How to choose the best air gun, TOP 8 models

Pneumatic submachine guns are developed mainly for beginner shooters who want to improve their shooting skills, as well as for fans of military tactical games. However, for some reason this type of weapon passes by other potential clients (hunters, athletes and collectors), although it has something to offer for almost everyone. In our article we will talk about how pneumatic PPs are usually classified, and also review the four most popular models on the market.

Types of pneumatic submachine guns

First, let's look at what types of pneumatic submachine guns exist. To do this, you need to find out how to classify this weapon. In fact, everything is almost the same as with any other pneumatics. The following models of submachine guns are distinguished according to the type of energy source:

• gas cylinders - a gas cylinder with carbon dioxide compressed inside is used as the main source of energy - the most common group among PP;
• spring-piston - the shot occurs by the action of a compressed spring on the piston, which in turn pushes the ballistic projectile out of the barrel;
• PCP or pre-inflating mechanism - the same gas-cylinder pneumatics, but with the ability to inflate the gas cylinder when there is a lack of energy;
• multi-compression - use a pre-pumping gas cylinder as the main source of energy, which can be “powered” by a pump at any time.

However, this is not the only principle by which pneumatic submachine guns are usually classified. Also, do not forget about the banal – the power of the weapon. This indicator is indicated by the speed of the bullet, as well as the amount of energy that appears in the barrel at the moment of the shot. It is generally accepted to distinguish the following varieties:

• hard pneumatics - the muzzle energy indicator is in the region from 7.5 to 10 J, and the bullet speed often exceeds 250 m/s;
• soft pneumatics - weapons with lower technical characteristics - shot power ranges from 3 to 7.5 J, and bullet speed does not exceed 200 m/s;
• paintball weapons - models with the lowest injury risk - bullet speed is up to 150 m/s, and shot power is no more than 3 J;

As for the purpose of the PP, it basically all comes down to airsoft or recreational shooting at bottles. However, no one forbids taking weapons with you to a shooting range or hunting - you never know what specific tastes you have. Although with the purpose and scope of application, everything can be much more complicated than it seems at first glance.

MR-661K "Drozd"

Pneumatic submachine gun MP-661K "Drozd"

We are gradually approaching the main “dish” of the day - many hardball players call the “Drozd” the ideal sports weapon. The fame of the MP-661 spread not only throughout our country, but throughout the world. The main areas of application of the Drozd are plinking and hardball.

Hunters will not like the model - the power is not enough. We also do not recommend purchasing “Drozd” for accurate shooting - this also raises problems.

Hardball players increase these parameters through numerous upgrades - either they attach a large gas cylinder, or they add a false barrel or a new stock.

Description and characteristics

"Drozd" comes in various configurations, the most popular options are 09 and 08. In the kit of both modifications you will find a hopper loading clip, a false barrel and a butt. The advantages of an increased clip are obvious - it does not require constant reloading. Here are the detailed characteristics of the submachine gun:

• caliber - 4.5 mm;
• type of ammunition - steel balls;
• manufacturing material - weapons-grade plastic;
• barrel type - steel rifling;
• barrel length - 185 mm;
• weight - 1.4 kg;
• shot speed (initial) - 130 m/s;
• energy source - gas cartridge (8/12 g) filled with CO2;
• additional energy sources - batteries (or AA batteries);
• power - up to 3 J;
• release type - electronic (queue length is adjustable);
• The capacity of a regular magazine is 30 balls, a bunker magazine is 400;
• fuse type - switch equipped with a lit LED.
• manufacturer - Russia.

Standard sighting devices are front and rear sights. There is also a dovetail base - thanks to it you can expand the optical sight. You can buy this product at a very affordable price - 130-140 dollars.

Full review of the new MP-661K Drozd air submachine gun:

Advantages and disadvantages

This submachine gun can be considered the best in the presented review. The design fits comfortably in the hand; the weapon-grade plastic of the case can withstand not only falls, but also direct hits from similar weapons. There are also other advantages:

1. successful combination of automatic mode and electronics;
2. wide field for modifications;
3. regulation of the rate of fire (sixes, threes, singles);
4. soft trigger action;
5. good bullet acceleration (achieved thanks to a rifled barrel);
6. high accuracy;
7. compactness;
8. rate of fire;
9. low price.

