Another Field Test Shooting Video to showcase a full blowback CO2 Airsoft Pistol, in this Shooting Review I find out if the KJWorks KP-19 CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol can perform up to par in terms of power and accuracy. I test the velocity using my Chronograph shooting five shots through it and average them out. I then test the accuracy by shooting ten rounds at a paper target and see how close we get to the center out of the box, and how tight I can get that grouping to shoot for me. If you want information like details, specifications and closer up video for the KJWorks KP-19 CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol then make sure to watch my Table Top Video for it located here.
In the velocity portion of my Field Test Shooting Video I put a brand new 12 gram CO2 cartridge in the KJWorks KP-19 CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol and fire off five rounds using .20 gram Airsfot BB’s. The temperature was right around room temperature for this test, so about 20 degrees Celsius or 68 degrees Fahrenheit. My five shot average was 351 fps with each shot reading: 364, 362, 352, 341, 336 fps. Right about what I was expecting for this CO2 Airsoft Pistol. Keep in mind it does come with a barrel extension which when installed will add some additional power/velocity but I don’t think having a long thin metal inner barrel sticking out of an Airsoft gun is really very practical.
Moving on to the accuracy portion of my Filed Test for the KJWorks KP-19 CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol, again it performed well for me. My ten shot grouping from 30 feet away with the exception of one flyer got me a 2 inch grouping which was pretty close to the center bullseye. Just a bit to the left if anything. The flyer was probably my fault as there is always going to be some human factor when performing an accuracy shooting test like this. I do try to get as stable as possible by sitting on a stool in the back with my hands resting on a sand bag up front. But a respectable grouping for sure even with the flyer.
One thing I can say about the KJWorks KP-19 CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol is that it is a joy to shoot, it has a lot of felt blowback recoil and the trigger is really nice being a 1911 rather short and light single action trigger. I do like 1911 pistols, this one is on the more modern side of things so if you are a purest it may not be your choice when it comes to a 1911 but in my opinion it is a really flashy looking 1911. If you want to tone it down just a bit, you could take off the compensator off which will perhaps drop a little bit of front end weight and reduce the length of it. Performance wise it is right up there with any Airsoft Pistol I have tested so keep it in mind if you’re in the market for something like this.
In this Field Test Shooting Video Review I test out the KJWorks M9A1 TBC CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol to find out what to expect in terms of velocity in fps, and accuracy shooting at a paper target setup 30 feet away. I have already made my Table Top review for this KJWorks Full Blowback Airsoft Pistol, so if you are interested in finding out the details specifications along with some nice 4k close up video, then make sure to watch my KJWorks M9A1 TBC CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol Table Top Review located here.
As always, I install a brand new 12 gram CO2 cartridge and place five rounds through my chronograph using .20 gram Airstot BB’ s and average them out to see what the actual velocity is. I was able to achieve a five shot average of 349 fps. Consistency between each shot was very good, here are the actual velocities for all five shots: 348, 344, 346, 356, 351 fps. The temperate in the Replica Airguns Sea Can Shooting Range was right around 20 degrees Celsius or 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep in mind the KJWorks M9A1 TBC CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol does come with a barrel extension that when installed will increase the velocity to some degree but I did not test with it as most people will not use it anyway.
Moving on to the accuracy portion of the Field Test Shooting Video, I carefully placed 10 shots on a fresh paper target setup 30 feet away. My shooting position was fairly stable with me sitting on a stool in the back with my hands resting on a sand bag up front. this is not perfect, but it does give us a good idea of what we can expect in general. Seven of the ten shots all placed around 1.5 inches apart near the top of the target and slightly to the left with two shots shooting a little bit lower extending the grouping to about 2.5 inches. I did have one flyer come out of the tighter grouping even lower and to the left that did extend the grouping to about 4 inches in total. The KJWorks M9A1 TBC CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol does not have adjustable sights but you could dial in the hop-up to perhaps lower or higher the shot placement depending on your shooting distance.
In terms of my shooting experience for the KJWorks M9A1 TBC CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol, it shot as expected with no issues and the blowback action is super snappy with a lot of simulated recoil feel to it. The single action trigger is not super light but light enough for sure to get well placed shots or faster paced action shots. Some Airguns just make you smile a little bit when you shoot them, and this one of those Airsoft guns. It does come in different color schemes, but I do like the tan version I was testing out in this video. If you are looking for a fairly classic Beretta M9A1 that is not too moderned out, then this version would be a good choice.
