Is there room for CO2 in target/competition pistol shooting

[pr1uk]

Perhaps a silly question as i know that CO2 can change with the weather and its reliability is always questioned. Having said that is there room for a CO2 pistol in serious target shooting if so what make/models work well.
Yes i know very serious pistol target shooters spend a small fortune on special recoilless accurate reliable guns but i am looking at a tight budget.

[The Doctor]

Hi

Putting in bluntly - no.

Let me put this into context. I know there will be an army of ardent CO2 supporters on in a minute saying 'well the world record was held with a co2 pistol for x amount of years...' which may be true...true that is until PCP took over.

I have attended a few (!) competitions over the past few years and I will tell you how many co2 pistols I have seen being used - two. The main reason for this - cost and convenience - it is a pain in the bum coming off the range to change your co2 half way through a match, there being no objective method of checking how much 'air' you have in the capsule. I played around with a tau 7 a few months ago - lovely gun, deadly accurate but your only getting 60-70 shots out of the capsule - 60 shot match + sighters, your pushing the limits already.

If you are in the market for a pistol, then you have two choices - wait until something comes up or bite the bullet and get something half decent - by half decent I am not talking about the Rohms - trust me, I am not a big fan and I have my reasons.

Surrey guns have two fas604's for sale - they will do very nicely for a beginner, and in the right hands will shoot perfectly well.

Lee

[pr1uk]

Hi

Putting in bluntly - no.

Let me put this into context. I know there will be an army of ardent CO2 supporters on in a minute saying 'well the world record was held with a co2 pistol for x amount of years...' which may be true...true that is until PCP took over.

I have attended a few (!) competitions over the past few years and I will tell you how many co2 pistols I have seen being used - two. The main reason for this - cost and convenience - it is a pain in the bum coming off the range to change your co2 half way through a match, there being no objective method of checking how much 'air' you have in the capsule. I played around with a tau 7 a few months ago - lovely gun, deadly accurate but your only getting 60-70 shots out of the capsule - 60 shot match + sighters, your pushing the limits already.

If you are in the market for a pistol, then you have two choices - wait until something comes up or bite the bullet and get something half decent - by half decent I am not talking about the Rohms - trust me, I am not a big fan and I have my reasons.

Surrey guns have two fas604's for sale - they will do very nicely for a beginner, and in the right hands will shoot perfectly well.

Lee

Thank you for your straight forward reply having said that i would love a Tau 7 if i could find one that is. Yes the Fas 604 as been recommended but its finding one from a private seller so it could be posted. Mind you i am not talking about top of the range target shooting but still a pistol that will be consistent would be nice.

[hwtyger]

You have to put things into context, really. YES, its all pcp now, but thats also cause thats a hype.And because people tend to look what OTHERS use instead of thinking/feeling themselves...It may be true that recent records are shot with pcp. But honestly, can YOU even shoot NEAR the older co2 records? No, you probably cant..CO2 matchpistol are still far better than we are, FACT.
AND the 1996 co2 record was shot while there already wás pcp, dont forget that!

So, yes, CO2 DEFINATELY has a place in targetshooting! A guy on our club used to shoot Topclass of our country with a CP2 co2. With the 10 bést of the country. Yeah, co2 is really worthless..
Pcp only becomes 'necessary' if yr shooting 380+ ex 400 or so. Why? Not cause of temperature, cause thats very exagerated, it's mainly because balance shift(co2 is filled on weight not pressure). And better ergo's, grips, adjustability etc of newer pistols. CO@'s are inherently just as accurate as pcp's.
Well, I'm certainly nót shooting near 380+.

Buy a Tau 7, you'll love it! I have several Tau's, and I shoot BETTERr with those than with my pcp steyr, morini, hammerli or aeron!
What fits YOU is more important than what its used to power it. Hey, that can even be a FWB65. Thats why I shoot so well with the Tau; it fits me like a glove.
Its also ridiculous having to change CO2 halfway a match..My Tau's shoot 80-130 shots on a 12gr bulb. AND the Tau (and clones)is the only matchpistol with a grip reservoir. All the others use normal large underbarrel cilinders like pcp's use, which contain 40gr co2 or so=180 shots??.
Its true you cant séé wether yr out of co2. But if yr smart, you start a match with a full cilinder. Thats what you do with pcp too, dont you?.

[wonky donky]

I would much rather use a FWB C25 Co2 than a Fas 604 any day, imagine cocking a FAS 60 plus times in comps, a good recipe for fatigue imo. You can cock a C25 just by lifting the loading tap!!

Most top grade Co2 pistols don't use capsules or bulbs, they are bulk filled & will give more shots per fill than most pcp's......150 shots plus usually.

[pr1uk]

Decided to start small and work my way up so to speak just bought a Weihrauch HW40 PCA .177 it was secondhand so not a lot spent hopefully it will give me a fair start at targets.

[pr1uk]

You have to put things into context, really. YES, its all pcp now, but thats also cause thats a hype.And because people tend to look what OTHERS use instead of thinking/feeling themselves...It may be true that recent records are shot with pcp. But honestly, can YOU even shoot NEAR the older co2 records? No, you probably cant..CO2 matchpistol are still far better than we are, FACT.
AND the 1996 co2 record was shot while there already wás pcp, dont forget that!

