LP10 or LP50?

[BigC]

Corky - I love your attitude !!!

Rutty - Thanks for the sound advice. I think from what has been said I will be looking for an LP10 or 10E.

[Fierynick]

If you're looking for a single shot air pistol then you won't go far wrong with an LP10, you could also consider a Morini, FWB P44, Walther or a host of other pistols. Try as many pistols as you can before spending a lot of money on one!

[BigC]

Yes that's a good idea but trying to find a shop with all those in stock is going to be tough. I suppose I could go to a club and see if members have a selection of the guns you've listed and ask if I can try them?

[mrgeoff]

I started 10m air pistol shooting at the start of the year with a Rohm twinmaster, which is either single or 8 shot. Because of the 8 shot Rohm, I really really wanted to buy the LP50, some advice was for, but some strong advice against.

After a couple of weeks at the club seeing different pistols, I realised that the LP50 wasnt the right choice, so went for the single shot route. (Walther LP400)

I would spend a lot of time conciderig the LP50, especially if most clubs / competitions near you are going to be single shot.

OK, im a newbie, and may not know too much, but I have just gone thru the same decision!

[Rutty]

Yes that's a good idea but trying to find a shop with all those in stock is going to be tough. I suppose I could go to a club and see if members have a selection of the guns you've listed and ask if I can try them?

You are unlikely to find a shop that has all the makes/models in stock, but a couple of places to start looking are Surrey Guns or the NSRA Shop at Bisley. Best to give them a ring to enquire what they actually have available. Now, you will get to look at them and may get to handle them but I wouldn't guarantee that you will be able to shoot them and that is the critical bit.

So, what to do?

Find a club that supports the discipline that you are interested in. If it's an established well run club it will have club guns available for new members to learn the basic techniques. Now these will not be this year's model, or even last year's, in fact some may be bordering on the antique but they should be more than adequate to learn on. Our club has a FWB Model 2 CO2 pistol that must be about 25 years old, but it still has as good a trigger as some of the modern offerings. Shoot the club guns; you will learn about their differences, how triggers can be equally good but feel quite dissimilar. How balance varies and what can be done about it. What range of grip angle suits you. Talk to other members about their equipment and keep an eye on the For Sale board. A club member "trading up" will have something to dispose of and secondhand PCPs can be change hands for £300-900.

However there is another very important factor. Just because a gun was used to win the Olympics\World Championship\British Open\Monthly Cub Competition and has all the bells and whistles doesn't mean it's the one for you. you must "like" it, you must feel "comfortable" with it and last but by no means least you must "enjoy" shooting it. It musn't be a chore every time you pick it up, you shouldn't finish a series thinking "I'm glad that's over". Now a lot of that is quite subjective, but it is important because if you don't acknowledge those factors then making progress will be much more difficult.

To summarise, find a good club and go along and learn. Don't be in a hurry to spend your pennies until you have reasonably good idea about what suits you.

Hope that this helps.

Rutty

PS
Almost the first thing we tell new members is don't buy anything until:

a. You have decided whether or not shooting is in fact what interests you.
b. You have enough knowledge to decide what you want and need. Can be two different things
c. If you must buy something, then buy a pair of ear defenders. They are at least useful for other activities.

[BigC]

Rutty

Some good sound advice there and I will be looking to join a club very soon and depending on their selection of guns I may also go to Surrey Guns or NSRA shop too. I appreciate that a good gun may not suit me so I need to try out a few.

Right better get onto NSRA for a list of clubs.

Cheers

Carlo