This is not exclusive to Airguns since trends of Airguns are highly influenced by what type of Real Steel Pistols are popular to people. This is often based on what people see portrayed in movies and TV Series, and also promoted online. There is for sure an overlap in what is popular and it is hard to say what is influencing what? Is it the popularity of Pistols out in the real world that influences what we see being used in the movies and on TV? Or is it what we see in Movies and TV that influences our choices of pistols out in the real world? Perhaps it is a combination of both?
My list is based on my own personal experience and does not represent the entirety of types of Pistol designs available.
Airguns are generally cheaper to buy and for sure cheaper to shoot. Airguns can cost as little as $50-100 to buy while real guns in similar models will cost many time more. Cost of ammo is so much less expensive than Real Gun ammo by a mile!
Difficulty to Obtain:
Airguns in most countries do not require any licensing or registration. Generally there are more available options in Airgun choices than Real Gun choices as restrictions often prohibit many Real Guns to be obtained.
Places to Shoot:
Unless you live in a super remote locations and your laws allow you to shoot Real Guns in those locations, then in most cases you can shoot an Airgun almost anywhere within reason. You can even shoot certain Airgun models in your basement. Airsoft is a great option for indoor shooting as the plastic ammo does not carry very much energy so with minimal effort you can make a backstop that will trap the ammo very well.
Trigger Time:
Because ammo is much less expensive and places you can shoot are easier to find, you can get a lot more Trigger Time under your belt which will also improve your shotgun with Real Guns and after all it’s just fun to shoot guns even if they are Airguns.
Safety:
I am not talking about safety in terms of protection. I am talking about safety as in if you do something stupid and your Gun goes off accidentally. If you accidentally fire your Airgun indoors, the bullet will not travel through floors or walls and potentially harm or kill someone on the other side. If you do manage to shoot yourself with an Airgun, the consequence are much less severe than shooting yourself with a Real Gun. That said, always treat an Airgun as if it was a Real Loaded Gun, as server injury and even death can occur even with an Airgun.
Ware Games and Training Situations:
There is no way you can use a standard Real Gun to shoot at people, unless extensively altered with special parts that make the Real Gun unusable to shoot live ammo. With Airguns you have the choice of using an Airsoft or Paintball gun that are both designed specifically for this purpose.
Pest Control:
If you have the need for pest control in an urban area where you do not want a stray bullet to travel too far or penetrate buildings if a shot where to go awry, then an Airgun designed for accuracy and power may be perfect for the job. Accuracy with target and hunting Airguns is on par if not better than many Real Guns and are have powerful enough to kill a pest humanely without having too much power for the job and having to worry as much about your background.
Prop Guns:
As mentioned already, Airguns can look a lot like Real Guns, so they are perfect to be used as a stand-in or Prop Gun when you need to simulate the look and function of a Real Gun. Again they are easier and cheaper to obtain and if something does go wrong, the consequences are much less severe.
Social Stigma:
Unfortunately Real Guns and perhaps any gun these days are looked upon with a social stigma as being the cause of the Crime rather than a tool used in a Crime. And so people blame Guns for these crimes rather than the people committing these crimes. If a person is motivated enough to do something bad, they are going to do it either way and will use whatever means is available to them to commit these Crimes. Including other means like: Knives, Blunt Objects, Poisons, Vehicles, Explosives… Sad but true! Airguns are not used in homicides or mass shootings as they are completely underpowered for a crime like this. They can however be used in crimes as a show of threat, as they do look a lot like real guns, generally people that use Airguns for real crimes, if challenged will give up immediately as they are completely outgunned. Don’t bring an Airgun to a Real Gun fight, you have better chance with a knife!
I have made a fair amount of video reviews for the Dan Wesson Line of AIrguns that encompass Table Top and Field Test Reviews on several versions of the Dan Wesson line: BB, Pellet, Airsoft, in a variety of barrel and color choices. It has been a while, so why not make another Review Video to revisit the Dan Wesson Line and so this time here we have the Steel BB version in a 2.5 inch barrel length. As always I will test they CO2 Revolver to find out what the velocity is and how accurate it is shooting at a paper target. Also make sure to watch my Table Top Video for specifications, details and closeup video.
