Here's a fun little item! I ordered this a couple of weeks ago and just today had the opportunity to try it out a little.
I had been wanting some kind of CO2 revolver for a while, but I wanted it to be as authentic and as close to a S&W as possible. There are a number of airguns out there that look like revolvers, but operate differently - they have a rotary magazine that inserts in the side, or something like that.
This one looks and functions like a S&W, even though it says Dan Wesson on it. (It has the S&W type cylinder latch and not the Dan Wesson type which is in front of the cylinder.) There are other models available that differ mainly in barrel length, finish and style, but I wanted one as "plain vanilla" as possible.
From time to time I have been asked to give people shooting lessons. I have no qualifications other than 45+ years of experience, which doesn't mean squat but people seem to think I can teach them. Anyway, I always start off with a .22 of course but sometimes I wish I could just introduce people to the basics at my house before going to the range, with all that noise and commotion. With this revolver, I can do just that.
The gun comes with six shells, a spring loaded speedloader (which I haven't tried out) and a rail that you can screw onto the top or bottom, to attach a laser or red dot sight. I left off the rail. The CO2 cartridge fits into the grip. The back part of the grip slides back and pivots at the top allowing access, and there's a thumbscrew at the bottom that retains the cartridge.
I thought it was kind of funny that even though it comes with a speedloader, it only comes with six shells so you couldn't actually practice a speed reload. But extra shells are available, either six at a time (including speedloader) or a package of 25. I got the pack of 25, so now I have 31 shells – enough for five cylinder fulls plus one extra.
The shells that hold the BBs have the size and weight of a .38 round. Each one weighs about 155 grains, but is not as nose-heavy as an actual round would be. I think the main body is mostly solid brass, and the "bullet' nose is soft plastic. But the overall feel is reasonably authentic. To load a BB you simply put a BB on a flat surface and push the shell nose down onto it until it's flush. The BB is a solid friction fit into the hollow nose. With a bunch of BBs in a little tray it goes pretty quick.
After that, all of the manipulation is just like a S&W revolver. About the only difference is that the cylinder latch can be pulled back and functions as a safety then, which is probably mandated somewhere. But you don't have to use it, and it's a very clever and unobtrusive way to incorporate a safety. The hammer can be thumb cocked for single action, or the trigger pulled for double action. It doesn't quite feel like a real S&W, but it's okay. The DA pull is pleasantly light and reasonably smooth, and the SA is clean enough. Cylinder lockup is not strong so it's probably best to be gentle with it.
I didn't chronograph muzzle velocity but it's pretty puny, supposed to be about 344fps. I was shooting at a paper target on a corrugated cardboard box with nothing in it, and the BBs were not going through the back. If you were super cheap (or "green") you could recover the BBs and reuse them. I was shooting towards the setting sun and could see the glint of the BBs in flight. The other interesting thing was the complete lack of recoil, just the thing for starting off a new shooter.
I got it from airgunwarehouseinc.com, but it's available from any number of places online. Be aware that they also sell guns that look the same but use 6mm plastic airsoft pellets – these seem to all have an orange tip on the muzzle. The revolver itself was $120 and the additional pack of 25 shells was $40.
http://www.airgunwarehouseinc.com/py-2651.html
http://www.airgunwarehouseinc.com/py-a-3992.html
Here's a link to the same gun but with an 8" heavy barrel:
http://www.airgunwarehouseinc.com/py-2597.html
The target was set up at 15ft and 30ft, with six rounds fired SA and six DA at each distance. It's quiet enough that ear protection is not required, which is another plus for teaching. The neighbor's blue heeler did notice the sound and start barking, but she's always on the alert. She stopped after a little bit. Of course eye protection is always a must – "You'll shoot your eye out, kid!"
The grid on the target is 1" squares so you can see how well I did, all shot standing offhand. My point of aim was dead center on the black diamonds, so close enough. I haven't actually looked but I assume that the barrel is smoothbore.
