best all round pistol for olypmic style shooting?

[High Left]

I used to have too many guns, but then I bought a second safe...

And now I have too many guns again.

[deadeyedick]

And now I have too many guns again.

Is that possible ?

If starting from scratch and wishing to shoot .22 and CF it would be hard to go past the new multi caliber Pardini setup in both .22 an .32.

One box, one frame with two calibres, four mags and no sight changes needed when switching from .22 to .32.

[blackberrygoose]

I have every intention at some point of purchasing what some might consider "too many" and others "a few more" of guns. When I used to shoot hunting rifles, a few rounds meant a brick (500) of .22's and two boxes of rifle rounds. 40 rounds of whatever centrefire never went far, and the same went for boxes of shotgun shells. Considering the media and the statements used when describing anything... people with no understanding of firearms don't think too hard, anyone with a firearm or weapon is Martin Bryant/Lee Harvey Oswald/Hitler. Never let the facts get in the way of a good story.

Having read all of the posts, it is hard to look past the Pardini and Walther GSP, especially the GSP, so many second hand ones available in perfect working order. the Pardinis that do work well are sought after and the ones that are for sale are fairly pricey. Bennelli, Matchguns, Hammerli and Morini aren't as popular and parts for those models are harder to come by.

So when a GSP comes up for sale I will snap it up when I can. now I need to save money for an air pistol... I have shot the Walther, the old model 2 FWB and the Morini (single shot free air pistols in .177) and agree with the conclusion that air pistols outshoot the marksman. Old model 2's go for anything less than A$500 and I could be saving for a while if I go for a Walther/Morini/Pardini/Hammerli and even longer if I wanted a Steyr. I would prefer the Walther but for only one reason, I like the way it feels and looks.

In shooting free air pistol- I shoot fine with a club gun, and no better with anything else. I am certain there is a perfectly justifiable reason to have an extended conversation on how to obsess over the choice of an airgun. while I think a beeman, daisy, Crossman or webley scott airpistol would be terrible for shooting a 60 shot match, yada yada yada...

What about black powder guns? does anyone here shoot the 50mtr match for that? single shot or revolver?

[crankythunder]

Dear
blackberrygoose:

I shoot bullseye pistol or precision pistol as it is now called and I only compete with 22LR.


I started shooting with a Hi Standard and never could quite get the feeding issues resolved despite numerous attempts to correct the magazine lips.

Sold it to a teammate for a cheap price but he knew the feeding issues but thought he could correct them. He is not shooting that gun any more.

My second bullseye pistol was a Baikal IZH 35m. That pistol shot great but it was just not right for me.

When it became time to get a new pistol, I was fortunate to have teammates that allowed me to try each type of target pistol, Pardini, Bennelli, S&W 41, FWB, Hammerli, and Walther. I can tell you that you will not make a incorrect choice.

I selected the Pardini Bullseye model for the following reasons:

1) The balance which is muzzle heavy and helps me shoot better.
2) the support from pardini USA, every part I have ordered (magazines and magazine base plate, plus extra firing pin and extra extractor) has arrived at my doorstep in three or four days.
3) the adjustable muzzle weights that are removable to fine tune the balance and also reduces recoil significantly.
4) the fit and feel to me while using and firing.
5) the adjustability of the trigger
6) the ease of changing grips and grip angle.

I should note that I subsequently purchased a replacement dick horton grip at a more american 1911 grip angle as opposed to the high rake european grip angle.

I have owned this pistol for 5 or six years, I usually order 2 or 3 cases of ammo a year, and I have had zero malfunctions when using one of the many ammo's this pistol likes. It does not like eley target in cold weather by the way. Eley target works fine in warm weather but does not cycle properly when it is cold (ejects the empty brass but bolt does not travel far enough back to pick up next round).

Based on my experiences, I would highly recommend the pardini.

Also, one of the teams I compete against, group therapy, has a number of pardini shooters and they highly recommend them as well. they have a facebook page to check out too.

Sincerely,
Cranky

[blackberrygoose]

Yeah, well. Interesting. Last night at the club while practicing, I shot a Unique .22 and the late model Pardini .22

I must say, I was underwhelmed by the Pardini. A bit of a shock really. Even though the Unique was older, and had a lot more rounds shot through it (and also that I shoot like crap) I shot way better with it than the Pardini. The grip and position, sights and posture will all take some getting used to. I will have to try some other pistols and maybe set one up properly and shoot that, but my gut tells me that the 4 plus grand price tag wouldn't be worth it, for now.

That's not the final say, but gee whiz, I was not impressed, a lot of hype for something so ho-hum.

[deadeyedick]

Please don’t be offended blackberrygoose but your “ho hum” Pardini impression is more likely due lack of experience.

A longer term comparison would probably result in a different view . The Unique was, and still is a fine pistol however the majority of experienced olympic event shooters are likely to agree that the Pardini is better.

[blackberrygoose]

So, I had a nice reply all typed up and I thought I submitted it. Don't know what happened there.

Nope, I don't get offended easy. Yes, more practice is required. Maybe if the unique is what I feel comfortable with I should look further afield at the "mag in grip" (what is the technical term for that?) type pistols. But I need to test more stuff, practice waaaaay more, and aim to eliminate trigger creep whilst shooting.

When I go to "try" a new gun again what are some tips?

Another shooter is going to need a fair bit of time to help me set up a gun to my hand, stance/form and aim point. I reckon this could involve favours...

