Greatest BB Weapons of 2023, Examined and Reviewed

For many hunters, the BB gun was a distinct pillar of childhood. Generations of us learned basic marksmanship and firearms safety with a BB gun, and there was never a more formidable tool when tin cans or plastic army men were game. I often toted a lever-action or pump-up BB rifle across the handlebars of my ten-speed, and no other tool was as steadfast through my formative years. BB guns are great fun, and they can be great for teaching youngsters or new shooters the basics. They have some distinct advantages over real firearms in that application. They can be safely and legally fired in many areas where real rifles can’t. They can also be mailed straight to your door. Ammo is significantly cheaper too, and I can’t imagine the bills I’d have racked up if the milk-carton-style containers of BB’s—the small cardboard tubes were child’s play—were cases of 5.56 ammo. 

My interest in BB guns has become reinvigorated as my children are growing into them, and I’m finding that the world of BB guns is so much cooler than when I was a kid. Many of the classics are still here, but now we have BB guns that even my fertile imagination couldn’t have fathomed. Here’s a look at some of the best BB guns you can get in 2023.

Other Rifles

Other Handguns

How We Tested the Best BB Guns

At Outdoor Life, we pride ourselves on striving to thoroughly test gear and equipment—sometimes to a fault. We hold our rifle and handgun testing to a high standard, so I wanted to apply some of that same rigor to the best BB guns. My son and I spent a lot of time shooting each of these BB guns, and after test sessions, I had to drink a lot of, err, soda to keep up the supply of aluminum cans. We set up a range in the backyard, with cans hanging from strings to eliminate reset time. We shot them from a variety of positions and distances for weeks. 

Minute-of-can is one thing, but I wanted to determine how accurate these BB guns actually were. For accuracy testing, I used the classic Copperhead bulk 5.3-grain copper-plated steel BB’s that I’d shoot as a kid. There’s an art to BB gun accuracy, and serious individuals will sort BB’s by weight and roll them on glass to check for imperfections. I simply wanted to see a representative sample of what the average person might use. For the BB guns that take CO2, I used Crosman brand CO2 cartridges. I fired a single 20-shot group with each BB gun to test accuracy. I shot the rifles at a distance of 15 yards, and the handguns at 7 yards. I used shooting bags on a bench for the rifles, and a bagged tripod to support the handguns. I also recorded 10-shot velocity samples to calculate averages and standard deviation.

I did some additional testing with the pneumatic pump BB guns which can be pumped up to 10 times. I checked velocity at 1 pump, 10 pumps, and did my accuracy testing at 5 pumps. These rifles also use pellets. Although it’s a BB gun test, I tested the accuracy of the rifles with pellets too, using Crosman Premier Wadcutter Pellets. 

Selecting category winners was a mix of hard data, shooting experience, and some personal preference. Specifically in the handgun category, personal preference will weigh heavily in your consideration—many of them are awesome replicas, but none offer fantastic performance. They’re BB guns, and the fun factor is important to consider.

Best BB Guns: Reviews and Recommendations

Like combustion-powered hunting rifles, the best BB guns for you will depend on a number of factors. Most are intended for casual plinking, though many can offer somewhat realistic training and practice. Whether you’re looking for one of the classics, a detailed replica, or a BB gun that’s just pure fun, there’s something here for you.

Best BB Rifle: Daisy 499B Champion

Key Features

• Action: Single shot, lever action
• Power source: Spring piston
• Sights: Target aperture front and adjustable rear peep
• Stock/Furniture: Wood
• Weight: 3 pounds, 14 ounces (measured)
• Trigger: 2 pounds, 4 ounces (measured)
• Average velocity: 259 feet per second
• Velocity standard deviation: 0.9 feet per second
• Group size: 2.6 inches
• Price: $208

Pros

• Most accurate BB gun of the test
• Aperture sights are easy to use and adjust
• Great for teaching positional shooting with a sling
• Great trigger

Cons

Despite being out-classed in the “coolness” category by some other competitors, my 7-year-old son and I both agree that the Daisy 499B is the top dog of this test. It’s a single-shot, relatively expensive BB gun that’s built for one thing: precision. It was the most accurate rifle in the test by almost half an inch, and shot even better with Hornady/Umarex Black Diamond BBs, turning in a group size of 2.1 inches. 

