looking for the best of both worlds in air hand gun

The Gamo PT85 doesn't replicate any actual existing firearm, but it's roughly the size of a Beretta M92, though with more of a "Ruger-ish" look. It even has a fake ejection port. With CO2 also being used to cycle the slide, some velocity is lost, and the number of shots per CO2 capsule is reduced. But, it's a nice, straight-shooting DA/SA pistol. The cycling slide, when it hits the rear, even knocks the gun off target, requiring re-acquisition of the target, like with a real firearm.

I don't have any real experience w/the realistic CO2 pistols out there other than the non blowback S&W/Umarex M&P 40, so take this for what it's worth. This isn't to say the replicas aren't accurate but it seems to me that the realistic guns are something of a compromise, at least when compared to guns like the Crosman 2240, 2300KT/2400KT and two CO2 repeaters from SPA, sold by mrodair: CP-1M and the Airmax Target Master II (besides being repeaters, they can also be converter into a carbines), to name just a few. These guns have adjustable sights, longer barrels, and due to no blowback they tend to be more efficient. The CP-1M is a screaming deal at $80 delivered ($100 w/3 magazines). The Crosmans can sometimes be had at good discounts, and they enjoy a TON of aftermarket support.

But I've heard good things about the Tanfoglio Witness 1911, and many others are shown HERE. So plenty to choose from!

Good luck.

Good morning,
CO2 handguns are like their gunpowder counterparts in that you need to find the 'load' that has the gun performing as good as it can. Five of my replica guns are single action revolvers. Three of those have longer barrels with better sight radius applied. I have a mix of pellet and steel shot\BB types in those. The rifled barreled models with the right pellet allow me to ring the targets all of the time. This is also true with a shorter, rifled barreled pellet shooting double action Nagant revolver by Gletcher. So for me, it has been rifled barrels fed with good quality pellets if I want real accuracy. The BB models are plenty accurate for tin cans and closer stuff.
regards and don't forget to have fun!

The trouble I have with many CO2 replica guns is that they are a compromise.

The ones that don't have blowback have better velocity, but the single action triggers are just as heavy as double action trigger.

The ones that have blowback have lighter single action triggers, but the gun moves off target during the blowback cycle, plus velocity is lost due to the blowback use of gas.

The above is just my experience. Maybe some CO2 replica guns are made better now?

I have wondered about the single action triggers on the replica revolvers y'all mention. Are they much lighter than the double action triggers?

Speaking of rifled barreled CO2 repeaters, I have a Gamo PT80 which is a replica of a Beretta Cougar. It's actually a revolver internally. But, it has air leakage from the air port to cylinder and from the cylinder to barrel. Plus the single action trigger is as heavy as the double action trigger. It's a fun gun, but it has enough compromises in its construction that it can't take advantage of its rifled barrel.

Good evening,
The models I have by Colt and Bear River and Remington are all made by RWS I believe ( could be wrong ) They are SAs and very good replicas of the real revolvers they copy. Heavy, well made and balanced nicely. The triggers are smooth and break crisply at pressures similar to my real Black Powder revolvers. I am satisfied with them.
regards!

chicharrones writes:

The ones that have blowback have lighter single action triggers, but the gun moves off target during the blowback cycle..

Click to expand...

I consider this a positive, actually. All of my firearms move off target when fired, requiring target re-acquisition after the shot. Having my air pistol, which simulates a firearm, do the same thing only adds to the realism.

But, yes, it does make the gun pound through gas a lot faster.

A quite powerful and accurate replica is the full sized Desert Eagle. With it's power and blow back action it's co2 hog. It will destroy coke cans much farther away than you can depend on even hitting one with the bb shooters. I have Colt SAA, Dan Wesson, and 1911 bb replicas and enjoy shooting them but the DE blows them away in both accuracy and power. It will consume over twice the co2 for the same number of shots though.

MedWheeler said:

I consider this a positive, actually. All of my firearms move off target when fired, requiring target re-acquisition after the shot. Having my air pistol, which simulates a firearm, do the same thing only adds to the realism.

But, yes, it does make the gun pound through gas a lot faster.

Click to expand...

What I didn't elaborate clearly was that the blowback airguns I've had experience with seem to be moving the slide at the same time the pellet or bb gets air pressure. Which means that the BB is still in the barrel when the slide starts to move.

^^ Oh, okay. I thought you were saying the gun was hard to shoot accurately because of the cycling slide. My experience has been that the gun doesn't come off target until the slide hits the rear-most position and, judging by the accuracy I've seen in my particular gun, that occurs after the pellet is out. I'll try to pay closer attention to it the next time I have it out, and I'll try it against my other Gamo (the PT80 you also have), which doesn't have the "blowback" feature and see if I can tell the difference. I've not yet shot the PT80.

“s. I want to stick to a semi auto pellet or bb hand gun with good power(480fps) since I don't have the space to utilize a rifle.”
A semi auto with that kind of velocity is probably going to be a gas hog.

I'm guessing the MV if measured w/a chronograph would be closer to 400 fps.

The MV might tighten up at least some and the MV may increase a little to boot by using Avanti BBs, but they're expensive for a steel BB (I like them in my hot-rodded Daisy 499). FWIW, in my other BB guns I mostly shoot Daisy zinc plated BBs from Walmart, they're very good for a budget BB.