Semi auto air pistol required - but not a clue where to start...

[Craig-P]

Morning all,
Before I start, I'd better admit that I'm totally out of my depth here so please bare with me...
Since handling machine guns and pistols in Vegas, my other half wants a gun.
Now I've got a semi auto 11 shot 12g ( which is a bit too much for her ) and a couple of semi auto .22lr's - but both require me to go to the farm to use them, and to use her words, 'that's a load of faffing about'.
I've tried to get her into using one of the air rifles up at the range and on the farm but to use her words again, she, 'cant be bothered with all that putting the bullets in one at a time malarky...'
My nephew has an airsoft M4 which I've also tried her with - but it's just not accurate on paper, even at 20m - plus the plastic balls make a right old mess of the back garden and bounce back more than stay down range.
So I've thought of getting her an air pistol, one of those Co2 jobs, as they seem to tick all the boxes for plinking at targets in the garden and on the garage range. We watched some sort of air pistol 'plate shooting' competition at the British Shooting Show and she was quite impressed with that. However, as I've not been interested in these things before, I'm absolutely and totally confused with the offerings when I search on-line. So, I thought I'd ask for the guidance of you blokes in this section.
My/her requirements are for something semi automatic with a bit of 'action' when it's fired ( top slide actioning or something similar ). I want it to feed pellets preferably, as I don't want the windows breaking when BB's bounce back and I want it to be as accurate as it can be, so that she can see the groupings on a shoot-n-see target.
It's just for a bit of fun, she's not interested in going to the next Olympics and I suppose just wants the 'flash, bang and feel' of the Sigs she used in Vegas.

So is there anything that answers all of those requirements, please folks? Sorry for the long description but I wanted to eliminate any suggestions of alternative arms that someone might offer.

Many thanks in advance - Craig

[short-carabine]

"True" semi-autos in pellet are not all that common, and don't tend to have the sort of blowback action you mention. The nearest is going to be a Crosman 600 which has an inline mag and a "flip out" breach. The other semis I can think of off hand, Drulov DU10 and Zastava GP 45 have no blowback but are superb 5 shot semis.

The Umarex range of real steel-alikes are not true semis, but use an internally fitted cylindrical 8 shot mag. Of these only the Beretta PX4 and Desert Eagle have a blowback function, and the Desert Eagle is by far more accurate- trouble is, it is a BIG handful. Gamo do a couple of blowbacks, but they are broadly similar to the Umarex offerings.

There is a lot more range in semi auto blowbacks if you go for a smoothbore bb (4.5mm metal or 6mm plastic), but inevitably the accuracy is less and the bounceback risk higher.

[Craig-P]

Thank you very much for your detailed reply, mate, very much appreciated.
Are these Umarex guns reliable? I don't want to be having the thing in pieces each weekend because something else has worn out or failed.
At least I have a starting point ( read: Umarex ) for a google search and further research.

Many thanks again - Craig

[jassi]

I'm no great fan of Umarex, though they are OK, if you like that sort of thing. They have never failed to disappoint me.
The pellet pistols mostly look like automatics, but function as revolvers and tend to have heavy triggers in double action. The best is probably the S&W 586 but it is heavy pistol and has a large grip.

True semis are hard to come by - I have a Zavasta, a Crosman 600 and a Brno B96. Each has a different feed mechanism and only the Zavasta looks anything remotely like an automatic pistol, so if you want something that looks like a real gun, then the last two are certainly out.
Walther & FWB both do rather more expensive multishots as well and have similar feeds to the B96.


Ian

[short-carabine]

Thank you very much for your detailed reply, mate, very much appreciated.
Are these Umarex guns reliable? I don't want to be having the thing in pieces each weekend because something else has worn out or failed.
At least I have a starting point ( read: Umarex ) for a google search and further research.

Many thanks again - Craig

Tons of info on here, and not just for the Umarex "stable": http://umarexboysclubforum.myfineforum.org/index.php The wear on the Umarex models is not generally a problem, as Jassi says, the S&W is generally considered "best of breed", but is not an auto-clone. For smaller hands, the CP88 or 1911 are a good choice, although neither are blowbacks. The 1911 has a slightly annoying grip safety, while the CP88 can be a bit "fat in the hand". Reliable, they are though as long as you seat the pellets properly and use a dab of pellgun or Magic9 oil every 4 caps or so. The 4.5mm BB blowbacks have a fair amount of support, but seem to be less reliable and accurate.

[Ben 36]

"It's just for a bit of fun, she's not interested in going to the next Olympics and I suppose just wants the 'flash, bang and feel' of the Sigs she used in Vegas."

Go for the Cybergun Sigp226 X5, it's a BB shooter but probably the best of them all.

[DANDIGBY]

'I suppose just wants the 'flash, bang and feel' of the Sigs she used in Vegas.'

As others have mentioned before the 'Cybergun Sigp226 X5' is one of the best bb blowbacks out there. If not that then the 'tanfoglio witness' which is a colt 1911 replica. Pellet blow backs are very rare and most of them don't have the same feel as the bb shooters. I own a 'tanfoglio witness' and the blowback is great. My 'UMAREX Desert Eagle' how ever is 5 times more accurate but the blow back is 5 times worse. The bb shooters are also usually much me realistic as pellets cannot be stacked on top of eachother so require rotary magazines. Sometimes you have to compromise. You have to ask yourself what's more important to you or your other half, accuracy or realism?