The Daisy 499B is designed to shoot in competitive 5-meter matches from standing, kneeling, sitting, and prone positions. Although it looks a bit like the classic Red Ryder, this BB gun is all business. It uses a spring-powered piston that’s cocked by the lever, and has a front-back toggling safety. The rear peep sight is click adjustable for windage and elevation and comes in a protective box with mounting instructions. The front sight uses interchangeable circular apertures similar to what you’d see on competition pellet air rifles, smallbore, and even high power competition rifles. The barrel tube is easily unscrewed and removed for cleaning and maintenance. The wide wood fore-end is great for resting on bags, but designed to comfortably shoot with a sling. The rifle comes with a sling and hardware, but you have to install it yourself and position it appropriately to fit  the shooter. This is a fantastic rifle for not only competition, but teaching a youngster to shoot. It’s got a great trigger for a BB gun, and is deadly accurate.

Read Next: Best Air Rifles

Best BB Handgun: ASG Dan Wesson 715 6-inch

Key Features

• Action: Double action
• Power source: 12-gram CO2 cartridge (x1)
• Sights: Adjustable notch rear, ramp front
• Stock/Furniture: Hogue-like rubber grip
• Weight: 2 pounds, 14 ounces (with cartridges, measured)
• Trigger: 4 pounds, 7 ounces (single action, measured)
• Average velocity: 381 feet per second
• Velocity standard deviation: 17.8 feet per second
• Group size: 2.2 inches
• Price: $120

Pros

• Very realistic 
• Solid construction and good ergonomics
• Most accurate handgun
• Durable CO2 Allen key in grip

Cons

• Needs included cartridges to fire

When it comes to awesome, realistic BB guns, the handguns comprised an incredibly competitive field. Many of them are true-to-form in ergonomics, weight, and function. Any number of the BB handguns I tested would make another person’s top pick, and it was a difficult award to hand out. Ultimately, the Dan Wesson 715 replica made by Action Sport Games was the most accurate BB handgun, is durable and well-made, and has features such as a stout CO2 wrench built into the handle pushed it to the top. 

The ASG Dan Wesson 715 comes in a variety of barrel lengths like the real Dan Wesson 715, but I got the 6-inch model. It’s a double-action revolver with a stainless-type finish, replica rubber Hogue grip, and swing-out cylinder. It has an adjustable rear sight and vented rib along the top of the barrel. The single CO2 cartridge is installed in the grip by removing the port side grip panel and using the integrated Allen key to tighten the capsule screw, piercing the CO2 canister.

Bolstering the revolver’s realism, the Dan Wesson 715 uses six .357 Magnum-sized brass-colored steel cartridges with rubber simulated bullets at the front. Each “bullet” has a hole in the front into which the shooter presses a single BB. The cartridges can be loaded into the revolver by hand or with the included speed loader. It’s a really cool design, but not so cool if you lose some of the cartridges. When closed up, the 715 can be fired single- or double-action, and when all six shots have been fired, the cartridges can be extracted using the ejector rod—just like the real thing. 

Key Features

• Action: Semi-automatic
• Power source: 12-gram CO2 cartridge (x1)
• Sights: Fixed notch rear, blade front
• Stock/Furniture: Plastic grip scales
• Weight: 2 pounds, 1 ounce (measured)
• Trigger: 4 pounds, 10 ounces (measured)
• Average velocity: 275 feet per second
• Velocity standard deviation: 15.1 feet per second
• Group size: 3.1 inches
• Price: $70

Pros

• Realistic weight and function
• Blowback action
• Accurate
• Great value

Cons

Among a crowd of high-quality, truly awesome replica BB guns in this test, there probably isn’t a better value than the P08 Luger from Umarex. This copy of the iconic German pistol is hefty, well-made, and cycles like a real luger does. The removable magazine houses both the CO2 cartridge and a spring-loaded stack of 21 BBs. When inserted, the shooter pulls back on the round cocking tabs, releases, and it’s ready to go. The bolt will cycle back, and the linkages will rotate up and return down with each shot—just like the real thing. This really eats up CO2 cartridges quickly, but it’s a great shooting BB pistol. 

This Luger BB gun has a realistic safety switch on the rear left, and it’s easily activated by the thumb. A nod to great detail, the .177-inch BB barrel is recessed back into the end of the muzzle, and you can see false rifling out to the end. It even has a small rail at the butt of the grip where a buttstock could be attached—a characteristic of some of the real P08 Lugers. Overall, this pistol performs neck-and-neck with many others in this test, but for the quality, it’s the best value.

