Pistol shooting.

[duomatic410]

Having just got back from the range shooting the Luger 9mm pistol with my grandson (Canada) thought I might take it up when I get home, black powder of course, so question.

What's a decent starter set up, cost/ type calibre. John

[tim56]

Lots of choices and probably cheeper than you would think. Best advice would be to find a local club that shoots
pistols and go have a look. A black powder revolver or single shot muzzleloader can be had for £250 ish or you
can spend ten times if you've got deep pockets. Theres also nitro conversions around so no smelly cleaning but
these tend to be more expensive. Theres also a range of long barrelled revolvers in .22 rimfire upto .45LC which
although they have 12" barrels and a wrist brace are quite well balanced and use cartridges as per the Luger
you mentioned.
Getting your licence assuming you don't have one can be a long drawn out affair so plenty of time to ponder on
what you want, first thing is to join a local club and start getting involved with pistol shooting probably with an
air pistol. Once you have served a probation period and got full membership you will be able to apply for your
ticket which is when you will need a clear idea of what you want to get.
A starter set up £300 to £600 depending on make/type of pistol in .36 or .44/45 calibre. Theres no real cost
difference in buying a .36 to a .44 but .44 balls do cost slightly more i would imagine. I make all my own so have
no real idea what they cost. You could simply go for a .357 LBR and get into home loading or the same gun in
.22rf and use cheep bought ammo. Loads of choices to be made.
Have fun and let us know which way you go. Tim

[tacfoley]

Not much to add to Tim's excellent advice, except to say that there are often great bargainous deals out there from shooters who are giving up or changing direction. Last year one of our members got hold of a VERY nice Pietta Remington Model 1858, complete with EVERYTHING ready to shoot right there and then, for £250.00, bought from a giver-upper.

One more thing - although there are license-free BP subs out there - I shoot them myself - trust me when I say that there really is nothing like the real black stuff. It's true to note that the correct and LEGAL storage box is necessary, but the plans are on line if you are handy, and they are only around £70-90 if you have to buy one. The license is currently free -

https://www.herts.police.uk/PDF/fire...age_advice.pdf

None of the subs need any kind of license; you are authorised to purchase them only because you have a FAC. Same goes for percussion caps. If you go for a single-shot flintlock, however, a trip to the local beach anywhere in North Norfolk will set you up in flint for the foreseeable future.

You might like to read the many millions of posts here with regard to THE definitive mother-of-all-BP-revolvers, the built like ten tanks Ruger Old Army - a 44 or 45cal revolver that your great-great grandchildren might still be shooting. Needs ever-deepening pockies, though - as prices are on the up for this no-longer-made Rolls-Royce handgun.

tac

[Triumph]

And you can shoot breech loading pistols on Section 7:3. I don't know why more people don't do it.

[Buckle]

Be careful though - the one thing those above haven't mentioned is that it can be addictive!

The smell, the boom, the smoke - all make the grime worth while!

[CapnBall]

And you can shoot breech loading pistols on Section 7:3. I don't know why more people don't do it.

I have some lovely old 'Obsolete-Cal' revolvers, but being antiques, it would cost too much to insure to have them stored in a club safe. But perhaps clubs could pool the members and buy-in some of the less expensive classic pieces for 'occassional test firing' ? A few years of doing this, (along with the safe use of LBR's) we would have a case to ask, justify the ongoing cartridge pistol-ban ?

Second what Tac' says, get a Ruger Old Army, nothing like it will be made again and to a degree they are investments if looked after, prices of good ones are tracking up here. Looked after, they will surely last forever. When fed right, reputedly more accurate than any other pistol of any type.

There's so much to choose from with percussion muzzle-loaders, from the little 31 cal 'pocket' muzzle loaders which are a hoot, up to the mighty Walker, taking up to 60 grains of Black Powder. I love these so much I have two, one I am having 'Smithed to lock the Loading Lever Dragoon-style and shoot Point-Of-Aim. A full cylinder of true Black Powder and a 460 Round Ball generate a truly, unbelievable experience. Totally impractical but more addictive than coke. To touch one of these off unexpectedly in a packed indoor range brings mirth and merriment to all...

Long Barrel Revolvers. It's all we have now for Centerfire handgun. What did the Legislators achieve? Well that's a discussion for another day. But they are fun and allow one to explore the full Home-Reloading experience. The LBR's with the 12-inch barrels and the permanently attached wrist-brace (to make the legal 2-feet length) are popular, but many are finding the 18-inch barrelled 'Buntline' style 'proper' Revolvers a more pure experience. The longer LBR's will never be winning quick-draw prizes, but are, rather counter-intuitively, easier to hold rock-steady on aim and can reach out very far with rifle-like levels of velocity with the right load. I have started to see other makers (eg Rugers) now appearing with full-length (eg 18") barrels to be a 'normal' non-wrist-braced Revolver. There's clearly a market, and new competitions for this class are appearing - more power to this.

