This video provides the first comprehensive overview of the Cold Steel, Slock Master, and Black Rhino .625 caliber Big Bore blowguns and darts and accessories. Complete velocity data for the non-Cold Steel darts is presented here for the first time.
UPDATE: The original standalone 80 grain Slock Master Rat Darts have been replaced with the lighter and thinner 50 grain Rat Darts being included with their blowguns. These shafts bend more easily and I recommend the Cold Steel Mini Broadheads instead.
Always check state hunting regulations before hunting with a blowgun.
All nonoriginal Cold Steel, Never Unarmed, Slock Master, Black Rhino, and other graphics, photos, product images, sounds, music, or other media are used for educational purposes only pursuant U.S. Code 106.
Velocity data for the Black Rhino darts the author considered less practical (Spear Tip Dart, Broadhead Tip Dart, Stinger Dart, and Hammer Head Dart) was regression calculated from the other chronographed Black Rhino darts weight-velocity curve (R2 = 0.999).
Video idea - fun targets. Examples - stuffed animals for wire darts, go dinosaur hunting with plastic dinos and stun darts (my daughter and I used to do this in the backyard- she would place the dinos and I would have to go hunt them, then we'd switch), best sources for printable targets, etc. I also tried racing, by shooting the back of a toy car with stun darts and see who crossed the finish line first For birthday parties, plywood with a bunch of balloons stapled to it is entertaining. Kids (under supervision) take turns, random balloons have a prize inside, like dollar bills or a paper stating which prize they've won, raffle tickets, etc. Those 2-liter caps that let you pressurize bottles work well, but are super loud (which is kind of the point, but still, they sound like a shotgun sometimes)
Excellent video. I love this channel. Blowguns are a very under-rated, niche catagory, and I've enjoyed them my whole life. Since I bought my first .40 caliber 3 footer in the 90's, I've been hooked. I'm terribly upset that nobody has or sells the 5' blowguns anymore. Especially cold steel. They sell swords and polearms that are much longer than the 5' mark of their blowgun, and, for any who actually want the weapon, a glorified shipping cost is absolutely worth it. I've scoured the web and made dozens of calls and emails looking for the 5' pro, and have ended up with 3 of the 4' pro's even when I was told I was purchasing the 5. Black Rhino has to have the best darts available right now. Cost per unit, quality control, and the mineral oil infused plastics in their cones really do keep barrel drag to a minimum. I also like the FSFF darts, their broadheads are not only great for small game, but a few clips away from a solid fishing dart, too. Thank you very much for this video. I hope you continue doing this work, I'd love to bring more hype to the blowgun genre as well!!
I had no idea when I bought my 5ft pro years ago that they would become so rare. It is the heaviest one I own, and I own more than a couple. I also like the FSFF darts, they are not the best for long range but I don't shoot long range anyway, unless for challenge/fun. I don't care much for the Black Rhino wire darts, however. Too light. Might as well use one of my .40s or .50s. Which darts are you using?
@@TheDarkSkorpion more than a couple 5ft pros? Or do you mean more than a couple blowguns?
I own five blowguns, three of them are .625. I only own one 5ft pro. Yeah, I could have worded that better.@@derekgrizwald3157
With "AlexBow" in Czech Republic we have another manufacturer of high-end blowgun equipment. Their cal. .625 carbon darts with steel tips are just perfect. Thank you for your great informative work.
I'm thinking of ordering some of the famous "AlexBow" dart cones and darts to try. They look like top quality product. So far I have concentrated on domestically available products available in the U.S. in order to be most helpful to the average shooter who is using what it widely available. That's also the reason I have not concentrated on custom products very much, though I will be doing a video on custom blowguns and darts soon.
the fact that i love blowguns and this was uploaded on my bday is crazy
I made my own blowgun based off his old video and I have learned a lot but one thing I see when people are shooting is a drop in power when shooting. A lot of people stop pushing air before the dart has left the barrel and this causes a drop in velocity by having a plunger like effect from the cone of the dart. When shooting you shouldn’t stop pushing the dart until you see it leave the barrel what happens is you make an airtight seal with you’re mouth and when the dart isn’t pushed enough the air fills the amount of space and creates a vacuum slowing the dart down hope this helps
This video, should have hundreds of likes if not more,because it provides all the info about the best blowguns and darts and more, that any video/creator has ever done! Thank you again ,for all your efforts!!
Excellent video on a fascinating subject... superbly produced graphics.
I've got a 6' Cold Steel one piece! It packs a punch! 🔥🎯
After being disappointed that the 5' pro single piece was no longer available, I ordered two 6' sections of .625 ID carbon fiber tube. I used Cold Steel Pro mouthpieces and commercially available foam front grips to make my own 6' one-piece models. The final cost was very high compared to what's currently commercially available but, I ended up with two great big bore blowguns. My favorite .50 caliber blowgun is the Black Rhino 4' one-piece carbon fiber. It is (in my opinion) the finest .50 caliber blowgun ever commercially available. Sadly, it appears to be discontinued as well.
