Beginner Air Pistols

TomJ · Post by **TomJ** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 9:03 am

I am new to the sport of air pistol shooting and looking to purchase my first gun. I am 62 years old, consequently my eyes are not as sharp as when I was younger. What, if any, air pistols would allow me to shoot with iron sights and at some time in the future allow me to mount a red dot scope. If none exist, recommendations regarding a "starter" pistol, e.g., FWB 65, etc. would be appreciated. Thanks
Tom

Rover · Post by **Rover** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 4:24 pm

I know of no sport except AP silhouette that allows any but the iron sights.

As far as choosing a pistol, I'm sold on the guns such as the FWB 65 you mentioned and the SSPs such as the Pardini K58. The reason is simple: you don't have to mess with a damned thing except for bringing along some pellets. You also save a lot of money on accessories.

Some feel they gain great advantage from the PCP guns, but at the club level I really doubt it. The CO2 guns can be had at a great price due to this belief, so if you like them, buy one, but they still aren't as carefree as the non-gas/air guns.

Make life easy for yourself and also enjoy beating the guy with the most toys.

superstring · Post by **superstring** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 5:05 pm

Hi Tom, welcome to the forum. Here's a picture you may find interesting. The IZH 46M seems to be a bit hard to find these days (because of production and supply problems) but it's inexpensive and has a fine reputation.

luftskytter · Post by **luftskytter** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 5:15 pm

Weight may also be an issue: if you've got the strenght to handle it, the Baikal "Izzy" is an affordable single pump gun capable of top performance. And adding a red dot or pistol scope is possible.
But it's too heavy for many shooters.

The FWB 65 is fun, but it's also a bit heavy considering that it's got a light barrel and really ought to have a barrel weight to get a proper balance. It's also a little hold sensitive due to moving parts.

If you've got access to bulkfill CO2 the old FWBs are underrated world class guns that can sometimes be found second hand for a reasonable price. Same with the Walther CPM1.

bt88 · Post by **bt88** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 9:19 am

I've got an IZH-46m. While it's very simple to use and I really like the single stroke pneumatic design, I've been shooting with it for a couple months and still catch the front sight sinking at the end of 60 shots. That said, it is inexpensive, and while the trigger's not perfect, it's still good.

HibouAttentif · Post by **HibouAttentif** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 11:42 am

The Tau 7 is also a nice gun, slightly more expensive than the IZH-46M but it might be easier to find, including on the 2d hand market. No need to crank, adjustable trigger and weights, and you can simply use regular CO2 caplets which are relatively cheap if you buy them in boxes of 40 or so. You would need to look around for a braket to hold the red-dot but there is one shown on their web-site.

superstring · Post by **superstring** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 12:23 pm

HibouAttentif wrote:The Tau 7 is also a nice gun, slightly more expensive than the IZH-46M but it might be easier to find, including on the 2d hand market. No need to crank, adjustable trigger and weights, and you can simply use regular CO2 caplets which are relatively cheap if you buy them in boxes of 40 or so. You would need to look around for a braket to hold the red-dot but there is one shown on their web-site.

HibouAttentif, do you have a link to their website? I did a few searches and have been unable to find it. However I did find this pic of a Tau Silhouette pistol with a (non-red dot) scope.