Which LP10?

[ihasagun]

I'm about to get an LP10 as my first air pistol. Is there any reason not to get the long barrel or an extra air cylinder? I mean, will it be legal to use in all air pistol competitions or do I need to get the short barrel? Will it sight in differently with a different cylinder? Anything else I should consider?

[kevinweiho]

Both long and short barrels are legal to use in competition, you should try both versions to see which suits YOU the best.

[Bob-Riegl]

You are not going wrong with an LP10---whether or not you prefer electric or not---. I prefer manual (less to go wrong). As to barrel length I would suggest the long barrel version---may be tougher to shoot but again well worth it...."Doc"

[pilkguns]

As to barrel length I would suggest the long barrel version---may be tougher to shoot but again well worth it

yes, its tougher to shoot. As a beginning air pistol shooter, you need to learn everything.. ..... and a wildly waving front sight does not help. Get the short. When you start breaking 560s , get the long.

[Rover]

As many know, I take a little different attitude towards this stuff.

The price of an LP10 is a lot of money for someone who doesn't know what they want or need. It's a wonderful gun, but will offer YOU (as a new shooter) no real advantage over something less pricey. As has been said many times here, you can't buy points.

If you MUST have a PCP, pick up a used LP1. It's the same basic gun, but at less than half the price. Even cheaper would be a CO2 gun or SSP. Either offers completely competitive performance until you have a feel for what you really need, which may be what you're using.

An SSP or FWB65 would save you a chunk of change since you would not have to concern (spend) yourself with extras.

[ihasagun]

As many know, I take a little different attitude towards this stuff.

The price of an LP10 is a lot of money for someone who doesn't know what they want or need. It's a wonderful gun, but will offer YOU (as a new shooter) no real advantage over something less pricey. As has been said many times here, you can't buy points.

If you MUST have a PCP, pick up a used LP1. It's the same basic gun, but at less than half the price. Even cheaper would be a CO2 gun or SSP. Either offers completely competitive performance until you have a feel for what you really need, which may be what you're using.

An SSP or FWB65 would save you a chunk of change since you would not have to concern (spend) yourself with extras.

I see your point. I have been looking at the LP1 and noticing the main difference seems to be the lack of recoil suppression, which is not that big of a deal. It's definitely an option to consider.

The main issue I have is that I don't know what size grip to get, so I am reluctant to order online. But there is a local dealer who has a bunch of LP10s and a wide selection of grips available. If it weren't for that, I'd just order from pilkguns, and save myself a drive.

[j-team]

Get the long one, that way you will not have to upgrade later. Honestly, there are no top level shooters using the short versions of any air pistol (OK, I bet someone finds an example to prove me wrong, but it will most likely be an isolated case).

If you want a shorter sight radius, just move the front sight to it's rearmost position.

[mctrucky]

The main issue I have is that I don't know what size grip to get, so I am reluctant to order online. But there is a local dealer who has a bunch of LP10s and a wide selection of grips available. If it weren't for that, I'd just order from pilkguns, and save myself a drive.

Don't buy a new gun just because you get to try various grips sizes. If money is not an issue, then rock on, why not. But until you have some experience, you won't know what the grip is meant to feel like. Chances are that whatever you buy you will end up altering the grip later - so don't make the 'perfectness' of grip size the main deciding factor.

McT

[mctrucky]

The main issue I have is that I don't know what size grip to get, so I am reluctant to order online. But there is a local dealer who has a bunch of LP10s and a wide selection of grips available. If it weren't for that, I'd just order from pilkguns, and save myself a drive.

Don't buy a new gun just because you get to try various grips sizes. If money is not an issue, then rock on, why not. But until you have some experience, you won't know what the grip is meant to feel like. Chances are that whatever you buy you will end up altering the grip later - so don't make the 'perfectness' of grip size the main deciding factor.

McT

[Tycho]

If you want a shorter sight radius, just move the front sight to it's rearmost position.

Completely missing the point. Sight radius is not the relevant thing. Short pistols show a completely different "wobble behaviour" (don't know what that is in english) due to having less mass out there. Read up on previous threads here on tt to get that confirmed, wasn't discovered by me. IME, beginners have less problems stabilizing the gun with short pistols than with long pistols. And I know (of) a bunch of very good shooters using short pistols (some with sight extensions to the rear) by choice.

[kevinweiho]

Get the long one, that way you will not have to upgrade later. Honestly, there are no top level shooters using the short versions of any air pistol (OK, I bet someone finds an example to prove me wrong, but it will most likely be an isolated case).

I saw Kai Jahnsson from Finland using a short LP10, but later on he went back to the long version. It would be good for a newbie to have the long version but with a spare short cylinder.

[jliston48]

... and a wildly waving front sight does not help. Get the short. When you start breaking 560s , get the long.

