If you’re looking for an airsoft pistol that you can reliably take with you as a sidearm (or even your primary), chances are you’re looking for a green gas model.
When it comes to pistols, green gas is often the most sensible and logical choice, powerful enough for outdoor games but safe to take to just about any indoor or CQB game.
With so many green airsoft pistols on the market, however, it can be a bit hard to choose one that’s worth your time and money.
To help out, we’ve compiled a list of what we consider to be the best green gas airsoft pistols on the market today.
In A Rush? Check Out Our Top Green Gas Airsoft Pistols
| Our Pick | Our Review | Where To Find It |
| Best Green Gas 1911 – TM Hi-Capa 5.1 | Read the review | Check it out on Evike |
| Best Budget 1911 – WE Tech 1911 M45A1 | Read the review | Check it out on Evike |
| Best Green Gas M9 – KJW M9 | Read the review | Check it out on Airsoft Station |
| Best Glock 17 – Elite Force/Umarex G17 Gen 5 | Read the review | Check it out on Evike |
| Best Glock 19x – Elite Force/Umarex G19X | Read the review | Check it out on Evike |
| Most Realistic – Sig Sauer Proforce P320 | Read the review | Check it out on Evike |
| Most Unique – Action Army AAP 01 | Read the review | Check it out on Airsoft Station |
| Most Intimidating – TM Desert Eagle | Read the review | Check it out on Evike |
What We Look For In A Green Gas Airsoft Pistol
There are a few factors you have to consider when purchasing a green gas pistol over a CO2 or even an AEG SMG.
While everyone has different priorities, needs and preferences, here are some of the factors that we considered important when building our list of the top green gas airsoft pistols.
Price
While a lot of fun to shoot and useful as a backup, a green gas airsoft pistol will probably never be your go-to primary and so you typically don’t want to blow your entire budget on one.
With higher maintenance requirements, lower FPS, expensive mags, more limited ammo and so on, they usually just aren’t as practical a choice for most airsoft players as a good AEG carbine.
That said, it’s important not to go too cheap when buying a green gas airsoft pistol, as the more inexpensively built models tend to use a lot of poorer quality materials and hard-to-replace proprietary parts that can have a negative effect on performance and long term user experience.
As a result, when it comes to price we tend to prefer green gas airsoft pistols at the $100-150 range.
Although there are a good many cheaper options out there, we feel that this price range tends to have the most gas models offering a good balance of price to quality, and anything beyond it should have some serious justifications for the price.
Balanced Power
We all love a good, hard-hitting airsoft gun, but when it comes to airsoft pistols a balance needs to be struck between power and utility.
A good green gas gun has to be powerful enough for outdoor play while not being too powerful for indoor or CQB events.
If a weapon doesn’t hit that sweet spot- if it’s too weak or too strong- then that’s a pretty serious problem.
Generally speaking, we tend to prefer green gas pistols that are in the 300-350 FPS range, as they offer enough power to be useful at some distance but can slide in under most FPS limits.
Accuracy
Sure, power is great but it doesn’t matter how hard your weapon fires if you can’t hit anything with it beyond 30 feet.
Accuracy at range tends to be heavily influenced by an airsoft gun’s hop up unit and, unfortunately, to this day some airsoft manufacturers still build green gas pistols with a pre-set fixed hop up, or even without one at all.
As a result, we tend to look for airsoft pistols that have an adjustable hop up that will allow them to group decently and shoot past the 50 foot (15m) range effectively, ideally being able to hit man-sized targets at around 100 feet (30m) with some effort.
Kick
A big draw for airsoft gas guns is the more realistic feeling they have compared to electric models, i.e. that nice vibration or “kick” they provide when fired.
To provide the best handling and feel, we feel that good green gas airsoft pistols, being considerably less powerful than their CO2 counterparts, should still have some kind of kick or recoil when fired, even if the gun itself doesn’t have a full blowback action.
