TargetTalk

Hello

I have decided to purchase my first target pistol, and have been offered a used Pardini SP22 at a reasonable price.

The pistol is a first generation SP22 - with raised stripes, and slim barrel weight - looking through Pardini's homepage, it seems that this version was produced before 1997.

My question is this: When i inspect the pistol prior to buying it, is there anything i should pay particular attention to? frame, barrel, slide ect - does this version have any characteristic flaws?

Thank you in advance

Make sure you get any extra magazines that you can. The new ones won't fit at least without some modification.

Other than the trigger screws (the different things that you can regulate to your liking) being tight the rest should be good to go. My ~1995 Pardini SP 22lr would not hold the trigger weight nor the second stage due to the screws being slightly undersized/worn out. Also, check for wear on the inside (where the Allen wrench goes) of those trigger screws looking for defects--they're soft. Finally, the frame alloy is a bit on the soft side so you may be willing to check for toolmarks, scratches, dings (spent cases ricocheting back to the right side of the frame), etc.

Hiya,

I would look at a couple things and ask a few questions,

Questions:

How many rounds through the gun?
How often was the recoil and firing pin and return spring changed?
Is the barrel tight in the barrel housing?

Things to check:
barrel in housing fit, it should take a woden dowel to tap them apart.
Chamber end of the barrel for bolt face peening and firing pin marks/burs from dry firing
Bolt "wings" for cracks
Muzzle crown for marks from taking apart the barrel and housing improperly
Bolt hold open pin

Tom

My thanks - these are very helpful replies!

One question - Tom:
when you say recoil, firing pin and return spring - do you mean the recoil spring, the firing pin itself, and the firing pin return spring? - parts 713, 714 and 715 in this drawing?

http://www.pardini.it/manuali/sp%201st%20version.pdf

Again, thanks

Anthead

Hiya,

Yes, those are the parts that wear with normal use. You can tell a worn recoil spring by soot on the fired cases as it allows the bolt to come out of battery sooner thus releasing gas by the case.

Crud will build up inside the firing pin hole in the bolt. After about 5000 rounds, it should be cleaned.

I change all 3 components every 5000 rounds. I find you can go 10K but ejection gets weird, you get more failures to chamber and lighter hits as you go higher than 5000 rounds.

Besides, Don used to yell at me if I didn't change them out at 5000 rounds as I used to by my RWS off of him and he would just include all three parts with my ammo order.

Tom

Afterthought: If you want a good review of ammo for the SPE/SP, do a search of my name and I have posted a detailed description of each brand I have used in my Pardini's since the 80's.