Pinty Buster PCP .22 Cal Air Pistol Review: Pushing Past Expectations

We’re out here in the backyard taking a look at a brand-new release that has me genuinely excited: the Pinty Buster PCP Air Pistol.

Pinty has been putting out some interesting gear lately—especially with their recent push into the rifle market with the Pinty Nightfall PCP Rifle—but the Buster is a complete departure from their usual lineup. If you’ve been looking for a compact, hard-hitting pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) pistol that won’t break the bank, this one deserves your attention.

Let's dive into what makes this PCP air pistol tick, run it over the chrono, and see how it performs on paper.

First Impressions & Build Quality

The very first thing you notice when you pick up the Pinty Buster is the weight and rigidity. It is virtually all metal.

In a market saturated with polymer frames, Pinty chose a robust route here. The shroud, the main body, and the upper Picatinny rail are all solid metal. The only exceptions are the small lower section of Picatinny rail, the trigger guard, and the polymer open sights.

Speaking of the sights, you get a bright fiber-optic front sight paired with a rear sight that is fully adjustable for both windage and elevation. The grips are a comfortable, textured rubber that gives you a solid hold.

Air Tank and Filling

The Buster is equipped with a 100cc air tank with a maximum fill pressure of 250 bar (the pressure gauge is conveniently located right on the front of the cylinder). Pinty claims you will get up to 20 shots per fill. In our testing, we managed well over 20 highly usable, consistent shots before seeing a significant drop in pressure.

To fill it, Pinty uses a fill probe system. While fill probes can sometimes be polarizing, this one features a brilliant design: the front dust cover is spring-loaded. You just pop it forward, insert the probe, and when you’re done, it snaps back into place—meaning you’ll never lose a tiny plastic cap in the grass.

What’s In The Box?

Pinty did not skimp on the accessories. Out of the box, you get a healthy assortment of goodies:

• Two 8-shot rotary magazines (.22 caliber)
• A single-shot tray
• A "goodie bag" packed with spare O-rings, a check valve, Allen keys, and even extra hammer springs.

Note on the Single-Shot Tray: The tray features a small alignment nub on the bottom that makes it incredibly tight to slide in the first few times. If yours feels stuck, you might want to lightly file that nub down to make swapping it out easier.

Power and Chronograph Testing

Pinty advertises the .22 caliber Buster as capable of "up to 600 FPS" (Feet Per Second). Usually, manufacturers achieve those numbers using ultra-light alloy pellets.

We ran the Buster over the chronograph using heavy JTS Dead Center 18.1-grain lead pellets. Check out these numbers:

• Shot 1: 678 FPS
• Shot 2: 689 FPS
• Shot 3: 690 FPS

To say this pistol goes above and beyond is an understatement. Pushing an 18.1-grain lead pellet at nearly 690 FPS out of a handgun is crazy power. If you were to drop down to a lighter 14.3-grain or an 11-grain alloy pellet, this thing would easily clear the 700+ FPS mark.

Trigger Pull and Backyard Backyard Plinking

We put the trigger through a Wheeler digital trigger gauge, and it broke cleanly between 2 lbs 13.8 oz and 2 lbs 15 oz. For a budget-friendly PCP pistol right out of the box, a sub-3-pound trigger feels fantastic and predictable.

On the backyard range, this gun has some serious oomph behind it. It absolutely obliterates clay targets at 10 yards.

Sound Level: You Will Need a Moderator

Make no mistake: the Pinty Buster is incredibly loud on its own. If you shoot this raw in a suburban backyard, your neighbors will notice.

Thankfully, Pinty threaded the barrel muzzle. We unscrewed the factory thread protector and slapped on a standard Buck Rail moderator. The difference was night and day—it went from a sharp crack to a perfectly backyard-friendly thump.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• All-Metal Construction: Exceptional durability and a premium, hefty feel.
• Exceeds Factory Specs: Advertised at 600 FPS, but easily pushed heavy 18.1gr pellets up to 690 FPS.
• Excellent Accessory Package: Includes two magazines, a single-shot tray, and a generous spares kit (including hammer springs).
• Smart Fill Port Cover: The spring-loaded cap means no lost parts.
• Threaded Barrel: Easy to adapt a moderator to make it backyard quiet.

Cons

• Flimsy/Loose Safety: Out of the box, the safety switch felt a bit floppy and would accidentally engage while holding the grip. (Fix: Use the included Allen key to tighten the screw behind the switch).
• No Last-Shot Magazine Lock: The magazine doesn't lock the bolt back when empty, so you have to count your 8 shots to avoid dry-firing.
• Very Loud Stock: Absolutely requires an aftermarket moderator if you intend to shoot near neighbors.
• Tight Single-Shot Tray: Requires a bit of breaking in or minor filing to fit smoothly.

Final Verdict

The Pinty Buster PCP Air Pistol is an absolute sleeper of an air gun. It packs way more power than the manufacturer lets on, features a remarkably solid all-metal build, and offers great accuracy at a reasonable price point. Fix the loose safety screw, throw a moderator on the front, and you have an incredibly fun, hard-hitting backyard plinker.