I want to purchase a free pistol when my FAC comes through and would be grateful for some advice on which ones to consider (e.g. best pistols to use, price guides, pros & cons, etc), if anyone can help?
I want to purchase a free pistol when my FAC comes through and would be grateful for some advice on which ones to consider (e.g. best pistols to use, price guides, pros & cons, etc), if anyone can help?
Regards, Phil
I don' t shoot it any more, since Blair,and now having to use them with "stabilisers", but I had a TOZ 35, not made any more, but still very popular worldwide and at the highest level and there are ones about s/h at sensible money.
I have two friends with Morini's, one here and one in Germany and they both speak very highly of them.
Your best bet to see what is about and what is favoured is to do one of the BPC meetings at Bisley as they are the only regular meetings where free is shot.
Good Shooting
Robin
Walther KK500 Alutec expert special - Barnard .223 "wilde" in a Walther KK500 Alutec stock, mmm...tasty!! - Keppeler 6 mmBR with Walther grip and wood! I may be a Walther-phile?
Before the ban, I had a Pardini free pistol which I bought new, with a mechanical trigger. Perhaps not the best available then, but as a left-handed shooter 2nd-hand free pistols were almost as rare then as they are now, and it was the only new free pistol I could afford. I of course lost it in Jan 1998.
Eventually, when the manufacturers produced free pistols conforming to the current regulations re length, I bought (again new) an electronic Morini. Unfortunately, about 20% of the time it failed to fire. This turned out to be due to the in-built safety, which on that model required your finger to be in a particular position (not just release the trigger) in order for the shot to fire. Whether this was because I'm left-handed, or cack-handed, I don't know, but I wasn't happy with this failure to function, and so it went back.
Finally (a few months ago) I got hold of a 2nd-hand SAM 60 free pistol, with a right-hand grip. This is a mechanical pistol, which goes bang every time when you press the trigger--no nonsense about safeties. I ordered and fitted a Rink left-hand grip, which is very nice, and though it is early days, I'm really enjoying shooting free pistol again. After a gap of 16 years, I've got my favourite shooting discipline back!
The SAM has two extender bars above the grip, pointing towards the shooter (as all these free pistols now available in the UK seem to do). In common with the Morini I owned so briefly, these act as giant tuning forks when the shot is fired, vibrating in a most disconcerting way. I've dealt with this in two ways: first, by using string to put a loop around the ends of the extender bars, pulling them slightly toward each other. This cuts out quite a bit of the vibration. The second step has been to cut bits off a large pencil eraser, and insert them into the gaps between the bars and the grip; this really eliminates the remaining vibration. The result is a pistol which does not twang, and actually balances better (less front-heavy) than my old Pardini.
David.
Thanks for the advice, keep it coming as I am keen to learn as much as possible. What is the situation like with spares availability & service?
Any recommendations on where is best to search for a free pistol & what is a fair price to pay for one?
Just seen a Pardini FPM & FPM any opinions on it from anyone?
Regards, Phil
Hi
I've had a pardini mechanical FP for years now and have had no problems with it. It shoots far more reliably than I do. The second hand free pistols that I've seen have typically gone for £600-£1000 but prices do seem to be rising as there are very few new ones coming onto the country. Before you buy a particular make it might be worth establishing if you can source parts for it in the uk
Thanks for the advice, it appears there will be two straight choices either a Morini CM84E or a Pardini FPM/FPE. Both have agents in the UK for parts, however it now looks as though it will be a case of waiting for one to come up for sale. Any recommendations on where I can find one would be appreciated.
Regards, Phil