Where is my new 18" 500 S&W? ;-)

[DesG]

Be careful though - the one thing those above haven't mentioned is that it can be addictive!

The smell, the boom, the smoke - all make the grime worth while!

Everyone remembers their first time at anything, first breath underwater, first solo flight, first shag. I watch our new members firing their first blackpowder gun and every single one of them goes from abject terror as they point the fire breathing monster downrange and pull the trigger, to a grin that's become known as the blackpowder grin!!

[duomatic410]

My last day tomorrow and going to a gun show near Ottawa, could be interesting as everything on the tables to look at.

Ruger s galore☺️☺️☺️. And I won't be buying one over here, but hope to look and handle some.

Should take the I pad for some photos.

Just been down onto the dock fishing and had a very nice chocolate Mink for company, it's taken about 20 gobies to a litter under the steps, also been into the tackle box for a sniff, it would get short thrift round the pheasant pen at home, but certainly interesting to observe. John

[airgunnut]

My last day tomorrow and going to a gun show near Ottawa, could be interesting as everything on the tables to look at.

Ruger s galore☺️☺️☺️. And I won't be buying one over here, but hope to look and handle some.

Should take the I pad for some photos.

Just been down onto the dock fishing and had a very nice chocolate Mink for company, it's taken about 20 gobies to a litter under the steps, also been into the tackle box for a sniff, it would get short thrift round the pheasant pen at home, but certainly interesting to observe. John

When you get back to Doncaster give me a shout, I go to cadby gun club every Saturday
I shoot a roger & spencer .44 black powder and a zylab patriot pistol (.32 nitro muzzle loader)

[Triumph]

Well, Sir, I do.

It's the thought of spending all that money to pay for the privilege of 'visiting rights' to go visit your own handgun, and shoot it under supervision at a non-target [that's prohibited - you can only shoot it with the aim of engaging in 'intellectual discourse of a historically investigative nature'].

That sounds a much fun as being married and visiting your wife every now and then to exercise your marital rights.

If I'm wrong, please tell us what you REALLY do when you shoot your handgun in the interests of technical or historical interest.

tac

Whilst it isn't the same as pre 97 it isn't as bad as you claim. You are welcome to come to my club and see so that you can get a more balanced opinion.

[xx.Morph.xx]

Tac so your handguns are 4,864 miles from where you live

I have a 7.3 club 5 miles from where I work & 10 miles from where I live

You do know you can even get a Glock 17/19 as a 7.3 & "research the hell out of it" at the range

[tacfoley]

@Duomatic - IF you DO decide to give BP handgun shooting a trial, and it catches your fancy, give earnest consideration to getting into casting your own projectiles, too.

The cost of a hundred .44cal RB is truly horrendous when compared with the cost of making your own. I get around 48 .457cal ball per pound of lead to shoot in my ROA. A pound of lead, pure lead, costs around £1.25 or so, less if you can scrounge it off a builder. Bought ready-made cost around £12-13 a hundred - you do the math.

tac

[duomatic410]

Thanks for that Tac, yes I would be going the home made rout, have been dropping shot for 50odd years.
Have lead available and more if required, lead melting facilities etc.
Have cast before and have some molds.
Just getting over the jet lag and catching up with jobs.
Reg. John

[tacfoley]

Thanks for that Tac, yes I would be going the home made rout, have been dropping shot for 50odd years.
Have lead available and more if required, lead melting facilities etc.
Have cast before and have some molds.
Just getting over the jet lag and catching up with jobs.
Reg. John

That's good. Lee moulds are great value, and being aluminium, heat up very fast - often the first ball is good enough to keep right away. Around £25 for new is not a bank-breaker - unless you buy a whole set-up, like our friend above recently did, buy new, that way you know that it will be good and has not been abused. Lyman are Rolls Royce product, and cost accordingly - mine are mostly around 40 years old or more, and are still perfect. Here in UK we have a Jeff Tanner, a custom mould maker. I have two of his by default - having acquired them from other shooters - I cannot recommend them enough. Even over on West Coast USA I have friends who use his moulds.

tac

[airgunnut]

That's good. Lee moulds are great value, and being aluminium, heat up very fast - often the first ball is good enough to keep right away. Around £25 for new is not a bank-breaker - unless you buy a whole set-up, like our friend above recently did, buy new, that way you know that it will be good and has not been abused. Lyman are Rolls Royce product, and cost accordingly - mine are mostly around 40 years old or more, and are still perfect. Here in UK we have a Jeff Tanner, a custom mould maker. I have two of his by default - having acquired them from other shooters - I cannot recommend them enough. Even over on West Coast USA I have friends who use his moulds.

tac

I have a lyman .32 mould for my patriot pistol, the mould without the handles cost £90, as tac says you get what you pay for but saying that i have used lee moulds that are over 20 years old and a friend has just retired his .44 ball mould after 40 years of use