Good air pistol for competition?

Would this be the right forum to ask this? I want to get into air pistol. Any recommendations for a good pistol I can take all the way to high level competition? There are a ton of options it looks like and it's not as clear cut as bullseye with obvious/most commonly recommended models (Model 41 or Hammerli 208/215/S for 22, an accurized 1911 for .45/CF for example). 

I like a 2-stage trigger and like very narrow bands of light around the front sight post. My hand size is probably medium sized, but I have skinny/long fingers.

A used morini 162, Steyr lp10, or pardini k12. Good chance cylinders will be out of date or close to out of date, can easily get away with one cylinder until you shoot top tier events. Grips can be replaced (and modified) to fit your hand. You will see all three of those guns at all the high level events.

I have a FWB P44 (current model is P8X) that is wonderful, has adjustable rear sights, and will forever outshoot me.  That said all of the normal brands will work.

You might look around at Target Talk, which is more Olympic and AP shooting oriented

https://www.targettalk.org/index.php

Also Walther LP500

Awesome, thank you guys! I learned my lesson when it came to firearms and that lesson is to go straight for quality right from the start and don't mess around with middling options; hence why I asked for the "Hammerli 208/215/S" equivalent of the air gun world. Looks like there's a Steyre LP 10 and Morini available right now on GB. Any other good places to buy used air pistols?

Used guns: Pilkington, Redfeather Outfitters… TargetTalk might have more recommendations.

Big benefit to some manufacturers (like Steyr) is spare parts availability and domestic service centers. A GB-purchased gun for the right price could go for a spa treatment at Pilkington’s and be basically new at a discount.

You can win matches with basically any modern PCP and adequate skill. The WR and World Cup scores haven’t changed much since the advent of reliable electronic triggers and recoil absorbers. New tech makes the guns a lot more forgiving and adjustable, though. I’m shooting okay scores (~545-to-550 at present) with a Steyr LP1P from the late 90s… I know the gun isn’t holding me back.

Damir Mikec shoots a Walther LP400.  That pistol was introduced in 2011 and it's successor the LP500 was introduced in 2018.  So his pistol is at least 6 years old, if not 10+.  His results are pretty good.

I did some testing where I clamped my CM162ei in a vise and tested pellets at 10m.  I used RWS R-10 4.50mm 7gr, R-10 4.49mm 7gr, Meisterkugeln 4.50mm 7gr and old blue tin Qiang Yuan 4.50mm 500mg.
All shot 1 hole.

This would be the ticket:

https://www.bullseyeforum.net/t23001-steyr-lp50-foresale-mint-condition-price-reduced

Pro tip:  Try larger bands of light around the front sight.  You may be surprised at how much it will improve your shooting.

As for shopping, watch the Target Talk buy/sell section.  Steyr, Pardini, Morini, Walther, and Feinwerkbau all make excellent air pistols.  Budget for some means to charge the tanks, as well as the pistol itself.  Either a SCUBA tank (if you can get THAT charged at a dive shop) or a hand pump.

The bargain option is an Izh-46m, which doesn't need to be charged.

Mike M. wrote:The bargain option is an Izh-46m, which doesn't need to be charged.

The Izh-46m is a fantastic starter air pistol that is just as accurate to shoot as the other options mentioned, however you will not see them used much any more at top level competition by serious shooters. I started on one shot a 569 with it. That said in a 60 shot match with potential of finals, the izzy will wear you out significantly.

Mike M. wrote:Pro tip:  Try larger bands of light around the front sight.  You may be surprised at how much it will improve your shooting.

As for shopping, watch the Target Talk buy/sell section.  Steyr, Pardini, Morini, Walther, and Feinwerkbau all make excellent air pistols.  Budget for some means to charge the tanks, as well as the pistol itself.  Either a SCUBA tank (if you can get THAT charged at a dive shop) or a hand pump.

The bargain option is an Izh-46m, which doesn't need to be charged.

you're not the first person to suggest the larger bands of light to me and I admit I've shot my best long line target with a Hammerli 208 which has the largest bands of light around the front sight of my target pistols. What exactly is the reasoning there? I really like the sights on my 1911 I just installed that come from kensight, essentially it's the old 1960s USGI NM sight set and the front sight basically has two bands of light that are super thin and any deviation in the sights will make one obviously larger than the other. I find this to be an advantage, or maybe the thought process is that this might become too distracting ie focusing too much on just one aspect of the shot process (perfect sight alignment)?

The Walther LP400s are on sale at Orbele Enterprises.  The compact carbon model with a long cylinder.

azreddy wrote:The Walther LP400s are on sale at Orbele Enterprises.  The compact carbon model with a long cylinder.

That may be the ticket! that price is righteous.

I purchased one last week.  The air pistol is very light and makes it easier to hold. They can usually swap the grips to your size. It is best to determine your grip size before ordering the air pistol.

azreddy wrote:I purchased one last week.  The air pistol is very light and makes it easier to hold. They can usually swap the grips to your size. It is best to determine your grip size before ordering the air pistol.

how much shorter is the sight radius compared to "non compact" models?

The rear sights can be extended.  The dimensions are 305-365mm vs 340-400mm or a difference of 35mm (1 - 3/8 inches)

I plan to install a red dot -so it makes no difference.  They did include the long cylinder.