TargetTalk

I am seriously considering an upgrade from the High Standard Supermatic I currently shoot to either a Feinwerkbau AW93 or a Hammerlli 208 or 215. Any comments on the maintainability, shootability, features and reliability of the models for comparison would be appreciated. I will use a red dot on the one I choose so that could be a factor as well.

JTG,

For what its worth, I have shot a AW93 and throughly enjoyed it. I would it to be ultra-reliable. I would be worried about the supply of spare parts for the Hammerlis.

One positol you may want to conisder is the Pardini SP New.

Brian

What do you hope to achieve with the upgrade? That is probably the first question. Most 22 pistols such as the one you already have will take you up to high master with good practice. If you are trying to improve your .45 scores by shooting a .22 closer in feel and shape to your 1911 then the Hammerli is probably the way to go provided you get the mil grip adapter from CMM. I have two 208s and am not too worried about parts. Replacement parts are somewhat pricy but there are many of them out there. I have been able to tinker with different mounts, trigger adjustments and the position of the red dot on the rail and get the guns pretty much exactly as I want them. The Feinwerkbau is also a fine pistol but I understand it is a mousetrap on the inside. Lots of tiny parts. Don't get taken on price. $2300 or less is all you should be paying for a brand new one with the grips of your choice. The dollar is up against the euro and the prices on these are down quite a bit lower than they were last summer. I confess to having one on order. I am going to use it for international and iron sights practice at first and if I really fall in love with it I will switch over and use it for bullseye. However there is currently no straight grip adapter for this gun and you will never make it feel much like your .45. On the other hand, the gun comes with Nills grips and those are, IMHO the best of the contoured grips. I have heard that the Pardinis and the Benellis are good but I think I would borrow one for a while before I settled on it. I don't like the fact that they have the magazine in front of the trigger which means that they tend to be nose heavy which is a balance I don't particularly care for. I had a GSP for quite a while, same general configuration, and I hated it. Isabel

If you're trying to improve your .45 scores, get a .22 conversion for your 1911. Then you're shooting the same user interface for both matches. Better get a pair of matched 1911's and set one up for .22 and one for .45. By matched, I mean trigger job by the same gunsmith so they feel the same.

Gene Jenkins