I don’t believe I have ever interviewed EKOL at SHOT Show in the past. I have dropped by their booth and taken a look at their product line and chatted but this year EKOL had some new and interesting products that I feel fit in nicely with Replica Airguns products and Replica Airgun enthusiasts.

In this EKOL SHOT Show 2024 Interview Omer from EKOL goes over three Airguns that are new for this year. The EKOL ES P92 which is a CO2 BB Blowback Beretta 92 Replica but rather than rebrand a KWC made version, EKOL makes their own in their own factory and it is very unique compared to other CO2 BB Blowback Beretta 92’s on the market.

Another product form EKOL based on the ES P92 Pistol is the EKOL ES P95B which I would call an SMG or submachine gun with a folding stock, but it only shoots in semi auto and is based off of EKOL’s ES 92 mechanically.

Lastly, Omer showed me one of their Replica Pellet Rifles, the EKOL AK which is a break barrel AK Replica Spring Piston Pellet Rifle that really looks a lot like an AK 47. EKOL also makes a very believable AR/M16 Break Barrel Pellet Rifle as well!

We have not carried much if any of the EKOL product line over the last few years so hopefully we can get some of these into our Online Replica Airguns Stores as they should even be legal for import into Canada.

• Buy Replica Airguns in Canada

• Buy Replica Airguns in the US

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Cost:

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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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I want to thank David Bitkowski from Rx Target Systems for providing me with this sample unit to share with the Replica Airguns community. This video is only a Preview video as I wanted to get the RX Target System out there before I follow up with my actual Table Top and Shooting Videos for it.

For now here are some of the key points I want to get out to everyone:

Mission:
Rx Target Systems are meant to bridge the gap between firearms and airguns. They allow high precision shooting on a reactive, three- dimensional, rugged target that can be carted around in a back pack.  What makes Rx Target Systems unique is that it is a system. It is so modular and adaptable with interchangable faceplates and paddles. Rx Target Systems are not going to break or get dented or dissembled on the range as many of the lighter gauged steel targets on the market today vs today’s high powered airguns.

Modular 

• One base allows interchange of faceplates for different target configurations 

• One threaded axel allows interchange of paddle from 10 gauge to 3/8 inch-thick paddles 

Portable 

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• Mount it on a shelf indoors 

• Mount it on a sawhorse outdoors  

• Carry it in a backpack or duffle bag- its 10 pounds 

Rugged 

• Solid steel design 

• Faceplates from 10 gauge to ¼ inch thick 

3-Dimensional 

• Faceplate is offset from paddles 

• Clipping the aperture does not guarantee a score 

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Intentions of target configurations 

• Standard 1 inch bulls.- represents kill zone of many small game at 30 yards, great for sighting in prior to the hunt. Also is ¼ scale of bull used in rapid fire pistol when shot from 8.3 meters. (25 meters distance/100mm bull) 

• 1.2 inch bulls- represents the 4-10 ring of the NRA 10 meter air rifle target. Gears the shooter to consistently hitting the “black” of that target on paper 

• AAFTA style- represents common kill zones found in American Airgun Field Target Assosciation using 1.5”, 1”, ¾", ½", and 3/8”.  

• WFTF style- represents common kill zones found in World Field Target Federation using 15mm, 25mm, and 38mm apertures 

• 10-15- Inspired by customer request, uses 10mm and 15mm apertures.  High-Precision shooting.

Visit the Rx Target Systems Website

In this SHOT Show Las Vegas 2020 Interview Video Scott takes us through a range of new products from Air Venturi.

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Scott and I talk about the Air Venturi TR5 and how it came about to fill the hole the Baikal MP-61 left behind. We also talk a look at some new Air Rifles, a pumper called the Butterfly with a super cool linkage based system that makes pumping a lot easier. A PCP side lever cocking Air Rifle that I’m not even sure has a name yet but will be available in .177 .22 and .25 caliber pellet for around $299 US.

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The only Air Venturi replica we looked at is a new Springfield Armory under lever Spring Piston Air rifle modeled after the M1A. Last up Scott went showed us how the Bada Bang targeting system is shaping up and looks to be almost ready for production.

