How accurate are CO2 bb pistols?
- Thread starter DIYEngineer235
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Got the Colt pellet gun today (Quick delivery !) .
I didn't measure, but while it feels a little large compared to a real 1911, it fit's my (slightly large) hand nicely. The part to part fit-up is good, better than many photos and in videos that I've seen of this gun. I don't have a scale, but the weight feels similar to a real 1911. The bad part, is while I expected the odd trigger "pull", I didn't expect the 36 grit sand paper feel ! Not one of those things that time will fix !
I put a coupla magazines through it today. My 71 year old eyes did...sorta, almost...ok with the iron sights, but I have to get a sight plate that locates where the rear sight dovetail is, so I can attach a red dot sight of some sort. Probably a Holosun, partially because I have a couple extra. EGW, makes nice plates for...many...guns, but air guns isn't on their list. So I got a couple of dimensions, and I'll call them tomorrow. Hopefully, they'll have their "dovetails" by dimension.
Not counting the trigger pull, nice gun...so far.
Mike
P.S. - As with many black bodied guns, a black felt tip pen/marker makes short work of the white printing on the slide and frame. Cover the white with the pen, and before it fully dries, give the black a wipe with your finger to somewhat smear the black so it's not so obviously different than the guns color. Works pretty well.
I didn't measure, but while it feels a little large compared to a real 1911, it fit's my (slightly large) hand nicely. The part to part fit-up is good, better than many photos and in videos that I've seen of this gun. I don't have a scale, but the weight feels similar to a real 1911. The bad part, is while I expected the odd trigger "pull", I didn't expect the 36 grit sand paper feel ! Not one of those things that time will fix !
I put a coupla magazines through it today. My 71 year old eyes did...sorta, almost...ok with the iron sights, but I have to get a sight plate that locates where the rear sight dovetail is, so I can attach a red dot sight of some sort. Probably a Holosun, partially because I have a couple extra. EGW, makes nice plates for...many...guns, but air guns isn't on their list. So I got a couple of dimensions, and I'll call them tomorrow. Hopefully, they'll have their "dovetails" by dimension.
Not counting the trigger pull, nice gun...so far.
Mike
P.S. - As with many black bodied guns, a black felt tip pen/marker makes short work of the white printing on the slide and frame. Cover the white with the pen, and before it fully dries, give the black a wipe with your finger to somewhat smear the black so it's not so obviously different than the guns color. Works pretty well.
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Sorry, my ADD took over and I wrote some run-on sentences and did not separate my thoughts well enough.
I do have the Umarex .45 pellet pistol and love it,you are right on all other accounts
I think B-Square made a grip that fitted the .45 that had a pistol scope fixture on it,they also made one for the Rugar Mark 1 and 2 pistols....maybe something similar would work for the Umarex, Colt pistol.
Weaver may have something that can work,it screws to the back sight and has a half-round adapter for the front base
I do have the Umarex .45 pellet pistol and love it,you are right on all other accounts
I think B-Square made a grip that fitted the .45 that had a pistol scope fixture on it,they also made one for the Rugar Mark 1 and 2 pistols....maybe something similar would work for the Umarex, Colt pistol.
Weaver may have something that can work,it screws to the back sight and has a half-round adapter for the front base
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boscoe -
Thanks, but the "EGW" mounting plates are very nicely designed and machined. I'll use them again.
But yeah, I need to try to find my grip...sight mount too. It can't be too far away !
Mike
Thanks, but the "EGW" mounting plates are very nicely designed and machined. I'll use them again.
But yeah, I need to try to find my grip...sight mount too. It can't be too far away !
Mike
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Correction -
EGW red dot plate fit for the Umarex 1911 is number 49510, just like the Government 1911.
I just removed a mounting plate from one of my Government 1911's and tried it on my Umarex 1911 (the pellet shooter, to be clear). It's a little loose, but tightens nicely with the positing set screw in the adapter plate.
Note that this part number is for the Holosun or Trijicon RMR red dot sights. I believe the Burris Mk III, dot sight may fit also.
For what it's worth, EGW makes a LOT of red dot sight, dove tail, mounting plates, so if they don't have a direct fit, it's doubtful (not impossible) that anyone else will have one.
Mike
EGW red dot plate fit for the Umarex 1911 is number 49510, just like the Government 1911.
I just removed a mounting plate from one of my Government 1911's and tried it on my Umarex 1911 (the pellet shooter, to be clear). It's a little loose, but tightens nicely with the positing set screw in the adapter plate.
Note that this part number is for the Holosun or Trijicon RMR red dot sights. I believe the Burris Mk III, dot sight may fit also.