Here we go with the Velocity test! I placed a brand new CO2 in the ASG Dan Wesson 2.5 inch Gold CO2 BB Revolver and shot a cylinder full of 4.5mm steel BB’s that weigh 5.1 grain through my Chronograph. The temperature was average so about room temperature. Only the last 4 of my shots registered on my Chronograph as it was acting up a bit on me at first two shots but I did manage to average 332 fps with the last four. The first two shots would have been a little bit faster had they registered on my chronograph so this may have brought up the average a bit to say around 334…
I then placed a fresh paper target 30 feet down range and proceeded to unload a full 6 round cylinder into it, I was shooting in single action with the hammer cocked back between shots. I was also using a semi rested shooting position with my hands resting on a sand bag up front and seated in the back for stability. Generally speaking even with Steel BB’s I can get close to a 1-2 inch grouping with hess Dan Wessons but this time my 6 shot grouping only produced a 3 inch group? It was probably me as there is always some human error involved and each test can result in different results so keep that in mind. The grouping was well centered out of the box but the ASG Dan Wesson 2.5 inch Gold CO2 BB Revolver does have fully adjustable sights in case yours is a bit off.
It never get’s old loading up the shells with ammo and placing them in the cylinder followed by either quick action shooting or more relaxed and accurate single action shooting, then repeating again and again… The original Dan Wesson line of revelers has been around for a long time now and if I am not mistaken was the first Airgun revolver to use reloadable shells. We now have more refined 715 version of the Dan Wesson which does have some improvement but the original versions still hold strong and are very capable and fun shell loading revolvers that come it a bit lower price tag then the newer 715 versions so no matter which version you get you will have lot of fun shooting and reloading these enjoyable Airguns!
Type: BB Revolvers. Manufacturer: ASG Model: Dan Wesson 2.5 inch Gold Materials: Mostly metal. Weight: 1.9 pounds. (862 grams) Barrel: Metal non-rifled. Propulsion: CO2 x 1. Action: Revolver, single and double action. Ammunition Type: 4.5mm Steel BB's. Ammunition Capacity: 6 rounds (removable shells). FPS: 327
Trigger Pull: The ASG Dan Wesson 2.5 inch Gold CO2 BB Revolver shoots in true modern revolver style offering single and double action. The double action has a bit of friction to it since the cylinder is being rotate during the first part of the trigger pull and there is a spring fed metal gasket between the barrel and the cylinder that creates a seal but does add some resistance to the trigger pull in double action. Single action is much lighter as expected since pulling the hammer back turns the cylinder removing that friction point from the equasion.
.Accuracy: So far I have not done my Filed Test Shooting Video for the ASG Dan Wesson 2.5 inch Gold CO2 BB Revolver, but I plan to in the near future as a revisit since I have made a lot of similar Field Test Videos for the Dan Wesson line of products in 4.5mm Steel BB and 6mm Airsoft, here is a link to me shooting the 8 inch a while back in my old setup. Wow, this one goes back to 2014 almost 10 years ago!
Build Quality: The ASG Dan Wesson 2.5 inch Gold CO2 BB Revolver overall is really well built with good weight to it and a nice fit and finish, I do like the Gold version in this 2.5 inch version. It is almost all metal with the exception of the grips which are made of a semi hard plastic. One beef I have with the original ASG Dan Wesson line of revolvers are how the grips slide back to access the CO2, closing them can be a bit of a chore as they can come off their track super easily. The other complaint I hear about them is the play in the trigger and hammer side to side.
Realism: The ASG Dan Wesson 2.5 inch Gold CO2 BB Revolver like all the other ASG Dan Wesson Revolvers is very realistic with its realistic pop out cylinder and 6 removable shells you can reuse and load up for numerous rounds of shooting. You can also buy additional shells and have them preloaded and ready to go in the Speed loader to speed things up. Two things about the ASG Dan Wesson 2.5 inch Gold CO2 BB Revolver that take away a bit from the realism would be the non recessed barrel and the rather large space in front of the hammer. A real steel Dan Wesson or even most revolvers do not have this large space. I believe they did this to allow for the internal valve system. The newer Dan Wesson 715 however was designed with a smaller space in front of the hammer.
Pros:
It's a revolver with actual shells! Gives you the feeling of a real 6 shooter.
Almost all metal design with good weight and feel.
Lots of detail in this gun, very well made, fit and finish is very good.
Good power and good accuracy. (going off of already done older reviews)
Fully adjustable rear sight for windage and elevation.
Can add the included accessory rail for more options (optical or red dot sight…).
Dan Wesson licensed via ASG.
Gold finish is unique. (Gold is the Best!)
Moulded and textured pistol grips.
Grips fully hide CO2 screw.
Can shoot in both double and single action for action shooting or more accurate shot placement.
Cons:
Plastic CO2 screw tab.
Plastic grip setup can be a bit awkward to close.
2.5 inch does not have the recessed barrel.
Hammer and trigger are a bit sloppy compared to 715 version.
Comments:
It’s been a while since I reviewed one of the first generation ASG Dan Wesson Revolvers and the ASG Dan Wesson 2.5 inch Gold CO2 BB Revolver does bring back some memories for me going back almost a decade. If I’m not mistaken this revolver was the first one to implement actual removable and reloadable shells making Airgun Replica Revolvers a lot more interesting and realistic! I do kind of prefer the newer 715 version as they are even beefier than the original ASG Dan Wessons and ASG has fixed the sloppy hammer and trigger along with the space in front of the hammer has been reduce making the 715 even that much more realistic.
