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The American Rifleman has used the phrase “DopeBag” at least since 1921, when Col.Townsend Whelenfirst titled his column with it. Even then, it had been inuse for years, referring to a sack used by target shoot-ers to hold ammunition and accessories on the firingline.“Sight dope”also was a traditional marksman’s termfor sight adjustment information, while judging windspeed and direction was called “doping the wind.”

CAUTION: Technical data and information con-tained herein are intended to provide information basedon the limited experience of individuals under specificconditions and circumstances. They do not detail thecomprehensive training procedures, techniques andsafety precautions absolutely necessary to properlycarry on similar activity. Read the notice and disclaimeron the contents page. Always consult comprehensivereference manuals and bulletins for details of propertraining requirements, procedures, techniques andsafety precautions before attempting any similar activity.

NORMALLY, SIG-Sauer incorporatesimprovements to its handgunsimmediately as running changes in

production. This sound policy pays divi-dends to the customer in the form of con-tinuously refined designs with improvedergonomics, functioning, reliability andserviceability. This policy was not applied,however, to the P230 pistol as productionquantities were limited, thus reducing thepossibility for immediate changes. As

improvements to the P230 wereidentified, they were saved forfuture production runs. When theJapanese National Police recentlyadopted the P230 in .32 ACP cal. as itsstandard-issue handgun, it identifiedchanges it would like to have as well.The result was the new P232 pistol incor-porating more than 60 improvements tothe design that has now replaced the P230in production.

Designed expressly for dis-creet carry, the P232 is offered infour models: a carbon steelmodel with a blued finish, a

stainless steel model with a pol-ished natural finish, a two-tone version

with a stainless steel slide atop a blued, car-bon steel frame, and a two-tone model withHogue grips. Initially, the P232 will beoffered only in .380 ACP caliber in theAmerican market. A .32 ACP model maybe offered later if sufficient demand devel-ops for that caliber.

A side-by-side comparison of the P230and P232 reveals that most of the changesare internal and not immediately obvious.Two key external differences, however, arethe stocks and the sights. The P232’s grippanels are fuller with a stippled surface incontrast to the flatter, smooth/checkeredgrips of the P230. While both are of blackpolymer, they are not interchangeable. Thehigh-visibility, three-red-dot sights of theP232 are a big improvement over the sim-ple post and notched blade of the P230. Therear sight of the P232 remains drift-adjustable for windage with a small Allenscrew to hold it in place once adjustments

are made. The flat top of the slide has10 longitudinal grooves intend-ed to reduce glare. Another dis-

tinctive external feature of theP232 is the set of seven,large grasping grooves cut

into the rear of the slide in con-trast to the 12 smaller grooves cutinto the slide of the P230.

Functioning principle of theP232 remains straight blow-back with a fixed barrel .Frame and slide are con-structed of forged chrome-nickel or stainless steeldepending on the model.Single-column, seven round,stainless steel magazines

have a finger rest on the lowerfront portion and a molded black-nylon fol-lower. P230 and P232 magazines are inter-changeable. A European-style magazinerelease lever on the bottom of the grip framebehind the magazine well will take some

SIGARMS P232 PISTOL

SIG-Sauer’s new,.380 ACP-cal. P232 pis-tol incorporates more than

60 changes designed toenhance ergonomics, reliability,functioning and serviceability

Two external differ-ences between the

P230 (above) and P232are the stocks and sights.

Functioning with the P232 was flawlessfrom the bench.Even when “limp-wristing”the P232,we could not induce a malfunction.

AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • November/December 1998

getting used to by many American shooters.Safety features include a disconnector,

an automatic firing pin safety, a decockinglever, an intercept notch on the sear thatholds the hammer away from the firing pin,and a slide hold-open feature after the lastround has been fired. The exposed hammeris partially shrouded, but the knurled spur isstill accessible. Fire control is via a modern,double-action/single-action trigger unit.The P232 can be safely carried with thehammer down and a round in the chamberby inserting a loaded magazine, chargingthe pistol and depressing the decockinglever. This is critical as it assures that thehammer properly engages the interceptnotch on the sear. The hammer should neverbe “thumbed” down!