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The Umarex Strike Point is a lot like the Crosman series of bolt action multi-pump pellet shooters at least in design. Sure it has a more futuristic and plastic build to it but mechanically it works pretty much the same as the Crosman Bolt Action Multi-pump Pellet Pistols. What I really wanted to know is will the Umarex Strike Point .22 Caliber Pellet Pistol perform as good?

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Umarex states that you can pump the Umarex Strike Point .22 Caliber Pellet Pistol 10 times maximum so that's what I will did for my Feet Per Second Testing and the Umarex Strike Point .22 Caliber Pellet Pistol was very consistent producing a 427 fps 3 shot string using fairly heavy 14.3 grain lead pellets. Of course lighter alloy pellets should go right up to the claimed 500 fps. I also tested out a 5 pump shot to see what kind of velocity I would get since you don't always need maximum power for basic plinking and target shooting. The velocity did drop as expected but not that much getting 356 fps which is plenty fast for all intents and purposes.

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Moving on to my Target accuracy testing, I placed 6 shot in total on my paper target setup 30 feet down range using a rested and seated shooting position. My first 4 shots made a single half inch hole but then my shooting table seemed to move on my 5th and 6th shot making me use a slightly different hold and I believe this caused these 5th and 6th shots to drop a bit. Based on my first 4 shots I expect the Umarex Strike Point .22 Caliber Pellet Pistol to shoot consistent half inch groupings from 30 feet away especially once you get use to the trigger and sights. The shots where all a bit low but this is not a problem since the rear sight on the Umarex Strike Point .22 Caliber Pellet Pistol is adjustable for windage and elevation.

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All in all the Umarex Strike Point .22 Caliber Pellet Pistol is a nice target and even small pest control air pistol for at least closer up shooting. The trigger is not as light as the Crosman series but it works just fine. If you want something a little more up to date than what Crosman is offering in a bolt action multi-pump Pellet Pistol then you may want to consider the Umarex Strike Point .22 Caliber Pellet Pistol as an option.

• Buy the Umarex Strike Point .22 Caliber Pellet Pistol in Canada

• Buy the Umarex Strike Point .22 Caliber Pellet Pistol in the US

Some more Airguns to show everyone! Today I have three very different styles for you... In this Preview video I show off a Multi-pump Pellet Target Pistol, a CO2 Blowback Airsoft Pistol and an AEG AK47 Kalashnikov with all the bells and whistles!

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First off is the Strike Point Multi-pump .22 Caliber Target Pellet Pistol from Umarex. It's kind of like the Crosman 1322 Pistol but with more plastic parts on the outside so it's a little bit more bulky than the Crosman. Other than that both Multi-pump Target Air Pistols share similar bolt actions, cross bolt safeties and adjustable rear sights. With 10 pumps you shoudl get around 465 fps form a standard .22 caliber lead pellet so the Umarex Strike Point Multi-pump .22 Caliber Target Pellet Pistol should even be OK for small pest control as long as it proves to be accurate.

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I previously reviewed the KWC M40 in it's standard barrel length, the KWC M&P 40 Extended Barrel Airsoft Pistol is pretty much the same Airsoft pistol but with an extended slide and barrel along with higher sights and a vented slide. I also like the stainless steel barrel which give the KWC M&P 40 Extended Barrel Airsoft Pistol a nice tow tone look.

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Lastly I take a look at a full featured AEG Kalashnikov Tactical AK47 Airsoft Rifle that comes with everything you are going to need including the battery, charger, two 550 round magazines and an included fore-grip. The AK47 Kalashnikov Tactical 60Th Ann. Airsoft Rifle feels really good in the hands with its near 7 pounds of weight. I look forward to giving this AEG Airsoft rifle a test run for sure!

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• Buy the Umarex Strike Point Easy Load Bolt .22 Pellet Airgun in Canada

• Buy the Umarex Strike Point Easy Load Bolt .22 Pellet Airgun in the US

• Buy the KWC M&P 40 Extended Barrel Airsoft Pistol in Canada

• Buy the AK47 Kalashnikov Tactical 60Th Ann. Airsoft Rifle in Canada

• Buy the AK47 Kalashnikov Tactical 60Th Ann. Airsoft Rifle in the US

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Type: Multi-pump Pellet-BB rifle.
Manufacturer: Umarex USA.
Model: NXG APX.
Materials: Metal and polymer parts.
Weight: 3.4 pounds (1.54 kg).
Barrel: 20 inches, rifled.
Propulsion: Multi-pump.
Action: Single shot pellets/repeater BB's.
Ammunition Type: .177 caliber pellets & 4.5mm steel BB's.
Ammunition Capacity: 75 BB's in hopper.
FPS: up to 490.

