New Here - looking for input

[N8]

Hi - new to air guns, had a Crossman 760 as a kid. I sorta stumbled into it looking for something less expensive to feed that doesn't require an 2hr round trip to the range. 
I was looking at 1911's and maybe a rifle. Looking for practice and back yard plinking / silhouettes. Of the 1911's I've looked at (online only, haven't found a place locally that carries anything other than toys), I'm most interested in the Umarex Colt Commander model - blowback slide, slide lock, drop free magazine, working hammer, more or less in the same ballpark as my real Commander. I'm curious to hear about anything else in the sub $200 range (and really closer to $100) I should be looking at. I realize blowback eats CO2 bottles but my thinking was a moving slide would be helpful since my primary goal with it is proficiency practice. (And it only costs 5 boxes of 45ACP). 

For a rifle... I'd love an AR but I'm not interested in a multi-pump (the M4-177). I'm almost interested in the Umarex Steel Force, but I'd prefer A2 style to a flat top, and it's smooth bore. I'm probably more interested in the Crossman 1077 as a backyard plinker / silhouette practice rifle. The revolver trigger and leaf sights are both big turnoffs. (We've only known aperture sights were vastly superior to leaf sights for the past hundred years. I don't get why they even make them.)

Anyway - I'm not getting anything before Christmas, as I'm dropping hints and hoping to pick up one or the other for Christmas. So I'm open to opinions and suggestions. 

 

[c_m_shooter]

The Umarex Commander is a good pistol. I have put about 24 co2 cartridges through mine so far, gets 3 18 shot mags per co2. Not match grade accuracy, but 2 inch targets at 10 yards are easy at action pistol pace. You may be better off with a more target oriented rifle like the Daisy 753, most of the AR styled are more toys than training tools. 

 

[N8]

On the Umarex - I've historically had a tendency to throw shots left and low on my Commander. I'm not really looking for match grade, but I'd like something to work on stuff like that in my back yard. 

Yeah, I was quickly arriving at that conclusion about AR styles. I'd still like something that's semi-auto with aperture sights.

 

[Smaug]

In air guns, the more tactical they look, the less accurate they are.

A blowback slide moves like a real one, but since it doesn't recoil or bang, there's really no point. 

Get into airguns for their own merit, not to try to simulate firearms. You'll have some good habits stay polished, and might be surprised at how powerful they can be.

I say get a good quality spring piston rifle, like a .22 Diana 48. This will have some recoil like the real thing and keep your marksmanship up to snuff. Enough power and accuracy for pests and small game up to 'coon size out to 40 yards or so. (20 ft-lbs. more or less)

Weihrauch makes something that looks and feels like a 1911, if you want that general grip frame. 

Then later, if you like it, add a PCP air rifle, for the real power and accuracy.

 

[JohnL57]

There is the Sig Sauer semi auto rifle and Carbine if that floats your boat. Belt fed mag, Co2 powered.

I found my firearm pistol skills were improved shooting an inexpensive P17 SSP (single stroke pnuematic) for a winter in my garage. They're about $35, but are single shot, no blowback.

 

[N8]

Yeah, it's really a shame that such a lovely platform comes with such baggage. I'd really love to be able to slap a 177 upper on and use my lovely Jewell trigger but ... not $600 lovely. Especially for what you get. But the ergos are just spot on for both the AR and the 1911 if you happen to fall within 1 sigma of the median US adult male geometry. Once upon a time I lived within 30-40 minutes of a decent 500 yard range and shot CMP matches with it. As far as their own merit... that comes of kinda snobbish. Ammo cost and driving distance are both extremely valid reasons to look for alternatives.

I'm glad you bring up blowback though... I expected a pound or so of sliding steel to disturb the sight picture enough to actually make for decent practice. But if it's not really all that, I'd consider giving up blowback for gas economy. 

 

[N8]

And definitely not interested in those rail sprouting monsters. Something with the grip, trigger, sight picture, weight and balance of my service rifle would be nice though (service rifle being a category, ie not a space gun. Just an A2 with a free floated barrel under the handguards, 20" bbl. ) That stuff becomes important in the offhand stance.