Category Archives: Roundballs

Roundballs category

SigAir ProForce MCX Virtus AEG airsoft gun: Part 3

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Virtus AGE right
SigAir ProForce MCX Virtus AEG right side.

Part 1
Part 2

This report covers:

  • Accuracy
  • HOWEVER
  • Romeo5 XDR red dot sight
  • Sig BBs|
  • 0.20-gram TSD Tactical White BBs
  • 0.20-gram TSD Tactical Black BBs|
  • 0.20-gram Marui Black BBs
  • 0.25-gram Stealth BBs
  • Rock and Roll
  • Discussion
  • Summary

I said in Part 2 that there was a lot to test with this SigAir ProForce MCX Virtus AEG airsoft guns, and today I discovered I was understating the case. You’ll see why as we progress.

Accuracy

This is the beginning of the accuracy test and it’s good to remind ourselves what this airsoft gun is meant for. It’s meant for skirmishing, which means shooting people, not targets. However, the best way to get it on target and properly adjusted is still the old-fashioned way of shooting at paper.

HOWEVER

The However today is all the variables. I will be shooting many different BBs, adjusting the Hop Up and adjusting the Romeo5 dot sight — each of which makes the equation more complex. I did not think about that until I was well into the test. read more

Air Venturi Dust Devil Mk2 Frangible BB: Part 3

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Dust Devil
Dust Devil Mk2.

Part 1
Part 2

This report covers:

  • The first and best test
  • Test strategy
  • Crush test
  • Test 2 — close impact
  • What have we learned?
  • Hard target test
  • What does this tell us?
  • One last test
  • Summary

Today we look at the frangible properties of the new Dust Devil Mark 2 BBs. Remember — these are the only Dust Devils you can buy and the box does not say Mark 2. But the BB I am testing is what you can buy and all that you can buy!

The first and best test

What I show you today is the first time I have tested Dust Devils at all. I did shoot the Mark 1 Dust Devils against a concrete floor with nothing remaining and no bounce-back, and at the 2018 NRA Show where Pyramyd Air always runs the airgun range, Dust Devils were the only BBs fired and there was not one bounce-back in perhaps 10,000 shots. Today I will take it several steps further. read more

Air Venturi Dust Devil Mk2 Frangible BB: Part 2

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Dust Devil
Dust Devil Mk2.

Part 1

This report covers:

  • The test
  • Daisy 499 shooting Crosman Black Widows
  • Daisy 499 shooting Precision Ground Shot
  • Daisy 499 shooting Dust Devils
  • M1 Carbine shooting Crosman Black Widows
  • M1 Carbine shooting  Precision Ground Shot
  • M1 Carbine shooting  Dust Devils
  • The verdict?
  • Summary

Today we look at the accuracy of the new Air Venturi Dust Devil Mark 2 BB. From this point on I will just refer to them as Dust Devils.

The test

I shot from 5 meters, using the UTG Monopod as a rest. I was seated, and using the monopod is almost as stable as a sandbag rest.

I only shot 5-shot groups today, so I could test more BBs. I decided to test accuracy with the two most accurate BB guns I have — the Daisy 499 Champion and the Springfield Armory M1 Carbine. When you see the results I think you will understand why I picked them.

I shot three BBs today. The first was a conventional premium BB, and I selected the new Crosman Black Widow for that. The next was the Avanti Match Grade Precision Ground Shot that’s made exclusively for the 499. You guys always want to see how they do in tests, so I almost always include them. And finally I shot the new Air Venturi Dust Devil Mark 2 BB — the one this report centers on.  read more

What is a BB gun?

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

This report covers:

  • Intro
  • Wow!
  • Red Ryder
  • BBs have changed
  • Safer BBs
  • Modern BB guns
  • Conclusion

Intro

This blog went live on March second, 2005. Two days later, on March 4, I wrote this report that I am reprinting today in total — just as it was published then. After you read it, I have a few updates at the end.

A BB gun is the fundamental starting point in our hobby. We shoot them, talk about them, collect them, and, for most of us, just hearing the term “BB gun” evokes a flood of memories. But what we think of when we think of BB guns depends largely on how old we are and where we came from.