Key Features

• Action: Lever action
• Power source: Spring piston
• Sights: Elevation-adjustable notch rear, front post
• Stock/Furniture: Wood
• Weight: 3 pounds (empty, measured)
• Trigger: 5 pounds, 9 ounces (measured)
• Average velocity: 253 feet per second
• Velocity standard deviation: 4.4 feet per second
• Group size: 4.3 inches
• Price: $31

Pros

• Classic lever-action style is easy to operate
• Easy to load with good capacity
• Great for teaching basic marksmanship
• The quintessential BB gun

Cons

• Sights aren’t adjustable for windage

If there’s a “BB gun of all the best BB guns,” it’s the Daisy Red Ryder. Today, many of us know this blued steel beauty from the movie A Christmas Story, but it was a hot commodity in the 1940’s. Daisy designed the rifle in 1939 and named it after a popular comic strip character of the time. It was a huge hit, and still is today. 

The Daisy Red Ryder is available in both youth and adult sizes, and it’s one of the best BB guns to teach a youngster to shoot with. It’s a western-style lever-action, spring-powered BB gun that stores the BBs in a sleeve surrounding the smoothbore barrel. It’s loaded via a door near the muzzle. It has a blade front sight and a notch rear sight with a stepped-ramp shim to adjust elevation. 

This BB rifle has wood furniture with “Red Ryder” engraved on the stock. It has a saddle ring and leather thong and brass-colored barrel band. It has a fairly heavy 5.5 pound trigger and crossbolt safety. Although many kids might have trouble cocking the spring piston at first, it’s quickly overcome, and there’s not a better BB gun for them to have hours of fun with.

Key Features

• Action: Single-action, break-open
• Power source: 12-gram CO2 cartridge (x1)
• Sights: Non-adjustable notch rear, front post
• Stock/Furniture: Plastic
• Weight: 2 pounds, 10 ounces (with cartridges, measured)
• Trigger: 2 pounds, 14 ounces (measured)
• Average velocity: 383 feet per second
• Velocity standard deviation: 12.9 feet per second
• Group size: 2.4 inches
• Price: $105

Pros

• Great weight and balance
• Excellent aged-looking finish
• Realistic function
• Good accuracy

Cons

• CO2 wrench in grip isn’t very durable
• Requires the cartridges to fire

BB guns aren’t just for kids. In fact, I’d say that many of the more realistic replica BB guns in this test are better-suited for adults, and are certainly not children’s toys. The Barra Airguns Schofield revolver is available in a few variations, but I got the “aged” model. It’s one of the coolest BB guns I’ve ever seen. It looks and feels like the real McCoy. It’s got an unspecified metal frame and barrel that are blued with worn edges that make it look like a well-used revolver.

This BB gun is a wonderful copy of the legendary revolver carried by Jesse James and his gang. It’s got non-adjustable sights, and the rear sight locks the frame closed. Just like the real Schofield, when it’s pulled back, the barrel and cylinder tip forward, and the cylinder even has a realistic ejector. This Schofield uses brass-colored steel cartridges with rubber fronts like the Dan Wesson 715 and other BB revolvers, and a BB is loaded into the front of each cartridge. 

This BB gun is powered by a single 12-gram CO2 cartridge that’s installed into the grip. Like some other revolver BB guns, this one has a CO2 allen key built into the port side grip scale. However, I’d advise just getting a separate Allen wrench of the appropriate size. The first time I used the one in the grip, it tore out of the grip panel. Although velocity was a bit slower than advertised, as pretty much every BB gun in the test was, it’s still a fast shooter, and was the second most accurate handgun I tested. 

Key Features

• Action: Magazine fed for BBs, single shot for pellets
• Power source: Pneumatic pump
• Sights: Blade front and elevation-adjustable rear notch
• Stock/Furniture: Plastic
• Weight: 2 pounds, 4 ounces (measured)
• Trigger: 5 pounds, 3 ounces (measured)
• Average velocity: 492 feet per second (5 pumps), 192 fps (1 pump), 610 fps (10 pumps)
• Velocity standard deviation: 2.4 feet per second
• Group size: 5.3 inches (5 pumps), 2.9 inches (1 pump)
• Group size (with pellets): 1.49 inches
• Price: $37

Pros

• Can shoot both BBs and pellets
• Easy to load
• Variable power (up to 10 pumps)
• Can be fitted with a scope

Cons

The Crosman 760 is a classic style of BB/Pellet crossover rifle that I had when I was a kid. They’ve been around since the 1960’s and though the style has changed a bit over the years, they’re still basically the same guns. I fired both BBs and pellets through mine, and many starlings met their demise at my hand with the 760 Pumpmaster.