Anyway I will keep trying as many reputable newer guns as I can, as I was talking to a mate who shoots rifle and said that within his club there are two schools of thought, buy cheap and work your way up, or fork out good money first and work on form...

I would prefer to have something reliable and easy to get parts for than to inherit somebody else's problem. So a new (or newer) gun perhaps even a Pardini is on the cards.

[Gwhite]

One of the big differences between the Pardini and a lot of other pistols is the steep grip angle. If you are used to something like a Ruger, High Standard or S&W, it will feel very odd. Pistols with the magazine in the grip tend to have a more vertical grip because it's easier to build a magazine at that angle that works reliably. The big advantage of having the magazine forward of the trigger is that it allows almost total freedom in grip design. Big, small, angled, not so angled, etc.

I found the Pardini grip angle so steep that shooting it hurt my elbow. I've never had a problem with my Benelli, which has a more vertical grip. I tried a couple other grips on the Pardini (see: http://www.targettalk.org/viewtopic.php?t=19764). I ended up with a Nil Griffe grip (who makes the factory grips for Benelli), but also wound up shimming it even slightly more vertical.

[joel]

Please don’t be offended blackberrygoose but your “ho hum” Pardini impression is more likely due lack of experience.

A longer term comparison would probably result in a different view . The Unique was, and still is a fine pistol however the majority of experienced olympic event shooters are likely to agree that the Pardini is better.

That's not really a fair assessment at all. It is recommended to try, if possible, as many as you can to see which "fits" you best. I know an extremely experienced pistol shooter that also could not get along with the Pardini.

Joel

[Elmas]

50 metre free pistol is still an Olympic event.

No it isn't I'm afraid.

The IOC, who are the only organisation that can specify Olympic events, dropped it earlier this year.

Bad News .

[Gregbenner]

I have the Walther, Pardini, and Benelli MP 90 in both 22 and 32, and shoot all regularly.

To me, they are all excellent, and all different. The grip angle from the Walther (most of vertical) compared to the Pardini (steepest rake) makes the guns ergonamics quite different.

I also find their two-stage triggers on each to be different, although I'm not sure I know how to describe that any better.

My Benellis are earlier versions, don't have the refinement of the Pardini and the GSP, both of which are recent manufacture.

My GSP feels somewhat nose heavy, the Pardini and Benelli more similar to each other (and lighter).

All have been reliable, and for Rimfire they all shoot CCI SV very reliably, and all have good accuracy with re-loads in 32. My feelings on which is my favorite changes back-and-forth ( depends on the day, etc.) so difficult to make a recommendation.

Finally, although I love the Matchgun MG2, I have not shot the MG 4 yet. Based on the MG 2, it could end up being a strong contender.

I would highly recommend handling each gun at a minimum, before making a decision

[caerson]

I am also looking for a pistol. As a beginner which pistol I should buy? Note: I don't want to spend too much money right now. I want a pistol that will help me to learn basics of shooting. I have found a few top air pistols list there but not sure which brand pistol is good to buy. Please suggest me your favorite pistol brand name.

[Rover]

Ruger

[BobGee]

" I would prefer a multi calibre (.22lr rimfire and .32 centrefire) target pistol..."

...you could look for a used Walther GSP... The only other one I know that will let you do that is a Hämmerli 280, and they've become rare as hens' teeth.

Don't forget the Sako Triace or the Two-in-One, if you're luck enough to come across one (the Triace). Tests showed the Triace to be marginally more accurate than the GSP. I have a well used GSP I bought locally with a .32SWL conversion I imported from Germany and love it. Great advantage is that parts are still available as the pistol is still being manufactured as the "Expert". Two types of adjustable trigger are available too, a single stage (the old model) and a (new) two stage.

Bob

[william novak]

I am also looking for a pistol. As a beginner which pistol I should buy? Note: I don't want to spend too much money right now. I want a pistol that will help me to learn basics of shooting. I have found a few top air pistols list there but not sure which brand pistol is good to buy. Please suggest me your favorite pistol brand name.

I shoot a Benelli MP-90 S and find it very reliable and accurate. The grip angle is perfect for me. Occasional buffer replacement is easy and inexpensive: a black rubber washer works fine as a substitute. I periodically clean the chamber with a .25 cal cleaning brush bent at a 90 degree angle: recommended by Larry in Maine. Feeds flawlessly and shoots well with CCI-SV.

For someone looking for an accurate beginner pistol I’d think about a Ruger 5 1/2” bull barrel target model or a S&W mod. 41. Either of these will serve you well for a very long time. I still use mine. The Ruger purchased in 1976 and the Mod 41 in 1979.

[TenMetrePeter]

I am also looking for a pistol. As a beginner which pistol I should buy? Note: I don't want to spend too much money right now. I want a pistol that will help me to learn basics of shooting. I have found a few top air pistols list there but not sure which brand pistol is good to buy. Please suggest me your favorite pistol brand name.

That is one wierd web article

quotes...

"the more feet per second the pistol has the more velocity and speed the pistol fires"
"Most of the pistols are made from copper coated steel, lead or plastic and zinc"
Despite being a site for Top Air Pistols it then lists a bunch of plinkers.

[Scrench]

I'm a beginner, want to shoot .22lr divisions with IHMSA. After long research and search went with Ruger MK2 Competition Target Model stainless steel slab-side barrel. Found a good one for $350, plan to use SK Standard Plus or Wolf Match Target ammo.