For what it's worth, EGW makes a LOT of red dot sight, dove tail, mounting plates, so if they don't have a direct fit, it's doubtful (not impossible) that anyone else will have one.
Mike
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To the OP, As previously posted, most all the current BB 1911s are manufactured by KWC and rebranded by others. The Sig variants (minus the Moan Labe which is made by a Japanese manufacturer) seem to utilize their own unique design for the frame and slide, but internals appear the same as all other KWC. I find then to be pretty accurate, thought some more than others and some require a shift from POA to POI. None that I know of have adjustable sights, but all are enjoyable to shoot. From my collection the surprising favorite for "just feels right" is the Colt Commander. I can't quantify why it has proven to be a favorite, but just is. Most of my 1911s are in the pic. and if you want details on any of them to help in your decision making feel free to ask.
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It all comes down to what your expectations are. At 15 to 25 feet is the maximum that I shoot my bb pistols the accuracy is decent at this range. Beyond this your only going to get flustered. If you want the best accuracy possible use Daisy ground match shot. My most accurate out of my many co2 bb guns are.
Heathways Plainsmaster 9405
Heathways plainsman 175
Daisy 1200
Crosman 1600
Crosman 454
Heathways 175 with 12 inch extension of barrel
Heathways Plainsmaster 9405
Heathways plainsman 175
Daisy 1200
Crosman 1600
Crosman 454
Heathways 175 with 12 inch extension of barrel
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Well, I cannot speak for all the C02's out there, but I know for fact that my Diana Chaser, in .22 caliber, is very accurate. I usually shoot it from 25 to 35 feet, and if I do my part, I can shoot ragged holes with a pellet it likes. I get about 50 decent shots from a 12 gram cylinder too.
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Totally agree with datnut. I have 7 including the Sig, Broomhandle full automatic, 2-1911’s, 2-Colt single actions and the German Luger. The Sig is a bit more accurate than the rest. My favorite are the the Colt Commander, Colt Single Action and the German Luger. The blow back action is fun on the 1911 and really cool on the toggle of the Luger. Loading the bullets on single action is also fun. Don’t recommend the full automatic because the co2 cools down so quickly and the velocity falls right off. The Sig is ugly but shoots the most accurately. I modified real wood, hand checkered grips for the 1911 and Luger. I just hang soda cans on steel rods in the yard and blast away. Bb’s really knock the heck out them. Everyone is smiling.
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For the most part the quality of of the bb itself has a huge part in accuracy.
I have noticed crosman bulk bb's are not manufactured to the consistency that let's say Umarex is.
I won a ton of air pistols and the effect is always the same........ they kind of gyroscopically spin in different directions especially out of different length barrels.
The most consistent distance I have found for bb pistols is not more than 5 yards.
Pellet pistols because of the nature of the ammo are much more consistent.
HK
I have noticed crosman bulk bb's are not manufactured to the consistency that let's say Umarex is.
I won a ton of air pistols and the effect is always the same........ they kind of gyroscopically spin in different directions especially out of different length barrels.
The most consistent distance I have found for bb pistols is not more than 5 yards.
Pellet pistols because of the nature of the ammo are much more consistent.
HK
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Tight bore in airsoft does not increase accuracy it only increases fps. Now the quality of barrel "could" affect accuracy. But tight bore = accuracy in airsoft is a lie told by airsoft companies to sell product. Another common misconception in airsoft is that longer barrels increases accuracy which in fact they dont. Unlike in rifled firearms.
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Do you have any links to the work youve done? I purchased a sig p226 that shoots so low and to the left its a unusable paperweight. Ive done some work on airsoft guns and considered teflon taping the barrel in hopes of aligning it with the iron sights. Id love to see what youve done to improve accuracy on bb pistols.
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For CO2 BB pistols if it's "minute-of-can" accurate at 50 feet I find that acceptable accuracy.
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I wouldnt bother about accuracy, just think of th fun being able to fire 17 shots on the bounce. Ifyou want accuracy get a single action long barelled pellet firing revolver as they have a rifled barrell
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Short answer….they are not v accurate!….at least not when compared to their springer/ SSP shooting cousins.
I looked at improving them for many years for shooters in the UK for what we called practical pistol shoots, or just back yard plinkers. Looking at each new model as they slowly came onto the market from the outset and on for a few years until giving up.
The issue being, they all followed similar internal design (in reg of valves and magazines) where only the external appearance was different. Almost mindless flow of excatly the same old performance and lousey trigger.
