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rws48 · Member

I've played around with run of the mill Co2 powerlet powered
.177 caliber handguns, both revovlers and semi auto styles.
Generally I use them for basement practice shooting and have found accuracy to be wanting.
Oh, they will hit a soda can at 30 feet if I do my part.
I've never gone to the trouble of bench resting one at 30 feet to determine if they perform better with certain pels.
Wondering has anyone here taken Co2 pel handguns seriously enough to actually bench them at say, 30 feet to see if they "like" certain pels, one brand better than another?
I was a competition revolver shooter when I was on the police force many years ago and got quite good at it.
I still shoot powder handguns and own many. I test them all for accuracy at the bench at 25 yards, won't own one that is not accurate.
To me accuracy means 2" or better at 25 yds. with a cartridge gun no matter if a 2" snubby or 6" target revolver.
So do you Co2 handgun shooters get accuracy at 30 feet. I'll define "accurate" as 1.5" or better.
Has anyone tinkered with them to get a bit more muzzle velocity?
They are pretty anemic at advertised speeds of 410 f.p.s.
I suspect realistic velocity is closer to 350 f.p.s. or so and not at all suitable for close range small game hunting.
Thoughts?

AirGunEric · Site Admin

Depends on the gun- a typical BB shooter is not accurate due to low velocity (i.e. very short range) and the fact it's a smoothbore BB shooter. A Co2 powered Hammerli Airmagnum (rifle) will put alot of other guns (not Co2) to shame within its shooting range.

Try a Crosman 2240 (low cost, accurate, shoots pellets around 440-460fps).

rws48 · Member

My Co2 pistols are all rifled and fire .177 pel.
They aren't powerful enough for small game but are good practice pistols.
I don't generally shoot anything that takes b-bs are they aren't at all accruate.
Lately I've been shooting a 10 shot Crosman Vigilante from Walmart that takes .177 pels in it's 10 round rotary magazine.
It's cheap and fun to shoot.
It's winter here in N.E. Ohio and I usually shoot outdoor on the back pourch but time is limitied.The cold numbs the fingers and Co2 efficiency falls off when it gets cold.
I have been resting the pistol and trying various pels at about 20 feet and notice some pels group better than others.
Even tho it's cold out it's still fun shooting the pistols and I recommend them
for anyone as a practice tool to hone handgun shooting skills.

Alstone · Moderator & Site Supporter

I shoot a few different Co2 pistols on my 20m/65ft test range most will shoot a 1.77 cal 8.5grain AA field at 550 fps, as the UK limit for pistols is 6 ft lb and this comes out at about 5.5 ft lb.
I find that I can get a head shot kill on small vermin such as Rats ect at this range, as Eric says try a Crosman 2240 pistol you will be surprised at the power and accuracy, I get better than 1” accuracy at 20m using a bench rest.
I use .177 cal barrels as I like the extra velocity hence the 550 fps, a stock 2240 comes with a .22 cal barrel, and will shoot around 440 fps depending on the air temperature.

Al

AgentWD40_FL · Member

rws --- I have several Co2 pistols that I shoot regularly in my garage/30ft range. I have notes for each one, and which pellet each one likes.

I have a couple rifles, but my preference is for pistols. Pistols are just like rifles in that each likes a certain pellet, as I'm sure you know.

With that said, my most accurate pistols .....

Crosman CCS 2300KT .177 w/scope
Hatsan MOD25 (Spring) Supercharger .177
Crosman MK1 .22
Beeman P-17
Crosman 38T .177

I know, some are not Co2, but I list them because, with the right pellet, they are amazingly accurate.

I have a few replicas that aren't accurate like above, but they sure are fun. But when I want to shoot TUMS tablets w/pistols @ 30feet, I'll choose one of those listed... bench it .... choose it's pellet preference ... and make dust clouds in my garage.

AgentWD40_FL · Member

Sorry ... I left out the hunting part.

As accurate as some of the pistols are, no I wouldn't hunt with them. The Hatsan 'might' be a possibility at close(r) range ... its pretty powerful @ 640FPS with a 7.0 pellet.

Still, my pistols and me are happiest messing around in the garage, or backyard plinking games. I leave the rifles for the hunting part ....

Slavia · Moderator

I have owned 3 CO2 pistols, all Crosman. None of them are powerful enough to really be considered hunting guns. The 2240 shoots well within your specified 1.5", and probably closer to 0.5". The 1008 was a repeating pellet pistol with a rifled barrel, and would have been hard pressed to shoot a 1.5" group at 10m. It had a rotating 8-shot magazine and lots of plastic parts - now it's a single shot carbine. I also have a P10, which is a smoothbore BB repeater. It is horribly inaccurate, so much so that I don't even use the sights. I shoot rapid fire and watch the BB's. When I want to spray it's a fun alternative.

When I feel like a pistol I shoot the Marksman 2004 (now called the Beeman P17). It's accurate and doesn't have the extra cost or temperature sensitivity associated with CO2 powerlets.

robert w · Senior Member

My beeman p 17 first for accuracy and least pellet picky, my diana 5g accuracy and not pellet picky, my crosman 2240 next up for accuracy, haven't found its best pellet yet

AgentWD40_FL · Member

robert w · Senior Member

My next change to my 2240 is either change barrel, longer or selling it.its not in my top list.but all I have done to it is put a longer probe in , hone trigger parts n a trigger shoe, still isn't accurate, my p 17 I cleaned and checked the air intake hole, polished the piston, polished the breech end of the barrel n lubed it, adjusted the sights n its accurate with about any pellet I have.best deal ever for $44 + change

AgentWD40_FL · Member

Agree 100% on the P-17 .... I love mine. I don't think theres a better value on cost vs. accuracy.

Great pistol and everyone should have one.. Smile

robert w · Senior Member

I'd agree 100% easy to work on and darn simple with a nice trigger right out of the box, I opened mine up before I even shot it to be sure about burrs on the air intake hole, it was smooth, but the breech end of the barrel wasn't smooth so I lightly used a fine arkansas stone and made it smooth, didn't want to remove any extra metal just smooth it, then polished the piston and made a bevel on the piston head.it was sharp so a light trim and its doing as good as you can ever find.

AgentWD40_FL · Member

I tried all kinds of changes with the 2240 including air valve mods and springs. Nothing ever helped.

When I switched it to 1740, I again tried all the mods. What I was finding, that it was all a bunch of wasted Co2 vs. any improvement to velocity. It was happiest with stock AV and springs. Of course it has the trigger mods and an extended probe was helpful. The power valve you see is more of a cosmetic thing ... it just looks cool. Theres only about a 25fps difference between the end points. I get about 35shots @ avg. 640fps @ minimum setting.

It'll stay a 1740 .... I got real flustered trying to fix it as a 2240 ..... Smile

robert w · Senior Member

I'm at the point of selling it, take the $$$ and buy another p 17, lots more pistol for the money and not affected by cold either.I haven't had much good to say about co2 guns except easy cocking.other than that co2 power isn't for me.but that's me, others love co2 and that's good

AgentWD40_FL · Member