Co2 Cartridges

nathan99

I was thinking of getting a secondary gun to use on the airsoft field ( A pistol )
I just had a question... do 12g co2 cartridges lasts long? As i dont want to spend that much money on buy co2 cartridges.
Does any one frequently use a GBB pistol? and would they reccomend it or does the cost build up over time.

After a bit more research i found out there are electric pistols but i see that they are not nearly as strong and i dont know what retailers in ireland sell them?
Sorry with all the questions im a newbie.

boxinginfo

any gun over 240 fps will go the distance and players will feel the hit .

gas guns 'gbb' are good cost about the same as co2 but doesent work well outside in the cold .

idd spend about 3/4 euro on co2 for my pistol each skirmish .

i have an electric glock too - 90 euro in airsoft aire (i think) costs about 50 cent for the battery to charge -way cheaper - good indoor used it in oakridge airsoft to and it was class,
,full auto always .


for sound look and blowback - co2 is the winner

Inari

When it comes to pistols there are many things to bear in mind:

Power Source (Gas, Co2 or Battery), Blowback (reciprocating slide), ergonomics (how it feels in your hands), manipulation (how easy/hard it is to work the controls), and cost.

Personally speaking I am not a fan of AEP's - I have never found them particularly effective when measured against a gas powered pistol, and just find the gas powered ones to be less complicated and more reliable (with the trade off being magazine maintenance).

Blowback or non-blowback (GBB and NBB respectively) is down to personal choice. On the one hand you have a realistic reciprocating slide with simulated recoil, allowing for faster follow up shots, as well as being generally more fun to use, and then you have a more reliable and even less complicated economic alternative, with a long trigger pull. As a result, if there's a GBB alternative, I will always go for that...they're just more fun.

When deciding on propellant (134a, Green Gas or Co2) it all boils down to how you're going to use your pistol, and what you want out of it. In terms of blowback there is a clear hierarchy in recoil - 134a = weakest, Green Gas = second, Co2 = winner! However there is also a hierarchy in economics which goes 134a = dearest, Co2 = second, Green Gas = Cheapest. So if you want some recoil, but mostly the looks, and are looking for economy, then Green Gas powered GBB pistols are for you. However if you're after raw economy, and not concerned about recoil, then a Co2 NBB will be the most cost effective by a long shot.

As far as ergonomics go, that's something that you need to look at for yourself. Each pistol type has a different design, which you may/may not find more comfortable, with the main types being from the 1911's, M9's & Sig Sauer family. The only way to find out what's comfortable to hold/shoot is to pick them up and try.

With performance, then you've got one big name in GBB - Tokyo Marui. They are renowned as the most reliable and accurate GBB's in the market, and they are. Even better for us because they are designed to operate under 1 joule of energy, and with our climate you can run them on green gas without much hassle...just watch it on the 1 or 2 days a year that the sun breaks through the cloud (i.e. if it's actually quite temperate).

For reliability, then one name springs up for me more than any other; KWC. They may not be the most accurate pistols, but they sure as hell do not suffer the same magazine faults as any of the other brands. Generally speaking they just do not develop leaks, whereas with many other brands a leak is a case of when, not if.

For recoil, well...there is only one contender - KJW Co2 range. They will put the biggest and happiest smile on your face. Recoil is excellent, and accuracy is very good (not TM good, but a fair middle-ground)...but the trade off is that their magazines need a lot of maintenance to avoid leaks. They're fine once maintained, but a lot of people don't realise the work involved with GBB anything.

With all that out of the way, and with your pistol decided, whether it be gas or Co2, or even battery, how often will you use it? Well, it's up to you. With a pistol you are more agile and maneuverable, while your range & ROF is not going to keep up with the AEG's you come up against. It is satisfying to use, and when committed to using your pistol at shorter ranges, you can find you enjoy playing a lot more. I know I do. I made the conscious decision to use my pistol more; whenever I get close, rifle gets slung and the pistol is drawn. I find it has improved my game to no end (wasn't difficult, to be honest ).

So you see, your running costs are entirely down to yourself, and how you use the pistol, and as such the only one who can effectively answer your questions is you. You use less BB's with a pistol, but instead you use gas...and magazines are more expensive, as well as being harder to come by.

...I think that's everything