The cat had a lot of downsides to Drozd, but it couldn’t do without them completely. So, the disadvantages:

1. You can’t swim much with electronics, and in winter they often get “covered”;
2. Batteries may suddenly run out of charge;
3. power is low;
4. the accuracy is very mediocre.

To finally decide on the choice of a pneumatic submachine gun, study our comparison table. All ratings are given on a five-point scale, so choosing the optimal model for your needs will not be difficult.

Purpose and scope

To understand which type of weapon is best for you, it is recommended that you first familiarize yourself with what types of shooting exist. Only after deciding on the scope of application will it be possible to judge whether a pneumatic PP is suitable for this purpose or whether it is better to choose something else:

1. Shooting practice – conducted at a shooting range or at home using paper targets. It may seem to many that, due to the low accuracy rate, PP is not the best option for training. However, if the model has a change of firing mode to single shots, then it may well pass for a training weapon. The most important thing is that the distance from the shooter to the target does not exceed the target range of the submachine gun (10-15 meters).
2. Recreational shooting - most people buy SMGs to shoot at bottles, cans and other improvised targets. Pneumatic submachine guns are very suitable for this purpose, as they allow the shooter to get an unusual sensation. After all, what's so interesting about aiming a rifle? But holding a submachine gun in your hands during automatic fire is not an easy task.
3. Sports shooting - many may think that since there are no competitions based on shooting from PP in Russia, then this sports discipline does not exist in the world at all. In fact, this is a deep misconception. In the USA, for example, they have been holding a competition among ultrasound enthusiasts for several years now. Only those people who own a pneumatic submachine gun with structural similarities to the Mini-UZI can take part in it.
4. Airsoft shooting - recently this type has become a separate category - was previously combined with entertainment. This is correct, because military tactical games are far from shooting bottles. Such training requires endurance, reaction and tactical thinking from the shooter. Many airsoft players have been successfully using a submachine gun to achieve their goals for several years now.

The only controversial area is hunting. Typically, submachine guns have a low penetration rate, so hunters avoid such weapons. In addition, a rapid-fire pistol is unlikely to be required to hunt an animal. However, it should be noted that powerful SMG models with the ability to conduct a single fire mode can also be used to hunt birds or medium-sized fur-bearing animals. But this usually doesn't happen often.

PP-2000

If we are talking about the top 10 submachine guns in Russia, then the best is the PP-2000, which was developed under the leadership of Gryazev and Shipunov. Used primarily by law enforcement, but also used as a sidearm. The basis of such an instance is a 9-mm standard cartridge, but in some cases more powerful ones with penetrating force are used. In terms of its size, it does not look larger than a regular pistol, small and compact. That is why the PP-2000 is used as a weapon for concealed carry. The best submachine gun turned out to be so compact and light due to the use of plastic material. In addition to Russia, it is exported to Armenia and Kazakhstan.

• Country Russia
• Caliber: 9 mm
• Rate of fire: 750 high/min.
• Speed: 450 m/s
• Range: 200 m
• Weapon length: 350 mm
• Weight: 1.4 kg.

Review of popular models

It’s worth noting right away that arms factories are extremely reluctant to put submachine guns on the market, since they have a complex design (extra production costs), as well as a narrow focus (mainly PP are used by airsoft players). In addition, there can be no talk of any significant diversity among the existing model range. However, we were still able to find several interesting samples that have an impressive number of reviews on the Internet, and also have a good price-quality ratio.

Gletcher UZM (ultrasound)

Before your eyes is one of the most popular submachine guns on the market, developed by the American arms company Gletcher. The main advantage of this weapon is that it is made entirely of metal (most other models have plastic inserts). This does not have the best effect on aiming speed, but it guarantees resistance to mechanical damage, as well as high combat accuracy (recoil is practically not felt).

As the main source of energy, the Gletcher UZM submachine gun uses a gas cylinder with an increased atmosphere rating (a guarantee that the power will not drop within 200 shots). Since the main purpose of the weapon is airsoft, the power of its muzzle energy does not exceed 3 J, and the shot speed is around 120 m/s. However, due to the fact that the barrel length is 615 mm (duplicates the original), the accuracy of the battle remains high.

