Today we are staying dry inside out of the rain and stepping into the indoor range for a practical field test and penetration review of the Umarex T4E TP50 Less Lethal Pistol. If you are looking for a legal and unregulated deterrent for home defense that packs a surprising punch, you’ll want to see how this .50 caliber paintball-style pistol performs straight out of the box.
The Test Setup
For this test, we are keeping the TP50 entirely stock. There are no valve modifications or aftermarket upgrades here, this is exactly what you get when you open the box.
We are shooting from a distance of approximately 30 feet. Here are the specs on the ammunition and power for today's test:
Ammunition: .50 caliber rubber balls with a steel core. These are slightly less dense than nylon but heavier than standard rubber due to the steel center. (Just under 3 grams)
Power Output: Pushing roughly 12 to 13 Joules.
Velocity: Traveling at just over 300 feet per second (fps).
Our targets for today include a solid piece of 3-ply wood, a metal trash can lid and some thick plastic bucket lids to see exactly what kind of damage this less-lethal option can do.
Target 1: The 3-Ply Wood Test
First up was the 3-ply wood. Given the velocity and the dense nature of the target, I wasn't expecting the Umarex T4E TP50 Less Lethal Pistol to blow right through the wood.
After putting a couple of rounds downrange, the results were impressive. While it didn't fully penetrate the 3-ply, it hit with a resounding smack and left significant, visible damage on the surface. Honestly, this gun shoots much hotter than I remembered. It is absolutely no slouch.
Target 2: The Galvanized Steel Garbage Can Lid
second up, I aimed at the galvanized steel garbage can lid. Going into this stage, I expected the .50 caliber round to simply smack the surface and fall straight to the ground without penetrating, which is exactly what happened.
However, even though it didn't punch a hole through the metal, the sheer force of the impact was undeniable. The round hit the steel hard, proving that even against dense, unforgiving surfaces, the TP50 is pumping out some serious kinetic energy.
Target 3: The Plastic Barrel Lids
Next, we moved on to the plastic barrel lids. I expected the TP50 to punch through a single lid, so we taped two of them together to see how far it could push.
This is where the Umarex T4E TP50 Less Lethal Pistol really showed its teeth. When I fired, the recoil actually threw my hand back, this gun has genuine kick to it, especially when firing these heavier steel-core rounds.
It does seem to shoot a bit on the high side at 30 feet, so I ended up hitting the target near the top edge. Even so, the steel-core rubber ball blew cleanly through the first plastic lid and struck the second. That level of penetration from a stock, 12-Joule less-lethal pistol is incredibly impressive.
Final Thoughts
The Umarex T4E TP50 is a powerhouse for an out-of-the-box, unregulated less-lethal pistol. While it's designed as a deterrent rather than a lethal option, the 12 to 13 Joules of energy paired with steel-core rubber balls provides more than enough kick to send a very clear message to anyone who shouldn't be up to no good and on your property.
If you are looking for a highly capable less-lethal pistol that sits well within Canada's unregulated legal limits, the TP50 delivers.
If you are interested in picking one up for yourself, or you want to check out our other less-lethal options, head over to replicaairguns.ca in Canada or replicaairguns.us in the US.