When you see and hold the Beeman P3, you know that you have a serious pistol in hand. Its design, and even its weight and heft, gives a solid feeling of the very best in the world's semi-automatic handguns: the looks and feel of guns which are not only the arms of the latest James Bond 007 movie, but also the choice of the top military and police forces of the world. The similarity of the P3 to a fine firearm is astonishing: it even sports a simulated decocking lever, magazine release button, trigger guard shaped for two handed firing, and cartridge ejection port and the muzzle opening is an awesome 9 mm (.38) caliber! A very solid rail is built into the top frame.

The Beeman P3 is the first quality air pistol to join the ranks of the now elite polymer firearm pistols now being produced in Europe and America. That is, it is a marriage of the finest ordinance steel critical parts wrapped in super strong, fiber-reinforced, space age polymers like the famous Glock and latest Walther firearm pistols. The very reasonable price of this gun represents a manufacturing shift to a more efficient, better method of construction, rather than any reduction of quality. This pistol is simply in a much higher league than the lower grade plastic and/or pot metal air pistols, even ones of higher price that depend on gadgetry features, such as inaccurate rapid fire, for their sales appeal. Not only does the P3 embrace a quantum leap in material technology, but it benefits from functional evolution of valves and other key internal features.

It looks and feels like solid German quality, and it is! Pulling back what appears to be the hammer allows the top frame to be swung up as a charging lever. Just swing it forward, insert the pellet, and then swing it back to compress the air charge-an easy, natural action. An automatic safety prevents "beartrap" closing or accidental discharge. This top frame contains the beautifully rifled steel barrel and both the front and rear sights, all as a single rigid unit.

The sights cannot get out of alignment with each other during cocking. As a single stroke pneumatic, the P3 has absolutely no recoil or spring jump. A functional, built-in muzzle brake prevents any tendency for muzzle flip. Couple this steadiness with its wonderfully crisp trigger and you have a pistol which just naturally shoots accurately offhand - not just from special testing clamps. Practice, very quietly and inexpensively, with the P3 until you can place all your shots well and you will be able to shoot even more accurately with a good firearm pistol. The P3 is a practical pistol, but it is just a joy to shoot!

.177 Caliber 410 fps