suitable 4-H air pistols

[jcline]

I have a couple of kids that want to venture into 4-H air pistol shooting. I'm wondering what people are using for that. I have a IZH 46M that seems to be a lot of air pistol for the money. Our club also has a Crosman 2300S, but the IZH is a superior gun, especially the trigger. Any other recommendations?

The rapid fire portion of the competition requires a different gun. I spoke to one of the coaches at the 4-H nationals last June and his team was using Twinmaster pistols, I don't remember which model. Any thoughts on those or other suitable pistols?

Thanks for the help!

[mikeschroeder]

Hi

We're using the Tau-7's, which is a good thing / bad thing. The Tau's have a good trigger, are CO2, and can be filled using the large reservoir, they're also light enough for smaller kids to use. The bad part is that since they're neither made nor imported by Daisy, they're Open class pistols, not Sporter class pistols. The IZH-46 is another great air pistol, but it is either right handed or left handed. The grip is not at all ambidextrous. The trigger is also great, but it's a nose heavy gun, and is also in the Open Class.

I suggest that unless you're planning on keeping kids out of pistol until they're 15 or 16, you don't use the Daisy 747, it's as heavy as my .45 ACP.

I'm completely underwhelmed by the choices in repeating air pistols except the one Scott sells (used to be $1500). I don't understand why 4H persists in making everyone buy two or three guns for nationals. 1 for Slow fire, one for Rapid fire, and possibly a Silhouette gun.

Later

Mike
Wichita KS

[jcline]

Mike,
Thanks for the feedback.

The 4-H's NRA air pistol stage and need for repeating co2 airgun is a problem I thought others must have solved someplace. But I guess not!

[Haireacane]

Georgia 4-H shoots international Air Pistol only. No one else uses the national 4-H formula but there are many matches, including Progressive Pistol, using the standard ISSF format. Our state only changed the number of shots, 40 for girls and boys instead of 60 for boys and 40 for girls. Why buy multiple guns for a format that no one else uses. I have 6 kids on my Air Pistol team, 22 in BB and 8 in Air Rifle. I've been coaching 4-H Air Pistol, Air Rifle and B.B. Rifle for 14 years, and we use Steyr's and Morini's and it took several years of fundraising to buy 6 Steyr's and 4 Morini's at almost $2,000 each.

Perhaps your state would change their rules as well, it has worked for our state. We had 28 kids in Air Pistol at our state match this year with more than 50 in Air Rifle, 617 in BB and almost a 1,000 in shotgun.

Good Luck,
David Haire
Tift County Georgia 4-H

[mikeschroeder]

Georgia 4-H shoots international Air Pistol only. No one else uses the national 4-H formula but there are many matches, including Progressive Pistol, using the standard ISSF format. Our state only changed the number of shots, 40 for girls and boys instead of 60 for boys and 40 for girls. Why buy multiple guns for a format that no one else uses. ...
Good Luck,
David Haire
Tift County Georgia 4-H

Hi David

Wrong question. "Why buy multiple guns for a format that no one else uses." The real question is why shoot a format no one else does forcing National Match competitors to buy multiple guns?

We more or less shoot international style in air pistol. My first year Smallbore pistol team only shot in NRA Bullseye matches, the first 90 shots.

Mike
Wichita KS

[bloctonbullets]

We use the Air Arms Alfa ProJ Air Pistol $599. It has been a good pistol for us. We only shoot Progressive Position Air Pistol.