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N/A What Pistol?

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sjs

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Apr 9, 2019
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SC, United States
I own several spring piston rifles, all Weirhauch, and I very much like the nature of spring piston airguns. I am looking to buy a first air pistol and looked on the internet for videos or written materials on how to choose an air pistol. There was very little that I found, and most of the google results actually were about rifles despite my search query for pistols. I looked at AoA and PA to see what is available and still feel uninformed.

I don't want pcp. The spring piston pistols I saw looked like they might be more difficult to cock than I want given the lack of a buttstock for leverage. I guess I could go with CO2. I want something that is a single shot, and looks like one, no semiauto pistol or revolver look alikes. It does not need to be super quiet but super noisy is out. I want it strictly for 10 meter bullseye target shooting, but in my backyard so I don't need an Olympic grade pistol. I do want good, adjustable iron sights and a decent trigger. Despite the desire for a good trigger, I do want to stay well under $300.

Anything like that out there?

Any articles or videos you know of on how to choose an air pistol?

Thanks for any advice.
 
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I like my Diana Chaser .22. Has great iron sights that are usable with a Buck Rail surpressor that screws on to the built-in barrel accessory threads. I supplement the iron sights with an under-mounted laser red dot (requires add-on Buck Rail barrel band).

Is very versatile as it accepts an optional seven shot magazine, stock and alternate rifle length barrel.
 
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Get a crosman 2240. It doesn’t look anything like a realistic gun. It’s not that loud but if you really want it to be quiet, they sell an adapter to mount a moderator. It’s single shot, co2, easy to work on and modify, and has tons of aftermarket parts.

If you want a great 2 stage trigger, you can order these parts from crosman: (#2220-103, #CH2009A-009, #CH2009-023 #1700-015 #1763A036 #1700-009). Those parts will give you the trigger group from a better pistol than the 2240. Add a power adjuster to fine tune the pistol.

The pistol with upgrades are well under $300. Pistol $60, Trigger upgrade parts $70-$80, Power adjuster (Mellonair.freesites.net) $10, Adjustable rear sight $20, Front sight (eBay) $5
 
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maxarmory.com

Zoraki HP 01-2 Ultra .22 Cal Black - Multi-Pump Pneumatic Air Pistol - MaxArmory

Our Zoraki HP1 Ultra Multi-Pump Pneumatic Air Pistol is built for extreme accuracy and power. This is the last air pistol you will ever need. Fully a adjustable trigger and sights allow simple, accurate, and safe operation
maxarmory.com maxarmory.com

On the large side, but accurate, and powerful. Not a spring piston, but a pneumatic. So, recoil is non-existent

Also have short barrels and other calibers. Some are available for pre order. These guns are very good and any time a shipment comes in, they sell quick. I've seen a number of shipments come in. These guns used to be discontinued, but there was such a demand and market for them, they were brought back. I'd buy one myself if I didn't already have so many pistols.
Screenshot_20231012_125850_Chrome.jpg
 
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Not unusual for air pistol posts, several of your wants are mutually-exclusive (they step on one-another). As an analogy, when shooting for the moon, One can't get there in a hang-glider. While there may be, and/or may have been pistols meeting several of your wants, your $300 budget is a disqualifier.

"I very much like the nature of spring piston airguns." Only recoilless springer pistols will return satisfying results for 10 meter bullseye target shooting. While a few recoilless springers have been produced, not for decades; and your budget won't touch any that were. And even those might be eliminated by your "might be more difficult to cock than I want". Most recoiling springers might also be eliminated by that want, but their firing behavior (alone) eliminates them as candidates for gratifying 10 meter bullseye target shooting.

Considering "I don't want pcp", your wants virtually dictate a Co2 pistol. And assuming you're not experienced in airgunsmithing, your best choice is the Chinese-made Diana Chaser or other-branded equivalents in (less loud) .177 caliber. Those are also inexpensive enough to include a supply of Co2 cartridges.

