Newbie here, deciding on my next airgun! Looking for opinions

[BackyardAirgunner]

Hi everyone!

Recently I bought a Daisy 415, it'll arrive in a few days. I'm super excited to plink with it in my backyard and play a little target shooting with my mom

I'm already researching a bit and looking into what I can get on my next payday. Sadly, there aren't many airguns available around here, and they might be a bit overpriced because of shipping. I'm translating my local currency into USD in this post for clarity.

I'll have a budget of around $220, maybe $250, but I really don't want to go much further than that. Otherwise, I'd go straight for an Umarex MP5  I want something fun and realistic for my mom to enjoy, she's not doing very well health-wise and we used to target shoot a lot together when I was a kid. Sadly, right now she's not strong enough to hold and aim my old Norica Dragon rifle for long enough, but she can handle an airsoft springer pistol no problem.

I want something with blowback primarily, and a fun realistic action, like the slide stuck in the rear position when out of bbs and such. Full metal is a nice bonus but it's not a deal breaker, neither is the FPS. As long as it can punch a hole in a tin can that's good for me!

Right now I'm looking at 4 different co2 airguns within my budget and specifications and I'd love to hear opinions from people that know better and have more experience than me. My current options are:

1) Gamo C-15 for $189

A very nice, high performance co2 pistol by Gamo. Can take bbs and pellets, total capacity of 16 rounds. Rifled barrel so it should be more accurate.

Pros:

• Pretty high fps at 450, though not that big of a pro considering what I'm looking for right now.
• Leaves enough room in my budget to get some accessories for fun.
• Takes bbs and pellets, which is good because I already have a lot of 4.5mm pellets from my Norica Dragon.
• As far as I know, Gamo is one of the better brands out there so I know I'm getting a very good quality product.

Cons:

• Since it's not a replica it doesn't quite have that "realistic" feel.
• Light weight reduces realism.
• Rotary clip magazine style that is a bit clunky to reload, low capacity at 8x2

Related questions:

• Does the slide get stuck in the rear position when the magazine is empty?

2) Gamo PT-85 for $189

Pretty much the same characteristics from the C-15.

Pros:

• Basically a pellet only C-15, pretty much having the same pros.
• Pellets are a bit safer since they don't tend to bounce around as much as steel bbs do.

Cons:

• Once again, basically the same cons as the C-15.
• Apparently, from what I read online, the pellets have a tendency to get stuck in the gun, though I don't know if that's from airgunners that don't put a lot of effort into the craft.

Related questions:

• Does the slide get stuck in the rear position when the magazine is empty?

3) Umarex Walther CP99 Compact for $213

A replica bb pistol with very realistic action. Smooth bore, small, easy to handle. Performance at about 340 fps so on the slightly lower end for bb airguns.

Pros:

• Replica with blowback, slide gets stuck in rear position, decocker. Guaranteed fun!
• Seems to be full metal, good weight.
• The compact size would make it easier to handle for my mom.
• Umarex* is a good brand so once again, I should expect a good quality, long lasting product here as long as I take care of it. Which I will!

Cons:

• Uses almost all my budget, so no accessories for it.

Related questions:

• *I know Umarex isn't exactly the manufacturer, I don't really understand how that bit works. How does that work? It's something like they sell licensed products from other manufacturers, right? It's hard to find who the actual manufacturer is, but I still know in general it'll be very high quality.

4) Lancer Tactical Cobra 1911 for $190

Replica of the M1911, my favorite model! All the realistic action I want, and performance between 370-400 fps.

Pros:

• Basically all the realistic action here. Blowback, slide gets stuck in the rear, and so on.
• Classic model that my mom is bound to recognize from movies.
• Well within my budget, leaving room for accesories.
• Full metal and hefty.

Cons:

• I don't recognize the brand, so I don't know how well-made the replica is. I tried looking up in the forums but I couldn't find it.

Related questions:

• Can anyone point me at info from this brand? When I google it all I find are retailers selling it and nothing official

My current preference order is something like this:

• Lancer Tactical Cobra 1911 since it's my favorite model ever. It has all the characteristics I want. However, I really don't know how good the brand is, and would love to hear your opinions on it. Right now it seems too good to be true for me, but then again I'm very new to co2 airguns.
• The Walther CP-99 is a close second and likely the safest option. Very good-looking model! However, it's rather pricey, and that makes me feel like I'm not getting the best value out of it.
• Gamo C-15. I've seen a few reviews and I actually really love it, so I don't really mind too much if the action isn't as realistic as the ones higher up on the list. However, the magazine type it has is quite a big turn-off for me, as silly as it sounds. It's a really close third! I know it'll be very high quality because it's Gamo. Shooting pellets is a fun bonus too, but I honestly don't care that much for it.
• Gamo PT-85. It was basically identical to the C-15 so I had to put it on the list. A bit of a bummer that it can't shoot bbs, and reading that it gets stuck easily bothered me a bit. Otherwise though, seems like a very good deal as well.

