Overview and options when sr
Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2021 10:32 am
How does one get their child into Olympic Air Pistol Shooting and hope to make the team? Let’s talk about it, from least expensive options to the top of the world. This article will focus on both the mechanics of gun options and the target options. In a later article we will discuss the match experiences necessary to make the Team.
First let’s talk about powerplants. If your last memory of an airgun was a Daisy BB gun, you should know that there are completely different methods to push a pellet out the barrel. The only three I would recommend for you in the competitive air pistol world are SSP, CO2 or PCP.
SSP stands for single stroke pneumatic. , meaning one pump of the lever is all you need to shoot. Extra pumps do not increase the power level; it is the same regardless. You compress the air and it is held in a chamber until the trigger pull pops a valve releasing the pellet. In the new currently produced arena from least expensive to most are options like Daisy 717, 747,, Sig Sauer ASP, IZH 46M, FAS6004 . Used are Daisy 777, IZH 46, FAS 604, Pardini K58, Feinwerkbau 100, 102, 103, Walther LPM1, LPM2
CO2 is Carbon Dioxide, just like you exhale. Many may be familiar with the little metal CO2 caplets often used on BB guns as a kid. But this method is seldom used in target airguns. What is commonly used is referred to as bulk fill. This method involves a removable cylinder from the gun, which is attached to a large industrial tank, and the CO2 is transferred from the bulk tank into the airpistol’s cylinder. This entire process is a bit complicated, involving chilling the cylinders to insure a liquid transfer and weighing the filled cylinder afterwards and blowing of excess if too heavy. About a five minute process and quite frankly this is somewhat complicated but for all that work you get normally 120-200 shots to put down range. However, at this writing, there no known bulk fill CO2 pistols being produced as the tide has turned for Compressed air. But there are a lot of excellent CO2 target pistols on the used market if you don’t mind the fill hassle. There is a small problem with cylinder dates, which we cover in the next section as well.
Used, I would recommend guns like the Feinwerkbau Model 2, 10, 20, 25. Steyr LP1, Walther CP200, 201
The favored powerplant of the last 20 years is Compressed Air, also called SCUBA air, or PCP standing for Pre-Charged Pneumatic, a British acronym. These guns use SCUBA air at 3000 psi, or in metric terms, 200 BAR. In most case, these guns also use a removable cylinder that is filled from a bulk source, often a real SCUBA tank, although other methods do exist. The method is the gun’s cylinder is unscrewed from the gun, and then screwed onto a bulk air source. A valve is opened and the air rushes in and the cylinder is filled. Close the valve, unscrew the cylinder, screw the cylinder back onto the pistol, and you are ready to shoot. It’s just about that fast as reading this. But like any good thing, there are drawbacks, particularly in terms of safety. 3000 psi in small container is a lot of pressure. SCUBA cylinders and other industrial pressure tanks have requirement to visual inspect and hydro test them at specific intervals, to verify that the tank can continue to safely hold that pressure. No such tests exist for airpistol cylinders, so the ISSF, the governing body for Olympic Shooting, made a rule some years back that cylinders used in competition must be less than 10 years old. Much could be said on this subject but this author agrees with the intent and practical necessity of the 10 year rule. In short, the cost, to perform the annual checks required of SCUBA tanks over a 10 year period quickly add up to the same cost as a new airgun cylinder. This same rule applies to CO2 cylinders, as well CA cylinders, and if buying used, one needs to consider the cost of buying cylinders that are within date. AT this writing, all manufacturers produce new CA cylinders for all CA pistols regardless of if the pistol itself is still in production. The picture is not necessarily the same for used CO@ pistols. Some manufactures have made limited runs of new CO2 cylinders to meet the 10 year rule. This is certainly an area of concern in buying a used C02 pistol and should be considered before purchase to verify if current dates are available. Another often asked question long these lines is can CO2 guns be converted to CA use with new CA cylinders. The short answer, yes, in most cases, but the long answer is the corresponding costs for the new parts make the process not economically feasible.
Current manufactures of CA target pistols are Feinwerkbau, Hammerli, Steyr, Pardini, Morini, and Walther.
Regarding used air pistols, there are some pros and cons out there. A good guide to values and some historical information is the Blue Book of Airgun Values, 12th edition. They also have an online version.
At a distance of 33 feet away is the other end of this sport, the target and how to score it. The cheapest method is a good ole paper targets and a walk back and forth to retrieve it. But even paper targets have quality levels. I’m sad to say but the American made targets are not a good value when it comes to air pistol. The relatively low pellets speeds, of less than 580 fps, mean that the paper needs to be extra crispy to make nice neat score-able holes. Only Kruger targets made in Germany meet this threshold. Don’t waste your money on anything else. Kruger makes their air pistol targets in single bull, four bull, and a continuous roll.
The next option of getting the target back to you at the shooting line is target carrier systems. These are either hand cranked target retrieval or operated by an electric motor. In the new current production arena, there only a couple of manufacturers in Europe, usually offering either the manual or electric style. All seem to work equally well.
At the top of the target scoring methods, are the electronic targets, ESTs. The big names in these fields are Sius Ascor, Mega link, and KTS. They also have big prices costing 3000-5000 per firing point. However, I am glad to report an American company with long roots in Olympic shooting and electronic scoring is Orion and they are currently producing a highly regarding EST called the Athena. These retail for less than $2000 per unit.