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Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Umarex NXG APX Multi-pump Pellet-BB Rifle is not too bad, I would not say it's overly light but not on the heavy side either. Essentially it has a single action trigger since you need to pre-charge the bolt to engage the trigger. There is a little bit of take-up and then a fairly noticeable break point where you will feel the most trigger weight right before it releases.

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Accuracy: So far I have not performed my Field Test Shooting review for the Umarex NXG APX Multi-pump Pellet-BB Rifle so I do not have any velocity or accuracy information to share at this point. I do plan on making that Shooting video Review this week so stay posted for that one.

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Build Quality: The Umarex NXG APX Multi-pump Pellet-BB Rifle is not going to be one of your highest quality airguns but it does get the job done and feels solid enough with all the working parts feeling tight and secure. Most of the Umarex NXG APX Multi-pump Pellet-BB Rifle is plastic, even the bolt and trigger but you will find more metal inside where it counts like the inner steel barrel and the outer steel barrel shroud. The stock is plastic and that's OK, I do like the addition of the rubber butt pad and cheek rest as they work well and help to make the Umarex Umarex NXG APX Multi-pump Pellet-BB Rifle feel comfortable to hold in position and shoot.

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Realism: Since the Umarex NXG APX Multi-pump Pellet-BB Rifle is not a replica, realism is not really a factor here but it does look like a gun so treat it as if it was a real gun since most people will not know the difference. Always transport and store any airgun safely and discreetly.

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Pros:

• Low cost air rifle with a lot of features.

• Iron sights actually look really usable with the fiber optic red dot up front.

• Comes with an 4x15 optical sight which should help with accuracy at longer ranges.

• Super easy to pump even when getting close to the 10 pump max.

• Built in auto safety.

• Stock and cheek rest position feel really good.

• Choice of shooting pellets or BB’s.

• Trigger feels pretty good, not too heavy.

• Mostly an ambidextrous design so good for lefties too.

• Has a rifled barrel.

• Overall a good looking air rifle.

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Cons:

• Mostly plastic, not the highest quality build.

• Included 4x15 scope is super low budget but will work till you can upgrade it down the road.

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Comments:
I really hope the Umarex NXG APX Multi-pump Pellet-BB Rifle shoots well as it is kind of a cool air rifle with a lot of features at a low price tag and would make a great little target and maybe even small pest air rifle if it turns out to be accurate and hit that near 500 fps mark with pellets. The Umarex NXG APX Multi-pump Pellet-BB Rifle is not going to win any quality or design awards but from a usability stand point it works well and feels good to hold and shoot, the rear stock and cheek rest are in a perfect piston for me and this is a pretty small airgun overal. Personally I would invest in an upgraded scope, something like the Walther 4x32 would be perfect and not too expensive.

The Umarex NXG APX Multi-pump Pellet-BB Rifle is available in both the Stand Alone Air Rifle and Kit Version that comes with the addition of safety glasses, targets and ammo.

Buy Umarex NXG APX Multi-pump Pellet-BB Rifle in Canada

Buy Umarex NXG APX Multi-pump Pellet-BB Rifle in the US

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For my first official Field Test Shooting Video I test out the Crosman American Classic P1322 22 Caliber Pellet Pistol! Perhaps I should start calling these videos Sea Can or Shipping Container Shooting videos? Anyway, like always I put some rounds through the Chronograph to see what kind of real world fps I get from the Crosman American Classic P1322 22 Caliber Pellet Pistol. You will all be happy to know the Chrony is working really well in its new home. I played around with it a bit and found that using the light kit I bought gets me very consistent fps readings :)

Since the Crosman American Classic P1322 22 Caliber Pellet Pistol is a multi-pump airgun there is no real need to shoot more than 3 or so shots, after all there is a fair amount of pumping involved. After three consistent test shots the variation was only about 2 fps apart coming in at an average of 491 fps using Crosman flathead pellets that I would say are around 12-13 grain in weight. Just for fun a did a half pump only cracking the Crosman American Classic P1322 22 Caliber Pellet Pistol 5 times to see what a half power shot would result in and it did scrub off about 200 fps, still good enough for target plinking.