Gas Efficiency
Most good green gas pistols are at least somewhat efficient when it comes to using their gas. That said, you do occasionally find real gas hogs that need to be refueled several times per match.
It’s not always a deal breaker, after all many users will happily trade gas efficiency for more exciting and realistic blowback action, but it is something that can be annoying and therefore should be taken into consideration.
Typically, we look for pistols that will offer at least 2+ mags per fill.
Build Quality
If a green gas pistol rattles and wobbles when used, if its parts are loose out of the box, if it breaks easily, or if it’s just made out of really cheap materials, then it’s not worth putting on our list.
Beyond quality control, however, we look for models that have gone the extra distance when being put together, with strong internals, a good trigger, a comfortable grip and, ideally, room for your favorite accessories (rails, threaded barrels, etc).
Availability of Parts
One of the joys of airsoft, especially for more experienced players, is tweaking your weapon to suit your own playstyle.
Having a wide range of available and ready upgrades is a huge plus in our book, as is the availability of replacement parts for when things go wrong.
Our Picks
Best Green Gas 1911 – Tokyo Marui Hi-Capa 5.1
| Price | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Power | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Accuracy | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Build Quality | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Parts Availability | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Pros | Cons |
| Extremely well built | Plastic slide will probably need to be replaced |
| High quality TM internals | Can be a little pricey |
| Snappy blowback, fast cycling | |
| Tons of upgrade accessories | |
| Gas efficient | |
| Accurate | |
| Optional rail |
The Tokyo Marui Hi-Capa 5.1 is considered by many to be the king of airsoft 1911s and 1911-clones.
Once you get one in your hands the reason is quite obvious – it is just a really high-quality and well made green gas airsoft pistol.
As with other Japanese airsoft pistols, while the Hi-Capa 5.1’s frame is made of a pretty decent aluminum alloy, its slide is made of ABS plastic.
As a result, while it probably will need to be replaced with a metal version if used with green gas for an extended amount of time, the 5.1 is able to stay pretty lightweight and it cycles extremely quickly.
The Hi-Capa is also put together extremely well.
In typical TM form, everything has been fitted properly and securely and the gun feels very sturdy in hand.
The Hi-Capa 5.1 comes with an optional rail that can be screwed into the bottom of the gun, allowing it to readily accept flashlights, lasers and other pistol accessories.
It doesn’t, however, come stock with a threaded barrel, so those interested in picking up a mock suppressor or tracer unit will have to find an adaptor or pick up a replacement outer barrel.
While the Hi-Capa’s slide might be plastic, its internals are all pretty high quality and very durable.
The gun sports a high quality brass barrel, sturdy metal recoil guide, metal reinforcements and an excellent dial-type hop up unit that provides much needed spin.
In terms of performance, to comply with Japanese law the TM Hi-Capa 5.1 is a little less powerful than most, chronoing at around 270-300 FPS.
Although no FPS monster, it does offer adequate outdoor performance out of the box and will slide under any CQB FPS field limits.
The 5.1 is, however, extremely accurate as an airsoft pistol and will reliably hit targets out to around 150 feet (50 meters) with a little practice and patience.
It also comes with a light, responsive trigger with a short pull, and has a very snappy and quick blowback action that belies the gun’s green gas powersource and plastic slide.
More than that, the ABS slide gives the gun a blistering cycle, making it very easy to lay down BBs at rapid rate, even if the gun doesn’t have an automatic option.
Finally, being an extremely popular Tokyo Marui pistol, there is a staggering amount of replacement parts and upgrades available for the Hi-Capa 5.1.
Just about everything on the gun can be replaced or upgraded, with everything from improved valves, grips, metal slides, decorative frames, hop ups and more available at the just the click of a button.
On the downside, the Tokyo Marui Hi-Capa 5.1 isn’t exactly cheap to buy.
Coming in at around $150 or more, it is a premium green gas pistol, and users who enjoy using it with anything stronger than duster gas will probably need to swap the ABS slide out for a metal version, adding an extra cost.