Single-action trigger pull proved crispwith a moderate amount of take-up.Double-action trigger pull was heavy andlong. All shooters noted a major differencein the trigger position between the twomodes. While single-action seemed to cen-ter the trigger comfortably in the guard,double-action moved it considerably fur-ther forward which bothered shooters withsmall hands. SIG-Sauer may want to con-

sider shortening and lightening the double-action trigger pull of the P232.

A stainless model P232 received for test-ing proved to have notably comfortablestocks that were judged a big improvementover those of the previous P230. Not onlydid the full stippling on the two panelsenable a better purchase, a Wundhammer-type swell in the center of the panels com-fortably filled the hand, which in turnimparted a feeling ofimproved control. Thisproved especially helpful indouble-action firing. Thehigh-visibility, three-red-dot sights received highmarks from everyone whofired the pistol. All controlssuch as the magazine releaseand decocking lever wereeasily reached, even by indi-viduals with small hands.

A small lever on the frontleft side of the frame servesas a disassembly lever.When the lever is rotated 90degrees downward, the slidecan be quickly removed forcleaning or maintenance bypulling it fully back then tip-ping the rear end upward.The lever need not be removed, which pre-vents loss. Although the external frame railsholding the slide are very short, this isacceptable for a small pistol designed fordiscreet carry.

Fit and finish of the example P232 wereup to the normal high standards shootershave come to expect from SIG-Sauer. Allparts fit together smoothly with no rattlesor looseness. Each pistol comes with amanual, factory test target, two maga-zines, and a lockable, black-plastic carrycase fitted for the gun. Wood stocks,Hogue grips, night sights and a cleaningkit are optional at extra cost.

SIG-Sauer made a point of designing theP232 to reliably fire ammunition with hol-low-point bullets. We put this claim to a hardtest by firing several hundred rounds of awide variety of hollow-point and full-metal-jacket ammunition in different ways, rang-ing from full magazines to par-tially filled magazines and evenmixed brands and types in thesame magazine. The result wasflawless functioning despite thegun becoming quite dirty. We alsotried firing the pistol using a “limpwristed” hold with the sameresults. A heavy magazine springcombined with the shortness ofthe .380 cartridges made the P232

magazines a thumbuster to load. A magazineloading tool would be a welcome accessory.

Small, blowback-operated, .380 ACP-cal. pistols generally have a snappy recoildue to the system of operation. Perceivedrecoil can range from slightly annoying tounpleasant depending on loaded weight,height of bore axis, ammunition used, andgrip configuration to mention only a few.The P232 is much like its brothers in this

way, with snappy, but not unpleasant, recoil.SIG-Sauer should use the occasion of theP232’s introduction, however, to offer supe-rior, recoil-absorbing grips that would placethe P232 head and shoulders above the com-petition in this respect.

Although the P232 has excellent bal-ance, the stainless model is four ouncesheavier than the blued model and many ofits competitors. While this is perfectlyacceptable for a law enforcement duty pis-tol, it may be a drawback for everyday con-cealed carry. If weight is a concern, theblued model P232 is the lighter choice.

While SIG-Sauer pistols are not inex-pensive, they are designed for reliable func-tioning and long service life. For the rigorsof everyday discreet carry, the P232 offerspeace of mind that comes from dependabil-ity should you ever need it. At such times,dependability is worth the asking price.

MANUFACTURER: Sigarms, Inc. (Dept.AR), Corporate Park, Exeter, NH 03833

MECHANISM TYPE: straight blowback-operated semi-automatic pistol

CALIBER: .380 ACPOVERALL LENGTH: 611⁄16"BARREL LENGTH: 311⁄16"RIFLING: six-groove, RH twistWIDTH: 13⁄8"HEIGHT: 43⁄4"WEIGHT: 241⁄2 ozsMAGAZINE CAPACITY: seven, single-

columnTRIGGER: double-action: 5-lb. pull sin-

gle-action, 12-lb. pull double-actionSIGHTS: blade front with red dot, drift-

adjustable rear notch with two red dotsACCESSORIES: extra magazine, Allen

wrench for rear sight adjustments,lockable plastic case

STOCKS: two-piece, black, stippledsynthetic

PRICE: $485 (blue), $505 (two-tone),$525 (stainless)

SIGARMS P232

SIG-Sauer designed the newP232 to function with hollow-point ammunition. We put this toa hard test by firing a wide vari-ety of hollow-point factory loads.Pistol functioning was flawless.

