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Tanfoglio 1911 BB Gun and stuff (courtesy The Truth About Guns)

Pyramyd Air’s marketing director and “booth babe” Elise Venditti finally sent the TTAG team some air guns. I chose the Tanfoglio above because the 1911 was John Moses Brownings’ gift to mankind and who am I to refuse divine providence (even if left the Rhode Island version for Lone Star status)? Other than deciding which survival knife to use on the packaging (while avoiding a QuickClot catastrophe), deciding whether or not to shoot it in the backyard is the next challenge. On one hand, it’s private. And I am in Texas. So no worries about Condor contamination or neighbor freak-out. On the other hand, I live next to UT’s top cop. How great is that? We just might find out. Fancy a go officer? Full review to follow.

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39 COMMENTS

  2. I can see where it would be an issue – no mandatory little orange tip-off that this isn’t a “real” gun?

    When I was much younger I had a Crossman BB pistol that looked (somewhat) like a 1911. Fairly accurate out to about 12 feet. Then when I was stationed in Germany I discovered that a lot of the officers when we were on maneuvers would carry these same Crossmans in their holsters rather than risk losing a real 1911 in the field. I’ll bet they would have loved to have some of these babies (not Elise, necessarily).

    • They still make those Crosmans, in fact. I remember the troubleshooting section of the owner’s manual only listed excuses for why it was such a crappy BB pistol. No kidding, the A: to every Q: started with: “Your Crossman is designed to be a fun and inexpensive ‘plinker,’ and was not intended to…”

    • The “mandatory” orange tip is not mandatory everywhere, and in the places where it is mandatory it’s ineffective, see the prior article regarding the shooting of a 13YO with an airsoft gun.

      • No kidding. Not only is an orange tip difficult to discern when it’s pointed at you, but people have been known to paint their guns to look like toys: see the story just under this one with what looks like a cheap AK toy.

        So exercise common sense regardless of whether you’ve got a fake gun that looks real or a real gun that looks fake…

    • I believe since this is a BB gun meant to shoot metallic pellets that an orange tip is not appropriate. I think that the orange tip is only required on airguns that shoot plastic pellets or less-than/non-lethal ammunition.

  3. Careful.

    It’s against Austin city ordinances to fire bb guns (including airsoft guns) even in your own yard.

  4. As a CO2 BB pistol owner of over a year, you’re gonna need more CO2, mostly because its just so fun.

        • I’m pretty sure that airguns fall into the “real” category considering the amount of pests I’ve taken down with them over the years. And if that isn’t enough consider the PCP guns shooting .45 cal (or larger) muzzleloader bullets and used for big game hunting.

  6. Air guns are awesome. Well, at least the well made ones, the ones that too many people pass over because they don’t want to spend money on quality. Pay for plastic, get plastic.

    But seriously… “booth babe”?

    Isn’t there a better way to describe a gun company executive? Or do female shooters/experts not get to join the club with the boys?

    • I used to be in the outdoor recreation business. Booth Babe is, as the lawyers say, a term of art.

    • Well, “booth babe” was in quotes in the article, so it’s probably not meant as a diminutive term. I don’t think there’s any shame in a woman being attractive as well as competent, and the competence certainly doesn’t take away from her appearance.

      If she was in a booth at the show, I think the term fits.

    • “Well, at least the well made ones, the ones that too many people pass over because they don’t want to spend money on quality. Pay for plastic, get plastic.

      I feel the same way about real guns.

    • “Booth babe” (whether in quotes or not) is a slang term. It is defined as:
      “…a female model who is hired for the duration of a trade show to attract potential customers. Such models are typically dressed provocatively and are hired for their appearance rather than for their knowledge about the product they are promoting.”

      So, let’s review facts: Elise Venditti is:
      Female.
      Attractive. (well, opinion there, but let’s go with that)

      But, for gosh sakes, she is a Marketing Executive at (probably) the most respected airgun sales outlet in the US.

      Therefore, she is not a “booth babe”, she is “Elise Venditti, Pyramyd Air’s marketing director”.

  8. I scored a Colt 1911 airsoft from Pyramyd Air when ammo became scarce around Christmas last year. While I maintained a goodly stash of actual 45ACPs, I knew I was not going to get the trigger time I was accustomed to for some time to come.

    Ten months later I can say it is one of the best investments I’ve made. I have multiple targets I can plink at, I can practice drawing, moving etc. while dinner is cooking on the grill, the plastic BBs and Co2 cartridges used in one session are cheaper than three .45ACPs.

    Obviously not nearly the same as gunpowder, but certainly more fun than dry fire. Now I can practice a couple times a week and shoot real ammo once a month or so without having lost my musckle mammary.

  10. As a owner of this airgun and similar models like this, I can tell you they are a lot of fun and great trainers. The Tangfolio probably has the greatest simulation of felt recoil out of all the airguns that I own and is very accurate. 20 yards and in and it is a great little plinker.

    As a note, make sure to use the pellgunoil before inserting the co2. This helps maintain the quality and integrity of the seal. I have thousands upon thousands of BB’s fired through all of my airguns and I have yet to have an issue with any of them.

  11. I loved my Crossman Python when I was younger. Even more when I figured out you can Crazy glue a pistol primer to a pointy pellet. Shooting hard targets was a lot more satisfying.

    • Normally we humans wouldn’t be considered ‘hard’ targets, but it’s only reasonable to make exceptions for our siblings….

      Tom

  12. Guess it’s all been said about the gun. As for the packaging, don’t be gentle. All bleeding stops! Eventually.

  13. Has UT’s top cop been appraised of your views on criminal justice and law enforment yet? Not that I think you should bring it up but how does that work? Is he one of The Good One’s® by your poorly defined definition of whatever the hell you mean when you use that exspression?

  15. It has to be better than the “Marksman” brand spring air BB pistol. I have had one of those and they don’t generate enough power to knock over or even DENT an empty aluminum can, if you can hit the can (extremely inaccurate). I love my Daisy CO2 pistol that resembles a Berretta model 92. I’ve shot it a lot and use bullet trap rated for .22LR as my target holder. I agree with many above that mentioned it is a very economical way to get some trigger time in. I have also used it as an introduction piece for beginning shooters that are a little too nervous to try a real firearm. With little noise or recoil, it is easy to teach the basics to a newbee. I think every one should have a couple of pellet or BB guns just for the fun if nothing else. But like most things, you get what you pay for. Don’t expect premium performance from anything that cost under $30. This Tanfoglio looks to be a fun choice. I’m looking forward to hearing how accurate it is with fixed sights and smooth bore barrel.

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