TargetTalk

I wonder if any shooters can share their experience and thoughts on the Mannel AP One/Expert and the SAM line of air pistols (current version is SAM K15.)

I recall shooting a first generation SAM AP and it hand an excellent trigger. I suspect it has evolved over the years, I'm just not aware how. It still resembles the MG1 in my opinion. I wonder if there is an ongoing relationship with Mr. Morini?

I note that SAM no longer appears to sell their UK compliant Free Pistol. I never did hear much about it. Any thoughts would be welcome.


Mannel
http://www.maennel.at/shop/index.php?ca ... 4a681f4a76
SAM
http://www.samarms.ch/samlugano.ch_002.htm

SAM FP
[url][url]http://www.checkmateguns.co.u ... tesam.html

Thanks,

Brian
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The only thing I can say with confidence is that there is NO ongoing relation between SAM and Cesare Morini, who went to Matchguns several years ago. Rumours say that early MG1 contained parts made in Switzerland, but AFAIK, nothing was ever proved... but apparently they didn't part ways in a really friendly way.

All SAM APs from K11 onward have a completely different trigger than the first one, the M10, so depending on which one you remember, might be in for a surprise. They've gotten pretty rare, all of them, as has everything else from SAM. I've seen one of the SAM FPs (that came after the FP50, which was the continuation of the Hammerli FP10) several years ago, I doubt that there are more than a dozen around, if that. I've got a K11, which is pretty neat to shoot, but a bit rough around the edge. All SAM APs I know have or had problems with the main valve. SAM can rebuild that, but it's still a pita. What's useful about them is that SAM / Matchguns grips are 95% exchangeable. There are so many 2nd hand APs around that there seems to be no reason to play around with prototypes...

And never seen a AP One in action. Looks like a Steyr clone, though. Don't know about the manufacturing capacity of Männel, the "Made in Austria" Demyan SP-08 didn't come to existence, either.

No wonder that the ap one resembles the lp1, if you know what he did before... Rumour says he's out of business, but nobody knows for sure. At least he's not present at the bavarian or german championships anymore.