Target pistols

[Longfellow]

Recommendations for a Bullseye shooter looking for a pistol for off season, indoor training? Our priorities never change; foremost is an excellent trigger for continuing to develop good trigger control behavior. No preference for the compressed air system; I’ll buy whatever is needed.
Thanks.

[georgerkahn]

Recommendations for a Bullseye shooter looking for a pistol for off season, indoor training? Our priorities never change; foremost is an excellent trigger for continuing to develop good trigger control behavior. No preference for the compressed air system; I’ll buy whatever is needed.
Thanks.

I spent a good many (happy!!!) years shooting Bullseye: rapid, timed, and slow-fire in rim-fire (.22), semi (.38), and ".45" semi- calibres. Ninety-shots a night at fifty-foot distant targets, twice weekly. The common denominator to all shooting was -- albeit, say, a revolver might be used for two of the courses of fire -- I'd suspect only the very few with the skills of Jerry Miculek (sp?) might have the requisite skills for the rapid fire course.

I have (two) Benjamin Marauder pistols which have both pretty decent triggers as well as "better-than-I-can-hold/shoot" accuracy potential. This pistol would be my choice for an off-season air arm to keep in shape with. These are relatively inexpensive (~$420.00 USD) and -- I assure you --more than a joy to shoot!!!

If you are a real, sincere accuracy-seeking shooter I highly recommend the Alpha Proj Competition (.177) pistol! The one and only thing I can possibly "dis-" re this pistol is its price -- mine set me back twelve hundred U S dollars (from Pyramid Arms). Unbelievable arm -- light, easy to control, great sights -- without a doubt, my first choice for an accurate target air pistol.

BEST!
geo

[MUSTANG]

Yes, they are 22LR's; but I would look I would look at either of these Rugers:

Ruger - .22 LR Mark IV Target Pistol



or


Ruger 22/45 (I would avoid all the recent versions of this with funny colors, and mounts all over the barrel).

[dverna]

These will group about 1/8" at 10 meters. You will need to purchase a rear sight or mount a red dot.

https://www.crosman.com/product/cros...ol-177-caliber

[Longfellow]

Thanks guys. I’ll take a good look at the Alpha air gun as well as the Crossman. Hopefully there is a way to add weight to get it up to typical Bullseye gun weight. These both look to be fairly light guns.

[G W Wade]

To me the worst problem is the air pistols grip does not match up with any of the common bullseye pistols unless your shooting a Pardini or something similar. My Bullseye guns were High Standard and 1911 with passing interest in SW 41 and 52 ( mostly International) For air I shoot a FWB #2 Wonderful older gun that does not see much use anymore. GW

[1066]

Depends on what quality you are looking for. I have a Morini 162ei with electronic trigger - Swiss made, beautiful Olympic quality match pistol. A Walther CP-2, 1990's era match pistol. A Brno B96 - A 5 shot semi-auto match pistol and several other older match air pistols like the Walther LP53, Hammerli single 6 and Original 6M.

All of these are wonderfully accurate and designed for 10 meter match shooting (all one handed/open sight matches)

[sparky45]

Very nice; I just have a Daisy.

[Abert Rim]

The IZH 46, now imported by Air Venturi as the AV 46M, is another great springer to consider.
https://www.pyramydair.com/product/a...-pistol?m=5257

1066: Tell us more about those shooting glasses.

[schutzen-jager]

for off season practice, not formal competition the old Daisy model 717 does the job w/o the heavy expense of the competition models -

[dverna]

Depends on what quality you are looking for. I have a Morini 162ei with electronic trigger - Swiss made, beautiful Olympic quality match pistol. A Walther CP-2, 1990's era match pistol. A Brno B96 - A 5 shot semi-auto match pistol and several other older match air pistols like the Walther LP53, Hammerli single 6 and Original 6M.

All of these are wonderfully accurate and designed for 10 meter match shooting (all one handed/open sight matches)

Don't hear about B96 much anymore. I gave one to my son, but now it is back with me as his new wife is woke and she will not allow even an air pistol in their home. It is a great gun that did not cost stupid money when I got it. It is a lot of fun to shoot. If you ever want to sell it let me know. I would love to have a twin for my fiancé.