That said, the Tokyo Marui’s excellent accuracy, snappy blowback, speedy cycle rate, excellent build quality and extreme customizability more than make up for its cost and we would definitely consider it one of, if not the best, green gas 1911 options out there.
Read our in-depth review for more information
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Best Budget 1911- WE Tech 1911 M45A1
| Price | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Power | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Accuracy | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Build Quality | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Parts Availability | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Pros | Cons |
| Budget-friendly | A little light |
| Full metal frame | Not the greatest gas efficiency |
| Front and rear slide serrations | |
| Accessory rail | |
| High visibility sights | |
| Good build quality | |
| Good Accuracy |
We believe that spending less shouldn’t mean having to settle for less and if you look hard enough, there are often plenty of very quality airsoft guns available for low prices.
If you’re in the market for a 1911 green gas airsoft pistol and don’t have a ton of money to lay out, WE Tech’s 1911 M45A1 might be just what you’re looking for.
It may only cost somewhere around one hundred dollars, but as you’ll see you get a lot for your money.
For one thing, the M45A1 boasts a full metal frame. It is pretty durable and very realistic, with generally solid build quality all around.
The gun is put together decently well, with little in the way of rattling or noise when its handled.
Its slide also comes with a front and rear serrations that, although not the deepest cut, can be very handy when racking the slide in wet weather.
Interestingly, and although not exactly period correct, the WE Tech 1911 M45A1 comes with a bottom rail, which does make the gun far more accessorizable and able to readily accept lasers, flashlights and other tactical accessories.
It also comes with a 14mm CCW threaded barrel, so you can easily attach mock suppressors or tracer units to it without any issue.
The gun even comes with nice, bright white tridot sights that can be helpful when aiming at low contrast targets or in low light conditions.
In terms of performance, the M45A1 is decent enough.
It chronos at around 310 FPS that, while not spectacular, should be fine for outdoor and indoor/CQB games.
It’s also pretty good in terms of accuracy.
With its adjustable hop up and decent internals it can group nicely to about 50 feet and hit man-sized targets to about 100 feet (30 m), meaning it can keep up with some of the more expensive green gas pistols on our list.
Finally, it is a fully ambidextrous 1911 clone, with dual selectors and beavertail safety, left handed users should have no problem using this airsoft gun.
On the downside, the M45A1 feels light in the hand, despite its metal frame and it can feel a little more toy-like than some of its heavier competitors.
Similarly, at around 2 mags per fill, it’s not the most gas efficient airsoft pistol on our list.
That said, for the price, the WE 1911 M45A1 is a fine green gas airsoft pistol at a more than reasonable price.
If you are on a stricter budget and are looking for a decent 1911 for your next game, it should do the job nicely.
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Best Green Gas Beretta M9 – KJW M9
| Price | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Power | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Accuracy | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Build Quality | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Parts Availability | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Pros | Cons |
| Full Metal construction | Unthreaded barrel |
| Good durability and build quality | Grips a little too wide for some hands |
| Realistic look and feel | |
| Tokyo Marui compatible | |
| Excellent blowback action | |
| Good accuracy | |
| Balanced power | |
| Can run green gas and CO2 |
The Beretta M9 is truly a classic firearm.
Adopted by the US military in 1985 to replace the venerable M1911A1, the M9 has been in service for almost forty years and has been featured in countless movies, TV shows and video games.
It’s not really hard to see why the M9 is a popular airsoft pistol choice, and the KJW M9 is in our opinion probably one of the best airsoft M9s around.
To start with, KJW’s M9 is a full metal airsoft pistol.
Its frame and slide are made of a pretty high quality aluminum alloy that makes it quite sturdy and durable, as well as giving it a more realistic feel compared to pot metal and ABS alternatives.
It is also put together quite well. When we checked it out, all the parts fit together exactly the way they ought to and there was no rattling, looseness or wobbling to be found.
