TargetTalk

Hi everybody.

I recently tried at the 10m air range a crossman co2 revolver with daisy pellets and recorded a 515. I know I was amazed too. Don't yell at me yet, my story is as follows.

When I was at high school (20 some year ago) everybody at the club I was going to was using the latest in air pistol available, first the FW pistons and later the Co2's, then came the Walters and Hammerlies, all of them with impressive guns and deep pockets but doing in the 520-550 the most, some of them even in the 480's. The club had some Daisy's as borrowers for beginers but after a couple of tries, nobody wanted to use them anymore, especially after feeling overwhelmed by the BIG guns.

I was one of them as a Junior high kid, and since my father couldn't afford the $1500.- for a air pistol, I decided to quit quietly.

The Crossman CO2 revolver was around, as I remember for about 20 bucks. But offcourse it was a toy gun.

Over the years my shooting skills progressed, finished college and bought many expensive guns, shotguns, rifles, pistols, etc. married and have a decent living. But I never bought the elusive expensive air pistol again.

I absolutely didn't know that a 520 can be reached with a Crossman CO2 revolver, not just until recently. Too bad all those kid went home discouraged from their shooting dreams, nobody told me to buy a Crossman, don't worry about the others, and beat them all.

My mission today is different, I've learned from my experiences and I think we must encourage our today's kids, to at least give it a try and have fun.

Congrats on quite an accomplishment! The thing with shooting is, it isn't the pistol, it is how you shoot it. Now, someone with a Morini with an electronic trigger, probably has a technical advantage over someone like yourself with a Crossman revolver. However, if you jerk the trigger with the Morini, you can still throw a shot way out, but if you are super smooth with the Crossman, you can still shoot well as you have demonstrated.

I also learned shooting on a Crossman, a Berreta 92 actually, and it had the world's worst and longest trigger, but what it did teach me is how to pull through when I am in my area of aim (instead of yanking on the trigger when I see the perfect sight picture).

Hehe, come to think of it, I may benefit from a worse trigger these days, since I have been shooting with expensive competition pistols for a while now, and may have forgotten some of these valuable lessons about trigger control.

robin44 wrote:Hi everybody.

I recently tried at the 10m air range a crossman co2 revolver with daisy pellets and recorded a 515. I know I was amazed too. Don't yell at me yet, my story is as follows.

When I was at high school (20 some year ago) everybody at the club I was going to was using the latest in air pistol available, first the FW pistons and later the Co2's, then came the Walters and Hammerlies, all of them with impressive guns and deep pockets but doing in the 520-550 the most, some of them even in the 480's. The club had some Daisy's as borrowers for beginers but after a couple of tries, nobody wanted to use them anymore, especially after feeling overwhelmed by the BIG guns.

I was one of them as a Junior high kid, and since my father couldn't afford the $1500.- for a air pistol, I decided to quit quietly.

The Crossman CO2 revolver was around, as I remember for about 20 bucks. But offcourse it was a toy gun.

Over the years my shooting skills progressed, finished college and bought many expensive guns, shotguns, rifles, pistols, etc. married and have a decent living. But I never bought the elusive expensive air pistol again.

I absolutely didn't know that a 520 can be reached with a Crossman CO2 revolver, not just until recently. Too bad all those kid went home discouraged from their shooting dreams, nobody told me to buy a Crossman, don't worry about the others, and beat them all.

My mission today is different, I've learned from my experiences and I think we must encourage our today's kids, to at least give it a try and have fun.

Hi Robin

You point out something that has been known for a long time! I too have shot over 80% scores with a 356-6 Crosman. The trigger leaves a lot to be desired and is a barrier to me making it to 90% scores. Any decent shooter can do the same though it does require a bunch of concentration trigger wise.

The second point you make is the more important one in my opinion. There is a trend in all of the shooting sports media for newbies, to focus on equipment and not on shooting skills. We have a poster who is shooting in the 480 range with a IZH-46. He is considering a PCP. While this is fine if he has the money, it is clear from his scores that he needs much more work on his skills.

Pistol for the jrs should follow the rifle example of a sporter class. This has more potential to expand the numbers of jrs shooting pistol than any other idea I have heard. The purists may not like the idea, but I would point them to Warren Potter's personal story.

