Compact Spring Powered Pistol?

[Simon G]

What's the most compact spring air pistol?

I'm looking for something more akin to the handling attributes of a cartridge pistol, particularly low bore line. I'm not after a Co2 "replica" as I've had a few and really not impressed by their accuracy or consistancy.

Any ideas?

[Jim McArthur]

I don't know, but your question has me curious also.

Jim

[harvey_s]

Record Jumbo?

[hwtyger]

You might like the webley tempest. Compact and has nice reverse recoil.

[Jerry Cornelius]

I second the tempest for what you want. The BSA 240 is another, but SH Tempests are about 2/3 the price of the BSA.

The Jumbo is smaller (and the Tell II smaller still ) but they can be fragile and some spares are unobtainable. For a compact user, on value for money terms, I can't see you beating a Tempest. (Earlier webleys are also an option especially the premier)

If you want something a little more unusual you might look for a hyscore.

None of these are exactly what you would call match accurate, but they are all fun and consistent enough to reward practice

[Rob M]

Jerry's advice is spot-on there!

[PHOBUS]

I just bought a Record Jumbo de luxe on here for £50 and it definately matches your needs as regards compact and firearm like .
They were apparantly used as training weapons in European countries as they closely matched the size, weight , and dimensions of their service 9mm autos .
Mostly steel construction and wood grips . Power is not great but ok for plinking and close range target etc . I prefer the looks as the Tempest looks nothing like a firearm wheras the Jumbo definately does imo .
Some pics here :

http://www.muzzle.de/N3/Druckluft/Ma...r__jumbo_.html

Carl.

[Jim McArthur]

I just bought a Record Jumbo de luxe on here for £50 and it definately matches your needs as regards compact and firearm like .
They were apparantly used as training weapons in European countries as they closely matched the size, weight , and dimensions of their service 9mm autos .
Mostly steel construction and wood grips . Power is not great but ok for plinking and close range target etc . I prefer the looks as the Tempest looks nothing like a firearm wheras the Jumbo definately does imo .
Some pics here :

http://www.muzzle.de/N3/Druckluft/Ma...r__jumbo_.html

Carl.

Nice looking pistol, Carl. I take it they are still in production, then?

Jim

[Rob M]

I just bought a Record Jumbo de luxe on here for £50 and it definately matches your needs as regards compact and firearm like .

Mostly steel construction and wood grips . Power is not great but ok for plinking and close range target etc . I prefer the looks as the Tempest looks nothing like a firearm wheras the Jumbo definately does imo .
Some pics here :

http://www.muzzle.de/N3/Druckluft/Ma...r__jumbo_.html

Carl.

Sorry Carl, the Jumbo is not 'mostly steel' at all. It's mostly a light cast alloy of some sort, even the piston is alloy. I have got a Jumbo, and they are nice and very compact little air pistols, but the alloy they're made from is not ideal, it gets brittle over time. The first Jumbo I had literally fell apart at the breech end, it cracked to bits where the two steel pins secure the breech plug into the cylinder of the pistol.

They are nice little pistols and can be surprisingly accurate with the right pellets, but they won't last like Webleys do I'm afraid.

[neil1972]

i agree,ive had a jumbo,,heavy pistol,,but low powered,,ive just got myself a tempest .177,,after having one in 1989,,these are great guns,,built to last,,fairly compact,,and alot more powerful than i remember

[Powderfinger]

The Webley pistols make the best training pistols. They are stiff to cock and tone up the muscles you need for pistol-shooting. The triggers are not the best but they teach people to pay attention to good trigger control. The way they recoil back at you encourages a proper stance and grip. Everyone should have one.

[pennineway.fswo]

The Webleys as said above are superb little pistols. They can be very accurate up to 20 yards or so in the right hands (or with plenty of practise)

There is also the Walther LP53 that has a nice 2 stage trigger on later models
This pistol is very well made but unfortunately quite expensive.
It was manufactured as a practise pistol for Germany's rimfire target shooters and is very similar in looks/balance and to shoot as the famous Walther Olympia cartridge pistol

john

[franktheferret]

Durability? I have a Webley MkI pistol, early 1930s, and it still works just fine. It has been in my family since 1938. It only shoots about a dozen rounds a week now as the trigger sear is becoming a little "self-opinionated". I know I can fix it, but it would feel a bit like fiddling with an old lady.

Alan.

[Iain K D]

Nice looking pistol, Carl. I take it they are still in production, then?

Jim

Some of the other Record pistols appear to still be in production - the break-barrel models 1,2 and 3, and 77 - but not the Jumbo. (UK shooters will just have to avert their eyes from the other stuff on this page I'm afraid).

I don't know the history, though, of whether this firm has taken over the manufacture of them, or what happened to the original manufacturer, Fritz Barthelmes. Maybe the Jumbo was too expensive to produce, or, over time and with the rise of the Umarex CO2 guns, had just lost what had once been its big (*) selling point.

* pun intended - sorry!

Iain