Comparison BORNER PM49 Makarov vs BORNER C11

Model of the combat pistol/revolver from which the product was copied.

Replicas of military weapons are very popular among air pistols; here you can find, in particular, models imitating Beretta M84, Colt M1911, IWI Mini Uzi, Jericho 941, various models of weapons from Smith & Wesson, as well as Makarov (PM), Tokarev (TT) and Stechkin (APS) pistols. Devices chambered for a blank cartridge (see “Type”) are also often copied from firearms, but in Flaubert’s revolvers the situation is different - most of them have a certain “average revolver” shape and design that is not related to a specific model of military weapon.

Copying such weapons from real firearms/revolvers has both aesthetic and very practical meaning. On the one hand, such models are popular among gun fans who, due to legal restrictions, cannot acquire a full-fledged short-barreled firearm. On the other hand, a pneumatic or starting copy often reproduces all the controls of the original, which allows them to be used effectively when training shooters. In addition, when designing “real” pistols, a lot of attention is paid to ergonomics and user friendliness. As a result, it also happens tha...t a copy of a real-life model also turns out to be preferable from the point of view of general convenience.

Regarding starting pistols, it is also worth noting that their caliber does not always correspond to the caliber of the combat prototype. A typical example is the Desert Eagle: the original pistols come in calibers ranging from .357 Magnum to .50 AE, while replicas of this pistol typically use the traditional 9mm blank cartridge. In this case, this is more of an advantage than a disadvantage: 9 mm flash-noise cartridges are ubiquitous, while similar ammunition in larger calibers is not easy to find.

The working length of the barrel installed in the pistol / revolver is from the chamber to the muzzle. In airsoft models (primarily AEGs, see "Type"), the length of the inner barrel is indicated, along which the bullet directly moves. Three main points directly depend on this parameter: the initial velocity of the bullet, the length of the aiming line and the dimensions of the weapon.

In short-barreled (up to 20 – 25 cm) pneumatics and Flaubert's revolvers, a long barrel allows you to achieve higher initial speeds. However there is no rigid dependence here, and models with the same barrel sizes can differ markedly in initial speed (especially since the latter also depends on a number of parameters, primarily the principle of operation — see "Type"). However, long-barreled pistols are generally better for long-range shooting than short-barreled pistols. This is due to the second nuance — the length of the sighting line: a long barrel allows you to increase the distance between the front sight and the whole, thereby reducing errors in aiming. However, with regard to dimensions, the increase in the length of the barrel not only makes the weapon more cumbersome, but also worsens its balance, since the centre of gravity shifts forward because of this.

There are a couple more nuances associated with this indicator. So, in copies of combat pistols (see above), the barrel length is selected in accordance with the size of the weapon from which this model wa...s copied. And for products chambered for a blank cartridge (see "Type"), this parameter is not indicated at all, since there is virtually no full-fledged barrel in such pistols.

The capacity of the magazine provided with the pistol, or the drum installed in the revolver (see "Form factor"). For obvious reasons, it is indicated only for multiply charged models (see "Charging capacity").

Repeatingly charged air pistols / revolvers are conditionally divided into models with magazines up to 15 charges and more than 15 charges. The largest capacity here is airsoft AEGs (see "Type"), copying submachine guns — they are not uncommon in stores for 50 balls or more, and as additional accessories for many models, so-called "bunkers" are produced, where the number there are already hundreds of charges. As for traditional pneumatics, it is worth noting that if the pistol is designed for bullets and balls at the same time (see "Type of ammunition"), then the capacity when using different types of charge may vary — usually, it is higher for balls in such cases, and this figure and indicated in the characteristics as the main one.

As for the weapon chambered for Flaubert, in it the “classic of the genre” is a revolver with a drum for 9, less often for 8 rounds. A greater number of charges is not found — for this the drum would have to be made too bulky; a smaller number — about 5 – 6 rounds — can be found in individual revolvers, as well as models in the form factor of a pistol, where the dimensions of the case do not allow you to install a larger drum. In turn, pistols chamb...ered for blank cartridges usually more or less correspond in terms of magazine capacity to the firearm models from which they are copied; here you can find models that can hold from 5 to 30 charges.

