During a recent visit to the Umarex USA headquarters in Fort Smith, Ark., I had a chance to go hands-on with some of the company’s products at its indoor range. Of all the variants that I tried, I was most drawn to the gas blowback (GBB) airsoft pistols.
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Similar in weight to their centerfire counterparts, these pistols wowed me with their realistic operation and the cycling of the slide during firing.
The heart of the GBB system is the gas-driven nature of the design. Gas is filled into an internal “tank” housed inside the detachable magazines. When the airsoft pistol is fired, the pressurized gas drives not only the plastic 6mm airsoft pellet forward, but also cycles the slide back.
The result is a reasonable approximation of recoil, and a great way to practice trigger control, drawing and firing, etc. When I got to fire them, everything just seemed “right” and familiar on them. I instantly recognized their potential for low-cost training for your selected carry gun.
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If you are looking for a fun, cheap way to get in some trigger time, I recommend you check them out.
For more information on the GBB airsoft pistols, please visit umarexusa.com.
