Advise from Free Pistol Folks, Please.

[Jon Math]

I really want to try a free pistol. I frequently shoot for hours at 50 yards with a long barreled pistol and find it relaxing, and I don’t do that badly score wise. I don’t know how much difference a set trigger and fitted grips will make as I’m closer to 60 than 50 so my steady days and sharp eyesight are behind me, but I’d really like to give it a go.

I’m considering a TOZ, they seem to be capable of excellent accuracy; but are the ones you see in high level competitions so reworked that “out of the box” is just a statement and not what I see on the line?

The pistol one I am considering comes with a few springs and an extra firing pin which from what I’m reading seems to be getting hard to come by, but even with spare parts on hand are they mechanical nightmares to keep shooting? I’m not a gunsmith, nor am I extremely mechanically inclined, am I looking for trouble and should be considering a different free pistol?

[Rover]

Go for it. Any spaz can make TOZ springs from paper clips and revolver springs. Or you can send me $10 for a bent paper clip (I know how to hold my mouth right).

[renzo]

A word of caution: the TOZ is definitively NOT for the short-fingered.

I had to carve into the metal just to have a bare grip on the trigger blade. I gave up and got a 150.

This aside, it´s an excellent pistol worth his cost and then some...................................

[Jon Math]

Thanks for the warning. The pistol I’m considering has a set of Rink grips on it that I hope will work for me. If not while my metal working skills are not up to par my wood working ones are and I’ll take to them with the Dremel and rasps.

[renzo]

I don't think you'll have trouble.

It happens that my hand is very muscular and meaty and my trigger finger very short (3/8" less than my ring finger), but I thought it would be better to point out the detail, in case you're like me.

Good luck!

[Jon Math]

Thank you, again!!

[Spencer]

... my trigger finger very short (3/8" less than my ring finger)...
Good luck!

It ain't all bad news - https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/th ... ic-prowess

[JamesH]

I have average size hands and found the trigger reach on the Toz too far.
Also its a fairly heavy gun.

[Jon Math]

Well just sent the funds for one! Thanks for all the advise and help!
Jon

[renzo]

By the way...................... are you sure you checked your purchase with your shrink?

Because - apart from welcoming you to the thinning ranks of FP shooters - I hope you already know you´ve plunged yourself in a world of pain!!!!!

[rmca]

Well just sent the funds for one! Thanks for all the advise and help!
Jon

Welcome to the ranks! You're officially screwed now... ;)

[Rover]

Now, now, no mocking laughter. Advice on pain killers only for him.

[Jon Math]

Great , now you tell me, but whisky is my pain killer of choice :D

Oddly enough I’ve been shooting single shots out of a Ruger MKIII at 50 yards for the last few weeks for hours at a time and found myself relaxing for the first time in years. I don’t know how good that is for the Ruger Semi auto and figured I may as well use the right pistol for the job. At almost 60 years old I’m, starting too late to ever be a challenge to anyone. But I do plan to enjoy myself.

[John Marchant]

Jon,
Enjoy the learning curve, as I have found it to be quite a steep one. It is a great sensation when you have managed to get a reasonable sized group of shots, even if they are not quite in the middle.
I took up the free pistol at 64, so you should have no problems.
Have fun.

[renzo]

Just remember: if your coach yells "high five", it doesn't mean that he wants to congratulate you, it's just that you've wrestled with your grip hard enough to drill a hole at two o'clock in the 5-ring................................................

[David M]

....and don't try to shoot the super light 15-30g trigger, very difficult to control.
Put the trigger weight up to 70-100g, still light but much better to learn.

[BobGee]

....and don't try to shoot the super light 15-30g trigger, very difficult to control.
Put the trigger weight up to 70-100g, still light but much better to learn.

Someone told me David, that you changed the springs on your FP to match your AP at 500+gm. True? Effective?

Bob

[David M]

Not quite correct,remember that the Free pistol is only a single spring.
When the Morini first came out it only came with one very light spring
and a slightly heavier spring in the box.
You could only get about 70-80g with the spring at near full stretch.
I changed the spring to the spring from the second stage of the early Airpistol being
slightly heavier again.
This allowed me to set 80-100g at mid stretch on the spring.
At full tilt you can get about 250-300g if you want that weight.
After that Morini added the third spring into the box of new Free pistols.
I still use 60-70g to shoot, going up to 70-80g for winter and finals.

[specs]

Like the original poster I also wanted to try FP and am 66. Purchased the Morini and saw the extra springs. My questions are is it hard to change a spring and how to do it.
Moderators, if this is not the correct place to post this please move it.
Thanks all
Keith

[David M]

The springs just hook in, use a small Allen key and reduce the spring tension screw to minimum.
Then with needle or long nose pliers grab the spring end and unhook.
Change spring to the next one and re-hook the eyes and re tension the screw to achieve the
desired trigger weight,