Airguns are an ideal way to get in some trigger time. What’s even better is when you can use them to cross-train effectively to build up your firearm proficiency. Fortunately, many replica airguns are a one-to-one match for the look, feel, and operation of their firearm counterparts. One of the technologies employed to make this happen is blowback, and that’s what we will talk about in this article. Let’s get started.
Why Do Guns Have Movable Slides?
Blowback airguns simulate the slide of a handgun or the reciprocating internal parts of a semi-automatic or fully-automatic rifle. Why do firearms need this, and how do they work? Firearms are simply mechanical devices. They don’t have electric moving parts or other things that “drive” them. So they need some sort of energy to work.
A break-action single-shot firearm like a Rossi .223 has a hammer that you cock back and then pull the trigger to fire. To fire again, you’ll need to break open the action, remove the spent shell, load a new shell, close the action, cock the hammer back, and then pull the trigger. So that comes out to five motions for each shot. What if you could do that automatically?
Lock and Load
The blow-back action of a firearm uses the “blowback” of gasses to actuate the mechanics to perform all the above tasks at once. So when I pull the trigger on my Colt .45 ACP, the hammer impacts the firing pin and discharges the round. The slide is propelled backward from the energy, and a small metal tab grabs the edge of the casing and pulls it out of the breach. The rear of the casing hits a pin, and it is thrown up and away out of the action. When the slide moves forward, driven by a return spring, it grabs the next round from the magazine, which is loaded via a ramp that directs the round into the breech. The hammer is also cocked back and reset as part of this blowback action. Now, all I need to do from here is pull the trigger, and the process starts all over.
Blowback and Airguns
Airguns don’t really “need” blowback to function, but they can help with “recocking” the gun in between shots. This makes for a lighter trigger pull and a more realistic feel. And it’s that realistic feeling that we are after. When you fire any firearm, especially a handgun, the recoil will disrupt your aim forcing you to reacquire your target, aim, and take your next shot. It’s a lot harder than it looks on TV and in movies.
By utilizing blowback, airguns can simulate the same type of recoil. It won’t have the same force, but it will have a similar effect of disrupting your aim. By training with a blowback CO2 pistol, you will get a more realistic training experience that goes beyond just pulling the trigger. It will help you develop good muscle memory to control the muzzle, reacquire your target, sight effectively, and take your next shot.
Good Examples of Blowback Replica Pistols
If you have a firearm and you are looking to train without live ammo, then look for a CO2 replica air pistol. There are fully licensed replicas of Glock, Smith & Wesson, SIG Sauer, Springfield Armory, Beretta, Walther, and more. In fact, most of the major concealed carry handguns have an airgun counterpart. One of our favorite examples is the Walther PPQ M2. It fires both BBs and pellets from a 20-round magazine. It uses blowback action to simulate the firearm, and it has the same basic weight and feel. It has an adjustable rear sight and a fixed front sight with a fast-acquisition dot. The rifled steel barrel helps with accuracy. There are dozens of other examples, but the Walther PPQ M2 is worth considering.
Got Questions?
If you have more questions about blowback air pistols, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We are always ready to help you find the right airgun solution for your next adventure or training session.
