upgrading to....

Looking for some advise.  Thinking of upgrading from a S&W 41 to Walthers GSP or Pardini SP.  I have shot both but did not compare thier triggers.  I remember the Pardini trigger because it felt great.  Can both triggers be set up to feel the same?  Is the Walthers trigger equal to the Pardinis trigger.  Both guns to me are nose heavy compared to my S&W 41 but I guess I would have some adjustablity there.  Also I don't like the rake on the Pardini but, like Jerry has mentioned there are Horton's grips to take care of that.  Can anyone who has them chime in here on how they like them.  Does he make them for a GSP to match a 45?
I think the GSP is about $600.00 cheaper than the Pardini.  Is there that much difference between the guns?
One more consideration is I have CCI S/V that I would be using.  Am I going to have function problems?
Thanks guys.

Dear 285.

I recently upgraded from a IZH 35m to a Pardini 22 sp new. 

Prior to making the decision, I tested all the currently available guns courtesy of my fellow shooters on my pistol team. 

the FWB's, the Walthers, and the current Hammerli's are great pistols.  The benelli 90s really good as well. 

After a long evaluation, I selected the pardini based on the weight distribution and also due to the six counter weights in the nose that let you tune the recoil and balance to your liking.  All the mentioned pistols have excellent triggers and most (if not all) can be personally adjusted to the shooters taste.  I have never second guessed my decision to purchase the pardini.   

I did get the 1911 style grip as supplied by Dick Horton, which does not have the severe rake that the original equipment pardini grip or the rink grip. 

I am on the cusp of getting my masters card, which is a combination of the reliability of the pardini, the quality of the trigger on the pardini, and the good work from the terrorists at the Lansing Ophthalmology Center.  (some of those eyeball treatments are brutal!).   

I selected the pardini based on the support from Vlad and Emil at Pardini USA down in Florida.  Three other shooters on my pistol team shoot pardini's, One of my best friends shoots a pardini, and our team shoots against Group Therapy, a pistol team that has links on Pardini USA website.  Each and every one of them has nothing but praise for the customer support at Pardini USA.   

Tell you what, get the owners manual for the hammerli's, the FWB, the walthers, and the pardini and take a look at the instructions for adjusting the trigger.  Then send an email to the support for each of the pistols with a question on having a malfunction with the trigger or getting a schematic for some spare parts or something and see how quickly you get a response from each of the importers. 

Regards,
George

I shot a 41 and it was a good beginner gun. Simple, reliable, accurate. Went to a 208s, great trigger, as accurate as the 41, I could adjust the trigger on this gun so that it really fit me. I got a Pardini, the trigger can be adjusted everyway you could ever need but it will take you some time to learn how to do it. I also have a Dick Horton grip, it is a work of art, and Dick is a great guy to work with. The Pardini guys are fantastic to work with. The Pardini is super accurate half the group size of the 41 and 208s and it is very reliable.

I wanted to thank you guys and Jerry for helping me decide on getting the Pardini. Also, I remembered something that Steve B said awhile back that stuck with me and it went something like this...... if your serious about competing your equipment should reflect that. So now the wait.

pistol champ wrote: Pardini is super accurate half the group size of the 41 and 208s and it is very reliable.

Yes, the ones I have tested were all well under an inch, 5/8 to 3/4 with Eley red...I have been surprised by the groups from some of the 208s' that I have had occasion to work on.. Similar to a factory 41... A 41 with a LW liner will shoot fantastic groups..First of the year, I intend to put a liner in a 208s..We'll see how that goes.
Jerry

I'm picking up a 208 later this month that was rebarrelled. Looking forward to Ransom resting it. My old 208 I wore out would barely hold 1.5" when lot tested by AMU with Eley Tenex. I had in excess of 150,000 rounds through it and always thought it should have still shot better.
Jon

I know how hard it is to NOT scratch that new gun itch....  That said I'd recommend that a sharpshooter class shooter spend that Pardini money on ammo and shooting matches.   I remember the year that Buzz Nelson, while a member of the All National Guard Shooting Team, shot in the 890s virtually the entire shooting season, with a S&W M41.  You old guys may remember the tale about Buzz coming off the line from an individual 900 raising cane about the trigger in his M41.  The NGMTU gunsmith did a full trigger job on the gun in time for the team match that afternoon.  That gunsmith was pretty miffed when he found out that Buzz had shot in the mid 890s and had won the 22 900 match with the "bad" trigger.  The NGMTU may have put a liner in the barrel but I know that my issued M41 had a stock barrel and was up to what ever score I was.    If you are consistently above 870 and your M41 won't shoot Xs all day with ammo it likes then buy the Pardini.

Mario Lozoya won .22 aggregate at Perry in 1992 with Mike Curtis short barreled M41. He also won Perry that year.
Jon

285wannab wrote:I wanted to thank you guys and Jerry for helping me decide on getting the Pardini. Also, I remembered something that Steve B said awhile back that stuck with me and it went something like this...... if your serious about competing your equipment should reflect that. So now the wait.

Wow.  The only time I normally get quoted is by my wife, after I'd said something really male (dumb)!

I was lucky to find an unfired 208S this last year.  I decided on that gun because no one locally had a Pardini that I could try.  Sounds like I may be lucky as my Hammerli shoots around 3/4" 10 shot groups at 50 using Eley black box.  Based solely on Jerry's recommendaitons I almost purchased the Pardini but didn't feel comfortable having not handled one.  If it fits you well, I wouldn't hesitate on the Pardini or wait on one of Joe Chambers 22 conversions...

One thing I have found for certain.. You can never be sure until you test the gun.. I have seen bone stock 41s that were barn burners... But, I have seen a lot more that were not. Not even close..I like a good 41.. Great gun..Fabulous triggers..I have always enjoyed a lined 7-1/2 cut back to 5.5  Nice feeling set up. .22s are fascinating and really interest me. I have dissected practically every .22 barrel made.. The only true match barrel, American made is/was the High Standard. Older models... I have no experience with the new , later guns. Precisely cut chambers with match grade leades. A bore scope will change opinions into fact quickly.. Lilja and Shilen make some very fine .22 barrels. BUT, for liners, Lothar Walther is by far the very best. Chambers are all over the place..which is sad, as the chamber has a huge effect on the accuracy out come..  Never use an off the shelf standard SAAMI reamer for a match grade barrel.. The best guns will have single pointed chambers on a two axis zero with a 1-1/2 or a 1-1/4 degree leade. And the chamber will mirror the ammo dimensions selected, which requires a custom ground reamer for Eley red, which is without peer.  
Jerry

Giving an update on my decission.  At one time I had a number in mind to reach before I upgraded to a different gun.  I'm still aways away from that number.  As much as I wanted to scratch that new gun itch I have decided to wait and stay with my original plan.  I will stay with my 41 for now. I think Axehandle made a good point.  Infact everyone here makes good points.  It's good to hear everyones point of view.  The main reason I wanted to upgrade is because of the trigger adjustments on the guns I was looking at.  If trigger control is everything then in my mind the more adjustments you have, the more control you have.  Makes sense right?

Like Jerry suggested you could have a Lothar Walther liner installed in that barrel if you have trouble with accuracy or feeding.  Alex Hamilton at Ten Ring Precision still does that work.