Air Arms Alfa

[DM1964]

I am looking at a target pistol and keep being drawn to the Alfa, anyone got one and how do you rate it.
Any restrictions on club level shooting etc.

[gingernut]

I like mine

The grip is not the greatest but results are fine

A good second hand buy if you can find one

Good support from AA

[hwtyger]

Wouldnt buy it. Its an expensive Alfa Proj.
These are nice in CO2 (had 1) but in pcp wouldnt want 1. Too little shots from the tiny grip reservoir.
Grip feels pencil thin, barrelweight is useless at 250gr?!, trigger adjustment is very limited and less than the Tau 7 etc
There are better buys out there for that money. (even a CO2 Tau 7)

[gingernut]

Two useful and completely different reviews!

[clipper]

I tried one and found it very back end heavy which I couldn't get past, and I have niggling doubts that it is not much more than a sales/marketing venture from Air Arms

For the same money you will find a lot of good secondhand PCP target pistols, I did my market research over 18 months ago and ended up with a Hammerli AP20 which I am very, very happy with

[hwtyger]

Yes theyre completely out of aluminium I believe.(except barrel)compared to the all steel Tau 7. I had the same feeling. Couldnt hold it still well.
Indeed lots of choice in the sechand range as well.
If you want a czech, look at the Aeron Spider of Tau MK8.
Both awesome pistols on its own. Bút, still czechs, so accept some fiddling
Otherwise, a nice sechand Walther/Steyr/Morini etc or a Tau 7

[derekm]

Wouldnt buy it. Its an expensive Alfa Proj.
These are nice in CO2 (had 1) but in pcp wouldnt want 1. Too little shots from the tiny grip reservoir.
Grip feels pencil thin, barrelweight is useless at 250gr?!, trigger adjustment is very limited and less than the Tau 7 etc
There are better buys out there for that money. (even a CO2 Tau 7)

I had an Alfa Proj CO2 which I bought from the factory for 1/3 of the UK RRP. I cut the barrel weight down, so no problem there. Had a PB of 95 and an average of almost 88 over 10 cards. (That was 10 years ago!!) I wouldn't buy at UK prices; they're way OTT.

You'd be better off with a good S/H Tau 7. There's nothing wrong with CO2 for club level and at 30 odd pence for a 12g cartridge for an evening's shooting, for me it's a no-brainer. When you can average over 90, maybe look at a premium PCP match pistol, but until then, not much point, apart from maybe the satisfaction of handling a fine piece of enginneering.

[bootneckbob]

Never seen one at any target club or competition I've ever shot or a shop for that matter. You read what you want into that.......

[DM1964]

Cheers everyone.

I will keep looking and if I can hold some and see what feels right before buying a 10m pistol.