Thanks for the input on the .50 blowgun. I ordered a one piece .625" ID 74" carbon fiber tube for a custom blowgun and it's worked well so far. Where did you get the .625 foam grips?
@@theblowgunchannel3250 eBay if memory serves but, I may well be mistaken.
@@yllib2012 Thanks . . . I have seen a "corrugated" foam grip with finger grooves there, but no one is currently selling a straight, smooth .625 barrel grip.
John a good tip for the two piece blowguns. Because they are made out of aluminum and most have fine machine threads. I like using a small amount of anti galing paste. The SuperLube brand sells it in small tubs and tubs. This will increase the longevity of the fine threads and help somewhat with sealing the connection.
Thank you-that's a great tip that I had not considered. I don't usually assemble and disassemble my blowguns frequently so hadn't thought of an anti-galling paste. I am super-wary of aluminum threads on other things and will definitely keep this in mind.
I agree with you 💯 percent. I love my viper.. I ordered the black rhino. But the couplings comes loose you constantly have to keep tighten them up and they will not say tight. So I was greatly disappointed with that one. Really enjoy your videos. Looking forward to more.
My excitement when I saw your post cannot be described
Great review video, especially with new products that are hitting the shelves at reasonable prices.
Instead of styrofoam try polyethylene foam with 6lb density like those used for archery targets. I've been using it for my indoor target and its lasted so far with mainly mini broadheads and wire darts. I'm sure you shoot more since I'm new to blowguns. I got it from foambymail/foam factory and made a stand from broken down pallets so it has a wood backer. I look forward to warm weather to go blowgun fishing. Thank you for all your helpful information.
Thanks for the suggestion, I'll have to try that. One of the biggest issues is pulling the razor dart back out of the target without bending the shaft, so the foam cannot be too dense.
Now it is a truly happy new year with John posting this new Video. Always well presented with great technical and personal insights. Thank You for sharing and will continue looking forward to seeing more content in the near future.
Happy New Year John! 🎉 Glad to see your back at it bringing us another great Blowgun video. Hope we see more in 2024.
Great video. I purchased a blowgun years ago but have not used it in many years. I had no idea what brand, caliber, or length it was. Your video re-ignited my interest, so I pulled it out and found I had one of the .625 one-piece 5-foot Cold Steel blowguns. Could not believe it. Now I have to begin practicing.
It's a great blowgun with good balance, and again I really prefer those one-piece tubes for consistency and accuracy. Good luck and tight groups!
BTW, Great to see you back making blowgun vireos. Your videos are by far the best out there when it comes to blowgun info. Like you, I considered the Cold Steel 5' one-piece Pro version to be the holy grail of commercially made blowguns. I'd gladly pay the added shipping costs to get this in a one-piece configuration. I've been looking for one on and off for years but, to no avail...yet. The hunt continues.
How about Locktite blue 242? If it's applied only toward the outside third of the threads, none should get inside the barrel tube.
Very informative and easy to understand. Bravo. Great video.
This is the exact video I needed. Thanks
thank you for this very informative video!👍
Thanks for the information!
Unfortunately I live in Canada where it's illegal but have been in the fiberglass field for yrs and one of my jobs was building shafts mainly for the paddling industries. Making a carbon fiber 5 foot one piece shaft no problem. With the right equipment
What about cleaning the blowguns ?
It is sometimes advised to clean your blowgun. If you hold it up to the light (without a dart in it, of course) and look through the barrel, you will notice accumulated deposits that you will want to remove. I use a piece of paracord with a small nut (for weight) on one end and a loop on the other end. Slide the weighted end through to the other side of your blowgun, and put some scraps of cloth in the loop (you can moisten the first patch with water or rubbing alcohol) and pull through to wipe the inside clean (like a bore patch). It might take a few passes but you will notice a big difference in accuracy if you haven't cleaned it in a long time.
@TheDarkSkorpion lists some good tips. I use a standard household cleaner like 409 on paper towel cones that I fold to just fit the .625 barrel. Blowing several through the barrel on a regular basis is usually enough to bring it to a mirror chrome clean. I've also used 20 gauge shotgun cleaning swabs stuck into a Stun Dart cone to blow through the barrel to clean it. You can use a string and weight to pull rags or paper towels through but DO NOT USE MONOFILAMENT FISHING LINE as, believe it or not, that will actually groove the edge of the barrel.
Great video thanks
20: 59. 124 grains is not heavier than 134 grains, but is fitting with the declared velocities. Neither is 121 fps faster than 124.
Great video as always, this channel is amazing and just about the only place online I have found reliable info on blowguns online. I have been wondering something though, Is it necessary to clean a blowgun? If so is it possible that saliva left in the barrel can affect accuracy?
