Air pistols are BB guns, revolvers, and similar devices that use compressed air (or carbon dioxide) to propel projectiles such as bbs or pellets down the barrel. They are commonly used for recreational shooting, including target practice and backyard plinking. They can also be used for competitive shooting, such as ISSF 10 meter air pistol or rifle events, and for hunting small game animals.
The oldest types of air pistols were based on the principle of using compressed air to fire a single bullet or charge of shot. Later models used a spring as the reservoir of compressed air, and when the trigger was pulled it released the spring and caused it to press against the BB or pellet in the barrel. The release of the spring acted to fire the projectile down the barrel.
There are many different kinds of air pistols on the market, and they typically have a wide variety of features. The two largest segments are spring powered and CO2. Most springers, like the Umarex Trevox or Beeman P1, use coiled steel springs that when cocked shoot a piston forward to compress air behind the pellet, thus firing it from the barrel.
The other large category of air pistols uses a single-use 12-gram CO2 cartridge to fire the bb or pellet. This allows them to mimic the weight, size and handling of an original handgun in a way that is perfect for training. They are also very economical to operate, and for some models, can even be fitted with telescopic sights. air pistols