Mine-
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sjs said:
I own several spring piston rifles, all Weirhauch, and I very much like the nature of spring piston airguns. I am looking to buy a first air pistol and looked on the internet for videos or written materials on how to choose an air pistol. There was very little that I found, and most of the google results actually were about rifles despite my search query for pistols. I looked at AoA and PA to see what is available and still feel uninformed.

I don't want pcp. The spring piston pistols I saw looked like they might be more difficult to cock than I want given the lack of a buttstock for leverage. I guess I could go with CO2. I want something that is a single shot, and looks like one, no semiauto pistol or revolver look alikes. It does not need to be super quiet but super noisy is out. I want it strictly for 10 meter bullseye target shooting, but in my backyard so I don't need an Olympic grade pistol. I do want good, adjustable iron sights and a decent trigger. Despite the desire for a good trigger, I do want to stay well under $300.

Anything like that out there?

Any articles or videos you know of on how to choose an air pistol?

Thanks for any advice.
Click to expand...
The Air Venturi V10 is sold as an entry level 10m pistol. It's a single shot single stroke pneumatic. Easy compression stroke, excellent adjustable trigger, adjustable sights, and under $300. Plenty accurate and relatively quiet. Love mine-

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AirNGasman said:
Not unusual for air pistol posts, several of your wants are mutually-exclusive (they step on one-another). As an analogy, when shooting for the moon, One can't get there in a hang-glider. While there may be, and/or may have been pistols meeting several of your wants, your $300 budget is a disqualifier.

"I very much like the nature of spring piston airguns." Only recoilless springer pistols will return satisfying results for 10 meter bullseye target shooting. While a few recoilless springers have been produced, not for decades; and your budget won't touch any that were. And even those might be eliminated by your "might be more difficult to cock than I want". Most recoiling springers might also be eliminated by that want, but their firing behavior (alone) eliminates them as candidates for gratifying 10 meter bullseye target shooting.

Considering "I don't want pcp", your wants virtually dictate a Co2 pistol. And assuming you're not experienced in airgunsmithing, your best choice is the Chinese-made Diana Chaser or other-branded equivalents in (less loud) .177 caliber. Those are also inexpensive enough to include a supply of Co2 cartridges.

Mine-
View attachment 396146

View attachment 396147
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I was surprised when you said that the Diana Chaser was made in China. I checked it out and you are correct. The firm is in Germany so the documentation that came with my Chaser had me thinking it was German.

It also has "Made in China" in very small letters on the pistol.
 
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Great info guys, I appreciate it very much. So, at this point I am looking at the Browning Buckmark springer for about $50, the Diana Chaser for about $90, the Crossman 2300T for about $230, and the Air Venturi V10 for about $270. I love Beeman guns but P17 looks too much like a modern semiauto firearm.

If you know, or are willing to guess, might I assume that the more the pistol costs the more accuracy I am likely to get? I assume the triggers will also reflect the price, but maybe not.

Also, regarding the V10, is there any downside to a pneumatic action when my range for shooting will be short?
 
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The chasers are usually very accurate. Trigger is a bit funky, but if you tune it enough can come out quite nice. I know the hp02 trigger is very nice as well. The single pump pneumatic pistols listed like v10, p17 seem to have decent enough triggers. The crosman really does need the 1701 trigger upgrade, and they usually (in my experience) need a lothar walther barrel upgrade, too. At least to come up to my standards. Now, that may not be the case with the barrel. You might get a good one.
 