The 760 is representative of a class of BB rifles that can fire both BBs and pellets. They are single shot with pellets, but have a magazine or hopper of BBs in the receiver area. A cocking handle is pulled to the rear, and a bb is drawn from the magazine or hopper onto a magnetic bolt tip. It’s then pressed forward into the breech of the barrel. After loading a BB, the shooter pumps a pneumatic lever—the fore-end of the rifle in this case—up to 10 times to charge the air cylinder. When the trigger is pulled, the compressed air propels the projectile out of the barrel. 

Today’s 760 Pumpmaster has a plastic stock and receiver, and BBs are loaded into a port at the base of the grip, then shaken into a magazine atop the receiver. The rifle has a front post sight and a classic-style notch rear sight with an elevation wedge for adjustment. The receiver features a plastic rimfire-width dovetail for mounting an airgun scope.

The 760 has a smooth bore and produces good, consistent velocity, but poor accuracy with BBs. BBs are definitely more accurate with one pump of the lever, but with five or more pumps, accuracy degrades dramatically. The overall dispersion of BBs is tighter than the other two rifles of this style in the test, but it’s still poor. 

This is the best BB gun in the test for squirrels, but it shouldn’t be used with BBs. In general, even higher-velocity BBs do not seem to perform very well on squirrels—even the small red squirrels we have here in Alaska. Pellets are very effective though, and the 760 shoots them well. With a small scope, it’s deadly. A key feature that sets it apart from the other two similar rifles in this test is the open loading port which makes it easy to load pellets with adult-sized fingers.

Read Next: Best Air Rifles for Squirrels

Key Features

• Action: Open-bolt, blowback
• Select-fire, semi- or full-auto
• Power source: 12-gram CO2 cartridge (x2)
• Sights: Non-adjustable rear peep, front post
• Stock/Furniture: Metal wire, collapsing
• Weight: 8 pounds, (measured)
• Trigger: 10 pounds, 8 ounces (measured)
• Average velocity: 440 feet per second
• Velocity standard deviation: 5.1 feet per second
• Group size: 1.4 inches (7 yards)
• Price: $199

Pros

• Realistic weight and features
• Detachable magazine holds both CO2 and 60 BBs
• Realistic bolt blowback action
• Safe, semi-, or full-auto selector

Cons

• Some BBs function better than others in the magazine
• Some CO2 cartridges are harder to pierce in this gun

Despite being such an ugly and cheaply-manufactured gun as the genuine M3 submachine gun was, I’m enthralled with it. This reproduction BB submachine gun made by Umarex is almost as cool as the real thing. It’s part of a “Legends” series of historic firearms that includes the Thompson submachine gun and the German MP-40.

The Umarex M3 Grease Gun is a heavy, well-built BB gun. It weighs 8 pounds and is primarily metal. Unlike many other BB guns, the M3 feels durable. It also displays great attention to detail like imperfect mock welds where the real M3’s stamped parts were welded together. It has a flip-up dust cover and a thumb-cocking recess in the bolt. It has sling mounts where WW2-issue web slings could be attached, and simple, fixed sights. 

The power behind this BB gun is in the magazine, which holds two CO2 cartridges and a loadout of 60 BBs. I found that the Umarex/Hornady BBs and ASG Blaster BBs functioned best. The Crosman Copperhead bbs sometimes didn’t feed through the magazine smoothly. While firing, the bolt actually cycles, then drops forward when the last BB in the magazine has fired—just like the real open-bolt M3. This operation robs some of the CO2, but you can usually get through about 180 BBs before you need to swap cartridges. 

 Sticklers will point out that the rate of fire is much faster than a real Grease Gun, but if you can’t overlook that, you’re a Scrooge. Because of its sub-gun status, I tested the M3 for accuracy at 7 yards, and it held a tight, but slightly off-center group. No matter, one can simply strafe into a row of empty cans and clean house. This is truly an awesome, insanely fun BB gun that will make anyone smile.

More of the Best BB Guns: Rifles

Picking the top BB guns from this field wasn’t easy. Here’s some more excellent rifles that were tested.