In this Indoor Field Test Shooting Review, I put the KJWorks KP-13 TBC CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol through its paces and find out what we can expect in terms of power and accuracy by first averaging 5 shots through my Chronograph to see what the real world velocity is in fps. I then shoot 10 rounds into a paper target setup 30 feet down range to see if I can get a decent grouping somewhere near the bullseye out of the box. If you are looking for specification and details along with some closer up video of the KJWorks KP-13 TBC CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol then make sure watch my Table Top Review located here.
First up I performed the power test using .20 gram Airsoft BB’s. I put a brand new 12 gram CO2 in the pistol and averaged the first 5 shots which gave me a 318 fps average. The actual shoots were as follows: 331, 322, 315, 312, 308. I didn’t take notice of the temperature but in generally I keep my Sea Can at around room temperature so not overly warm or cold. There is a barrel extension that comes with this Airsoft Pistol which will give you a bit higher velocity when installed, but I did not test the KJWorks KP-13 TBC CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol with the barrel extension on it as mine was broken.
Moving on to the accuracy portion of the testing I setup a fresh paper target 30 feet away and put 10 rounds into it while sitting on a stool in the back with my hands resting on a sand bag up front. This gives me pretty good stability but is not perfect and there is always going to be some human factor that can effect accuracy a little bit. That said I did manage to get around a 2.5 inch 10 shot grouping with the KJWorks KP-13 TBC CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol that was pretty well centered hitting the target just a tad low and to the left but pretty close to center target.
All in all the KJWorks KP-13 TBC CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol did a good job once I took the broken off threads out of the barrel. The trigger is really nice on it, maybe even a bit light but you will get use to it over time. The blowback is snappy and the gun holds well in the hand, a real pleasure to shoot! I did notice the slide spring feels a bit weak when you release it as it does not snap into place with a lot of authority, but this does not effect the blowback action at all and the gun shot without any problems or hiccups. If you are looking for a quality Glock styled Airsoft Pistol then the KJWorks KP-13 TBC CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol would make a great option for sure.
In this Field Test Shooting Review, I test the Umarex Smith & Wesson 629 Competitor CO2 Airsoft Revolver in the Replica Airguns Indoor Sea Can Shooting Range to find out what the real world velocity is in fps. I also shoot some .20 gram and .40 gram Airsoft BB’s at a paper target setup 30 feet down range to see what kind of accuracy I can achieve with a 6 round grouping. If you are also interested in more information like specifications and details along with some more close up video of the Umarex Smith & Wesson 629 Competitor CO2 Airsoft Revolver, then make sure to watch my Table Top Video for this rather chunky Shell Loading Airsoft Revolver.
Starting with my Chronograph Velocity Test, I loaded up a brand new 12 gram CO2 Cartridge and loaded 6 .20 gram Airsoft BB’s into the cylinder. My average 6 shot velocity of 514 fps was even a bit higher than what Umarex claims which is 500 fps. The fastest Airsoft BB was clocked at 531 fps with the slowest BB hitting a respectable 490 fps. That’s moving pretty fast for sure, probably a bit quick for close quarters indoor Airsoft games? Temperature was right around room temperature.
I was going to only test out the .20 gram Airsoft BB’s for my accuracy part of the Field Test, but the high velocity was not working all that well with the lighter .20 gram Airsoft BB’s. I only got around an 8 inch grouping as the lighter .20 gram Airsoft BB’s really wanted to curl though the air. I felt the Umarex Smith & Wesson 629 Competitor CO2 Airsoft Revolver could do a lot better using a heaver Airsoft BB’s so I redid my Accuracy Test, but this time using .40 gram Airsoft BB’s, and this for sure gave me much better results. 3 of the 6 Airsoft rounds made a single hole just above the bulls-eye fairly well centered with 2 shots increasing the grouping slightly to around 2 inches and 1 shot that came out a bit which I will classify as a flyer but if you include it, the grouping was more or less around 5 inches, still a lot better than the .20 gram Airsoft BB’s.
All in all the Umarex Smith & Wesson 629 Competitor CO2 Airsoft Revolver is one of the nicest shell loading Airsoft Revolvers I have reviewed, and I do hope that one day it is available in a Steel BB version. I do recommend for sure using heavier Airsoft BB for better accuracy, and again if you are a smaller person or young adult, this Revolver may be a bit chunky at around 3 pounds. The single action trigger is very usable for precise shot placement, but I would say it is not overly light. Of course you can shoot double action if you want to unload the 6 rounds quickly when action shooting. I do like that Umarex has gone with larger shells and a beefier cylinder which is a lot closer to what your would expect from a 44 magnum in terms of shell casing size. If you want the ultimate Shell Loading Airsoft Revolver than this one is for sure on the top of the list!