Among the design features we can highlight the maximum similarity to the original. The Gletcher submachine gun uses almost all the parts found in the Mini-UZI. It cannot be said that because of this the weapon is easy to disassemble, but the shooter will often think that he is shooting from a real firearm. This feature is thanks to the Blowback system, which emits the movement of the bolt frame during a shot.

However, do not think that the Gletcher UZM submachine gun is without its shortcomings. Like most models of this type of weapon, the UZI is characterized by rapid emptying of the magazine (despite the fact that the capacity is 24 rounds). In addition, trying to repeat the original does not always lead to something good. For example, the UZM also has a drawback characteristic of the UZI - an uncomfortable handle (you have to hold your hands too close to each other).

Submachine gun "Kedr"

One of the best submachine guns from the Russian arms company, which boasts high build quality, as well as unsurpassed combat accuracy even at long distances (at the expense of the rate of fire). The famous Russian PP-71, developed by Mikhail Dragunov, was used as the prototype for the Kedr. The pneumatics have received a great resemblance to the original and have also earned attention among collectors.

As for the characteristics of the weapon, they are very ambiguous. On the one hand, it may seem that a bullet speed of 70 m/s is a small result. However, the muzzle energy fluctuates around 3.5 J, which makes the weapon slightly more powerful than that used in airsoft. Although most people buy this SMG for entertainment, as well as simply to have weapons from the legendary engineer Dragunov in their home collection.

“Kedr” refers to smooth-bore pneumatics, so its service life is an order of magnitude longer than that of rifled models. A diopter rear sight is used as a factory sighting device, which is mainly used for target shooting. However, if desired, the weapon can be equipped with a collimator or fiber-optic sight - fortunately, there is a dovetail sighting bar (11 millimeters) for this purpose.

Now about the disadvantages. The main one is that the buyer does not always understand for what purpose “Cedar” is intended. There is no doubt that collectors will like the weapon. However, releasing SMGs with a weak bullet speed, but at the same time increased shot power, is not a good idea. In addition, even if you close your eyes to the risk of injury, you will be able to use a submachine gun on airsoft only after replacing the standard sighting device with something more suitable.

Swiss Arms Blackwater BW9

If you love ultrasounds with various body kits, and are also willing to pay 20 thousand rubles for a Swiss quality weapon, then this model will definitely suit you. The submachine gun comes with a sound moderator (which is actually more like a silencer), as well as a high-quality red dot sight mounted on the Weaver sighting bar.

This copy of the ultrasound is the exact opposite of the American model. Take, for example, the fact that most of the parts here are made not of metal, but of weapons-grade polymer. Thanks to this, the weapon has minimal weight, but is inferior in strength to metal versions. However, it should be noted that the BW9 is not afraid of falls, nor is it afraid of high humidity.

Undoubtedly, one of the main features of the Swiss ultrasound is its body kit. Thanks to the fact that the rifle has a sound moderator, shots become not only virtually silent, but also quite accurate. Well, in order to quickly take aim at a moving target, there is a collimator sight based on the peculiarities of human vision (bipolarity).

Now regarding the shortcomings. They are mainly related to the technical characteristics of the weapon. For example, the bullet speed is only 110 m/s, which is quite low for a PP that costs 20 thousand rubles. In addition, the rate of fire is only 320 rounds per minute, although the ultrasound itself reaches 600.

MR-661K "Drozd"

It is unlikely that any expert will doubt that this submachine gun is the best among the entire Russian model range. The fame of MP-661 spread not only throughout the CIS, but also reached the shores of America. The main purpose of the weapon is airsoft and recreational shooting. However, the energy power can be increased by replacing the gas cylinder with a more powerful one (8 grams by 12 grams), after which the model can also be used for hunting.

The technical characteristics of the PP vary from 3 to 7.5 J, as well as from 130 to 180 m/s (depending on which of the two cylinders is used). However, these are not all the “tricks” that IZHMASH managed to implement. Another feature of the MP-661K is its electronic trigger, which allows you to adjust the length of the burst, thereby adjusting the spread of bullets. The pneumatic gun comes with a standard magazine for 30 balls, as well as a hopper for 400 rounds of ammunition.

