Comparison KWC KM42(Z) vs Crosman American Classic

Type describes the general principle of operation of a pistol/revolver. Among the pneumatic models in our time, you can find gas, multi -compression, compression, PCP and spring guns(piston and gas), as well as electric models (AEG). A separate category is a weapon with a firearm principle of operation - models chambered for Flaubert, as well as starting pistols. Here is a more detailed description of each of these types:

- Gas balloon. The most common variety of short-barreled pneumatics in our time. As an energy source in such pistols, gas from special cylinders is used - most often in the form of standard replaceable cartridges for 12 g of carbon dioxide. The only exceptions are some airsoft models with a caliber of 6 mm - they can use the so-called green gas, which is filled into a tank in the magazine (or handle); and some airsoft guns allow both power options at once. However, in any case, gas-cylinder models have a number of advantages, which ensured their popularity. Firstly, they are easy to use and require a minimum of effort - no need to bother with pumping or cocking the mechanism, it is enough to change cartridges in time. Secondly, this power allows you to use the Blow-back system for...maximum resemblance to military weapons (see below). Thirdly, all such pistols are made multi-shot. Fourthly, only this type of power is suitable for creating pneumatics in the form factor of revolvers. The disadvantages of gas-balloon systems include the need to buy not only bullets, but also gas, as well as a decrease in efficiency in cold weather; however, these points in most cases are not critical.

— Spring-piston. A mechanism based on the use of a spring-loaded piston moving in a special cylinder. Such a piston, when cocking the weapon, moves back and is fixed by a stopper, and when the trigger is pressed, it is released and moves forward, pushing air into the barrel. Before each shot, you need to manually cock the weapon, and in most of these models, you also need to load the next bullet. This is not very convenient, especially in cases where it is supposed to shoot a lot. In addition, the spring-piston mechanism gives a noticeable return - and quite specific, different from firearms; and for cocking in most pistols of this type, a barrel fracture is used, which also has its drawbacks (for more details, see "Cocking System"). On the other hand, spring-piston models also have noticeable advantages. First of all, it is the simplicity of design, which results in reliability, low cost and extensive tuning options. The second point is the good repeatability of shots, since with each cocking a standard portion of air enters the piston. And the “breaking” pistols are also equipped with rather long barrels, which allows you to increase the length of the sighting line and increase the accuracy of aiming.

- With gas spring. A variation of the spring-piston mechanism described above, in which a sealed cylinder with a special gas plays the role of a spring. Inside such a cylinder, its own piston moves, when the weapon is cocked, the gas is compressed, when fired, it expands, pushing the main piston. Such pneumatics work noticeably quieter and softer than spring-piston models, the recoil is not so pronounced, and the gas spring itself practically does not lose its properties as it wears out and can be stored in a compressed state indefinitely. On the other hand, such mechanisms are quite expensive and cumbersome, and the advantages mentioned are not so often decisive. Therefore, in short-barreled pneumatics, gas springs are not widely used.

- PCP (pre-pumping). Pistols, in which the energy source is high-pressure air pumped into a special non-removable tank. The capacity of such a tank usually allows you to make about a few dozen shots on a single charge, and the pressure inside can reach 200 atmospheres or even more, which makes it possible to achieve a high muzzle velocity. At the same time, PCP pneumatics give good repeatability of shots (at least for most of the refueling, until a critical pressure drop), and it has practically no recoil. On the other hand, the tank inevitably turns out to be quite bulky, which inevitably affects the weight and dimensions of the entire structure; and the only option for its more or less comfortable placement - under the barrel - also significantly affects the balance (the center of gravity is shifted forward). In addition, the refueling procedure itself is quite complicated: you either need to pump air with a special pump (which is far from always supplied), or use additional equipment such as a compressor or a diving cylinder. As a result, PCP pistols are quite rare nowadays, and they are intended mainly for athletes.