In this Field Test Shooting Video for the KJWorks MK1 Carbine Green Gas Airsoft Rifle, I checkout the velocity and power here in the Replica Airguns Indoor Airgun Shooting Range, to find out if the real world velocity is in the ballpark of the claimed 450+ fps velocity by KJWorks. I also shoot 10 rounds into a paper target from a distance of 30 feet to see how accurate of a grouping I can get. If you are interested in details, specifications and more close up video along with the Pro’s and Con’s for the KJWorks MK1 Carbine Green Gas Airsoft Rifle, then checkout my Table Top Video Review for it here.
Starting first with my velocity test, I loaded up the magazine with propane gas along with a full magazine of .20 gram Airsoft BB’s. The temperature was around 20 degrees Celsius or 68 degrees Fahrenheit, so not super warm or cold, in warmer conditions I would expect slightly higher fps from the KJWorks MK1 Carbine Green Gas Airsoft Rifle. KJWorks claims 450+ fps and my testing came pretty close to this with my five Chronograph readings hitting: 468, 451, 435, 436, 426 fps. Averaging 443 fps.
Next I made sure I still had 10 Airsoft rounds in the magazine and placed a fresh paper target 30 feet down range and shot all 10 rounds into the target using a semi rested shooting position, with my hands on a sand bag up front and sitting on a stool in the back. This allows me fairly stable shooting with less human factor. I did have to aim a few inches low on the center of the target as the KJWorks MK1 Carbine Green Gas Airsoft Rifle does shoot a bit high at 30 feet. 7 out of the 10 rounds hit all within about 2 inches of each other and then three rounds came out of the group increasing the 10 shot grouping from 2 inches to around 5 inches. I am wondering if perhaps I had some miss-formed Airsoft BB’s in the bunch as the shots that came out, really did come out a lot compared to the tighter 2 inch 7 shot main grouping.
Overall the KJWorks MK1 Carbine Green Gas Airsoft Rifle performed well, the velocity was right on the mark and was fairly consistent dropping off a bit as the Rifle cooled down from the gas. Accuracy was very good side to side but up and down I did notice more variation. The trigger is a double action only trigger so it is a bit longer and heavier than a real steel Ruger MK1 that is known for its beautiful short and light Single Action Trigger. Still the KJWorks MK1 Carbine Green Gas Airsoft Rifle performed well and I think with some good quality Airsoft BB’s, perhaps even a bit heavier than I used in this test, one could improve the accuracy at range and really be able to use this for some longer range outdoor Airsoft games. As it is a fairly light and short Rifle it would make for a super easy to pack around sniper rifle option.
It’s been a while since I made a Field Test Shooting Video, probably well before I went to SHOT Show. I have been working on my SHOT Show 2025 Videos but those Interview Videos are all done and now it’s time to get caught up on some Field Test Shooting Video I have been wanting to make. So today I was able to make my Field Test Review Video for the Umarex DSX 45 Spring BB Pistol and for some this is a pretty entry level BB Pistol many might overlook but if you are simply looking for a 1911 based BB Pistol that is super inexpensive to buy, and cheap to shoot, and you don’t need quick semi auto shooting. Then the Umarex DSX 45 Spring BB Pistol Field Test Review could be an option for you. Make sure to watch my Table Top Review Video for the Umarex DSX 45 Spring BB Pistol for Details, Specifications, Pros and Cons and some nice close up video.
In this video I test out both the velocity and accuracy and I guess to some degree the usability so lets get started with the Velocity or fps portion of the testing. I loaded up the Umarex DSX 45 Spring BB Pistol with a half full hopper of 4.5 mm Steel BB’s, so around 100 BB’s which is way more than I needed and I shot 5 rounds through my Chronograph hitting the following fps: 191, 193, 188, 195, 197 which averaged 193 fps. Umarex claims a velocity of up to 240 fps which I think is a bit high as temperature is not even a factor with a spring piston Airgun, so warmer conditions will not really make much of a difference here.
I then placed a brand new paper target on my backstop 30 feet down range and proceeded to shoot 10 rounds into it using a semi rested shooting position. Hands rested on a sand bag up front and sitting on a stool in the back. This generally gives me pretty good stability while performing these tests, but there is always some human factor to take into consideration. I was not all that impressed with the grouping I got, the Umarex DSX 45 Spring BB Pistol likes to fling BB’s around a bit. You an see them curl so maybe some miscellaneous spin is being added in the barrel but it is not a consistent spin so the BB’s kind of spray all over the target that ended up giving me around a 8 inch grouping. Usually I can get around a 2 inch grouping with a BB Pistol that is generally what I would consider to be good accuracy.
