Gas vs C02 Airsoft question

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  • Sirex

    Powered by natural gas
    Oct 30, 2010
    10,380
    Westminster, MD
    So I am looking at an airsoft pistol that is a replica of my regular 9mm HD pistol. I want to buy it so I can shoot paper out back witht the paint ball BBs, practice, brush my teeth, shower with it, comb my hair with it safely, and so on. It comes in a GAS version, and a C02 version, that uses the little steel bottles I am used to. The gas version looks identical to my pistol. The C02 has an extended magazine for the C02 latch. What kinda gas do these things use and where do you get it? None of the sites the gun is on have any details on the type of gas. Any help appreciated.
     

    Threeband

    The M1 Does My Talking
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 30, 2006
    25,234
    Carroll County
    Is it a Gas Blow Back Airsoft? Shoots little plastic BBs?

    The Gas Blow Backs (GBB) use either "Green Gas" or regular propane. They use magazines very similar to those of the real guns, magazines which hold both the BBs and the gas in one neat package. Therefore the loading and reloading drill is the same as for the real guns: hit mag release, drop empty mag, load fresh mag, hit mag release, stay in the fight.

    The Gas Blow Backs use some of the power from the gas to cycle the slide, giving a more realistic function, and also some recoil. I've never actually tried one, so I can't say how much recoil they have. It sounds like they can be useful for training and practice at home though.

    The GBBs supposedly can have problems in cool-to-cold weather, because the decompressing gas cools the gun. I think they can freeze up in cold weather.

    I think most people run them on cheap propane. You just get an adapter to fill the magazines out of a standard propane bottle. It is very important to lubricate them with silicone oil with every refill if you use propane. Propane stinks, and it might be an issue if you shoot a lot in your basement.

    Green Gas is more expensive, but it might be better indoors. It contains the silicone lubricant mixed in already, I believe. I think some manufacturers discourage the use of propane in their guns, too.

    I have come close to buying a high quality GBB, but still haven't done so. Supposedly a manufacturer is coming out with an authorized version of the S&W M&P Compact, with the Full Size to follow maybe next winter. Since I have both guns in 9mm, I'm definitely interested in good quality GBB versions for practice away from the range, but I need at least two mags, also.

    I'm aware that there are CO2 versions of Airsoft guns, but I don't know anything about them. I don't know if the slides reciprocate. I don't know if the magazines are a realistic simulation of the mags for a firearm, providing a realistic reloading sequence. I think you can get CO2 in large-ish tanks for them, so you don't use those tiny disposable bottles. I imagine Green Gas would be cheaper, though. I just don't know about CO2 Airsoft.

    I do have a cheap CO2 BB gun version of the M&P, which for $35 gives worthwhile practice plinking in my basement. It's dimensionally an excellent copy, so it fits my holsters perfectly, allowing me to shoot from the holster in my basement. However, the slide does not reciprocate, the reload drill is different from the real gun, and because it shoots steel BBs, I have to be carefull of my backstop (I have a wooden box full of plumber's putty that I can attach targets to).

    The plastic Airsoft BBs need only a hanging blanket for a backstop.


    THIS LINK:

    http://bamairsoft.com/

    Has information about Airsoft, as well as videos showing some of what you can do by way of practice for Steel Challenge or IPSC.


    This is the M&P9c I have my eye on, if it ever really comes to market, and if extra mags are available.

    http://www.airsoftgi.com/Spotlight/MP/



    .
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    Some CO2 airsoft use the typical COP2 cartridges, others have an internal tank like the gas guns.

    But either way, some have pellets and gas in a detachable magazines, others are more like the BB/lead pellet guns in that it all fits inside and stays there.

    You have to look at the various ones to see which one has the features YOU want, and can afford. :)
     

    Venge

    Active Member
    Dec 6, 2013
    419
    Frederick Co.
    This is not the answer to your question, but I figured I'd throw it in...

    I played airsoft and researched pretty regularly about 6-9 years ago. I still play but not as much, and my information may be dated so you can take it or leave it.

    Don't use the paintball BBs. They will screw everything up. Paintball guns detonate paintballs in the barrel sometimes, which gums everything up and needs to be cleaned with a squeegee, but airsoft guns have many, many components which will never work quite right again once they're gummed up.

    I have a replica of my 226 which uses "red gas" and is functionally just about identical. I will never put a paintball (or for that matter, a sub-par plastic bb) through it because I want it to continue working for a long time. I don't want the hop-up to be gummed up or damaged.
     

    -Z/28-

    I wanna go fast
    Dec 6, 2011
    10,649
    Harford Co
    Go with the gas one(GBB) and get a propane adaptor. Propane is cheap and readily available. You don't want to shoot paint rounds. Just go with a heavier 6mm airsoft pellet and use a paper target. Also, keep the gun and mags lubed with silicone airsoft lube.
     

    stank

    Lifes Good
    Oct 20, 2008
    385
    Pasadena
    Check out KWA air soft professional training pistols. I just picked up three of the for my boys for Christmas, haven't used them yet but from videos and reviews they are excellent. They are all metal and every function works like the real gun plus they weight the mags to replicate a loaded mag. I picked up the m9 because that what we use most but they have many replicas availible. Picked them up from Pyramyd air.
     

    Haides

    Ultimate Member
    Oct 12, 2012
    3,784
    Glen Burnie
    Check out KWA air soft professional training pistols. I just picked up three of the for my boys for Christmas, haven't used them yet but from videos and reviews they are excellent. They are all metal and every function works like the real gun plus they weight the mags to replicate a loaded mag. I picked up the m9 because that what we use most but they have many replicas availible. Picked them up from Pyramyd air.

    +1 Here's the one I have:

    pp_m226_ptp_01_461_363_100.jpg


    Now I just need to get a real Sig.. :D
     

    Haides

    Ultimate Member
    Oct 12, 2012
    3,784
    Glen Burnie
    KWA is good. I had a KWA GBB Mac 11.....1100 rounds per minute. It was NUTS

    :thumbsup:
    A lot of my other gas airsoft guns get leaky mags... No problems from the KWA. Solid construction, all metal (although the slide is made thinner and lighter than the real deal, would be too hard to "blow back" that way), realistic weight, nice grips. I'm definitely a fan.

    Aaaaaannnnndd now I'm pissed that I let the whole summer go by without going airsofting. Poo. :(
     

    Sirex

    Powered by natural gas
    Oct 30, 2010
    10,380
    Westminster, MD
    I am looking to get a CZ75 replica to train with in the basement or backyard. I have some paint BBs, but only use them in my super cheap plastic airsoft guns, not the nicer stuff. I may get the green gas one as the C02 one has an extended mag and looks a tad different.
     

    migwl300

    Member
    May 24, 2014
    26
    Montgomery County
    If you ever plan on shooting in sub 50 degree weather you have two options: CO2 or KWA. CO2 will function better in the cold, but KWA guns will work until it drops under freezing. at that point they dont really work. CO2 guns will fire in any temperature you would shoot in............assuming you dont want to shoot if its -10 degrees out. i know everyone has said it but dont use paintball bbs. unlike regular paintballs that have th paint on the inside, paintball bbs have a powdery paint on the outside which scratches the barrel, causes jams, and fly poorly.
     

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