The internals of the gun are similarly well-built, with a reinforced slide, loading nozzle and recoil spring that should last a good while with proper maintenance.
Like its real steel inspiration, the KJW M9 won’t let you down in the field, either.
Its power is right on the money for a green gas, chronoing at around 320 FPS, and it offers solid accuracy, being able to make reliably tight groupings at 50 feet (15 m) and is capable of hitting targets well past 100 (30 m) with little issue, largely thanks to an adjustable hop up.
One feature we really liked is the KJW’s versatile power system.
While it works extremely well with green gas, thanks to its reinforced internals, if you need to you can run the gun with CO2 mags.
Finally, this is a KJW product so there are a ton of spare parts available, and the gun is Tokyo Marui compatible, so users can take advantage of all the M9 replacement parts and upgrades that this entails.
On the downside, while the gun does come with a bottom rail, we weren’t thrilled to find that the barrel of the M9 Government is unthreaded, meaning you can’t easily add suppressors or barrel extensions, limiting your ability to customize it.
Further, like a real steel M9, the grips on the gun are a bit on the large side. For most airsoft players they should be fine, but those with smaller hands may find them a little too wide.
In terms of price, coming in at around $120-130, the KJW is about middle of the road in terms of price, but given its high build quality, balanced power, accuracy, parts compatibility and ability to run CO2, you do get a lot for your money with this gun.
As such, if you are in the market for a green gas airsoft M9, we feel that the KJW M9 is probably your best bet.
Read our in-depth review for more information
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Best Green Gas Glock 17 – Elite Force Glock 17 Gen 5
| Price | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Power | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Accuracy | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Build Quality | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Parts Availability | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Pros | Cons |
| Gas efficient | Fixed Sights |
| Durable and lightweight | Barrel Unthreaded |
| Fully ambidextrous | Not exactly inexpensive |
| Can adjust hop up without removing slide | |
| Well balanced power | |
| Great accuracy | |
| Full Glock licensing and trades | |
| Great blowback action | |
| Bottom rail | |
| Slip resistant grip |
The Glock 17 is the grandaddy of Glock pistols.
Introduced way back in 1982, it’s been in constant production and thrilling shooters around the world ever since and its 5th generation, launched in 2017, lives up to that storied reputation.
For those interested in adding one of these legendary Glocks to their own airsoft arsenal, the Elite Force Glock 17 is a solid choice.
Like a real steel Glock, the Elite Force Glock 17 is a mix of polymer and metal.
With a nylon-reinforced frame and aluminum alloy slide it is quite sturdy and very well made, with no rattling, looseness, creaking or wobbling when handled.
It’s also officially licensed, so it has a good number of authentic Glock markings across its frame and barrel, and it comes with an undermount rail, which makes it easy to add lasers, flashlights and other pistol accessories pretty easily.
In terms of performance, the Umarex / Elite Force Glock 17 is certainly no slouch. The gun chronos at around 330 FPS and is pretty accurate, as well, grouping nicely at 50 feet (15m) and easily hitting targets at 100 feet (30 m), thanks to its hop up and high-visibility white dot sights.
In addition to providing excellent spin and keeping the gun accurate at range, the Umarex / Elite Force Glock 17 Gen 5’s hop up adjustment slot is, interestingly, located at the front of the gun, just underneath the barrel.
As a result, and unlike those found on your typical 1911 clone, it can be adjusted on the fly without taking the gun apart.
The EF Glock 17 Gen 5 offers a satisfying blowback action and is highly gas efficient, as well, usually getting around 3-4 mags per fill, a real money and time saver, all in one.
It is also fully ambidextrous, a very nice touch for left-handed players.
There are a couple of small downsides to this weapon, though.
First, the sights aren’t adjustable- which is a bit of an annoyance if you really want to plink past 75 feet or so.
The barrel is unthreaded, too, so it can be a bit more of a hassle to fit mock suppressors or barrel extensions to the gun.