.380 ACP Vel. @ 15' Smallest Largest AverageCartridge (f.p.s.) (ins.) (ins.) (ins.)

Win. 85-gr. JHP 828 Avg. 1.89 3.17 2.36No. X380ASHP 23 Sd

Sam. 95-gr. FMJ 727 Avg. 4.25 4.98 4.6739 Sd

Rem. 88-gr. JHP 855 Avg. 2.56 3.91 2.99No. R380A1 28 Sd

Average Extreme Spread 3.34

Five consecutive five-shot groups at 25 yds. fired fromRansom Rest. Abbreviations: Sd (standard deviation),FMJ (full metal jacket), JHP (jacketed hollow point)

ACCURACY RESULTS

Takedown of the P232for cleaning or mainte-nance is both quick andeasy.No tools are required.

AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • November/December 1998 49

MUZZLELOADERS generally take oneof two forms: a “traditional” lookwith brass or silver furniture, wal-

nut or maple stock and outside-hammerignition; or a “modern” look with black syn-thetic or camouflage stock, in-line ignitionand provision for mounting a scope. A fewmanufacturers attempt to make a little ofboth, the result being typically an outside-hammer cap-lock with a synthetic stock.

Austin & Halleck has taken the oppositeapproach by putting a curly maple stock on

a muzzleloader that resembles a modern,center-fire, bolt-action rifle.

The Model 420 LR Classic is availablewith stocks in standard, fancy or hand-selectgrade maple, which differ slightly in priceand greatly in the degree of figure. Standardgrade has minimal figure. Fancy gradeshave at least 30 percent figure, though manywill have more. The hand-select grade isreported to have end-to-end, high-contrast,curly figure. The sample we received fortesting was fancy grade with well-defined

tiger stripe on the right side ofthe buttstock and on the bot-tom and right side of the fore-end. The pattern on the leftside of the buttstock hasfainter tiger stripe overpow-ered by greater contrast of thegrowth rings.

Stocks feature borderless,cut checkering of 18 lines perinch on the wrist and fore-endwith fleur-de-lis accents.There is a black, 1" thick,solid-rubber buttpad; black-

plastic grip cap and quick-detachable slingswivel studs. A single Allen-head boltthrough the fore-end secures the barreledaction in the stock. This bolt is threaded intoa massive recoil lug that is dovetailed intothe bottom of the receiver.

A half-octagon/half-round barrel isthreaded into the receiver and is equippedwith a single, blued-steel thimble,adjustable rear and beaded post front sights.The sights are made of steel, the rear is a no-nonsense blade with windage and elevationclick adjustments and graduation marks,while the front has a high-visibility orangedot. Since blackpowder loads and bulletsvary dramatically, the clicks and gradua-tions on the rear sight are for reference only.

The 26" chrome-moly steel barrel isimported from Spain where it is made bybeing extruded over a mandrel. The finishedproduct has eight conventional grooves,.007" deep, with a 1:28" twist for optimalstabilization of long, heavy projectiles.

A fully adjustable, single-stage Timneytrigger is employed, and the solid-alu-minum ramrod comes with a concave load-ing jag for minimal bullet nose deformationwhen loading. The rifle also comes with acleaning jag, plastic cleaning tube to keepsolvent out of the action, weather shroud toprotect the percussion cap during inclementweather and take-down tools.

The bolt is a massive, cylindrical, steelunit with no locking lugs. Since it is not sub-jected to any stress, the bolt is “locked”closed by a small plunger in the bottom ofthe raceway that rides in a slot cut in the bot-tom of the bolt. This button also serves asthe bolt stop, and is engineered for no-toolbolt removal. Removing the bolt is simplya matter of lifting the bolt handle, andretracting it while applying slight down-ward pressure to the handle. The operator

MANUFACTURER: Austin & Halleck,Inc. (Dept. AR), 1099 Welt, Weston,MO 64098

MECHANISM TYPE: bolt-action, percus-sion, in-line muzzleloading rifle

CALIBER: .50OVERALL LENGTH: 47"BARREL LENGTH: 26"WEIGHT: 7 lbs., 2 ozs.RIFLING: eight-groove, 1:28" RH twistTRIGGER: Timney, fully adjustable,

