Practice piece, Air gun?

[WestKentucky]

My opportunities to hit a range are few and far between at the current time. That will be solved in a few months when I move (renting now) because no room to shoot is a dealbreaker. Until then I'm looking for a way to get trigger time that will help me with trigger control and flinch. I have a garage and could easily get about 25 ft from corner to corner, so I think I could at least put some projectiles down range. I'm thinking entry level air guns, but something where the fit and form are similar to a real gun, and hopefully something decently accurate at that distance so I can work on precision shooting as well.

I'm a revolver guy primarily, but also like semi-auto. I think it boils down to big grips for my big hands. I really like L frames and m9 handguns along with 1911s. What recommendations would you all have for a decent trigger and decent accuracy? I don't care if it's a pump or if it's a semi (cheapo in me says springers don't take co2 cylinders). I had a bottom cocking contraption that I remember much more fondly than the slide cocking cheapo I had as a kid.

For rifle I have a couple ideas, stuff I had as a kid is still on the market so I may just let nostalgia run that decision. I won't ever forget arching a Copperhead BB (could see them better) across the back yard into soda cans at 35 yards. The bbs were launched from a Daisy Powerline pumper or a lever carbine. I think I need one of those lever guns in my life again. That one got so weak it quit working, probably got thrown away when my parents moved in 2004.

And last but not least, I need a bb trap. I can build one out of plywood like the ones I built as a kid (reused bbs saves allowance money for more important stuff, like candy). I remember 2x4 frame with 1/2" or so plywood at an angle with junk denim in the bottom. Should be more than sufficient if I go with a springer, may need more if I go with co2 power.

 

[WestKentucky]

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Marksman-.177-BB-Repeater-Air-Pistol/27945087

This one I remember as weak and poor accuracy but nearly indestructible. I will look for more gun and less anvil.

 

[WestKentucky]

http://mobile.gunauction.com/displayitem.cfm?itemnum=7132705
This is the one I remember so fondly.

 

[LoonWulf]

There are some wonderful full size co2 powered copies of all our favorite firearms available now. Take a look at pyramidair.com they have an excellent selection of stuff.....
I remember getting shot by one of those.....

 

[MedWheeler]

I have two Gamo pistols, both pellet guns (rifled barrels,) that do well to replicate cartridge autoloading pistols.

The Gamo PT-85 is about the size of my Ruger P95, though with a five-inch barrel instead of the Ruger's 3.9 inch one. Though the maker claims it fires both DA and SA (and it does), the trigger does not move rearward when the hammer is cocked, so you still have additional take-up before reaching "the point." This gun has the slide "blowback" feature to simulate a cycling slide. The downside to that is that it eats up CO2 a lot faster. The upside, though, is that when the slide hits the rear, it knocks the gun off target, requiring target re-acquisition like with a "real" gun.

My second is a PT-80, a slightly smaller gun that is not nearly as heavy (which makes it feel less "authentic") and lacks the blowback feature. That second point is why I bought it, to have something that doesn't go through CO2 as fast. However, I have not yet shot it. I think it also has only a DA-style trigger.

For the rifle, I use mostly a Crosman 1077, a CO2-driven repeater loosely based on the Ruger 10/22. Boringly accurate, and too easy to keep on target. Even a .22 firearm has at least some "kick" to require target re-acquisition.

I also have a unique Gamo product from around 1985, sold as the "AirShot Survival Rifle." It's a stock-folder with a break-barrel cocking mechanism and an actual 25-round tube-feeding magazine (.177 caliber pellets.) This gun is very accurate and enjoyable to shoot, but the trigger is more like that on a double-action revolver than on any rifle I've ever handled (short of my Mosin.)

BTW, I also have one of the Marksman pistols mentioned in post 2. I bought it in 1984 thinking I'd have something to at least get a little practice shooting "something" while I waited a couple of months for my Army date. If you go that route, you'd better make your trap large. It's incredibly inaccurate. Don't let the appearance fool you; the barrel is really only the last 1 1/2 inches or so, and a smoothbore on top of that. For some reason, I still have that gun.

 

[maxxhavoc]

If you just want to shoot something indoors to keep the fundamentals going, Airsoft is a good option. Not as accurate as pellet guns, good ones are right there with good BB guns (and a lot easier to setup a backstop for.)

The one I like the most at this time is this guy:
http://www.crosman.com/airsoft/airsoft-pistols/air-mag-c11

Mine shoots about 1" at 10 yards. I am happy with that.

There are better ones out there, a lot of junk ones, and one to match just about any pistol you have if you look long enough. Like conventional BB guns, the gas blowback ones eat gas at a quick rate. I used green gas models before, but CO2 is much easier to deal with, and the gas ones always ended up leaking.

 

[Kookla]

For pistols, there's a lot of nice Co2 guns out there, depends on how much you want to spend. I believe S&W has some nice Co2 revolvers to match their 686 line.

For long guns, this is hands down my favorite.

That is the world's most accurate bb gun. Capable of putting a bb in through same hole again and again at 5 meters. It works best with it's competition bbs, which run $7-$9 for just over 1,000.

Out of all the guns I shoot, the Daisy 499 is my favorite.

 

[kBob]

West Kaintuck,

If you like your 1911A1 then that Marksman is a good $20 investment.