Watch my Vimeo Video Table Top Review for the Dan Wesson 2.5 Inch Gold BB Revolver:
In this Preview Review Video I take a look at 4 newer products now in our Replica Airguns Online Store. One is a 4.5mm Steel BB Revolver, two are 6mm Airsoft Pistols and one is a .68 caliber Paintball Shotgun.
The first item I take look at in this video is the Umarex HK30 AEG Airsoft Pistol, this product is pretty entry level with analyst all plastic build and is very light to hold. It does however shoot in both semi and full auto since it is an AEG Airsfto Pistol (not many of them out there). The fps is rather low at a claimed fps at just under 200, the Umarex HK30 AEG Airsoft Pistol also comes with two 16 round remove; plastic magazines. Who knows, maybe it will be fun?
Next I take a look at the ASG Dan Wesson 2.5 inch 4.5mm Steel BB Gold Revolver. This is a CO2 powered shell loading BB revolver very much like similar ones I have reviewed in the past but in Gold finish. Will the gold finishes make it perform better, well I guess we better find out!
I then take a look at a “Glock Like” CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol for KJWorks called the KP13. It has a full size drop out metal magazine that holds the CO2 along with 24 rounds of 6mm Airsoft BB’s. The KJWorks KP-13 has a metal slide, metal magazine and polymer frame with a velocity over 360fps using the included barrel extension.
Last but perhaps the most interesting for me is the Umarex T4E HDB which is a lower cost Paintball/Rubber Ball Shotgun which could possibly be used for home protection? The T4E HDB is a mostly plastic constructed rifle with decent weight to it and uses an internal spring fed 16 round magazine. You will find all kinds of mounting points for accessories and for a sling on the Umarex T4E HDB and again at much lower cost than similar T4E rifle based Paintball/Rubber ball Airguns.
Type: Pellet Pistol. Distributer:Umarex. Model:Stainless Ruger Mark IV. Materials: Metal and polymer build. Weight: 1.56 pounds (708 grams). Barrel: 5.3 inches (135mm). Total Length: 11 inches (279mm). Propulsion: Spring Piston. Action: SAO Break Barrel. Ammunition Type: .177 caliber pellets. Ammunition Capacity: 1 round. FPS: 320.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Stainless Ruger Mark IV Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistolis not too bad, I feel it is a around 6-7 pounds or so without measuring. In comparison to a real steel 22LR semi auto SAO trigger pistol, the trigger is much heavier but most of these 22LR pistols of this nature have what I would consider to be near perfect triggers. Over time once you get use to the pressure and release point accuracy with this pistol it is for sure possible.
Accuracy: I have tested out the all black version of this pistol which will perform exactly the same or should I say is expected to perform the same since they are virtually the exact same Pellet Pistol but in different finishes. You can watch my Field Test Shooting Video for the all black version but in case you don’t make it there I will fill you in on the basic results… In terms of velocity I averaged 312 fps using 7 grain lead pellets and got around a 2 inch 7 rounds grouping but expect with a bit more trigger time to get closer to 1 inch.
Build Quality: The Stainless Ruger Mark IV Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistolis a low cost target plinker that also doubles as a licensed Replica for that coolness factor so you won’t get an all metal super top quality build here. That said metal and plastics are well used and for sure details in the fit and finish have been improved over the Buck Mark URX version where I found the barrel felt a bit sloppy and the trigger was plastic. The Umarex Ruger Mark IV Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol has a much tighter barrel fit when closed and the trigger is now metal! Maybe Umarex watched my video back in the day and took some notes?
Realism: The Umarex Ruger Mark IV Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol most resembles the Mark IV Hunter edition and is pretty much bang on in terms of being a replica other than the tell tail hinge just under the barrel required for a spring piston design, there really is no way to get around this so I’m not going to criticize this minor difference. The real steel version is almost 3 pounds and so the pellet shooting version is a bit under weight so it would have been to have had more metal perhaps in the barrel and lower frame. Again since the pellet shooting version is a springer you will not have any working bolts or slide catches or a built in magazine.
Pros:
It's a decent Ruger Mark IV Replica!
Feels well built overall.
Expect it to have really good accuracy like the Umarex Browning Buck Mark URX since they share similar mechanical design.
Barrel locks into place much better than the Umarex Browning Buck Mark URX did.
Fully adjustable rear sight with fiber optic front sight.
Auto locking safety, just don’t forget to unlock before each shot
Actual metal trigger in this version.
Nice and compact, not too heavy.
Full Ruger licensed via Umarex.
