Air Pistol Recommendation

Hello all,

I've never been a fan of air pistols but with a second round of range closures looming on the horizon (I'm in California), I need to bite the bullet and get one to remain active.  My specifications....

   Single stroke (pump)
   Shoot on call (+-) accuracy
   Reasonable trigger
   Won't break the bank

   A bonus would be enough power to occasionally pot a backyard squirrel but that is not mandatory.

Any recommendations?

Thanks all.

Jim

If you can find one I would recommend an IZH-46m (Izzy). Seals are easy to find if needed, relatively affordable $300-500 is not unheard of. It is a bit nose heavy but accurate. I have shot clean air pistol targets with mine.

I would consider a IZH 46M. It has an excellent excellent trigger. The grips are not pretty very utilitarian. Can definitely shoot on call. Best of all it’s very reasonably priced. You can get one for $400-$600 depending on the seller. Go to targettalk.org. They show up on the buy sell trade Category. I believe it can dispatch even the largest squirrel with a well-placed head shot. I would recommend that you shoot off a rest while doing your backyard hunting. It all depends on your shooting skills shooting freehand.

The third vote for IZH-46m, Jim.  It is a single shot and lever pump action, and that is advantage in my book as I don't need to worry about running low on air.  I'm not sure about squirrels thou, but I have not tried.

Another source for getting one, - they very often come up on eBay since there are no restrictions for selling air pistols / rifles there.  For that matter I just ran search and here it is:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Baikal-IZH-46M-Competition-Match-Air-Pistol-10-Meter-RH-including-custom-grip/154225719819?hash=item23e891ba0b:g:~GIAAOSwxmJfySo9

Plenty of parts available as well.

AP

A Daisy 747 is a cheap option,too.

The IZH-46M is a good value for the money and easily maintained.  The issue is usually in removing enough wood to find the grip you like or ordering one from precisionpistolgrips.  

If you shoot bullseye (and can find one) and don't mind the extra effort to compress the spring (versus the IZH46M) then also look for FWB 65.  

The thing with the FWB65  is that you can set the trigger between light and "bullseye" with the flip of the switch on the bottom and also add "recoil" by installing the restriction plate to overcome the "recoilless" feature (assuming it hasn't been lost).

The FWB 80 will work as well, has a little better trigger, but not the ability to switch trigger weights. 

CR

Get the izzy (Izh46). Very good gun for the money. If you need a left hand home made grip,, ill ship you one for postage. I might have killed a lot of Cottontails with one...

Had 12 daisy's for a Jr program. Not a bad gun, but no where near the robustness/accuracy/trigger if the izzy.

Hello all,

I greatly appreciate the recommendations.

I will have an opportunity to try a friends IZH-46M in a day or two.

Thanks much.

Jim

can you  put a red dot on the fwb65

It is also possible to mount a dot or even a long eye relief scope to the IZH 46M. Do a search for a IZH 46 mount and about the fourth or fifth result will show examples of such a mount. A call to Pilkguns should be able to help you out with them out if it is desire.

I have not seen a scope or red dot on a FWB 65.

Recalling in a previous thread something about some red dots not being up to handling the recoil of certain airguns, are there any considerations/recommendations for optics on the IHZ46? I struggle to see the irons within final range.

I thought that only was an issue with the old springers

IZH46 has zero recoil so there is no issue regarding recoil and mounting a red dot or a scope with damaging effects.

Why put a dot scope on an air pistol, there's no class to shoot in?
 Stan

Dot sight to practice for bullseye. My astigmatism and cataracts make open sights difficult.
Between the izzy and the fwb , what would be preferable, assuming similar pricing.
Thanks

You can buy a new izzy 46m from Krale in the netherlands. Ordered one Friday and got it on Monday. Just under 600 with shipping.

In the spirit of "recommendations", I'm going to respectfully digress from the OPs specs.
For a few years I competed very actively in Int'l air pistol. I've used most of the upper and novice level air pistols, and have also serviced quite a few.
I find the SSPs (single stroke pneumatic) to be a challenge to work with. The balance tends to be awkward (and, that's being polite), not just nose heavy. The IZH46 does not have a great trigger, and the workmanship is, well, "Russian". The FWB 65 is a step up, but for some reason they have become very pricey on the used market. A much better class of SSP is the FWB 100 series (100-103), or the older Pardini K58.
Grips, trigger, sights are very high level. Balance and handling are better than the IZH.
But, they are in demand and more expensive.
Consider the savings that an air pistol represents if you shoot a lot. Ammo, gas and time to the range, etc. factor in to make an air pistol a sensible part of your regimen. All the better if it has nice handling, accuracy, sights, and adjustability for all the important parameters. This is where the compressed air pistols come in. The up-front cost is significant. But, amortized over a few months and you're "paid in full". And, that is not even accounting for the value of the improvement you'll see in your shooting.