So, what do all of you think? Are my pros and cons good, did I miss something? Any other similar co2 airgun pistols that I could look for if they're available over here?

Thanks a lot in advance!

PS: This is my first post, so if there's something wrong with my etiquette or I'm posting in the wrong gateway I'll correct it immediately

[lefteyeshot]

The guns you listed I have two the CP99 Compact and the C15. The Walther CP99 C is the best. Blow back, locks back, single action, spare mags are cheap and you can shoot them all with one co2 cart.

Another co2 bb I have and like is the Colt 1911 M45 CQBP (Close Quarter Battle Pistol). Blow back, lock back, single action, accurate, low cost gun and spare mags. Air Gun Detectives in this forum has a review and many other 1911 reviews.

Pellet pistols? I just bought a Walther PPQ M2. Got everything. Also got a Sig M17. Has everything but doesn't lock back. Both are double action to move the belt.

If I could only have one, The Walther CP99 Compact.

[BackyardAirgunner]

The guns you listed I have two the CP99 Compact and the C15. The Walther CP99 C is the best. Blow back, locks back, single action, spare mags are cheap and you can shoot them all with one co2 cart.

Another co2 bb I have and like is the Colt 1911 M45 CQBP (Close Quarter Battle Pistol). Blow back, lock back, single action, accurate, low cost gun and spare mags. Air Gun Detectives in this forum has a review and many other 1911 reviews.

Pellet pistols? I just bought a Walther PPQ M2. Got everything. Also got a Sig M17. Has everything but doesn't lock back. Both are double action to move the belt.

If I could only have one, The Walther CP99 Compact.

Thanks a lot for your opinion! I looked up the Colt 1911 M45 CQBP and I have to say, it looks lovely! Sadly, though, I can't find any retailers having it available here, but I'll keep an eye open for it.

I really have to say the Walther CP-99 Compact keeps looking better by the minute I'm starting to lean more towards it now. Hopefully by next payday I'll have my mind made up. Once again, thanks for your input!

[lefteyeshot]

What 1911 replicas do the vendors have there?

[BackyardAirgunner]

What 1911 replicas do the vendors have there?

There's a few, though not many with the characteristics I'm looking for at the moment. Annoyingly enough, most have their descriptions fairly wrong online, since they're clearly just copying and pasting from other sites. So saying that, I apologize if the things I mention don't make much sense. There are some KWC Pellet versions, Swiss Arms P1911, Stinger 1911, the Lancer Tactical Cobra that I mentioned already. I did get myself a 6mm airsoft spring-powered Combat Zone 19Eleven a few months back for fun, though it's not quite the same.

That's why I got so excited with the Lancer Tactical one! I think I'll just have to visit the guys that do have physical stores to take a look at them in person. Worst case scenario, I'll get it down the line or hold out looking for another nice 1911. Luckily, I have the patience for it Or might as well bite the bb and get it, to serve as a review for people looking at it in the future.

Still! I'm around a couple of weeks until my next payday, so I've got time to research further and see if there are any new offerings in the market, or any I've might have missed.

[starlingassassin]

not a 1911,
but the only blowback pistol ive tried and kept,
is my sig sauer m17 pellet,

tried many of them,
and this one is staying forever lol

its right around $200 with the sig air red dot reflex sight,or 140 without the sight
(non adjustable iron sights so the reflex sight is a must imo)

20 round belt fed pellet magazine rocks!

and a full mag dump on a pie tin is a glorious sound 

[lefteyeshot]

I got the red dot sight with my Sig M17, a spare mag and 4 of the small mags fit in the main mag.

Most of the nice 1911's are made by KWC in Taiwan. The sig M17 is made in Japan.

[BackyardAirgunner]

not a 1911,
but the only blowback pistol ive tried and kept,
is my sig sauer m17 pellet,

tried many of them,
and this one is staying forever lol

its right around $200 with the sig air red dot reflex sight,or 140 without the sight
(non adjustable iron sights so the reflex sight is a must imo)

20 round belt fed pellet magazine rocks!

and a full mag dump on a pie tin is a glorious sound 

That looks really pretty! I'll look up and see if I can find it here, though for that price point it'll likely be very expensive. After a little bit of better googling and properly using my brain, I found Lancer Tactical's website, and saw the Cobra 1911 which is in my options. It retails for $77.99, while here it's at $190 with no extra products  :'(

I tried googling a bit more and for some reason there's a new import tax for buying things world-wide at somewhere around 110 dollars for some goods, and sadly airguns are included. God-"dang", not even going through the effort of purchasing one by myself would make it any better.