I wish the Umarex DSX 45 Spring BB Pistol Field had hit closer to the 240 claimed fps and was also a bit more accurate as it would then be more usable at the 30 foot range I tested it at. I would suggest if you buy or own this BB Pistol, that you shoot it at targets closer in at 10-20 feet as the poor velocity and accuracy would be a lot less noticeable at these ranges and for that purpose it would be just fine. If you want a super low cost BB Pistol option that is also a decent looking 1911 Replica, and that you don’t need to go out and buy any CO2 to use it. Then take a look at one in our Replica Airguns Online Store. Heck, it’s only $19 US and $29 CAN right now!
This will be my final Interview Video for SHOT Show 2025. I did get to talk with someone from Crosman but the Daisy rep was not around totally with so I did my best to talk about a couple of the Daisy products that I felt were interesting. If you are not aware, Crosman and Daisy have now joined forces together along with Gamo, Benjamin and SPLATRBALL so all of these product were on display at the Crosman Daisy Booth. I focussed on the Crosman M1 Full Auto Carbine and their updated all black ST1 Full Auto BB Rifle. We then took a look at some of the Game Face Airsoft Products and then I performed my own Interview/Review for Daisy talking about the Woodland Trail Model 1911 and Model 25 Lever and Pump Action BB Rifles.
We recently picked up the Steambow line of Compact Crossbows and I have already made a Table Top Review for some of their products. So far I had not shot or tested any of the Steambow product line yet and so it was nice to get the chance to shoot a few different models over in the Archery Pavilion at SHOT Show and also talk with Tobias their product specialist. I did get the chance to drop by the Steambow Booth and talked with the Steambow team and founder about some of their new products coming out including a new Rubber Ball crossbow they are working on that should be coming out in the near future.
Luckily I was able to find some time with James again this year and James gave us all the new details on some of the KWA updated and new products. Starting with the KWA ATP-Z Blowback Airsoft Training Pistol added recently to the KWA lineup, James also showed us a few versatile Carbine Pistol Kits made specifically for the ATP-Z and ATP-GT Pistols. Not yet fully released, James went over their updated TAC-9 hopefully coming out this year. We then got a nice tour of the updated Radian Model 1 AEG Airsoft Rifle with built in recoil system also built into KWA’s Q10 AEG Airsoft Rifle.
I spoke with Jacob from Barra and he went over a lot of new products adn updated products Barra is introducing this year. We discussed some new PCP Air Rifles with Canada import options, Jacob went over some new updates to their 1866 Muti-pump BB and Pellet Lever Action Rifle, and he went over Barra’s Gen 2 400e AEG BB rifle which include a higher capacity magazine, an increased velocity and unproved internal tolerances for smoother BB flow. Lastly Barra is introducing high grade 4.5mm BB’s that a re procession ground to be more uniform for improved accuracy and better BB feeding. Great for full auto guns.
It was nice to run into ASG (Action Sports Games) right away and talk with Bob for ASG. Bob always has a great understanding of the ASG product line and each year I Interview him and find out all the news and updated product in the ASG lineup. This year Bob’s goes over the new ASG CZ P-10 C CO2 Blowback BB Pistol, the Action Army C1 Pro Bolt Action CO2 Airsoft Rifle, ASG’s new Frag Impact Sound Grenades, along with some new additions to the Shadow 2 Series of Airsoft Pistols. Was a great start to this years SHOT Show 2025!
I’m back from SHOT Show 2025 Las Vegas and finished transferring and uploading all the video from all the cameras we shot it all on. We had a great time, we met a lot of great folks at the booths and it’s now time to put it all together and make some videos for everyone so I can share the experience!
I always like to put out a “Teaser Video” with some quick clips of the entire experience including some of the travels, a bit of the resort we stayed at, shots of Vegas and of course lots of the SHOT Show 2025 experience along with the booths we visited. Enjoy this quick preview and stay posted for my upcoming Interview Videos shortly…
Trigger Pull: The single action only trigger pull on the Umarex DSX 45 Spring BB Pistol is actually pretty decent. I would say it has a short to medium length with only a little bit of light take up and then an easy release that has no additional friction. You will have to cock the slide back for each shot which also cocks the hammer back allowing for a true single action trigger. The trigger its self is not like a traditional 1911 trigger in terms of looks but it does work well.
Accuracy: I have briefly shot the Umarex DSX 45 Spring BB Pistol so I could make some initial comments about its performance as it is a very new product to me. I will be making a full Field Test Shooting Video down the road but for now I can say it performed a lot better than I was expecting. The claimed 240 fps seems believable to me as shots at 20 feet hit the target with very little delay and even at 30 feet the delay was acceptable. In terms of accuracy, out of the box, for the most part hit the target at both 20 adn 30 feet very close to where I was aiming which is what you are hopping for.