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Next up I performed my accuracy test shooting from close to 30 feet back on a paper target using a rested position, (sitting in the back with my hands resting on a sand bag). Still a bit of human factor involved but stable enough to get a good idea of the accuracy for the Crosman American Classic P1322 22 Caliber Pellet Pistol. I had a bit of a camera technical problem so I ended up performing this test twice, the first time I got about a 3/4 inch 5 shot group. The second time I rushed it a bit and ended up widening out the group a little.

Overall the Crosman American Classic P1322 22 Caliber Pellet Pistol is a really great target and even small pest close range pistol that you can pickup at a very affordable price. I really wish we carried a few of the Crosman airguns, at least ones like this, perhaps down the road...

Type: Pellet Air Pistol.

Manufacturer: Crosman.

Model: P1322 American Classic.

Materials: Metal & plastic.

Weight: 2 pounds.

Barrel: 10.25 inches, metal rifled.

Propulsion: Multi-pump pneumatic, up to 10 pumps.

Action: Bolt-action single shot, single action only.

Ammunition Type: .22 caliber pellets.

Ammunition Capacity: 1 round.

FPS: 460.

Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the Crosman American Classic P1322 22 Caliber Pellet Pistol is non-adjustable but is short and fairly light with virtually no creep at all, it's just right there! The Crosman American Classic P1322 will allow for very accurate shot placement with only a little trigger time required to get use to the release tension required.

Accuracy: I found my Original Crosman 1377 (The .177 caliber version of this airgun) to be an amazing target pistol, getting about a 1/2 inch grouping from 30 feet out in a semi-rested position. And I even performed my accuracy test twice with the same result each time. In terms of fps performance, the Crosman American Classic P1322 22 Caliber Pellet Pistol is not required to be detuned for Canada importation so we should see very close to 460 fps even using heavier grain lead pellets! Make sure to look for my upcoming Field Test Shooting video for the Crosman American Classic P1322 22 Caliber Pellet Pistol.

Build Quality: The Crosman American Classic P1322 22 Caliber Pellet Pistol is not a fancy looking airgun but it gets the job done with a mostly all metal design and build. Remember this Croman configuration has been around since 1977 so about  40 years and has pretty much stayed the same so Crosman must be doing something right with the American Classic series if it has stood the test of time with very few changes to its design other than some cosmetics ones.

Realism: The Crosman P1322 American Classic Air Pistol is not a replica of any gun out there. The P1322 is made as a target airgun, so it looks like a target air pistol and is not expected to resemble a tradition real steel pistol of any sort.

Pros:

• Fairly inexpensive target pistol (under $100 Canadian - $79 US)

• Know to be very accurate.

• Ability to regulate power with the amount of pumps.

• Mostly all metal construction.

• Rifled steel barrel.

• Adjustable rear sight.

• Light single action trigger.

• Would be good for small close shot pest control because of good FPS and good accuracy for shot placement ability.

• Lots of mods and upgrades available for this series of Crosman Airguns.

Cons:

• The trigger is a bit thin (Can be upgraded).

• Rear sight is adjustable but is hard to setup.

• All black sights are hard to aim on darker targets.

• Pumping is fairly firm and will take some time for max 10 pump power.

Comments:

The Crosman American Classic P1322 22 Caliber Pellet Pistol is a bit of a sleeper target pistol. It has been around for a long time and for this reason can be overlooked. It also is a super flashy looking airgun that requires a bit of manual pumping to get to maximum power. There is also the kind of finicky sight setup required to get this air pistol to shoot on target. If you can put all that aside you have yourself a super accurate and rather powerful little target or even small pest control airgun for a lot less money than some other pellet target pistols out there. And to be honest I would trade having to pump this gun up over a springer for the main reason that the recoil is so much less violent on a pump gun allowing for better accuracy at the end of the day. When you factor in all the mods that are available for this line of Crosman Airguns the sky is the limit allowing for a ton of customization in performance and looks.

