Author Archives: B.B. Pelletier

We The People BB pistol: Part 1

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

We The People pistol
We The People commemorative BB pistol from Sig.

This report covers:

  • Texas Airgun Show
  • E Pleb Nista
  • Description
  • Sig 1911s
  • Grip safety
  • Night sights
  • Controls
  • Field strip
  • Manual
  • Realism
  • The plan

Texas Airgun Show

Well, it happened a year later than I predicted, but it happened. The Texas Airgun Shot has sold out all the spaces in the hall, they have filled all the spaces on the porches outside the hall and now they are starting to fill a large tent outside the building. What this means is there will be more dealers than ever before and that means more airguns that we have never seen! I predicted this would happen last year, but the hurricane stopped all traffic from south Texas, and it also kept a lot of others away, even though it didn’t come close to where the show was being held. read more

Umarex Forge combo: Part 5

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Forge
Umarex Forge.

This report covers:

  • The test
  • Trigger
  • The test
  • Accuracy — JSB Exact RS
  • Accuracy— JSB Exact Heavy
  • Accuracy— Crosman Premier Light
  • What next?
  • Final group
  • Evaluation
  • Summary

Today I complete the report on the Forge from Umarex. This is a breakbarrel rifle with a gas spring and … Well, you can read the past posts to catch up.

I’m running this test because the last time we looked at the Forge I felt the poor 4X32 scope that was provided with it might not have extracted all the accuracy the rifle can produce. I vowed to return and test it with a better scope and today the Force is mounted with the Aeon 8-32 AO scope with trajectory reticle, which is one of the best scopes I own. You can read about it here.

The test

This will be 10 shots with each pellet from a rested rifle at 25 yards. I started with the conventional artillery hold but soon discovered the Forge can be rested directly on the sandbag. I used the artillery hold in the last test, so that may make a difference today. read more

ASG CZ75 SP-01 Shadow BB pistol: Part 2

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

ASG SP-01-pistol
ASG’s CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow BB pistol is large and heavy. The guns they are shipping have red fiberoptic sights in front, like those found on the firearm.

Part 1

This report covers:

  • The trigger
  • My firearm
  • Not a CZ 75
  • Clean the screens
  • Velocity Dust Devils
  • Velocity ASG Blaster BBs
  • Velocity Daisy BB
  • We need BB action targets
  • Shot count
  • Trigger pull
  • Evaluation

Wow — what a report this is stacking up to be! I have so many things to tell you today. Let’s get started.

The trigger

Boy oh boy, I wasn’t expecting all the negative comments about the thin trigger in Part 1. Some folks just went ballistic!

The trigger is not thin. First off, it is shiny and that makes it look thinner than it is. Second, it was photographed from the side. You could not see how wide it is. I took a picture from the front today so you can see what it really looks like. read more

The Stiga Zenit – an EM-GE Zenit clone: Part 2

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1

A history of airguns

Today’s report is the completion of a guest blog from reader Paul that began last Friday. He is telling us about his Stiga Zenit — an airgun not many have heard of.

If you’d like to write a guest post for this blog, please email me.

This report covers:

  • Firing behavior
  • Power
  • Accuracy
  • Wrapping it up

Okay, Paul, finish what you started.

On Friday I showed you the basic construction of my Swedish Stiga Zenit pistol that closely copies the EM GE Zenit made in Germany. Today we will look at its performance.

When the cocking lever is first pulled upwards the spring loaded barrel will also tilt up about 15 degrees; this makes it simple to inspect or clean the barrel from the rear and also serves as a sort of “safe mode”. Swinging the lever through its arc completes the cocking action and requires about fifteen pounds of effort. read more

The Stiga Zenit – an EM-GE Zenit clone: Part 1

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Today’s report is Part 1 of a guest blog from reader Paul. He’s going to tell us about his Stiga Zenit — an airgun that many will not have heard of, including me.

If you’d like to write a guest post for this blog, please email me.

A history of airguns

This report covers:

  • What is it?
  • Sights
  • Trigger
  • Too perfect a copy
  • Editor’s note

Over to you, Paul

Zenit right side
The Stiga Zenit is a close copy of the pre-WWII EM-GE Zenit pistol from Germany.

For some reason I have a soft spot for offbeat airguns, and the Stiga Zenit is a good example. The Swedish-made Stiga Zenit is a nearly identical copy of the original, EM-GE Zenit from Germany. The EM-GE pistol was made from 1936 until 1939 or 1940, its production being ended by the start of World War II. Stiga’s version had a much longer run, from 1949 until 1969. Milbro also made their copy of the Zenit, called the Diana Mark IV, and the Milbro G4 and G4S (smoothbore), from 1950 to 1977. Fortunately Chambers of England still sells a number of parts that work in all Zenit variants. The original EM GE Zenit is not terribly common in the USA, but one or two come up for sale on the usual auction sites each year. The Stiga copy is rarer, still. read more

ASG CZ75 SP-01 Shadow BB pistol: Part 1

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

ASG SP-01-pistol
ASG’s CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow BB pistol is large and heavy. The guns they are shipping have red fiberoptic sights in front, like those found on the firearm.

This report covers:

  • Rich history!
  • So what?
  • Anywhere?
  • The BB pistol
  • Adjustable rear sight
  • Front sight
  • Full blowback
  • Single action and double action
  • All controls are real
  • Grips
  • Summary

I recently started exploring using airguns as stand-ins for certain self-defense firearms. This has now taken a turn, and today I will start reviewing one that I am serious about — the ASG CZ75 SP-01 Shadow BB pistol. I will get to the description in a bit, but before I do, let’s first look at the prototype firearm — the CZ75.

Rich history!

There are a few sidearms that stand out from the crowd. The M1911 is one, and the P08 Luger is another. And today’s pistol, the CZ75, is right there with them. We start by recognizing that the 9X19mm cartridge that we know better as the 9mm Luger, is the most popular handgun cartridge in today’s world. Nearly everything else is compared to it, and most successful semiautomatic pistols are chambered for it. read more

Benjamin Trail Nitro Piston Mark II pistol: Part 3

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1
Part 2

Benjamin Trail NP MkII
Benjamin Trail NP Mark II air pistol.

This report covers:

  • Adjustable trigger
  • The test
  • Sight-in
  • Aiming
  • RWS Hobby
  • Air Arms Falcon
  • Qiang Yuan Training pellets
  • Additional testing
  • Discussion
  • Summary

Today we look at the accuracy of the Benjamin Trail Nitro Piston Mark II with the factory-mounted open sights. But before we get to that, there is some old business to clear up.

Adjustable trigger

There was quite a bit of interest in the adjustable trigger last time — mostly because I showed that I could not get a screwdriver on it to adjust. There was so much interest that I vowed to try to adjust it for this report.

I removed the barreled action from the stock. All it took was removing the 4 stock screws and lifting the action out of the grip/stock. The safety button fell out at the same time. read more