by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier
Springfield Armory M1 Carbine Airsoft gun.
This report covers:
- Two things
- The test
- TSD 0.20-gram
- Magazine is great!
- Air Venturi 0.25-gram
- ASG 0.30-gram Blaster Devil
- Umarex Milsim Max 0.32-gram
- Wearsoft Sniper Grade 0.36-gram
- Discussion
- Next test
- Shot count
- Trigger pull
- Summary
Today I test the power of the new Springfield Armory M1 Carbine airsoft gun. On the Pyramyd AIR website the velocity is shown as 470 f.p.s. with a 0.20-gram BB, but there is a question mark after that listing — at least at the time I am publishing this report. Maybe this test will refine that number?
Two things
I see two things I have to do in this report. The first is to determine if 470 f.p.s. with a 0.20-gram BB is correct. The second is check the gun with heavier BBs, because 470 f.p.s. is a bit too fast and stingy, in my opinion. Of course it all comes down to accuracy. I’m looking for the best of both worlds — velocity and accuracy. Rather than to just throw out some numbers, I will test the gun and then let the accuracy test determine the results.
The test
I will shoot strings of 5 BBs for velocity if the gun appears to be stable. If it isn’t stable I will expand the strings to 10 shots. I will wait a minimum of 25 seconds between each shot, but I will come back and test the gun by shooting as fast as possible, later on. I’m allowing the gun to warm up after each shot and at the end of the report I’m testing the effects of rapid-fire on velocity.
TSD 0.20-gram
First I tested with TSD 0.20-gram BBs. These should give pretty close to the specified velocity. The average for the 5-shot string from the test gun was 449 f.p.s. The velocity spread ranged from a low of 444 to a high of 452 f.p.s. So the test gun is shooting 20 f.p.s. slower than the advertised average. I would think 450 f.p.s. is a more realistic velocity for a 0.20-gram BB.
The velocity spread was just 8 f.p.s., which is fairly tight. I will have more to say about the 0.20-gram BB in a while.
Magazine is great!
The Carbine magazine loads easily because there is no constriction at the top. Many times the “ears” at the top of the mag are formed to catch and hold the BBs as they are fed upwards by the follower and spring. It works well but it means you have to pop each BB past the ears and into the mag as you load. This magazine is wide open at the top so the BBs just drop in with no resistance.
Instead of sitting all the way to the front of the mag and being restrained by fingers, this mag pushes the BBs straight up to a place where they sit awaiting the bolt to strip them off. The lack of restriction makes the magazine easy to load.
Air Venturi 0.25-gram
Next up are Air Venturi 0.25-gram BBs. They averaged 422 f.p.s. with a spread that went from 418 to 424 f.p.s. That’s just 6 f.p.s. This is still a pretty snappy velocity for an airsoft gun so I continued to shoot BBs of increasing weight.
ASG 0.30-gram Blaster Devil
Next to be tested were five ASG Blaster Devil 0.30-gram BBs. These averaged 407 f.p.s. with a spread of 9 f.p.s. It went from 402 to 411 f.p.s. This was the largest velocity spread of the test, which shows that this gun is set up quite well!
Umarex Milsim Max 0.32-gram
The next BB I tested was the 0.32-gram Milsim Max from Umarex. These were the first BB to average less than 400 f.p.s. They came in at an average 397 f.p.s. with a spread of just 4 f.p.s. It ran from 395 to 399 f.p.s. I’ll have more to say about these heavier pellets in a moment. But before I do, let’s look at the heaviest BB I tested.
Wearsoft Sniper Grade 0.36-gram
The Wearsoft Sniper Grade 0.36-gram BB averaged 387 f.p.s. in the M1 Carbine. The spread went from a low of 383 to a high of 398 f.p.s. That’s a difference of 6 f.p.s.
Discussion
At this point in the test we might be inclined to say that any of these BBs would be okay in the Carbine, but I have been waiting a minimum of 25 seconds between each shot. Is that realistic? It might be for a sniper, but the Carbine is not a sniper’s weapon. It’s for active skirmishing and close quarters battle. So, no — waiting that long isn’t realistic.
Next test
Now I wanted to see what the 26 shots fired thus far (there was a first shot to make sure the CO2 cartridge had been pierced and the gas was flowing) had done to the velocity. We know that the average velocity for the TSD 0.20-gram BB at the start of the test was 449 f.p.s., so what was it for the same BB on shot 27?
Shot 27 did not register on the chronograph, so I waited 25 seconds and fired shot 28, which registered 451 f.p.s. So the gun is still shooting on the pressure curve.
Next I fired shots three through 14 (of a 15-shot magazine) without recording. That’s 12 shots fired shot as fast as possible. Then the last shot — number 41 on the CO2 cartridge — registered 400 f.p.s. This could be due to either of two things. Either the gun has cooled down from the rapid firing or it is starting to drop off the power curve. In other words, it’s running out of gas.
Then I fired nine more shots with 25 seconds between each shot and shot number 51 registered 299 f.p.s. The CO2 cartridge is definitely running out.
Shot count
I continued to shoot the gun, but now the BBs were bouncing off the box I was using as a BB trap. I used an empty 20-pound box that held cat litter for my trap. I stuffed it with heavy brown craft paper and still the heavier BBs were shooting through both sides of the box after about 6-7 shots. These cat litter boxes are made from very tough cardboard, so this gun has some real punch!
At shot 67, which was a dry-fire, the exhausted the remainder of the gas. I would say that you can count on 50 good shots per CO2 cartridge, and that number will vary a little, depending on how fast you fire.