Build Quality: Build quality for the Umarex DSX 45 Spring BB Pistol is also better than I would expect from a $29 Canadian almost all plastic BB Pistol. Everything felt nice and tight and fit and finish was good in general. There is even some metal where they could have gone with cheaper plastic, for example it has a metal trigger and slide catch release that is actually the safety. Of course the barrel and some other internal parts are going to be metal along with screws and such.
Realism: The Umarex DSX 45 Spring BB Pistol is a fairly believable replica of a more modern 1911 45 caliber semi auto pistol. Other than it being mostly plastic and much lower in weight, at around 1.25 pounds, the Umarex DSX 45 Spring BB Pistol does look the part with a working slide (for cocking the spring), a full size drop out magazines, a recessed barrel and a lot of detail in the finishing of it. I find it to be a little bit wider than a real 1911 would be in the grips and even the main frame and slide by just a bit.
Pros:
Super low coast to buy and shoot, no CO2 required, just need 4.5mm Steel BB’s and away you go.
Shoots pretty good, BB’s got to the target a lot faster than I was expecting them to and they shot where I was aiming in general.
Decent looking Replica of a modern 1911 Semi Auto Pistol.
Has a picatinny rail for adding accessories if you want to.
Single Action Trigger is pretty decent, a bit of take up but medium light weight to it.
Has a close to full size magazine that looks the part.
Magazine has a 200 round hopper capacity with 13 rounds being loaded into the feeder at a time.
Safety is worked into the slide catch release which adds to the realism in terms of looks.
Recessed barrel for added realism.
Actual working hammer you can de-cock if you want to for a bit of added safety.
Cons:
Almost all plastic other than some internal metal parts like the barrel and spring and some other stuff I am sure.
Takes a bit of effort to cock it which is required for each shot.
Sights are not adjustable and are all black with no white dots.
A bit beefy for smaller handed shooters.
Comments:
The Umarex DSX 45 Spring BB Pistol is a super inexpensive BB Pistol but don’t let that stop you from considering it to add to your collection. It has a lot going for it in my opinion. First off the price is super low to buy and to shoot, you only need a bunch of BB’s and you can shoot all day for a couple of bucks. It looks pretty believable as a 1911 Replica. The build quality and detail is a lot better than you should get for only $30 dollars here in Canada and when I quickly tried it out, it actually shot pretty hard for a spring BB Pistol and it seemed to hit the target right where I aimed even at 30 feet away. It even has a full size magazine that holds 200 rounds with a quick load 13 round spring feeding system to keep the fun going. Kind of a no brainer if you’re looking for a cheap and fun time.
This video was made right at the end of December 2024 but I am posting it in the new year so we will call it a late December video… That makes two Mystery Box Videos for December 2024 which means a lot of new products on my plate to review this new year. Hopefully I can get a bunch of them done before I head out to SHOT Show this year in a couple of weeks as I will have a lot of videos and interviews to post for SHOT Show as is always the case when I get back.
At least in this unboxing videos I can give you an idea of some of the new products we have in the Replica Airgun online Stores usually in both the Canada and the US Replica Airgun Stores. In this Unboxing Video I received 5 new products to show you. A Less Lethal Pistol and Spring Piston BB Pistol from Umarex, a Carbine Airsoft Rifle from KJWorks, a Multi-barrel super compact Airgun from Alias Airguns out of Canada, and Bug Exterminator from a company called Skell Inc. Here are some of the basics for each of them:
Type: CO2 Air Pistol. Manufacturer:Alias Airguns. Model: Gem. Caliber: Multi Barrel Comes with 4.5mm Steel BB adn 6mm Airsoft. Power Source: Single 8g CO2 Cartridge or 12 gram with adaptor. Magazine Capacity: Single shot. Buy the .50 Caliber Paintball Barrel Set: AA1002. Buy the Rocket Barrel Set: AA1003. Buy the 12 Gram CO2 Adaptor: AA1004.
Type: Spring Air BB Pistol. Manufacturer:Umarex. Model: DSX 45. Ammo Type:4.5mm Steel BBs. Power Source: Spring Air. Magazine Capacity: 13 Rounds (Rapid Load) with 200 Round Reservoir.
Type: Pump Action Bug Exterminator. Manufacturer: Skell Inc. Model: Bug-A-Salt 3.0. Ammo Type: table Salt. Power Source: Spring Air. Magazine Capacity: a bunch.
you need to cock the bow in order for the trigger to be engaged. The trigger mechanism basically just pushes the bow string up and over the lip of the rail releasing the bow, so there is a bit of friction and I would guess it is about 8-10 pounds maybe a bit less. There is no actual safety on the Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical so you will have to practice appropriate finger control so as to not accidentally fire a bolt unintentionally.
