TargetTalk

He is bringing it to me tomorrow to inspect. What can anyone say ( good or bad ) about this model pistol? He says he shot it in bullseye matches 12 or more years ago. What little research I have found is that many parts need to be replaced every few years. Also were all Pardini SPE's really Pardini Fiocchi SPE. Is that good or bad?
MAIN QUESTION WHAT IS THE VALUE OF ONE IN 95+%. I will shoot it before making any decision.
Any help or opinions are welcome.
Thanks
Leadbelly

I am not an expert on these, but my understanding is that they had a lot of issues with the electronic trigger, and that it is no longer in production. If it dies, parts and service may be very hard to obtain. I also do not believe the frame can be retrofitted with a mechanical trigger.

I was watching the National Collegiate Sport Pistol competition a few weeks ago, and (according to the shooter), her electronic Pardini went off by itself. I wasn't watching closely enough to see if her finger was on the trigger at the time or not. I believe it was during a precision series, and she had lowered her pistol towards the heavy steel bench top when it went off. The shooters on either side got hit with splatter from the bullet hitting the table. Fortunately, the injuries were quite minor. This may be the result of shooter error and not an actual malfunction, but it certainly scared a lot of people.

Based on what little I know, I wouldn't go near one without a LOT of careful inquiries.

This might help:
http://www.metalcorp.co.nz/pricelist.php

SamEEE are you saying the gun is only worth scrape metal??????

I have a Pardini SP1 Electronic - and it has been faultless.

The earlier trigger modules had some minor problems - mainly discharging the battery, but the later ones have proven to be problem free.

But, and this is a BIG but, you have to maintain them ( see Pardini USA posts on this site as to how ) and the lack of user maintenance caused issues with the trigger and ultimately led to Pardini discontinuing them.

I believe it was a business decision to quit, rather than be swamped with an avalanche of pistols with intrinsically nothing wrong with them, that could have been prevented by 1 min maintenance a month.

The Pardini SPE is not electronic, the Pardini/Fiocchi models sold through Fiocchi in the US was for. A few years before they had a US importer. There is very little difference in the trigger design from today’s models. Though there have been a lot of improvements in the frame and barrel shroud. I still shoot the second unit sold in the US it has had a few barrel replacements but the trigger is still the group is still original.

Leadbelly wrote:....He says he shot it in bullseye matches 12 or more years ago. What little research I have found is that many parts need to be replaced every few years. Also were all Pardini SPE's really Pardini Fiocchi SPE. Is that good or bad?
MAIN QUESTION WHAT IS THE VALUE OF ONE IN 95+%.....

Pardini and Fiocchi were teamed in the early days. Possibly to share engineering and funding, I'm not sure. The Pardini P10 which is the early version of the K58 is also labeled Pardini/Fiocchi. IIRC, the SPE was the first of the Pardini SP line and it appeared around 1985. I shot one for a couple of years with no problems at all. Not sure what "parts need to be replaced every few years", the lockworks is of similar quality to current production. The .32wc version should probably be avoided, though, because there were some frame problems with a few of those. Their current pricing spread seems to range between $700 from club friends to $1200+ at Gbroker. It might be prudent to contact Pardini in Florida and see if they still support the SPE.

I won't hot link this photo, but the SPE can be seen at https://www.rpgfirearms.com.au/DISPLAY% ... ardini.jpg

Greg Derr wrote:The Pardini SPE is not electronic, the Pardini/Fiocchi models sold through Fiocchi in the US was for. A few years before they had a US importer. There is very little difference in the trigger design from today’s models. Though there have been a lot of improvements in the frame and barrel shroud. I still shoot the second unit sold in the US it has had a few barrel replacements but the trigger is still the group is still original.

Greg knows his stuff. It sounds like it's probably fine, but you may still want to check with Pardini USA about availability of parts.

Gwhite wrote: It sounds like it's probably fine, but you may still want to check with Pardini USA about availability of parts.

Check the bolt for cracks, front and back of the ejection cutout.

Some parts are interchangeable with current model (but not the bolt or barrel).

Check the frame for cracks too. Really, you're talking about a an outdated, no longer supported .22 target pistol, of which there were relatively few made. Something as simple as a broken firing pin or extractor might require custom making a replacement.

Unless the price was absolutely bargain basement (like $300), I'd probably stay away and save my money for something else. Heck, I'd go for a top notch 1911 .22 conversion before I went for an old SPE.

So....not too long ago i bought an old SPE. I’m sure i paid too much...$700 range?? (I mentaly block what i pay for stuff to ease my mind).... shortly thereafter, i bought a used SP for maybe $1700?? Both guns had extra mags and were really clean! Both are great...but i shoot that old SPE better!!! It makes me lament the late 80’s and 90’s that i did not buy one then!! I think it is a great pistol, granted slightly less foo foo?? Not sure about parts...but i love the thing! It is my iron sight gun... the other is my scope gun. If you can get it reasonable... you will get a great gun for 1/3 of the new counterpart...and less than a used modern too! My 2 cents

News update... the guy i bought the SP from said he had a SPE he was keeping, and getting rid of the SP!!! Both of my Pardini 22s will lay them right on top of the next! I have gone nearly Pardini...22...32...45! Free and air still Morini...though Pardini is tempting me???

sparky wrote:Check the frame for cracks too. Really, you're talking about a an outdated, no longer supported .22 target pistol, of which there were relatively few made. Something as simple as a broken firing pin or extractor might require custom making a replacement.

I have both an SP and HP (.22 and .32SWL, respectively) that I shoot most weekends. Both were bought new in the mid- to late 80's.

I was told by Pardini (within the last couple of years) that their current emergency repair kits (extractor, ext spring, recoil spring, firing pin, FP spring) would work for these models. So extractor and firing pin, at least, are interchangeable with the early models.