistol. The single action trigger has a nice medium pull with a very predictable break so as long as the sights are centered on target well, I should expect a nice grouping. If you like the Beretta style of gun, don't want to spend an arm and a leg on a pellet shooting version, than the Daisy Powerline Model 617X CO2 Pellet-BB Pistol should work well for you.
My Vimeo Table Top Review of the Daisy Powerline Model 617X CO2 Pellet-BB Pistol:
Ammunition Type: .177 caliber lead pellets & 4.5mm Steel BB's.
Ammunition Capacity: 8 round rotary magazine.
FPS: 480 fps using steel BB's.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Daisy Powerline Model 008 CO2 Pellet-BB Pistol is pretty decent considering it is a double action only pistol. The trigger action is relatively short and fluid for a DAO trigger setup and I found when adding the rotary magazine, this did not effect the trigger pull at all. I would not say the trigger pull is light, but it is not heavy either and the release or breaking point is very predictable which should make the Daisy Powerline Model 008 a pretty good shooter in theory.
Accuracy: This is yet to be determined since I have not yet done my Field Test Shooting review. I would expect to get right around 400 fps using lead pellets and as much as 480 fps using steel BB's. My prediction is that the pellets will perform well in terms of accuracy since the barrel is rifled and the trigger feels good. The sights are not adjustable, but I am hoping the Daisy Powerline Model 008 centers well on target but we will have to find out when I do my shooting review.
Build Quality: The Daisy Powerline Model 008 CO2 Pellet-BB Pistol is made in Japan which is know for producing good quality products in general. I would have to say by giving the Powerline 008 a good look over that it appears to be well made with good fit and finish even though most of the gun is plastic. The metal parts are where they need to be, internally in structural areas and externally as in the trigger, hammer, CO2 lever, Safety, and of course the metal rifled barrel.
Realism: The Daisy Powerline Model 008 CO2 Pellet-BB Pistol as far as I can tell is not really a replica of any gun that I am aware of? It does look a bit like the Gamo P-25 I reviewed a while back in overall basic shape but is smaller. The Daisy Powerline Model 008 does look like a gun and the recessed barrel and CO2 loading system that looks like the but plate of the magazine help to make this air pistol look realistic.
Fairly low cost with what looks to be decent fps and hopefully good accuracy. (Around $70-80).
Shoots both .177 caliber lead pellets & 4.5mm steel BB’s.
Double action only trigger is smooth and not super heavy while still being relatively short for a double action trigger, and with an easy to predict breaking point.
Fairly ergonomic gun to hold but grips are a tad bit thick.
Like the CO2 loading design, no tabs sticking out.
Nice and compact.
Made in Japan.
Cons:
No adjustable sights.
No single action trigger.
Grips may be a bit thick for some people with smaller hands.
No markings on the sights for easier target acquisition.
Comments:
I am looking forward to testing this gun out when I do my Field Test Shooting review. No the Daisy Powerline Model 008 is not blowback and it does not have a lot of metal parts but overall the Daisy Powerline Model 008 CO2 Pellet-BB Pistol feels really good in the hand a really nice for a double action only trigger. I am hoping the Daisy Powerline Model 008 CO2 Pellet-BB Pistol shoot pretty hard and hopefully nice and accurate for me. I like the overall size of the Daisy Powerline Model 008, nice and compact with easy to load 8 round pellet and BB magazines which should work well no matter what ammo I choose to go with.
My Vimeo Table Top Review of the Daisy Powerline Model 008 CO2 Pellet-BB Pistol:
Here is my follow up Shooting Field Test to my Umarex CP88 Competition Table Top Review. During this Field Test Shooting video review I not only shoot my CP88 Competition version but I also compare it to the non Competition CP88 version to see if fps and accuracy are effected when adding the longer barrel? I shoot 5 rounds through my Chronograph with both guns to get an average fps and I also step back 30 feet and setup resting my hands on a sand bag and standing in the back for a fairly secure shooting stance. Since the Umarex Walther CP88's have an 8 shot rotary magazine I went with an 8 shot grouping for my accuracy test from 30 feet.
Overall both guns performed similarly and as expected the longer barrel CP88 Competition had the higher fps with 424 average versus 347 average, but what was surprising was how much faster the CP88 Competiton shot. Right around 80 fps more which is significant considering there is only 2 inches more of added barrel length to the Umarex CP88 Competition version. I am thinking that perhaps my CP88 Competition test model was tuned a bit better at the factory?
When it came to accuracy, both guns performed about the same getting about 1 inch group from 30 feet back. This was not a surprise since barrel length has less effect on accuracy than most people think.
Both guns are a pleasure to shoot and will not only perform great shooting close up but if you go with the higher fps Umarex Walther CP88 Competition you will be able to shoot much further out because of the rifled barrel and decent fps performance.