4-lb. pullSIGHTS: leaf rear click adjustable for

windage and elevation, bead on rampfront

STOCK: curly maple: length of pull, 131⁄2";drop at heel, 11⁄2"; drop at comb, 11⁄4"

ACCESSORIES: nipple/breech plugwrench, cleaning jag, weather shroud,nylon cleaning tube, 2 mm Allen wrench

SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE: $518(Standard), $619 (Fancy), $729(Hand-Select)

AUSTIN & HALLECK

AUSTIN & HALLECK MODEL 420

The muzzleloading Austin & Halleck Model 420 LR Classic rifle is available in standard, fancy orhand-select grades. The grades differ slightly in price and greatly in the degree of figure in thestock.The sample rifle we received for testing was a fancy grade with well-defined tiger stripes.

The bolt is a massive cylindricalunit with no locking lugs. Since thebolt is not subjected to any stress,it is “locked” closed by a smallplunger in the bottom of the race-way that rides in a slot in the bolt.

The generous opening of the priming portwas a welcome feature. The opening waslarge enough that we could put a cap onthe nipple by hand with a scope mounted.

The Austin & Halleck Model 420 ’s sightsare made of steel, and the rear sight isclick-adjustable for windage and elevation.

50 AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • November/December 1998

will feel the plun-ger cam into aramp-out in thebolt slot. Once theplunger is cammedout, rotate the bolthandle down ano-ther 1/4" to fullyfree the bolt stop plunger from the slot andpull the bolt free from the action. The boltcan be completely disassembled with thesupplied 2 mm Allen wrench and a coin.Detailed instructions are included in theowner’s manual.

Another interesting feature of the bolt isstriker depth adjustment. The striker can beturned into or out of the bolt body to differ-

ent depths to provide moreor less impact depth on thenipple for different brands ofNo. 11 percussion cap.Alternatively, this featurepermits the striker to beadjusted for a top-hat-typemusket cap nipple that isoffered separately.

The Austin & Halleck420 Classic muzzleloadingrifle was fitted with a 3-9x40Nikon Buckmaster scopeand fired for accuracy at 100yds. with the results shown inthe accompanying table.Being of the “three pellet”genre, one of the loads usedin the Model 420 used three50.0-gr. equivalent Pyrodex

pellets with a 405-gr. Big Bore Express BlackBelt bullet. Function firing was with a vari-ety of conical bullets and saboted bulletsusing blackpowder, Pyrodex, Black Canyonand Clean Shot blackpowder substitutes.There were no malfunctions of any kind.

The generous opening of the priming portwas a welcome feature. Most in-lines havesmall ports that require the use of an in-linecapper. The Austin & Halleck’s opening waslarge enough that we could put a cap on thenipple by hand even with a scope installed.

Recoil is readily absorbed by the buttpadand distributed straight back with minimalmuzzle rise. The straight stock with cheekpiece fit all shooters well and aided in han-dling recoil. Experienced staff blackpowdershooters considered the perceived recoil tobe less than expected.

Accuracy was very good. There was anoticeable trend toward increased accuracyas the gun became dirty. Best groups wereachieved after firing about three foulingshots, after which accuracy leveled off untilthe gun was too fouled to easily load. At theend of the shooting session, it was a simplematter of removing the bolt, followed by thenipple and breech plug with the suppliedwrench for a thorough cleaning.

The only complaint we have with theAustin & Halleck Model 420 Classic is thatthe stock looks so nice, we wouldn’t wantto scar it up by taking it in the woods. Inrecognition of this problem, Austin &Halleck offers a synthetic stock that can bepurchased separately for harsh use.

Overall, The Austin & Halleck Model420 Classic is a great-looking and well-made muzzleloading rifle. The attentiongiven to finishing the stock and bluing thesteel is excellent. The suggested retail priceis far less than would be expected for whatsome consider the “Rolls Royce” of bolt-action muzzleloaders.

AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • November/December 1998 51

Load Vel. @15' Smallest Largest AverageCartridge (f.p.s.) (ins.) (ins.) (ins.)

