TargetTalk

Did they ever make/use center fire free pistols? I think that'd really be trick in a .32 or .38. Always wanted a FP but I'm getting bummed out on .22lr. Too many unexplained shots out of group. (Eley match eps & sk jag). My air guns so far out class them. Still would like to have a outdoor FP in center fire.

Rulebook says .22lr.
But it was free in the early 1900:s.

In Australia we shoot a match similar to Free pistol, 40 shots at 50m with a Blackpowder gun.
Single shot or revolver up to .44 cal.
15 min load and fire 5 sighters, then each series is 30 min load and fire 10 shots.
Match takes about 2h 30 - 2h 45m to complete.
Typical scores are 340-350 out of 400 with top scores in the 370's.
Good dirty fun.....

Hmm...
You could probably put something together with a T/C contender (single shot, interchangeable barrels) and a 10" octagonal 38 special barrel (lower weight) and a custom grip. But the trigger is not in the same league as typical free pistols.

Before I could afford a real free pistol, I converter a .22 T/C Contender to shoot the event. I did everything I could to lighten up the trigger pull, and I also lightened the hammer to speed up the lock time. I carved a nice walnut wrap around grip for it as well.

Unfortunately, I rapidly discovered that the process of pulling on the trigger guard to open the action for 60 shots was great way to get blisters...

The lock time is glacial compared to a striker fired free pistol, the bore line is very high, and it just didn't work very well. I sold it to a guy who wanted to to shoot rimfire silhouette with it, and he thought it was great.

1896 Olympics - 60 shots at 30 Yards - Revolver of the usual calibre, i.e. .44 Russian.

Two European free pistols in .44 Russian. Top is a Galand, unusual in that the underlever slides the barrel forward for loading. Bottom is a Belgian copy of a Stevens Lord.

Bob

Could try an aftermarket long barrel (say 10”) for a Walther GSP-C (.32 S&WL WC) using an OSP trigger assembly. Don’t know if anyone makes such a barrel but such a barrel was made in Europe (König?) for the GSP .22LR (Dave fc60 might be able to help). I found one for .22LR in Australia - not 10” but 8”. No idea who made it but cannot imagine that one in .32 would be hard to do for a competent gunsmith.


The front sight is from a FWB Model 65 air pistol I think.

Bob

Coming back to the OP's statement about having troubles with .22LR ammo... If you are having flyers from a true Free Pistol I would suggest the issue is almost certainly with the shooter rather than the ammo. I don't make this comment insultingly, but rather from a somewhat scientific perspective.

Several years ago I tested my Morini CM84E in a Ransom Rest, outdoors at 50m. I tested a broad range of .22LR ammunition, from the cheapest garbage I could find to Eley Tenex Ultimate EPS. Yes, it took me pretty much an entire day to do this testing. The net result was not surprising...

With the exception of the absolute garbage ammo (and I do mean garbage, stuff that I even wondered whether I should put it in the pistol!) all ammo fired 10 shot groups that held the 10 ring, and most of them held it quite easily. Interestingly, it wasn't necessarily the high $$ ammo that proved capable of the more difficult task of holding the X-ring. Some of the mid-grade ammo outperformed the more expensive brands, and sometimes by a healthy margin. (My pistol does not like the Eley Tenex Ultimate EPS but really likes the case of very old "orange paper box" Eley Tenex that I have been hording for years.)

If you really think you are having ammo problems with .22LR, Ransom Rest your pistol. You might be surprised by the results!

My oldest free pistol is 1935 Stotzer Original Perfekt chambered in .22LR. I'm still trying to find out if it was used in 1936 Olympics by one of the German team shooters.

Wunder & Gunther, Leipzig. Probably turn of the century. Roughly 30 - 32 caliber, bottleneck case with the body diameter of a .38 Sp.

Might be an 8.15 x 24R. Not much info available on that. I think the chamber is deeper than 24mm. Otherwise, unknown so far. Slugs out somewhere around 308 to 312. Rifling is the classic flat bottom grooves and rounded lands.

Rim of a 38 needs to be thinned a fair bit to chamber. I've formed some cases with .223 and .32 dies, but making a proper one would be better. Need a seating die as well. And figure out a bullet, and what might be an equivalent load for blackpowder. One of these days.

Needs the sights to be widened 3 or 4x as well.