For a couple of years I shot those 18 BBs every morning and every evening. Basically I fired each shot by holding the marksman against my waist where my holster went when shooting. Then I basically practiced the draw stroke and presentation. The hardest part was not thumbing the "safety" hard enough to uncock the pistol. I drew on a two inch target at three meters across my bedroom. Basically when I finished my presentation the shot happened. That subtenses out to an A zone hit at 12 meters.

At 15 meters with my 1911A1 the first plate on my end of the rack was down while the other guy was still looking for his sights......

I got ribbed by every shooter that saw that cheap "POS" as they called it and just smiled while I looked at time and scores when they came in.

For rifle shooting....I always find shooting something is better than not shooting.

-kBob

 

[kBob]

Kookla,

Wow those 499B sights have got the original 99 sighs beat all to heck.

If they would offer it with an adult stock as an option that might be just the thing for an urban rifleman.

-kBob

 

[Kookla]

kBob- that's the one drawback for an adult. I've thought about getting my dad and I together to make a new stock for it. I'm 6'5" with long orangutan arms (heck, I just look like an orangutan)- I have to scrunch up a bunch to shoot the 499b. Still, I love that gun.

It's a muzzle loader too, so each bb has to be dropped into the muzzle, wait for the click, then cock and fire. Since the official bb target distance for competition is 5 meters- that's a distance nearly everyone can set up their own personal range at.

 

[jmorris]

Dry fire can be more helpful than live fire sometimes. Not to mention live fire with a cheap BB gun.

 

[Sunray]

Rethink the entry level stuff. Mostly toys that wear out quickly.
Got a budget in mind? Feinwerkbau rifles start at about $800US. That's an 850 FPS rifle with Mauser like sights. $1,399.95US for one of their pistols.
"...big grips for my big hands..." That might be an issue. Grips for real firearms usually do not fit air powered stuff(same techniques with sight picture, breathing and trigger control.)
Long air powered rifles can have LOP lengthening recoil pads installed. Stick pads add about an inch but there are spacers to add to that.
CO2 guns have issues. At least the Crossman's I played with long ago. Lose power as the cylinder is depleted. Spring powered generally do not.

 

[LoonWulf]

Co2 powered guns do lose power as the 12 gram exhausts, but thats to be expected, thus they usually have a 20-40 shot curve. There are i believer some decent spring airpistols that duplicate acrual firearms but which ones im not aware of. Rifle wise, and airpistols that dont mimic actual fire arms there are quite a few springers that are good.

I personally prefer co2 powered or pump guns to springers, i dont like they way they recoil but thats all personal preference... Here are a few of mine

 

[chicharrones]

Garage airgun shooting. Yep, been there and still do that.

My garage airgun handgun collection are a mix of CO2, a pump, and even a spring gun.

The thing about the CO2 repeating handguns is they have triggers more like a double action only gun. My CO2 collection is a Gamo PT80 (really a revolver internally), a Gamo V3 (1911 copy), a Walther PPK (blow back self cocking), and some other cheapie someone handed me.

The Gamo PT80 is a repeating pellet gun, while the others are repeating BB guns. They are great for self defense style short range shooting practice. They rather suck at trying to put one hole on top of another in the target.

For single shot "target" practice, I have a surplus Predom Lucznik and Crosman 1377, which are both .177 pellet guns. The Predom is springer and the 1377 is a pumper.

My usual backstop is a cardboard box packed tightly with newspaper or phone books. I know those can be hard to come by, but I still have a newspaper subscription and thin phone books are thrown on my porch a couple times a year. I put the box on top of a large plastic trash can that is up against a wall. I put a shipping blanket over the trash can to stop BBs from bouncing back.

I'll use air rifles in the garage on occasion, but not nearly as much as the handguns.

 

[bannockburn]

I like the Remington R1 CO2 gun I got for Christmas last year. Really enjoy the size and weight of the gun and how it's a very realistic BB gun version of the 1911. Practice with it down in the basement with a makeshift cardboard box backstop.

 

[Good Ol' Boy]

I know I'm a little late to the game here but honestly today was the first day I stumbled into this forum.

Even though I generally get to the range once a week and spend 2-3 nights dry firing/drawing with my actual guns, I still get the urge to live fire during the week.

So about a year ago I bought a C02 blowback pistol that was as realistic to my full size gun as I could find locally. I find it's a great training tool inside or outside for a variety in practice. It's pretty realistic in size and act (recoil is more like a .22 than my 9's), and I think I paid $60-70 for it. Not the most expensive but not a $20 WM gun either.


Anyways on to the pictures. While only rated at 400fps I only expected it to dent the can, instead it easily went through it. Both the can and target were at 30ft.

 

[bannockburn]

WestKentucky

Just went out today to get some more BBs and CO2 cylinders for basement target practice with my Remington M1911 RAC. For a backstop I use a fairly substantial cardboard box filled with more thick cardboard, bubble wrap, and folded up carpet remnants. All of the BBs remain in the box with none of them getting through the back. Surprisingly good accuracy at 20 to 25 feet, thanks to a decent trigger, and it gives a fairly low cost 1911-like shooting experience without having to leave the house. Pyramyd Air is selling new ones for $99.99 with refurbished ones going for $59.99.