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if you buy the Browning find a place to store it because it really is not worth the money
there are no spring pistol that are worth a damn as new pistols
would i buy a 2240 or a Chaser which is a Artemis CP2 made by Snowpeak
Chaser every time, it has everything the 2240 doesn't, metal breech, good sights, a great trigger if you work on it and i have but it is hard to make your own
the customizing days for the 2240 have moved on and yes i have a few 10 or 12
the V10-Gamo Compact good pistol HW75 better
you could find a HW 45 if you shopped around or kicked in a few more bucks
the Zoraki hp-01- Webley Alecto is a fine pistol, 2 pumps is all you need, finding one is the other problem
FAS6004 and Sig would work but they have all but disappeared
here is a custom Chaser i have 2 one in each caliber
then one that is a little different
and a 2240 that is lets say silver
a HW45 or 75 with and Alecto


so, the best pistol right now, best bang for your buck is the Chaser and get the kit


but in reality, it does matter to me and how many Chaser do i have 6 or 7 i lost count
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SAM_0354.JPG

2010-08-18 14.55.01.jpg
SAM_0557.JPG
 
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sjs said:
I own several spring piston rifles, all Weirhauch, and I very much like the nature of spring piston airguns. I am looking to buy a first air pistol and looked on the internet for videos or written materials on how to choose an air pistol. There was very little that I found, and most of the google results actually were about rifles despite my search query for pistols. I looked at AoA and PA to see what is available and still feel uninformed.

I don't want pcp. The spring piston pistols I saw looked like they might be more difficult to cock than I want given the lack of a buttstock for leverage. I guess I could go with CO2. I want something that is a single shot, and looks like one, no semiauto pistol or revolver look alikes. It does not need to be super quiet but super noisy is out. I want it strictly for 10 meter bullseye target shooting, but in my backyard so I don't need an Olympic grade pistol. I do want good, adjustable iron sights and a decent trigger. Despite the desire for a good trigger, I do want to stay well under $300.

Anything like that out there?

Any articles or videos you know of on how to choose an air pistol?

Thanks for any advice.
Click to expand...
I want to know this too hope you get answers and please share it.
 
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marflow 777 said:
if you buy the Browning find a place to store it because it really is not worth the money
there are no spring pistol that are worth a damn as new pistols
would i buy a 2240 or a Chaser which is a Artemis CP2 made by Snowpeak
Chaser every time, it has everything the 2240 doesn't, metal breech, good sights, a great trigger if you work on it and i have but it is hard to make your own
the customizing days for the 2240 have moved on and yes i have a few 10 or 12
the V10-Gamo Compact good pistol HW75 better
you could find a HW 45 if you shopped around or kicked in a few more bucks
the Zoraki hp-01- Webley Alecto is a fine pistol, 2 pumps is all you need, finding one is the other problem
FAS6004 and Sig would work but they have all but disappeared
here is a custom Chaser i have 2 one in each caliber
then one that is a little different
and a 2240 that is lets say silver
a HW45 or 75 with and Alecto


so, the best pistol right now, best bang for your buck is the Chaser and get the kit


but in reality, it does matter to me and how many Chaser do i have 6 or 7 i lost count
View attachment 396315View attachment 396308
View attachment 396306View attachment 396307
Click to expand...
Weewow thats some cool looking pcp pistols
 
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sjs said:
Great info guys, I appreciate it very much. So, at this point I am looking at the Browning Buckmark springer for about $50, the Diana Chaser for about $90, the Crossman 2300T for about $230, and the Air Venturi V10 for about $270. I love Beeman guns but P17 looks too much like a modern semiauto firearm.

If you know, or are willing to guess, might I assume that the more the pistol costs the more accuracy I am likely to get? I assume the triggers will also reflect the price, but maybe not.

Also, regarding the V10, is there any downside to a pneumatic action when my range for shooting will be short?
Click to expand...
I have the P17 as well as the V10. As mentioned, they use the same type of SSP power system. The P17 has a much harder compression stroke than the V10, and is tiring for me to shoot. I prefer the V10 over the P17 for that reason. Tom Gaylord did a fairly thorough 4 part review of the V10. It may help you with your decision. The parts come up in reverse order, just scroll down a bit to get to Part 1-

LINK-
 
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