Even barrel lengths not making much difference due to the gap between bore and mag causing a battle between more gas build up of longer barrel versus greater pressure build up losses at the magazine gap…
(longer lengths requires better sealing to realise the potential of greater pressure build up)
In all that time, came to the conclusion that the early Anics pistols were about the best, winning some of the competitions back then.
Its all to do with how magazines function, passing the pellet to barrel. Completely unlike PCP magazines which utilise a probe to shove the pellet into the bore with perfect repeatability and hermetic O ring sealing.
The Anics the only one offering near perfect alignment giving a bit of extra accuracy and power.
Surprisingly, Umarex were least best in this regard…typically 0.1mm to 0.2mm of error from index to index.
The Anics A 101….or the longer barrel M version.
Producing half the group size of most, a good 450/470fps and a nice adjust rear sight.
I looked at improving them for many years for shooters in the UK for what we called practical pistol shoots, or just back yard plinkers. Looking at each new model as they slowly came onto the market from the outset and on for a few years until giving up.
The issue being, they all followed similar internal design (in reg of valves and magazines) where only the external appearance was different. Almost mindless flow of excatly the same old performance and lousey trigger.
Even barrel lengths not making much difference due to the gap between bore and mag causing a battle between more gas build up of longer barrel versus greater pressure build up losses at the magazine gap…
(longer lengths requires better sealing to realise the potential of greater pressure build up)
In all that time, came to the conclusion that the early Anics pistols were about the best, winning some of the competitions back then.
Its all to do with how magazines function, passing the pellet to barrel. Completely unlike PCP magazines which utilise a probe to shove the pellet into the bore with perfect repeatability and hermetic O ring sealing.
The Anics the only one offering near perfect alignment giving a bit of extra accuracy and power.
Surprisingly, Umarex were least best in this regard…typically 0.1mm to 0.2mm of error from index to index.
The Anics A 101….or the longer barrel M version.
Producing half the group size of most, a good 450/470fps and a nice adjust rear sight.
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You can probably forget about hitting insects, even at 15 feet.
I went on a binge last year and bought a LOT of these guns, including the Springfield Mil-Spec 1911, P.38, Luger, CZ75, PPK, Smith & Wesson M29 (and the Springfield M1 carbine). After "accuracy" testing them all, I found they all perform about the same--I use 6" paper plates for targets, and all of these guns will keep all their shots in the "flat" portion of the plate, which is about 3.5", at 7-8 yards or so. After shooting a full CO2 cartridge worth of BBs at a target, I'll typically have a big "rat hole" of maybe an inch or a little more, with maybe 8 to 12 outliers distributed around the 3.5" plate flat. (I get 60 shots with the 1911, CZ75, and P.38, about 52-54 with the Luger, 90 with the M29, more than 80 with the PPK, and 45 with the M1 carbine.)
The key to finding happiness with these guns is to come up with a program that's "possible, but still challenging." They are just about perfect for rapid draw-and-shoot or point-and-shoot exercises with the 6" plates on a full-size silhouette at 7 yards. The idea is to get all your shots on the 3.5" plate flat as quickly as possible. You're building valuable "muscle memory" with every point-and-shoot drill.
The 1911 Mil-Spec is my favorite of all the pistols. It has sights and trigger almost identical to my "house gun" 1911. The triggers on the others aren't that authentic.
The only photo of targets I have loaded up on the puter right now are for the S&W M29, but will give you a rough idea of the accuracy of these guns.
Will be glad to answer any specific questions you have about any of them.
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Like everyone has said at longer distances the round bbs seem to fly off a bit in random directions. Even with the best quality steel bbs this seems to happen. But out to about 10 yards they are extremely fun! I feel I am very proficient with co2 bb pistols at 25 feet. I can hit a can on the bottom make it fly up and hit again in the air at that distance lol. I beleive these realistic type of pistols are great for practicing the fundamentals of shooting and it really carries over to real fire arms. Practicing your breathing and trigger pull with these pistols has always helped me. I also find they are great ways to introduce non shooters to shooting! I taught a few girlfriends and my mother to shoot with co2 pistols and when I gave them a real pistol to shoot I feel like it was less intimidating for them. Rather than starting out with a real fire arm first. Some are more realistic than others but for the most part they all still help develop the fundamentals. I love them!
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I only have had 1 BB pistol in my life and still have it. 1980 vintage Crosman 454. I shoot at 20-30 feet and they are pretty accurate.
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My Crosman 454 is pretty accurate for the distance I shoot until the cartridge gets low. 20-30 feet is all the accuracy I need. Beyond that I cant expect to be slamming on a target 50' away like my 9mm Ruger, but then again I can't shoot my 9mm in the house either.
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