[1066]

The IZH 46, now imported by Air Venturi as the AV 46M, is another great springer to consider.
https://www.pyramydair.com/product/a...-pistol?m=5257

1066: Tell us more about those shooting glasses.

Ahh - My homemade shooting specs.. I couldn't justify a set of Champion shooting specs at £380 so I designed and made my own for 10th the cost. They are fully adjustable 3D printed with 3mm carbon fibre connection rods.
I went to my local cut price store and for £5 found the correct strength reading glasses with a lens to focus on the foresight, ground the plastic lens to fit my holder and fitted the Chinese iris.

Work very well indeed, been using them for the last 3 years or so.

[1066]

Don't hear about B96 much anymore. I gave one to my son, but now it is back with me as his new wife is woke and she will not allow even an air pistol in their home. It is a great gun that did not cost stupid money when I got it. It is a lot of fun to shoot. If you ever want to sell it let me know. I would love to have a twin for my fiancé.

Agree, the B96 is fun to shoot, not quite got the trigger of the Morini or Walther but still performs well. As I don't shoot it in competition now I'm thinking of fitting a shoulder stock and extended barrel shroud and configuring it approximate my Browning Buckmark Carbine - so practice a bit of offhand rapid fire in the back yard.

Here's a clip of the B96 with a rapid fire string of 5 at 11 yards.

and the CP 2 pellet testing

and Morini 162

[sd5782]

20 years ago I purchased the Gamo single stroke pneumatic target gun. Basement accurate and a decent trigger. They position it as a target gun. I see it now sold at pyramid air as the Air Venturi V10 Match. I’m not sure how the new version stacks up to the old. Probably made in China now too. Might be worth your research.

[Abert Rim]

Very impressed with those glasses, and the accuracy of your pistols, 1066.

[Kestrel4k]

I /very much/ concur on the Daisy/Avanti 717 (or the wood-grip 747 version).
I did an extensive pellet test with mine here:

https://www.rimfirecentral.com/threa...pistol.772841/

Mine was a bit more finicky than what other people have reported with theirs, but any good testing should find the preferred pellet for one nonetheless.
My testing of four quality .177 airguns with a wide variety of pellets (~30 different styles/makes) indicate that the best-performing pellet will produce group sizes about /half/ that of the average pellet - so testing is highly recommended for every case.

Should be able to find used 717's for ~$100 or so. I don't believe that any other pistols at this price point will provide as much accuracy.

I also have an IZH-46M which is somewhat more accurate of course, but the Daisy gets the most field time because I don't have to worry about the occasional bump & knockabout.

[schutzen-jager]

Kestree14k
totally agree - neglected to state in my first post that it is a single stroke pneumatic - the 747 is same action with wooden grips + a Lothar Walther match grade barrel - either model will suite the original posters needs with a very decent expense -

[BadgerShooter]

Don't count out the Feinwerbau 65. Spring piston, but exquisitely made and extremely accurate. They are still floating around if you are patient.

[15meter]

The IZH 46, now imported by Air Venturi as the AV 46M, is another great springer to consider.
https://www.pyramydair.com/product/a...-pistol?m=5257

1066: Tell us more about those shooting glasses.

Way late to the party, but another vote for Izzy 46. Didn't realize that Pyramid was bringing them in again. I assumed that they were gone forever, being a Russian special.

Picked up a used one a couple of years ago for a song, kid(30+ year old) had it and wanted cash NOW!

Shoots way better than I can.

[BLAHUT]

Way late to the party, but another vote for Izzy 46. Didn't realize that Pyramid was bringing them in again. I assumed that they were gone forever, being a Russian special.

Picked up a used one a couple of years ago for a song, kid(30+ year old) had it and wanted cash NOW!

Shoots way better than I can.

I have two, they have come way down in price, wonderful gun for practice and to compete with, very accurate.
On average both shoot much better than I can..
Daisy one pump is a good one for practice, doesn't cost much, just to keep skills up..