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Today’s unboxing, we’ll call it the March 2026 Unboxing Preview!

I had no idea what was in this box, and honestly, I like it that way. It makes every delivery feel a bit like Christmas. A box shows up from the warehouse, I crack it open, and my job is to let you know what’s inside and what might be coming soon to the store. A lot of the time these are products we’ve never carried before. Not always, but usually there’s at least something new or unexpected in the mix.

As usual, getting into the box was its own little challenge. Good thing I had my “box cutter “ handy. Once I finally got through the packaging, it was clear right away this one had some interesting stuff inside.

What was in the box?

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1) Annie Oakley Lil’ Sure Shot BB Rifle

First out of the box was something a little different: the Annie Oakley Lil’ Sure Shot.

This one is brought to you by Air Venturi / Western Justice, and it’s essentially a Red Ryder-style lever action BB rifle with some nice Western-themed touches. Right away, it stood out with the stained solid wood stock, wood forearm with engraving, and engraved Annie Oakley artwork.

Here are some of the listed specs and features:

• Ammo: .177 caliber / 4.5mm steel BBs

• Action: Lever cocking, spring piston

• Barrel: Smoothbore

• Overall Length: 36.25 inches

• Capacity: 550 BBs

• Claimed Velocity: Up to 350 FPS

• Weight: 3.3 pounds

• Max Shooting Distance: 212 yards

Once I opened it up, it definitely gave me that familiar Red Ryder / Marlin Cowboy vibe, but it feels like it may be just a bit bigger overall. Maybe a slightly longer stock, maybe just a bit more substantial in the hands. I’ll have to compare it side-by-side with a Red Ryder later to know for sure.

A few things I noticed right away:

• It has a metal lever

• Metal frame

• Metal barrel

• A plastic muzzle tip

• A rear sight that appears adjustable

• And surprisingly, a Weaver-style rail on top for mounting an optic

That top rail is actually a nice touch. You could absolutely throw a small scope on this if you wanted to, and why not? It makes for a fun little plinker, and the engraving gives it some real visual appeal too.

I’ve always had a soft spot for these little lever-action BB rifles. They’re just fun. They’re simple, classic, and a great way to introduce younger shooters to safe rifle handling. Rifles like this tend to be a bit easier for beginners since they’re not as quick to wave around as a pistol.

So yes, this one looks like it should be a lot of fun, and I’ll be doing both a Tabletop Review and a Field Test Shooting Review on it soon.

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2) .68 Caliber Nylon Balls (100 Count)

Also in the box was a pack of 100-count .68 caliber nylon balls.

These feel noticeably heavier than the rounds I was using in my earlier T4E TC68 review. The previous ones were around the 2.8 to almost 3 gram range, and these new ones feel more like they’re getting up into the high 3 gram to 4 gram area.

That added weight could make them especially interesting to test in the TC68, since more projectile mass can sometimes translate into more energy on target, even if velocity comes down a bit.

So these should be fun to test out, and as it turns out, they may have arrived for a very good reason…

3) Steambow B08 / .68 Caliber Rubber Ball Crossbow Platform

This was the big surprise in the box, and definitely the highlight item.

If you watched my SHOT Show coverage, then you may remember this one from the Steambow booth. It’s a really cool product: basically a magazine-fed rubber ball shooting crossbow-style launcher in .68 caliber.

I had already gotten a chance to try it at SHOT Show, and Steambow was great about letting us check it out there. So it was pretty exciting to see one show up here for review.

Some of the box highlights:

• Detachable magazine

• 8-shot capacity

• .68 caliber projectiles

• Includes 25 foam balls

• Comes with a 35-pound limb

• AR-style adjustable buttstock

• Protective shooting glasses included

This product has a lot going on in the box. Once I opened it up, there were multiple components and accessories packed inside, including:

• Main body / receiver section

• Foregrip

• AR-style buttstock

• Upper receiver section with included magazine

• 35-pound limb

• Bow string and related accessories

• Lubricant / wax for the string

• Mounting hardware and tools

• Protective glasses

• 25 included foam balls

There’s definitely going to be some assembly involved before I can do a full review, so that will be part of the tabletop video.

