Anyone shoot air pistols to hone technique?

[Offfhand]

For several years I've been doing my indoor practicing with a CO2 powered upper for 1911 Colt. It was made in Germany by Blaser, but I haven't seen them advertised in years. It is well made and accurate and great for practicing for the .45 because it utilizes the 1911 frame, trigger, etc, and quick and simple to install. Does anyone know if they are still made? I can post a photo if anyone is interested.

 

[Dallas Jack]

Gamo PT-80

I've been shooting a Gamo PT-80. It is not a match gun. Nor is the trigger great. It is a .177, 8 shot semi auto with a DA/SA trigger. I bought it for between range practice for my CCW guns and for that purpose it's an OK airgun. The price was a plus also (about $80)
Dallas Jack

 

[JohnKSa]

I shoot airpistols fairly frequently, but more for the fun of it than for the practice. I believe that it does help my firearm shooting, but I see that more as a pleasant side-effect than the goal.

I've messed around with the CO2 pistols a bit but I sold my CO2 pistol some years back. For the last couple of weeks I have been thinking about getting another one, however.

Lately I've been shooting my Beeman P1 most but I also enjoy my FWB 65 and my Crosman 1377 and have probably shot my 1377 more than the other two combined over the years.

A quickly thrown together rough comparison of the various airgun types.

CO2

• Velocity is temperature dependent.
• Velocity falls rapidly with rapid fire in repeaters due to the cooling effect of exhausting the CO2
• Easy cocking or even no cocking required between shots.
• Many different platforms available including a wide variety of sizes/weights/prices/features.
• Moderate to Good accuracy not particularly technique dependent.
• Moderate power.
• Requires CO2 cartridges.
• Pretty much the only game in town for moderate to low priced "semi-autos" (most of the CO2 guns billed as semi-autos are really revolvers with the mechanism concealed).

Spring Piston

• Good to Excellent Accuracy but heavily technique dependent.
• Moderate to Good power.
• Reasonable selection of models but generally moderate to high prices.
• Moderate to high cocking effort--generally high.
• Large & Heavy--weight and size increase with power.
• Velocity is not temperature dependent.
• Single shot

Recoilless Spring Piston

• Generally Excellent Accuracy, somewhat technique dependent.
• Few available models and generally high prices.
• Large and Heavy.
• Low to Moderate Power
• Single shot only.
• Velocity is not temperature dependent.
• Cocking effort moderate to high.

Multi-Pump

• Moderate to excellent accuracy, not particularly technique dependent.
• Cocking takes time and higher power means more and harder pumping.
• Power determined by pumping.
• Generally moderate prices.
• Size tends toward the large but weight is usually moderate.
• Velocity is not temperature dependent.

One-Pump Pneumatic

• Generally excellent accuracy, not particularly technique dependent.
• Low to Moderate Power.
• Tend toward high prices.
• Size tends toward the large but there are some fairly small and light models out there--smaller & lighter generally means lower power.
• Velocity is not temperature dependent.

Pre-charged Pneumatic

• Power generally high.
• Accuracy generally excellent, not particularly technique dependent.
• Price is high.
• Generally large and heavy.
• Requires pumps and/or tanks for charging.
• Repeaters are available and cocking effort tends to be minimal.
• Velocity is not temperature dependent and rapid fire has little to no effect on velocity in repeaters.