- Multi-compression. As in the PCP models described above, the power source in these pistols is the built-in air reservoir. However, the charge in the tank is only enough for one shot, the air is pumped manually, with a built-in pump, and to achieve full pressure, you need to make several movements with the pump lever. As a lever, a swinging handguard or the upper part of the casing-bolt is most often used; at the same time, the tank does not have to be pumped to full each time, and by choosing one or another number of lever movements, you can adjust the initial speed of the bullet. Multi-compression models are relatively simple and inexpensive, they allow you to achieve high bullet speed, almost no recoil and do not require complex air filling procedures. One of the key drawbacks of this design is the need to pump before each shot, which can be quite tiring. The second nuance is the poor repeatability of shots: even with the same number of pump lever movements, the pressure in the tank may vary slightly from pumping to pumping. In addition, for comfortable use, the pump lever must be quite long, which accordingly affects the length of the entire gun; however, this moment can also be considered as a virtue: an increase in the length of the barrel has a positive effect on the accuracy of shooting, and often on the muzzle velocity of the bullet.

— Compression. A simplified analogue of the multi-compression mechanism described above: the design also has an air reservoir and a built-in pump, however, to fill the reservoir, it is enough to make just one movement with the pump lever. In terms of merits, such models combine the features of multi-compression and spring-piston pistols. On the one hand, they do not recoil and can be cocked for a long time; on the other hand, only one movement is enough to cock a weapon, and most often this procedure is also combined with reloading. The main disadvantage of this type of weapon is that in order to achieve good muzzle energy with just one inflation, a large reservoir and a long pump lever are needed. Because of this, such pistols have to be made very long and heavy, which creates inconvenience in use. As a result, this type of mechanism has not received much distribution.

- AEG (electrically driven). Pneumatics that use an electric motor drive as a power source. According to the design of the working mechanism, it is similar to the spring-piston mechanism - the basis of this mechanism is a cylinder and a spring-loaded piston. However, the piston in this case is not retracted manually, but with the help of the mentioned electric motor. Thus, the shooter does not need to make "excessive movements" associated with a platoon of weapons. In addition, this principle of operation makes it possible to provide for even a fully automatic firing mode - in fact, many short-barreled AEGs do not even copy traditional pistols, but submachine guns. Separately, it is worth noting that AEGs are not particularly common among traditional pneumatics, but they are very popular in airsoft pistols using 6 mm caliber plastic balls (for more details, see "Caliber").

- Under the patronage of Flaubert. A weapon that uses the Flaubert cartridge (caliber 4 mm). For more information about this cartridge, see "Type of ammunition", here we note that most often such models are made in the form of revolvers (see "Form factor"). In essence, they are small-caliber firearms; however, the muzzle energy, penetration and lethal force of such revolvers are so low that in many countries they are legally equated with pneumatics and are sold without special permits. It should be borne in mind that such weapons are more demanding to maintain than pneumatics, they require regular cleaning and lubrication (preferably after each use, since the percussion composition, which is the basis of the propellant charge in Flaubert's cartridges, interacts very aggressively with the metal of the barrel). However, for some users, this moment is more of a virtue - it enhances the resemblance to military weapons. But of the unambiguous shortcomings of such models, it is worth noting the high cost of ammunition: one Flaubert cartridge is much more expensive than a lead bullet and much more expensive than a ball.

- Under a blank cartridge. A type of weapon also known as "starter pistols". Strictly speaking, such pistols are no longer weapons, but special pyrotechnics. So, a blank (“light-noise”) cartridge does not have a bullet (for more details, see “Ammunition Type”) and, when fired, gives only a sound effect and a flash; and a plug is installed in the barrel of the pistol, so it is impossible to shoot a live or even traumatic cartridge from it. Nevertheless, starting pistols usually completely imitate the operation of automatic combat analogues - recoil, ejection of cartridges, slide delay, etc. Initially, such tools were widely used to signal a "start" in sports competitions - hence the name. However, in our time, the scope of their application is much wider: pistols under a blank cartridge are used when shooting a movie, for giving sound signals over long distances, when training service dogs, in training professional shooters (both for idling, and for accustoming to the sound of a shot and recoil ) etc.

