An air pistol is a type of air gun that mimics a pistol and uses compressed air to fire pellets (or BBs) rather than gunpowder. They are used for target shooting, pest control, recreational plinking of bottles and cans, and in some competition events. They are more accurate than a typical pistol and can be powered by spring or gas pistons, CO2 cartridges, or pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) power plants.
BB guns have been available since the 1800s. Most of the older models were low-powered and cocked by some sort of lever that pulled back a piston against a spring, compressing the air behind the BB and propelling it out of the barrel. They were quieter than black powder muskets, did not smoke and did not disclose the shooter’s position or obscure their view.
Today’s BB pistols are typically more powerful and more sophisticated. They can have adjustable velocities to match different ranges and targets. They have a more realistic feel to them and are generally easier to operate than their historical counterparts. They can also have more advanced features like blowback and semi-automatic or full auto operation.
Most BB guns are powered by single-use 12-gram carbon dioxide cartridges but some models can be modified to run on high pressure scuba cylinders or HPA-compatible pistols can be powered directly from a plug-in air compressor without the need for a separate cylinder. However, CO2 is temperature sensitive so the gun may have lower performance when cold or hot. air pistols
