TargetTalk

Does anyone have and experience with this pistol??? Good bad ???

Great pistol. I've put a bout 10k rounds through mine i think.

Saftey has a minor problem where the screw backs out, but that's an easy fix.

The gun is basically an FAS 609 with many great features added on.

The nill grips, really make the gun. It has a ported barrel, but i'm not sure that does much.

It's bascially your no frills budget gun. Although I have no experience with the Aeron Czech guns, I consider the Kite the cheapest olympic quality gun.

The finish on the metal however is not on par with some of steyr's offerings.

In former post, many issues with the Kite have been described. It is a relatively cheap gun. Those I know of that used one, do not use it anymore.
Value for money could be ok, but a reliable gun for serious competitive shooting it is not. Yes, I know mr. Nestruev used one at an occation two years back. He was paid to do so, I recon. Btw, the last time I saw him he used a Steyr.

Not everyone has the financial ability to support their leisure activities with the best, hottest, and most expensive products. I spent a year with an IZZY before moving up to a Benelli Kite, and spent another very enjoyable year (6000+ rounds) further sharpening my skills to the point I knew that an investment in the finest was something I would enjoy for years to come. Simply put, it isn't an LP-10, but to this day I know that the Kite is capable of producing tighter groups than my physical ability.

Many of the threads posted here seem inclined to run down something or someone, but it need not be. I experienced problems with a cylinder leak on my Kite initially, but need to express that Larry's Guns stood behind their product and made things right. Once resolved, THE KITE PERFORMED FLAWLESSLY. I'm now enjoying my new LP-10 and it was worth every penny, but with used Kites ocassionally available on this site for approximately 1/2 the cost of a Steyr . . . well enough said.

Anyone wishing to discuss this issue further can contact me at mccowens@comcast.net

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It seems a common among product reviews, I've seen this in shotguns and air guns and many others.

When one or two problems about a product are mentioned, it automatically becomes a bad product unless it has some huge reputation.

I'd like to hear your first hand experiences with the kite, not hearsay.

A few people have had trouble with their kite's, Nothing I've read about the kite i've not seen in another big name airpistol. I believe that the cylinder problems were only in the early steel cylinder versions.

I've compared the steyr lp2 and Kite first hand. The Steyr has nice finish, but overall, I prefer the kite. One defining characteristic I noticed is that the Steyr pulls foward on the shot causing the sights to jiggle, while the Kite has no movement and pushes back. IMO The kite has superior trigger shoe, shot cycle, sights and grips. It also has little details like knurled cylinder, ported barrel, etc. They are very comparable and despite the 400 dollar price difference, I feel that neither is better then the other.

I see no need to upgrade from the Kite, the extra 600-900 dollars may get you fancy recoil compensators, or electronic triggers, but they are not necessary.

Over 1000 kites are in circulation, how many complaints do you see? I would hardly consider the Kite unreliable. I feel the fact that it has fewer complications like recoil absorbers and electronic triggers makes it a more reliable gun.

Both the FAS 609 and Kite have good records. Benelli just engineered some clever features that made the kite a better value in my opinion.

Spend 1600 on a steyr, or 800 on a benelli? Shoot both, the choice boils down to if your willing to spend 800 for a negligable improvment in handling if any.

Do you not think Nestruev also shoots the Steyr becasue he's getting paid for it?

If you have any questions feel free to ask, I've put well over 10k rounds through mine.

Any of the established brands are a good choice:
Steyr, Morini, SAM, Benelli, Matchguns, Pardini, FWB ETC

James,
Looks to me like you've answered your own question. You prefer the kite so buy it. You will not get tons of personal opinions on this gun because it is relatively scarce.

Rob.

On Italy Kite is quite diffused.
They made up the cylinder leak of the first cylinder model, and modified the trigger regulation to avoid accidental shooting.
Kite is a model derived from fas ap609, with a better design and finishes.
They have Nill grips.
Benelli is a property of Beretta, that is well know and have much more money to sponsorize is own products (see Nestruev...) that Fas.
For me the kite is too much heavy, and not well balanced with the standard cylinder, in my hands i feel better with the short cylinder (very orribile and with less autonomy).

I wouldn't buy it for the property (Beretta), for the balance in my hands, for the cylinder bad finisches (take a look on the kite's manometer and on steyr's one).
On the contrary I would buy it for the good trigger, for the ported barrel and shooting response (without any additional recoil sistem), and for the very good nill grips.
In my own opinion, for this value, i consider to buy a fas ap609: is the original project, the same trigger, nill grips, (sights as my izzy) and no name brand design modification and a better balance with the standard cylinder.
My 0,02 $.
Bye.

P.S. It make ten like any other match air pistol.

LKP You should try the short version, that is the one that I shoot. Much improvment over the regular.

Ron, I dont think I asked a question? :)

LKP I agree, I dont think what you shoot is that big of deal. A 10's a ten, a 250 dollar izh can do it, and a 1600 dollar steyr can do it.