Big Bore Express 405-gr. 1600 Avg. 3.16 3.92 3.51CFP, three Pyrodex 58 SdPellets, CCI No. 11 cap

C&D Harvester 355-gr. FP1576 Avg. 2.80 4.54 3.7495 grs.* Clean Shot, 41 SdCCI No. 11 cap

Barnes MZ 250-gr. HP, 1376 Avg. 1.64 3.96 2.84100 grs.* Elephant FFg, 13 SdCCI No. 11 cap

Average Extreme Spread 3.36

Five consecutive five-shot groups from 100 yds., fired fromsandbags. Abbreviations: CFP (Copper-plated Flat Point), FP(Flat Point), HP (Hollow Point), Sd (standard deviation),* = by volume

ACCURACY RESULTS

CHARLES DALY FIELD HUNTER

A single Allen-head bolt through the fore-end secures the barreled action.The bolt isthreaded into a massive recoil lug that isdovetailed into the bottom of the receiver.

The solid-aluminum ramrod comes with aconcave loading jag for minimal bulletdeformation when loading. Austin &Halleck also supplies a cleaning jag andtube, weather shroud and take-down tools.

A fully adjustableTimney triggerunit is employed inthe Model 420. Oursample rifle’s trig-ger broke at arespectable 4 lbs.

YES, there really was a Charles Daly.In 1865, he and a man namedSchoverling formed a partnership in

New York City to import high-qualityshotguns. In 1875, the firm began market-

ing shotguns made for them under theCharles Daly tradename. Over the years,manufacturers who made Daly shotguns,included: Schiller, Lindner, Heym, Sauer,Newmann, Miroku, Breda, Tolley and

Lefever. The new owners of Charles Daly,KBI, Inc., plan to continue this traditionby commissioning Sabatti of Italy to man-ufacture Charles Daly shotguns.

KBI’s new Charles Daly product line

The new Charles Daly line of over-under shotguns from KBI, Inc., offersa wide range of high quality models at reasonable prices.The Field HunterAE-MC model above was judged the best buy. However, Daly also offerslower cost Field Hunter models and high-end Superior Hunter models.

offers a wide selection of over-under shot-guns, side-by-side shotguns and combina-tion guns.We received two Charles DalyField Hunter AE over-under shotguns fortesting—one in 12-ga. and one in 28-ga.

The over-unders are offered in threegrades: Field Hunter, AE and Superior. Thebase is the Field Hunter with fixed chokesand extractors. Next up is the AE with selec-tive automatic ejectors and interchangeablechoke tubes. The top-of-the-line Superioradds more engraving, a silver finish receiv-er and a semi-beavertail fore-end. The AE’sreceiver is blued with a tastefully modestamount of scroll engraving on the sides,floor and tang. The single, selective, gold-plated trigger allows barrel selection bypressing the sliding safety left or right.

The actions are conventional, boxlockswith a single lump and forged, chrome-nick-el steel receivers with a top lever. Two framesizes are offered: 12- and 20-ga., with 28-gas. and .410-bores made on the 20-ga.frame. Chambers are 3" except the 28-ga.

Barrels are bored from solid bars ofchrome-moly steel, internally honed,chrome lined and fitted in a steel monobloc.In Field Hunter and AE grades, 26" or 28"vent rib barrels are offered. Forcing cones

are long and gradual inthe European fashion,but the barrels are notback bored. The .275"-wide full length, ven-tilated top rib’s uppersurface is serrated toreduce glare and has abrass bead front sight.

The AE modelshave interchangeable,11⁄2" length, bluedsteel, choke tubes sup-plied as a set of five ina fitted plastic casewith a steel choke tubewrench. Constrictionof each steel-shotcompatible tube isindicated by a series ofnotches on the frontedge of the tube: one

notch for full choke; two for improved mod-ified; three for modified; four for improvedcylinder; and five for cylinder.

The guns are stocked in European wal-nut with a high-gloss finish and 18 line-per-inch, cut, flat diamond pattern checkeringon the pistol grip and fore-end. The buttplateis of checkered, black composite mountedwithout spacers.

The guns have an automatic safety, ham-mers with inertial blocks, spring retractedfiring pins and a disconnector device. Thislatter item functions to prevent operation ofthe trigger until the action is securely closedand locked. When the action is open, thetrigger is disabled. When the action closes,the rear face of the barrels press a small but-ton on top of the breech inward whichenables the trigger.