Key Features

• Action: Lever action
• Power source: 12-gram CO2 cartridge (x2)
• Sights: Elevation-adjustable buckhorn rear sight, brass bead front
• Stock/Furniture: Plastic
• Weight: 5 pounds, 13 ounces (empty, measured)
• Trigger: 2 pounds, 5 ounces (measured)
• Average velocity: 575 feet per second
• Velocity standard deviation: 8.6 feet per second
• Group size: 3.0 inches
• Price: $190

Pros

• Great velocity
• Realistic Lever-action cycling
• Great accuracy
• Metal construction

Cons

• Plastic stock seems like it could crack easily
• Sometimes the extractor slips the cartridge rims

One of the best BB rifles in this test was the only CO2-powered model, the Umarex Legends Cowboy Rifle. Loosely modeled after the Winchester Model 1894, the Umarex uses 2 12-gram CO2 cartridges in the stock to propel the BBs. It’s constructed mostly of metal except for the plastic stock, and uses ten brass-colored steel cartridges to feed and shoot the BBs. Unlike some other types which use a rubber “bullet” up front, these cartridges have a rubber ring in the rear where the primer would be. The BB is pressed into the rear of the cartridge and cartridges are loaded exactly the same manner they’d be loaded into a real 1894.

When you cycle the lever, a cartridge is pulled from the magazine and pressed against the breech of the barrel. Pulling the trigger shoots the BB through the cartridge body and out the muzzle. Cycling the lever again ejects the “spent” cartridge and loads a new one. This is a cool and witty way to make a realistic BB gun, and the only trouble I had was that the extractor, which pulls at the top of the case rim, sometimes slips over that rim. Considering that the cartridges are pretty heavy, and it’s not a real rifle, it doesn’t bother me too much. With slow, steady cycling, cartridges eject reliably. If one slips, simply close the bolt back over it and apply a little pressure downward to the bolt as you draw it back again.

Key Features

• Action: Pump action
• Power source: Spring piston
• Sights: Adjustable notch/peep flip rear sight, blade front
• Stock/Furniture: Wood
• Weight: 3 pounds, 9 ounces (measured)
• Trigger: 4 pounds, 4 ounces (measured)
• Average velocity: 267 feet per second
• Velocity standard deviation: 4.9 feet per second
• Group size: 3.1 inches
• Price: $53

Pros

• Easy to operate
• Spring-loaded magazine for reliable feeding
• Accurate
• Classic BB gun design

Cons

• Barrel and magazine can be difficult for kids to unscrew for loading

One of the earliest BB guns, the Daisy model 25 saw huge success. This model stayed in production from 1914 to 1978 and millions were sold. The model was discontinued, but was brought back in 2009. My dad had one of these as a kid, and it was one of the most popular BB guns Daisy ever made. 

The Model 25 is a pump-action BB gun that uses pump-driven levers to cock the spring. To load, the barrel cap is threaded off and comes out with the barrel and magazine assembly. About 50 BBs can be fit into the spring-loaded magazine, and these guns don’t suffer from the same gravity feeding issues that the lever guns do. This rifle is pretty easy to cock, has mild, consistent velocity, and is accurate. Despite its folded sheet metal front sight and primitive adjustable rear peep, the Model 25 was the third most accurate, and one of the best BB guns in the test. At just over $50, it’s a great value.

Key Features

• Action: Hopper fed for BBs, single shot for pellets
• Power source: Pneumatic pump
• Rifled barrel
• Sights: Blade front and elevation-adjustable rear notch
• Stock/Furniture: Plastic
• Weight: 4 pounds, 12 ounces (measured)
• Trigger: 6 pounds, 14 ounces (measured)
• Average velocity: 553 feet per second (5 pumps), 259 fps (1 pump), 659 fps (10 pumps)
• Velocity standard deviation: 7.7 feet per second
• Group size: 10.1 inches (5 pumps), 4.2 inches (1 pump)
• Group size (with pellets): 1.61inches
• Price: $69

Pros

• Can use BBs or Pellets
• Variable power, up to 10 pumps
• Accurate with Pellets
• Rear sight is adjustable for windage and elevation

Cons

• Receiver flexes when pumping
• Feels a little cheap for the price

Barra Airguns isn’t a brand that I was familiar with, but they have their own BB/Pellet pneumatic pump rifle that’s styled after guns like the Henry Golden Boy. This gun uses plastic furniture, and a BB hopper in the receiver area. The mirror-gold finish of the plastic receiver is eye-catching, but it does scratch pretty easily. It functions in the same way that guns like the Crosman 760 and Daisy 880 do, with a cocking handle and pumping handle—which is the lever in this case. Unlike those two, the Barra has a rear sight that’s adjustable for windage, and it has a cool safety device, the hammer, which is on safe when in forward position and on “fire” when it’s pulled back.

