air arms / alfa proj pistol...

[fcat]

...anyone got any experience of these, any good as a club pistol?

http://www.air-arms.co.uk/products_pistol.html

[The Doctor]

...anyone got any experience of these, any good as a club pistol?

http://www.air-arms.co.uk/products_pistol.html

bobbins - really, truly. A pistol that was designed without any thought for the market it was designed for - poor trigger, terrible loading process, far too light and the grip was awful.

Lee

[tufty]

A bit harsh Doc! They are a reasonable club gun, they don't compare to a high end pistol,and you won't see any national shooters using them,but for probationary or junior shooters they are a good introduction to pcp pistols,they also come with a heavy barrel weight for adult use! We have one at the club where I coach,and have to say it's miles better than the alternative club pistols.

[The Doctor]

A bit harsh Doc! They are a reasonable club gun, they don't compare to a high end pistol,and you won't see any national shooters using them,but for probationary or junior shooters they are a good introduction to pcp pistols,they also come with a heavy barrel weight for adult use! We have one at the club where I coach,and have to say it's miles better than the alternative club pistols.

Harsh ..but fair :-)

We had one up the range for 2 years - it sat in the club cupboard, and we would let people use it whenever they wanted to - most of the time it would end up back in there in favour of the gamos. FWB 80s and even the cheapy beaman copies - I agree they are useful, but as an introduction pistol the juniors just never get on with them. I think we used ours to unblock the sink or something :-)

[hwtyger]

In co2, they're worth their money, no prob, just dont buy the expensive pcp.
The Comments in before posts:
- grip was far too thin for me
- its all alu, so was far too light up front. A weight was delivered with it, a RIFLE weight of 250gr! But if you cut it in pieces, you can probably get it balanced fine.
- the Tau triggers are better, of the new mk vs Alfa rifle FAR better, but the 1 on my Alfa rifle is perfectly fine; its light only downside ís that it has a tad of creep now and than. But FAR better than needed for club use
- cocking and loading is fine, bit like the Tau's. 2 steps: cocking and opening/loading. Nothing wrong with it. Its only a VERY tiny bolt.

But if you can choose, I'd buy a Tau 7.

[zooma]

We have some Alfa Classic pistols in our club and they are the most popular pistols we have.

Our club "top shot" has bought one for himself, and often switches away from his Feinwerkbau P34 and shoots equally impressive targets with his Alfa Classic and has many times beaten his own best score of the night with his CO2 bargain basement purchase ( he paid £325 for his new).

One hole groups with the Alfa Classic are often shot at 10 meters - it is a remarkably good pistol for the money. The wooden grip suites most people and the adjustable palm shelf works very well.

I have seen the Alfa Proj with the annodised barel weight in red ( and blue) and I have to admit I do not like the look of then at all, and they feel a lot heavier and not as "pointable", so I would choose the "Classic" version every time.

Beginners and experienced shooters alike all give a "nod of approval" to the Alfa Classic, but we have found it is important to tighten every screw that can move - because they will.

We also chrono them and adjust the speed as we have found a huge variation from canon to pea shooter! This is dead easy to do, and once set the screw is locked off properly ( or thread-locked).

The rear sight can be opened out carefully to give an improved sight picture, so with a little bit of work this very reasonably priced littel gem becomes a very serious and accurate target pistol......but I still don't like the Proj version!

[RobinC]

My votes with Lee!
Add to that grosly over priced for what they are! A good secondhand (40 year old!) FWB 65 is streets better, look for a FAS 604 for similar money.
Good Shooting
Robin

[zooma]

We also have FWB Model 65 and 80 in our club, and still some shooters prefer the Alfa Classic, and having shot one some then go on and buy a new one. It is a very popular first purchase, and is also bought by some that shoot PCP pistols such as the LP10, P44, P34 (and others) as an inexpensive "fun gun", and find they can eqaul their best scores with it!

One of our members shoots a Model 65 and loves it - but hates the Alfa Classic as every time he borrows it he beats the best score he can hit with his preferred Model 65 on the same night!

Our top shot has a old left arm injury and cannot repeatedly cock an FWB springer and finds the convenience of the CO2 capsule a positive benefit for him. New club female members also enjoy shooting the Alfa Classic for the same reason.

The 604 is a brilliant pistol, and the reason why we bought a new one for our club - but it is not anything like as poplular with the club members to shoot as the Alfa Classic. People vote with their feet, and given a free choice they always coose the Alfa and go back to it again and again in preference to the other (better?) pistols we have for them to choose from.

Personally I like the FWB 65 and 80 models the best and enjoy shooting the Mk2 604 that we have in the club, but I am reporting what really happens and not my personal choice, and that is the Alfa Classic is the most popular beginners pistol in the club (along with the TAU 7) and one that after some minor work ( as previously described) is also highly respected ( and sometimes bought) by the more experienced shooters too.

Please note - this only refers to the "Classic" version - the other type is not liked at all.

