The category of air pistols has and is mostly filled with BB shooting varieties. If a pellet version was offered, historically, this was a break barrel design or a bolt action CO2 powered model. Replica pellet pistols have been around for a while, but due to their disk style magazines, these models lacked blowback operation. In the last few years airgun makers have figured out how to make pellet shooting pistols utilize blowback action. This relatively recent development has finally given replica shooters who prefer pellets the most realistic functionality possible in an airgun and the ability to shoot low-ricochet potential pellets.
And that point, the low-ricochet potential, is a big reason to shoot pellet pistols, especially during the winter months when people retreat to their homes as it’s too cold and nasty outside to do much of anything. A pellet trap is super easy to construct and since pellets deform rather than bounce, even spinner type targets can be shot with little fear of the projectile going somewhere that you don’t want it to go.
The good news for pellet pistol shooters is that there are many types of pellet pistols available to you right now and in all the the categories mentioned above. Let’s take a look at a few of them.
Break Barrel Pellet Pistols
Spring powered air pistols are a good choice for plinkers looking to send some lead downrange with minimal financial impact. These simple pistols are available in a variety of power outputs. Pistols like the Browning Buck Mark URX or the Ruger Mark IV pistols shoot .177 caliber pellets at modest velocities, under 360 FPS. For plinking and target shooting, these are excellent choices. If you need to add in some light pesting to the mix, a look at the Umarex Trevox .177 pistol. The Trevox will send standard weight pellets downrange at 500 FPS. This is more than enough power for taking care of garden pests and you can extend your plinking range when the weather breaks and it’s time to shoot outside again.
New in the Umarex webstore is the MarkPoint. This is a .177 caliber break barrel pellet pistol that shoots pellets at 400 FPS. The MarkPoint has a grip safety along with an easy to break open long barrel.
Umarex only has one Pump Pneumatic pistol, the Strike Point. This pistol is available in .177 or .22 calibers and can be fired in a low power mode with just a few pumps or higher power output with the maximum number of pumps. With this versatility in mind, the Strike Point is perfect for low-power indoor shooting or light pesting work with the higher output mode.
Replica CO2 Powered Pellet Pistols
The easiest way to shoot BBs or Pellets. Umarex produces a wide range of CO2 powered pellet pistols. The Colt Singe Action Army Peacemaker revolver has been incredibly popular from its introduction to this day. This is due to both the amazing realism this revolver is made with. Many people have put a great deal of effort into customizing this Colt wheelgun with custom grips, finish work, and gun leather. Perfect for plinking, the Colt SAA shoots .177 caliber pellets at 410 FPS.
Under the Walther brand, shooters have two options, the non-blowback PPQ and the blowback action PPQ M2. While these two pistols are hard to distinguish at a glance, they are considerably different underneath. The non blowback version can actually shoot either BBs or Pellets with the appropriate magazine. The non-blowback PPQ uses a disk style rotary magazine that holds 8 pellets. The blowback version uses a belt style magazine that holds 20 .177 caliber pellets. Both of these pellet pistols shoot at 400 FPS or lower, so you can plink away to your heart's content.
Under the GLOCK brand Umarex produces a belt magazine version of the Model 17, the 17 Gen 5. This blowback pellet pistol holds 21 .177 caliber pellets. For shooters desiring arguably the world’s most popular handgun in a replica form, the GLOCK 17 Gen 5 does that in spades.
For pellet shooters looking for something truly unique, look no further than the Beretta M92 FS. This pellet pistol uses 8-shot disk style magazines and is unbelievably realistic in its feel in hand. Made in Germany, the Beretta M92 FS is the pinnacle of precise craftsmanship in the pellet pistol category. Though it is not a blowback model, the M 92 FS can be shot from either single or double action modes.
The world of pellet shooting isn’t going anywhere. Whether you are into pellet pistols or pellet rifles, Umarex has plenty of options to keep you out there flinging lead. Happy shooting!