Anyone have any recommendations or comments on training pistols...22 , 32, 12 ga ...models or makes?

Kent;

Thanks for the reply....the area that I have been using to train is close to the neighborhood. If I was in the field with my shotgun, regardless of the ammo they would lock down the area schools, call the local TV station and then haul me off to jail...blank pistols are less obvious and threatening.....thus the need for a blank pistol.....

I have two 32 blank pistols that my (ex) husband had inserts made for each of the barrels, so I can use primer caps in them. You have to be careful pushing the empty casings out as the inserts can come out too so I rarely ever let anyone else use them, but they've worked great for us for years.

Kathy Miller

NEF 22 caliber for long not crimped blanks is my vote.

I have two of them. One is 20+ years old the other was bought last year. The cylinders and pins can be interchanged. If the design works, why change it?

A 22 makes it easy to buy nail gun blanks at any hardware supply that can also be used in remote launchers.

Tim

This message has been edited. Last edited by: timothy carrion,

Kent, I bet we both remember when we bought our training pistols at a downtown pawn shop. Those "saturday night specials" worked great.

Agree no purple or red. The green or yellow are all you need for pistols or launchers. $4.99/100

Tim

209 primers are the most economical at about 3.50/100 they are as loud as the 22 and can be heard at most ht/ft distances. Trouble is that the cheap primer pistol are not worth it. They fall apart easily and do not last. If you can fin a NEF or DaysEnd primer pistol, grab it. The Alpha primer pistol has some good reviews, but it is nearly $200.

You used to be able to convert a 32 to primer by using some inserts. But these inserts are now hard to find. If you know someone who is good with a jewlers lathe you can get them made. As Kathy says they tend to get lost easily, so you may want to use some loctite or seilicone adhesive to glue them in place.

The cheap 22 pistols are also fairly unreliable. If you are planning on training for several years, get a good NEF, Alpha or Daysend pistol.

T. Mac

...and remember, you can never have enough equipment when training your own retriever.

209's are great with Wingers throwing clip wing pigeons; "hot shot" loads are nice with the Bumper Boys but make sure to get a cheap 12 gauge break open gun to use with popper loads for the extra noise at 400 yds with those dead ducks used for long retired, memory birds.

A little mix is always good to keep the kids guessing.

Have fun and the dogs will too!

Keith

Truth be told I was in the field this weekend with a Ramset and a 4 x 4 block of wood....rather cumbersome...decided to spend a buck and get the real deal...didn't think about the pawn shop though.....Lion Country Supply has a 22 cal for $70.....

Hell's bells...For Those About to Rock...Back in Black...It ain't noise pollution.....CBR owners rock!....called the local police dept. to make sure I wasn't violating some ordinance if I were to use a training pistol in close proximity to the neighborhood. The officer asked me what kind of dog I had and I told him a 10 month old CBR....he says "I've got a 6 yr old Chessie female...don't worry about training with a pistol...."

Are you a member of the retriever club based down near PA/MD border, I think York area?

If so, wondering your opinion on how they treat Chessies and owners. Spoke to one person from the club and really encouraged me to join. Asked where I got my Lab. Told him I had a Chessie, conversation got real cold.

I'm about 50 miles north of the 'burg...

quote:

didn't think about the pawn shop though.....Lion Country Supply has a 22 cal for $70.....

It's all your fault now... Lion Country is about an hour from my house. I'll be a kid in a candy store. Lived and worked in State College for about 6 years, some 20 years ago.

And I was just 5 minutes away a week ago for a seminar. Glad I checked into Lion Country Supply.

Kevin;

As a mature and responsible adult I take full and total responsibility for contributing to your delinquency!....

Every time i'm out with the dog in the neighborhood or out and about to the local pet store people always say "oh what a beautiful chocolate lab...did you give him a perm?....No, he's a Chesapeake Bay Retriever. His coat is naturally curly. Anyone can get a chocolate Lab..." . They then look at me say "oh" and turn and walk away....

I have not yet explored any of the local sportsman clubs because I am as out now still undecided as to what direction I want to go with the dog. My guess though that most are well populated with Lab owners who would not be anxious to see another breed run circles around the chosen ones.....

The Keystone Retriever Club, which holds training days the 3rd Sunday of each month has a few members with Chessies.

Kent,

Hour and 15 to Cabelas Hamburg store for me. Even take a dog now and then. Been there too often. But they got me hooked. Got a $100 in store credit to use by year end. So road trip time coming up.

Their dog related section stinks, so gotta find a better source.

Did watch about five minutes of a retriever demonstration last time down. There were as many people talking to me about my Labradoodle than there was to the pro with his black Lab....


Kevin

Hey Kevin
You sure it wasnt a Chessapooh?
And by the way, as far as training pistols go, if your only going to buy one, get an Alpha, nay caliber. You cant go wrong. expensive, but like I said, you'll never buy another.

Marc