ALFA .22 Caliber Double Action Blank Starter / Training Pistol

Rugged and reliable dual-action revolver with superior manufacturing quality.

These blank pistols are not props and can cause serious injury if used improperly. They are not recommended for use in theatrical productions or indoors. The Alfa .22 caliber double-action blank starter pistol is a rugged and reliably designed dual-action revolver with superior manufacturing quality. Features:
  • Limited lifetime manufacturer's warranty
  • Z-MAC zinc-aluminum frame with high-strength heat-treated steel parts
  • Automated drop safety lock and machine-tooled steel double-action-trigger mechanism for safety
  • Bright orange grips made of high-impact polymer for visibility in the field
  • Orange safety cap on the solid barrel indicates this blank pistol is not a firearm
  • Six shot swing out cylinder allowing for easy loading and unloading
  • Lanyard ring in the bottom of the handle
  • Includes hardshell carrying case and cylinder cleaning brush NOTES: Fiocchi .22 caliber long crimped blanks or CCI .22 caliber short crimped blanks are recommended. If using crimped acorn blanks, you must point the Alfa .22 down when firing to prevent jamming (this does not occur with our other types of blanks). Specifications: Barrel: 2"
    Overall Length: 7"
    Height: 5.25"
    Weight: 1.6 lbs.
    Capacity: 6
    Finish: Blued Use and/or possession of blank pistols (starter pistols) and blanks is prohibited and/or restricted in some jurisdictions. Laws change frequently. Therefore, all buyers should check with local authorities prior to ordering starter pistols, blank pistols, and/or blanks.
    • Limited Lifetime Warranty In addition to offering repair and service, Alfa-Proj warrants to the original purchaser that the product is free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use. Damage due to abuse, misuse, neglect, or unauthorized adjustments or modifications made or attempted by anyone other than the stated factory repair service is excluded from this warranty. The Lifetime Service Policy covers functional defects. Alfa-Proj will repair or replace, at its option, any defects due to faulty materials or workmanship. The conditions of this warranty are twofold: First, the purchaser must return the warranty card with proof of retail purchase to: Elite Custom Guns, 2522 Tranquil Way, Sevierville, TN 37876-0170 within thirty days of purchase. Please include a copy of your purchase receipt. Second, the purchaser must notify Elite Custom Guns service department, in writing or by e-mail (elitecustomguns@gmail.com), stating the difficulty experienced and the date and place of original purchase. Excluded from this warranty are malfunctions caused by misuse or abuse of the starter revolver, damage due to lack of proper cleaning and maintenance, unauthorized modification, adjustments or repairs, shipping damages, careless handling, normal wear and tear, and defective or improperly loaded ammunition and corrosion. Alfa-Proj's responsibility under this warranty is limited to the repair or replacement of the revolver. Responsibility or liability for damage to property other than the revolver, personal injury or death, or consequential damages is SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDED.


    Price: 299.95
    Code: ALFA22


    We ship these US48 only. We'll contact you with additional shipping / sales taxes or questions about your order.
    Questions? We're here to help. Call 1-800-624-6378 or 662-324-2410 and we'll answer any questions or take a phone order.


    Contents Field

    Alfa Blank Pistols: Which One Is Right for Your Dog?

    If you're serious about training a hunting dog, a quality blank pistol isn't optional — it's one of the most important tools you'll buy. I've been doing gun introductions for a long time, and I can tell you that gun shyness is preventable. Almost always. Most of the dogs I've seen develop gun shyness problems got there the same way: somebody rushed gun introduction, or they did it wrong. Blank pistols are part of how you do your dog’s introduction to gunfire the right way. The advantages of blanks over live ammunition are significant. You can fire a lot of shots.. You can work in areas where you'd never be comfortable with a real gun. And it's a lot safer — for you, for the dog, and for anybody else around. You can gun condition a dog with live rounds, but why add extra risk and all those limitations when you don't have to?

    The Three Calibers

    We sell the Alfa Blank Pistol in three calibers: the .22, the .209, and the .32. Let me save you some time — for the vast majority of you, the Alfa .32 isn't even worth considering. It's primarily for a small number of field trial participants and track and field folks. .32 blanks are expensive, and it is loud. Cross it off the list. That leaves you choosing between the .22 and the .209.

    The Alfa .22: My Personal Recommendation

    The Alfa .22 is our most popular pistol, and if someone asks me to just pick one, this is it. The advantage of a .22 is that you have options with blanks. My favorites are acorn crimp blanks — they're small, they look like little acorns, and they're quiet for a .22 blank. When you're introducing a young dog to gunfire, you want to start low on the volume scale and work up gradually. Acorn crimps let you do that. From there you can step up to CCI short blanks, which are a nice, solid, loud blank when you need more volume. The ability to control volume based on where your dog is in the process is what I like most about the .22.

    The .209: The High-Volume Option

    The Alfa .209 uses shotgun primers, which are extremely inexpensive and easy to find locally at most gun stores that carry reloading supplies. If you're doing a lot of training and firing a huge number of shots, the economics of the .209 make sense. The trade-off is that there's only one volume setting: loud. That means with young dogs doing early gun introduction, you don’t have as much control over the volume. You have to start out further away from the dog and move in very gradually to avoid any issues. One other thing to know: while the primers are cheap to buy locally, they're expensive to ship and regulated differently than blanks. You can't just order a small quantity online,so you’ll have to purchase them in higher quantities. Most professional trainers I know have both a .22 and a Alfa .209. They use the .22 for puppies and early work, then move to the .209 for regular training once dogs are conditioned. If you're at that level, you'll probably end up there too. For the average bird dog or retriever guy who's going through a couple of dogs over the next five to ten years, the .22 is a solid choice.

    Safety

    A blank pistol looks like a firearm, and therefore should be treated like one. "It's just a blank" is not a reason to get careless. There's residue, there's gas, there's a flash, and they are loud — point it away from people and dogs. I shoot down behind me or up in the air, always away from everybody. Wear ear protection. Wear eye protection. Wear gloves.

    A Few Other Things Worth Having

    Get a holster. Sticking a pistol in your pocket works until it doesn't — a good leather pistol holster on your belt keeps your blank pistol where it belongs and means you're not digging around for it when you need it. Alfa pistols also have a ring on the handle for a lanyard if you want to tie it to your belt loop. The orange grips are intentional too. They help identify it as a blank pistol at a glance, but more practically: if you drop it in the field, orange is a lot easier to find than black. Every Alfa comes with a hard shell case and a cleaning brush. Be sure to keep it clean. A lot of these blanks are black powder blanks, and residue builds up. Clean your pistol on a semi-regular basis, keep a little oil on it, and it will last you a lifetime. Most of the problems we see with blank pistols trace back to one thing: people not cleaning them.

    Why Alfa Blank Pistols?

    There's a big gap in the blank pistol market between cheap and quality, and that gap matters. The inexpensive pistols are inconsistent and they don't hold up. The Alfas are built on an actual pistol frame, they have a swing-out cylinder that makes reloading fast and simple, and they come with a limited lifetime warranty covering parts and manufacturer defects. We’ve sold Alfas since 2010, and have thousands in the field. They're reliable, and reliability is what you need in a training tool. Alfa’s aren’t cheap. But this is a piece of gear you buy once, take care of, and have for the rest of your training career. That's the right way to look at it. Not sure about your training situation? Any questions, give us a call: 1-800-624-6378. We're happy to help you find the right setup for your dogs.





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