Fairly low price tag.
Cons:
No built in rail for a sight system like the Umarex Browning Buck Mark URX.
Would have liked a metal trigger and maybe a slightly lighter trigger pull to match the real Buck Mark's very light trigger pull.
A bit more metal would have been nice.
Significantly more expensive than the black version which is the same exact gun in a different color.
Comments: The Stainless Ruger Mark IV Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol is a decent looking replica and a decent pellet shooting target pistol and if you own the real steel version in 22LR you may just want to get your hands on one of these Break Barrel Replica Pellet shooters. The only real question is do you get the Stainless version with simulated wood grips or the all black version? If you like the look of the stainless version and don’t care about money whatsoever, then pickup that one up since it is a Limited Edition version that will only go up in value over time. If you are on a budget and don’t mind the look of the all black versions or maybe even prefer it then by all means grab one since at the end of the day they will both perform exactly the same.
My Vimeo Table Top Review Videos for the Umarex Stainless Ruger Mark IV Break Barrel .177 Cal Pellet Pistol:
This time I have a tiny Mystery Box to unpack and show you guys, this time there are only two pistols, one is a Spring Piston Single Shot .177 Caliber Pellet Pistol and the other is a 6mm Airsoft Blowback BB Pistol, both are Licensed Replicas for Umarex. If you want to find out more about each Air Pistol then make sure to watch this Mystery Box Unboxing Preview Video!
This will be my only video this week as I am in what is called Peak Week in preparation for the Vancouver Fall Calssic Fitness show I am competing in this upcoming weekend. Peak Week really takes a lot out of me and is rather time consuming with the physical activity I am doing and daily blog styled videos I am posting for my other channel www.GetFitOver40.com.
If you are interested in what I do fitness wise then checkout that channel and follow me along this week as I hope to kick some but competing against dudes half my age.
Starting with my velocity test, I shot 3 rounds through my Chronograph using .177 caliber 7 grain lead pellets achieving 482, 489 and 466 fps with an average of 479 for the three shots. Not bad for a fairly compact Break Barrel Airgun. This is perhaps fast enough for small game like mice and small rats but you would need to get proficient on your shot accuracy to make sure you got a good head or lung shot to make it a more humane pest control.
For the accuracy portion of this Field test Shooting Review I proceeded to fire 6 rounds into a paper target setup 30 feet away. I use a semi rested shooting position with the Umarex HK MP7 .177 Cal Break Barrel Pellet Gun resting on a sand bag up front and me sitting on a stool for stability. My 6 shot grouping was all within around 1.5 inches but I feel like this Pellet gun can do better with me getting a bit more use ot it, still not bad out of the box and with my first round shooting it.
I really like the Umarex HK MP7 .177 Cal Break Barrel Pellet Gun as not only a Replica but it also shoed itself ot be a decent target Airgun at the end of the day. I do have to say the trigger is a bit long but not heavy at all, it has a smooth pull with a soft release. Most pimple should be able towel with this just fine. SO if you are looking for a Replica but also want an Airgun that can shoot hard and with decent accuracy then look no further than the Umarex HK MP7 .177 Cal Break Barrel Pellet Gun.
Type:Pellet Rifle. Manufacturer: Umarex Model:HK MP7 .177. Materials: Metal and Polymer. Weight: 4.4 pounds (2kg). Barrel: 11.7 inches (29.7cm). Total Length: 31 inches (78.7cm). Propulsion: Break Barrel Spring Piston. Action: Single Action Single Shot. Ammunition Type: .177 Caliber Pellets. Ammunition Capacity: 1. Max FPS: 490 Claimed.
Trigger Pull: The trigger on the Umarex HK MP7 .177 Cal Break Barrel Pellet Gun is single action only requiring you to break the barrel and compress the internal spring piston before you can shoot it. The actual trigger pull is pretty decent overall. There is very little take-up but the creep is on the longer side but fairly smooth requiring medium pressure. The release is a bit hard at first to predict but nothing some trigger time can’t get you use to.
Accuracy: I have not performed any shooting tests with the Umarex HK MP7 .177 Cal Break Barrel Pellet Gun so far. I hope to make that Video Review next week. I expect the Umarex HK MP7 .177 Cal Break Barrel Pellet Gun to perform well in the accuracy department especially with the included Red Dot Optical Scope installed. I hope the velocity rating from Umarex is based on lead pellets and not hyper velocity light weight pellets but we will find out the story when I perform my Field Test Shooting Video shortly!