First let’s talk about powerplants. If your last memory of an airgun was a Daisy BB gun, you should know that there are completely different methods to push a pellet out the barrel. The only three I would recommend for you in the competitive air pistol world are SSP, CO2 or PCP.
SSP stands for single stroke pneumatic. , meaning one pump of the lever is all you need to shoot. Extra pumps do not increase the power level; it is the same regardless. You compress the air and it is held in a chamber until the trigger pull pops a valve releasing the pellet. In the new currently produced arena from least expensive to most are options like Daisy 717, 747,, Sig Sauer ASP, IZH 46M, FAS6004 . Used are Daisy 777, IZH 46, FAS 604, Pardini K58, Feinwerkbau 100, 102, 103, Walther LPM1, LPM2
CO2 is Carbon Dioxide, just like you exhale. Many may be familiar with the little metal CO2 caplets often used on BB guns as a kid. But this method is seldom used in target airguns. What is commonly used is referred to as bulk fill. This method involves a removable cylinder from the gun, which is attached to a large industrial tank, and the CO2 is transferred from the bulk tank into the airpistol’s cylinder. This entire process is a bit complicated, involving chilling the cylinders to insure a liquid transfer and weighing the filled cylinder afterwards and blowing of excess if too heavy. About a five minute process and quite frankly this is somewhat complicated but for all that work you get normally 120-200 shots to put down range. However, at this writing, there no known bulk fill CO2 pistols being produced as the tide has turned for Compressed air. But there are a lot of excellent CO2 target pistols on the used market if you don’t mind the fill hassle. There is a small problem with cylinder dates, which we cover in the next section as well.
Used, I would recommend guns like the Feinwerkbau Model 2, 10, 20, 25. Steyr LP1, Walther CP200, 201
The favored powerplant of the last 20 years is Compressed Air, also called SCUBA air, or PCP standing for Pre-Charged Pneumatic, a British acronym. These guns use SCUBA air at 3000 psi, or in metric terms, 200 BAR. In most case, these guns also use a removable cylinder that is filled from a bulk source, often a real SCUBA tank, although other methods do exist. The method is the gun’s cylinder is unscrewed from the gun, and then screwed onto a bulk air source. A valve is opened and the air rushes in and the cylinder is filled. Close the valve, unscrew the cylinder, screw the cylinder back onto the pistol, and you are ready to shoot. It’s just about that fast as reading this. But like any good thing, there are drawbacks, particularly in terms of safety. 3000 psi in small container is a lot of pressure. SCUBA cylinders and other industrial pressure tanks have requirement to visual inspect and hydro test them at specific intervals, to verify that the tank can continue to safely hold that pressure. No such tests exist for airpistol cylinders, so the ISSF, the governing body for Olympic Shooting, made a rule some years back that cylinders used in competition must be less than 10 years old. Much could be said on this subject but this author agrees with the intent and practical necessity of the 10 year rule. In short, the cost, to perform the annual checks required of SCUBA tanks over a 10 year period quickly add up to the same cost as a new airgun cylinder. This same rule applies to CO2 cylinders, as well CA cylinders, and if buying used, one needs to consider the cost of buying cylinders that are within date. AT this writing, all manufacturers produce new CA cylinders for all CA pistols regardless of if the pistol itself is still in production. The picture is not necessarily the same for used CO@ pistols. Some manufactures have made limited runs of new CO2 cylinders to meet the 10 year rule. This is certainly an area of concern in buying a used C02 pistol and should be considered before purchase to verify if current dates are available. Another often asked question long these lines is can CO2 guns be converted to CA use with new CA cylinders. The short answer, yes, in most cases, but the long answer is the corresponding costs for the new parts make the process not economically feasible.
Current manufactures of CA target pistols are Feinwerkbau, Hammerli, Steyr, Pardini, Morini, and Walther.
Regarding used air pistols, there are some pros and cons out there. A good guide to values and some historical information is the Blue Book of Airgun Values, 12th edition. They also have an online version.
At a distance of 33 feet away is the other end of this sport, the target and how to score it. The cheapest method is a good ole paper targets and a walk back and forth to retrieve it. But even paper targets have quality levels. I’m sad to say but the American made targets are not a good value when it comes to air pistol. The relatively low pellets speeds, of less than 580 fps, mean that the paper needs to be extra crispy to make nice neat score-able holes. Only Kruger targets made in Germany meet this threshold. Don’t waste your money on anything else. Kruger makes their air pistol targets in single bull, four bull, and a continuous roll.
The next option of getting the target back to you at the shooting line is target carrier systems. These are either hand cranked target retrieval or operated by an electric motor. In the new current production arena, there only a couple of manufacturers in Europe, usually offering either the manual or electric style. All seem to work equally well.
At the top of the target scoring methods, are the electronic targets, ESTs. The big names in these fields are Sius Ascor, Mega link, and KTS. They also have big prices costing 3000-5000 per firing point. However, I am glad to report an American company with long roots in Olympic shooting and electronic scoring is Orion and they are currently producing a highly regarding EST called the Athena. These retail for less than $2000 per unit.