Fit and finish of both Daly AE modelssent for review proved above average forshotguns in this price range. Wood to metalfit was judged especially good. The flatdiamond checkering was crisp with fewoverruns. Better still, it proved comfort-able despite being coarse. Most metalparts had a better than average polish witha pleasing deep blue finish and no blem-ishes or thin spots.

Operation proved satisfactory. Theselective, automatic ejectors consistentlytossed the empty shells about 6 ft. to therear of the gun. Barrel selection wassmooth and without stiffness. We foundthe trigger pulls a bit on the heavy side,but acceptable. Most shooters found theautomatic safety a nuisance and wouldhave preferred a manual safety. Both gunsoffered good balance and smooth han-dling, important factors when a gun mustbe carried for long periods. The smaller28-ga. gun at 63⁄4 lbs. rated especially highmarks in this respect.

After firing several hundred rounds of12-ga. shotshells in a variety of loads, per-ceived recoil was judged average for shot-guns of the type. When firing target loads,light or heavy field loads and high velocityloads, moderate perceived recoil levels didnot cause significant shooter fatigue.

What we have here is solid, middle-of-the-road value using entirely conventional,proven designs with features most shootersconsider important. Shooters looking for thelatest gadget or fad feature should look else-where. We particularly liked the small gunsin 20-, 28-ga. and .410-bore. Their fast han-dling, high quality and reasonable pricemake them an excellent value.

MANUFACTURER: Sabatti S.P.A., Via A.Volta No.90, I-25063 Gardone V.T.(Brescia), Italy

IMPORTER: KBI, Inc. (Dept. AR), P.O.Box 6625, Harrisburg, PA 17112

MECHANISM TYPE: hinge-action, box-lock, over-under shotgun

GAUGE: 12, 3" (tested), 20, 3", 28, 23⁄4",.410, 3"

OVERALL LENGTH: 45" BARREL LENGTH: 26", 28" (tested), 30"WEIGHT: 7 lbs., 4 ozs.TRIGGER: single-selective: 6-lb. pull

upper barrel, 7-lb. pull lower STOCK: high-gloss walnut: length of pull

1313⁄16", drop at heel 21⁄4", drop atcomb 19⁄16"

ACCESSORIES: five choke tubes, choketube wrench, choke tube box

SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE: $899(Field Hunter AE-MC with choketubes), $779 (Field Hunter 28-ga. withfixed chokes)

CHARLES DALY

AVERAGE OF 10 PATTERNS AT 40 YDS.

12 12 9 8

13 16 10 12

14 16 11 12

12 12 9 9

Improved Cylinder Choke Cylinder Choke

x =Point of HoldFederal P128 Premium lead 23⁄4"-11⁄4-oz.-No. 6

Pellet count—253

Total Hits 107 (42%) Total Hits 78 (31%)21.2" Inner Circle 59 (23%) 21.2" Inner Circle 42 (17%)30" Outer Ring 48 (19%) 30" Outer Ring 36 (14%)

CHARLES DALY FIELD GRADE

We received two Daly Field Hunter AE-MCshotguns for testing—a 12-ga. (r.) and a 28-ga.There are two action sizes, and the 28-ga. guns are built on the 20-ga.’s frame.

The Charles Dalys offer inertial-blockedhammers and a single-selective,gold-plat-ed trigger.The disconnector device (arrow)disables the trigger when the action is open.

Barrels are bored from a single bar ofchrome-moly steel, internally honed,chrome lined, and equipped with individ-ual extractors and a full length,ventilated rib.

52 AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • November/December 1998

IF imitation is the most sincere form offlattery, then Sigarms should be pleasedby the new Gamo P23. The Gamo P23 is

a CO2-powered BB repeater/.177 cal. pelletsingle-shot pistol that emulates the SIG P230semi-automatic pistol in both name andappearance. The similarity makes the GamoP23 the ideal practice gun for someone whoalready owns and carries the SIG. Pellets andBBs are arguably less expensive to shootthan cartridges, and a safe airgun range iseasily set up in many basements or hallways.