My Vimeo Video Review of the Crosman P1322 American Classic .22 Caliber Target Pistol:

Buy Pellet Airguns in the Canada Store

First off, I want to thank Crosman for providing these two guns for review! Now they're not exactly new guns by any means but for sure worth showing and doing some update reviews for.

Starting with the Crosman PFAM98 Taurus PT-92:

The Crosman PFAM98 Taurus PT-92 is essential a KWC made M92 also branded as the same gun as the Cybergun GSG 92 and the Swiss Arms P92.

So for all intense and purposes if you have watched any of my other revise on this line of KWC Beretta /Taurus BB pistols and even Airsoft versions then this BB gun should be really familiar to you.

History of the Taurus PT-92:

It is often referred to as a Berate 92 copy but in fact it is a Taurus PT-92 replica. The Taurus PT-92 is a product of Brazil, Taurus actually bought the entire Brazilian Beretta factory back in 1980 including drawings, tooling, machinery, and a very experienced work force to make the guns. Taurusimmediately sought to improve on the Beretta design, resulting in the popular and acclaimed Taurus PT-92.

Specifications for the Crosman PFAM98 Taurus PT-92:

• Full Blowback operation.

• Full metal frame, slide and magazine.

• 12 gram CO2.

• 4.5mm steel BB’s.

• 20 shot full size drop out metal magazine.

• Smooth bore barrel.

• Single and double action trigger.

• 2.44 pounds (1107 grams).

• Up to 400fps.

• Replica of Taurus PT-92.

• Made for Crosman by KWC in Taiwan.

Next up the Crosman American Classic P1322.

The American Classic P1322 is basically a .22 caliber version of the .177 caliber 1377 Pneumatic Pump Air Pistol. So make sure to watch the video reviews I have already done for the Crosman American Classic P1377. Other than caliber the .22 caliber version at least in Canada is more powerful since it has not been detuned for Canada import. The .22 caliber version has a claimed fps of 460 which is under our 500 fps import limitation while the standard non detuned .177 caliber version has a max claimed fps of up to 600 which can set off alarms at customs. For this reason the Crosman American Classic P1377 Canada version is detuned to shoot under 500 fps.

Crosman use to make a similar version of the Crosman American Classic P1322 called the Back Packer which had a slightly longer barrel and came with a removable stock. You can kind of replicate this gun by adding the stock but it will have a shorter barrel. Keep in mind there are a ton of mods available for this series of Crosman airguns including barrels, bolts, trigger, Internals stocks, scope mounts…

PHOTOSpecifications for the Crosman American Classic P1322:

• Metal and plastic construction.

• Pneumatic pump.

• .22 caliber lead pellets.

• Single shot bolt action.

• Rifled metal barrel.

• Single action only.

• Up to 460fps using lead pellets (10 pumps).

• 1.88 pounds (853 grams)

Keep posted for my full update reviews for these airguns...

Power Sources Covered in this review: CO2 - Spring Piston - Variable Pump -HPA (High Pressure Air)

Pro’s:

• CO2 Airguns allow for fast repeat shooting, great for action shooters, generally CO2 Airguns will supply a medium power range. No need to pump or cock your CO2 powered weapon in-between shots and a CO2 power source can allow for a very realistic action of the gun you are shooting.

• Spring Piston Airguns are best suited of single shot situations, they can provide low to high power output depending on the spring used. Spring Piston Airguns are very low cost to operate since you only need to buy the Pellets or BB’s. Spring Piston Airguns are not greatly effected by outside temperatures.

• Variable Pump Airguns allow you to decide how much power your gun will have and can offer very high power output depending on the Airgun. Variable Pump Airguns are very low cost to operate since you only need to buy the Pellets or BB’s. Variable Pump Airguns are not greatly effected by outside temperatures. Variable Pump Airguns generally have very low recoil and vibration.

• HPA (High Pressure Air) Airguns generally do not require pumping or cocking in-between shots and some even come in semi automatic or bolt action. HPA Airguns can have very high power output and even be used on larger game using large caliber ammunition. HPA Air Rifles have lower recoil and low vibration. HPA Airguns can be charged ahead off time so they are ready for use when you need them.