The Barra 1866 has a rifled barrel and functions well with the BB hopper, but it’s not accurate with BBs. It’s much more accurate with pellets, but they are difficult to load with my fat fingers. This rifle isn’t supposed to be a detailed replica, but it still feels a little underwhelming for its price. 

Key Features

• Action: Magazine fed for BBs, single shot for pellets
• Power source: Pneumatic pump
• Sights: White-dot front and adjustable rear notch
• Stock/Furniture: Plastic
• Weight: 3 pounds, 4 ounces (measured)
• Trigger: 4 pounds, 11 ounces (measured)
• Average velocity: 572 feet per second (5 pumps), 265 fps (1 pump), 698 fps (10 pumps)
• Velocity standard deviation (5 pumps): 5.2 feet per second
• Group size: 9 inches (5 pumps), 3.6 inches (1 pump)
• Group size (with pellets): 1.3 inches
• Price: $65

Pros

• Fully adjustable sights
• Variable power, up to 10 pumps
• Can use BBs or pellets
• Loop handle pumping lever is easy to operate

Cons

Another staple of my childhood was the Daisy 880, which has been around since the early 1970’s. It’s a classic BB/Pellet pneumatic pump rifle that has a Monte Carlo-style stock, white accents, and molded checkering that give it a 1960’s Winslow-like look—though it’s not overly flashy. The bulk of this rifle is plastic, like others in its price range, but it’s been an essential companion to many young country kids. It feeds BBs from a hopper in the side of the receiver area, but shoots them pretty terribly. Like other BB guns of this style, especially those with rifled barrels, BBs are sent spinning off in unpredictable directions. However, it does print tight groups with pellets. 

Key Features

• Action: Lever action
• Power source: Spring piston
• Sights: Non-adjustable notch rear, front post
• Stock/Furniture: Wood
• Weight: 2 pounds, 1 ounce (empty, measured)
• Trigger: 5 pounds, 7 ounces (measured)
• Average velocity: 276 feet per second
• Velocity standard deviation: 3.7 feet per second
• Group size: 4.2 inches
• Price: $30

Pros

• Simple and durable
• Short stock for small-framed shooters
• Easy-to-operate crossbolt safety

Cons

• Sights aren’t adjustable
• Stiff trigger pull for young children

The Daisy Buck was the smallest rifle in the test, and another staple of kids marksmanship instruction. It’s a simple and durable lever action with a spring-powered plunger. It’s cocked and loaded in the same way that the Red Ryder and a few other models are, but the Buck features an ultra-short stock to fit small shooters. The Buck fires at a pretty consistent velocity, and printed mediocre groups. The non-adjustable sights are meant to be durable and teach basic marksmanship—including Kentucky windage—not to execute highly accurate shooting. The trigger pull is about the same as the Red Ryder, which is a bit stiff for the size of shooter that the rifle fits, but overall, it’s a great value.

More of the Best BB Guns: Handguns

If picking through the BB rifles was tough, sorting BB handguns was a downright challenge. The number of hyper-realistic BB pistols and revolvers is staggering, and this test can’t come close to covering it all. I like banging away with a rifle, but these BB handguns are some of the best BB guns I could hope to shoot.

ASG CZ Shadow 2

Key Features

• Action: Semi-automatic, blowback action
• Power source: 12-gram CO2 cartridge (x1)
• Sights: Adjustable rear notch, red fiber-optic front
• Stock/Furniture: Aluminum grip scales
• Weight: 2 pounds, 15 ounces (empty, measured)
• Trigger: 1 pound, 4 ounces (measured)
• Average velocity: 259 feet per second
• Velocity standard deviation: 17.6 feet per second
• Group size: 3.8 inches
• Price: $250

Pros

• Ultra realistic
• Weight, balance, and function suitable for training
• Hop-up system to tune BB flight
• Excellent sights

Cons

• Can be tough to tune for great accuracy

The most realistic BB gun in this test is undoubtedly the CZ Shadow 2 from American Sport Games. It’s a full-metal, full-weight pistol that mimics the real CZ Shadow 2 down to the tiniest external detail. The magazine is weighted and holds a single CO2 cartridge, as well as a spring-loaded stack of BBs. When loaded into the gun, the slide is cycled to cock, and the gun is fired as you would a real Shadow 2 or CZ 75. Along with good velocity, a portion of the CO2 is directed to cycle the slide with a realistic blowback action. It’s not as stout as 9mm, but it gives the pistol an even more realistic feel. 

