TargetTalk

What's a fair price for a Hammerli 280, 32 wadcutter in excellent condition? Is this a good substitute for a S&W Model 52? I realize they are not the same caliber.

I would steer clear of the 280. They are notorious for unexplained flyers. Too many other better pistols out there.

Jon

Jon Eulette wrote:I would steer clear of the 280. They are notorious for unexplained flyers. Too many other better pistols out there.

Jon

Good thing I asked. What's better in .32 caliber wadcutter?

beeser wrote:

Jon Eulette wrote:I would steer clear of the 280. They are notorious for unexplained flyers. Too many other better pistols out there.

Jon

Good thing I asked. What's better in .32 caliber wadcutter?

Walther GSPC, with a 10 inch twist barrel.

Jon Eulette wrote:I would steer clear of the 280. They are notorious for unexplained flyers. Too many other better pistols out there.

Jon

Jon -
Interesting. I thought this gun made its bones in rapid fire.

Are you referring to the .32 or does your remark apply to the .22 as well? I haven't had mine, a 22LR, for a long time and don't shoot it often but when browsing through my range book I haven't recorded any fliers.

The .32 s&w long. When I was at the AMU they were tried and quickly set aside. We shot a ton of .32 for the CISM matches. The Walther GSP was used by the majority of shooters. Shot a match about a year ago and a shooter showed up with one and complained about the same thing.
Jon

AFAIK, and I've talked with a lot of people about this, the reports of unexplained fliers from the .32 Hammerli 280 applied only to the first series guns. The first series 280s have the top end that snaps onto the lower (with no screw in front), and the later series top ends attach with a 5mm bolt in front. I've never heard such complaints about the later series.

All Euro .32 target guns are optimized for 25M accuracy, because that's the distance of the Center Fire match target, and it can be tricky to get 50yd accuracy from them (but Dave Wilson knows how). Again AFAIK, the stock GSP-C (.32) is no more inherently accurate at 50yds than the later series stock Hammerli 280 (.32).

FredB

The first shot flier from the early series 280's is easy to fix.
A aluminium frame stiffner which attaches to the barrel weight holes and fits around the mag well does the trick. I have seen a number of these made and they all seem to work.

FredB wrote:... AFAIK, the stock GSP-C (.32) is no more inherently accurate at 50yds than the later series stock Hammerli 280 (.32).

Agreed, but the GSPC is still in production.

GOVTMODEL wrote:

FredB wrote:... AFAIK, the stock GSP-C (.32) is no more inherently accurate at 50yds than the later series stock Hammerli 280 (.32).

Agreed, but the GSPC is still in production.

Agreed, but the OP was considering buying a used 280 ;>)