[derekm]

At UK prices, they are grossly overpriced for what they are. The CO2 version would be fine for club use, but buy it from the factory. Mine cost £165 delivered in 2006. Do the math, as they say!

As Hwtyger says, the Tau is a lot better, but they are also grossly overpriced in this country. Buy direct.

For a general use club gun, the Compact is a good choice. Totally self contained and with an adjustable width rear sight, so people can experiment. Just forget the name of the manufacturer and they should be accepted as pretty fine little guns!

Agreed, the older top class guns are better all round, but will they stand the hammer of a general use club gun? Sadly, few people seem to give a sh*t about communal material.

[zooma]

In the real world time of 2012 the Alfa Classic CO2 Pistols at around £375 are just about the cheapest useable match target pistol available new in this country, and so a "sign of the times" maybe is that they do represent the best value for money available to us currently for those that insist on buying new, and prefer the convenience of the CO2 power bulbs - a strong selling point to most beginners it would seem.

A better option in my opinion would be to buy a good used Feinwerkbau Model 2, C10 or C20 that can be had for less, and have a good spare parts supply if or when needed - something the Alfa and TAU psitols have not been able to claim so far. I would also suggest the qaulity is far better too, and that the pistol will stay in service a lot longer as well - making it far better CO2 value for money!

We have been waiting for over a year now for spare piercer caps for the Tau/Alfa and still nothing has arrived -despite regular reminders and confirmation from the official UK importer that they are still on order - so for us in the UK this is the bad side of owning one of these excellent value for money pistols, and worth considering before parting with the cash.

All our club members are made aware of this short coming when they show an interest in buying a new one, but it does not seem to deter them as they really like the way the Alfa Classic performs.

[hwtyger]

Zooma just buy directly from Tau. The importers'contacts with Tau are terrible. You can easily order online though, at their website.

PS I didnt have the Classic, but the shrouded one. Which is very light upfront, compared to other matchpistols.
Whatever you do, DONT buy the Alfa as AA; even more expensive, and you pay extra for an adjustable grip (instead of universal).
If yr looking for a lightweight, pointable pistol, dont forget the Tau 7 JR!

Didnt get as much shots from the Alfa as the Tau either; 60 shots, tops? Its set a much higher velocity than Tau's. Yes, you cán adjust, but usually, they're preset at the optimum velocity.

The Alfa's have good points too:
- it didnt leak
- front sight easier removable than Tau (without readjust)
- I like the glossy finish
- alu so no rust

If its the first pistol they shoot, its great, but if you own/shoot lots of them, you learn to feel, see and appreciate the differences between pistols. I have uite a few AP, and both the Alfa AND the Walther LG300 I sold again quickly. Not cause its not good, but because it doesnt fit ME.
I fully agree that 95% is the shooter, not the gun. And I'm not discussing the Alfa's accuracy.
And for a clubgun everything is good, really, as long as its reliable. Cause they'll buy their own stuff 1 time anyway. And any gun is more accurate than 95% of its shooters anyway. The Alfa included.
Did you ask whý they liked the Alfa? Was it just cause they dont have to cock like the FWB ? And ofcourse, its easier to shoot cause its even móre recoilless than the FWB. I dont like the FWB's personally. Doesnt mean they arent accurate.

[zooma]

Hi Yana,

They like the Alfa Classic because the wooden anatomical grip feels good and can be quickly adjusted to fit almost any size hand.

The pistol is also very "pointable" and not too heavy - something almost all new shooters notice compared with the other pistols - but they also like the CO2 bulbs as being a good self-contained power unit.

This is all reinforced when they score better groups with this pistol than anything else - it is a very accurate shooting pistol that seems to suite everyone that has fired it in our club.

It is a very good club pistol - the best we have found so far.

[hwtyger]

I agree on the bulb thing; thats why I kinda hate my pcp's, and why I love my Tau's!
If yr teaching youngsters, than its lightweight can be an advantage.
Every match grip can be adjusted, really. If they're just like Tau, those Alfa's, than their gripsize is M only. If yr having brands like FWB etc, those have several gripsizes. You just have to be lucky when you buy 1 sec hand (or buy a suitable size grip afterwards)
Still would look at the Tau 7's too though.

[forest gump]

...anyone got any experience of these, any good as a club pistol?

http://www.air-arms.co.uk/products_pistol.html

hello its a bit of an old post but some info from someone who has owned them remember if you have never had or used one you have no say thats the rule i use the air arms alfa proj pcp not the co2 version is very accurate from 10 to 30 metres very light and yes the rubbish grip and it is rubbish as for competition shooting buy the best save your money and use what the big boys use but for the asking price in 2013 of 465 quid you wont get a better pistol than the aa alfa proj for the money, i also have the alfa proj classic in co2 not the aa arms classic, same again fantastic accuracy but this i can use a silencer for hours of quiet practice on the garden the more you practice the confident you get ,if you miss with the above pistols its you not the gun

[derekm]

The Alfa Proj CO2 is fine, but not for the UK price.
I agree with Yana that the Tau is a better pistol. I had an Alfa and now have the Tau.