Another cool feature of the CZ Shadow 2 BB pistol is its hop-up system. The hop-up system puts backspin on the BBs, which gives them a flatter trajectory. You can easily remove the slide from the gun by pulling the takedown pin—also like the real thing—and by adjusting the hop-up setting screw, you can adjust the spin on the bb to tune the trajectory. This BB pistol is fun to shoot, feels exactly like the real thing, and has an excellent trigger. With some quick hop-up tuning, it didn’t print great groups for me, but perhaps with some more time, that could be improved.

Key Features

• Action: Single action
• Power source: 12-gram CO2 cartridge (x1)
• Sights: Fixed rear groove, blade front
• Stock/Furniture: Plastic
• Weight: 2 pounds, 6 ounces (with cartridges, measured)
• Trigger: 1 pound, 1 ounce (measured)
• Average velocity: 377 feet per second
• Velocity standard deviation: 17.6 feet per second
• Group size: 2.5 inches
• Price: $120

Pros

• Metal construction
• Great Trigger
• Realistic weight and function
• Accurate

Cons

• Requires included cartridges to shoot

Another realistic western-style BB gun is the Colt Peacemaker from Umarex. This gun is mostly metal, with plastic grip scales, and is a great replica of the classic Colt single action revolver. It’s got a stainless finish and true-to-form single-action operation. This revolver uses the same steel cartridges that the Cowboy Rifle uses, in which the BBs are pressed into the case head. It’s ridiculously cool and feels just like the genuine article. 

This revolver has a working ejector rod, and the cylinder can be rotated freely with the hammer at about half-cock. If you don’t want to remove cartridges to reload, simply open the loading gate and press a new BB into each one as you rotate the cylinder. This Peacemaker BB gun has a front blade and rear groove sights, and was one of the more accurate handguns in the test. CO2 cartridges last a long time because there’s no blowback, and it takes a while to reload each cylinder. 

Key Features

• Action: Semi-automatic, blowback action
• Power source: 12-gram CO2 cartridge (x1)
• Sights: White three-dot, Windage-adjustable rear
• Stock/Furniture: Polymer grip scales
• Weight: 2 pounds, 6 ounces (empty, measured)
• Trigger: 3 pounds, 10 ounces (measured)
• Average velocity: 279 feet per second
• Velocity standard deviation: 11.9 feet per second
• Group size: 2.9 inches
• Price: $120

Pros

• Great weight and balance
• Realistic feel and sight picture
• Blowback action simulates recoil
• Metal slide

Cons

• Sights aren’t adjustable for elevation

Sig Sauer has replicas of its own popular handguns in BB gun form, and one of the coolest is the 1911 Emperor Scorpion. This pistol is modeled after Sig’s .45 ACP version, and it’s pretty true to form. Like similar BB pistols, this 1911 has a removable magazine that houses the single CO2 cartridge and a spring-loaded BB magazine. The gun loads and functions just like a real one does, and part of the CO2 is siphoned off to cycle the slide, giving it .22-like recoil.

The Emperor Scorpion has a FDE finish, functional thumb and grip safeties, and a very real-looking barrel. It even locks open after the last BB of the magazine is expended. The pistol has good Novak-style white three-dot sights that are adjustable for windage, but not elevation. It shot a great group, but a small point of irritation was that my sights are a bit off on elevation and I can’t do much about it. All-in-all, a pretty solid BB pistol for the price.

Key Features

• Action: Semi-automatic, blowback action
• Power source: 12-gram CO2 cartridge (x1)
• Sights: Glock-style white-dot front, U-notch rear
• Stock/Furniture: Polymer 
• Weight: 1 pound, 13 ounces (empty, measured)
• Trigger: 3 pounds, 6 ounces (measured)
• Average velocity: 279 feet per second
• Velocity standard deviation: 3.2 feet per second
• Group size: 3.2 inches
• Price: $62

Pros

• Realistic feel and function
• Blowback action
• Good accuracy
• Fits many G17 holsters

Cons

• Fixed sights aren’t always the most accurate

Umarex has quite a few BB pistols that are a great value, and one of them is their Glock G17 replica. It’s got a polymer frame, metal slide, and a removable magazine that holds the CO2 and BBs. With each shot the slide cycles and, although it’s not as robust as a real 9mm, it feels about like a .22 and the pistol can be a great training tool. Like a G17, there aren’t a lot of frills. It has standard Glock-style sights, a single-slot accessory rail, and locks open when the last BB is fired. This BB gun showed good, consistent velocity and shot a good 20-shot group. One nice thing is that the trigger on this BB pistol is actually better than the stock trigger on a real Glock!

