Barra 400e electric full-auto BB gun

[teflon6string]

This seems very appealing using airsoft electric technology instead of CO. Seems it'd be fun indoors with a target/trap on wet/windy days. And maybe useful for varmint control around the yard. Anyone here own one?

The 400E

It's time to spend your time actually shooting rather than fumbling with CO2 cartridges. The 400e is the first and only production full auto .177 BB gun powered completely by electricity. One battery charge gets you over 1000 shots. Featuring patent pending technology, the 400e can maintain...

barraairguns.com

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[Alexx1401]

Ok it makes me want one

 

[Alexx1401]

As a followup here. Anyone who wants to actually buy one of these should look at Amazon first. Several reviews look like this is a work in progress and has some bugs to work out. Also would buy it from Amazon if I do buy one. That way if you get a problem returns are very easy.

 

[teflon6string]

As a followup here. Anyone who wants to actually buy one of these should look at Amazon first. Several reviews look like this is a work in progress and has some bugs to work out. Also would buy it from Amazon if I do buy one. That way if you get a problem returns are very easy.

+1

I always buy iffy stuff via Prime if at all possible. Nothing like a no-questions return policy, and without paying for shipping, etc.

One of my questions is about the BBs (plain steel or copper coated steel). If I shoot them into a soft trap, can I collect with a magnet and use them again after I clean them in a strainer?

 

[Alexx1401]

I always buy iffy stuff via Prime if at all possible. Nothing like a no-questions return policy without paying for shipping, etc.

One of my questions is about the BBs (plain steel or copper coated steel). If I shoot them into a soft trap, can I collect with a magnet and use them again after I clean them in a strainer?

If I do scratch the itch and buy one of these I would/ will do so. When I was a kid we LONG did this when it was hard work earning the money to buy the ammo. Used old boxes with a piece of carpet or such as a backstop. Collect and use BB's again. Using a trap that was soft like this I certainly can't see why not. I have watched the damn video a couple more times and really makes me want to get one. Several are calling the rate of fire a "downside". To me the slower rate they are seeing is actually a selling point I like. I have a semi .22 cal PCP air rifle I have used a couple times to chase the wild K9s away. Man one of these things would sure as hell work for that and be fun doing it.

 

[teflon6string]

Some thoughts about full-auto... anything:

I owned a MAC10 for a few years (finally sold it) and blew a lot of ammo through it really fast. It was fun for people to try for the first time, but wasteful and not terribly accurate (perfect weapon for a gunfight - in a phone booth). It was so fast, that I wished the whole time I could've cut the rate of fire in half. 45acp at 19.5 rounds-per-second just screams for some trigger discipline and short, focused bursts.

Applying the same logic (and I'm hoping more BB gun makers will follow Barra into the electric full-auto arena soon), a strong selling point IMHO would be a selectable slower rate of fire as an option. Full-on mag dumps that last just a couple/few seconds are fun - just a couple/few times. With the 50-round Barra mags, 10 rps will last 5 seconds. 5 rps would be fine with me and still deliver that sexy full-auto buzz. Just my opinion.

Two big plusses I see here:

Non-proprietary technology - airsoft innards. Nothing new, fancy or super expensive. RC truck batteries and chargers keep things somewhat affordable, too, commonly available in hobby shops/online. It would make no sense to re-invent the wheel and create one-off designer gear with a prohibitive price - and alienate potential buyers. Bravo Barra!

No empty CO2 cartridges - or the cost of new ones.

 

[Alexx1401]

Some thoughts about full-auto... anything:

I owned a MAC10 for a few years (finally sold it) and blew a lot of ammo through it really fast. It was fun for people to try for the first time, but wasteful and not terribly accurate (perfect weapon for a gunfight - in a phone booth). It was so fast, that I wished the whole time I could've cut the rate of fire in half. 45acp at 19.5 rounds-per-second just screams for some trigger discipline and short, focused bursts.

