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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.

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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.

• Buy the Umarex T4E TP50 Gen 2 CO2 Paintball Pistol in Canada

• Buy Paintball Guns in the US

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The Umarex T4E TP50 Gen 2 continues to impress as one of the more powerful and practical compact less-lethal pistols currently available. In this field test review, I tested the all-black version using .50 caliber rubber-steel core rounds to see how it performs in terms of velocity, energy, and real-world accuracy. The black version is essentially the same as the orange-marked variant, just marketed a bit differently, with a more tactical appearance that may appeal to those looking for a serious training or home defense-style option.

For ammunition, I used the steel-core rubber balls rather than standard solid rubber rounds. These projectiles are slightly heavier and seem to carry noticeably more energy downrange without sacrificing too much velocity. In my opinion, they are probably some of the best ammunition choices for these types of pistols if maximum impact energy is your goal.

Velocity testing through the chronograph produced some very impressive numbers. The TP50 Gen 2 delivered readings of 319 FPS, 304 FPS, 310 FPS, 300 FPS, and 308 FPS, averaging just over 308 feet per second. With the steel-core rubber rounds weighing approximately 2.7 grams, the pistol produced roughly 12-13 Joules of muzzle energy using the Steel Core Rubber Balls but would have been closer the projected 15 Joules with all Rubber Balls, which is extremely respectable for a compact CO2-powered .50 caliber launcher. You can really hear and feel the power when firing this pistol, and it even generates noticeable recoil-like kick during shooting.

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Accuracy testing was performed from 30 feet downrange using the six-round internal magazine. Paintball-style projectiles are naturally less precise than pellets or BBs due to their softer construction, surface ridges, and aerodynamic inconsistencies, but the Umarex T4E TP50 Gen 2 still delivered surprisingly solid grouping performance. After adjusting my aim slightly low due to the pistol shooting a little high initially, the remaining shots grouped well into the center portion of the target and produced clean, sharp holes through the paper target with about a 3 inch grouping.

In practical terms, this pistol clearly delivers enough impact energy to strongly discourage an attacker or aggressive threat. The steel-core rubber rounds hit extremely hard, especially considering the combination of high velocity and projectile mass. While heavy clothing would certainly absorb some impact, anyone wearing lighter clothing would absolutely feel these rounds. The all-black appearance also adds to the realistic tactical styling, which alone could act as a deterrent before a shot is ever fired.

Overall, the Umarex T4E TP50 Gen 2 proved to be accurate enough for close-range defensive-style use, delivered excellent power, and offered reliable operation throughout testing. The trigger feels good, the pistol handles nicely, and the performance with steel-core rubber ammunition was impressive across the board. For anyone looking for a compact CO2-powered less-lethal launcher with strong energy output and solid build quality, the TP50 Gen 2 is definitely worth considering.

You can find the Umarex T4E TP50 Gen 2 and other Airguns, BB guns, Airsoft guns, Pellet guns, Blank guns, and accessories at:

• Buy the Umarex T4E TP50 Gen 2 CO2 Paintball Pistol in Canada

• Buy Paintball Guns in the US