The model or brand 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 that imitate different models of weapons from Beretta, Colt, CZ, Glock, Heckler & Koch, Luger, Smith & Wesson, Sig Sauer, Taurus, Walther, Makarov (PM). 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.

On the one hand, copies 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 launch copy often reproduces all the controls of the original. As a result, it often happens that a replica of a real-life model turns out to be even more convenient to use than the original.

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.

Muzzle velocity — that is, the speed of the bullet at the exit from the barrel — provided by the pistol / revolver. Note that for some weapons, the actual muzzle velocity may vary; for more on this, see "Type", and here we note that for such models, the characteristics usually indicate the average value for perfect conditions.

In general, the greater the speed of the bullet, the more long-range the weapon and the higher its penetrating ability. Thus, in some countries this indicator is the basis for legal restrictions on the sale of pneumatics (usually, bona fide sellers have the relevant information). And for airsoft weapons, this moment is important for safety reasons: too high a ball speed increases the likelihood of injury. However, airsoft guns usually give out less than 100 m / s. By the standards of classical pneumatics, this is very little: most short-barreled pneumatics fall in the range of 100 – 125 m / s, in some models the initial speed can reach 125 – 150 m / s and even more.

In "flobers" speeds are higher: an indicator up to 175 m / s is considered relatively low, up to 200 m / s — average, and some long-barreled models give out more than 200 m / s. However, note that we are talking about the speeds claim...ed by the manufacturer, while the actual performance will greatly depend on the characteristics of the cartridge (load, composition, build quality). Therefore, the actual initial speeds in such weapons may differ markedly from those claimed.

The cocking system provided in the weapon - that is, the method of transferring its mechanism to the position of readiness to fire.

This parameter is relevant mainly for classic pneumatics; here you can find pistols with automatic cocking, barrel fracture, as well as bolt and trigger systems. Almost all weapons chambered for Flaubert and blank cartridges (see "Type") are auto-cocked, as an exception, there are individual trigger models. And the features of various systems are as follows:

- Autoplatoon. Systems that provide for automatic cocking of weapons before each shot; in other words, with such a pistol, the shooter does not need to perform any additional actions to cock the weapon. The advantages of such systems are obvious - they make shooting as simple and convenient as possible. So it is this option that is most popular in modern short-barreled pneumatics; other cocking systems are used mainly where they are indispensable for structural reasons. However, it should be borne in mind that the features of the auto-cocking may be different, depending on the type and form factor of the weapon (see above for both). So, blow-back pistols (see below) and AEG-type models usually have auto-cocking in the full sense of the word - that is, for each shot, it is enough to press the trigger, and the trigger pull remains unchan...ged and rather low. However, for the first shot in such pistols, it may be necessary to cock the hammer or even move the bolt. In revolvers, automatic winding usually means the so-called double-action mechanism, where the cocking of the trigger (and turning the drum) is carried out by the muscular strength of the shooter when the trigger is pressed. This format of work requires significant effort on the trigger, so most of these revolvers allow you to cock the trigger separately; there are also pistols without blow-back with this feature. And for compression and multi-compression models, auto-cocking is indicated if the pistol mechanism is cocked right during the inflation process; in such a weapon, you still cannot do without “extra movements” between shots.

- Shutter. Systems that provide for manual cocking before each shot using a bolt. They are found mainly in two types of air pistols. The first type is most PCP pneumatics. In such models, the shutter has the form of a separate handle or lever; in multi-shot models, due to its movement, the next charge from the magazine is fed into the barrel, in single-shot models, the chamber opens and closes, allowing you to load the weapon. Thanks to this format of operation, the number of parts that move in the weapon at the time of the shot is reduced to an absolute minimum, which in turn reduces shock - an important advantage, given that PCP pistols are used mainly in sports precision shooting. The second type of pistols with this cocking system are spring-piston models. At the same time, in classic pneumatics of 4.5 mm caliber, the role of the shutter is usually performed by a lever, such weapons are usually made single-shot and have an original design; and airsoft models of 6 mm caliber copy combat pistols and the platoon in them is carried out in a similar way - by moving the casing-bolt (bolt frame) back and forth.

