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jlwilliams · Veteran Member

Is the Umarex Defender (looks liek a 1911 compact) a good BB pistol? Overall quality? Accuracy? I'm looking at one as a casual plinker.

broommaster2000 · Moderator

Umarex tends to make good stuff. If they were legal here, I might buy it.

awesomedick · Member

I have one and would rate it as 5 out of 10. BB pistols are notoriously inaccurate as they are really similiar to muskets. The ball rattles down the barrel and may or may not hit what you are aiming at. Another problem with the gun is that often the BB will fall out of the barrel if you release the trigger just a little bit. If that doesn't happen often you will discharge two instead of one. The paint finish is not very durable either as the gun is made of cast metal and finished in black. It does not take long for the paint to rub off. Many times when you "release the magazine" the grips pop off. It has no magazine as such. Access to the CO2 cylinder and to load the rounds actual requires the grip to slide to the rear of the hand grip. This also makes for a loose fitting grip when it is closed. On the positive side it is very economical on gas. It never seems to run out. When it is close to empty you can actually see the BB's leave the barrel. It has nice weight and balance as well. If you want something better to plink around with consider the Beretta PX4 Storm (Don't bother with the tactical version, just a lot of useless bling). Much better built although harder on gas. It is a .177 pellet gun with rifled barrel and will shoot BB's, but I think most on this site discourage that sort thing.

Rick

broommaster2000 · Moderator

"Discourage" is a big word, but it kind of depends what you're looking for.

A replica or a good shooter? Often purpose build guns are a bit better then replica guns but this also has to do with their nature. I think that most replicas are aimed at a market that wants to own a pistol but can't or aren't allowed to own the real thing for various reasons. Also, for instance blow back pistols have a big assed part moving around so they're also more challenging to shoot.

Don't get me wrong, they also appeal to me to some extend, but as I can't afford one at the moment, and also am not allowed to own one since they are not legal here, I am forced to look at the alternative.

The alternative being single- or multi-shot pistols that aim more towards the competitive market, like the Rohm Twinmaster or a Drulov DU-10 Condor, or the HW70 or Diana LP8.

In the end. though, it shouldn't bother you to much what we think, but what you want, of course. Wink

jlwilliams · Veteran Member

Thanks for all the input. I ordered the BB gun and will post again when I've shot it.

I understand the limitations of BB vs pellet guns and am buying this with those limitations in mind. I want it to practice 'draw and fire' and just to have something to blast some BBs through into a box in the basement to ward off the winter boredom.