Mid-Level 10m Air Pistol

[Orion]

I’m a bullseye shooter looking for a mid-level air pistol. I’m seeing a lot of high end models for sale but not too many mid-level pistols available. Can you make some recommendations?

[Arcturus]

Steyr LP2 / LP2 Compact, Hammerli AP20 / AP20 Pro, Pardini K10, Tesro PA10, Gehmann GP-1, low cost version of Walther LP500 (LP500 economy)

[m1963]

New or used? Many choose to buy a used high end air pistol rather than a mid range, new air pistol. The mid range pistols tend to linger when they do come up for sale (used), and seem harder to resell. The Hammerli AP-20/ AP-20 Pro are great options that do hold their value at the lower end, though.

Best regards,
m1963

[6string]

Look for used CO2 match grade pistols.
Steyr, Pardini, FWB, Walther all made CO2 pistols that were the best of the best in their day.
They are still fantastic.
Keeping a CO2 tank for home use is cheaper and easier than all the headaches of a compressed air tank (unless you live near the beach and have ready access to a dive shop).

[Rover]

The two posts above are dead on. Single stroke pneumatic and FWB springers tend to be cheaper, too, PLUS you don't need a costly support system for them. Anything mentioned is capable of equal performance to ANY new gun.

[B Lafferty]

The two posts above are dead on. Single stroke pneumatic and FWB springers tend to be cheaper, too, PLUS you don't need a costly support system for them. Anything mentioned is capable of equal performance to ANY new gun.

The Air Venturi AV-46M can be had new for between $650 and $820 depending on grip and trigger upgrades.

[B Lafferty]

Look for used CO2 match grade pistols.
Steyr, Pardini, FWB, Walther all made CO2 pistols that were the best of the best in their day.
They are still fantastic.
Keeping a CO2 tank for home use is cheaper and easier than all the headaches of a compressed air tank (unless you live near the beach and have ready access to a dive shop).

You don't need to live near a beach to have access to a dive shop for scuba tank refills. There are dive shops located in places like S. Dakota, Montana, Arizona, New Mexico and Wyoming that cater to non-ocean diving. Also, a scuba tank refill for <$20 will last most shooters a year or more. Some local fire departments also have the ability to refill scuba tanks.

[divingin]

You don't need to live near a beach to have access to a dive shop for scuba tank refills. There are dive shops located in places like S. Dakota, Montana, Arizona, New Mexico and Wyoming that cater to non-ocean diving.

In the mid to late 90's, Colorado had the highest per-capita number of divers in the US.

A small compressor is another option that replaces the need for a dive shop, cylinder, and all the retesting of said cylinder. Though they reportedly don't last all that long.

[PirateJohn]

Keeping a CO2 tank for home use is cheaper and easier than all the headaches of a compressed air tank (unless you live near the beach and have ready access to a dive shop).

I just bought a hand pump for about $130 that works well. Granted, it's a workout to fill the cylinder, but I can get about three or four full matches with sighters from one filled cylinder.

[GaryN]

I called Pilkingtons, and bought
- First, a used Pardini K58 for a bit more than an IZH 46M. That was a good decision.
- Then years later, a used Walther CPM-1. My tendonitis drove me to get an AP that I did not have to pump, hence co2.

Both are tier-1 pistols. The Walther was an older generation co2 pistol.
They were cheaper than buying a new tier-1, and IMHO better than buying a new tier-3 pistol.

[porkchop]

I bought a CO2 pistol also because my wrist would get sore during a 60 shot match using my FWB 65 and Izzy, just getting older. My choice came because of economics, not having to buy compressed air support equipment to start with. I bought an extremely nice Steyr LP-1 on this forum and the only support system needed was a tank of gas. I rented a bottom syphon tank from our A-OX welding supply store and that's it, but I'll be buying a 10lb tank so I won't have to rent sometime this year. This was the better choice of pistol for me.
Stan

[B Lafferty]

I bought a used scuba tank ten years ago for $99 (filled). It costs about $10 to fill. I generally get about year out of a fill. Every five years it has to be hydrostatically tested, $40 with fill, assuming that it's being filled at a reputable scuba shop. It needs to be visually inspected yearly which costs me $20 including the fill.

With a yearly refill, that comes to about $259 over ten years, including a second hydro test at year ten to begin the next ten-year cycle. That's about $26 per year for the convenience of easy air cylinder refills and the ease of shooting matches without the time and physicality of pumping the pistol for each shot.

If you like the Izzy or similar FWB and enjoy using it in matches, bravo. Enjoy! But sometimes, technological progress is a good thing which is why, IMO, we don't see top ISSF competitors pumping single stroke pistols.

That said, I did enjoy shooting my Izzy when I owned one. I've even considered buying the new one being marketed by Air Venturi as it is now available with a LH grip. Still might.....but I would not shoot a match with it.

As for CO2, I've dealt with that for my progeny who as a teen shot a Daisy that used a CO2 cylinder that I refilled from a bulk tank that I got from a paintball supply place outside of Boston. It was OK, but not as easy or convenient as the scuba tank to use.

It might be fun to start holding old fart competitions using single stroke pneumatics. Only question I have is whether or not the organizer should have an EMS crew on standby during the event....all that heavy pumping. ;-)

[Rover]

"It might be fun to start holding old fart competitions using single stroke pneumatics. Only question I have is whether or not the organizer should have an EMS crew on standby during the event....all that heavy pumping. ;-)"

For the old guys, I guess it just depends on whether they have young girl-friends.

[B Lafferty]

"It might be fun to start holding old fart competitions using single stroke pneumatics. Only question I have is whether or not the organizer should have an EMS crew on standby during the event....all that heavy pumping. ;-)"

For the old guys, I guess it just depends on whether they have young girl-friends.

Best of luck with that. :-)

[PeeWeeDaddy]

If they can’t shoot with the young shooters what are they going to with a young girl?

[PirateJohn]

If they can’t shoot with the young shooters what are they going to with a young girl?

Dry fire

[PeeWeeDaddy]

If they can’t shoot with the young shooters what are they going to with a young girl?

Dry fire

[spektr]

As a bullseye shooter looking for a mid range gun. Get a CO2 gun. I have a FWB P44 as well as a rack full of CO2 guns. CP2s, FWB Model 2s shoot every bit as well as modern compressed air guns, but I find them just a touch more challenging as nothing I have is as ergonomically perfect as the P44... They have limitations when it gets cold, but beyond that, they are outstanding values and are easily maintained. My P44 is sort of a hangar queen as I am having so much fun shooting the vintage guns. The CPM1 is seeing the most range time.