Con’s:

• CO2 Airguns require the additional cost to buy the CO2 as they do not function without it. CO2 Airguns have a limited power output and lose power as you shoot and use up the CO2. CO2 Airguns are effected by hot and cold temperatures and will have less power in colder temperatures and may not even work in super cold environments.

• Spring Piston Airguns require cocking before each shot. Spring Piston Airguns can have a lot of recoil and vibration, so much so that special optics must be considered when buying an optical sight. The action of the spring recoil can effect accuracy, especially if you are not use to the vibration and recoil or have spent some time practicing using a Spring Piston Airgun.

• Variable Pump Airguns will require multiple pumps to achieved maximum power output which can take some time in-between shots. So you are going to have to work for each shot.

• HPA (High Pressure Air) Airguns require the use of a manual pump to fill their built in air tank to maximum pressure and it does take a lot of time to manual fill an HPA tank. Alternatively you can have the air tank filled at a shop or buy a pressurization system similar to a scuba tank out paintball setup, the cost of this setup can be very high but will save you the castle of manually pumping air in to your HPA Airgun. HPA Airguns are generally a little more bulky then other Airgun systems since they have to accommodate fairly large air pressure tanks.

Power:
Generally speaking a longer barrel is going to allow for more power. If you compare most CO2 pellet pistols to CO2 Pellet Rifles, you will find that the CO2 Pellet Pistol will generally shoot about 300-400 fps using a standard lead Pellet. On the other hand many CO2 Pellet Rifles can get up to as high as 600 fps which is much better speed for humanly shooting some smaller pests.

If you are talking about Springer or Variable Pump Air Pistols versus their Air Rifle counterparts, again the Air rifles will generally shoot with much more power. I have seen some none CO2 Air Pistols shoot up into the 500-600 fps range but again compered to none CO2 Air Rifles, they can even double these numbers.

Some of you may ask about Steel BB Pistols and Rifles. I personally would never really sue this type of ammunition for pest control simply because most BB Rifles have much less raw power than Pellet Rifles and steel BB’s will not be as accurate at any type of longer distance.

Stability:
When holding any rifle from the shoulder, you have three point of contact with your body spread out in a much longer distance than a two handed pistol grip. Holding steady even without a rested position is much easier using a rifle. Even when using a rested position, the rifle will more stable.

Accuracy:
A big factor in accuracy is stability but there are also other factors to consider. Barrel length its self does not make the gun more accurate, you only need a few inches of barrel length to get constant accurate results from a gun. What makes longer barreled guns more accurate is the distance between the rear and front sight. The closer the sights are together, the more margin for error there is, the longer you spread out the sights from each other, the more accurate the sighting system becomes.

Overall More Humain:
When you consider Air Rifles tend to have higher power, better accuracy and overall more consistency than shorter barreled Air Pistols. The logical choice for humanly shooting a Pest is to use the Air Rifle. The last thing you want to do is make any animal suffer, even if it has been causing a lot of havoc around your home or farm or place of business.

When I say Airguns, I am referring to pretty much all BB, Airsoft, Pellet, Paintball and even Blank guns for most of the topics listed here.

Do’s:

1. Treat your Airgun just like you would a real gun. If something goes wrong, perhaps the outcome will not be as severe but do you really want to take a trip down to your local emergency ward to get a BB or Pellet removed?

2. Always assume your airgun is loaded, for some reason it always seems those empty guns are the ones that do the most damage.

3. Be discrete, If it looks like a gun other people will think it is a gun so don’t flash your airguns around in public. Keep it in a case when transporting and shoot it in an area that will not alarm other people.

4. Always wear eye protection when shooting your Airgun. Do you really want to shoot your eye out? No Joke!

5. Be aware of your surroundings like windows, hard objects that could make your ammo bounce back at you. Make sure you are shooting your Airgun in a safe direction at all times, know your target and beyond.

6. Use Airguns to teach others and learn how to safely and effectively shoot a gun. Airguns can be less intimidating then a real gun (Not so loud and very little recoil) and make for great start out and transitions guns.

7. Use Airguns to get more inexpensive trigger time and become a more experienced shooter. Airguns cosy only pennies per round to shoot and can be shot in way more areas than a real gun can, practice makes perfect so get shooting!