The most common BB gun known today has got to be Daisy’s Red Ryder. It was the first BB gun many of us had or wanted and, since it has been around almost continuously since its introduction in 1938, that includes nearly every airgunner alive today. read more

John Wayne Lil’ Duke BB gun with scope: Part 5

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Lil Duke and scope
John Wayne Lil’ Duke BB gun with scope.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

This report covers:

  • What happened?
  • I thought I knew better
  • HOWEVER
  • Is it really tight?
  • The scope
  • The test
  • Air Venturi Steel BBs
  • Hornady Black Diamond BBs
  • Avanti Match Grade Precision Ground Shot
  • Smart Shot
  • Old Dust Devils
  • Dust Devil Mark 2
  • What have we learned?
  • Summary

I tested the John Wayne Lil’ Duke BB gun with scope in Part 4, but if you read that report you’ll see that the scope base was a little loose. Today’s report clears that up.

What happened?

Reader Chris USA asked me if I read the instructions that came with the scope base, Of course I read them. The better question to ask was when did I read them? I read them as I was editing my report and wondering why Pyramyd Air would let a scope base this flimsy go out. That was the reason for the Oh, fudge! title at the end.

I thought I knew better

You see, I tested a BB-gun scope base like this back in 2016. You may remember the Brice scope base for the Red Ryder BB gun. That was years before this base hit the market and I thought I knew everything there was to know about BB gun scope bases. read more

John Wayne Lil’ Duke BB gun with scope: Part 4

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Lil Duke and scope
John Wayne Lil’ Duke BB gun with scope.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

This report covers:

  • The scope base
  • Mount the scope
  • The test
  • Sight in
  • Air Venturi Steel BBs
  • Hornady Black Diamond BBs|
  • Avanti Match Grade Precision Ground Shot
  • Smart Shot
  • Old Dust Devils
  • Dust Devil Mark 2
  • Discussion
  • Oh, fudge!
  • Summary

Today I mounted the scope on the Lil’ Duke BB gun and tested the gun for accuracy a second time. This was an interesting test! Read all of it before you form any lasting impressions, because there is a surprise coming at the end.

The scope base

The scope base comes in the box with the Lil’ Duke. It’s in a plastic bag and the instructions how to attach it to the BB gun are in the owner’s manual. I have used BB-gun scope bases like this before so the the job went quick.

The base itself is plastic and attaches to the gun with a screw in the back and by fitting the front end under the rear sight. The screw comes out from the top of the pistol grip. Remove it, attach the mount and screw it back into the hole. It has machine threads and I could never get it tight with the mount installed. read more

Springfield Armory XD-M compact blowback BB pistol: Part 1

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Springfield-XD-M
The XD-M BB pistol from Springfield Armory.

This report covers:

  • Very Glock-ish
  • Polymer pistol
  • BB pistol-three backstraps
  • Striker-fired
  • Grip safety
  • Grip extension
  • Sights
  • Field strip
  • Grease
  • Assembly
  • EXCEPT!!!
  • Power
  • Holster
  • Summary

Here comes a lookalike CO2-powered BB pistol with full blowback — the Springfield Armory XD-M compact BB pistol. It  copies the compact XD-M firearm with a 3.8-inch barrel from Springfield Armory. I say compact because Springfield also offers the pistol in a model with a 4.5-inch barrel and a longer slide. These firearm pistols are offered in the following calibers — 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP and 10mm. Several model variations are offered, including pistols with barrels threaded for silencers and a special competition model with a 5.25-inch barrel.

Very Glock-ish

That title is certain to anger both Springfield Armory and Glock. But it’s what many gun writers have said. From the trigger that has the built-in safety lever to the reputation for extreme reliability, the XD-M seems to be close to the Glock in performance. I own a Glock 36 carry gun in .45 ACP, so I will be the judge of that! I can tell you this right now — the grip of the XD-M is less blocky that that of the Glock, making the gun more comfortable to hold for me. read more