Finally, at just under $180, the Elite Force Glock 17 isn’t the cheapest weapon on this list.
That said, it isn’t the most expensive either and does provide an excellent balance of performance, quality and comfort that, in our opinion, few other airsoft pistols can provide, let alone other airsoft Glock 17s.
Read our in-depth review for more information
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Best Glock 19 Gen 5- Elite Force Glock 19X
| Price | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Power | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Accuracy | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Build Quality | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Parts Availability | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Pros | Cons |
| Lightweight and durable | Barrel not threaded |
| Well constructed | Fixed sights |
| Nice and compact | Not exactly cheap |
| Excellent accuracy | |
| Fairly gas efficient | |
| Fully licensed with Glock trades | |
| Nice blowback action | |
| Comfortable to hold | |
| Decent power (about 340 FPS) | |
| Bottom rail | |
Combining the looks of a Glock 17 with the size of a G19, the Glock 19x is a popular option for those looking for a more compact, yet still highly effective, pistol.
And if you’re looking for a well-built airsoft version, look no further than Umarex/Elite Force’s fully licensed Glock 19X replica.
Like Elite Force’s popular Glock 17, and true to a real steel glock, it has a nylon-reinforced polymer body and a metal slide, making it quite lightweight but still durable enough for everyday use.
And it’s well put together, with all the wonderful Glock details where they should be and with no real looseness, bending or creaking to be found when handled.
What largely sets the 19X apart from Elite Force’s other airsoft Glocks, however, is its size.
The 19x is smaller than the 17 by about half an inch or so- making it a little easier to maneuver around with in tight spaces or to store in a vest.
Yet, despite its slightly smaller size, the 19X doesn’t disappoint in terms of power and performance.
It chronos at around 340 FPS and is very accurate, hitting targets to around 100 feet (30m) with little issue, thanks in part to its good quality hop up and highly effective white dot sights.
As you might expect of a licensed reproduction the 19X is a pleasure to look at, with all the Glock logos and trades you might come to expect adorning its frame.
More importantly, however, it’s a pleasure to fire, too. Its compact frame makes it easy and comfortable to hold and its blowback action gives it a nice kick.
Finally, it is quite gas efficient, being capable of getting between 3-4 mags per fill, which means running costs should be pretty low long term.
On the downside, while it does come with a rail, the 19X has the same unthreaded barrel as Elite Force’s other Glock reproductions, so adding a mock suppressor or tracer unit won’t be quite as easy, and the gun comes with fixed sights.
Finally, like other models in Elite Force’s line up, the Umarex / Elite Force 19X is an officially licensed replica so it does charge a premium.
Often found for around $180 or so, it is pretty typical for an Umarex Glock and isn’t exactly cheap.
All things considered, however, the Elite Force Glock 19X is a reliable, well-made, fully trademarked and highly accurate Glock that can be a great addition to any loadout.
Read our review for more information
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Most Realistic – Sig Sauer ProForce P320 M17
| Price | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Power | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Accuracy | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Build Quality | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Parts Availability | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Pros | Cons |
| Extremely realistic look, feel and takedown | Can get a bit pricey |
| Ambidextrous | |
| Solid blowback action | |
| Lots of different variants available | |
| Good power | |
| Very accurate | |
| Excellent sights, optics ready |
If you’re looking for something that’s as close as you can get to a real steel pistol, but still runs on green gas and can actually be used in an airsoft game, look no further than the Sig Sauer P320.
Sig’s airsoft P320 is pretty much a 1:1 replica of the real steel P320, the basis of the US Armed Forces’ M17/M18 service pistol and is specifically designed to look, feel and disassemble like its real steel inspiration.
It comes with a metal slide and all the Sig Sauer licensed trademarks, and the gun is quite durable and well made and manages to replicate the weight and balance of a real steel P320 remarkably well.
With the safety and slide catch really fitted pretty tightly and Sig’s high attention to quality control, there’s nothing on the gun that really feels loose or wobbly when handled.
