by B.B. Pelletier
Well, it was inevitable. Just as I was reporting on the Umarex Steel Storm, somebody said they had heard that the new Umarex EBOS (Electronic Burst of Steel) was the better BB submachine gun. If you go looking for the EBOS, don’t look among the air pistols. Even though the firearm it is copied from probably fires a pistol cartridge, the presence of a fixed shoulder stock has caused Pyramyd AIR to place this BB gun among the rifles.
There will probably be debate over which of these three new BB submachine guns is the best for a long time to come. I won’t get into that, but I’ll review the same things on all of them so you can make up your own mind.
And a word on the accuracy testing of all three guns. I have ordered some RWS BBs that one reader praised for extra accuracy. I want to include these BBs in the accuracy tests of all three guns, plus I will also test the Daisy No. 25 BB gun. If there’s a good enough result, I will show it. I will not test them with Daisy Avanti BBs because of the price and the fact that these are submachine guns.
For those of you who were wondering where the Drozd fits in among these new BB submachine guns, the EBOS would seem to be its direct competition. It has an electrically driven action that allows for two sizes of automatic bursts as well as semiautomatic fire. It also offers three rates of automatic fire during the two bursts — 300, 400 and 500 rounds per minute.
Three rates of fire are selectable. Semiautomatic fire (one shot per pull of the trigger) is selected by a different switch on the other side of the gun.
In reading the user comments, I see where someone has requested that the cyclic rate be increased to 800 r.p.m., so perhaps this gun will seem realistic to me after all. If it is, it will be much more to my liking, because I was trained on automatic firearms that shot from 400 to 900 r.p.m. I don’t relate very well to the “carpet-rippers,” as the high-rate guns are often called.
The EBOS advertises a muzzle velocity of 540 f.p.s., which, if true, will make it the hottest BB gun I’ve ever tested. The previous record-holder was an Anics pistol that’s been obsolete for about five years. A velocity this high in a BB gun is almost a liability, what with the way steel BBs ricochet. I’ll have to give some thought to how this gun needs to be tested, lest I blow through my Crosman 850 BB trap.
The EBOS uses 88-gram CO2 cylinders, or what Crosman likes to call AirSource cartridges. Of course, you don’t want to forget that Umarex has their own Walther-brand cartridges. These larger cylinders fit into the part that becomes the stock of the gun. The gun features a built-in, 24-shot forced-feed BB magazine fed from an onboard 400-shot reservoir.
Just pour in up to 400 steel BBs.
Now I am going to do something I almost never do, but in this case the facts are so blatant that they warrant a comment. The price point of the EBOS is so much lower than the Drozd Blackbird that I seriously wonder if it is going to cut into the sales of the Russian gun. Usually, when there’s a small difference, even up to $50, there wouldn’t be much competition, but the EBOS is nearly one-third the cost of the Drozd Blackbird, which also accepts 88-gram cartridges. That may change demand in the market.
Some design features explained
Of course, this gun is mostly plastic on the outside and very lightweight — 3 lbs. without BBs and a CO2 cartridge installed. And I want to draw your attention to two design features that are visually misleading. What appear to be Picatinny mounts on both sides of the gun are simply decorative embellishments. They will not hold any thing. The two true Picatinny rails are on top of the receiver and at the bottom. Also, what appears to be a thread pattern behind the muzzle is actually a series of concentric plastic circles that do not accept any muzzle attachments.
Although the sides of the gun appear to have Picatinny rails, they’re simply decorative. The real Picatinny rails are at the top and bottom of the gun.
Sights adjust
There has been some criticism of the top-loaded BB reservoir, and I don’t understand why. The adjustable sights clear it fine and so will most dot sights. It isn’t a hindrance in any way I can see. The rear sight is adjustable for both windage and elevation, and I can’t wait to try it out. This is the only one of the three BB submachine guns I’m testing that has a stock. That makes the open sights workable.
The rear sight adjusts in both directions.
The EBOS seems to be the biggest and baddest of the three newcomers. But testing will show all.
I’ll be curious to see how CO2 works for shooting at automatic burst speeds in this smg. Back in the early ’90s I bought a smBBg from a magazine ad. It fired full automatic on CO2 but I could have achieved the same mv by filling my mouth with the bbs and spitting them out again. Very disappointing. And wasteful of bbs.
Good Morning B.B.,
Hope all is well on the road for you and Mac. The folks who’ve reviewed this gun for PA say mostly good thing about this gun. Looking fwd to you’re next installment.
Bruce
Bruce,
I think it’s going to be a good one. Those customer reviews are apparently well-deserved.
B.B.
If it wasn’t so weird looking…
J-F:
The shape of things to come?
Have you seen some of the new assault rifles being tested on ‘Future Weapons’?
Almost exactly the same as this EBOS.
BB:
Is our Mac an ex navy seal who does a bit of television work on the side by any chance? 🙂
DaveUK
DaveUK,
Mac was in the Navy a long, long time ago. He was a photographer. He was never a SEAL and doesn’t do any TV work.