8. Use Airguns in areas where real guns may not be allowed or safe to use. Again, Airguns can be shot in all kinds of places, in your back yard or even in a properly setup indoor home range.

9. Use Airguns with adequate power for safe and humane pest control where real guns may be prohibited.Airguns are quiet and less likely for the bullet to travel long ranges which makes them ideal for close range pest control in areas where real guns are too loud and to powerful.

Don’ts:

1. Do not assume because it is an airgun it is not dangerous or simply a toy. Many Deaths have been caused by Airguns along with a lot of pain and suffering so treat your Airgun with respect. It is not a toy or you would find them in the toy department at your local store along with yo-yos and stuffed animals.

2. Do not point or shoot at people unless of course you are using an Airsoft gun in an Airsoft field or facility. Yes Airsoft guns are meant to shoot at each other (with appropriate attire like eye protection and full body clothing), but steel BB and Pellet can cause serious injury especially at close range and on direct skin contact.

3. Do not leave your Airgun loaded, you never know who is going to come across it and accidentally discharge it. Remember, a loaded gun is a dangerous gun in the wrong hands. You may know better than to assume the gun is undulated but children and even adults without any gun training will most definitely handle the airgun without consideration of the danger it poses.

4. Do not use an Airgun for self protection. See my related video. Simply put, Airguns are not practical for self defense because they rarely have enough Stopping Power. The ones that do have enough power need to be pre-charged and in most cases are only single shot meaning if you miss or don’t get the job done no the first shot then you are done.

5. Do not use an underpowered Airgun for pest control. See related video. Using a low powered BB pistol for pest control is cruel, you will only injure the animal making it suffer unnecessarily. Use a high powered pellet rifle to get the job done.

6. Do not take your gun apart, in most cases this will void the warranty and the reality is that airguns rarely need to be cleaned since no dirty gun powder is used. lead pellet rifles may require occasional barrel cleaning to keep the rifled barrel free of debris.

7. Do not over oil your Airgun, a little goes a long way and too much oil will just attracted dirt, use the right airgun oil and just enough to keep part functioning smoothly.

8. Do not over pump an Airgun. Over pumping an Airgun can cause damage to valves and seals and in a worse case situation a rupture the air pressure reservoir or even cause the airgun to explode!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Not Airsoft:

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

Same but Different:

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

Magazine Types:

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

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

Ammo Size:

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

Barrel Rifling:

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

Accuracy:

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

Hunting and/or Pest Control:

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

Pistols versus Rifles:

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

Abundance:

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

Which is Best?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What about Pistols versus Rifles?

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

What about Pellet guns versus BB guns?

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

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

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

What is the lowest FPS that I can use?

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

How large of an Animal can an Airguns Kill?

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

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

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

Two of our most popular single shot target/hunting pellet shooters are back in stock again after what has been a rather long delay. The truth of the matter is we just didn't have a supplier for them anymore here in Canada until now. Webley as a company has been through some pretty big changes over the past several years and now hopefully it has all been worked out and supply will be steady.

Don't worry about the quality, that is still top notch! We now have the Turkish made Webley Alecto and Webley Tempest (both available in .177 and .22 caliber pellets) back in stock and I am happy to say the Alecto has even been improved with an upgraded Air Reservoir and even higher fps than before which means the Webley Alecto and the Webley Tempest now shoot right up to our maximum fps here in Canada before becoming restricted firearms so no need for an R-PAL which means happy shooting in places other than a gun range!

I would even rcomend both these Webley pistols for small pest control especially in the .22 caliber versions as they have the power and accuracy to get the job done.

Buy Webley Airguns in our Canada Store - Buy Webley Airguns in our US Store

In this Comparison Video I go through the benefits and shortcomings of CO2, Spring Piston and Pump Airguns. I focus mainly on Airguns but there is a bit of a crossover with Airsoft guns.

All three systems (CO2, Spring, Pump) create pressure that forces the ammunition with a high force out of the barrel. Similar to how gun powder is the source of energy for a bullet.

Here are some basic statements that best describe CO2, Spring Piston and Pump Airguns.

CO2 Airguns:

• CO2 Airguns use the expansion of CO2 gas to create the pressure required for the ammo.

