Looking for 1st Pistol

[Dave.N]

Hi,

I have just started out 10m pistol target shooting and I am currently using the club guns. Yes I know all about waiting before getting your own etc, but the main problem with this is that I cannot take the club ones home and have a practice in the garden, get used to getting a consistent sight picture or just trying to get a steadier aim. I reckon I can get 10m by shooting into the shed from outside. This will also make it nice and easy to place a decent backstop.
Ultimately I am looking for a Steyr LP10 and my Dad will be on the lookout for a decent 2nd hand one in Luxembourg once he is back from his holidays. They are quite a bit cheaper than over here and with him having been in gun clubs since 1983, he has plenty of contacts. In the meantime I am after a cheapish gun to get me into the swing of things.
As I have had a refund from a tablet that just didn't work right (after having it well over 6 months), I have decided to not to buy another, but spend it on a pistol, so I have £2-300 to play with (already spent some of the refund so that's what's left). Wasn't too hard a choice. a few hundred on something that will be obsolete in a few months or a few hundred on a gun. As I class this as the lower end of the spectrum money wise, I am leaning more towards brand new, especially as I cannot find much 2nd hand nearby. I don't want a good deal to not be so good once I have costed in the travel. Ideally not a CO2 pistol as by the time you factor in the cartridges, they don't seem such a bargain (and a headache if you forget and run out of them).
Current thoughts are (all in .177):
Gamo Compact, Weihrauch HW40, Weihrauch HW75.
I am sure there are plenty more to chose from, so your input is greatly appreciated.

In short -
Got money to spend either on pistol or waste on another tablet.
Don't want to travel too far (stick to SE)
I am in West Kent.
Cost up to £300 max, preferably £250.
Have not seen the for sale section here as I have only recently joined.

Thanks for taking the time to read my ramblings.

Dave

[Aimstraight]

If you are set on the Steyr, then from the list you mentioned, the Gamo Compact will provide a match grip. But they usually need to be tweaked if bought new (longer screw to adjust trigger, polish sear to smooth it out). Most used ones will have been tweaked.

The HW75 is not very similar to your end goal of a Steyr, but is well made and has the best trigger and convenient dry fire facility (hammer back).

The HW40 is the biggest bang for the buck....£100 new from some UK sellers, or from £70 used - put the rest aside for your Steyr. You will have not have trouble selling in on.

The HW40 has a very good trigger for the price, not as good as the HW75 but better than the Gamo IMHO. Do not be concerned about the polymer frame, all significant working parts are metal; its a reliable pistol. Do not be concerned about the plain grip, just get on and practice with it. It has an auto safety but there are simple/quick methods to overcome that, there is a thread on here about it. New HW40's will be fitted with fibre optic sights...not ideal for target shooting. They can easily be covered over (reversible), there is a thread on here about it. The older version had plain sights.

IIRC all produce similar power/fps, the HW40 easiest to cock, Gamo and HW75 slightly harder to cock (maybe little more power/fps). There are more powerful pistols around that would give a cleaner hole at 10M (IZH-46M) but your initial list (of SSPs) are not bad choices.

There is a very good article on the HW40 here.

[Dave.N]

Thank you very much for your reply. I have already been in touch with another member on here who suggested that a classic 2nd hand match pistol would be better for my needs and it also fits in my price range. Funnily enough he just happened to have one for sale and lives close to me. I have decided to go down that route instead now, so I am seeing him tomorrow. As for putting remainder towards the Steyr......hmm. This is being bought out of refund money, which I would not have had if there had there been a replacement tablet available, therefore it will never make it into the Steyr pot and it's goal in life is to be spent. After picking up the gun tomorrow, it will be job done.

[Dave.N]

Picked up a Hammerli Master Pistol this morning from another AirgunBBS member and my what a pistol.
As I had the day off work to take my mum to the hospital, it gave me a chance to pop to the gun shop on the way back from her appointment and pick up some pellets, targets, co2 and a catcher. As it was raining I commandeered my mum's garage and shot about 50-60 pellets until the co2 ran out. Distance was about 5m. Unfortunately I have no garage so I will only be able to shoot outside on good days as the main shed is probably too short to shoot in, 4m max I think.. Took it to the club this evening and shot about 130 pellets (2 co2 cartridges). By the end of the session my groupings were coming down in size nicely, starting out at all around the card and ending up at all in the black. Should be able to get much smaller as the weeks go on.
I think I will be putting buying the Steyr LP10 on hold for while as this one is so good.
As for Mark (the seller), what a great person. Made sure I was comfortable with the pistol and provided a full test and run through of the pistol. A very well looked after example. Would never have considered a pistol older than myself.

Dave