Air Pistols ?

[grburt]

Anyone shoot air pistols too?  I have several air rifles, but the cost to shoot 9mm or 40SW handguns is getting outrageous.  I have some tax money and was thinking about a little 10 meter air pistol shooting.  Some of the neighbors look at me 'funny' when they see a long gun in the backyard.  Looking at a IZH 46M or Gamo Compact or Weihrauch HW 75 . Anyone share their thoughts ?

[daveshoot]

I have several air pistols (I am not a C02 shooter). From your list, I like the IZH46M. This is suitable for competition training.

Another one to consider is the P3. Some folks like the cheapie Marksman 2004 knock off of the P3 also (I don't, but I had bad luck with them). The P3 points and feels like a real firearm, and has a wonderful trigger. It isasingle-pump pneumatic and a joy to shoot, once you get used to the cocking process.

I will edit to add the Crosman 1377... a $50 pistol that can become whatever you want it to, if you're into modding. Truly a universal weapon.

[Remo]

Have you considered the beeman P1 (HW45)?

[grburt]

kinda. I did not like the feel of it. I think it was the recoil.

[SuwanneeDave]

I considered the same pistols and bought the HW75 and am very pleased with it. My decision was based on the reputation of Weihrauch, and mixed reviews I read on the Gamo. I decided against the IZH because it is more like a dedicated target pistol and I wanted something more all around for target and plinking.

[grburt]

Did you ever shoot a P1 ?   I don't know anyone who has the 75.  What is recoil like, if any ?  I don't mind the spring feeling in a rifle - but it drives me crazy with a pistol.

[RedFeather]

The Crosman CO2's and 1377's (pumper) are good, non-recoiling pistols. Can be boosted to some pretty high power levels, too. Lots of stuff to spend the rest of your money on with that company. By the time you're done, the Izzy 46 seems cheap.

Almost forgot. The Diana LP8 is supposed to be pretty nice, although I don't know about the recoil.

[SuwanneeDave]

There is no recoil; it is a single pump pnuematic. Very accurate

[Remo]

P1 recoil may be different from what you're accustomed to since the spring drives the piston to the rear of the pistol while its the opposite in  a springer rifle.

[gamo2hammerli]

I believe the Diana LP8 is very similar to the Diana P5 Magnum. The LP8 is the new model with a scope rail, the P5 Magnum don`t have one. I have the P5 Magnum and she have quite abit of recoil.....you just have to get used to it. Very powerful (Don`t believe their 700fps claim....maybe in the 550fps range with 7.9gr. pellets) and accurate too.

[ac12basis]

Do you mean 10m competition APs?  
Casual or serious shooting?
What is your budget, as 10m APs get very expensive on the upper end.

[Wingman115]

If it's target shooting buy a Crosman 2300T, If you want to use it for both hunting and target get a Mac 1 tuned Crosman 2240 either one you can't go wrong.

[djmyers]

Ive had a 1377 for years and its a good shooter. Accurate and lots of add ons available.

[cole5169]

Just my opinion, but don't waste money on the Gamo Compact.  They're not well made at all.

If you want to punch paper at 10m, I highly recommend the IZH-46; simply a fantastic gun for the price.  Great trigger, nice sights.

If you want to save some cash, start out with a Daisy (Avanti) 747 -- just as good a shooter as the izzy (my call) but half the price.  If you can scare up an old Daisy 777, then you're really cooking; or you can find the 777 grips and throw them on a 747.

If you'll do more plinking than serious target shooting -- and you disliked the recoiling P1, but are considering the HW75 -- then you would probably be nicely surprised by the HW40PCA.  Rebranded, it is the "Beeman P3", but it's a quality Weihrauch.
Beware of the "Beeman P17 - Marksman 2004" clones, which are far lesser quality, though they are externally almost identical.  There are P17/2004 owners who are happy with their guns (and I am sincerely happy for those guys) but I had two of each brand, and all four of them were lemons.

The HW40PCA (Beeman P3) is pneumatic, single-stroke, and brilliant.  Nice trigger.
The downside: the sights are not great...

I personally don't care for the Crosman "Custom Shop" guns: not enough improvement over what you can do to the base models at home on your own to justify the cost (and the triggers...oy...).

[grburt]

Not competition. Casual. I guess I should have said target shooting at about 33 feet in the backyard. My first choice is single pump pnuematic, because I don't want to mess with CO2 or scuba tanks on a pistol.  Budget is up to $500 total. So let's say $400 for the gun.