Does anyone know the "lifespan" of modern CO2 pistols?

[Sniper Pete]

Hi,

My first post, so please be patient with me!

I was wondering how long the average modern CO2 pistol is made to last?

I think I read somewhere that one was tested by firing 15,000 rounds without any issues.

I shoot several times a week and think nothing of using 2 or 3 12g CO2 cylinders in a session. Say an average of 100 shots per cylinder (varies with pistol and weather conditions), that equates to 300 shots. Say I shoot only 5 days a week, that's 1,500 pellets a WEEK!
At that rate it would only take 10 weeks to hit the 15,000 mentioned.

So, will my £200+ pistols only last me 10 weeks, before things start to go wrong? Surely not?

I'm fairly new to owning my CO2 pistols, having used spring pistols and rifles up to then, so I still have to experience ownership over any length of time.
I keep things clean, but only clean the barrels if/when they show signs of needing a clean, usually when my pellet grouping tends to decline. I also apply a small drop of airgun oil to the cylinder end before fitting them, and I tend to use CO2 cylinders that contain lubricant, but not always.

Does anyone have any information on the likely lifespan for CO2 guns? Thanks.

[blooregard]

Hi Pete, welcome to the forum.

Which pistols are you using chap ? between us we will probably have all of them. My cabinet currently has 23 pistols in it, most of which are CO2. I've had a couple of issues with some of them but nothing too serious and all but one of them still shoots. The 3 I have issues with are Cybergun Sig p226X5, my original Tanfoglio Witness and a Umarex PPK/S.

The Sig has a borked safety catch, still shoots fine. The witness safety catch has worn down and how drops the hammer. I don't consider safety catches to be at all safe anyway so I don't use them and these don't cause me any problems. The PPK/S sufferered a catastrophic frame failure after probably 15 years of faithful service, it had a couple of issues earlier than that but these were easily rectified. In fact it was the same issue twice, the blowback chamber eventually started to warp and became barrel shaped on the inside making the action rough to cycle, easily fixed by giving the surfaces a quick polish. I don't know how many shots it fired but it was well into the tens of thousands.

I suppose it is all going to come down to how the pistol is used, how well it is looked after and how careful you are with them. I am quite careful with my guns, they are well protected, cleaned often and I like to keep them gassed. I might be lucky, others may have different experiences. The most I have ever shot with one CO2 gun is about 800 pellets from my Walther Lever action. 800 pellets in one session is extreme (I brought home 20 empty CO2s!) but when I use this rifle it shoots a lot, I blast away with it myself and everyone else usually wants a go as well and it probably shoots around 2-300 pellets a session and chomps its way through at least 4-5000 pellets a year. I bought it second hand in 2010, it was made around 2003 and assuming the previous owner(s) used it half as much as me thats a good 38,000 pellets and 475 CO2 carts it has munched it's way through in it's life. It never misses a beat.

I suppose it is going to vary from gun to gun, something like a Crossman 2240 is probably going to have a longer lifespan than the shooter as long as the parts are still made, where as a KWC is probably going to be useless once the first irreplacable part fails (I still love KWC pistols!).

I wish I had chance to shoot 5 days a week!!

[Sniper Pete]

Hi Pete, welcome to the forum.

Which pistols are you using chap ? between us we will probably have all of them. My cabinet currently has 23 pistols in it, most of which are CO2. I've had a couple of issues with some of them but nothing too serious and all but one of them still shoots. The 3 I have issues with are Cybergun Sig p226X5, my original Tanfoglio Witness and a Umarex PPK/S....

....I wish I had chance to shoot 5 days a week!!

Hi blooregard,

Currently I only have two CO2 pistols; a Webley MkVI .177 pellet and and Colt Government 1911 A1 .177 pellet. I shall no doubt buy others in due course though; you know how it is
I do have other non CO2 airguns though.

I only shoot at home, as I don't drive any more; so the 5 days a week shooting isn't as glamorous as it sounds! Just in my back garden with a multitude of different targets. I'm retired these days. I used to shoot .22 firearms many years ago and also had a shotgun until a few years ago. I've had airguns off and on since childhood though.

[hwtyger]

A good quality co2 target pistol will last a lifetime and will provide fun for yr children too.
Only things that wear out are Orings. Barrel will survive us all.
Without seal change, lifespan depends mostly on you. How do you treat it. How long does it sit filled with CO2, do you lube it, etc

[Sniper Pete]

Hi Pete, welcome to the forum.

Which pistols are you using chap.....

..... I wish I had chance to shoot 5 days a week!!

Firstly, sorry for the delay. I replied to your post but it hasn't been posted??? Perhaps it got lost in transit via a moderator, I don't know? So I'll try again.