It is sometimes advised to clean your blowgun. If you hold it up to the light (without a dart in it, of course) and look through the barrel, you will notice accumulated deposits that you will want to remove. I use a piece of paracord with a small nut (for weight) on one end and a loop on the other end. Slide the weighted end through to the other side of your blowgun, and put some scraps of cloth in the loop (you can moisten the first patch with water or rubbing alcohol) and pull through to wipe the inside clean (like a bore patch). It might take a few passes but you will notice a big difference in accuracy if you haven't cleaned it in a long time.
@TheDarkSkorpion provides some good advice. I use a standard household cleaner like 409 on paper towel cones that I fold to just fit the .625 barrel. Blowing several through the barrel on a regular basis is usually enough to bring it to a mirror chrome clean. I've also used 20 gauge shotgun cleaning swabs stuck into a Stun Dart cone to blow through the barrel to clean it. You can use a string and weight to pull rags or paper towels through but DO NOT USE MONOFILAMENT FISHING LINE as, believe it or not, that will actually groove the edge of the barrel.
@@TheDarkSkorpion Thanks, something similar has worked well for me.
@@theblowgunchannel3250 Thank you for the reply! All of this information is very helpful.
20: 30. KE = V × V × M ÷ 450240. That is Kinetic Energy = Velocity in feet per second × same × weight in grains ÷ 450240. So 134 × 134 × 54 ÷ 450240 = 2.15 KE.
Tom Wells sells long fish darts too
Yes, I've got some and thanks for mentioning. I have not included them in my videos (especially the ballistics) because that is fairly specialized, and also an entirely different ball game shooting a very heavy dart downwards into the water.
Thanks for the channel! What is a good cleaner lube? to use on my Tim Wells blowgun..thanks again
I use a standard household cleaner like 409 on paper towel cones that I fold to just fit the .625 barrel. Blowing several through the barrel on a regular basis is usually enough to bring it to a mirror chrome clean. I've also used 20 gauge shotgun cleaning swabs stuck into a Stun Dart cone to blow through the barrel to clean it. You can use a string and weight to pull rags or paper towels through but DO NOT USE MONOFILAMENT FISHING LINE as, believe it or not, that will actually groove the edge of the barrel.
Ola buenas noches gracias por sus vídeos ,una pregunta desde España hay alguna opción de comprar en su tienda o adquirir una buena cervatanas ?y de qué forma envío y demás gracias
I have been looking for a Professional One piece 5-foot blowgun for ever! it's impossible to find. I stop at ever old sports store I come across specifically to check and still no luck.
Good luck, and keep looking. Yard sales, flea markets, and gun shows might be other places you might luck out. Believe it or not, I found one sticking out of my neighbor's garbage can one day! I will say that while the 5' Pro is a great blowgun, it's heavy and I could not use it for long (practice or target competition) without my arms getting tired.
I bought the Tim well’s signature series and the metal seems very thin…. Does the viper or any other model have thicker metal?? I feel like it’s barely a 16th of an inch thick… really sad about this. Thank you
where can i get a 40 cal blowgun thats 4 ft long? don't see one on the web anywhere so i guess il have 2 make my own...
I'm not sure if I have the Holy Grail of blowguns. I have a 60" Cold Steel blowgun about 5/8" inside diameter that I bought off the Cool Steel web site years ago. I bought it after I saw it on an episode of Top Shot on the history channel.
Is the Viper blowgun,available in the European market,please? Thank you for all the information!
Not as far as I know--I don't think so unfortunately. You would have to contact Slock Master directly.
Great video! The best place I have found to order darts is Chicago Knife Works. Cold Steel Mini Broadhead pack of 50ea for $11.12 and Cold Steel Broadheads pack of 40ea for $14.49. Anyone else know of a better source?
Thanks for the reference. I've experienced very good pricing and service at www.midwayusa.com, and have had www.knifecenter.com recommended to me though have not actually ordered from them. The prices you quote are really great.
A problem I have with my cold steel Slockmaster blowgun is that the darts, when inserted in the notch that retains them, cannot be blown out. I have to place them further in the pipe, but then they slide outta the pipe when I aim down. I couldn't find a solution for that problem. Anyone has suggestions?
You do have to push the darts past the anti-inhale mouthpiece to blow them. Try taping neodymium magnets near the mouthpiece to hold steel darts in place. You'll have to experiment with magnet strength and placement.
@@theblowgunchannel3250 Ah I never thought I could use a magnet.. Thank you very much, I'll try it right now :)
@@theblowgunchannel3250 I placed a small magnet (but a rather powerful one) right after the mouthpiece, and now it's perfect! Thanks for this tip !!
any links where i can get the darts in eu?
Is the internal diameter.625 ? Anybody know?
Who sells them ? I got my 4’ from Amazon
I just bought on 2 weeks ago..haven't unpacked it yet..PNW hobo and its been raining everyday....
Great video God bless and happy healthy harvesting
🇳🇱😉👍
Is there an email address I can contact you at? I posted on all of your videos hoping to get in contact with you.