I got the red dot sight with my Sig M17, a spare mag and 4 of the small mags fit in the main mag.

Most of the nice 1911's are made by KWC in Taiwan. The sig M17 is made in Japan.

This is great to know! Most 1911's I can find offered here are from KWC, so I'll probably get one in the future.

Thanks a lot guys!

[BackyardAirgunner]

Hi everyone again

I found there are quite a few offerings for KWC Berreta PT92/M92 over here, ranging from about $230 to about $260. It checks all of my requirements, except it's a bit out of my budget. It even has full auto, which sounds like a really fun surprise!

There were a couple reviews online with videos, and not much in the forums, I don't think. Anyone can share their personal experience if they have any? In particular, I just want to know if it can punch holes in a tin can, because it has fairly low speed. According to the packaging of it that I've seen, they go up to about 310–320 fps, 1.5 joules. Is that good enough for it? I really don't know a speed/energy "threshold" to know what kind of targets it would break/go through.

It's also not the most co2 efficient gun out there, but it really seems like a ton of fun so I'll say worth it. Plus, co2 isn't very expensive anyway.

[lefteyeshot]

The Beretta 92 is a nice gun. They're $160 here.

I saw on desertcart.com in Chile they have the Umarex Colt Defender for CLP106 and the Crosman Vigilante for CLP159. They are both popular inexpensive guns up here.

The Defender is a replica of a small 1911. Full metal, good weight, no blowback, hammer doesn't work, double action only. Grips slide back co2 goes in left side of handle, built in mag on right side. Holds 16 bb's. I have one. Fun little gun.

Crosman has been making that revolver in different forms for many years. Very popular in the U.S. 6 inch  rifled barrel. Shoots bb's and pellets. Comes with nylon holster and spare pellet abd bb rotary magazines.

[BackyardAirgunner]

Thanks a lot for that webpage! I didn't know it, I'll use it to browse it to see what good offers I can find. I've also found pretty good sales for the Crosman Vigilante, it honestly looks amazing and super fun as well.

Man, I'm glad I have self-control or else I'd probably blow up my credit card getting some of these

Though, I think I made my mind up, and I'll go for a KWC M92. Mostly because I found this really nice offer at $237 that comes with a holster, a couple of co2 cartridges and 200 bbs.

I'm so going to keep in mind all the options shared in this thread. Once again, thank you a lot for the patience and the help!

Slightly unrelated question, though maybe this belongs to a different thread or has already been answered elsewhere. Any co2 airgun brand to avoid? In general, I've not heard anything bad of any brand in particular, at most of specific airgun models or not to expect a lot from cheaper price ranges. Just trying to be careful with my purchases

[lefteyeshot]

No bad brands I can think of. Most people like guns to come in boxes instead of plastic clam shells. Pellet shooting co2 autos seem to get low number like 3.5 to 4 stars where as bb guns get 4.5-5. They jam and leave a few rounds behind on occasion.

ASG makes some nice guns and some replicas of small guns, come in nice boxes with the serial number on the box.

Most people don't like stick mags and prefer full size magazines that hold co2 carts and bb's. But stick mags have one advantage to me. If you have 2 or 3 spare mags you can shoot 60-80 bb's on one co2 cart. With full size mags do the same and you're left with 3 or 4 partly full carts. And stick mags are a lot cheaper.

I don't care for revolver with cartridges to hold the pellets or bb's. Take to long to reload and you only get 6 shots. Revolvers with rotary mags load quicker and you get 8-10 shots. Like Crosman Vigilante, Gammo 776 and Diana Raptor.

The Sig Spartan and Max Michel 1911's and the Daisy 1911 M1A1 and Winchester 1911 model 11 and 11K (black & chrome) are all the same gun mechanically and have the same stick mag except a couple have an extention on the bottom. All made in Japan.

[BackyardAirgunner]

I'm starting to take notes now. Seriously! Once again, thank you so much for sharing your knowledge.

I have to agree with you about the mags. Sure, it feels better to have hefty big magazines, but having to pop 3 cartridges at once seems a bit wasteful. Super nice tidbit at the end too! I've seen the Sig Spartan here a couple of times, nice to know some mags are compatible like that.

Now I'm excited for next pay day, get my new airgun and have some fun! Hopefully be able to contribute a bit more to the forums, too

[BackyardAirgunner]

The KWC M92 finally got here! What a fine airgun this is, I'm loving it! I'll take it for a plink tomorrow during the day. Hefty, beautiful color, lots of details. Specially happy that the manual has instructions on how to disassemble and maintain, though being my first blowback I'll look for more on the internet.

I'm very excited!