Key Features

• Action: Semi-automatic, blowback action
• Power source: 12-gram CO2 cartridge (x1)
• Sights: X-ray-style 3-dot, green front, white rear
• Stock/Furniture: Polymer 
• Weight: 1 pound, 1 ounce (empty, measured)
• Trigger: 2 pounds, 10 ounces (measured)
• Average velocity: 263 feet per second
• Velocity standard deviation: 9.5 feet per second
• Group size: 4.8 inches

Pros

• Nearly identical to real Sig P365
• Great training tool
• Blowback cycling
• Safety lever

Cons

• Trigger is much different than real P365
• Not very accurate

Another of Sig Sauer’s replica BB pistols is the P365. The real Sig P365 is one of the most popular EDC pistols of our day, and some of the best BB guns like this can be used for at-home training. It generally follows the manual of arms of many other semi-auto BB pistols. The removable magazine holds the CO2 and 20 BBs. The gun is loaded, cocked, and fired just like the real thing. This P365 BB gun will fit in many Sig P365 holsters, and mimics the version of the pistol with a manual safety. I didn’t find it to be particularly accurate, but for EDC training or a shooter with smaller hands, it can be a great, affordable tool.

Key Features

• Action: Semi-automatic, no blowback
• Power source: 12-gram CO2 cartridge (x1)
• Sights: Fixed, rear peep, front blade
• Stock/Furniture: Wire/metal 
• Weight: 1 pound, 8 ounces (empty, measured)
• Trigger: 6 pounds, 15 ounces (measured)
• Average velocity: 311 feet per second
• Velocity standard deviation: 7.8 feet per second
• Group size: 2.5 inches
• Price: $70

Pros

• No blowback allows longer CO2 life
• 39-round capacity
• Telescoping, fold-out buttstock
• Fun to shoot

Cons

• Sights aren’t very functional
• Mostly Plastic

The ASG Ingram M11 BB gun is modeled after the famous .380 ACP submachine gun known as the MAC-11. This is on the lower end of the realistic spectrum for replicas, and it’s semi-automatic only. The ASG M11 seems like it would be entirely useless—as many believe the real MAC-11 to be. It has barely functional sights and a stubby telescoping stock that wants to slide up the shoulder more than stabilize the pistol. The real MAC series of machine pistols are notoriously difficult to shoot with any accuracy without significant aftermarket modification. This BB gun is powered by a single CO2 cartridge in the detachable magazine that also holds 39 BBs. It’s semi-auto only, and because there’s no blowback action to rob gas, you can get quite a few shots. Mine will pump through 3-4 magazines worth of BBs before needing recharged. 

On paper, the M11 ranked fourth in accuracy for pistols despite its impractical sights. Using silver-colored BBs, it was surprisingly effective at rattling arrays of steel cans from up to 50 yards, simply by shooting quickly and walking the shots onto target. It’s not a practical tool in any sense of the word, but it’s pretty damn fun. It’s ok to have fun.

How to Choose the Best BB Guns for You

Whether it’s a BB gun or a firearm, you have to consider several factors when choosing which one to buy. Some of these variables are practical, but others are purely personal preference. Here are a few:

• What is the age of the shooter?
• Is this BB gun for a new shooter or experienced shooter?
• What’s the primary purpose? Pest control? Marksmanship instruction? Just fun plinking?
• What’s your budget?
• Would you rather have a CO2-powered BB gun or a manually-powered BB gun?

If you’re picking a BB gun for a new shooter, simple is usually better. If you’re looking for a realistic handgun replica to train and familiarize new shooters, you’ll want one with full functionality. If you’re an experienced shooter looking for something fun, then pick something you know will make you smile.

As much as I’d hate hearing this myself as a kid, the highly realistic BB guns on this list (and others like them) should be used only by adults or under the same supervision one would apply to real firearms. They look real, feel real, and work like real firearms. Every BB gun needs to be handled according to the same safety rules as firearms, but extra care needs to be taken to ensure that realistic replicas aren’t misused or treated with negligence.

FAQs

Final Thoughts on the Best BB Guns

Testing and shooting some of the best BB guns has not only been fun, but also eye opening. I had no idea about the variety and quality of BB guns that are available today. Many of these replicas are simply amazing, and my childhood self is burning with envy at the awesome, fun BB guns I now have at my disposal. Along with that, it’s great to see some of the classics like the Daisy Model 25 still chugging along and holding their own. BB guns are different things to different people, but rest assured, there’s never been a better time to get one.