The main advantage of weapons over foreign analogues is uniqueness. While most companies try to copy ultrasound as best as possible, IZHMASH engineers did all the work from scratch and released a model that can be called original. In addition, the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant is famous for its high-quality rifled barrels, one of which is also present in the MP-651K.

Are there any disadvantages to the submachine gun? If nothing is too far-fetched, then only one feature can be highlighted - overpriced. Also, many people say that the batteries drain quickly. However, we are talking about a battery, so a charger and an outlet will help solve this problem. Personally, we think that the MP-661K is the closest thing to a PCB without any of its shortcomings.

It’s time to take stock and determine which of the reviewed submachine guns most deserve the attention of buyers. We decided to make not just a top listing the names, but also indicate the cost of the weapons, as well as their rating based on user opinions:

Gletcher UZM (Uzi)

Pneumatic submachine gun Gletcher UZM (Uzi)

Here is a detailed copy of the Israeli Mini Uzi. It is unlikely that you will be able to find ten differences. To make it even more realistic, the creators have provided a slot into which a bayonet can be inserted. The main advantage of the Glacier is its metal body , so you can safely drop the barrel - nothing terrible will happen to it.

Description and characteristics

The Israeli "Glacier" refers to gas-cylinder pneumatics (the energy source is a cylinder filled with CO2). Dimensional characteristics completely duplicate the original (length - 615 mm). The Glacier fires steel balls, the caliber of the weapon is 4.5 mm.

The muzzle energy does not reach the threshold of 3 J, which removes legal restrictions from the Glacier. The submachine gun's magazine is designed for 24 rounds, and the entire structure weighs 2.2 kg (and this despite the fact that the body is metal).

The shooting mode can be configured for single shots and automatic.

The maximum shot speed is 115 m/s. “Glacier” refers to a smooth-bore weapon with a recoil bolt and a universal safety (automatic/non-automatic). The Single Action trigger mechanism has a single action. Sights - adjustable front sight and reversible diopter rear sight.

The similarity with the original is added by the clamping screw, fuse and disassembly method. The cost of pleasure is 230-240 dollars.

Detailed video review of the Gletcher UZM pneumatic submachine gun:

Advantages and disadvantages

Like any pneumatic, the Glacier has a number of undeniable advantages and some disadvantages. Let's start with the pros:

1. cost (quite affordable for the average hardball player);
2. authenticity (the desire to bring a copy closer to the original deserves respect);
3. reliability;
4. high-quality lubricant;
5. compactness;
6. ease of disassembly;
7. Dirt resistance.

Minuses:

1. shooting accuracy is low (some craftsmen improve this parameter by increasing the barrel);
2. the shooter's hands are too close;
3. The store empties quite quickly.

How to choose pneumatics

Many people wonder how to choose the right air submachine gun. And this is not surprising, because the choice of weapons of this type is extremely scarce. However, if you answer the following questions for yourself, you will immediately understand which model is right for you:

1. For what purposes do I need a pneumatic PP? If you need an unusual weapon for hunting, you can choose a revolver or a pneumatic copy of a machine gun. But for airsoft, rapid-fire weapons are very useful.
2. How much power will I need? It's nice to brag to your friends by saying that your submachine gun is capable of killing a full-grown deer. However, such indicators are often too high.
3. What features are important to me? If you want to buy PP for a collection, then it is best to pay attention to the similarity with the original. However, if a weapon is required for target practice, a large magazine and relatively low weight will be required.

These are the main points to pay attention to. However, the final choice is still yours. However, no matter what pneumatic submachine gun you choose, remember that the main thing is that shooting from it is safe for you and others.

Beretta M12

Excellent and undoubtedly the best submachine guns 2021 are produced in Italy under the Beretta brand. They heard about him in every corner of the universe. Shots are fired with the bolt open, the stock is collapsible and mostly metal, and there is a grip on the front. The weapon is used in more than 25 countries where it is used for military or law enforcement service. The Beretta M12 was developed in 1959 and entered into service at that time.

• Country: Italy
• Caliber: 9 mm
• Rate of fire: 650 high/min.
• Speed: 380 m/s
• Range: 200 m
• Weapon length: 660 mm
• Weight: 3 kg.