I haven't reviewed any pistols until now, so it seems like a good time to take a quick look at a couple of .20 caliber pistols that I have been playing around with.
The Crosman Silhouette Sport Pistol, model SSP-250, is big. With a barrel almost ten inches long and an overall length of over fourteen inches, it's easy to see why some people have been putting shoulder stocks on these guns and using them as carbines.
Construction is fairly good, marking this as a low-end adult airgun. Crosman clearly wanted to make the gun sturdy while keeping the cost to a minimum. Thus, it has a cast alloy frame and upper receiver, with steel tubes for the lower receiver and barrel shroud. The grips, forearm, and some other parts are plastic. The overall effect is solid, but ugly. The finish on the metal parts is crude. The trigger, I should note, is a thin and flimsy feeling piece of plastic, and the material appeared slightly crazed. I noticed the foregrip had been attached a bit lopsided. The left pistol grip had been screwed down too tight, cracking it slightly. None of these minor cosmetic details affected the gun's operation. Having paid only $50 for the gun, I felt no need to worry over such things.
The SSP-250 offers interchangeable barrels. Three hex nuts hold the barrel in place within the barrel shroud. Changing barrels can be a bit tricky, but takes only a couple of minutes. A small plastic chamber must also be changed in the loading block. Unfortunately, this piece is easily lost. I suggest finding one barrel you will be happy with and sticking with it.
The SSP-250 comes with a standard .177 caliber rifled steel barrel. I also purchased the .20 caliber barrel, which is rifled brass. Both performed well, but, after using the gun a while, the steel .177 barrel rusted badly. I counted this no big loss, as I was happy to use .20 caliber.
I also purchased the model 1399 shoulder stock, a black plastic affair that matches the SSP-250 well. Crosman must have had this stock in mind for the SSP-250, since the gun comes with a reversible rear sight; flipped one way it's an open sight, flipped the other way it's a peep. The peep sight works well with the stock. Though the resulting carbine is handy, it is a bit lacking in power compared to such standbys as the Crosman 180 rifle, which is not much larger. The SSP-250 also has scope rails, but finding rings to fit them could be a trial due to the arched shape of the upper receiver.
The SSP-250 has two power settings. At low power it gets 90 shots from a gas bulb while still producing reasonably good power for short range target shooting. The trigger action is light and crisp. The higher setting produces a fairly loud report, but reduces efficiency to 35 shots per gas bulb and the stiffens the trigger pull considerably. Crosman lists the velocity in .177 caliber as 540 FPS. Velocity with .20 caliber pellets should be upward of 450 FPS.
For accuracy, I tested the SSP-250 at low power, at 25 feet. This revealed a preference for Beeman Kodiak pellets, which gave a 0.63 inch group. At high power the Kodiak was still the best performer, punching a 0.44 inch group.
The other pistol I have been using is a Sheridan Model E, costing about twice as much as the Crosman. As the SSP is ugly, so is the Model E beautiful with its compact size, clean lines, and brightly polished nickel finish. There is no plastic in the Model E: it is made almost entirely from brass, with walnut grips. The E looks and feels good in the hand. It inspires confidence.
The rear sight on my Model E is just a tad lopsided, but that has not proved a problem. Worse is the bright, glossy appearance of the sights because of their nickel plating. This can make aiming difficult if light catches them at the wrong angle. As for the trigger, it was rather stiff at first, but has smoothed out as the gun was broken in. It is still no match trigger, but is fairly good and perfectly appropriate for plinking.
The Model E is also powerful. Despite a shorter barrel, only six inches long, it produces at least as much power as the SSP-250 at its high setting, maybe a little more. The report is certainly louder, much like a .22 rimfire rifle. It gets about 35 to 40 shots per gas bulb. I normally expect a CO2 pistol to be recoilless. However, this gun's power and balance combine to give it a slight, but noticeable, muzzle flip.
Accuracy testing on the Model E was an eye-opener. I found the accuracy varied wildly with the ammunition used, ranging from a wretched 2.5 inch group with Beeman H&N Match pellets to a good 0.56 inch group with Beeman Kodiaks. The Beeman Silver Bear turned in a neat 0.75 inch group, while Crosman domes punched a wide 1.5 inch pattern.
For some time I had been too lazy to test the Model E for accuracy, and had habitually used the H&N Match pellets in it. This experience proves again that accuracy is more voodoo magic than science. Testing with different styles and brands of pellets is well worthwhile even for the casual plinker.
The Model E pistol was first produced only in .20 caliber. New ones, under the integrated Benjamin/Sheridan product line, are available in .177 and .22 calibers as well as the original twenty.
The Model E lacks the many frills of the SSP-250. There are no scope rails, no dual power settings, no interchangeable barrels, and no shoulder stock. On the other hand, the Model E has a clean and straightforward design, as well as clear advantages in appearance, construction, and handling.
My recommendation? If you want maximum performance and versatility for the least money, buy the SSP-250, the gun that does it all. On the other hand, if you want an elegant, beautiful gun that will last a lifetime, the Model E may be the one for you.