Keeper pistols - what are they and why?

[AC all day]

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

I have a lot all Air Cartridge ......

[ETCHY]

My .177 Webley Tempest. First ever proper air-gun I ever fired ( at the tender age of 45 )

I couldn't believe how cool it felt & how much I enjoyed it. I still remember it being there when I got home from work & then trudging into the garage in winter to try it & see if it was ok - it was

It's not the best condition gun I have, but I associate that feeling with it, so it's a keeper

Dave

[derekj]

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

Diana LP5 magnum (better than LP8). Yes they are very nice with good balance, poise, accurate, powerful with a neat 2 stage trigger. Why have previous British manufacturers had such difficulty in producing a decent trigger mechanism? The BSA 240 had a passable trigger but a bit vague still. Shame really.

[PaulR]

I have built up a collection of Webleys from Mark 1 to Nemesis and I would be reluctant to part with any.

However if I could only keep one pistol it would be one of my Crosman 600s - a fantastic piece of kit which brings a smile to my face every time I use it, which is a lot (put about 15k pellets through it). It'll take the centre out of a target in about 4 seconds and 10 shots when fired rapidly.

[I. J.]

FWB 65 and 80 (but not necessarily the Model '90. ) Everyone should own or have shot a '65/80. Good quality engineering and very accurate (45+ ex 50). The bees knees before the advent of pcp. I buy a pistol for its accuracy and not because it looks like something James Bond threw at his advisory when it run out of bullets or rose tinted glasses about some poorly designed British offering that is collectible because it has the 'CANADA PATENT' engraved on its side.

ATB
Ian

[Modski66]

Ian, I thought you had a large collection of wobblies to stir your tea and keep your rubbish bins weighed down?

You are spot on about the FWB 65 though, I don't own one yet, but it will be a keeper when I do get one.

[Paul SE]

my keepers are......all of mine for various reasons

My 'go to' plinking pistol is my Weihrauch HW40 followed by my HW75 - both have adequate power and good accuracy for some medium pistol range shooting.

The gun I like shooting the most has to be my Crosman 600 although it does pay one to make sure that there is plenty of Co2 and tins of pellets piled up BTW Crosman Wadcutters / Webley Verminpell work faultlessly in mine

My S&W 586 6" is again different, but still a nice pistol to use and plenty of possibility for fast-fire fun with a few spare mags, plenty of Co2 and plenty of pellets

Lastly I have a Mk1 BSA Scorpion .22 pistol which is still in its original box, and complete with all accessories - this gun is really to good too use and is a great display piece

[corgibandit]

My CP-1, I've done so many modifications on it that I doubt I'd ever part with it. It's got some lovely John Small brass fittings and his trigger kit as well. Shoots really smoothly now but I really need to move on to a PCP to continue with any competitions, I don't shoot as consistently with it as I do my Gamo Compact. A PCP won't wear the old arms out as much!!!

[short-carabine]

So many...

My Crosman 600 for sheer blatting fun, my ASG CZ75 P-09 for the same reason. My Daisy 2003 for its 35 round mag and plasticky awfulness My Crosman Mk1 kitted out with silencer adaptor, Matt W silencer (essential), Ruger mount and red dot...runs just below the legal limit with superb consistency between shots and loves Superdomes, my M9D tuned and modded Umarex 1911 which feels like an extension to my arm...and that's just a few

[oling]

my keepers are......all of mine for various reasons

My 'go to' plinking pistol is my Weihrauch HW40 followed by my HW75 - both have adequate power and good accuracy for some medium pistol range shooting.

The gun I like shooting the most has to be my Crosman 600 although it does pay one to make sure that there is plenty of Co2 and tins of pellets piled up BTW Crosman Wadcutters / Webley Verminpell work faultlessly in mine

My S&W 586 6" is again different, but still a nice pistol to use and plenty of possibility for fast-fire fun with a few spare mags, plenty of Co2 and plenty of pellets

Lastly I have a Mk1 BSA Scorpion .22 pistol which is still in its original box, and complete with all accessories - this gun is really to good too use and is a great display piece

Curious, why do you prefer the HW40 over the HW75?

[Paul SE]

Curious, why do you prefer the HW40 over the HW75?

A number of reasons there:

1 - Slightly less faff to cock and load and so more time shooting

2 - I prefer the fibre optic sights in low light conditions, say up in my loft range where I mostly use it, and they suit MY eyesight. I know that they are not everyone's cup of tea

However, in saying that, they are both good pistols and both worth keeping. I feel the HW75 is rather well built and has more heft to it than the HW40, but it is also noticeable that the HW75 stands quite high in the hand when on aim.

[oling]

A number of reasons there:

1 - Slightly less faff to cock and load and so more time shooting

2 - I prefer the fibre optic sights in low light conditions, say up in my loft range where I mostly use it, and they suit MY eyesight. I know that they are not everyone's cup of tea

However, in saying that, they are both good pistols and both worth keeping. I feel the HW75 is rather well built and has more heft to it than the HW40, but it is also noticeable that the HW75 stands quite high in the hand when on aim.

Ah interesting... Which would you say you group better with in good light or is there not much to separate them?

[Paul SE]

Ah interesting... Which would you say you group better with in good light or is there not much to separate them?

Ah, good question

I haven't really noticed any difference in groups, but I would think it would be easier to shoot better groups with the HW75 in good light, however I would prefer the front sight to be slightly wider and same for the rear. (Too accustomed to Steyr LP10 target sights )

Most of my plinking targets are all different shapes and colours, and target acquisition for me, is better with the HW40 sights in low light as the fibre optics really stand out and clearly define the sights vs targets.

I think a lot really will depend on the lighting condition, targets and background colours, and whether or not you get on with fibre optic coloured sights vs standard square front post and standard rear sight.

I forgot to mention in an earlier post that I've also got a Daisy 717 and the sights on this gun are more suitable for target shooting than those on the HW75 - the front post is wider and the rear sight has a wider notch. However, the trigger is not as nice as either of the HW's, and so it does not get as much use. It us slightly less powerful than the other two, but also quieter

[johnbaz]

Hi

I don't have a single keeper but rather a few (I'll just show two that will be with me until the lid is nailed on my box!! )

This Webley Senior is the pistol that i've owned the longest and was £39 from a local second hand shop!!

Another is the shiny one of these two Premiers, It's another that i've had for a long time, It was £8 as it wouldn't cock!!

I've been lucky enough to have more than my fair share of freebies, As they were gifts, I couldn't get rid of them either!!


John

[beagle2]

I have a lot all Air Cartridge ......

well they would be keepers would they not as it is against the law to sell them except for scrap or perhaps export having said that I wish that I had got a Pietta air cattridge colt 45 revolver before they they banned them the Umerex ones are ok but not a patch on the real blued steel ones.

Forgot to add my all time keeper is my all steel .22 Webley Premier unfortunately not blued just black coated but in mint condition when I got it about twelve years ago I stripped it and gave it a good going over with molly paste and it works as good as new I do wish that it was a little more powerful but I suppose we can never have everything.