Accuracy: I have not recorded my Field Test Shooting Video for the Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical and so I am not sure what to expect. I have shot a similar bow, the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow so it should perform a lot like that one but without the auto loading bolt system. If you want, you can check that Field Test Shooting Video out here, I expect the Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical to have perhaps slightly less power over the Bear X Desire XL as it is rated to have a 55 pound draw as compared to the 60 pounds of the Bear X Desire XL. In terms of accuracy I do not expect anything similar to a pellet or even BB rifles or pistol but I hope to get somewhere near a 6-8 inch grouping with the 6 bolts loaded in the internal magazine.
Build Quality: The Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical is overall well made but does consist of a lot of plastic or polymer, that said it feels sturdy enough when holding it in the hand. The bow itself is fiberglass and the only real metal I can confirm is the cocking rail, mostly everything else other than the nuts, bolts, safety are some sort of plastic. Fit and finish is good. I am hoping the auto bolt loading system will perform well and be consistent but we will find out when I make my Field Test Shooting Video for it soon.
Realism: The Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical is not a Replica pistol or rifle, it is a target bow that one could perhaps use of small game if you become proficient with shooting it. I do think this is a crossover product in terms of interest with people that are also interested in Airguns or target shooting. The other benefit is that it has a lot more power than a non regulated Airgun as the it uses nice heavy 142 grain bolts traveling at near 200 fps which gives an energy rating of around 12 foot pounds, the speed may be less than an Airgun but the energy is a lot higher. If raw power is what you are interested in, then this is your best option for something still compact and quiet if you do not have a firearms license or want to avoid that hassle and the legalities around regulated firearms.
Pros:
Light weight and compact.
More power than an airgun yet still quiet to shoot so can use discreetly just about anywhere with a good back stop setup.
Auto loading system for quick follow up shots.
Easy to draw the bow using the stock for leverage.
Top and bottom Picatinny rail mounting options for sights and accessories.
Fiber optic mid sight setup.
Ambidextrous bolt safety easy to engage and disengage.
6 bolts included to fully load the internal magazines.
180 fps (10ft/lbs).
Comes with standard fore grip.
5 portion AR compatible adjustable rear but stock.
Cons:
Fairly expensive.
Sights are not adjustable, mid sight is not as easy to sight in.
Will need a good backstop or will lose lots of bolts.
Takes a little bit of time to set it up but not too hard, just follow the steps in the manual.
Comments:
The Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical is an interesting product, the autoloading system with built in 6 round magazines turns this from a simple target bow into a bit of an action shooter once you get the reloading down. As a potential pest control solution it for sure has the power as long as you can harness it by practicing to the point where you can get those 142 grain bolts on target and make a humane shot at the ranges you plan on using it for. Having quick follow up shots I feel is necessary just in case the first shot does not quite get the job done. If you don’t need external 10 round magazines or the upgraded accessories found on the Steambow M10 Tactical and want something a little more affordable than check the AR-6 Stinger out as it is very versatile as a compact Recurve Crossbow.
Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Steambow M10 Tactical Recurve Crossbow is a single action only trigger as you need to cock the bow in order for the trigger to be engaged. The trigger mechanism basically just pushes the bow string up and over the lip of the rail releasing the bow, so there is a bit of friction and I would guess it is about 8-10 pounds maybe a bit less. There is a metal bolt style safety just above where the trigger releases that is ambidextrous, push it forward for safe and back for fire.
Accuracy: I have not recorded my Field Test Shooting Video for the Steambow M10 Tactical Recurve Crossbow and so I am not sure what to expect so far. I have shot a similar bow, the Bear X Desire XL Crossbow so it should perform a lot like that one but without the auto loading bolt system. If you want, you can check that Field Test Shooting Video out, I expect the Steambow M10 Tactical Recurve Crossbow to have a bit more power over the Bear X Desire XL as it is rated to have a 75 pound draw as compared to the 60 pounds of the Bear X Desire XL. In terms of accuracy I do not expect anything similar to a pellet or even BB rifles or pistol but I hope to get somewhere near a 6-8 inch grouping with the 10 bolts.
