Keeper pistols - what are they and why?

[oling]

Haven't seen one of these for a while. I'm really curious which pistols people have held onto and why they treasure them.

My personal favourite is a Benjamin EB22 with a trigger shoe fitted. Have now got some lovely custom target grips courtesy of Andy (airgunner.177), a silencer adaptor, silencer and pistol scope. Also have a skeleton stock I recently acquired from the US, turning it into a micro-carbine! I swap it out as I see fit and sometimes just enjoy it stripped down with nothing but irons, original grips and the trigger shoe. Love the poke of the thing in .22 calibre (especially given its size), how loud it is, how solid it feels and the felt recoil I get because of its size. Sure, the iron sights are crude and you get used to compensating by shooting to the right slightly but it's terrific fun and brings a smile to your face. I especially love how you can slip it in your pocket on walk round a permission!

[Benelli B76]

My keeper pistol is the Schimel. Everyone smiles when they shoot it for the first time, super crack from the muzzle and very accurate. Comfortable to hold with its Luger (PO8) design. I have two at the moment and I think one of them will be the last pistol to be sold from my collection when I go into a nursing home.

Baz

[bcham]

Haven't seen one of these for a while. I'm really curious which pistols people have held onto and why they treasure them.

My personal favourite is a Benjamin EB22 with a trigger shoe fitted. Have now got some lovely custom target grips courtesy of Andy (airgunner.177), a silencer adaptor, silencer and pistol scope. Also have a skeleton stock I recently acquired from the US, turning it into a micro-carbine! I swap it out as I see fit and sometimes just enjoy it stripped down with nothing but irons, original grips and the trigger shoe. Love the poke of the thing in .22 calibre (especially given its size), how loud it is, how solid it feels and the felt recoil I get because of its size. Sure, the iron sights are crude and you get used to compensating by shooting to the right slightly but it's terrific fun and brings a smile to your face. I especially love how you can slip it in your pocket on walk round a permission!

i agree i have the benjamin e9a 20 cal.polished to the brass, with silencer and custom grips on mine, best pistol ive owned.

[oling]

My keeper pistol is the Schimel. Everyone smiles when they shoot it for the first time, super crack from the muzzle and very accurate. Comfortable to hold with its Luger (PO8) design. I have two at the moment and I think one of them will be the last pistol to be sold from my collection when I go into a nursing home.

Baz

Haha good to hear! Must at least try one of those Schimels at some point, they do look rather unique and have a lovely look which I think would translate into lovely ergonomics!

[oling]

i agree i have the benjamin e9a 20 cal.polished to the brass, with silencer and custom grips on mine, best pistol ive owned.

Tis a thing of beauty. I love how rugged and small it is. If I were in the States it'd definitely be the pistol I'd opt for as a 'trail gun'.

[Geezer]

All of them.

More seriously, I think the ones I'd be most reluctant to part with are:

- 1940s Webley Senior;
- FWB80;
- FAS 604;
- Diana LP6M;
- BSA Scorpion;
- Diana LP5, the early post war wood grip one.

I could see myself replacing some of them with similar pistols (eg a 65 shorty for the 80, even nicer Senior for the current one, a 10 for the 6), but not losing the basic type from the collection.

I'd also want to keep at least one good CO2 repeater. If forced to own only one of them, either my 686 with all 3 barrels, or I'd have to get a CP88 with wood grips, both barrel lengths, and the "target" sights.

[pjbingham]

I wouldn't ever part with any of my Pre War Webleys, I know they are still relatively common but the straight wood gripped Mk1's are my all time favourites,I have about 8 and would happily have more. The Seniors and Mk2 Target may be easier to cock etc but I still prefer the early Mk1's.

[AC all day]

My keepers are my Brococks.....i have a couple of Prototypes and a good selection...totaly unreplacable..
Great fun to shoot too

[hwtyger]

My keepers:
Diana LP5 magnum (better than LP8)
Diana LP6M (awesome shooter)
Morini 162E (as was my first match pistol)
Tau 7 Match (the REAL match version)
Tau 7 Silhouet
Tau 7 Junior
Tau MK8 (cause it was their first effort at pcp and it has great potential)
Webley Tempest/Hurricane/Typhoon brum made

Other keepers imo:
Diana LP10
oldtimer Webley pistols, like the Senior, Premier, etc
BSA Scorpion

[clarky]

Walther LP53 ....for people who appreciate all things well made....this it.

[Modski66]

I don't think I would part with my Tempest; it was in a sorry state when I bought it, and have 'rescued' it with a good fettle and re-lube, polished the scratches out of the the glossy areas, and fitted some airgunner walnut grips. I am part way though fashioning a wooden box that will have green baize inside and maybe brass corners on the outside.

My other keeper is a Zastava GP45 that I have re-built and re-styled the grip to be like a Baikal MP35 rapid fire 22LR. It isn't very powerful, but is great fun and doesn't go into full-auto now either!

[Geoff555]

Hello, a bit old fashioned I guess, a pair of Crosman 600's and more modern Crosman 357 for comparison.
Cheers.
Geoff.

[PAXIL]

I really love my FWB 65. My uncle had one when I was a kid and I had to get one. Sure they take some effort but they are still fun to me.

[oling]

My keepers are my Brococks.....i have a couple of Prototypes and a good selection...totaly unreplacable..
Great fun to shoot too

Which Brococks? The TACs or one of the PCP jobs?

[oling]

Hello, a bit old fashioned I guess, a pair of Crosman 600's and more modern Crosman 357 for comparison.
Cheers.
Geoff.

Never shot a 600 but want to, badly. I hear that once fettled they can get over 400 fps with an average .22 and they're not half accurate either.