The presence of an additional mount under the barrel of a pistol / revolver.

Such a mount usually takes the form of a characteristic bar with transverse slots (Weaver / Picatinny standard or similar). It is designed to install various optional accessories; the classic variants of such accessories are the underbarrel flashlight and the laser designator.

Note that nowadays you can find both pneumatic weapons with underbarrel mounts, and pistols chambered for a blank cartridge (see "Type") with this feature. Moreover, in the second case, the mount plays a predominantly decorative role, giving the “weapon” a resemblance to a combat prototype; however, it can also have quite a practical meaning. For example, by installing an underbarrel flashlight on a starting pistol, you can train basic skills (moving, aiming, reaction to a shot) for actions in low light conditions. However if you are planning such an application, before buying, it's ok to make sure that the selected pistol provides for exactly the standard mount, and not an external imitation, unsuitable for installing a “body kit”.

The overall length of the weapon is usually from the muzzle to the part protruding farthest back (usually the bottom of the handle). This parameter not only allows you to evaluate the overall compactness of the pistol, but can also be useful for selecting accessories for it — for example, a holster, case or carrying bag.

The material from which the body of the gun is made.

The main materials found nowadays are metal and plastic. At the same time, the division into metal and plastic cases is actually relevant only for pneumatics; models for "flobert" and for a blank cartridge (see "Type") are almost all made of metal. As for the features of each of the materials, they are as follows:

— Metal. The key advantages of metal are strength, reliability and similarity to materials used in firearms. Such cases weigh much more than plastic ones, but this moment is also often referred to as an advantage — it further enhances the resemblance to combat pistols / revolvers, creates a sense of solidity and allows you to effectively practice skills in working with weapons. The main disadvantage of metal is its rather high cost. In addition, note that the composition of this material may be different: in particular, in low-cost models, a lighter and cheaper, but less durable silumin or other similar alloy can be used instead of steel.
Separately, it should be said that in some modern firearms (in particular, Glock) only the casing-bolt is made of metal, and the frame and handle are made of plastic. For air pistols and starting pistols made of similar materials, our catalog also lists metal as the body material in order to emphasize the similarity with combat prototypes.

— Plastic. Material used mainly...in low-cost models of pneumatics. In this case, it means a body made entirely of plastic — including a casing-shutter, if available in the design. The main advantage of this material in this case is its low cost — this determined the specifics of its application. On the other hand, plastic is noticeably inferior to metal in terms of strength and reliability, and the small weight of such cases is considered by many to be a disadvantage — the weapon is perceived as a "toy". However there are also advanced varieties of plastic — durable, heat-resistant, suitable even for military weapons; however, in pneumatics, such materials are used in rather expensive copies of real pistols, where a plastic frame is combined with a metal casing-bolt — and such cases are already considered metal (see above).

The total weight of the weapon. As a rule, the "empty" weight is indicated in the characteristics, without consumables (bullets / cartridges, cartridges).

This parameter has two meanings. On the one hand, a heavy pistol / revolver is tedious to hold on weight for a long time; in addition, the increase in weight is often associated with an increase in the length of the barrel, due to which the center of gravity shifts forward - and this further increases the inconvenience. On the other hand, massiveness gives an additional resemblance to military weapons and an overall impression of solidity, and in models with blow-back (see above) it also reduces the perceived recoil. Therefore, many consider significant weight to be an advantage rather than a disadvantage.

Note that in models chambered for Flaubert and a blank cartridge, the weight more or less corresponds to military weapons of a similar model or size. In pneumatics, the dispersion can be quite large, especially since not every such pistol is copied from a combat one. It is worth noting here that PCP models are the most massive (see "Type"): due to the built-in tank, the weight of such pistols is usually 1 kg or more. Multi-compression pneumatics are a little lighter - here you can find weapons weighing up to 900 g and even up to 800 g. The maximum figure for AEGs is 900 - 1000 g..., and in the lightest models, the weight does not exceed 700 g. And among the spring-piston and gas-balloon models, almost any weight is found - from small ( less than 600 g) to significant (more than 1 kg).