The Sig SauerProForce P320 airsoft pistol comes with a lower rail and an optic-ready plate, should you want to add one later on, as well as a threaded outer barrel.
As a result, it is very easy to customize the P320, and a snap to add your favorite lasers, flashlights, mock suppressors, tracer units and even optics to the gun.
In terms of performance, the Sig offers solid power and chronos at around 350 FPS on green gas.
It can, interestingly enough, run on CO2 mags as well, which is a plus if you suddenly want to step your gas game up a notch.
And, because of its build quality and adjustable hop up, the Sig Sauer P320 airsoft pistol is very accurate and capable of hitting targets well past 100 feet (30 m) without an issue.
Adding to its accuracy, the Proforce P320 comes with some very good white dot iron sights, but certain models also come with a pretty decent 1x23mm/3 MOA reflex sight, so if you feel the need to up your accuracy, you’ve got options.
Finally, when fired, the ProForce P320 offers excellent blowback action. Even on green gas you do feel this gun kick when fired, which given the gun’s realistic weight, at times gave us the impression of firing a real steel .22 rather than an airsoft gun.
On the downside, the ProForce P320 isn’t exactly cheap.
Even the most basic package comes in around $170, while the Competition Package will set you back somewhere around $220.
Still, it’s hard to claim that the price is exorbitant.
Sig Sauer’s Proforce P320 is an exceptional airsoft pistol, that offers great performance, a lot of customizability options and is about as true to life as it gets.
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Most Unique Looking – Action Army AAP 01
| Price | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Power | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Accuracy | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Build Quality | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Parts Availability | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Pros | Cons |
| Very unique design | Not the most powerful blowback action |
| Semi- and Full-auto modes | Fire selection not accessible from outside |
| Very affordable | |
| Metal Internals | |
| Threaded barrel allows for use of suppressors | |
| Solid blowback action | |
| Well made | |
| Fibre optic-style front and back sights | |
| Ambidextrous |
Different models of airsoft pistols can perform very differently, but many semi-auto replicas have an annoying tendency to look very similar to one another.
This is certainly not true when it comes to the Action Army AAP01 Assassin green gas pistol.
Just looking at it, the AAP01 stands out from the crowd.
Somewhat similar in looks to the rather iconoclastic Ruger Mark IV, the Action Army AAP01 is its own design and doesn’t really look like your standard 1911, seemingly more at home in a science fiction movie than an airsoft field.
Nonetheless, the AAP01 is a very well made airsoft pistol. Although its frame is plastic, its internals are made from pretty durable metals, so it should stand up to typical use for quite some time.
The gun is solid and well put together, too, with no rattling, bending, looseness or wobbling when handled.
True to its name, The Assassin, the gun comes with a threaded outer barrel, making adding a mock suppressor or tracer unit a breeze.
The gun also comes with a couple rail attachments that fit into some pre-drilled holes along the top and bottom of the gun, but you will have to install these yourself.
Once added, however, the gun can easily be fitted with a host of 20mm attachments, such as optics, lasers and more.
When it comes to firepower, the AAP01 Assassin offers about 340 FPS with 0.20g BBs, making it suitable for all types of airsoft games.
It’s also decently accurate, being able to hit center mass pretty reliably well past 100 feet (30m) without a problem, a feat accomplished largely due to its easily-accessible hop up and very high visibility (and cool-looking) fluorescent sights.
The gun is also select fire and can be set to a pretty devastating automatic fire mode, delivering a healthy dose of BBs to your opponents at around 22 RPS (keep in mind that its magazines only hold about 22 rounds altogether).
Kept on semi, however, the gun is decently efficient on gas, getting about 2-3 mags per fill.
The AAP01 is also very affordable.
With a price of just under a hundred dollars, this is one weapon that won’t blow a hole in your budget.
Finally, the AAP01 has a ton of aftermarket support for it.