Build Quality: The Steambow M10 Tactical Recurve Crossbow is well made but does consist of mostly plastic or polymer, that said it feels sturdy enough when holding it and is one of the heavier compact recurve Crossbow systems at 4 pounds. The bow itself is fiberglass and the only real metal I can confirm is the cocking rail, mostly everything else other than the nuts, bolts, safety and sling ring are some sort of plastic. Fit and finish is good. I am hoping the auto bolt loading system will perform well and be consistent but we will find out when I make my Field Test Shooting Video for it
Realism: The Steambow M10 Tactical Recurve Crossbow is not a Replica pistol or rifle, it is a target bow that one could perhaps use of small game if you become proficient with it. I do think there is a crossover product in terms of interest with people that are also interested in Airguns. The other benefit is that it has a lot more power than a non regulated Airgun as the it uses nice heavy 142 grain bolts traveling at near 200 fps which gives an energy rating of around 12 foot pounds. If raw power is what you are interested in, then this is your best option for something still compact and quiet if you do not have a firearms license or want to avoid that hassle and the legalities around it.
Pros:
Light weight and compact.
More power than an airgun yet still quiet to shoot so can use discreetly just about anywhere with a good back stop setup.
Auto loading system for quick follow up shots.
Easy to draw the bow using the stock for leverage.
Comes with bow pre-strung and ready to mount.
Lots of Picatinny rail mounting options for sights and accessories.
Fiber optic front sight with two rear sight options (grove and peep).
Ambidextrous bolt safety easy to engage and disengage.
20 bolts included to fully load both 10 round magazines.
190-200 fps (11-12ft/lbs).
Comes with upgraded fore grip.
6 portion AR compatible adjustable rear but stock with cheek adjustment.
Cons:
Fairly expensive.
Sights are not adjustable.
Will need a good backstop or will lose lots of bolts.
Takes a little bit of time to set it up but not too hard, just follow the steps in the manual.
Comments:
The Steambow M10 Tactical Recurve Crossbow is an interesting product, the autoloading system with 10 round magazines turns this from a simple target bow into a bit of an action shooter once you get the reloading down. As a potential pest control solution it for sure has the power as long as you can harness it by practicing to the point where you can get those 142 grain bolts on target and make a humane shot. Having quick follow up shots is necessary just in case the first shot does not quite get the job done. The upgraded add on accessories you get with the Steambow M10 Tactical Recurve Crossbow really give it a quilty feel and it is nice you not only have a fully adjustable AR compactly rear stock with a cheek rest but you have the option of a peep or grove rear sight to line up the fiber optic front sight. The price is on the high side but if you want the most ultimate Compact Recurve Crossbow auto loading system with maximum ammo then this is for sure the product for you.
I did my unboxing vide for both the Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical and M10 Tactical already which is generally a preview of the products I am unboxing but with these types of compact crossbows, they generally need a bit of setup before they are complete and ready to view and use.
For that reason I wanted to make a quick combined Preview Video for Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical and M10 Tactical Crossbows so you can see what they look like all put together, and what the main differences are between the two of them. This way you can figure out which one might be the best choice if you are in the market for a product like this.
Let’s go over the main specifications and differences to determine what you get with each one:
Distributed by: Steambow GmbH Austria.
Materials: Mostly plastic with some metal parts.
Weight: M10 4 pounds / AR-6 2.6 pounds.
Lengt: M10 24.2 inches / AR-6 22 inches.
Width: M10 17.5 inches / 17.5 inches.
Magazine Capacity: M10 10 bolts per external magazine / AR-6 6 bolts per internal magazine.
Another Mystery Box to share with everyone but this time I peaked a bit so it’s not as much of a mystery for me, but it will be for you. I was glad I peaked as the items inside where not the usual assortment and it was good I was able to get a bit of pre-intel on them before I jumped into this unboxing, as there was a lot to discover about each of the three items in the Mystery Box. I hope they appeal to some of you, I think they are very interesting and after checking them out, some of you may decide to add one or two of them to your collection.
The first two items I looked at are from an Austrian based company called Steambow. They are both compact crossbows that offer a unique reloading system with built in Magazines that hold either 6 or 10 rounds depending on the version you buy. The Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical is the less expensive yet still “kind of expensive” version with a built in 6 round magazine While the AR Series Steambow M10 Tactical has an upper that accepts 10 round magazines you can preload. The Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical comes with a 55 pound pre-strung bow that produces around 10 foot pounds of energy, while the Steambow M10 Tactical come with a 75 pound pre-strung bow which should produce close to 12 or more foot pounds of energy. Both incorporate fiber optic slights, lots of rail mounting options, AR style rear stocks which shoulder mount easy and quick cocking to make the most of the automatic bolt loading systems.
