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Cometa Indian Spring-piston Pistol
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12
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- Last updated: 26/01/2017
Comments
Air pistols may be incredibly hard to shoot accurately, but there’s no doubting the satisfaction when it all comes together, and the groups start to form. Deciding on the power source, as with rifles, can be a little confusing, but if half decent accuracy is high on the list of desirable features, then the choice begins to narrow.
Price range is a key factor, and if you consider that the top PCP match air pistols are as costly as their rifle counterparts, such a significant outlay can hardly be justified by everyone. Likewise, expecting top class results from cheap and cheerful entry level kit, is obviously wide of the mark; so some form of compromise has to enter the equation.
I find shooting air pistols therapeutic, in the way that, with the pressure off, away from my usual competitive arena, emphasis can be firmly placed on enjoyment. With expectations relatively low, I am often pleasantly surprised by the results, and so it was with my subject here - the Indian pistol from Spanish makers, Cometa.
Dark Horse
The Indian is indeed a dark horse, and currently retailing below the £200 mark, makes it in my view, something of a bargain.
It turns out that the Indian has been with us for some time, but how this pistol could have escaped my attentions however, I’m not quite sure; since, as I have already intimated, it really is rather good.
Available in either black (my test example, supplied with a free zip-up case), or Nickel plated, (supplied with a hard plastic case), the Indian is a spring-piston powered design, which generates a healthy 4ft/lbs of energy. The mainspring is compressed via a rather unique ‘up and over’ cocking arm. This style mimics the classic Webley layout, save for the barrel on the Indian being fixed, whilst Webley use the barrel as the cocking lever. The fact that the barrel is fixed and not prone to wear on its axis, is an obvious advantage in the longevity stakes, with the only downside being the slightly Heath Robinson appearance of the cocking lever itself. In fact first impressions, save for that slightly spindly lever, are of a wonderfully solid, well balanced pistol.
The machined and chemically blued cylinder sits on top of a solid cast chassis which incorporates the trigger guard and central section of the grip. Polymer/composite grips are moulded, incorporating a right biased, anatomical palm rest, which I found particularly comfortable. One point of note here though, is that after showing this pistol to my father (who has fairly large hands like myself), he found the shape of the grips too restrictive - so clearly they will not suit everyone. I’m not quite sure what ‘crispy handling’ (taken from the instruction leaflet) means either, but to be fair, I was impressed regardless.
Cock and Load
To cock the Indian, first push on the safety catch, then holding the grip firmly with the right hand, take hold of the cocking arm with the left, and pull up and round in a sweeping arc, passing through around 315degrees, until the trigger engages, holding back the piston. Now return the lever all the way back and let it drop down into its main rest position. The pop out breech tray will automatically be exposed at the rear of the action, and a pellet can be gently nudged into place in the loading groove. Close the breech, and finally nudge off the safety catch.
As usual, just describing the process makes it sound complicated, but in practise, it soon becomes a formality. Cocking the Indian is a particularly slick affair, with all the internals feeling very smooth and efficient. Add to this the minimal effort required, and this pistol begins to appeal. Recoil, minimal as it is, comes straight back towards the shooter, because of the piston arrangement, yet in practise, the Indian sits well in the palm, and feels a mature, well conceived product in use.
OK; the trigger is hardly top class, and is effectively a non-adjustable, single-stage affair, yet the inherent creep is predictable and the overall pull weight bearable.
Range Results
From a rest, I achieved 5 shot groups at 10yards, which could be covered by a 5 pence piece; and over 20yards, just over 1 1/2inches was possible. Consider this was all shot with the notch and blade open sights, and I finished my test confident in the knowledge that this little Indian could indeed give a good account of itself. A pistol scope would close down those groups significantly, and bear in mind that this is all from a recoiling spring/piston pistol, and you may see why this product deserves a bright future.
Consistency over the chronograph confirmed the effectiveness of that silky action, returning a variation of just 8fps, using the more accurate of my two test pellets, Crosman Accupell. The Cometa wadcutter ammunition supplied with the pistol were OK, but did concede a little in group size; probably as a result of their greater weight variation, as highlighted by spot checks over a set of micro scales.