Trigger pull
The airsoft Carbine has a single stage trigger that breaks at 5 lbs. 10 oz. The military spec is 5 lbs., so the airsoft Carbine is close to spot on!
Summary
Now we know how the Springfield Armory airsoft Carbine performs. While there will always be some variation, any gun you get should be close to the numbers seen in this test.
I remember how accurate the BB Carbine is, so I can’t wait to test this one. If you’re a Carbine guy maybe this is for you.
B.B.,
On previous discussions you have stated that some companies tend to overstate the velocity as a safety factor for litigation. How fast should be the muzzle velocity for skirmishing purposes? Maybe it would be more helpful if they put a muzzle energy limit instead of velocity for safety. The again I don’t skirmish but some of my friends do.
Siraniko
Siraniko,
“…… some companies tend to overstate the velocity as a safety factor for litigation.” I do not ever recall that. How would that even make sense? More fps = more fpe = more fpe at target = more damage at target. I always thought the high fps claim thing was a sales gimmick.
Good Day to you and to all,……… Chris
Chris,
I do recall that statement. Some countries and some states even require the velocities of certain calibers to be below a certain level as the UK requires air rifles to be below 12 FPE to not require a FAC. Most of the time it is marketeering lies.
Siraniko,
You were indeed correct. In my very quick reply, my head was going to pellet rifles (where the fps war is always on). I suppose the same would apply with pellet guns too. I have enough to do with airguns as it is. I do not need another hobby (air soft).
Good Day,…… Chris
Everyone,
For AIRGUNS — pellet and steel BB guns — companies advertise the absolute highest possible velocity so that, if sued, they have a defense in court that they told the customer the most power the gun could develop. For AIR SOFT guns there is no such practice that I am aware of. Maybe a company with airgun-making experience might carry that over to their airsoft sales, but it doesn’t seem to be an industry standard.
How fast? Well, France has a national limit of one joule power for airsoft — a limit that many countries seem to use. There are currently no such limits in the United States. BUT– and this is what I was trying to say — the faster that plastic ball goes, the more it stings when it hits. Lacking any guidelines, I say that you need enough velocity to hit what you shoot at — but there is no way of defining how fast that really is. So I have no concrete answer. But I like to keep the velocity below 400 f.p.s.
B.B.
B.B.,
Looks like this particular gun will test the particular weight to velocity to achieve accuracy. A lightweight plastic BB might not yield accuracy at the speed this is putting out. A heavyweight plastic BB might be more appropriate. Part three will be an eye-opener i think.
Siraniko
Siraniko,
I think so, too.
B.B.
It has been a few years since I was skirmishing,
But at that time, and I think it still is wide spread, that the field where the game happens sets the FPS limits.
But if I remember. Correctly, the Standard guidelines were if it’s an indoor game, 350fps was max speed with .20 or .25, I don’t remember which.
I never had to worry about it as my CQB gun was a 300fps gun with .20g.
Outdoor, the standard FPS limit was 400-425 FPS for a standard rifle.
The sniper rifles were limited to 500fps at the field we used, but they had a minimum engagement distance, that the sniper could not shoot you, he had to call “POINTBLANK” if he was closer than 50ft to his target.
Not that they always did, but it was the rules.
Remember, .25grams is only 3.858 grains.
Lighter than out lightest steel BB.
The heaviest tested .36gram weighs 5.56grains.
And being so light, and about .24 caliber, they tend to bleed off energy fast.
Ian
BB,
Going off the reservation here.
When next you test the FX Dreamlight would you please do some shooting at 50 yards? I know that is stretching it for a .177 but I have shot Lloyd’s Dreamlight in .25 at that range and although I only shot three ten shot groups with three different pellets, I cannot say that I am impressed with the performance. I really like the air rifle, but I do not think it is as interesting as it should be. As of right now I think a Maximus would serve me better.
RR,
Maybe Lloyd’s rifle is accurate but this one certainly isn’t. I would have tested it at 50 yards if it was. I think it’s a waste of time to try to shoot this Dreamlite that far.
BB,
I understand. Like I said, I was not impressed. I know I can get as good if not better performance for hundreds less.
B.B.,
The airsoft version of the Springfield Armory M1 Carbine seems to be a pretty hot shooter. Those heavy 6mm “BBs” are flying out of the muzzle quickly enough that an accuracy test that includes them ought to show the best accuracy this M1 is capable of.
And, of course, because it is an M1 carbine, it sure is a looker.
Michael
Michael,
I have to agree, that a Carbine is a fine-looking rifle! 🙂
B.B.
Seems like a limited shot count for skirmishing. I would rather have an a e.g. version for that.
Brent
B.B.,
Interesting information about AirSoft in general is why I read this and other blogs like it with great interest. I have absolutely no desire to ever Skirmish; but I guess I get why some folks might find it fun. Hopefully they can transfer that understanding to the Warriors most misunderstood and misrepresented perspective. Although in my informed opinion a terribly flawed book, On Killing, by LTCOL. Dave Grossman is all we have to explain the Psychology of the pursuit.
Errata: Shot Count First sentence last paragraph:
“At shot 67, which was a dry-fire, the (that) exhausted the remainder…?
shootski
Readers, if you are still up check out this Vz35 Sporter from 45flint /blog/2009/01/vz35-and-vz47-two-interesting-military-trainers/#comment-449892
I know most will not see it unless I point it out, looks very nice, he left a link with pictures.
Mike