TargetTalk

I would like to get started in olympic style airgun competition and I'm wondering if it is easier to get started in pistol or rifle? I'm leaning toward pistol because it seems like it might be cheaper but if I'm wrong please let me know.

Thanks,

Scott

Pistol will be a lot cheaper in the area of clothing, you don't need the jacket, pants and boots. The high end target pistols are not cheap but are cheaper than the rifles.

The 2 disciplines are so different that you will have to decide which you prefer. Sure, cost must be a factor in this sport, but your first love, pistol or rifle must be the main consideration, then cost. I would hate to be in the situation that cost prevented me shooting my favourite discipline which is rifle. Go with your first love.

JSB

I vote for pistol. I carry everything I need for a match except for shoes and my water bottle in an attache case. Watch the rifle shooters at a match. Many of them have a porter (often a parent) to carry around all the ancillary stuff.

pistol and rifle both have zen quality when you are shooting well. Both are satisfying.

But pistol is more challenging physically, rifle is more challenging cerebrally.

Pistol is probably more frustrating to shoot well. With rifle, you can shoot decent score fairly quickly with a good quality rifle. Not so with pistol. So in that sense, rifle is more satisfying as far as ordinary "plinking" goes.

But for Olympic style competition, both are very challenging. It is hard to shoot 10's from 10M out for pistol. To shoot 10's in rifle? I suggest you look at the 10M rifle target to see the size of 10 ring first to come to your own conclusion.

I would suggest go for both events. The range is the same and the satisfaction / frustration are the same as well.

Here is what I suggest:
Get a FWB 300 or a SSP air rifle with all bells and whistles attached.
Get a shooting sweater and jacket to start.
Find a good pistol either Spring, SSP, CO2, or a Precharged.
Buy a sleeve of pellets, heavy type.
Get some 10 meter targets for both pistol and rifle.
Buy a good pellet trap.

After a couple of seasons of learning and finding out which suits the best then looking for investing a top gun. The re-sale of the learning guns can still yield some good money toward the new gun.

Have fun and learn the sports.

Been there.......

I went for pistol despite having more informal rifle experience.
Mostly because I was a little put off bye the unreal accuracy demands of air rifle shooting. Pistol looked more like "real life". You'll be competing against yourself anyhow. I'm happy to report that when I feel a shot is good, it's gonna be a nine or ten whether I shoot AP or AR. But then all shots don't feel that way, I'm only human. But the fun is knowing that I'm capable when I do it right :-)

As they say, you can carry all your pistol gear in a small case.
I play with rifle every noiw and then, and you can get an LGR pump gun or similar pretty cheap if you want to have a go with this. They're plenty accurate. But a "proper" rifle costs more than a good pistol.

Have fun!

JSBmatch wrote:Go with your first love.

Agree with JSB .... Here in NM that's like asking Red or Green?

It will take much self discipline in which ever you choose. Go with the one you love the best and you'll be more apt to stick with it.

Wish you the best!

I land on the convenience side of the fence. Pistol all the way.

Once more consideration... I've heard this from others, no personal experience... but I understand that rifle is a bit more... taxing, on the body. In other words, I don't see nearly as many rifle shooters in their 50's and 60's as I do pistol.

I roomed with a rifle guy my first time at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs... he was 'older' by rifle standards. Probably 35-ish. He said that his body is already feeling it He also said that if it weren't for the pants, his spine would be screwed up beyond all hope. That was actually learned when I posed the question; if you could only have the pants or the jacket, which would you choose.

Anyway, another perspective that may or may not have some bearing in a long-term decision.

Oz

Speaking for an "older" shooter, I'm 69 and still shooting air pistol as well as bullseye. I haven't shot rifle for several years. If you want a sport you can shoot the rest of your life, it is pistol. If your young, (20ish) you may want to try rifle, but it is more demanding even at younger ages. Join a postal league and compete, you will learn a lot. If your lucky, you will have access to a club with competition, if so, join and participate.