Choosing a favorite .177 caliber CO2 pistol Part 2
And the winner is…
By Dennis Adler
Two of the top guns in .177 caliber that were on the must have list from last year included the Umarex Legends Broomhandle Mauser Model 712 (left) a fully functioning selective fire blowback action airgun that has captured not just the look but the distinctive Mauser operation of the classic 1932 full auto model. The Mini Uzi (not so mini next to the Mauser) is one of the most famous semi-auto, full auto pistols in the world, and like the Mauser is accurately reproduced to the smallest details in this exclusive, selective fire version.
What is it about a blowback action or cartridge-loading .177 caliber air pistol that excites you? For me it is having an air pistol that is as close to the real gun as possible. Often, this will also mean having a handgun chambered in.177 caliber that would not be affordable, or generally obtainable as a cartridge firing model. This specifically applies to those with selective fire mechanisms. The options for that latter category have increased over the past couple of years with models like the Mini Uzi pistol, one of the best built and most accurate to the original airguns in the world.read more
The latest .177 (4.5mm) caliber Umarex Mini Uzi is available in an exclusive PyramydAir select fire version with semiautomatic and full auto operation.
The Uzi pistol is one of those rare firearms that has an unforgettable look, and since it has been around for more than 50 years almost everyone has seen an Uzi, at least in films and television dramas. It has been used by Navy Seals, Federal Agents, the good guys and bad guys alike, both on film and in the real world; but, there are two truly significant images, one fictional, and the other all too real that etched the Uzi pistol into the American consciousness. The first was the original 1986 Delta Force movie starring Lee Marvin and Chuck Norris (unless you’re old enough to remember The Wild Geese starring Richard Burton). The second was the afternoon of March 30, 1981 when John Hinkley, Jr. attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan as he left the Hilton Hotel in Washington, DC, following a speech to AFL-CIO leaders. In the ensuing mayhem after the first shots were fired by Hinkley, Secret Service agent Robert Wanko was seen on news footage drawing an Uzi from beneath his jacket as agents scrambled to protect the President. That image of Agent Wanko and the 9mm subgun has forever linked the Secret Service with the Uzi, but the gun’s legendary fame goes back to the early 1950s and its use by Israeli soldiers following the establishment of Israel as a state in 1948.read more