A very popular airsoft pistol, there is a mind-boggling amount of upgrade parts, accessories and replacement parts available for this gun, both by ASG/Action Army and other vendors.
With only a couple seconds of searching online, you can find trigger upgrades, frame attachments, folding stocks, hosters, HPA rigs, internal upgrades and even ready kits that turn the gun into a carbine, sniper rifle or anime-style blaster.
There are, of course, a couple downsides to the AAP01.
With a non-recoiling barrel and internal bolt, the gun doesn’t have quite the blowback action as some of the other green gas airsoft pistols on this list.
Although this does make it more of a stable firing platform as far as accuracy is concerned, it does reduce the fun of blazing away a little bit.
Additionally, unlike most other select fire airsoft guns, the mechanism for selection is located internally, making it a bit more of a hassle to switch modes.
On the whole, however, the AAP01 is a high quality, affordable and supremely customizable green gas airsoft pistol that looks (and handles) differently than nearly every other option out there and we certainly believe it is worth a look.
Read our review for more information
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Most Intimidating – Tokyo Marui Desert Eagle
| Price | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Power | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Accuracy | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Build Quality | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Parts Availability | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Pros | Cons |
| Realistic with cool trademarks | Pricey |
| Decent power | Non-threaded barrel |
| Excellent fit and finish | Not the most gas efficient |
| Excellent trigger and hop up unit | |
| Good accuracy at short to mid-range | |
| Rapid, loud and snappy blowback action | |
| Top rail |
The Desert Eagle is a modern classic, featured in hundreds (if not thousands!) of movies, shows, and games.
In the world of firearms, its name is synonymous with the term “hand cannon”- a pistol that will make those staring down its barrel think twice about their recent choices in life.
And the Tokyo Marui Desert Eagle certainly lives up to the reputation of its real steel counterpart.
Like other Tokyo Marui airsoft pistols, and due to Japanese regulations, the TM Desert Eagle is a plastic airsoft pistol, with its frame and slide being made out of ABS plastic.
Although not the most durable build out there, Tokyo Marui has put a lot of effort into quality control with their guns, and the Desert Eagle is no exception.
The gun’s parts are all extremely well-fitted and smooth, and the gun is supremely well put together with no undue noise, looseness or creaking that we could find.
It’s also huge.
At nearly a foot long, it can and will add a good deal of intimidation factor to your game play, and if you feel you need to frighten those around you a bit more, there is also a nearly 15 inch version as well.
Tokyo Marui has included a Weaver-style top rail on the gun, which is helpful for mounting any optics. The gun’s outer barrel is, however, non-threaded so adding a mock suppressor or tracer unit can be a bit of a trick without an adaptor.
On the inside, the gun is mostly metal, with a tightbore 6.04mm barrel, an easily-adjusted rotary hop up and twin recoil rods that help protect the gun as it first and increase its cycle speed dramatically.
In terms of performance, on green gas the Tokyo Marui Desert Eagle chronos at around 340 FPS.
Although not an FPS beast by any means, compared to other Tokyo Marui pistols (which tend to be sub-300s) the Desert Eagle is fairly impressive and can readily be used in outdoor and CQB games alike without much of a problem.
True to otherTM airsoft pistols, the Desert Eagle really shines when it comes to reliability and accuracy.
The gun gets decent groupings to around 75 feet (23m) and can easily hit targets past 100 feet (30 m), with some users claiming to hit targets well past 120 feet or more.
The gun also comes with Tokyo Marui’s “Hard Kick” blowback system, which gives the gun a pretty strong kick and a snappy, smooth slide action that can be a lot of fun to use.
On the downside, like other Tokyo Maruis the Desert Eagle can be a bit pricey, often retailing for around $150 or so, putting it on the more premium end of the green gas pistol market.
It’s also not the most gas efficient, partly due to its impressive blowback, getting only around 2 mags per fill.
We have to say, though, if you can get your hands on one the Tokyo Marui Desert Eagle is definitely worth its premium price.