Build Quality: The Umarex HK MP7 .177 Cal Break Barrel Pellet Gun is a China made Airgun but looks to be well made. It has lots of metal parts as you would expect from a Spring Piston Rifle which adds a nice weight and feel to it. I did however have an issue with the front plastic mock Suppressor/Compensator as it does not seem to be attached to the metal barrel very well other than being pressure fit which is not going to cut it with all the vibration a spring piston system makes. My first shot loosened the mock Suppressor/Compensator so I will either have to hold it when shooting or find another way to make sure it stays in place.
Realism: The Umarex HK MP7 .177 Cal Break Barrel Pellet Gun is kind of unique in this department as most break barrel rifles are not Replicas, especially the more compact sub machine gun styled ones. Umarex did good job making the Umarex HK MP7 .177 Cal Break Barrel Pellet Gun look like a real HK MP7 for the most part. Of course it is a Spring Piston Rifle at its core so exceptions had to be made to make this work including molded non working parts like the magazine release, sector switch and, bolt/ejection port. That said all in all it is a decent looking replica considering it is a Break Barrel Airgun under the skin.
Pros:
Not many Replica Pellet Rifles on the market, especially in a more compact gun.
Comes with Red Dot sight.
Lots of rails for adding accessories to it.
Full HK Licensed by Umarex.
Collapsible Wire Stock.
Nice high claimed 490 fps.
No need for CO2 so low cost to cooperate.
Not effected by temperature like a CO2 Airgun.
Should have better accuracy than most BB Replica Airguns.
Very solid feel to it, good overall weight and feel.
Cons:
Not going to be an action shooter, have to reload after each shot.
A good overall Replica but not as Realistic or full operation as a BB version would be.
Mock Suppressor/Compensator poorly attached to barrel.
Comments: The Umarex HK MP7 .177 Cal Break Barrel Pellet Gun is an interesting product, on one hadn't it is a Replica Airgun and most people expect a Replica Airgun to have all of the appropriate working parts similar to what would be found on the real steel version. But since this is a Break Barrel Airgun at the core the Umarex HK MP7 .177 Cal Break Barrel Pellet Gun will not function the same as the Real Steel version so as long as you don’t expect it to and appreciate the fact that it should be a nice accurate low cost to operate target rifle then I think you will understand this product and enjoy it for what it is… A Single Shot Pellet Rifle that looks a lot like a HK MP7.
As the title suggest this a video about a Huge Mystery Box so I am not going to say what’s in it, I can say that their are 4 main products mostly rifles per-say. One is a Futuristic Full Auto BB Rifle, one is a Paintball Shotgun, One is an AEG Airsoft Rifle and one is a Replica Break Barrel Pellet Rifle.
So I have a lot of variety here to show everyone! I did absolutely zero research on any of the products I show in this video since like you I had no real idea what was inside other than how many and that most where rifle based.
Enjoy finding out what new products I will be reviewing over the next month with dedicated Table Top and Field Test Shooting videos.
Sights for guns in general are the same for Airguns as is with real steel guns for the most part and can be mixed and matched with a couple of exceptions. Spring piston rifles for instance are an exception because of the unique vibration the spring makes and how it can damage a standard optical sight, so in this case you’re best to use an optical sight designed for a spring piston Airgun. In most other cases sights can be used on all types of guns.
In this Airgun Sights video I will go over the various types of sights that either come as part of the gun design or can be added afterwards using a rail or mounting system.
Types of Airgun Sights most commonly used.
Iron Sight (Fixed or removable).
Iron Sight (Adjustable).
Iron Sight (White Dot, Fiber Optic).
Come in Post/Notch, Post/Aperture (Peep).
Common on Pistols and Rifles
Laser Sight:
Generally added to a rail or can sometime be integrated into the design of the gun.
Common on both Pistols and Rifles.
Red DotandHolographic:
Generally not magnified.
Most common on Rifles but can be used on Pistols.
Optical Magnified (Telescopic)
Come in a variety of magnifications for different shooting ranges.
There are many types of magazines used in Airguns and some of this is dependent on the ammunition used.
For instance a stacked type of magazine often used for Steel BB and Airsoft can not be used for Pellets as pellets tend to deform when stacked in such a way since there is no metal casting protecting them from mashing into each other.
So what type of magazines do we generally see in Airguns? The most common Airgun magazines are as follows:
Simple Stick Magazine
Mostly used with Steel BB but also found in some Airsoft Airguns.
Some Pellet Airguns use a type of stick magazine with a rotary magazine on each end.
Used in non-blowback and blowback Airguns.
Can be made from plastic or steel or a combination of both materials.
Full Size Drop Out Magazine
Used with Steel BB and Airsoft guns.
Generally you will find these types magazines hold both the BB’s and CO2.
Used in non-blowback and blowback Airguns.
Commonly used with Airsoft Rifles in mid to high capacity.
Can be made from plastic or steel or a combination of both materials.
Rotary magazine
Used with Steel BB, Airsoft and Pellet Airguns.
