New vid: 100yrs Air Pistols pt4 1979-1989

[ptdunk]

See if you can guess which one I actually don’t like:

https://youtu.be/PiAsKipN1n0

Cheers,
Matt

[costalotpanther]

I think the Weihrauch 45 because I had one of the first and sold it to a dealer at Manor Park Firearms for £50. A big disappointment it was. Didn't like the grips! Almost new it was. However, I have recently purchased a new HW45. The Blackstar. Hopefully I will find it to be better to shoot.
Vian.

[45flint]

I agree the HW45. Beeman design where he went over the cliff trying to make it a 1911 clone to entice the American market and it ended up looking horridly pregnant? Only HW could make it last this long.

[ccdjg]

Great video Matt. The skillful shooting was matched only by the equally skillful camera work. Hats off to Mariana!

Cheers
John

[Garvin]

See if you can guess which one I actually don’t like:

https://youtu.be/PiAsKipN1n0

Cheers,
Matt

Wonderful, Matt! I really enjoyed it. Beautiful clean examples, superb shooting and great filming. What's not to like? Interesting to see how those pistols cross over between the '70s and '90s in terms of design. Fascinating.

[isobar]

excellent video and shooting again,nice pistols as well.

[les allam]

Thanks for doing another video.
Showing us these lovely pistols and your great shooting skills.
The Hw45 can be difficult to master, but still enjoyable when you get it right.
Looking forward to the next one.
Atb
Les..

[Biker_Bob]

Another terrific video - thanks for making these.
Each to his own of course, but I have to disagree about the HW45. It is so close in design to a 1911 that 1911 grips will fit. It recoils in the correct direction because of the reverse piston (same as the Tempest to be fair) and the great thing is that if you use the standard 1911 combat hold the HW45 is capable of bell target and paper punching accuracy. Because of the requirement to use the correct hold I don't understand the point of the later "elephant's foot" versions such as the Silver Star because that big grip prevents you from holding the gun in the correct way.

[45flint]

It just misses the mark when it’s obvious the intention was a clone? I could just never buy it no matter how good it was.

[oldskoolzzz]

Great video Dunk

Re the 45 I agree with Les and Bob they are great pistols especially if one is prepared to put the effort in.

I remember a good 20 years ago the first time I got one for club use I really struggled with it, until I went combat style hold and have never shot the many 45’s that followed any differently.

One of the best accuracy sessions I’ve ever had on the clubs pistol range was with a 45 wearing a red dot the chap watching next to me was gobsmacked with the results I was getting although it wasn’t serious it was damn good fun and one of my fondest memories of a damn good pistol session

[ptdunk]

Thanks everyone, glad people liked it
I knew I’d open a can of worms with the HW45 but I don’t care!
I’ve grown to really resent that gun, the amount of people I’ve met who consider that the only choice of an air pistol, and then can’t hit anything with it and give up makes me sad as a air pistol shooter.

Cheers,
Matt

[ptdunk]

Regarding the 45 and the tight gripped ‘combat hold’, in my book that’s not how you are supposed to shoot air pistols, if you have hold it that tight it makes me think it’s a flawed design. Sorry.

Unfortunately out of the 50 odd pistols I shoot in all 5 videos only the record LP2, Crosman Medallist and the HW45 are still available, so I appreciate people have to find a way to make it work, and it’s good that some have.

I can see why people like the fact that it looks like a giant colt automatic, but personally I think it’s a vulgarisation of the original Webley Mk1 design.

The only one I’ve shot that was consistently accurate (and the owner had even managed to zero it in!) had a red dot on. Given what oldskoolz said I wonder if a red dot alters the balance a bit and makes it more forgiving?

Each to their own, and hats off to anyone who can get some precision out of one. That’ll be my new mission!
Cheers,
Matt

[Josie & John]

Regarding the 45 and the tight gripped ‘combat hold’, in my book that’s not how you are supposed to shoot air pistols, if you have hold it that tight it makes me think it’s a flawed design. Sorry.
Cheers,
Matt

I agree about a tight hold not being right for an air pistol. The best results I have had with a 45 was when utilising a consistently loose hold. Consistency is the key here and it is easier to hold a pistol loosely over a period of say 60 shots that with a grip so tight that your knuckles go white with every shot.

I also agree the pistol is a poorly dimensioned 1911 clone and would have much preferred it had the designers built it on a correctly proportioned 1911 frame. I'd take the reduction in power over poor realism any day.

That said, I have enjoyed using the 45 over the years - it does take a fair bit of effort to do so accurately but that investment in effort will pay off if you put the practice in as the pistol is certainly capable of excellent accuracy.

John

[Benelli B76]

Matt, really enjoyed that. When did the FAS 604 come out as its one of my favourite SSP pistols ? It seems to fit in with the Airmatch and others.

Baz

[ptdunk]

Matt, really enjoyed that. When did the FAS 604 come out as its one of my favourite SSP pistols ? It seems to fit in with the Airmatch and others.

Baz

Hi Baz,
Good question. According to this it came out in 1980, I didn’t realise it was that early:
https://forum.vintageairgunsgallery....s-information/

I’m guessing they invented that top lever SSP? I don’t own one but have shot a few and they are really nicely made. The P10 reminds be of it, albeit an underlever.

Cheers,
Matt