Gimme a sugestion or two

[Hardrivejack]

Looking for ideas for a cheap n cheerful pistol. Just for a bit of fun and change from the rifle. Looking for self contained unit so spring / pneumatic and prefer .177.

What ya suggest?

[Unframed Dave]

Gamo compact takes some beating on a budget.

Dave

[Hardrivejack]

Cheers Dave, I’ll have a look at them 😃

[clipper]

Weihrauch HW40, or Gamo Compact, I would recommend the HW40 for its trigger, and the Gamo for its sights..... but faced with a back garden full of tin cans, or paper targets anything up to 10m I think the HW40 has it overall

[Cannon Fodder]

Beeman p17, basically a cheap hw40 and you'll never actually shoot a pistol enough to find a difference.

[Modski66]

You do occasionally see older and less 'pretty' HW45's come up for sale, I was luck enough to pick one up from here for £120. A Beeman P17 might set you back £40 - £50 second hand, but as it is almost totally recoilless, I found that the one I had just didn't have any 'soul'.

The Beeman does come under various names, but are basically the same pistol, here is an example called "Buster":
https://www.gunstar.co.uk/buster-p17...r-Guns/1405783

The HW45 is a whole handful of character, but is a rewarding challenge to master.

[evert]

Good suggestions above, get an HW40 PCA, the beeman version of the HW, or a Gamo Compact or Gamo PR45.
They are all accurate SSP's, but the HW40 has the trigger that is easiest to get good performance from. The PR45 has the worst trigger, but it is still okay compared to many other airguns.

[eyebull]

How big are your hands? I've got quite large hands with slenderish fingers ('pianist' hands, according to my missus, or at least that's what I think she said) and the Gamo Compact is quite a squeeze even with the palm shelf all the way down.

Beeman P17 if it's just a muck-about gun, I don't think you'll see the benefit of a HW40.
HW45 is more money but a far better pistol and you'll get back what you paid for it 9 times out of 10.
.177 with non-fibreoptic sights the best version IMO.

[Biker_Bob]

I have to disagree about the Beeman P17 <> HW40 being the same gun.
I've handled and shot both back to back and the HW40 is definitely worth the double price tag.
The Beeman is nasty, the body parts don't close with a straight edge and the trigger is crunchy.
If you want real bargain basement the new SP500 break barrel is surprisingly good for £50, the trigger is predictably bad but it is adjustable and can be made useable.
Umarex Trevox is another decent break barrel, although the trigger needs work to turn it into a decent shooter

[Hardrivejack]

I’ve had a look at the gamo and that wooden handle looks rough as the dogs do dah’s. From the bit of reading I’ve done I get it’s supposed to look like that but still looks like a bad woodwork experiment in my eyes 🤷♂️

The HW45 I have looked at in the past but given I may not get much use, not sure I want to fork out that much for something to end up sat in a cupboard. Having said that knowing it will hold its price is a big plus and it does look like a nice gun.

My hands are pretty small (office boy so all dainty fingers 🤦🏼♂️).

[harvey_s]

To my knowledge the HW40 PCA is the same as the Beeman P3 with both being made in Germany - these are quite impressive for the price.

The Beeman P17 or 2004e are both made in China clones and not made to the same standard, some are good, some are bad.

The Gamo Compact is worth almost it's asking price for those "rough" grips - which are pretty good on all the examples I've seen.

HW45's are grossly over-rated IMHO.

Although I've not tried one personally, I'd perhaps take a punt on a LOV-21.
It's a CO2 target gun with a pretty decent reputation from what I've read...

[eyebull]

In my mind the hw40 is in the same category as the hw44, neither one thing nor t'other and in that weird no man's land of Expensive but not really Precision Plinker. Though tbf I'd put the Alecto in the same category and I did buy and enjoy that.

The HW45 has much more grin factor than any of my pneumatics though tbh, albeit it greatly benefits from a tbt kit and perhaps a collapsed coil, which makes it accurate enough to be interesting.

[Biker_Bob]

The HW40 is a superb gun, great trigger, great sights and very accurate. It's not hugely powerful but then no SSP pistols are.
The Alecto looks like it will be the full package, accurate, good trigger and full power, but having bought one brand new and had it fail after less than 50 shots I'll never buy another.
The HW45 is the best spring pistol ever made. Powerful, accurate and reliable. Not everyone can shoot them, there is a technique you have to learn, but they are pinpoint accurate and hugely rewarding to shoot when you get yourself dialled in.

[eyebull]

The Alecto looks like it will be the full package, accurate, good trigger and full power, but having bought one brand new and had it fail after less than 50 shots I'll never buy another.

Out of curiosity was this shortly after they were released? I bought mine at release and had issues with the valve dumping air shortly after, but then it went back to Webley for repair, came back with a subtly different valve unit that then became standard, and has been faultless since.

[Biker_Bob]

Out of curiosity was this shortly after they were released? I bought mine at release and had issues with the valve dumping air shortly after, but then it went back to Webley for repair, came back with a subtly different valve unit that then became standard, and has been faultless since.

I bought the Alecto new about 6 months ago, it was the latest model with the screw cut barrel for silencer fitment.
The failure was that it pumped up but the trigger didn't do anything. I ended up with a pistol full or air that I couldn't discharge.

It was a massive relief to run back to the safety and reliability of a .22 HW45......