• CO2 Airguns generally store enough CO2 for multiple shots per cartridge.

• CO2 Airguns have a limit as to how much power they can produce since CO2 has a set vapor pressure of 850 psi, or about 56 bar at room temperature which is around 25 C or 77 F. CO2 Gas also requires a warm environment to expand so warmer temperature and longer barrels help with power.

• Some CO2 guns can also use pressurized air tanks in place of CO2.

Spring Piston Airguns:

• Spring Airguns use the release of a pre-cocked spring and plunger system to compress air to power the ammo.

• Spring Piston Airguns require the cocking of the spring between each shot so they are single shot only.

• Spring Airguns are limited to how much effort is humanly possible to cock the spring into position. If you make the spring to strong then not everyone will be able to use the Airgun effectively. Too week of a spring and the Airgun will lack power.

• Spring Piston Airguns are known for having a fair amount of recoil and vibration when the spring moves both forward and backwards quickly inside the Airgun.

• Spring Airguns can use either a mechanical spring or a gas spring.

Pump Airguns:

• Pump Airguns (either Single or Multi-Pump) store air pressure in a chamber that when released, powers the ammo.

• Most Pump Airguns require at least 1 or more pumps, often up to 10 pumps for each shot and you generally only get one shot per set of pumps. Not to be confused with PCP Airguns (Pre Charged Pneumatic) which have large pressure tanks that are recharged with a high volume of pressurized air that is capable of shooting multiple shots per charge.

• Pump Airguns are also somewhat limited to how much effort is humanly possible since the higher the chamber pressure, the harder it will be to pump the Airgun. 

Misc Airguns:

• Generally speaking both Spring and Multi-Pump Airguns have more potential power than a CO2 guns since CO2 has a set peek pressure limit.

• Pump and CO2 Airguns are know to have very little recoil since the pressure is stored in a chamber and then released by a valve. No slapping back and forth of a large internal spring.

Pros:

CO2 Airguns:

• CO2 Airguns allow for multiple shots per CO2 cartridge for more realistic action shooting.

• CO2 Airguns do not require any human effort to charge the gun other than loading the CO2 and Ammo into the Airgun.

• CO2 Airguns allow for true semi auto shooting ability. 

Spring Piston Airguns:

• Spring Airguns have the potential for high velocity since the larger and stiffer the spring, the greater the output force.

• Spring Airguns do not require anything other than your ammunition, typically either a Pellet or BB.

• Spring Airguns are mechanically very simple which makes them very reliable and less expensive to produce than other types of Airguns. 

Pump Airguns:

• Pump Airguns have the potential for high velocity since more pumps equals greater output force, only limited by the users strength and the pressure rating of the Airgun.

• Pump Airguns do not require anything other than your ammunition, typically either a Pellet or BB.

• Pump Airguns have next to no recoil which makes them very easy to shoot and highly accurate.

Cons:

CO2 Airguns:

• CO2 Airguns require the purchase and use of CO2 or they simple do not work.

• CO2 Airguns are very susceptible to temperature changes, especially cold temperature since CO2 needs a warm environment in order to expand. Cool down effect also plays a role in power output.

• CO2 Airguns have a maximum set amount of power output.

Spring Piston Airguns:

• Spring Airguns require the pre-cocking of the spring for each shot.

• Spring Airguns can take some getting used to since the spring recoil/vibration requires a very lose grip (Military Grip) to shoot accurately with them.

• Spring Airguns should not be stored pre-cocked since this can damage the spring, less so with gas spring versions. 

Pump Airguns:

• Pump Airguns require pre-pumping to pressurize the air chamber for each shot.

• Pump Airguns, especially Multi-Pump Airguns take the most amount of human effort for each shot.

• Pump Airguns need to stored with at least one pump in them or the seals can get damaged over time.

I finally answer the question... Which Airgun is the Best? There has to be a best airgun out there right? So let's cut to the chase and stop waisting everyones time and money buying the third Best Airgun or even the second best Airgun! Why would you even want anything other than the very best Airgun available to mankind!

I really hope you weren't one of the gullible ones that actually bought something other than the Best Airgun, well I guess you're going to have to watch my YouTube video to find out which Airgun is the Best Airgun of all time...