Hi blooregard,
I am quite new to CO2 airguns, so I currently only possess two. I chose a Webley MKVI Revolver .177 pellet and a Colt Government 1911 A1 .177 pellet to start my collection going. I have others, but not CO2... An ancient spring "pistol" (a .177 GAT!) and a Webley Eclipse .22 Carbine rifle, both of which I've owned (from new) many years. I used to shoot .22 pistols (Firearms) and when that got too difficult (due to police and public dislike) I carried on shooting with shotguns.

Now in my later years I've opted for airguns only. Although I can see they may end up going the same way as firearms did. The press have picked up on a couple of instances recently to vent their dislike of people shooting anything!

As for the 5 days a week shooting... Don't be jealous, it's not as glamorous as it sounds! I'm retired and shoot in my back garden. I have a fairly good selection of target types to keep me amused. I don't get out much (ill health) and have sold my car, so it's the only location where I can shoot.

[PaulR]

I have a Crosman 2240 and it seems to be indestructible.

My experience with other modern CO2 pistols is not so good.

Tanaglio Witness - I have two and each has been replaced under warranty 3 times. After a few thousand or so bbs they just jammed or you could hear stray bbs rattling around inside. I have one which works after switching parts around with the other (warranty expired). I am very careful with my guns - no abuse, kept clean etc but to no avail. I know about the problems with a bb being stuck in the blowback system but that is not the problem.

Cybergun Mini Uzi - I have two of these and the problem is exactly the same as with the Witnesses. One is now a static model and the other either goes full auto (no I have not modified it and the catch cannot be moved to full auto mode) which is illegal or, more often, it just clicks but does not fire. Both went wrong in the first month and both have been replaced. Again the warranties are long expired.

KWC P08 - a lovely pistol. The first went full auto after three weeks - replaced under warranty. The second just dumped all of the CO2 as soon as you cocked it - again replaced under warranty. The third I have had for 6 weeks and occasionally will fire three or four shots on auto so it seems this one is heading for static model status too.

KWC broom handle Mauser - 2 months old and so far so good.

I have tried everything with the ones I have problems with - even new spare mags do not make a difference. As I say I do not abuse them but I do put lots of bbs through them in relatively short amount of time so I guess I just wear them out quickly.

Against that I have a couple of Crosman 600s from the 1960s and have put at least 15 thousand rounds through each with no problems at all. It is the same with my Sheridan EB20 - it just keeps going. Same with my 2250s and SMK QB78 Match - non blowbacks seem to be no problem whilst old blowbacks (600) were engineered from vastly superior materials.

The problem seems to be the complexity and weak materials used in blowback guns which come to the fore if you use them too much.

Or maybe I am just unusually unlucky?

[Sniper Pete]

I have a Crosman 2240 and it seems to be indestructible.

My experience with other modern CO2 pistols is not so good.

Tanaglio Witness - I have two and each has been replaced under warranty 3 times. After a few thousand or so bbs they just jammed or you could hear stray bbs rattling around inside. I have one which works after switching parts around with the other (warranty expired). I am very careful with my guns - no abuse, kept clean etc but to no avail. I know about the problems with a bb being stuck in the blowback system but that is not the problem.

Cybergun Mini Uzi - I have two of these and the problem is exactly the same as with the Witnesses. One is now a static model and the other either goes full auto (no I have not modified it and the catch cannot be moved to full auto mode) which is illegal or, more often, it just clicks but does not fire. Both went wrong in the first month and both have been replaced. Again the warranties are long expired.

KWC P08 - a lovely pistol. The first went full auto after three weeks - replaced under warranty. The second just dumped all of the CO2 as soon as you cocked it - again replaced under warranty. The third I have had for 6 weeks and occasionally will fire three or four shots on auto so it seems this one is heading for static model status too.

KWC broom handle Mauser - 2 months old and so far so good.

I have tried everything with the ones I have problems with - even new spare mags do not make a difference. As I say I do not abuse them but I do put lots of bbs through them in relatively short amount of time so I guess I just wear them out quickly.

Against that I have a couple of Crosman 600s from the 1960s and have put at least 15 thousand rounds through each with no problems at all. It is the same with my Sheridan EB20 - it just keeps going. Same with my 2250s and SMK QB78 Match - non blowbacks seem to be no problem whilst old blowbacks (600) were engineered from vastly superior materials.

The problem seems to be the complexity and weak materials used in blowback guns which come to the fore if you use them too much.

Or maybe I am just unusually unlucky?

Wow, that doesn't bode well for me either then!