The P23 is made almost entirely of mold-ed, flat-black polymer. The 41⁄4", rifled steelbarrel is housed in a zinc alloy assembly thatis tipped up to load. Pressing forward on alatch near the top of the barrel assemblyreleases the assembly that, when tipped up,reveals the fixed, 12-shot BB magazine.Loading the magazine begins with turning

the trigger-blocking safetylever to the “safe” position,then tipping the barrelassembly up. Next, pressthe red lever of the maga-zine feeder pin toward the muzzle until itflips up into its retaining slot. Up to 12 BBs,preferably lead, are inserted through theopening of the magazine. After loading,release the lever of the magazine feeder pinand close the P23’s barrel assembly makingsure it locks firmly into place.

Alternatively, the Gamo P23 can be usedas a single-shot pellet pistol by inserting asingle pellet into the rear of the barrelinstead of loading the magazine with BBs.

Power is by way of a 121⁄2 gram CO2 cylin-der within the grip. Access is through the leftstock panel that is retained by barbed tabsthat hook into the grip frame. The panel iseasily removed by gently prying up on itfrom the slot at the base of the grip.

The trigger mechanism is double-action-only. Pulling the trigger draws the trigger barforward and cams the par-tially concealed hammerback. When the hammerreaches its rearmost travel, itis released forward, and anipple on the hammer faceactivates a valve to squirt ameasured amount of CO2into the barrel.

Though plastic, the gripframe feels very solid, and its17-oz.-heft aids a steadyhold. The stock panels havemolded-in checkering andthumb shelves, but the gripas a whole is narrow and hasa blocky feel.

Sights consist of a black-plastic, square-notch rear and blade front. The rear sight isdovetailed into the top of the pistol andsecured with a set screw. The front is integralwith the frame. The top of the pistol is ser-rated to reduce glare and grooved to accept atip-off scope mount.

We fired the Gamo P23 for accuracy at10 meters with the results shown in theaccompanying table. Lead BBs and .177-cal. pellets were used with no malfunctionsof any kind and we easily achieved the man-ufacturers 11⁄4" five-shot group accuracylevel. CO2 cylinders lasted an average of 40to 50 shots before starting to run out.

The first 1/2" of trigger travel wassmooth and light, but then escalatedabruptly in pull weight. The trigger breakwas crisp, but jarring, and shook the gunterribly. These are really moot points,though, as the Gamo P23 is not intendedas a target pistol. No, this airgun is a plink-er and trainer, and in that capacity deservesconsideration.

Gamo’s P23 thus provides a relativelysafe practice tool for practical exercisessuch as drawing from a holster and firing.At a suggested retail price of less than $90,the Gamo P23 is no cheapie. The air pis-tol is well-made and appears durable.Given due care, it should soon pay foritself in savings realized from shootingpellets instead of cartridges.MANUFACTURER: Industrias Gamo,

Carretera de Calafell Km 10, Sant Boide Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain

IMPORTER: Gamo USA Corp. (Dept.AR), 3911 SW 47th Ave., Suite 914,Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33314

MECHANISM TYPE: CO2 repeating pistolCALIBER: .177OVERALL LENGTH: 75⁄8"BARREL LENGTH: 41⁄4"WEIGHT: 17 ozs.WIDTH: 11⁄4"HEIGHT: 5"MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 12RIFLING: 10-groove, RH twistTRIGGER: double-action-only, 8-lb. pullSIGHTS: drift-adjustable, black, plastic,

square notch rear, blade frontSUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE: $89.95

GAMO P23

Gamo’s new ModelP23 pistol is a CO2-powered

BB repeater/.177 cal. pellet sin-gle-shot that emulates SIG’s Model

P230 .380 ACP semi-automaticpistol in both name and appearance.

Lifting up the slide allows access to the 12-shot BB magazine for loading. The feederpin is then moved up into its retaining slot.

AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • November/December 1998 53

GAMO P23

.177 cal. Vel. @15’ Smallest Largest AverageBBs and pellets (f.p.s.) (ins.) (ins.) (ins.)

Gamo lead BBs 263 Avg. 1.04 1.54 1.2417 Sd

Gamo Hunter 323 Avg. 0.77 1.06 0.81Pellets 7 Sd

Gamo Match 309 Avg. 0.63 1.09 0.83Pellets 10 Sd

Average Extreme Spread 0.96

Five consecutive five-shot groups from 10 meters., fired fromsandbag rest with fresh C02 cylinder installed between pro-jectile types. Abbreviations: Sd (standard deviation)

ACCURACY RESULTS