Another Archery based item also in this months Mystery Box was the Umarex AirJavelin FishR PCP based arrow launcher designed for anglers. It is intended to work with a fishing real of your choice and comes with a single retrievable barbed arrow, so a lot like bow fishing but with a PCP propulsion system. The Umarex AirJavelin FishR has a built in 4500 psi tank that is regulated to 800 psi and the arrow is a whopping 1250 grain to cut through the water with ease. The entire system is salt water resistant so you can use it in both fresh and salt water conditions. There are both picatinny and M-LOK mounting options for sights and accessories.
Stay posted for my Table Top and Field Testing Video Reviews coming shortly…
In this Field Test Shooting Video Review of the KWC SP2022 NBB CO2 BB Pistol I set out the Velocity in FPS using a Chronograph along with the accuracy shooting 10 rounds at a paper target setup 30 feet away. Umarex claims just under 400 fps so the goal will be to see how close we can get to that power rating. I have already made a Table Top Review Video for the KWC SP2022 NBB CO2 BB Pistol where I go into details about specification and also show more close up video of this NBB CO2 BB Pistol. Make sure to watch that video if that is the information you are looking for as this video only goes into performance characteristics.
For my Velocity Test of the KWC SP2022 NBB CO2 BB Pistol, I shot 5 rounds through my Chronograph using a brand new CO2 in a typical room temperature environment, not too cold or too warm. I was able to get an average velocity of 355 fps with my slowest recored shot hitting 344 fps and my fastest recored shot hitting 362 fps. I did notice that the fps seemed to increase a bit with each shot which is not typical of CO2 Airguns. This may mean the CO2 was not fully pierced but I did crank it down pretty tight. Perhaps there is more potential power out of this CO2 pistol by using a slightly different brand CO2 than I was using, as sometimes a CO2 can just not fight properly, so by switching CO2 brands with a slightly different nozzle shape, you can get a better fit?
Moving on to my accuracy test, I setup a brand new paper target 30 feet away form my shooting position which uses a sand bag up front to rest the gun on and me sitting on a stool in the back to help stabilize each shot. There is also some human factor when performing accuracy shooting totes with any gun but I do my best to get the most out of each Airgun. The KWC SP2022 NBB CO2 BB Pistol shot very well centered on the target left to right and just a bit on the high side but not by much. The 10 shot grouping did spread out a bit to around 4 inches or so but it was an even spread. I would have liked to have seen just bit tighter grouping, even a 3 inch grouping means you are going to hit a pop can at 30 feet pretty consistently.
All in all the KWC SP2022 NBB CO2 BB Pistol is a fun plinker with enough power and accuracy at the end of the day to enjoy blasting targets in your back yard effectively. The double action trigger is pretty good, like most double action trigger it is a little longer but it is smooth and the trigger weigth is light to medium with a predictive breaking point at the end. I am a Sig Sauer fan so I do like the look and feel of this pistol an even though it is mostly plastic, the all metal magazine adds enough weight to make it feel more substantial in your hand than what you would expect form a mostly plastic Airgun. if you want a fun inexpensive plinker that is going to be efficient on CO2 and cost very little to shoot then the KWC SP2022 NBB CO2 BB Pistol would be a good choice.
To start things off with my Field Test Shooting Video of the Umarex Marlin Lever Action Spring BB Rifle, I shoot 5 rounds through my Chronograph to see what the real world velocity is in fps. Umarex claims around 300 fps. I was able to average right around 274 fps so not far off of the claim. My lowest performing shot was 270 fps with the fastest shot hitting 278 fps, so all very close in velocity which is typical of a spring piston Airgun, this will help with consistent accuracy especially in terms of elevation.
When it comes to the accuracy, the Umarex Marlin Lever Action Spring BB Rifle did as well or perhaps even better than my other testing using previous Red Ryder type Air Rifles. If I through out one flyer I got, my 10 shot grouping was able to get around a 2 inch grouping that was overall well centered on the target, maybe juts a hair to the right. Even with the flyer the grouping spread out to a 3 inch grouping. I am pretty sure I could do better as this was the first time shooting this rifle. Keep in mind as I have to work the lever action for each shot that requires me to hold the rifle straight up and down in order for proper BB loading, this means I need to fully reset my hands on the sand bag and re-aim for each shot which will effect accuracy consistency a bit. Still a good result.
All in all I do really like the Umarex Marlin Lever Action Spring BB Rifle, mainly as it has a longer shoulder pull more suitable for adults. I feel adults get left out a bit in terms of target marketing with the standard Red Ryder which is a very compact BB Rifle with a short shoulder pull more suited for kids and youth shooters. This makes the Umarex Marlin Lever Action Spring BB Rifle more comfortable to shoot as an adult but will still work for youth and kids as is is not too large in size or heavy or even very hard to work the lever action. Now the whole family can really take part in the fun experience of shooting a Red Ryder type BB Rifle!