Good luck and good shooting!

robin44 wrote:Hi everybody.

I recently tried at the 10m air range a crossman co2 revolver with daisy pellets and recorded a 515. I know I was amazed too. Don't yell at me yet, my story is as follows.

When I was at high school (20 some year ago) everybody at the club I was going to was using the latest in air pistol available, first the FW pistons and later the Co2's, then came the Walters and Hammerlies, all of them with impressive guns and deep pockets but doing in the 520-550 the most, some of them even in the 480's. The club had some Daisy's as borrowers for beginers but after a couple of tries, nobody wanted to use them anymore, especially after feeling overwhelmed by the BIG guns.

I was one of them as a Junior high kid, and since my father couldn't afford the $1500.- for a air pistol, I decided to quit quietly.

The Crossman CO2 revolver was around, as I remember for about 20 bucks. But offcourse it was a toy gun.

Over the years my shooting skills progressed, finished college and bought many expensive guns, shotguns, rifles, pistols, etc. married and have a decent living. But I never bought the elusive expensive air pistol again.

I absolutely didn't know that a 520 can be reached with a Crossman CO2 revolver, not just until recently. Too bad all those kid went home discouraged from their shooting dreams, nobody told me to buy a Crossman, don't worry about the others, and beat them all.

My mission today is different, I've learned from my experiences and I think we must encourage our today's kids, to at least give it a try and have fun.

Hello.

Let me say you are absolutely rigth. People should try to shoot their best with what they have.

Just for the record a couple of years ago I've witnessed at the Portuguese National Air Pistol Championship someone doing 560 with a Spanish ordinary Gamo Pistol (very similar to Crossman), beating all those Morini, Steyr and FWB around. Despite not winning the championship this shooter made his point.

So for all of those who don't have big bucks to spend on a top pistol my advice is to really work on their skils before starting complaining about their pistols.

Greetings from Portugal,
Stratego

Thanks you all for your replies.

Back at my first club, I remember some shooters telling me to ask my father to buy me an air pistol: "the signing list is still open just jolt down 50% down of the full $1300.-" my father was struggling with his business and I was targeting to enter College, so, instead of trying my luck with a 20 dollar crossman, I just slipped away quietly.

Over the years I have had and shoot International Pistol, Standard and Free, also Bullseye and some International Trap also, but my recent experience with the Crossman reminded me to go to the very basics, and Yes it was tons of fun.

Everytime I cross my path with a wanabe Olympic shooter kid, I encourage him or her to the fullest, No money, No problem, get a Crossman and who knows, you might even beat the Top Guns, and if you make a 580, hey I buy you a Steyr myself, we (USA) need to win a medal at Pekin, don't you think so.

Look at that Portuguese shooter doing a 580 with a Gamo pistol.

Regards, Robin.

Hi again Robin!

You are on the dot! Air pistol can be gotten into for the cost of a sub $100 air pistol, an inexpensive home made pellet trap, a pair of safety glasses, some pellets and a bunch of targets.

While I would point them towards a 717 over the 357-6 the idea is the same. Don't let $ keep you from this great sport. I tell them that if they cannot break 85% with this level of equipment, the most expensive equipment in the world will be of little use.

Since air pistol championships are held in just about anywhere you can get 40 feet or more in distance (the Canadians hold there championship in a hotel!!) why isn't this sport more popular?? I think it has to do with image.

robin44 wrote:Thanks you all for your replies.

Back at my first club, I remember some shooters telling me to ask my father to buy me an air pistol: "the signing list is still open just jolt down 50% down of the full $1300.-" my father was struggling with his business and I was targeting to enter College, so, instead of trying my luck with a 20 dollar crossman, I just slipped away quietly.

Over the years I have had and shoot International Pistol, Standard and Free, also Bullseye and some International Trap also, but my recent experience with the Crossman reminded me to go to the very basics, and Yes it was tons of fun.

Everytime I cross my path with a wanabe Olympic shooter kid, I encourage him or her to the fullest, No money, No problem, get a Crossman and who knows, you might even beat the Top Guns, and if you make a 580, hey I buy you a Steyr myself, we (USA) need to win a medal at Pekin, don't you think so.

Look at that Portuguese shooter doing a 580 with a Gamo pistol.

Regards, Robin.