The bb shooters are by no means inaccurate, but once you pass about 15-20 feet you will see the difference between pellets and bbs.
Another thing to consider is the cost. You can usually buy about 1500 bb's for the price of 500 pellets. I find my main shooter for plinking is usually my bb shooter. After 1 or 2 canisters I my bb tin is hardly effected.

Bounce back? I find this is very rare. Although I must admit it has happened, I have been hit in the leg but didn't feel it as there is just no momentum left on such a small bb. Simply use a good back stop or pellet catcher.

My final word would be get a bb shooter. Not only is there a wider range of bb blowback, the blowback and full size drop out magazines gives you a feel of 'Sigs used in Vegas.'

I would 100 percent recomend the 'Tanfoglio Witness 1911'. But, as you mentioned Sigs, go for the 'Sigp226 X5' you won't be dissapointed.

Good Luck!

[blooregard]

Go for the Cybergun Sigp226 X5, it's a BB shooter but probably the best of them all.

Not sure about that chap, it's not bad but a bit clattery to shoot if you know what I mean. I prefer the TFW and its variants (my current favourite being the Blackwater), when you have a few magazines they are great fun. The Uzi is also very entertaining and that massive bolt moving back and forward gives some very entertaining recoil. I would also like to try some of the Gletcher guns they have at BAR.

My view of the Umarex pistols is exactly the same as Jassi's. They are nicely made and feel heavy but they are disappointing to shoot, and when it comes to the Smith why did they make it have a moulded cylinder?!??!?!?! I like the feel of my Beretta but it really is a dressed up revolver managing acceptable accuracy at low to medium power. There is the Desert Eagle which does have blowback but its poorly made and has an awful trigger (The blowback only cocks the hammer, you still have a creepy unpredictable trigger that cycles the magazine, an aborted shot means you have to cycle back around to that chamber).

ASG have some Pellet shooters scheduled for this spring, there is a blowback CZ75 (expect a revolver type like the Umarex DE) but I am most interested by the Pellet shooting Dan Wessons. Reasonably priced, reasonably well made and loaded like a real revolver with dummy cartridges, my other DWs are good fun (especially if you have lots of brass to pick up afterwards, and with converted cartridges a 6 shot dart shooter makes anyone smile).

[Binker]

If you're discounting BB firers altogether then first choice budget wise are the umarex S&W revolvers and the PX4. If the semi auto 'feel' is paramount then it's the PX4. Dual ended 8 shot .177 mag, not too heavy (my 11 & 13 yr old boys get along fine).

Things to be aware of are power drop off at the end of the co2 caplet, I've had two and once the power becomes too low to carry on shooting there always seems to be loads of gas left when you change bulbs (hey ho).

Fixed rear sights. It's (fairly) well documented that PX4s can shoot off on the sights. Something that is correctable with an under barrel laser sight (£10-15) It's only ever going to be worth using at 6-10 yards.

The big plus is that they remind me of the old .22 rimfire semi autos when you fire them.

Hope that helps

binker

[Craig-P]

Brilliant help, chaps and loads to consider, many thanks.
I'll look into all of these options and make a choice from there.

Many thanks again - Craig

[Caretaker]

The below site is a nice informative site.
Lists many CO2-powered handguns (old and new) that shoot steel, lead BBs or lead pellets.
http://www.co2airguns.net/Collection/index.htm

For airsoft reviews try
http://www.justpistols.co.uk/

[short-carabine]

My view of the Umarex pistols is exactly the same as Jassi's. They are nicely made and feel heavy but they are disappointing to shoot, and when it comes to the Smith why did they make it have a moulded cylinder?!??!?!?! I like the feel of my Beretta but it really is a dressed up revolver managing acceptable accuracy at low to medium power. There is the Desert Eagle which does have blowback but its poorly made and has an awful trigger (The blowback only cocks the hammer, you still have a creepy unpredictable trigger that cycles the magazine, an aborted shot means you have to cycle back around to that chamber).

How so? Build quality is fine on mine Unless you are talking about the frame being made of ABS rather than metal, which was possibly a move to keep weight manageable. Never had a failed cycle on mine either.

[Jerry Cornelius]

She could go paintball. Something like this?

http://www.rap4uk.com/RAP4-Combat-Pi...ack-p/4864.htm

[blooregard]

How so? Build quality is fine on mine Unless you are talking about the frame being made of ABS rather than metal, which was possibly a move to keep weight manageable. Never had a failed cycle on mine either.

Flimsy plastic slide, frame is OK but the whole thing looks like a Chinese toy. Awful trigger. It will not fail to cycle, but taking up the slack on the trigger is enough to cycle the mag.

You might like yours, that's fine. For me the trigger issue coupled with a complete missed opportunity in the looks department ruined the gun for me, while perhaps a little bit of a cliché now, the Desert Eagle is still an iconic handgun and deserved a better finish than plastic. I could have forgiven the looks had the blowback mechanism cycled the magazine.

[Lord Sut]

I'd definitely advise one of the BB blowbacks. The pellet fed rotary mag guns feel a bit dead to me. If its for fun and the feel of something really happening, the blowbacks are a league apart from the more accurate rotary mags.