- Fracture of the trunk. A cocking method found exclusively in spring-piston models (see "Type"). The barrel in such pistols is mounted on a swivel mount and turns down when cocked, due to which the weapon literally “breaks” in half (hence the name). In this case, the piston becomes cocked, and the chamber opens for reloading (such weapons are made only single-shot). Breakthrough models are simple, inexpensive, easy to handle and require a minimum of skill, making them suitable even for beginner shooters. On the other hand, it makes no sense to make such weapons multiply charged, and the barrel mount can become loose as it wears. It is also worth noting that the barrel in the “breaks” should be quite long - otherwise the cocking force would be too high for normal work with the weapon. This nuance can be both an advantage and a disadvantage, depending on the planned use of the pistol.

— Kurkovy. Systems in which the hammer must be manually cocked before each shot. Quite a rare option; found, in particular, in individual pistols, where auto-cocking was abandoned for the sake of reducing cost and / or simplifying the design, as well as some miniature revolvers, where the size of the weapon did not allow for a full-fledged double-action mechanism (auto-cocking).

The type of barrel fitted to the pistol.

Smooth-bore pneumatics in our time is much more common than rifled ; Flaubert revolvers with smooth and rifled barrels on the market are approximately equal; and models for a blank cartridge are equipped exclusively with muffled barrels. Here are the features of each option.

— Smooth. Trunks having a smooth, rifling-free inner surface. The main advantage of this option can be called ease of production and, as a result, low cost. In addition, in the case of pneumatics, the smooth barrel is "omnivorous", with it you can use both bullets and balls (although most often such pistols are compatible with only one type of ammunition). We also note that the airsoft "weapon" in principle is made only with a smoothbore; and the absence of rifling greatly simplifies cleaning, which is especially important for models chambered in Flaubert. On the other hand, in smooth barrels, the bullet is not stabilized by rotation, and the dispersion of such weapons is noticeably greater than that of rifled ones. This does not play a special role in recreational shooting at short distances, however, this type of barrel is not suitable for high-precision weapons.

- Rifled. Barrels with spiral grooves on the inner surface. Due to the rifling, the bullet spins around the longitudinal axis while m...oving along the barrel - this provides additional stabilization and reduces the weapon's own dispersion. Actually, higher accuracy is the main advantage of rifled models over smoothbore ones; and "serious" sports pistols for high-precision shooting are equipped only with this type of barrel. The disadvantages of this option include, first of all, the higher cost than that of smooth ones, as well as the additional difficulty in cleaning - it can be difficult to thoroughly clean the rifling. In addition, in the case of pneumatics, rifled weapons are designed mainly for bullets and are poorly suited for cheaper balls: in most cases their use is not allowed at all, and where allowed, it is desirable to use special soft lead balls. This is due to the fact that the hard metal from which most balls are made wears the rifling a lot; and the promotion of such a charge turns out to be uneven and does not stabilize it, but, on the contrary, leads it away.

- Silenced. A variant found exclusively in pistols chambered in blanks. In such devices, a special plug is installed that blocks the bore and completely eliminates the possibility of firing any projectile (be it a bullet or shot). We emphasize that an attempt to fire from such a “weapon” with a non-blank cartridge (even with a rubber bullet) will most likely lead to a rupture of the barrel and serious injuries to the shooter and people around him.

The number of charges that fit in the weapon.

According to this parameter, weapons are divided into single-shot and multi-shot. However, this division is relevant only for pneumatics in the pistol form factor — it can be either multi-shot or single-shot. All models chambered for Flaubert and starting pistols (see "Type") are made multi-shot, revolvers are also multiply-shot by definition (see "Form factor").

