Lancer Tactical LTX-50 Cobra 1911 CO2 Blowback Pistol

If you're planning to skirmish through winter and need a sidearm which will perform in cold temperatures, the LTX-50 Cobra 1911 CO2 Blowback Pistol is a fine choice. A 1911-inspired design with internals based around CO2 blowback air pistols, the LTX-50 will never gas out in cold weather and is a great alternative to loading up on expensive CO2 magazines or running an AEP pistol with its inherently lower FPS.

The action is known by Lancer as a "half-blowback" system, offering a shorter slide travel than a TM-based GBB pistol with an ultra-light alloy slide. The inherent benefit of this design is its high gas efficiency and impressive muzzle energy, providing over a hundred shots on a single 12g CO2 bulb and hitting out at a borderline spicy 340-360 FPS on 0.20g BBs. If you seek a sidearm which still hits hard in cold conditions, the Lancer Tactical LTX-50 Cobra 1911 CO2 Blowback Pistol belongs in your holster!

Starting at the front, we can find mock rifling inside the tip of the outer barrel, providing a hint of realism at the dangerous end of the pistol. The barrel is unthreaded, so tracer units and suppressors are not compatible with the LTX-50. On top of the slide, we can find a set of white dot iron sights which are fast to acquire and easy to align. 

The front and rear of the slide feature serrations on either side to ensure easy racking of the LTX-50 in all weather conditions, with the mock chamber adding a hint of visual interest on the right side and top, finished with a brushed steel look. The flanks of the slide include Lancer Tactical trademarks discreetly engraved in, providing a professional look and avoiding telltale indicators that this is a replica and not the real deal. 

Moving down to the frame, we can find a 20mm Picatinny rail at the front, ready for a tactical flashlight or aiming laser. This is a full Picatinny rail, giving you more flexibility in what you mount than the usual single-slot pistol rail. On the right side, we have a manual safety catch, taking the form of a sliding button which locks the trigger when pushed in, then slides forward. This is ideal for storage and transportation, though it might be a little challenging to release quickly when working under pressure. The trigger pull of the LTX-50 is rather heavy, similar to the double-action trigger pull of a revolver, so for skirmish purposes, you can probably get away with not using the manual safety catch. 

The trigger guard features a curved front face to allow you to wrap your support hand around to more effectively control recoil and muzzle rise. The trigger itself is a curved design, departing slightly from the realistic 1911 look to facilitate its "half blowback" design. 

The slide release is just above the grip on the left side, allowing you to release the slide after it locks back when the magazine runs dry. The slide locks at around 1/3 of its full travel length. While this isn't realistic, it's a great compromise, providing a useful indication that the magazine is empty while taking advantage of a more efficient air pistol-derived internal design. 

On each side of the grip, we can find hex textured grip panels, pairing well with the modern look of the LTX-50 and providing fantastic gripping qualities in all weather conditions, with or without gloves. On the bottom of the grip, we can find a lanyard loop which allows you to tether your pistol to your belt using a retention lanyard so it never gets lost if it falls from your holster. 

At the rear of the frame, we can find a dummy manual safety and dummy beavertail grip safety, completing the realistic 1911 look. Neither of these controls function, but the grip safety can be pressed in to keep the grip feel and angle in line with the real 1911 pistol. The hammer is a similar story; styled to match modern real steel skeletonised hammers, but being non-functional in this air pistol-derived build. 

Inside the magazine well, we can find the CO2 compartment, accessible by removing the magazine and lifting the left side grip panel free from the frame. To remove the grip panel, simply pull it downwards slightly, and it should lift free. With this done, insert your 12g unthreaded CO2 bulb with the outlet facing upwards, then replace the grip panel. To pierce the CO2 bulb and get shooting, simply turn the piercing toggle inside the magazine well clockwise and tighten it down, slap your magazine in and align your sights!

In terms of performance, the LTX-50 is rather potent FPS-wise, hitting out at between 340 and 360 FPS on 0.20g BBs. It's fixed HOP-up means all this power won't go to waste, and you should get respectable range for a sidearm using 0.25g BBs. The trigger pull is quite heavy and not well-suited to rapid fire, but like a double-action revolver trigger or MK23 NBB trigger, if you pull carefully, you can find the wall and control your trigger pull to make sure your shots count. 

The main advantage of the LTX-50 over an AEP as a winter sidearm is its higher FPS, though with this velocity advantage comes an ear-ringing muzzle crack! The recoil isn't quite on par with a standard Airsoft GBB running CO2, but is enough to provide immersion and add some excitement to the firing experience without wasting gas and compromising winter performance. Whether you're after a plinker which works all year round or a skirmish sidearm which won't quit in winter, the Lancer Tactical LTX-50 Cobra 1911 CO2 Blowback Pistol is a fantastic choice!

Features

• Full metal construction
• Half-blowback action - Similar to blowback Air pistols
• CO2 Powered - Ideal for winter, no cooldown effect to worry about
• 20mm Picatinny frame rail - Ready for a tactical flashlight or aiming laser
• White dot iron sights - Great visibility in any ambient lighting conditions
• Hex textured pistol grip - Grippy with modern looks
• Recurved trigger guard face - Helps keep the muzzle under control during rapid fire
• Lanyard loop - Add a retention lanyard to the grip to prevent your pistol from going missing
• Manual safety catch - On the right side, push forward to lock the trigger
• Slide locks back when empty - Indicates the magazine is dry, release the slide with the catch on the left side
• Textured magazine release button - On the left side of the grip 
• CO2 Compartment inside the grip - Hinge open the rear of the grip to insert your 12g CO2 Bulb
• CO2 Piercer inside the magazine well - With a CO2 bulb installed, turn the toggle clockwise to pierce
• Fixed HOP-up - Ideal for 0.25g, 0.23g or 0.20g BBs
• Compatible with NUPROL Legion and AMOMAX Perfit Universal Holsters

Package Includes

• Lancer Tactical LTX-50 Cobra 1911 CO2 Blowback Pistol
• 15rnd Magazine