The invention is a compressed gas-operated pistol (1) with a gas cartridge (15) accommodated in the pistol grip (5) and in working connection with a pistol valve system (33). Safe insertion and tapping of the gas cartridge (15) is effected via a counter support (17) which effects an internal adjustment and a superposed external adjustment. The external adjustment is performed by an abutting element (23) of the counter support (17) which is acted on by a cartridge tensioning element.