Edith
Hi Edith,
The fella who presents ‘Future Weapons’ nickname is ‘Mac’ you see.
I was just making a tongue in cheek connection 🙂
Maximum respect to ‘our’ Mac for all he does.
DaveUK
J-F and Dave, I thought the M-16 was “weird looking” back in ’68. My USMC basic was with the M14 which I thought then (and now) was a REAL rifle!
Brian, I qualified with both the M14 and the M16, and I never had much respect for the M16.
I was on the range with a Tennessee buddy and, after we’d shot the M14s, he looked at his with real love. He said, “What a sweet shooting gun. I have to get me one of these for deer hunting.”
Brian In Idaho:
Can I extend my respect to yourself as well and all other service personnel past and present on this forum.
It is an honour to be in such company.
I can only imagine how radical the new M16 with its 5.56 round must have been compared to the 7.62 M14.Particularly back then.
Mates of mine who were in the services when the new SA80 5.56 replaced the Belgian FN 7.62 were not at all impressed.
It is noticeable that none of our special forces opt to carry the SA80 and prefer the American M16.
DaveUK
Thanks Dave, I had hopes for a football scholarship in High School but… I ended up playing in the “Southeast Asian Football Conference” instead!
The M14 in full automatic fire mode was quite a handful but certainly impressed (and suppressed) a few “comrades” in Uncle-Ho’s militia. In semi-auto mode, the 7.62mm NATO round is nothing one should step in front of within 1000 meters of the bullet leaving the barrel.
Some of the Aussies I met and worked with carried the FN FALs and I always liked those rifles. They just looked “mean”! All of the free-world seemed to be toting those back in the day. Love those Belgians, great cheese, great beer and great automatic weapons!
Not to mention The Hy-Score 801 Belgium! Tapered barrel,dovetailed front and rear sights….hand cut checkered forearm,wrist and butt section….topped off with the onboard pellet seater! And the shotguns……forget about it!
Brian in Idaho and Joe B in Marin,
Gotta agree with both of you. I was issued an M14 and then we transitioned to the 16. The only thing the 16 and its cartridge had going for it in my mind was it’s much lighter weight.
Bruce
Exactly, they felt like toys compared to the M14, and Colt and Armalite could not keep up with demand to arm everyone at the time I was in, and I think even GM and Harrington & Richardson were making them for awhile.
I broke at least one of them, jammed many others so, I stuck with the M14, the Mossberg pump and a brace of .45 ACPs (or two). All that ammo was heavy but you tend to shoot what you train with.
It was a transitional time in the later 60’s, lot’s of Marines still totin BARs, Thompsons, etc, and everyone I ran with had at least 2 pistols on them night & day. The m16s and M60’s were everywhere by the time I left.
Must have worked out OK, I’m still here.
Brian,
I agree, the first time I fired the M16 was in USMC basic and I thought it was a joke. I still am not all that fond of the AR’s. After about a year I was handed and M14 at Camp Pendleton for some fun. I shot everything in sight clear out over 1100yds. Then they gave me an M40 with the wooden stock. 1100yds wasn’t obtainable, but I fell in love with the .308. Packing a 30-06 with ammo through the brush was just enough effort to justify the .308, for me anyway.
ka
BB,
Now you’re rocking! Been waiting for this review to come out. Almost went and bought it any way it looks so good and reviews so great on it.
If it lives up to its press with you this goes on my “gotta have” list.
A Russian gun about to be undersold by this new model? That bears looking into. I love the fake features on some of these combat style airguns. There is an airsoft M14 which has a working bolt that has no function. You just rack it back and forth for the effect. This may sound strange, but I don’t find these guns so far removed from the newest assault rifles that are being tested–the SCAR and the ACR. They’re very good guns. But they cost a fortune without bringing anything new to the table except for their “modularity.” In other words, you are paying hundreds and even thousands of extra dollars so that you can replace barrels, stocks, and handgrips and hang various accessories off of it. I suspect that all of this is more playing with the gun than really accomplishing anything.
B.B., tell me more about the sizing die with the carbide insert that frees you from having to lube the case. Can you install the carbide insert into any die? (Yes!?!) Does it install on only certain dies? Or is the whole thing one integral piece. I’m thinking of a reloading kit that has everything together, so I’m curious about how I will work this equipment in. The lubing of cases is a major cause of concern that I want to avoid. Thanks for answering questions on the road.
Matt61
Matt,
The carbide ring in that die is finished super-smooth, so that case lube is not needed. You could use it without harm, but it is redundaNT WHEN USING A CARBIDE DIE. CARBIDE DIES ARE FOR STRAIGHT-WALLED CASES, ONLY. BOTTLENECKED CASES DO NOT USE THEM, SO YOUR .223 AND .30-06 DO NEED TO BE LUBED.
Dies cannot be retrofit with carbide inserts.
YOU also have to lubricate the inside of the case neck of bottlenecked cartridges, unless you use a LEE collet die, which neck-sizes, only. YOU LUBE THEM BECAUSE THE EXPANDER BALL WILL STICK INSIDE THE NECK AND PULL THE CASE UNTIL IT STRETCHES. Neck sizing is not appropriate for cases that are fired in autoloaders, so they will have to be full-length sized.