I had been wanting some kind of CO2 revolver for a while, but I wanted it to be as authentic and as close to a S&W as possible. There are a number of airguns out there that look like revolvers, but operate differently - they have a rotary magazine that inserts in the side, or something like that.
This one looks and functions like a S&W, even though it says Dan Wesson on it. (It has the S&W type cylinder latch and not the Dan Wesson type which is in front of the cylinder.) There are other models available that differ mainly in barrel length, finish and style, but I wanted one as "plain vanilla" as possible.
From time to time I have been asked to give people shooting lessons. I have no qualifications other than 45+ years of experience, which doesn't mean squat but people seem to think I can teach them. Anyway, I always start off with a .22 of course but sometimes I wish I could just introduce people to the basics at my house before going to the range, with all that noise and commotion. With this revolver, I can do just that.
The gun comes with six shells, a spring loaded speedloader (which I haven't tried out) and a rail that you can screw onto the top or bottom, to attach a laser or red dot sight. I left off the rail. The CO2 cartridge fits into the grip. The back part of the grip slides back and pivots at the top allowing access, and there's a thumbscrew at the bottom that retains the cartridge.
I thought it was kind of funny that even though it comes with a speedloader, it only comes with six shells so you couldn't actually practice a speed reload. But extra shells are available, either six at a time (including speedloader) or a package of 25. I got the pack of 25, so now I have 31 shells – enough for five cylinder fulls plus one extra.
The shells that hold the BBs have the size and weight of a .38 round. Each one weighs about 155 grains, but is not as nose-heavy as an actual round would be. I think the main body is mostly solid brass, and the "bullet' nose is soft plastic. But the overall feel is reasonably authentic. To load a BB you simply put a BB on a flat surface and push the shell nose down onto it until it's flush. The BB is a solid friction fit into the hollow nose. With a bunch of BBs in a little tray it goes pretty quick.
After that, all of the manipulation is just like a S&W revolver. About the only difference is that the cylinder latch can be pulled back and functions as a safety then, which is probably mandated somewhere. But you don't have to use it, and it's a very clever and unobtrusive way to incorporate a safety. The hammer can be thumb cocked for single action, or the trigger pulled for double action. It doesn't quite feel like a real S&W, but it's okay. The DA pull is pleasantly light and reasonably smooth, and the SA is clean enough. Cylinder lockup is not strong so it's probably best to be gentle with it.
I didn't chronograph muzzle velocity but it's pretty puny, supposed to be about 344fps. I was shooting at a paper target on a corrugated cardboard box with nothing in it, and the BBs were not going through the back. If you were super cheap (or "green") you could recover the BBs and reuse them. I was shooting towards the setting sun and could see the glint of the BBs in flight. The other interesting thing was the complete lack of recoil, just the thing for starting off a new shooter.
I got it from airgunwarehouseinc.com, but it's available from any number of places online. Be aware that they also sell guns that look the same but use 6mm plastic airsoft pellets – these seem to all have an orange tip on the muzzle. The revolver itself was $120 and the additional pack of 25 shells was $40.
http://www.airgunwarehouseinc.com/py-2651.html
http://www.airgunwarehouseinc.com/py-a-3992.html
Here's a link to the same gun but with an 8" heavy barrel:
http://www.airgunwarehouseinc.com/py-2597.html
The target was set up at 15ft and 30ft, with six rounds fired SA and six DA at each distance. It's quiet enough that ear protection is not required, which is another plus for teaching. The neighbor's blue heeler did notice the sound and start barking, but she's always on the alert. She stopped after a little bit. Of course eye protection is always a must – "You'll shoot your eye out, kid!"
The grid on the target is 1" squares so you can see how well I did, all shot standing offhand. My point of aim was dead center on the black diamonds, so close enough. I haven't actually looked but I assume that the barrel is smoothbore.
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They did have a break open Webley MkVI revolver but it was more than I wanted to pay, about $200. Maybe later....
