Airsoft M1911 pistols: 2 varieties

Gentle reader,

Lest you think I've become a gun nut, fear not. Like most men, inside I'm still a boy. I've always liked guns, just not real ones. My wife, who works in security is the gun nut. She has two 9mm automatics. So far. I've shot them both, but I find real guns so......violent! Not to mention the potential for VERY bad things to happen. Plus they are VERY expensive, not to mention difficult to own, then there's the cost of ammunition, range fees, etc.

Thus, my airsoft ones for me. I've had a full-sized replica of the Viet Nam era M16A1. It is mostly plastic but with a steel barrel. It's a "spring" gun. Which means one cocks it before each shot. In this case behind the carrying handle on top is a lever that you pull back which I think is called a "charging handle". There is inside a rod on a spring. When the trigger is squeezed, it springs forward shooting the 6mm plastic "round" down the barrel and out at around 225 feet-per-second. It is the middle one on the rack below:
The one above is it a WWII trainer rifle based on the 1903 Springfield bolt action rifle. It is wooden and steel. Incapable of doing anything with a bullet. Purely for training. It was out-dated by the M1 Garrand rifle during WWII. At the bottom is my Daisy air rifle similar to what Jim and I played with as kids.
Above and at the top of the page, is my newest airsoft version of the Colt M1911 45 automatic pistol. The real one is 100 years old now and still the basis for most automatic pistols.
You can clearly see that it is quite different from the top one. The top one is a virtual copy of the government issue sidearm.
The bottom is designed (in the real one and airsoft) for more accuracy and control. I can't remember if I explained how these guns work in the last blog. They use "green gas" which is just propane with a little silicone oil mixed it. The gas propels the round, cycles the action (slide) back just like the real gun, which cocks the hammer and advances the next round for firing. Just like the real one. Except no shell casing shooting out, no BANG! and no fire or smoke. Rounds are leaving the barrel at around 330 feet-per-second which is over 200 mph.
A close examination of these photos will show better than I can write the physical differences between the two. I bought them both (barely) used via eBay. The top one was $65 and the bottom was $70. Both well below what they cost new.
Here shows the left sides and one loaded magazine. The rounds are staggered and being only 6mm it can hold 30 of them. The rest of the magazine holds the propane in liquid form.
A close-up of the three magazines. Below from the right side the pistols with the slide back and locked:
Again, major differences between the two. Left sides below:
This is the "business" end of the guns:
Original on the left. The squared off bottom with a groove on each side is a "rail" to attach a laser or flashlight to, just like a real one. The new one is easier to aim with that big sight on the front.

It's fun doing target shooting in the back yard. I'd like to get a full-auto AK74 (yes, 74 or 47 would do) or something. They hold hundreds of rounds and can fire up to 600 a minute at 400+ feet-per-second with great accuracy. They are battery powered and sound awesome!

I've added three photos of a target I emptied a couple magazines into at about 30 feet:
Here's two images from the back:


That's it for now. Thanks for looking!

Scott