Sorry about the all caps. My laptop keyboard isn’t user-friendly.
B.B.
Matt,
I would like to mention that if you reload straight walled pistol cases a carbide die set is a MUST and Lee is the only brand I will consider. They are 1/2 to 1/8 this cost of other manufacturers die sets and do NOT leave an ugly ring at the bottom of the case just forward of the extractor groove. Some of the other manufacturer’s dies do!
Most manufacturers simply use a circular insert of the bottom of the die and it is several thousandths of an inch smaller than the fired case resulting in the unsightly ring around the bottom of the cartridge as the carbide ring pushes brass ahead of it.
Lee figured out an inexpensive way to grind the dies to the exact dimensions needed and hence no ring.
Btw, BB, technically there IS a rifle case that they make a carbide FULL LENGTH sizing die for and that is the .30 Carbine.
I know, you’re gonna say that is a straight walled case but it is NOT. It has a very slight taper and Lee figured out how to grind the dies to take that into account.
Last I talked to them they said they THOUGHT they may be able to make a carbide neck and shoulder sizer for some rifle cartridges without too radical a shoulder angle. Who knows. I don’t reload for any but the 30 carbine any more and have a nice Lee carbide set for that. I may in the (far) future acquire a .223 Remington “assault rifle” and when I do it will be loaded with a new Lee die set.
And NO! Lee does not pay me to do commercials for them. But it sure as heck pays me to use their products!! I believe I am their #1 fan!
M-1 Carbine carbide dies still need lube about every third case or they start to stick. It does save some time though.
Mike
Mike,
Hmmmm……guess I am doing something wrong. No lube and no sticking?
The dies I have are RCBS, perhaps the Lee ones are better?
Mike
Mike,
Yep! Case closed. Lee carbide dies are WAY better than any other manufacturer’s dies. And less expensive too!
Hello BB,
I think I want to pick me up a Trail XL. How do you think it will preform in .25? Are there any benefits to .25 in this rifle, or does the .22 do just as well, if not better?
Are there any other inexpensive, silenced, .25, spring/gas ram, airguns out there?
Thanks,
Nate.
Nate,
As better pellets are made, the .25 becomes more competitive with the .22. I talked to a couple guys today who really like the Trail in .25.
Right now I believe that there are better .22 pellets on the market, but you only need one accurate pellet for a rifle. So I’d say to you, go for the .25 and find the best pellet.
B.B.
Nate,
Stay with .22 caliber, .25 caliber will offer fewer pellet choices that are harder to find. Additionally, the .25 caliber will not shoot as fast or flat. I would only go with a .25 cal in a PCP, unless you have several spring \ ram .22’s already.
As far as noise, no spring or gas ram rifle is really quite due to the mechanical noise. As a rule of thumb, less power means less noise.
Thanks Volvo,
So a .25 doesn’t have any more knock down power then a .22 in the same rifle? Will a .22 be able to humanely take a pesky trash can tipping raccoon? Or would I have to bump up to a PCP for something that big?
Thanks again,
Nate.
Nate,
That’s actually a fascinating question. How far away is the raccoon and will you take only head shots and hit your target in the brain? Another question is, do you want an excuse to buy a PCP? cause this sure gives you one. I have killed raccoons with both a 350 Magnum and a Talon SS, but prefer the Talon SS. The shots were between 15 to 20 yards.
Bruce
Thanks for the replies. I really don’t want to get into PCP’s right now. I don’t shoot enough to justify it. The shots at the coon would be 10 to 30 yards tops. I would aim for the head, if I don’t feel I can drop it on the first shot, then I don’t shoot.
Thanks again,
Nate.
Nate,
Actually if the .25 were a pcp I would expect it to have greater energy than the same gun in .22 which in turn offers greater power than the same gun in .177 caliber.
The gun I have which I am familiar with is the Sumatra 2500. In .177 using actual chronograph average velocities with a 16.1 gr Eun Jin pellet mine develops 32.8 fpe. And that is probably the best it can do. With lighter pellets it goes faster, is less accurate and develops less fpe than the Eun Jin pellet.
The same gun in .22 cal probably develops about 40 – 55 fpe, and in .25 cal might be able to hit in the 63 – 75 fpe range.
Could I kill a raccoon with my .177? With a brain shot at ranges less than 25 yards I would be darned shocked if I didn’t!
I have seen videos of people taking down coyotes at ranges up to 50 yards running with a .177 caliber that developed about 20 – 25 fpe max. Not my type of shooting as I am sure some are simply wounded and got away and they for sure won’t show you the video of THAT! But again I would not be hesitant to take a good brain shot on a coyote at ranges of 25 yards or less with my gun.
What I WOULD NOT want to do is try to take out a feral hog or a deer with one. Even the .25 caliber is way under powered for that. Not saying it can’t be done but that is not the kind of shot I would take for game that size.
If I can’t be 100% sure I can take down an animal with one humane shot I do not want to even try!