Used in non-blowback and blowback Airguns.
Can be made from plastic or steel.
Can often use mixed ammo types as in both 4.5mm Steel BB and .177 caliber pellet.
Belt Fed Magazine
Like rotary magazine belt fed magazine can accommodate Steel BB, Pellet and Airsoft but are most often used with Pellet Airguns.
Usually found in a full size magazine that also holds the CO2.
Used in non-blowback and blowback Airguns.
Can be made from plastic or steel or a combination of both materials.
Internal Magazine
Used with Steel BB, Airsoft.
Can have a hopper built in hat feeds a spring fed magazine.
Usually found in lesser expensive Airguns but not a rule.
In this Video I go through each type of Airgun Magazine and talk about their differences and uses.
For this Video 2 Accuracy Test I shoot all of the above listed Airguns at a paper target setup 30 feet down range using a semi rested shooting position with my hands resting on a sand bag up front and seated on a stool in the back. It’s not perfect but works well enough. I didn’t take a ton of time with each gun since there where 4 to shoot in this Field Test Shooting Video so accuracy may have been a bit better if I took a little more time with each gun.
In Video 2 I test the power and penetration of each Airgun option shooting at a pop can, a soup can and a toilet paper roll so make sure to watch that video if you have not already watched it.
For this Video 1 Power Test I shoot all of the above listed Airguns first at a pop can, then a soup can and then a toilet paper roll. The ides is to test penetration abilities with the pop and soup can and then raw force shooting the toilet paper as it will absorb all the energy from each airgun round and by gauging how much the toilet paper reacts or moves it should tell us which airgun has the most raw power or energy.
In Video 2 I will be testing accuracy using my standard 30 round paper target setup in the Replica Airguns Sea Can so stay posted for that upcoming video shortly…
In this Field Test Shooting Video I get outside for a change and test out the Beeman 1042 .22 Caliber Break Barrel Pellet Rifle to see what the actual velocity is and what kind of accuracy I can expect shooting at much further ranges than my Sea Can Airgun Range can offer. If you want to know more about specifications and details for this Break Barrel Air Riffle make sure to watch my Table Top Video for information along with more closeup video.
Starting with the velocity for the Beeman 1042 .22 Caliber Break Barrel Pellet Rifle, Beeman claims up to 475 fps but based on how light the spring feels when cocking this Airgun I was not expecting to get that high of fps. I placed 5 rounds through my Chronograph and was able to average 361 fps using 14.3 grain lead pellets which gave me an energy of 4.14 foot pounds. This isn’t bad in terms of energy but I would not suggest this Air Rifle for pest control because of the lower fps unless you are shooting really small pests at closer ranges.
While I was testing velocity to speed things up I also placed the same rounds on my paper target setup around I would say 80 feet down range (Best guess). Keep in mind I am not the best long range shooter especially with Spring Piston Air Rifles but I was able to get around a 3 inch 5 shot grouping at this distance with three of the shoots all within about 1 inch of each other so not bad for me. I was using the provided Beeman 4x30 optical scope which was nice and crips. My pellet choice was .22 Caliber Crosman Premier Hollow Point 14.3 grain lead Pellets.
What I like about the Beeman 1042 .22 Caliber Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is the easy to cock break barrel, the optical scope, the nice wood finish and its overall performance. I did feel the trigger was a bit heavy and it would be nice to have just a bit more power but that would come at a harder to cock break barrel. If you want an easy shooting and overall good looking lower cost Spring Piston Pellet Rifle in .22 caliber then I would recommend the Beeman 1042 .22 Caliber Break Barrel Pellet Rifle for sure!
Type:Pellet Rifle. Manufacturer: Beeman Model:Longhorn II 10611. Materials: Metal and Polymer. Weight: 8.5 pounds (3.77kg). Barrel: 18 inches (45.7mm). Propulsion: Spring Piston. Action: Single Action Single Shot. Ammunition Type: .177 and .22 Caliber Pellets. Ammunition Capacity: 1. Max FPS: 495 Claimed.
Trigger Pull: The trigger on the Beeman Longhorn II 10611 .177 .22 Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is single action only requiring you to break the barrel and compress the internal spring piston before you can shoot it. This will also engage the safety which you have to disengage for each shot manually as an added safety measure. The actual trigger pull is pretty good overall. There is very little take-up but the creep is on the longer side but very smooth not requiring too much pressure. The release is also smooth but will take a bit of time to learn just exactly when it is going to release. There is an adjustment screw for the trigger but it is not advertised or explained in the manual exactly how this effects the trigger pull so a bit of trial and error may improve the trigger feel.