I would get the long barrel version and if the sight radius is a problem, adjust it. On the LP10, the front sight can be moved back and the rear sight unit can be moved forward. You will also get used to its balance as you improve. When necessary, you can re-adjust the sight radius (a good point for discussion is when to re-adjust the sight radius - but that is for the future). Also, the long barreled version is probably easier to re-sell or trade if you decide to change pistols. I would also advise buying a used gun in excellent condition - even up to 10 years old. Many of these pistols have not seen much use - but be mindful of the expiry date (10 years) of the cylinders if you plan to compete at open competitions.

[pilkguns]

As Tycho said,
some of you people are completely missing the point.


The original poster said his FIRST air pistol, so I have to gather that he is not a top level shooter. Why do you want a beginner to fail? or make it so difficult that they get frustrated and quit? Which happens quite frequently in this country anyway.

If your only concern when buying something is its alleged resale value, the detriment of you being able to properly use said item, . Why not buy used to begin with , and buy what will allow you to perform the best.????

[rmca]

I'm about to get an LP10 as my first air pistol.

To me you have two options:

1º Buy a new top shelf gun. Bite the bullet and pay the price. Now you have a gun that will last you for quite a number of years (some decades).

2º Buy a second hand top shelf gun. Safer option if you are on a budget or are not sure that you will stick with the sport. This can be a CO2, SSP or air... it doesn't matter, as long as the gun was on top of it's game when it was new.

Any thing else is a waste of money.

I got an new LP10 (mechanical) with the long barrel, two years ago and it was the best purchase I made in this sport. Mind you that I was shooting for two years before with a low level pistol, with which I still made some reasonable scores... But if I've gotten the LP10 sooner I would had a smaller and less inclined learning curve.

Hope this helps

[Rover]

viewtopic.php?t=41065

And he'll swap grips around for you.

[jackh]

I have my first AP and my second. First is a Hammerli 480k Junior with an ergo grip added. The short barrel and my own weighting make it still my favorite to shoot over my LP10 which now has a Nil grip. I am having trouble getting used to the Nil.

Get the short barrel and pay close attention to your grips girth and natural position for aligned sights.

[nick marshall]

Not telling you what to do.
Telling you what I did.

I purchase a mint used Steyr LP10 long for £900 earlier this year.
Both Cylinders dated 2007.

Shot it for a couple of weeks, then thought, for a few £100 more I could have a brand new one with roller bearing trigger, with a choice of either black or silver and a choice of cylinder colours.

I would also be supplied with a 2 year warranty.
So I purchased a new one and sold my used one.

The new one didn't shoot any better, or look much different to my used one.
But as I purchased it with the view of keeping it for several years, I was happier having a warranty with cylinders that had 10 years life instead of four.

Two new cylinder cost £240.

Regarding grip, it's quite easy to get the right sized grip, measure your palm and speak to the Steyr importer, they should be able to help.

Personally, I would order a Rink grip, they just feel so much better! Providing you get the correct size.

If you give up your shooting hobby in say two years time, as long as you look after your pistol, don't lend it out, and it's a LP10 which is about the best pistol available for holding its value, as long as you purchase from a main dealer, and sell privately.

It will be worth close to what you paid for it.

[Justin44]

My son started shooting 6 months ago 10m air rifle, because I drove him to the club I decided to start shooting as well, I had some spare cash so bought a secondhand LP10 less than a year old for £900. At the time I didn't even know there was a compact version. I took it down the club and got shown how to shoot. I haven't looked back since it turns out mine is a compact version but for a beginner I think it's great. After a few months shooting I spent a few hours fitting the gun and now I'm in the local postal league so give me a few months and I'll let you know how I'm doing.

[Winstanley94]

It is also personal preference, the LP10's are good. I shoot a CM162EI, I prefer the electronic trigger, on a single shot air pistol, they are very reliable and offer easier dry firing, although this can be done on an LP10 by just not closing the breach all the way, but needs cocking every time. Yes there is more to go wrong, but I have had an electronic trigger for around 6 years and have never had a problem, always have spare batteries, which last for years anyway, if you are a top level athlete you would be considering a spare electronic module as well for major comps. The short will be easier to begin with but if your forearms are strong and you can take the long barrel, the gun will be more stable. I am soon purchasing a long barrel CM162EI for this reason, unlike the Morini the LP10 long barrel actually has a longer sight radius than the short making them more accurate.

[Tycho]

...you can take the long barrel, the gun will be more stable

Nope. It might be more stable, depending on how your muscles work, but there is no guarantee for that. Reaction to balance point etc. is tricky and unpredictable.

...has a longer sight radius than the short making them more accurate

Nope. Accuracy is the same, as the factory documentation easily proves. Accuracy is about putting each pellete in the same hole. You might be able to aim more precisely, as the same optical deviation between rear and front sight with a longer sight radius will give you a smaller deviation on the target. IF you are able to hold it as stable as that, under competition. If you are such a lucky guy, try the long 162EI with the sight moved out to the rear, that's a sight radius of about two parsec.