So, yes, CO2 DEFINATELY has a place in targetshooting! A guy on our club used to shoot Topclass of our country with a CP2 co2. With the 10 bést of the country. Yeah, co2 is really worthless..
Pcp only becomes 'necessary' if yr shooting 380+ ex 400 or so. Why? Not cause of temperature, cause thats very exagerated, it's mainly because balance shift(co2 is filled on weight not pressure). And better ergo's, grips, adjustability etc of newer pistols. CO@'s are inherently just as accurate as pcp's.
Well, I'm certainly nót shooting near 380+.

Buy a Tau 7, you'll love it! I have several Tau's, and I shoot BETTERr with those than with my pcp steyr, morini, hammerli or aeron!
What fits YOU is more important than what its used to power it. Hey, that can even be a FWB65. Thats why I shoot so well with the Tau; it fits me like a glove.
Its also ridiculous having to change CO2 halfway a match..My Tau's shoot 80-130 shots on a 12gr bulb. AND the Tau (and clones)is the only matchpistol with a grip reservoir. All the others use normal large underbarrel cilinders like pcp's use, which contain 40gr co2 or so=180 shots??.
Its true you cant séé wether yr out of co2. But if yr smart, you start a match with a full cilinder. Thats what you do with pcp too, dont you?.

I enjoyed reading your post and yes i would have loved a Tau 7 but again its finding one that i could afford. Not to worry i got the HW40 because it was a cheap-ish start gun but i have not ruled out CO2. The problem with CO2 is there are loads of cheap ones about but to get a good reliable one you will spend quite a lot and my funds are not at that stage yet but one day.

[RobinC]

Of course there is a place in modern target shooting for Co2, I have modern PCP's, SSP's, spring FWB 65 and a Co2 and in performance there is nothing between them, convenience and in some cases ballance yes is not so good as a PCP, but they are all capable of top level performance. As long as they were built as top class match pistols then they remain so. I prefer PCP but the others will still shoot to the same level. The ladies world record with a spring FWB 65 shot in 1975 was 391, todays record has only gained a couple of points, OK the target has reduced, but only by 0.5 mm on the radius of the ten!
The advantage of a Co2 Steyr, FWB or Walther is they are a lot cheaper! Bulk Co2 is easy and indoors the tempature is irrelavent.
Good Shooting
Robin

[derekm]

Hi

Putting in bluntly - no.

Let me put this into context. I know there will be an army of ardent CO2 supporters on in a minute saying 'well the world record was held with a co2 pistol for x amount of years...' which may be true...true that is until PCP took over.

I have attended a few (!) competitions over the past few years and I will tell you how many co2 pistols I have seen being used - two. The main reason for this - cost and convenience - it is a pain in the bum coming off the range to change your co2 half way through a match, there being no objective method of checking how much 'air' you have in the capsule. I played around with a tau 7 a few months ago - lovely gun, deadly accurate but your only getting 60-70 shots out of the capsule - 60 shot match + sighters, your pushing the limits already.

If you are in the market for a pistol, then you have two choices - wait until something comes up or bite the bullet and get something half decent - by half decent I am not talking about the Rohms - trust me, I am not a big fan and I have my reasons.

Surrey guns have two fas604's for sale - they will do very nicely for a beginner, and in the right hands will shoot perfectly well.

Lee

My Walther does 350+ shots on a fill. Is that enough for your 60 shot match?

3kg of CO2 cost me £80 including the cylinder; a 3kg refill is £10. The cylinder lives at home so I don't need to drive to a dive shop and pay silly money for air.

As for accuracy, MAYBE Mick Gault could tell the difference & then maybe he couldn't.

The rest of us would have no idea.

Anyone out there got a rubbish CO2 Steyr they want rid of, so they can keep up with the Joneses? I'm serious if the price is right.

[Gregory]

yes there is a place for Co2 and its place is expelled from your lungs when you exhale.

[Old Fart]

yes there is a place for Co2 and its place is expelled from your lungs when you exhale.

Can you tell me how much experience you have of pistol shooting.

I have shot for over 30 years with various pistols, from air to full bore and the rubbish posted on here makes me wonder what your averages are and what division do you shoot in.

I still use Co2 and a 604 is hard work, plus to cock one safely you do need to move your feet, which does not help.

If you want to shoot PCP good for you but why knock anyone else's choice.

[Gregory]

the rubbish on here really does make me wonder.

if you want to see what the best shooters on earth are using just type in 10 meter pistol into youtube and watch any international / olympic / commonwealth final. Nobody uses co2 anymore.

yes I know your dodgy old czech pistol probably shoots better than me but that kind of fusty old thinking is what is holding back young shooters in this country. take a fresh new look at your sport and you might realise that old men shooting in the county leagues are currently knocking out the sort of scores that infants in germany are shooting in the junior bundesligia.

After all a 1980 Austin Allegro will stick get you to Tesco for the weekly shop, how many can you count in the car park?

Move on.