Accuracy: I have not performed any shooting tests with the Beeman Longhorn II 10611 .177 .22 Break Barrel Pellet Rifle so far, I hope to make that Video Review next week “weather permitting” as I want to get outdoors for this test to be able to shoot it at longer ranges. I expect the Beeman Longhorn II 10611 .177 .22 Break Barrel Pellet Rifle to perform well in the accuracy department especially with the 4x32 optical scope installed. In terms of power I did notice that the spring does seem ot be fairly strong so I am hoping to get close to the claimed 495 fps even using .22 caliber heavier grain pellets.
Build Quality: The Beeman Longhorn II 10611 .177 .22 Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is a China made Air Rifle but looks to be well made. It is mostly metal other than the synthetic modern stock, even the iron fiber optic sights are full metal front and back. I am not a big fan of the stock texture patter but it does work to add extra grip.
Realism: The Beeman Longhorn II 10611 .177 .22 Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is not a copy of any real steel gun in production but does have that overall rifle shape to it so yet it looks like a gun but most people will be able to immediately see that it is a Pellet Rifle and that is exactly what it is since it is not trying to be anything other than that.
Pros:
Comes with two barrels for .177 and .22 caliber pellets.
Comes with included 4x32 scope and ring mounts.
Durable synthetic stock with modern look and pistol grip.
Can also shoot using included iron metal fiber optic adjustable sights.
Automatic trigger safety system.
Rated at 495 fps using .22 caliber pellets so top out at max Canada legal power without a firearms license.
Nice rubber butt-pad looks good and adds to shooting comfort.
Has a scope stop so your scope will stay nicely in place.
Really well priced for what you get which is two rifles one.
Cons:
Changing out barrels does require tools.
Not a big fan of the stock texturing pattern.
Made in China.
Comments: The Beeman Longhorn II 10611 .177 .22 Break Barrel Pellet Rifle is a very affordable Break Barrel Spring Piston Pellet Rifle that offers two Airguns in one with it’s interchangeable barrel system allowing you to shoot either .177 or .22 Caliber pellets. You also have the option of using the already installed Fiber Optic fully adjustable sights or you can install the included 4x32 Optical Scope for potential longer range shooting. The modern looking synthetic stock with it’s pistol grip and rubber butt-pad will make shouldering this Air Rifle super comfortable and I would imagine help with accuracy at the end of the day.
In this Preview Unboxing Video I showcase three Pellet Guns from Beeman, one Single Stroke .177 Caliber Pellet Pistol and two Break Barrel .177 and .22 Caliber Pellet Rifles. I don’t go into a lot of details on each Airgun as I am leaving that information for my future Table Top and Field Test Videos. This video is mainly a heads up on these products with links to where you can buy them in our Online Replica Airgun Store.
In this Field Test Shooting Review I test out the Umarex S&W M29 8 Inch Barrel Shell Loading CO2 BB Revolver in the Replica Airguns Sea Can Indoor Shooting Range to find out its velocity and accuracy using both 4.5mm Steel BB’s and .177 Caliber Lead Pellets. The version I am using is the BB version but my viewers have informed me that the BB version may in fact shoot just as well as the pellet version using pellets even without the rifled barrel due to how pellets are shaped not always requiring a rifled barrel to fly true. So let’s find out!
Starting with the velocity test, I shot 4 rounds of each ammo through my Chronograph using a fresh CO2 cartridge. Umarex claims the Umarex S&W M29 8 Inch Barrel Shell Loading CO2 BB Revolver is able to get a maximum fps of 420 using standard 4.5mm steel BB’s and I was able to average 396 so every close. In warmer conditions 420 fps should be possible. Switching to the .177 caliber lead pellets the fps lowered a bit to an average of 323 fps as expected since the pellets are much heavier (around 7 grain versus 5 grain). I would expect the energy of the pellets to be a bit higher and also keep that energy out to further ranges so if you plan to shoot longer ranges perhaps go with the lead pellets over the BB’s as long as they are similar in accuracy which I test next.
For the accuracy portion of the test I again started off with the 4.5mm Steel BB’s and fired 6 rounds into my paper target setup 30 feet down range. I shot the Umarex S&W M29 8 Inch Barrel Shell Loading CO2 BB Revolver using a seated shooting position with my hands resting up front on a sand bag to help with stability but it’s not perfect and there is always some human factor to consider. That said I was able to shoot a 1.5 inch 6 shot grouping with the BB’s and if I remove one outlier from the group that reduced it to closer to around an inch so not too bad for a BB shooter. I then switching up to the .177 caliber lead pellets and was a bit surprised that even without a rifled barrel the pellets seemed to perform better than the Steel BB’s getting a solid 1 inch grouping with no real outliers in it!
