SSP air pistol

[jimmytwobikes]

I am considering getting myself an SSP pistol, but I am a bit concerned over power output, Does anyone know which is the most powerful?

[Geezer]

They are all pretty similar: 350-420 fps with typical 7 grain pellets. That holds true for the HW40, Gamos, Beeman P17, FAS, Webley Nemesis.

The IZH-61M and the HW75 are at the top end: 410-460. Because they are bigger and heavier, and compress a bit more air than the smaller ones.

SSPs are pretty simple things, and there's no real way of tuning or "modding" them for much greater power apart from fitting a longer barrel.

[Rickenbacker]

*46M. The IZH-61 is the 5 shot version of the Star Wars / sniper inspired small sidelever spring rifle, isn't it.

[Geezer]

*46M. The IZH-61 is the 5 shot version of the Star Wars / sniper inspired small sidelever spring rifle, isn't it.

That's correct, duh.

[jimmytwobikes]

How do you convert FPS into ftlbs?

[Paul SE]

pellet weight x MV x MV ÷ 450240 = ft.lbs

eg:

7.0 x 800 x 800 ÷ 450240 = 9.95 ft.lbs

[Rickenbacker]

That's correct, duh.

Shows I bother to read your posts!

OP - My (1996) Izzy-46 (non-M) does 411 fps (3.01 fpe) with bisley practice ammo.

The newer 46M apparently does 40-ish fps more than mine, so that's pretty healthy for an SSP.

My hw75 did 375 fps with the same pellets, and 'felt' correspondingly a lot slower than the IZH.

In my view, the Gamo Compact, FAS, AirMatch, and Daisy 717 also felt slow-ish...

HTH

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

Yes I think the Baikal Izh 46m is the most powerful.

And the easiest one to cock.

The velocity of the HW75 is similar to that of the HW40. Both are a bugger to cock.

[Geezer]

Shows I bother to read your posts!

OP - My (1996) Izzy-46 (non-M) does 411 fps (3.01 fpe) with bisley practice ammo.

The newer 46M apparently does 40-ish fps more than mine, so that's pretty healthy for an SSP.

My hw75 did 375 fps with the same pellets, and 'felt' correspondingly a lot slower than the IZH.

In my view, the Gamo Compact, FAS, AirMatch, and Daisy 717 also felt slow-ish...

HTH

Nice to know that someone does.

I have seen tests of the HW75 hitting 440 fps.

My FAS definitely feels slow.

I have also read that pellet choice is a big factor, with things like R10 pistol match getting higher velocities than the same weight Hobbys (though I mostly use Hobbys, as they are accurate and cheap and I am not a proper serious match shooter person).

[lensman57]

I am considering getting myself an SSP pistol, but I am a bit concerned over power output, Does anyone know which is the most powerful?

SSP pistols are at best 10 meter target pistols or trainers ( HW 40 ) . I really don't see anypoint in trying to up the power of them which is almost impossible any way ( there is a way of reducing the chamber volume of the HW 40 gaining a few thenths of ft.lbs but it is not worth the effort ) . If you really want one then get one with a good trigger. FAS and HW 40 have good triggers but Gamo is just a simple affair. I have no experince of the other ones. If you are after a powerful MSP pistol then the old Alecto or a Zuraki ( the Turkish equivalent ) approach 5 ft.lbs with 3 strokes charging.
I prefer my HW 45 BlackStar. It is just much more challenging and just under the legal limit, 5.6 ft.lbs.

A.G

[Geezer]

SSP pistols are at best 10 meter target pistols or trainers ( HW 40 ) . I really don't see anypoint in trying to up the power of them which is almost impossible any way ( there is a way of reducing the chamber volume of the HW 40 gaining a few thenths of ft.lbs but it is not worth the effort ) . If you really want one then get one with a good trigger. FAS and HW 40 have good triggers but Gamo is just a simple affair. I have no experince of the other ones. If you are after a powerful MSP pistol then the old Alecto or a Zuraki ( the Turkish equivalent ) approach 5 ft.lbs with 3 strokes charging.
I prefer my HW 45 BlackStar. It is just much more challenging and just under the legal limit, 5.6 ft.lbs.

A.G

Good stuff. I'd only comment that my older Gamo Compact has a fairly decent trigger, and you can see the adjustments to the sears work if you take the grip off and twiddle the screws. Apparently newer ones aren't like that. I saw an AGW review last year or so where the test gun had a pull of something like 4 or 5 lbs, not the 550 grams of a proper match pistol.

Never put a trigger pull gauge on my Nemesis, but it's an OK trigger.

[Adam77K]

The HW75 has IMHO one of the best triggers of any non match air pistol, once set up properly, and mine is as accurate as my Steyr LP10.
Only about 2.5 ft.lbs though.

[Rotherham Owl]

If you are going to have 1 SSP I would opt for a Webley Alecto.

On pump you will get about the same power as a HW40 or HW75 - Both these have the same/very similar internals.

2 pumps increases the power significantly and 3 pumps a little more - on mine 3 pumps gives about 5.2fpe.

IMO opinion the Alecto is a lot more versatile than other SSP's.

[jimmytwobikes]

Big thank you to everyone for their comments, certainly food for thought, fancying one of them Baikal IZH46m, but it would have to be a used one, the new price is a little heavy for me.

[Paul SE]

I own a HW40 and a HW75, both in .177

In terms of use, I tend to use the HW40 more often because I like the fibre optic sights and slightly less faff for loading and cocking it.

My loft range where I plink a lot, has got varying degrees of light and I find that the fibre optic sights are easier to align with plinking targets up there

If I'm shooting at normal 6yd black and white pistol targets, I would prefer to use the HW75. As it is heavier than the HW40, I feel that there is less 'movement' during the firing cycle, whereas the HW40 gives the sensation of 'twisting' slightly when the shot is released.

The trigger on the HW40 has a light, but quite pronounced first stage with a nice crisp let-off, and by comparison the HW75 trigger has a shorter first stage but still a nice light release. They are both great pistols and just right for informal target shooting and plinking.

My Daisy 717 is not quite up to the same quality as the Weihrauchs, but it's still a nice pistol to have a plink with, albeit less powerful than the other two, and not such a nice trigger.