The main unit itself feels solid and substantial. It has some good weight to it, and overall it looks like a very cool design. The included 35-pound limb should offer a decent balance between usability and performance. At SHOT Show we were only using a lighter 25-pound setup, which was very easy to draw, great for casual target practice, but obviously not the high-performance option.

One of the things I like about this platform is that it gives you that crossbow-style shooting experience while using reusable .68 caliber balls. That can make it easier and cheaper to shoot compared to bolt-style systems, where each arrow or bolt can get expensive fast, especially if you miss the target and damage one.

And since I now also have those heavier nylon .68 caliber rounds from the same box, I should be able to test both the included foam balls and the heavier options to see how they compare.

This one should make for a very interesting review.

Final Thoughts

So that was the March 2026 mystery box. We’ve got two very different products here:

• The Annie Oakley Lil’ Sure Shot, which looks like a fun, classic lever-action BB rifle in the Red Ryder tradition

• And the Steambow B08 / .68 Caliber Rubber Ball Crossbow Platform, which is something a little more modern, tactical, and definitely unique

Both of these are getting the full treatment, so expect Tabletop Review and Field Test Shooting Review videos for both products.

The Annie Oakley should be a blast to shoot, especially if it performs anything like the other Red Ryder-style guns I’ve reviewed over the years. And the Steambow system looks like it could be a really practical and fun way to enjoy crossbow-style shooting without the cost and fragility of traditional bolts.

I’ve still got a few earlier products to finish up as well, but I’ll be getting to these as quickly as I can.

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We didn’t catch this one at the Steambow booth, we were out at the SHOT Show indoor range checking out Steambow again, Tyler walked us through their brand-new-for-2026 B08: a magazine-fed .68 caliber ball launcher/crossbow that’s just starting to hit availability.

• New B08 .68 cal “ball launcher” platform (2026): This is a .68 caliber system designed to run .68 spherical projectiles (paint, foam/nylon, and pepper/irritant-type balls were all discussed as compatible options, depending on local rules).

• 8-shot, removable, pre-loadable magazine: The B08 uses a spring-fed 8-round magazine that inserts at the front. Tyler’s demo made it clear you can pre-load multiple mags and keep shooting quickly.

• Simple, repeatable action (easy to learn fast): The manual of arms is very “repeat-and-go”: load the mag, cock it, shoot, then cycle and repeat. Steambow describes the system as their familiar AR-Series quick-tilt/quick-clamp style for fast reloading.

• Ships mild, but can be upgraded for more power: The one I tested was using a 35 lb limb, but it’s built to accept other AR-Series limbs (stronger options sold separately). Tyler specifically said swapping to a much heavier limb can turn it into a high-velocity setup (he referenced up to a 150 lb limb and around 300 fps in his talk).

• Projectile flexibility is the whole point: If you already have .68 cal paintballs or similar at home, that’s the target “ecosystem” this is built around (so long as they’re spherical).

• Important safety + legal reality check: Steambow is very explicit that once you move beyond the “low power + soft balls” envelope, the B08 can become very dangerous, they warn that harder/heavier projectiles (including steel balls) raise risks like severe injury/lethality and ricochets, and that irritant/pepper-type rounds may be legally restricted depending on country.

Tyler’s range demo made the main selling points obvious: magazine speed, easy operation, and a huge range of .68 ball options. If we can get it lined up for Canada, it looks like a very versatile multi use platform, especially for anyone who wants .68 cal fun adn then some, without relying on CO2 or HPA.

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I tested another Steambow model in this Field Test Shooting Video, the Steambow AR Series M10 Tactical Crossbow. Like my other Crossbow Field Test videos, I recorded the Chronograph velocity while I was shooting the target so there was no need for separate segments, everything was done in one go with four cameras rolling. I didn’t put a dedicated camera on the Chronograph because I wanted a camera on the target; my camera glasses generally pick up the chrono readings anyway. I only have so many cameras, but everything recorded as planned. If you want the full specs and a closer look at the M10, watch my dedicated Table Top video.

