Dave
Reading this Post, another "cheap but incredably accurate" gun comes to mind and that's the Daisy 717 Target Pistol.
At around $100 this rather large Single Stroke Pneumatic is capable of match-type accuracy at 10m once broken-in (about 300 shots to wear-in the internals). The Daisy uses common "O" rings for pressure seals and their low pressure SSP system lasts nearly forever. If a rebuild ever becomes necessary, they are simple and really cheap.
They only come in .177 these days (yes there was a sub-300fps .22 at one time...) and with their legandary consistancy, the pistol launches light wadcutters at around 380fps in.177. More than adequate for paper punching but WAY too slow for hunting but as an informal Target pistol it's recoiless, wonderfully quiet, and accurate! The factory Right Hand "Thumb Shelf " plastic grip makes the pistol feel as if it's literally grown to your hand and optional Left Hand grips are also available from Daisy.
The 717 is UGLY (No joke about that), made from rather rough castingsand several plastic parts, but do not be fooled as it is a top class Target pistol through and through! When used Plinking informally a benchrested 717 is easilly capable of suprising long range accuracy... You might say it's scarey how far these things can shoot accuratelly!
There once was a Model 777 "Match" variation with totally adjustable sights, trigger and ready to shape wood grip panels also a 747 intermediate model is still available. A Lothar Walthar barrel and adjustable trigger are standard. The basic 717 trigger is fixed and the barrel is a Daisy component (still VERY good!). On ALL models the Piston's Compression stroke is adjustable and properly adjusted, leads to super shot to shot consistancy.
My own 717 was purchased "Used" and cheap. The paint is chipped off all over and signs of heavy use wore the rest of the paint coating away years ago by other owner(s?). Even so, it's trigger is now worn-in to a beautifull letoff and the seals seem to being capable of NEVER being worn out and she still stacks Gamo Match Pellets as if brand new! I still use the 717 to check myself when other Pistol groups widen as I KNOW the 717 won't lie! The old 717 is unforgiving as a true Target Pistol should be. My errors will show immediatelly, the 717 is that consistant!
OK there is another GOOD, cheap gun. The Marksman 2004, but that's another string. I'll let someone else write-up that one...
ZVP
