Umarex DX17

I needed a gun with no bullets for a film shoot and this was the cheapest one that actually passes off as a real one. I have never used any type of air pistols or anything like that so I don’t know how to compare the difficulty of moving the mechanisms but it definitely requires effort, which makes it such a great prop gun!

It is EXTREMELY difficult to cock this gun. Like really really really hard. Also I thought once loaded it would shoot all 15 rounds automatically but you have to cock the gun after each shot. I had to watch a video to figure out how to load the thing. None of those videos had anything nice to say about this model. And the accuracy is a joke. Range is about the only thing going for it; but unless you are trying for the side of a barn you will not hit your target. Sending it back.

Good

Okay, this is not a toy. It is not for beginners, either. This can potentially hurt somebody or something... it's not a high powered airgun but it's powered enough that it could put an eye out or lodge beneath your skin. I would not give this to a child or anyone under 18. I need cat trainers for bully cats that stop other cats in a rescue from eating... some kind of soft item that will not penetrate skin but will do more discomfort than a squirt gun. This gun is way beyond that. Do not ever point or use this on a person or animal. I recommend it for just backyard plinking and target practice at a fairly close range. If you need a prop gun for a play or just for pseudo protection in the home (won't kill a burglar, but will scare him to death) and if you don't want a real gun in your home but want something for protection... this looks like a real gun and probably would scare off intruders. I like the look and feel. It does not have a cheap feel... it feels well made. But, it is a little bulky and awkward to cock and shoot. And the safety does not work well or smoothly. Strangely enough, my real .22 Smith and Wesson is much easier to use, cock, and the safety really works. However... I paid ten times for that what I paid for this BB gun. Like I said... it's a niche gun. It works best as looking like a real gun and or simple backyard target shooting. It will penetrate a plastic package at close range, so I know it penetrates skin. Be careful. This is not a toy. This is in the twilight zone between a toy and a real gun. Not strong enough to protect you, but not weak enough to play with.

Let’s get a couple of things out of the way. I’ll be comparing this gun to its rival as produced by Marksman. Also, I bought this at around $30. I’ve seen it cheaper, but I had a promotional code that I used on other things in the order and it wasn’t too awfully pricey. It can be had for $20 or so if you are willing to wait. Finally, my gun may be slightly defective, but it’s not enough to get me to return the gun. Also, I’m a “Bad News First” kind of guy, so I’m getting the negatives out of the way first. I already touched on cost. At its cheaper $20 going rate, its price is less unpalatable. I’m just not sure it’s worth $30. Also, the slide-lockback safety on mine appears defective. On the Marksman competitor, the safety is a mock slide release that slides through, preventing the slide from moving forward and propelling ammunition downrange. My DX17’s comparable safety mimicks the design of older Marksman pistols of similar design, a mock magazine release that slides into place, locking the slide back. My gun’s safety pushes into place but won’t lock. Maybe I’m missing a step; maybe my gun is slightly defective. It’s a little worrying that the safety isn’t safe, but it’s a relatively minor issue. I don’t particularly care for the mechanism used to load pellets/BBs. I’m not talking about the idea in general (you flip up the barrel and either load the reservoir with BBs or push a light-grain .177 pellet into the barrel itself.) I’m talking about the fact that you push a fake guide rod under the barrel to flip up the barrel itself. It’s a slightly awkward system, and the barrel doesn’t stay up well. It’s also harder to clear a jam from that system than from the older style Marksman pistols, though the newer Marksman shares some of the design flaws in this regard with its Umarex competitor. Finally, and very personally, I prefer the flatter, less obtrusive grips of the Marksman. The Umarex and Marksman pistols appear to take nods from the same real gun, though I’m honestly not sure quite what gun that would be. The Umarex’s grips, however, stick out more in front. The front strap is angled and just, for me, less comfortable to hold. One more tiny negative: the Umarex gun doesn’t come with a mounting rail. I’m not saying it needs one, but the cheaper Marksman gives us a rail, which adds to te fun factor, even though its utility is limited. Now, what do I like about this gun? First of all, the trigger! The trigger on the Marksman is wiggly and often refuses to extend, which means the slide doesn’t reliably lock into place. The umarex’s trigger, on the other hand, is crisp, reliable, and consistent. It also feels better against the finger. I also like the thumb safety. On the Umarex, pushing the slide forward causes the springloaded thumb safety to click smartly into place. The Marksman’s thumb safety isn’t spring loaded, so you have to actually hold the slide forward an d push it into place. It’s a little touch, but it makes this Umarex pistol feel more premium. Speaking of slide travel, this gun’s slide has to travel less to reach the Safe forward position. This is important, particularly in comparison with the Marksman, whose slide has to travel almost an inch against spring tension to be forward enough to be put into safety. It also effects the feel of the gun when fired. The Marksman’s slide jerks forward, then bounces back, giving the gun a bouncy, unpleasant feel, as though it’s trying to escape the hand. The Umarex, on the other hand, fires and has a single bump, the equivalent of smooth recoil impulse, though much smaller. Finally, I much prefer the fit and finish of this pistol to its cheaper competitor. That cheaper competitor feels cheaply made, and while some of this is elusion, or at least remediable, the Umarex feels cleaner, crisper, more solid, more well-made, and generally smoother around the edges. The conclusion, buy it for fun, indoor or outdoor, if you have the $20 or $30 to spare. Don’t expect it to be more than it is. It’s meant for some wholesome fun, not for pest control, target work, or defense. It’s a good gun that suffers from occasional price hike.

Good but the safety doesn’t work

Great little BB gun , fun to shoot targets. a modern version the old Marksman spring BB pistols

Within three hours of owning it, it broke. It was a lot of fun and very accurate. However I noticed the cocking/pump would hang up and it had a rattle like a BB was still in it. But that stopped. However when I unloaded the BBs a metal sprint that broke somewhere inside fell out into my hand also. I really have no idea where that came from? Slipped out where it loads from between the frame. Just a wire curled on one end. I figure it was probably always broken and that was the rattle I would hear from the get-go. It still fired, but the cocking/pump would hang up and I would have to wiggle it around to get it to slide back forward. Also of note... it wasn't even in the fully locked position in the package. I don't know if that's normal? The pump mechanism wasn't set all the way forward in the package. But that may be normal? I have owned Umarex before and still have a Umarex. Probably a fluke 1 in 1,000 issue. I returned it.