The advantages of a multi-shot design as a whole are obvious: it allows you to fire several shots without being distracted by the replenishment of ammunition. At the same time, the reloading systems in air pistols and other similar weapons are quite simple and do not particularly affect the final cost of the design. Therefore, a single-shot design is rarely found nowadays, and mainly in those pistols where it is indispensable due to design features — in particular, in spring-piston models with a broken barrel.

The type of ammunition that the pistol/revolver is designed for.

Pneumatics can use balls or lead bullets, and some models are compatible with both varieties at once. In weapons chambered for Flaubert and a blank cartridge, the type of ammunition is already obvious from the name. Here is a more detailed description of each option:

— Balloons. Ordinary round balls; for traditional 4.5 mm pneumatics they are made of metal, for airsoft guns of 6 mm caliber they are made of plastic (although other materials are occasionally found). Actually, the airsoft "weapon" by definition uses only balls, it is not made for other types of charges. As for classical pneumatics, here the main advantage of this option can be called a low cost — balls are somewhere much cheaper than lead bullets. In addition, they have good penetrating power, and magazines and reloading systems for balls are extremely simple. On the other hand, such ammunition is less suitable for accurate long-range shooting. Firstly, balls are inferior to bullets in terms of ballistic characteristics; secondly, they are usually made of hard steel and are practically unsuitable for working with rifled barrels. On the other hand, for recreational shooting and simple training at a relatively short range, these points are not critical; so it is this type of ammunition that is most common in modern air pistols.

— Lead bullets. A bu...llet in this case is called a projectile of a directional shape, with a clearly defined front and rear. The specific form of such projectiles may be different, but they all have a number of common features. So, any bullet at the same initial speed flies further and hits more accurately than a ball. And the material is usually lead or another soft metal, which provides a number of advantages. Firstly, bullets work great with rifled barrels: the edges of the bullet clearly fit into the grooves on the inner surface (many bullets are even able to expand slightly at the time of the shot, for the tightest possible fit in the barrel), the projectile is effectively untwisted and stabilized, while the rifling is worn minimal. Secondly, bullets flatten out when they hit a more or less hard surface — this minimizes the risk of ricochets. At the same time, bullets are more expensive than balls, and in multi-shot models, they require a more complex design of magazines and reloading mechanisms. As a result, this type of ammunition is relatively rare in short-barreled pneumatics — mainly in professional long-range pistols, as well as in models where this is due to design features (in particular, bullets are better suited for spring-piston “breaks”).

— Balls / lead bullets. The ability to use both types of ammunition described above at once, to choose from. Note that such versatility can be implemented in different ways: some pistols / revolvers are indeed universal in terms of the type of ammunition (unless each variety needs its own magazine), others are produced in two separate versions — for bullets and for balls. This point should be clarified separately before buying. It is also worth considering that in "omnivorous" weapons with a rifled barrel, it is better to use bullets if possible, and balls should be considered as a fallback. This is due to the fact that the balls are poorly compatible with such weapons; see "Barrel" for details.

— Flaubert's cartridge. Small-caliber (4 mm) cartridge, which is actually a primer with a bullet, without a powder sample (or with a very small amount of gunpowder — in the form of a few grains). In fact, it is a firearm, however, in terms of ballistic characteristics, a weapon chambered in Flaubert is comparable to pneumatics, due to which in many countries it is officially equated to pneumatic and sold without special permits (however, this point needs to be specified separately). Note that the vast majority of weapons chambered for this cartridge are revolvers; pistols are rare and have a specific design (for more details, see "Form Factor").

— Blank cartridge. A cartridge with a case, a primer and a powder charge, similar in design to a full-fledged firearm, except that it does not contain a bullet. Instead, the case mouth is crimped in the form of an "asterisk" or covered with a plug made of an easily destructible material like plastic. Note that such cartridges can be used not only in specialized “weapons” (see “Type”), but also in most traumatic and combat pistols of the corresponding caliber; however, blank pistols usually do not require special permits, and anyone can practice basic skills with them (including working with recoil and reaction to a shot).

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.