Best pistol for 10m International AP?

[hengehold]

I would like to get into international AP. I prefer to buy once and cry once. What make/model pistols should I consider that I can use at the highest levels of competition?

Is an electronic trigger a must have to be competitive at the international level?

If so, why are mechanical triggers still available?

Please hold any comments about buying some entry level equipment and saving money for ammo. Not interested.

Thanks,
-TH

[TonyO]

Step 1: Join a club that offers ISSF 10m Air Pistol
Step 2: Ask experienced shooters in your club
Step 3: Use club pistols to gain competence and experience
Step 4: Ask experienced shooters in your club and listen to their advice
Step 5: Ask experienced shooters in your club if you can shoot their pistol. Try as many different pistols as you can.

Any of the top brands offer pistols that will outshoot you (and most olympic-level shooters)
Morini
Steyr
Feinwerkbau
Pardini
Walther

[dulcmr-man]

All the above mentioned pistols are inherently one-hole-accurate. The final choice comes down to personal preference based upon the relationship between the pistol's ergonomics and YOUR hand. Item 5 above is the best possible advice. Shoot as many different pistols as you can and then decide which one suits you. Electronic triggers are not necessary. Some like the feel, others not so much. Again, personal preference rules.

Dennis, aka Dulcmrman

[hengehold]

Step 1: Join a club that offers ISSF 10m Air Pistol
Step 2: Ask experienced shooters in your club
Step 3: Use club pistols to gain competence and experience
Step 4: Ask experienced shooters in your club and listen to their advice
Step 5: Ask experienced shooters in your club if you can shoot their pistol. Try as many different pistols as you can.

Is there a place that I can go to see a list of clubs that shoot ISSF 10m AP?

[GaryN]

One caution when trying someone's pistol.
The grip may NOT fit your hand. So you may get a false impression of how the pistol will fit YOU.
I tried a LP10 and I think a Morini. Both had large grips, way too large for my hand, so I could not determine fit for ME. Because of the large grips, I could not shoot either very well.
Reverse is true if you have large hands, and tried my Walther. Your hand may not fit without releasing the palm rest, the grip itself will probably be small, and the trigger reach is probably too short.

As for visiting a club.
WHERE do you live?

[hengehold]

As for visiting a club.
WHERE do you live?

I currently live in Norfolk VA but may be getting stationed in 29 Palms CA this summer.

[Rover]

29 Palms in summer? You definately qualify for one of my "Born to Suffer" T-shirts.

Also, there is not a place around to "scoot" to.

Semper fucked!

But, to answer your question: any one of the above mentioned will do if you have a file and putty.

[m1963]

29 Palms, and Fort Irwin, are very beautiful, in their own way. I have spent some of the best times of my life, there.

Grips are ephermal... Go with the trigger that suits you best, and get, buy, build the grip to meet your needs. (We are partial to the Morini 162 ei and the FWB P8X,..The electronic trigger of the 162ei is almost exactly the same as the mechanical trigger of the P8X. The P8X is lighter than the 162EI. Either will suit.)

Regards!
m1963

[Mike M.]

Hmm...At the Olympic level, the Steyr and Morini seem to have the upper hand. That being said, all the top-tier guns are pretty well equal in performance. The real issue is finding one that suits your hand and eye.

WRT grips, while you will do some fitting, it helps to start with a grip that comes close to begin with. And grips are like shoes - some companies make grips that will fit you naturally, others will need some work. A lot of people love Rink grips - I find they don't suit me nearly as well as Nill grips.

I'll extend my remarks...One area where the Morini 162 is behind is in grip angle adjustability. Everybody else allows for a certain amount of adjustment of the grip. Especially in fore and aft pitch, but also in the roll and yaw axes. Some are easier than others...my Steyr was pretty straightforward, my P44 was a bear to set up right. With the Morini, it either fits or it doesn't.

[PirateJohn]

The men's gold medal last year was won with a Pardini, if I'm not mistaken

[Gwhite]

WRT grips, while you will do some fitting, it helps to start with a grip that comes close to begin with. And grips are like shoes - some companies make grips that will fit you naturally, others will need some work. A lot of people love Rink grips - I find they don't suit me nearly as well as Nill grips.

I have the same experience. Rink grips are excellent, but they usually take a bit of modification to get a good fit. They also provide a lot of options that would be considered "custom" elsewhere, like a 7 degree offset for cross-dominate shooters. Nill's standard grips fit my hand beautifully right out of the box. My only complaint is that they aren't currently making grips for MatchGuns. I really don't like the MatchGun factory grips, so I'm stuck with Rink (which is not a great tragedy).

[brent375hh]

The men's gold medal last year was won with a Pardini, if I'm not mistaken

Which gold medal?
The Olympic gold was taken with a Steyr, mechanical trigger to boot.

[PirateJohn]

The men's gold medal last year was won with a Pardini, if I'm not mistaken

Which gold medal?
The Olympic gold was taken with a Steyr, mechanical trigger to boot.

Didn't the Iranian shooter use a Pardini? Sure looked like one.

[brent375hh]

The men's gold medal last year was won with a Pardini, if I'm not mistaken

Which gold medal?
The Olympic gold was taken with a Steyr, mechanical trigger to boot.

Didn't the Iranian shooter use a Pardini? Sure looked like one.

Nope. Steyr Evo M with an older Morini grip.

[brent375hh]

The men's gold medal last year was won with a Pardini, if I'm not mistaken

Which gold medal?
The Olympic gold was taken with a Steyr, mechanical trigger to boot.

Didn't the Iranian shooter use a Pardini? Sure looked like one.

Nope. Steyr Evo M with an older Morini grip.

[brent375hh]

You won't get parts or service anywhere as fast as Pilkguns/Steyr. I have ordered just about every imaginable spare from them. They never failed to have them in stock. Read up on getting parts for other brands. It can be a 6 month ordeal.

[hengehold]

How is the serviceability and spare part availability for the FWB products?
I am interested in the P8X.

[brent375hh]

How is the serviceability and spare part availability for the FWB products?
I am interested in the P8X.

Call wherever you would to buy one. Ask them if they will send you a parts quote on all the O rings and a firing valve. Then do the same thing with Pilkguns. I did. They sent me a response on all the parts I might need, and pricing. I ordered them all and received them in 4 days.

FWB makes great stuff. I just don't know where you get top notch service in the USA.

Steyr makes a winning pistol, and has for 3 decades. Scott Pilkington is on FB user groups, and has replied to every question asked. Calling their phone, talking to Jennifer and Buck, assured me the Steyr was way to go in the USA. Their products set world records.

I used to be a Hammeri user, and thought Steyr was an ugly gun. Right until it crapped out its regulator at a state match, and was gone for 6 long weeks being fixed. I carry a spare regulator in my case now, its a 3 minute change on a Steyr.

[toddinjax]

I think that by the time one attains "international" status, you'll already know the answer is the pistol you're using.