Gamo P-430 CO2 Dual Ammo Pellet/Steel BB Gun

Type: Non-blowback CO2 BB Pistol and Pellet Pistol.
Manufacturer: Distributed by Gamo.
Model: P-430.
Materials: Mostly plastic.
Weight: .94 pounds (427 grams).
Total Length: 8 inches (203mm).
Barrel: 4.75 inches (121mm) Rifled steel barrel.
Propulsion: 12g CO2 x 1
Action: Semi auto non-blowback, DOA trigger.
Ammunition Type: 4.5mm steel BBs and .177 caliber pellets.
Ammunition Capacity: 16 round drop out plastic stick magazine.
FPS: Claimed 495.

Trigger Pull: The Gamo P-430 CO2 Dual Ammo BB Pellet Pistol is typical of a double action tiger in that it is a longer trigger pull that requires more effort to pull. The Gamo P-430 trigger is we would say good for a DOA trigger as it is not overly heavy and does allow for fairly quick rapid fire shooting. The trigger pull not only cocks the hammer, it also rotates the rotary magazine on either end of the stick magazine so there is a lot going on here but it still is not overly heavy which is nice.

Accuracy: In this Field Test Shooting Video as always we placed a brand new C02 in the Gamo P-430 CO2 Dual Ammo BB Pellet Pistol to get maximum power and the temperature was around 21 degrees Celsius or about 70 degrees Fahrenheit which is warm enough to get good velocity results but not hot enough for maximum fps so keep that in mond. We deicde to shoot 4 Steel BB’s, and 4 Lead Pellets through our chronograph and averaged the velocities out for each ammo type. The Steel BB’s weigh about 5.1 grain while the Lead Pellets weigh a bit over 7 grain so we were expecting to see higher numbers with the BB’s which is exactly what we got but not near as high as the claimed 495 fps. Our actual velocity result for Lead Pellets was a 4 shot average of 332 fps with the slowest being 313 and the fastest shot hitting 359. For steel BB’s we were able to average 346 fps so not a lot faster at the end of the day but close. Our slowest Steel BB Chronograph reading was 342 with the fastest shot at 356 which was actually just a bit slower than the Lead Pellet fastest velocity reading. Lead Pellets tend to seal in the barrel better than Steel BB’s so even though they are a bit heavier they still get pretty close velocity readings to BB’s since the less CO2 blows by the ammo with Lead Pellets.

Build Quality: The Gamo P-430 CO2 Dual Ammo BB Pellet Pistol is a pretty much all plastic Airgun with only a few metal parts we can make out. The trigger is metal along with the inner barrel and the area where the CO2 goes in. Because of the plastic build, it is fairly light weight which can actually be good in a fall as the mass is low resulting in less damage if you were to drop it on a hard surface. Scratches will also be less noticeable on a plastic Airgun over a metal Airgun as the material on a plastic Airgun is all black rather than a painted surface that will show blemishes a lot more. The simplicity of the design means you should get a lot of shots from the Gamo P-430 CO2 Dual Ammo BB Pellet Pistol before encountering any problems.

Realism: The Gamo P-430 CO2 Dual Ammo BB Pellet Pistol is not a replica of a specific real steel gun in production but it does share a lot of cosmetic characteristics as a Sig Sauer Pistol such as the M17 and P226. There are few external mechanical working parts on the Gamo P-430 other than the trigger, safety and magazine release and as mentioned already the Gamo P-430 CO2 Dual Ammo BB Pellet Pistol is rather light weigth which takes away from the realism. The barrel is slightly recessed and the CO2 tab is hidden in the grip which helps in terms of realism.

Pros:

• Claimed high velocity of 495 fps.
• Expect lots of shots per CO2 as compared to a blowback Airgun.
• Simple design means it will have less to go wrong over time.
• Picatinny rail for add on accessories.
• Can use either 4.5mm Steel BB’s or .177 caliber pellets.
• Cross bolt safety to prevent accidental shots.
• Has a Sig Sauer like look to it which is a good thing.
• Double ended stick magazine works well and does not add too much friction to the trigger pull.
• Well hidden CO2 Screw, no tools required.
• Fit and warning instructions on Airgun is embossed and color matched so it is very subtle.

Cons:

• Mostly all plastic Build.
• No white dot sights so will be harder to see on darker backgrounds, also not adjustable.
• Light weight with no blowback action so not as good realism and a cheaper feel to it.
• Trigger is a bit long but not crazy heavy.

Comments: We personally prefer blowback Airguns that have a more solid weight and feel to them, but again there is a lot more that can go wrong and parts tend to wear out over usage a lot quicker than a more simple design like in the case of the Gamo P-430 CO2 Dual Ammo BB Pellet Pistol. Price is also going to be a lot less when looking at the Gamo P-430 as the plastic build is a lot cheaper to produce. On the other hand these non-blowback CO2 airguns do tend to have a much higher velocity and also generally you will also get more shots per CO2 than a similar CO2 Blowback Pistol so you have to give to get, it really depends what features you want more and in this case you also get a more cost effective Air Pistol with plenty of shooting enjoyment.