Well built, decently powerful, a lot of fun to shoot, and extremely intimidating to opponents, if compact and discrete isn’t really in your airsoft vocabulary, the Tokyo Marui Desert Eagle is probably just what you’re looking for.
Read our in-depth review for more information
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Why Pick a Green Gas Airsoft Pistol?
If you are planning to buy an airsoft pistol, it can be a bit of a toss-up deciding between green gas and potentially more powerful CO2 options, something we discuss in quite a bit more depth in another article.
Broadly speaking, green gas can have a number of advantages over CO2.
For one thing, green gas airsoft pistols tend to be better suited to CQB and indoor play, which is where most people would probably make use of an airsoft pistol to begin with.
As they make use of a less pressurized gas, green gas pistols don’t deliver the same high FPS that CO2 weapons do, making them safer to use in close quarters.
They also more easily meet the FPS limits set by many indoor airsoft fields, which tend to prohibit the use of 400+ and even 350+ FPS airsoft guns of any type.
Green gas tends to be slightly cheaper, being sold in big often-discounted bottles, making pistols that run on it a little cheaper ($0.01 per shot vs $0.014 – $0.02 per shot) to use in the long run.
It’s also a lot easier in many cases to take a single big bottle to a field rather than a number of small, 12 oz cartridges.
Additionally, actual green gas tends to include a small amount of lubricant, which makes maintaining green gas pistols a little easier compared to their CO2 counterparts (so long as you’re not running propane).
Along those same lines, CO2’s greater PSI does put a little more wear and tear on the internals of an airsoft pistol compared to green gas, which can lead to a greater likelihood of catastrophic failure down the line.
What about airsoft electric pistols?
Cheaper and with more consistent performance in cold weather, it would seem that airsoft electric pistols (AEPs) would have green gas beat, right?
Well, and as we’ve discussed previously, not so much.
Compared to AEPs, with their kick and (in the case of GBBs) blowback action green gas pistols tend to feel more realistic and enjoyable to fire and there is no annoying electric lag to worry about.
Green gas airsoft pistols, although generally weaker than their CO2 counterparts, are generally a lot more powerful than AEPs, as well.
Finally, there are a lot more green gas models out there compared to AEPs.
Aside from providing potential buyers with greater choice, generally speaking it is easier to find upgrade parts and replacements for green gas pistols compared with electrics.
Downside of Green Gas Airsoft Pistols
There are, of course, drawbacks to green gas airsoft pistols.
Generally speaking, green gas airsoft pistols tend to be less powerful than their CO2 counterparts.
While it’s true that FPS isn’t everything, especially if you’re looking for an effective airsoft sidearm, it is an important consideration.
Afterall, whether in game or during backyard plinking, a BB does actually have to get to its destination and be able to transfer some kind of force to its target when it gets there.
Another issue with green gas pistols can come from their performance in cold weather.
Colder temperatures tend to make gas pressure drop, and being less pressurized to begin with, green gas pistols tend to suffer from more inconsistent performance when it gets cold out.
While this can be mitigated a little bit by using higher PSI red gasses or even black (assuming that a green gas pistol can even handle the increased pressure), even with these gasses a green gas airsoft pistol will never have the same FPS consistency as a CO2.
Therefore, if you do live in an area where the temperature tends to be a bit cooler, a green gas pistol might not be the best idea.
Bottom Line
Sifting through the many poor quality, cheap replicas out there can be something of a hassle, but a good quality green gas pistol can serve a user well as a secondary, for CQB or even for backyard plinking.
So before you automatically reach for that high-powered CO2 semi, take a moment to consider whether a high-quality green gas model wouldn’t better serve your needs.
David Lewis – A longtime airsoft and airgun enthusiast and collector, our editor David’s lifelong passion for tactical sports began in high school with some friends, a cheap knock-off airsoft M4, and an open field behind his parents’ house.
When he’s not plinking around, he enjoys sharing his knowledge of airsoft and helping those just starting out.