Applying the same logic (and I'm hoping more BB gun makers will follow Barra into the electric full-auto arena soon), a strong selling point IMHO would be a selectable slower rate of fire as an option. Full-on mag dumps that last just a couple/few seconds are fun - just a couple/few times. With the 50-round Barra mags, 10 rps will last 5 seconds. 5 rps would be fine with me and still deliver that sexy full-auto buzz. Just my opinion.

Two big plusses I see here:

Non-proprietary technology - airsoft innards. Nothing new, fancy or super expensive. RC truck batteries and chargers keep things somewhat affordable, too, commonly available in hobby shops/online. It would make no sense to re-invent the wheel and create one-off designer gear with a prohibitive price - and alienate potential buyers. Bravo Barra!

No empty CO2 cartridges - or the cost of new ones.

Someone mentioned this a while back that it would be nice to see some nice air guns using battery for just that reason. As battery tech keeps getting better it was bound to happen. Assuming this takes off and sells well that would be a nice plus, one that you could dial to select fire rate. Using battery should be fairly simple for someone to come up with one. I too had a MAC long ago and it was the same thing. They fired so damn fast they are little more than just expensive fun. I have long said if I won the lotto I would move to where I could own one again and get another M3. They seemed "slow" compared to the MAC's and were a LOT of damn fun. Of course now they sell for what a decent car does so it would have to be a lotto win for me to get one now days

 

[teflon6string]

Someone mentioned this a while back that it would be nice to see some nice air guns using battery for just that reason. As battery tech keeps getting better it was bound to happen. Assuming this takes off and sells well that would be a nice plus, one that you could dial to select fire rate. Using battery should be fairly simple for someone to come up with one. I too had a MAC long ago and it was the same thing. They fired so damn fast they are little more than just expensive fun. I have long said if I won the lotto I would move to where I could own one again and get another M3. They seemed "slow" compared to the MAC's and were a LOT of damn fun. Of course now they sell for what a decent car does so it would have to be a lotto win for me to get one now days

From what I read on Barra's website, it has select fire - Safe, Semi and Full. In my dream world, there would be an option to slow down full-auto from 10rps to 5. Let the fun last a little longer.

 

[Alexx1401]

From what I read on Barra's website, it has select fire - Safe, Semi and Full. In my dream world, there would be an option to slow down full-auto from 10rps to 5. Let the fun last a little longer.

The video's I watched were showing yes, simple button to go from semi to full. Since its some kind of electric motor I would think it would not be too far to make one with a way to dial the speed of full auto. Maybe even 3 round bursts. Will probably depend on how well this thing sells. If it takes off there will be of course more people jumping into the market. Looking forward to seeing what else comes up soon.

 

[bivy53]

If you want to see amazing electronic air gun technology, look at Daystate Delta Wolf.

 

[2Wheels4Ever]

The video's I watched were showing yes, simple button to go from semi to full. Since its some kind of electric motor I would think it would not be too far to make one with a way to dial the speed of full auto. Maybe even 3 round bursts. Will probably depend on how well this thing sells. If it takes off there will be of course more people jumping into the market. Looking forward to seeing what else comes up soon.

I used to be really in into airsoft, and worked as an air tech for a local arena.

Airsoft gear boxes are awesome, but it in my experience, they're way more temperamental than CO2 driven air guns. Stripped gears, pistons, and cracked gear boxes are common. That being said, they can be reliable, and are much easier to modify than gas guns. There were companies back in 2008 that made programmable drop in MOSFETs that would enable 3, 4 and 5 round bursts, so I'm sure the technology is still out there. Dual sector gears could get the fire rate up to 60r rounds/second!

 

[ditchtiger]

I bought one, 5000 rounds later and still going strong. Drops pidgeons out to 30 yards

 

[teflon6string]

I bought one, 5000 rounds later and still going strong. Drops pidgeons out to 30 yards

Clay pigeons? Flying?

 

[ditchtiger]

sounds interesting

 

[Alexx1401]

sounds interesting

Now that would be fun to blast at clay with one of those just to see if you could hit them. Tempted to try it with my FA .30 cal. Be a fun way to burn up a lot of lead in a short time