Steambow quotes about 190–200 fps for the AR Series M10. My six chrono readings were 189, 191, 189, 189, 190 and 191, which worked out to a 190 fps average. Using the included 142-grain, 6.5-inch aluminum bolts produced roughly 11.4 foot-pounds of energy, so both velocity and FPE were basically on target with Steambow’s numbers. That’s adequate for small pests, but humane shots always come down to accuracy, you’ll want head or shoulder placement, and I’m not ready to declare any compact crossbow a guaranteed solution for that. Test accuracy for yourself.

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For accuracy I shot six rounds at a paper target 30 feet downrange from my usual seated in the back, hands rested up front shooting position. The first shot from the Steambow AR Series M10 Tactical Crossbow was a few inches low, so I adjusted my point of aim up and ended up with an impressive 1-inch, 4-shot group just left of center. One bolt missed the target entirely, could have been me or a bad bolt (I’ll blame the bolt on that one). Still, for a compact crossbow this was an excellent result, comparable to some pellet rifles.

Overall the Steambow AR Series M10 Tactical Crossbow performed really well. I like the cocking and bolt-feeding system, cocking is simple: shoulder the stock, press the release, then pull the front down using the foregrip for leverage. Even with the higher power of this model you don’t need a lot of strength, and with practice follow-up shots can be quick. I’d add a red dot to the rail to help dial in accuracy and buy a few extra bolts for target practice and hunting. The M10 is one of Steambow’s pricier offerings, but it also has the highest ammo capacity and the most customization options. If you want the ultimate compact crossbow setup, the ability to preload multiple bolts and have extra 10-shot magazines on hand makes the M10 the one to consider.

• Buy the Steambow M10 Tactical Recurve Crossbow in Canada

• Buy Compact Recurve Crossbow in the US

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I’ve tested a few compact crossbows before, but nothing with a multi-bolt loading system like the Steambow setup I’m testing in this video. As with my other Crossbow Field Test videos, I recorded Chronograph velocity at the same time I was shooting the target so I didn’t need two separate segments, I did it all in one pass with lots of cameras rolling. I didn’t dedicate a camera to the Chronograph for this test because I wanted a camera focused on the target; my camera glasses usually capture the Chronograph readings for me. I only have so many cameras, but everything was captured fine. If you want to learn more about the specifications and details of the Steambow AR-6 Stinger II, then watch my dedicated Table Top Video located here.

Steambow lists 180 fps as the claimed velocity for the Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical. I consistently measured right around 160 fps, pretty close to the claim. Using the included 142-grain, 6.5-inch aluminum bolts my chrono readings ranged from 159 to 164 fps, averaging 163 fps, which is very consistent. That produced about 8.4 foot-pounds of energy, so both velocity and FPE were a little under Steambow’s stated numbers. That’s enough for small pests, but humane shots depend on accuracy, you’ll want head or shoulder placement, and I’m not fully convinced this bow is always up to that task. You’ll need to judge its accuracy for your own use.

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On elevation (up and down) the Steambow AR-6 Stinger II was fairly accurate. Where it struggled more was windage: I had to aim noticeably to the right to move bolts toward the bullseye. The sight is very basic (a single fiber-optic post just behind of the Picatinny rail), which likely contributed to the windage issue. Despite that, I managed a roughly 4-inch group at 30 feet, with one bolt behaving like a flyer.

Overall the Steambow AR-6 Stinger II performed well. I really like the cocking and bolt-feeding system — cocking is easy by shouldering the stock, pressing the release, then pulling the front of the bow down using the foregrip for leverage. You don’t need to be super strong to do it, and with practice you could get very quick at follow-up shots. I’d definitely add a red dot to the rail to help dial in accuracy, and I’d buy a few extra bolts for target and hunting. The AR-6 Stinger II is pricier than some basic models, but the ability to preload multiple bolts in the built-in clip and unleash six shots in seconds makes the extra cost worth it to me.

• Buy the Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical in Canada

• Buy Compact Recurve Crossbow in the US

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.

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…

• Buy Airguns in Canada

• Buy Airguns in the US