Air Pistols - Should have done this long ago.

I just started using an air pistol at home as practice/training for Bullseye and I'm surprised that my performance at 10m with an air pistol is about the same as it is with a .45 at 25 yds.  It has really showed the need for better trigger control, at least for me more so than dry firing a .45.  I should have done this long ago.  I think there's a benefit in doing both dry fire and work with an air pistol but the later seems to magnify or show more clearly any gun movement.  I set up a 10m range on the mezzanine of my barn and sneak away at least once a day to fill a target with 10 shots.  It's a very comfortable setup.  The only thing I need to add is better target lighting.

I take it that you picked up a "777" ?
You will enjoy shooting air pistol and watching your BE scores getting better also.
Good luck.

Clarence

C.Perkins wrote:I take it that you picked up a "777" ?
You will enjoy shooting air pistol and watching your BE scores getting better also.
Good luck.

Clarence

Yes, I picked up a Daisy 777 but frankly find it a bit clunky albeit very accurate.  I have a Steyr 50 Compact on order that I hope will feel better in my hand.  Shooting air pistols seem to share most if not all of the attributes and challenges of firearms save the noise, recoil and smell.  Air pistols are great!

Agreed, but I picked up a 717.  I'm doing my normal blank wall in the morning and 20 rounds of air pistol in the evening.  Much cheaper to discover that I have a lot of work to do

...and cost! $.02/shot.

JayhawkNavy02 wrote:Agreed, but I picked up a 717.  I'm doing my normal blank wall in the morning and 20 rounds of air pistol in the evening.  Much cheaper to discover that I have a lot of work to do

I understand the 717/747/777 are essentially the same.  A forum member over at TargetTalk was kind enough to offer a 777 to me for purchase so that's how I ended up with one. 

Are you finding the air pistol to be more revealing of your faults than dry firing?  The first thing that went away after using the air pistol for only a few days was an occasional twitch, probably a form of anticipation.  It'll be interesting to see if it returns when shooting a firearm again.  I'm also anxious to see if or how much the air pistol practice translates into some improvement with the firearms.

I view it as dry fire with feedback, but it does not replace dry fire with my CF/45.  My 1911 trigger/grip/etc. is not the same as the Daisy so I don't feel that one substitutes for the other.  I view the Daisy as another way to practice to augment my dry fire with my 1911.  Then again, I'm no High Master so my view of the world is pretty limited. The 777 has wood grips and metal sights with the Walther/Lothar barrel.  I was trying to find a 777 or Baikal used and gave up and went with the 717, but I got it very cheap.

Someone with more experience would be in a position to better answer.

Don Nygords article on modifying the 717 online. You may find it interesting. However, they may have changed the internals a bit in 37 years too. 

http://michaeljedelman.com/PDFs2Post/daisy717.pdf