Can you recommend an Airsoft pistol??

I know little about airsoft guns.  Could you recommend a (NOT CO2) airsoft pistol?

I know they aren't known for accuracy past about 15 feet due to the light plastic BB, but accuracy is always a consideration,  adjustable rear sights would be nice.  I'd like it to shoot both the .12 and the .20 gram BB.

It'll be used mostly for plinking by the nephews and nieces (and me!), and for encouraging uninvited animals to leave the yard.  I've got plenty of springers and PCP's for serious air shooting - this is for something much different.

Any help appreciated.  Thanks in advance...

[vinceb]

The vast majority of airsoft guns are spring, electric, or propane powered. You're right about the accuracy, although some are usable (for hitting, say, a coffee-can sized target) out to 40-50 feet. They're fun for plinking, althought the .12 gr BB is really kinda useless outdoors. Most are also useless for scaring away animals (except birds), cats and dogs only get slightly annoyed if they're hit at close range. More than 10-15 feet away, they might not even feel it since plastic BB's shed velocity so quickly. For that, you're much better off with a regular BB pistol.

Most guns give a backspin to the BB which greatly increases the range ("hop-up"), but that also means that unless the hop-up is adjustable (an unusual feature) the gun will only shoot properly with one weight of BB.

To a large extent, it comes down to this: how much do you want to spend?

Actually, I'm not even sure this is really an acceptable topic for the forum... so if the moderator gently taps you on the shoulder you can email me and I can give you more suggestions.

Actually, cost doesn't much matter.  The guns I have seen advertised tend to be pretty cheap - at most 60 to 70 dollars, most much less.

Thanks for your comments.  They are airguns, just not what we usually think of on the forum.
 

[vinceb]

Ya gotta be carefull - there are lots of rip-off sites out there.

The gas blowback guns are a lot of fun - but they tend to start at close to $100 for decent ones, plus about $10/can for "green gas" or $30 for an adapter to use hardware-store propane (much cheaper). They also tend to be decent replicas, with good weight and realistic functions and field stripping.

The gas non-blowback guns can be cheaper for a decent shooter ($40) and are very efficient in gas usage - but their triggers are tougher to pull because they are double-action (the trigger pull loads the BB, cocks the gas-valve hammer and releases it)

Spring pistols are a little weaker and the slide has to be racked before each shot, but they can be very accurate. They also vary quite a bit in the realism department. Decent shooters pretty much start with the $18 non hop-up KWC "Tanfoglio Witness" and go up to the same make's $70 S&W 1911-style. Oddly enough, they both use the same powerplant! In between are a bunch of UHC's (generally cheaper and slower, but more accurate) and other, lesser available brands (Tokyo Marui, Don San, etc.)

The electric pistols are usually very weak, and their "blowback" function works backwards (the slide cycles before the gun fires).

shortyusa.com is a good site to get you started...

Thanks Vince - that's helpful.

I recommend the S&W 4505.
It retails for about $32 US.
Comes with a spare clip and a sticky target.
Shoots .12 G very nicely.
You can mount a Daisy Electronic Point Sight on top of it (not really a rail, but it holds nicely).
I use this setup for both long (60 foot) and short shots.
Mostly, this setup is a killer fly hunter at 2 to 15 feet.
No kidding.  I can take 15 to 25 an hour with this weapon.
They tremble at my name.
Regards;
Mike

I don't know about the flies, but I"M trembling.

Thanks, bro - good shooting to ya.

No really.
I consider it a public service.
Just waiting for the institution of a bounty on em.
Regards;
Mike

Actually, I too am picturing myself shooting flies.  I never thought you were kidding - since I live on a farm, we have a very target rich envirinment.

I'll see if I can locate one.  The gun I mean, not the flies.

The shortyusa.com site mentioned below looks like a great resource - lots of user feedback.

Thanks guys.