I have the most esoteric tastes in airguns (generally) and air pistols (specifically) of anyone on Earth. That's inarguable; don't even try.
Probably has something to do with being an airgun fanatic over sixty years, and air pistol fanatic over a half-century; in that time doing more things with a wider diversity of airguns than anyone to ever stroll the Earth. And I ain't done yet!
Given that autobiography, pondering a couple of favorites tonight (over adult beverages) I found a good 'study in contrasts' example of my 'unique' air pistol tastes. Though one of but MANY such examples, it seems nevertheless an interesting example.
The top pistol was modified for pistol field target competition by an airgunsmith the majority of readers will not recognize, Allen Zasadny. Even fewer readers of this air pistol forum will recognize the gun itself, a Czechoslovakian .177 Tau MK 08 ten-meter PCP target pistol. Having written chapters on the Tau, I won't repeat myself here.
Though Allen Z does almost unimaginable things to airguns, he wasn't able to soup-up the 5 foot-pound Tau beyond the 9 foot pounds I'd managed to eke out of her; this despite him investing an afternoon and a half trying... AT NO CHARGE. There's something you've never read, and doubtful ever will again! Thankfully (for me), Allen is a Realist, so doesn't believe in charging for something he wasn't able to accomplish.
But thankfully he was able to machine the rifle barrel I supplied to fit, and a custom scope mount. Virtue of the 1" longer barrel and my monkeying, the 5 foot-pound Tau now achieves twice that with 8.4 or 10.3 grain JSBs with regulated consistency for 23 shots per 3000 PSI charge. Ol' Blue also averages 1/2" five-shot groups at the field target maximum range of 35 yards, and .70 - .80" five-shot groups at 50.
Fast-forwarding a decade or so, enter (into my and everyone else's little universe) the .22 caliber, Russian made Ataman AP16 Compact... obviously dwarfed by the mighty AZ Tau MK 08. But is it REALLY? Though obviously ill-suited to pistol field target competition, otherwise the little Ataman 'measures up' quite admirably... in stock form!
The triggers of both the .AZ Tau MK 08 and the Ataman AP16 Compact break like glass at a fraction over two pounds, both have the wonderful firing behaviors and gratifying pop of regulated PCPs (though the AP 16 begs hearing protection), both return 23 regulated shots per charge (albeit the Tau at 200 BAR and the AP at 250-270 BAR), and both pistols crowd 700 FPS. However the .22 Ataman does so with twice as heavy pellets as does the .177 Tau!
Accuracy? Comparable; but that statement requires some qualification. So smitten am I with the Ataman AP16 I have assembled the barrel, shroud, and chamber-tube components to have/convert to both the Compact and Standard (length) versions with one pistol. Suffice to say I have a 40 year love affair and personal history with Thompson-Center Contenders. If unfamiliar, Google it.
Consequently, I know for a fact that shorter barrels are no less accurate than long barrels. But in a pistol, longer barrels better (and more aesthetically) accommodate higher magnification scopes; be they pistol or rifle scopes. That being the case, I'll proclaim my AP16 Compact just as accurate as my AP16 Standard, provided I was willing to compromise the aesthetics of my Compact set-up with as much magnification as my AP16 Standard wears. I'm not.
The AP16 Compact is my small-game hunting pistol for offhand shooting at practical handgun ranges. The longer-barreled, 2-7X scoped AP16 Standard set-up is my long-range hunting air pistol, to ranges most shooters should not attempt... certainly not without one that shoots this well.
Not to say I don't love my AZ Tau MK 08 anymore since getting the Ataman. Fact is, I don't love it any LESS.
I'll close by saying anyone that considers the $999 price-tag of an Ataman AP16 to be excessive... obviously has never paid for Allen Zasadny's services!
Probably has something to do with being an airgun fanatic over sixty years, and air pistol fanatic over a half-century; in that time doing more things with a wider diversity of airguns than anyone to ever stroll the Earth. And I ain't done yet!
Given that autobiography, pondering a couple of favorites tonight (over adult beverages) I found a good 'study in contrasts' example of my 'unique' air pistol tastes. Though one of but MANY such examples, it seems nevertheless an interesting example.
The top pistol was modified for pistol field target competition by an airgunsmith the majority of readers will not recognize, Allen Zasadny. Even fewer readers of this air pistol forum will recognize the gun itself, a Czechoslovakian .177 Tau MK 08 ten-meter PCP target pistol. Having written chapters on the Tau, I won't repeat myself here.
Though Allen Z does almost unimaginable things to airguns, he wasn't able to soup-up the 5 foot-pound Tau beyond the 9 foot pounds I'd managed to eke out of her; this despite him investing an afternoon and a half trying... AT NO CHARGE. There's something you've never read, and doubtful ever will again! Thankfully (for me), Allen is a Realist, so doesn't believe in charging for something he wasn't able to accomplish.
But thankfully he was able to machine the rifle barrel I supplied to fit, and a custom scope mount. Virtue of the 1" longer barrel and my monkeying, the 5 foot-pound Tau now achieves twice that with 8.4 or 10.3 grain JSBs with regulated consistency for 23 shots per 3000 PSI charge. Ol' Blue also averages 1/2" five-shot groups at the field target maximum range of 35 yards, and .70 - .80" five-shot groups at 50.
Fast-forwarding a decade or so, enter (into my and everyone else's little universe) the .22 caliber, Russian made Ataman AP16 Compact... obviously dwarfed by the mighty AZ Tau MK 08. But is it REALLY? Though obviously ill-suited to pistol field target competition, otherwise the little Ataman 'measures up' quite admirably... in stock form!
The triggers of both the .AZ Tau MK 08 and the Ataman AP16 Compact break like glass at a fraction over two pounds, both have the wonderful firing behaviors and gratifying pop of regulated PCPs (though the AP 16 begs hearing protection), both return 23 regulated shots per charge (albeit the Tau at 200 BAR and the AP at 250-270 BAR), and both pistols crowd 700 FPS. However the .22 Ataman does so with twice as heavy pellets as does the .177 Tau!
Accuracy? Comparable; but that statement requires some qualification. So smitten am I with the Ataman AP16 I have assembled the barrel, shroud, and chamber-tube components to have/convert to both the Compact and Standard (length) versions with one pistol. Suffice to say I have a 40 year love affair and personal history with Thompson-Center Contenders. If unfamiliar, Google it.
Consequently, I know for a fact that shorter barrels are no less accurate than long barrels. But in a pistol, longer barrels better (and more aesthetically) accommodate higher magnification scopes; be they pistol or rifle scopes. That being the case, I'll proclaim my AP16 Compact just as accurate as my AP16 Standard, provided I was willing to compromise the aesthetics of my Compact set-up with as much magnification as my AP16 Standard wears. I'm not.
The AP16 Compact is my small-game hunting pistol for offhand shooting at practical handgun ranges. The longer-barreled, 2-7X scoped AP16 Standard set-up is my long-range hunting air pistol, to ranges most shooters should not attempt... certainly not without one that shoots this well.
Not to say I don't love my AZ Tau MK 08 anymore since getting the Ataman. Fact is, I don't love it any LESS.
I'll close by saying anyone that considers the $999 price-tag of an Ataman AP16 to be excessive... obviously has never paid for Allen Zasadny's services!