My Webley MK VI .177 pellet was faulty on arrival (Replaced without question by the retailer). A problem with the safety and then a problem with single action/double action. It's not terribly accurate, which is very noticeable now I have another pistol to compare it with.

I'm VERY pleased with my Umarex Colt Government 1911 A1 .177 pellet. It fits my hand perfectly, lovely balance, nice action and very accurate. At my current rate I'll be clocking up 15,000 rounds shortly! It seems well made, so I'm hoping it can take the strain!

I do look after my guns, but I don't over clean them. Usually clean the barrels when the pellets begin to wander off target.
[I've posted another query asking about cleaning on this website].

I'm a little put off by blowback pistols, as I've read that they use significantly more CO2 and the shots/cartridge is poor. Also I think the more moving parts the more likely something will wear out quicker!

[blooregard]

Paul, it does sound like you have fallen foul of the old bb's in the blowback chamber for the Witnesses, usually caused by an excessively strong mag spring or by overloading the mag. I am certain I could fix those.

For the UZI I find this behaviour is not the gun, it is the later magazines. These are made with a tighter gas seal which causes the shot cycle to be more violent and the bolt to move around more. Give the mag seal a good amout of pellgun oil and leave it in the gun tight up against the closed bolt for a while.

I had the same issue with the KWC branded PO8, a bad batch came into the country about 19 months ago, all were KWC branded. I took them back and swapped mine for a GSG92, then bought a Gletcher Parabellum later on. Its the same gun but branded differently so from a clearly different batch, it always fires a single shot and has had several thousand rounds through it.

Unfortunately to make blowback replicas out of firearms grade materials would make them a lot more expensive. I know that the Mak is made from better materials but they are made in economical quantities.

[PaulR]

Paul, it does sound like you have fallen foul of the old bb's in the blowback chamber for the Witnesses, usually caused by an excessively strong mag spring or by overloading the mag. I am certain I could fix those.

Thanks for the offer but that is not the problem - I have stripped both on more than one occasion and the chamber(s) were bb free whilst the problem is still present upon reassembly.

I know that they (Witnesses) are bb fussy. I have started using Umarex bbs and one of the Witnesses is now working as long as I don't put more than about 8 at a time in it. The other still jams even using a new magazine.

To OP - sorry to hi-jack your thread. I am sure I am more than usually unlucky and I hope that your pistols will last longer!

[Sniper Pete]

Many thanks to all who responded.

I have tried replying to you but each of my replies have failed to be posted.

As I am a new member I am being screened by a Moderator and can only assume that he (or she) has pulled my reply for some reason???
I have not been told why my comments were disallowed and, as a new member, I may have inadvertently broken a rule in some way?

Thanks one and all.
Sniper Pete

[peteswright]

Thanks for the offer but that is not the problem - I have stripped both on more than one occasion and the chamber(s) were bb free whilst the problem is still present upon reassembly.

I know that they (Witnesses) are bb fussy. I have started using Umarex bbs and one of the Witnesses is now working as long as I don't put more than about 8 at a time in it. The other still jams even using a new magazine.

To OP - sorry to hi-jack your thread. I am sure I am more than usually unlucky and I hope that your pistols will last longer!

Its funny, but I've never had a bb stuck in the blowback unit (I have three 1911's). Im very unlucky too Paul (Had three Peacemakers, all gone back faulty and money refunded) with all guns but mainly co2's. I used to get double feeds until I started only loading 10 bb's max. Learned that early on!!!. Slide sometimes sticks open a bit on my old Witness but dropping the mag and tightening blowback unit holding screw always sorts that. I find not lubing, except for blowback gives better performance and higher shot count. Lubing with grease seems to slow the action. Oil may be better. I use Blasters which are same as Umarex. ATB. Pete.

[beagle2]

I tend to think that it depends on what gun you want good quality C02 target pistols and the good old crosman 2240 as has been said will last many years with little problems and parts are freely available.

As for the rest the semi auto and revolver type of guns are good but as as they have many more moving parts mostly that the cartridge guns that they are a copy of add to that for the most part made of soft alloy so the parts will were out quickly some last better than others.

There are a few exceptions to this like the good old Makarov but that is more or less a real gun that has been converted to shoot C02 bbs I do like the Umarex 10 shot revolver I forget what it is called I had one and lived it but to me the grip was to large and if they do go wrong I think you can get parts for them.

[Squeakysihu]

I only have 2 CO2 pistols also.

An Anics Skif 3000 which I have had a few years, it had to have a new seal when it was in it's warranty period, but up till now its been trouble free. It now has an issue with the trigger mechanism,but hey its probably at least 8 years old now.

I also have a SIG P226 blow back wigh is loads of fun and I've probably put 500 pellets through it so far without any issues.