With HFT competitions now including a pistol event more often than not, this Indian would certainly make sense on that score.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed shooting it over the course of my test, and clearly with the right pellet, its inherent accuracy and pleasant firing characteristics, make it a prime candidate to deliver good all round shooting pleasure for many years.
VELOCITY:
Using Crosman Accupel pellets over 10 shots:
Average velocity 477fps
Average spread 8fps
PRICE:
£185 including soft zip-up case
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12 Comments
Hello do you have this for sale? is it on stock please?
thanks
Paul
Paul Sullivan
17 Nov 2021 at 07:32 PMI would be very interested how you think a pistol scope could be attached.
Michael Reed
31 Jul 2020 at 11:37 PMHi Mark,
I'm glad you're enjoying your new pistol and keep up your love of airguns!
Troll Hunter
20 Jul 2016 at 03:07 PMI have become airgun obsessed over the last few months. In that time I have accumulated seven rifles and nine air pistols. The Cometa is my most recent acquisition. From the moment you pick it up you know it means business.
Although it bears a passing resemblance to the Webley Tempest it is a different beast. Far more accurate and far more powerful. I have been shooting it and a Beeman P17 side by side. Although they are different beasties in operation, they are comparable as far as accuracy. The Cometa is more powerful and hits the target with more of an authoratative thud. The Beeman has more of a snap or crack. They are great fun to alternate.
I have now put about 400 pellets through the Cometa and like it so much I just ordered the nickel version. This is a really special pistol and I don't think it will be around for long, so I'm making sure. Don't hesitate. Buy one.
Mark Palmer
14 Jul 2016 at 12:42 PMCheck out the Weirhrauch H45 or the Browning 800. Loads of muscle and very accurate for non match pistols, Air force one also powerful and accurate but needs CO2 bottles if that is an issue
Bilbo
20 Apr 2015 at 03:51 PMHi Derek, what country do you live in? Power will depend on the laws of whatever country you're in.
Troll Hunter
03 Feb 2015 at 08:31 AMWas just taking another look around for my 2nd pellot pistol. My first was the beeman p17, which was no bullseye shooter but I couldnt complain for the price. So anyways ive looked at a few different types (which as a recreational shooter keyed towards high power. I guess my question is what type of pistol is best when it comes to high power and accurate?
Derek
03 Feb 2015 at 08:17 AMDear John,
Thanks for the information. I had made a direct connection with Cometa and I am in hopes of eventually getting the parts needed for my repair. Plastic components do fail in time and wish there was a easier way of ordering parts. However, I am surprised to find the company is on holiday session until next month. Something we in the states should learn how to do !
Thank you again...............Joe Santucci
joe santucci
30 Aug 2011 at 12:57 PMJohn Rothery Wholesale are the UK distributor. If you are in the UK try their website at http://www.bisley-uk.com which has a UK dealer list.
If not, try Cometa direct in Spain at http://www.cometaairgun.com
Pat Farey
30 Aug 2011 at 12:24 AMCurrently own the Cometa Indian Black Spring Gun. However, I am seeking to repair two plastic parts and in need of finding a source to get them. The parts I need are : Part # P2 and P8M.
Any help would be greatly appreciated !!
Thank you........Joe
joe santucci
29 Aug 2011 at 10:39 PMGlad you like the Indian, it is a fantastic air pistol with great accuracy potential, however it is really designed for target shooting and shouldn't be used to hunt rabbits. It's a powerful pistol, but not enough for humane rabbit hunting - no non-FAC pistol is. You should use an accurate air rifle putting out 10ft/lbs or more for rabbit hunting.
Pat Farey
09 Feb 2011 at 11:47 AMit was my birthday a couple of days ago and my dad got me this...................................AMASING I LOVE IT! it will easleay kill a rabit at 15 to 20 yards.AWSOME!
liam
07 Feb 2011 at 09:33 PM