Unfortunately I do not have the actual rifled barrel version of the Umarex S&W M29 8 Inch Barrel Shell Loading CO2 Revolver. Perhaps in the future I can compare the BB verso to the Pellet version using pellets to see if there is an improvement with the addition of the rifled barrel. I can say the BB version without the rifled version shoots pellets just fine at least up to 30 feet so feel free to shoot whatever ammo you want to with it and not be worried about compromising accuracy or velocity.
Type: BB Pistol. Manufacturer: Umarex. Model: M29. Materials: Metal & plastic. Weight: 2.5 pounds (1135 grams). Barrel Length: 8.375 inches (Smooth bore). Total Length: 12.13 inches. Propulsion: 12 gram CO2 cartridge. Action: Revolver, single and double action. Ammunition Type: 4.5mm steel BB's (Also available in 6mm Airsoft). Ammunition Capacity: 6 rounds. FPS: 420fps claimed.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Umarex S&W M29 8 Inch Barrel Shell Loading CO2 BB Revolver is light in single action but not too light, there is virtually no take up and the release is predictable. In double action the trigger pull is heavier as the cylinder and hammer are both actuated manually by the trigger but even so the pull is not what I would call heavy for a double action revolver. The double action trigger pull is nice and even and will not tire out your finger too much firing all six rounds quickly.
Accuracy: At this point i have not made my Field Test Shooting portion of my review for the Umarex S&W M29 8 Inch Barrel Shell Loading CO2 BB Revolver but I expect to get close to the 420 fps claimed velocity and I also expect to shoot around a 1 to 2 inch grouping based on my past experienced with similar Shell Loading BB Revolvers. I may even pull of a 1/5 inch group if I am on my game and so is the gun… We will have to all wait till next week when I record the shooting portion of my review for the Umarex S&W M29 8 Inch Barrel Shell Loading CO2 BB Revolver.
Build Quality: Overall the all metal build quality of the Umarex S&W M29 8 Inch Barrel Shell Loading CO2 BB Revolver is very good. The black chrome finish looks really nice but does show every finger print and any grease from your hands. The imitation wood grips look just like real wood and with only the exception of a small scratch or crack in the front plastic red sight, the Umarex S&W M29 8 Inch Barrel Shell Loading CO2 BB Revolver was flawless.
Realism: The Umarex S&W M29 8 Inch Barrel Shell Loading CO2 BB Revolver is the same revolver used in one of the Dirty Hariy Movies and really looks exactly the same. As with all the shell loading BB/pellet/Airsoft Revolvers, they look and perform exactly like the real steel versions other than recoil of course. The only give away for the Umarex S&W M29 8 Inch Barrel Shell Loading CO2 BB Revolver would be the diameter of the shells as Umarex decided to repurpose the 38/357 shells used in their other smaller caliber shell loading revolvers. It would have been nice to have a larger 44/45 caliber sized shell that they could use in both the Colt 45 Single Action Army Revolvers and this 44 Magnum version of the Smith and Wesson M29 Revolver. The barrel opening is closer to that of a 44 Magnum so they did get that part right.
Pros:
Classic iconic 44 magnum movie revolver.
Mostly all metal build.
Good overall weight, it’s big so expected to weigh a fair amount.
Lots of detail, well made, fit and finish is very good.
Fully S&W Licensed via Umarex.
Love the black chrome look but prone to finger prints.
Simulated wood grips look real enough.
Should have good overall power, accuracy and shots per CO2 (claimed around 80 per CO2).
Adjustable rear sight for windage/elevation with red dot front sight.
CO2 Allen key built into grip.
Recessed barrel true to 44 magnum opening size.
Nice Trigger pull in both single and double action.
Cons:
Shells are closer to 357 not 44 magnum in size.
Don’t like the white writing on the right side.
Black chrome finish shows lots of finger prints and grease.
Comments:
I really like that Umarex decided to give us this more classic Revolver to add to our collection of Airgun Revolvers! I was a big fan of the Dirty Harry Movies so this gun is for sure going to be part of my Airgun collection and even if you are not a fan, you should probably be a fan of the Smith and Wesson M29 which was considered to be one of the most powerful revolvers back in its day. Right now you can get it in 4.5mm Steel BB and 6mm Plastic Airsoft but hopefully there is a .177 caliber Pellet version on its way at some point.
My Table Top Video of the Umarex S&W M29 8 Inch Barrel Shell Loading CO2 BB Revolver:
I have a nice Airgun Pistol Update Unboxing video to checkout where I take a look at 5 Airguns four of which are Gas Blowback Airsoft Pistols and one is a CO2 BB Revolver. I don’t go into a lot of details here on each Airgun as this is mainly just a preview video to let everyone know we have these products in our Online Replica Airgun Stores and give a you a quick look at them. I will be following up with individual Table Top and Field Test Videos where I go into more details and also show you how each gun performs in the Replica Airguns Indoor Sea Can Shooting Range.