In this class, I have used the Morini (mechanic and electronic trigger), Steyr LP1, LP2, LP5, LP10 & LP50, Pardini K2s, FWB P34 & P40, and a couple others. All of these handle and shoot as well as the best Bullseye gun you're likely to own. Besides the pistol ($1000-2000) you'll need a compressed air source. A Hill pump for over $100 will work great, but some guys go the scuba tank route.

Consider too that the resale value on all of the nicer air pistols is very high. Expect to be able to recoup 80-90% of your investment with ease. For the rarer in-demand air pistols, you can actually make a profit. With the cheap guns, it's mostly money you've lost. (Not to mention the frustration of using a cheap gun!)
Even in the local club matches, I found that the superior shooting quality of the nice guns to simply enhance my shooting experience, not just my scores.
You're more likely to stick with air pistol if you get a good one.

Again, no disrespect intended to your considered list of criteria.

Jim

Used to have an LP50.  Amazing pistol that I seldom shot.  

Sold that amazing shooting safe queen and kept my IZH-46.  I have the scope mount as well, but did not use it for long, switched back just shoot iron sights. 

 In the end an AP is an AP, I don’t think it helped to pretend it was a scoped .45 simulation.

Swear to God though, you just are not gonna get more bang for buck than a crappy Crosman 1377.  I love that stupid thing. Decently accurate too.  Trigger is pure crap compared to a “true” air pistol, but there is lots of info on the net about how you can tune it up so it is not horrible.  Just so much good cheap fun and checks many boxes on your list.

Buy one now while you look for a used IZH 46.

scheibenpistole wrote:
Consider too that the resale value on all of the nicer air pistols is very high.  Expect to be able to recoup 80-90% of your investment with ease

I'll respectfully disagree with this. I recently sold a pardini k10 at more like 60% of purchase price. The age of the disposable 10 year cylinder has changed the market a bit I think. On another site, APs often sit for long periods with significant markdowns.

I'm not trying to talk the OP out of a high end AP, I just bought a new one, but wanted them to have a more realistic expectation on resale.

I considered an air pistol for similar reasons as the OP and chose SCATT instead.

Being able to use numerous pistols seemed more appealing to me.

I firmly disagree with a previous posters comment that the IZH46 trigger is terrible. When I lived in western New York and there was an AP Olympian living locally and shooting at my club, he tried by IZH46. I could read his lips through the plexiglass to the range from the ready room and it was WOW and looking down at the pistol in his hand in disbelief.
Maybe it was just my particular IZH46.

I shoot air pistol for 3 months prior to our BE league starting.  Start with 10 m targets then go to slow fire BE target at 50 ft. My starting average for BE was 20 points higher last year.
I  typically shoot about 800 pellets and a cost of $30 versus a rimfire cost $80.
I shoot an Alecto(zoraki) with a red dot. Great pistol. I had precision grips made that are identical for my Victor. Not absolute exact but close enough. Couple of our shooters use Air Venturi, Daina chaser,IZH 46 and a HW 40. The club pistols are TAU's. We are not "true" competion shooters so we don't go "high end" airguns.  WE DO HAVE FUN PRACTICING FOR THE BE LEAGUE.

xman wrote:I firmly disagree with a previous posters comment that the IZH46 trigger is terrible. When I lived in western New York and there was an AP Olympian  living locally and shooting  at my club, he tried by IZH46. I could read his lips through the plexiglass to the range from the ready room and it was WOW and looking down at the pistol in his hand in disbelief.
Maybe it was just my particular IZH46.

 I shot my 46M today, put 60 shots through it, I was impressed with the 2-stage trigger. I won't change that, but will need to change the trigger position back a little closer so I can get a bit more finger on it. I could take a little wood off the rear of the grip first, before adjusting the trigger, love to have some Rinks sometime.
 Stan

Thoughts on Beeman P1? Grips and grip angle same as a 1911. Certainly not as accurate as the Izzy, but probably better in the squirrel department

If using a dot is required you might look for an Alpha Proj air pistol.
It has the air cylinder in the grip but will get you thru a 60 shot match.
Nice adjustable trigger and a 11mm rail on top for a dot.

Or,
A Listone Victor, a decently made clone of the above for 1/2 the price.